Daily Quote:
Doesn't this happen to us all the time? We get angry -- at a stranger, at a friend, at a loved one -- only to later discover that we were never truly angry at them, but at the person we thought they were...[The Chassidic Masters]
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Lech-Lecha, 6th Portion Genesis 15:7-17:6 with Rashi
• Genesis Chapter 15
7And He said to him, "I am the Lord, Who brought you forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it." זוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֨יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
8And he said, "O Lord God, how will I know that I will inherit it?" חוַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה:
9And He said to him, "Take for Me three heifers and three goats and three rams, and a turtle dove and a young bird." טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו קְחָ֥ה לִי֙ עֶגְלָ֣ה מְשֻׁלֶּ֔שֶׁת וְעֵ֥ז מְשֻׁלֶּ֖שֶׁת וְאַ֣יִל מְשֻׁלָּ֑שׁ וְתֹ֖ר וְגוֹזָֽל:
three heifers: (Gen. Rabbah 44:14) Three calves, symbolic of the three bulls: the bull of Yom Kippur, the bull brought when the interpretation of a law is hidden from the people [because of an error of the Sanhedrin], and the heifer whose neck was broken. עגלה משלשת: שלשה עגלים, רמז לשלשה פרים פר יום הכפורים, ופר העלם דבר של צבור, ועגלה ערופה:
and three goats: Symbolic of the he-goat that is sacrificed inside, the he-goats of the additional offering of the festivals, and the he-goat that is sacrificed as a sin offering for an individual. ועז משלשת: רמז לשעיר הנעשה בפנים, ושעירי מוספין של מועד, ושעיר חטאת יחיד:
and three rams: A guilt offering for a definite sin, a guilt offering for a doubtful sin, and a ewe lamb for a sin offering for an individual. ואיל משולש: אשם ודאי, ואשם תלוי, וכבשה של חטאת יחיד:
and a turtle dove and a young bird: A turtle dove and a young pigeon. [These are the various species offered up for all kinds of atonement sacrifices.] ותור וגוזל: תור ובן יונה:
10And he took for Him all these, and he divided them in the middle, and he placed each part opposite its mate, but he did not divide the birds. יוַיִּקַּח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִֽישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר:
and he divided them: He divided each one into two parts. The verse does not lose its simple meaning, because He was forming a covenant with him to keep His promise, to cause his sons to inherit the land, as it is written (verse 18): “On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, saying, etc.,” and it is the custom of those who form a covenant to divide an animal and to pass between its parts, as it is written (Jer. 34:19): “who passed between the parts of the calf.” Here too, “a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between the parts,” was the agent of the Shechinah, which is [referred to as] fire. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28] ויבתר אותם: חלק כל אחד לשני חלקים, ואין המקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו לפי שהיה כורת עמו ברית לשמור הבטחתו להוריש לבניו את הארץ, כדכתיב (פסוק יח) ביום ההוא כרת ה' את אברם ברית לאמר וגו', ודרך כורתי ברית לחלק בהמה ולעבור בין בתריה, כמה שנאמר להלן (ירמיה לד יט) העוברים בין בתרי העגל, אף כאן תנור עשן ולפיד אש אשר עבר בין הגזרים הוא שלוחו של שכינה שהוא אש:
but he did not divide the birds: Since the idol-worshipping nations are likened to bulls, rams, and goats, as it is said (Ps. 22:13): “Many bulls surrounded me, etc.,” and Scripture states (Dan. 8:20): “The ram that you saw, the one with horns, represents the kings of Media and Persia,” and Scripture states (ibid. verse 21): “And the he-goat is the king of Greece.” And the Israelites are likened to young doves, as it is said (Song of Songs 2:14): “My dove, in the clefts of the rock.” Therefore, he divided the animals, as an allusion that the nations will gradually perish. “But he did not divide the bird,” as an allusion that Israel will exist forever. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28; Targum. Ps. 22: 13] ואת הצפור לא בתר: לפי שהאומות נמשלו לפרים ואילים ושעירים, שנאמר (תהלים כב יג) סבבוני פרים רבים וגו', ואומר (דניאל ח כ) והאיל אשר ראית בעל הקרנים מלכי מדי ופרס. ואומר (שם כא) והצפיר והשעיר מלך יון, וישראל נמשלו לבני יונה שנאמר (שה"ש ב יד) יונתי בחגוי הסלע, לפיכך בתר הבהמות רמז על האומות שיהיו כלין והולכין, ואת הצפור לא בתר רמז שיהיו ישראל קיימין לעולם:
11And the birds of prey descended upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. יאוַיֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יִט עַל־הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם:
And the birds of prey: Heb. הָעַיִט. This is a bird, and [it is called עַיִט] because it swoops down [עָט] and seeks the carcasses. Like (Job 9:26): “to swoop upon food,” and like (I Sam. 15:19): “and you flew (וַתַּעַט) upon the spoil.” העיט: הוא עוף, ועל שם שהוא עט ושואף הנבלות (איוב ט כו) לטוש עלי אוכל, כמו (שמואל א' טו יט) ותעט אל השלל:
upon the carcasses: upon the parts. (Other editions: הַפְּגָרִים is translated into Aramaic as פַּגְלַיָא, [meaning “carcass,” and not “parts,” as Rashi interprets]. But because they [the Targumim] were accustomed to translating אִישׁ בִּתְרוֹ [verse 10] as וִיהַב פַּלְגַּיָא [meaning: “He placed each part”], the word פַּגְלַיָא was mistakenly changed to פַּלְגַּיָא, and they therefore translated הַפְּגָרִים as פַּלְגַיָא. But whoever translates that way is in error, because we cannot equate בְּתָרִים, parts, to פְּגָרִים, carcasses, for בְּתָרִים should be translated פַּלְגַּיָא, and פְּגָרִים should be translated פַּגְלַיָא, an expression of פִּגוּל, an abominable thing, as (Lev. 19:7): “it is an abominable thing (פִּגוּל),” an expression of a carcass. (So I heard from Rabbi Judah the son of Rabbi Samuel.) And so it was emended in a Rashi ms., and in another ms. was written: So did Rabbi Meir the son of Rabbi Samuel explain.) על הפגרים: על הבתרים (הפגרים מתרגמינן פגליא, אלא מתוך שהורגלו לתרגם (פסוק י) איש בתרו, ויהב פלגיא, נתחלף להם תיבת פגליא לפלגיא, ותרגומו הפגרים פלגיא, וכל המתרגם כן טועה, לפי שאין להקיש בתרים לפגרים, שבתרים תרגומו פלגיא, ופגרים תרגומו פגליא לשון פגול, כמו (ויקרא יט ז) פגול הוא לשון פגר):
and Abram drove them away: Heb. וַיַּשֵּׁב, an expression of blowing and causing to fly away, like (Ps. 147:18): “He causes His wind to blow (יַשֵּׁב).” This is an allusion that David the son of Jesse will come to destroy them, but they will not permit him from heaven [to do so] until the King Messiah arrives. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 28] וישב: לשון נשיבה והפרחה, כמו (תהלים קמז יח) ישב רוחו, רמז שיבא דוד בן ישי לכלותם, ואין מניחין אותו מן השמים עד שיבא מלך המשיח:
12Now the sun was ready to set, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him. יבוַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָֽפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו:
and behold, a fright, etc.: An allusion to the troubles and darkness of the exiles. [from above mentioned source, Targum Jonathan, Targum Yerushalmi, Gen. Rabbah 42:17, and many other midrashic sources] והנה אימה וגו': רמז לצרות וחשך של גליות:
13And He said to Abram, "You shall surely know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them, for four hundred years. יגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר | יִֽהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֨רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַֽעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה:
that your seed will be strangers: From the time that Isaac was born until the Israelites left Egypt was four hundred years. How so? Isaac was sixty years old when Jacob was born, and Jacob, when he went down to Egypt, said, “The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years,” which total 190. They were in Egypt 210 years, like the numerical value of רְדוּ (see Rashi, below 42:2; ר = 200, ד = 4, ו = 6, totaling 210). Thus, the total is 400 years. Now, if you should say that they were 400 years in Egypt, [this is not so] because Kehath was one of those who descended to Egypt. If you compute the years of Kehath (133) and those of Amram (his son, 137), and the 80 years of Moses, his age when they left Egypt, you will find only 350 [years]. And you must still subtract from them all the years that Kehath lived after the birth of Amram and that Amram lived after the birth of Moses. [from Seder Olam ch. 3] כי גר יהיה זרעך: משנולד יצחק עד שיצאו ישראל ממצרים ארבע מאות שנה. כיצד, יצחק בן ששים שנה כשנולד יעקב. ויעקב כשירד למצרים אמר (להלן מז ט) ימי שני מגורי שלשים ומאת שנה, הרי מאה ותשעים, ובמצרים היו מאתים ועשר כמנין רדו, הרי ארבע מאות שנה. ואם תאמר במצרים היו ארבע מאות, הרי קהת מיורדי מצרים היה, צא וחשוב שנותיו של קהת, ושל עמרם, ושמונים של משה שהיה כשיצאו ישראל ממצרים, אין אתה מוצא אלא שלש מאות וחמשים, ואתה צריך להוציא מהן כל השנים שחי קהת אחר לידת עמרם, ושחי עמרם אחר לידת משה:
in a land that is not theirs: It does not say, “in the land of Egypt,” but “[in a land] that is not theirs,” and from the time Isaac was born (below 21:34): “and Abraham sojourned, etc.” (Below 20:1): “And [Isaac] sojourned in Gerar.” (Ps. 105:23): “And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.” (Below 47:4): “To sojourn in the land we have come.” - [from Mid. Abchir] בארץ לא להם: לא נאמר בארץ מצרים אלא בארץ לא להם, ומשנולד יצחק (להלן כא לד) ויגר אברהם וגו', וביצחק (שם כו ג) גור בארץ הזאת, (תהלים קה כג) ויעקב גר בארץ חם, (בראשית מז ד) לגור בארץ באנו:
14And also the nation that they will serve will I judge, and afterwards they will go forth with great possessions. ידוְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַגּ֛וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַֽעֲבֹ֖דוּ דָּ֣ן אָנֹ֑כִי וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן יֵֽצְא֖וּ בִּרְכֻ֥שׁ גָּדֽוֹל:
And also the nation: [The word] וְגַם, [and also], is to include the four kingdoms (Babylon, Persia and Media, Greece, and Edom), for they too will perish because they enslaved Israel. [from Gen. Rabbah 44:19] וגם את הגוי: וגם לרבות ארבע מלכיות, שאף הם כלים על ששיעבדו את ישראל:
will I judge: with ten plagues. [from Gen. Rabbah 44:20] דן אנכי: בעשר מכות:
with great possessions: with much money, as it is said (Exod. 12:36): “and they emptied out Egypt.” ברכוש גדול: בממון גדול, כמו שנאמר (שמות יב לו) וינצלו את מצרים:
15But you will come to your forefathers in peace; you will be buried in a good old age. טווְאַתָּ֛ה תָּב֥וֹא אֶל־אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם תִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָֽה:
But you will come to your forefathers in peace: And you will not witness any of this. [From Gen. Rabbah 44:20] ואתה תבוא: ולא תראה כל אלה:
to your forefathers: His father was an idolater, and He announces to him that he will come to him? This teaches you that Terah repented. [from Tan. Shemoth 18] אל אבותיך: אביו עובד עבודה זרה והוא מבשרו שיבא אליו, אלא למדך שעשה תרח תשובה:
you will be buried in a good old age: He announced to him that Ishmael would repent during his lifetime (Gen. Rabbah 30:4, 38:12), and that Esau would not embark on evil ways during his lifetime. Therefore, he died five years before his time, and on that very day, Esau rebelled (ibid. 63:12). See below 25:29f. תקבר בשיבה טובה: בשרו שיעשה ישמעאל תשובה בימיו ולא יצא עשו לתרבות רעה בימיו, ולפיכך מת חמש שנים קודם זמנו ובו ביום מרד עשו:
16And the fourth generation will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites will not be complete until then." טזוְד֥וֹר רְבִיעִ֖י יָשׁ֣וּבוּ הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֧י לֹֽא־שָׁלֵ֛ם עֲוֹ֥ן הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י עַד־הֵֽנָּה:
And the fourth generation: After they will have been exiled to Egypt, they will be there for three generations, and the fourth will return to this land (Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer ch. 5), for in the land of Canaan He spoke with him, and formed this covenant, as it is written (above verse 7): “to give you this land to inherit it.” And so it was: Jacob descended to Egypt. Go forth and figure his generations: Judah, Perez, and Hezron, and Caleb the son of Hezron was one of those who entered the land (Sotah 11b). ודור רביעי: לאחר שיגלו למצרים יהיו שם שלשה דורות, והרביעי ישובו לארץ הזאת, לפי שבארץ כנען היה מדבר עמו וכרת ברית זו, כדכתיב (פסוק ז) לתת לך את הארץ הזאת לרשתה, וכן היה יעקב ירד למצרים. צא וחשוב דורותיו יהודה, פרץ, חצרון, וכלב בן חצרון מבאי הארץ היה:
for the iniquity of the Amorites will not be complete: that they should be sent out of their land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish a nation until its measure is full, as it is said: (Isa. 27:8):“When her measure is full, when You send her away, then You will strive with her.” - [from Zohar, vol. 1, p. 113b] כי לא שלם עון האמורי: להיות משתלח מארצו עד אותו זמן, שאין הקב"ה נפרע מאומה עד שתתמלא סאתה, שנאמר (ישעיה כז ח) בסאסאה בשלחה תריבנה:
17Now it came to pass that the sun had set, and it was dark, and behold, a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between these parts. יזוַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַֽעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
Now it came to pass that the sun had set: Heb. וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה. [The subject apparently does not agree with the predicate, because שֶׁמֶשׁ is a feminine noun, whereas וַיְהִי is a masculine verb. Therefore, Rashi explains as follows:] This is similar to (below 42:35): “And it came to pass that they were emptying their sacks”; (II Kings 13:21): “And it came to pass that they were burying a man”; meaning: this event took place. [The subject of וַיְהִי is not הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ but דָבָר זֶה (i.e., it is as if the masculine noun דָבָר זֶה (this event) were inserted after וַיְהִי.] The same is true in the two instances quoted by Rashi, in which the subject is plural, whereas the predicate is singular. There too, the subject of וַיְהִי is דָבָר זֶה.] ויהי השמש באה: כמו (בראשית מב לה) ויהי הם מריקים שקיהם, (מ"ב יג כא) ויהי הם קוברים איש, כלומר ויהי דבר זה:
the sun had set: Heb. בָּאָה. It had set. השמש באה: שקעה:
and it was dark: The day darkened. ועלטה היה: חשך היום:
and behold, a smoldering furnace, etc.: He hinted to him that the kingdoms of the pagans would fall into hell. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 28] והנה תנור עשן וגו': רמז לו שיפלו המלכיות בגיהנם.
had set: Heb. בָּאָה Its accent is on the first syllable. Therefore, it is explained that it had already set; but if its accent were at the end, on the “alef,” it would be explained to mean: as it was setting. but it is impossible to say this, for it is already written (above verse 12): “Now the sun was setting,” and the passing of the smoking furnace happened after this. It is found that it had already set. And this difference exists in every word in the feminine gender, whose radical consists of two letters, such as בא (to come), קם (to arise), שב (to return). When the accent is on the first syllable, it is in the past tense, e.g., this case and e.g., (below 29:9): “and Rachel came (בָּאָה)”; (below 37:7): “my sheaf arose (קָמָה)”; (Ruth 1:15): “Lo! Your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָה).” However, when the accent is on the final syllable, it is in the present tense, denoting a thing that is happening now and is continuing to happen, like (below 29:6): “She is coming בָּאָה with the flocks”; (Esther 2:14): “In the evening she would come (בָּאָה), and in the morning she would return (שָׁבָה).” באה: באה טעמו למעלה, לכך הוא מבואר שבאה כבר, ואם היה טעמו למטה באלף היה מבואר כשהיא שוקעת. ואי אפשר לומר כן, שהרי כבר כתיב ויהי השמש לבא, והעברת תנור עשן לאחר מכאן היתה נמצא שכבר שקעה. וזה חילוק בכל תיבה לשון נקבה שיסודה שתי אותיות, כמו בא, קם, שב, כשהטעם למעלה, לשון עבר הוא, כגון זה, וכגון (להלן כט ט) ורחל באה, (שם לז ז) קמה אלומתי, (רות א טו) הנה שבה יבמתך, וכשהטעם למטה הוא לשון הווה, דבר שנעשה עכשיו והולך, כמו (להלן כט ו) באה עם הצאן, (אסתר ב יד) בערב היא באה ובבקר היא שבה:
18On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt until the great river, the Euphrates river. יחבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֨תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת:
To your seed I have given: The word of the Holy One, blessed be He, is like an accomplished fact. לזרעך נתתי: אמירתו של הקב"ה כאילו היא עשויה:
the great river, the Euphrates river: Since it is associated with the Land of Israel, He calls it great, even though it is the last of the four rivers going forth from Eden, as it is said (above 2:14): “and the fourth river that is the Euphrates.” A common proverb states: “A king’s servant is a king; associate with a ruler, and people will bow down to you.” - [from Sifrei Devarim 6] הנהר הגדול נהר פרת: לפי שהוא דבוק לארץ ישראל קוראהו גדול אף על פי שהוא מאוחר בארבעה נהרות היוצאים מעדן, שנאמר והנהר הרביעי הוא פרת. משל הדיוט עבד מלך מלך, הדבק לשחוור וישתחוו לך:
19The Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, יטאֶת־הַקֵּינִי֙ וְאֶת־הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וְאֵ֖ת הַקַּדְמֹנִֽי:
The Kenites: There are ten nations [enumerated] here, but He gave them only seven nations. The [other] three are Edom, Moab, and Ammon, and they are [here referred to as] the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, which are destined to be [our] heritage in the future, as it is said (Isa. 11:14): “upon Edom and Moab shall they stretch forth their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 44:23] את הקיני: עשר אומות יש כאן ולא נתן להם אלא שבעה גוים, והשלשה אדום ומואב ועמון, והם קיני קניזי וקדמוני עתידים להיות ירושה לעתיד, שנאמר (ישעיה יא יד) אדום ומואב משלוח ידם ובני עמון משמעתם:
20And the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim, כוְאֶת־הַֽחִתִּ֥י וְאֶת־הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְאֶת־הָֽרְפָאִֽים:
and the Rephaim: the land of Og, concerning which it is said (Deut. 3: 13):“That is called the land of the Rephaim.” ואת הרפאים: ארץ עוג, שנאמר בה (דברים ג יג) ההוא יקרא ארץ רפאים:
21And the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites." כאוְאֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְאֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י וְאֶת־הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י וְאֶת־הַיְבוּסִֽי:
Genesis Chapter 16
1Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne to him, and she had an Egyptian handmaid named Hagar. אוְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָֽלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר:
an Egyptian handmaid: She was Pharaoh’s daughter. When he (Pharaoh) saw the miracles that were wrought for Sarah, he said, “It is better that my daughter be a handmaid in this household, than a mistress in another household.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 45:1] שפחה מצרית: בת פרעה היתה, כשראה נסים שנעשה לשרה אמר מוטב שתהא בתי שפחה בבית זה ולא גבירה בבית אחר:
2And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing; please come to my handmaid; perhaps I will be built up from her." And Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice. בוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי:
perhaps I will be built up from her: This teaches that whoever has no children is not built up but demolished. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:2] אולי אבנה ממנה: לימד על מי שאין לו בנים שאינו בנוי אלא הרוס:
I will be built up from her: in the merit that I will bring my rival into my house. — [from Gen. Rabbah 71:7, Aggadath Bereishith 52] אבנה ממנה: בזכות שאכניס צרתי לתוך ביתי:
to Sarai’s voice: to the Divine Spirit within her. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:2] לקול שרי: לרוח הקודש שבה:
3So Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, at the end of ten years of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan, and she gave her to Abram her husband for a wife. גוַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took: She took her with words, “You are fortunate that you have merited to cleave to a holy body such as this one.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 45:3] ותקח שרי: לקחתה בדברים אשריך שזכית לידבק בגוף קדוש כזה:
at the end of ten years: This is the allotted time for a woman who has lived ten years with her husband and has not borne children to him, when he is obligated to marry another. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:3] מקץ עשר שנים: מועד הקבוע לאשה ששהתה עשר שנים ולא ילדה לבעלה חייב לישא אחרת:
of Abram’s dwelling: This tells us that the time they dwelled outside the Land does not count in the number [ten years], because it was not said to him, “and I will make you into a great nation,” [i.e., this promise would not be fulfilled] until he would come to the Land of Israel. — [from above source] לשבת אברם וגו': מגיד שאין ישיבת חוצה לארץ עולה לו מן המנין, לפי שלא נאמר לו (לעיל יב ב) ואעשך לגוי גדול, עד שיבא לארץ ישראל:
4And he came to Hagar, and she conceived, and she saw that she was pregnant, and her mistress became unimportant in her eyes. דוַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֨רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ:
And he came to Hagar, and she conceived: from the first union. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:4] ויבא אל הגר ותהר: מביאה ראשונה:
and her mistress became unimportant in her eyes: She said, “This Sarai her conduct in secret is not like her conduct in public. She shows herself as if she is a righteous woman, but she is not a righteous woman, for she did not merit to conceive all these years, whereas I have conceived from the first union.” - [from aforementioned source] ותקל גברתה בעיניה: אמרה שרי זו אין סתרה כגלויה, מראה עצמה כאלו היא צדקת ואינה צדקת, שלא זכתה להריון כל השנים הללו, ואני נתעברתי מביאה ראשונה:
5And Sarai said to Abram, "May my injustice be upon you! I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and she saw that she had become pregnant, and I became unimportant in her eyes. May the Lord judge between me and you!" הוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֘ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶ֒יךָ֒ אָֽנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֨רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָֽאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהֹוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיֹךָ:
May my injustice be upon you: [For] the injustice that has been done to me, I lay the punishment upon you. When you prayed to God, “What will You give me, since I am going childless?” you prayed only for yourself, whereas you should have prayed for both of us, and I would have been remembered with you. Moreover, you are stealing from me your [protective] words, for you hear my degradation, and you remain silent (i.e., you are depriving me of the words you should have spoken to Hagar to reprimand her on my behalf). — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:5] חמסי עליך: חמס העשוי לי, עליך אני מטיל העונש, כשהתפללת להקב"ה מה תתן לי ואנכי הולך ערירי, לא התפללת אלא עליך, והיה לך להתפלל על שנינו והייתי אני נפקדת עמך. ועוד, דבריך אתה חומס ממני שאתה שומע בזיוני ושותק:
I gave my handmaid, etc. between me and you: Every בֶּינֶיךָ in Scripture is spelled defectively (without the second yud), but this one is spelled plene. It may thus also be read וּבֵינַיִךְ (second person feminine), for she cast an evil eye on Hagar’s pregnancy, and she miscarried her fetus. That is why the angel said to Hagar, “Behold, you will conceive.” But was she not already pregnant? Yet he announces to her that she will conceive? But this teaches that she miscarried her first pregnancy. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:5] אנכי נתתי שפחתי וגו' ביני וביניך: כל ביני ובינך שבמקרא חסר, וזה מלא, קרי ביה וביניך שהכניסה עין הרע בעיבורה של הגר והפילה עוברה, הוא שהמלאך אומר להגר הנך הרה, והלא כבר הרתה והוא מבשר לה שתהר, אלא מלמד שהפילה הריון הראשון:
6And Abram said to Sarai, "Here is your handmaid in your hand; do to her that which is proper in your eyes." And Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from before her. ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ:
And Sarai afflicted her: She enslaved her harshly. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:6] ותענה שרי: היתה משעבדת בה בקושי:
7And an angel of the Lord found her by a water fountain in the desert, by the fountain on the road to Shur. זוַיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה עַל־עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַל־הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר:
8And he said, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where are you coming from, and where are you going to?" And she said, "From before Sarai my mistress, I am fleeing." חוַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָֽנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת:
where are you coming from: [meaning]: “Where have you come from?” He knew [where she was coming from] but he wished to give her an opening to commence speaking with her. Now the אֵי מִזֶּה [lit. where from this] means: “Where is the place about which you can say, ‘From this place I have come.’” אי מזה באת: מהיכן באת. יודע היה, אלא ליתן לה פתח ליכנס עמה בדברים. ולשון אי מזה, איה המקום שתאמר עליו מזה אני בא:
9And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and allow yourself to be afflicted under her hands." טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ:
And the angel of the Lord said to her, etc.: For each statement, another angel was sent to her. Therefore, the word מַלְאָךְ, angel, is used with each statement. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:7] ויאמר לה מלאך ה' וגו': על כל אמירה היה שלוח לה מלאך אחר, לכך נאמר מלאך בכל אמירה ואמירה:
10And the angel of the Lord said to her, "I will greatly multiply your seed, and it will not be counted for abundance." יוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב:
11And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your affliction. יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־עָנְיֵֽךְ:
Behold, you will conceive: When you return, you will conceive, like (Jud. 13:5): Behold you shall conceive, stated concerning the wife of Manoah. הנך הרה: כשתשובי תהרי, כמו (שופטים יג ז) הנך הרה, דאשת מנוח:
and bear a son: וְיֹלַדְתְּ is וְיוֹלֶדֶת, and similar to this (Jer. 22:23): You, who abide (ישַׁבְתְּ) in the Lebanon, (יוֹשֶׁבֶת) who nest (מְקוּנַנְתְּ) in the cedars [like, מְקוֹנֶנֶת]. וילדת בן: כמו ויולדת, ודומה לו (ירמיה כב כג) ישבת בלבנון מקננת בארזים:
and you shall name him: This is the imperative [feminine], as the text states for the masculine: (below 17:19): “and you shall name him (וְקָראתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ) Isaac.” וקראת שמו: צווי הוא, כמו שאומר לזכר (יז יט) וקראת את שמו יצחק:
12And he will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be upon all, and everyone's hand upon him, and before all his brothers he will dwell." יבוְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן:
A wild donkey of a man: who loves the wilderness to hunt beasts, as it is written (below 21:20f):“And he was an archer; and he dwelt in the desert of Paran.” פרא אדם: אוהב מדברות לצוד חיות, כמו שכתוב (כא כ - כא) ויהי רובה קשת וישב במדבר פארן:
his hand will be upon all: [He will be] a bandit. — [from Tan. Shemot] ידו בכל: לסטים:
and everyone’s hand upon him: Everyone will hate him and attack him. ויד כל בו: הכל שונאין אותו ומתגרין בו:
and before all his brothers he will dwell: for his seed will be numerous. ועל פני כל אחיו ישכן: שיהיה זרעו גדול:
13And she called the name of the Lord, Who had spoken to her, "You are the God of seeing," because she said, "Have I seen[him]here also after I have seen?" יגוַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַֽחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי:
You are the God of seeing: רֳאִי is vowelized with a “chataf kamatz” because it is a noun, i.e., the God of seeing, Who sees the humiliation of the humiliated. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:10] (Other editions: Another explanation: “You are the God of seeing” meaning that He sees all, but no one sees Him. Targum Jonathan). אתה אל ראי: נקוד חטף קמ"ץ מפני שהוא שם דבר, אלוה הראיה, שרואה בעלבון של עלובין:
Have I seen here also: הֲגַם הֲלֹם is an expression of wonderment. Would I have thought that even here in the desert I would see the emissary of the Omnipresent after I had seen them in the house of Abraham, where I was accustomed to seeing angels? And you should know that she was accustomed to seeing them, because Manoah saw the angel once and said, “We will surely die,” and this one saw four, one after the other, and she was not frightened. — [from Gen. Rabbah 45:7] הגם הלום: לשון תימה, וכי סבורה הייתי שאף הלום במדברות ראיתי שלוחו של מקום אחרי רואי אותם בביתו של אברהם, ששם הייתי רגילה לראות מלאכים. ותדע שהיתה רגילה לראותם שהרי מנוח ראה את המלאך פעם אחת ואמר (שופטים יג כב) מות נמות, וזו ראתה ארבעה פעמים זה אחר זה ולא חרדה:
14Therefore the well was called Be'er Lachai Ro'i; behold it is between Kadesh and between Bered. ידעַל־כֵּן֙ קָרָ֣א לַבְּאֵ֔ר בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י הִנֵּ֥ה בֵֽין־קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֥ין בָּֽרֶד:
Be’er Lachai Ro’i: As the Targum renders: a well upon which the living angel appeared. באר לחי ראי: כתרגומו בארא דמלאך קימא אתחזי עלה:
15And Hagar bore a son to Abram, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar had borne, Ishmael. טווַתֵּ֧לֶד הָגָ֛ר לְאַבְרָ֖ם בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָ֧ם שֶׁם־בְּנ֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָֽלְדָ֥ה הָגָ֖ר יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל:
and Abram named, etc.: Although Abram had not heard the words of the angel, who said,“And you shall name him Ishmael,” the Holy Spirit rested upon him, and he called him Ishmael. — [from Bereishith Rabbathi, also Mid. Aggadah] ויקרא אברם שם וגו': אף על פי שלא שמע אברם דברי המלאך שאמר (פסוק יא) וקראת שמו ישמעאל, שרתה רוח הקודש עליו וקראו ישמעאל:
16And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. טזוְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם:
And Abram was eighty-six years old, etc.: This was written in praise of Ishmael, to let us know that he was thirteen years old when he was circumcised, and he did not object. — [Mid. Aggadah] ואברם בן שמנים שנה וגו': לשבחו של ישמעאל נכתב, להודיע שהיה בן שלש עשרה שנה כשנימול ולא עכב:
Genesis Chapter 17
1And Abram was ninety-nine years old, and God appeared to Abram, and He said to him, "I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect. אוַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶֽהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים:
I am the Almighty God: Heb. שַׁדַּי - I am He Whose Godliness suffices for every creature. [שֶׁ that, דַּי is sufficient]. Therefore, walk before Me, and I will be your God and your Protector, and wherever it (this name) appears in Scripture, it means “His sufficiency,” but each one is [to be interpreted] according to the context. — [from Gen. Rabbah 46:3] אני אל שדי: אני הוא שיש די באלהותי לכל בריה, לפיכך התהלך לפני ואהיה לך לאלוה ולפטרון, וכן כל מקום שהוא במקרא פירושו די יש לו, והכל לפי הענין:
walk before Me: As the Targum renders: “Serve Me, cleave to My service.” התהלך לפני: כתרגומו פלח קדמי, הדבק בעבודתי:
and be perfect: This too is one command following another command: be perfect in all My trials (Mid. Ps. 119:3), i.e., “Walk before Me” with faith and honesty, and also be perfect in all My trials. [Mizrachi] According to its midrashic interpretation, walk before Me refers to the commandment of circumcision, and thereby, you will be perfect, for as long as the foreskin is upon you, I consider you imperfect (Gen. Rabbah 46:1). Another explanation: “and be perfect” - Now you are missing [control over] five organs: two eyes, two ears, and the male organ. I will add a letter to your name, and the numerical value of your letters [of your name] will be 248, corresponding to the number of your organs (Tan. Lech Lecha 16, Ned. 32b). והיה תמים: אף זה צווי אחר צווי, היה שלם בכל נסיונותי. ולפי מדרשו התהלך לפני במצות מילה, ובדבר הזה תהיה תמים, שכל זמן שהערלה בך אתה בעל מום לפני. דבר אחר והיה תמים, עכשיו אתה חסר חמשה אברים שתי עינים, שתי אזנים, וראש הגויה שאוסיף לך אות על שמך ויהיו מנין אותיותיך מאתיים ארבעים ושמונה כמנין אבריך:
2And I will place My covenant between Me and between you, and I will multiply you very greatly." בוְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד:
And I will place My covenant: A covenant of love and the covenant of the land, to give it to you as a heritage through [your fulfillment of] this commandment. — [from Gen. Rabbah 46:9] ואתנה בריתי: ברית של אהבה וברית הארץ להורישה לך על ידי מצוה זו:
3And Abram fell upon his face, and God spoke with him, saying, גוַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר:
And Abram fell upon his face: from fear of the Shechinah, for as long as he was uncircumcised, he did not have the strength to stand when the Divine Presence stood over him, and that is what is said concerning Balaam (Num. 24:4):“who falls and his eyes are open” (Num. Rabbah 12:8). I found this in the Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 29). ויפול אברם על פניו: ממורא השכינה, שעד שלא מל לא היה בו כח לעמוד ורוח הקודש נצבת עליו, וזהו שנאמר בבלעם (במדבר כד ד) נופל וגלוי עינים. בברייתא דרבי אליעזר מצאתי כן:
4"As for Me, behold My covenant is with you, and you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. דאֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם:
5And your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. הוְלֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ:
the father of a multitude of nations: אַב הֲמוֹן is an acrostic of his name [i.e., - אב ר הם]. (Gen. Rabbah 46:7). The “resh” that was in it [his name] originally, denoting that he was the father only of Aram, which was his native place, whereas now [he became] the father of the whole world (Ber. 13a): nevertheless the “resh” that was there originally was not moved from its place. For even the “yud” in Sarai’s name complained to the Shechinah until it was added to Joshua, as it is said: (Num. 13:16):“and Moses called Hosea [הוֹשֵׁעַ] the son of Nun, Joshua [יְהוֹשֻׁעַ].” - [from Gen. Rabbah 47:1] כי אב המון גוים: לשון נוטריקון של שמו. ורי"ש שהיתה בו בתחלה, שלא היה אב אלא לארם שהוא מקומו ועכשיו אב לכל העולם, לא זזה ממקומה, שאף יו"ד של שרי נתרעמה על השכינה עד שנתוספה ליהושע, שנאמר (במדבר יג טז) ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע:
6And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings will emerge from you. ווְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ:
and I will make you into nations: [This refers to] Israel and Edom, for he already had Ishmael, and He would therefore not be informing him about him. ונתתיך לגוים: ישראל ואדום, שהרי ישמעאל כבר היה לו ולא היה מבשרו עליו:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 49-54
• Chapter 55
David composed this psalm upon escaping from Jerusalem in the face of the slanderers, Doeg and Achitofel, who had declared him deserving of death. David had considered Achitofel a friend and accorded him the utmost honor, but Achitofel betrayed him and breached their covenant. David curses all his enemies, so that all generations should "know, and sin no more."
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a maskil by David.
2. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not hide from my pleas.
3. Pay heed to me and answer me, as I lament in my distress and moan -
4. because of the shout of the enemy and the oppression of the wicked; for they accuse me of evil and hate me passionately.
5. My heart shudders within me, and the terrors of death have descended upon me.
6. Fear and trembling penetrate me, and I am enveloped with horror.
7. And I said, "If only I had wings like the dove! I would fly off and find rest.
8. Behold, I would wander afar, and lodge in the wilderness forever.
9. I would hurry to find shelter for myself from the stormy wind, from the tempest.”
10. Consume, O Lord, confuse their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city.1
11. Day and night they encircle her upon her walls, and iniquity and vice are in her midst.
12. Treachery is within her; fraud and deceit never depart from her square.
13. For it is not the enemy who taunts me-that I could bear; nor my foe who raises himself against me, that I could hide from him.
14. But it is you, a man of my equal, my guide and my intimate.
15. Together we took sweet counsel; we walked with the throng to the house of God.
16. May He incite death upon them, let them descend to the pit alive; for there is evil in their dwelling, within them.
17. As for me, I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
18. Evening, morning and noon, I lament and moan-and He hears my voice.
19. He redeemed my soul in peace from battles against me, because of the many who were with me.
20. May God-He who is enthroned from the days of old, Selah-hear and humble those in whom there is no change, and who do not fear God.
21. He extended his hands against his allies, he profaned his covenant.
22. Smoother than butter are the words of his mouth, but war is in his heart; his words are softer than oil, yet they are curses.
23. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous man falter.
24. And You, O God, will bring them down to the nethermost pit; bloodthirsty and treacherous men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in You.
FOOTNOTES
1.Jerusalem.
Chapter 56
David composed this psalm while in mortal danger at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. In his distress David accepts vows upon himself.
1. For the Conductor, of the mute dove1 far away. By David, a michtam, 2 when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
2. Favor me, O God, for man longs to swallow me; the warrior oppresses me every day.
3. My watchful enemies long to swallow me every day, for many battle me, O Most High!
4. On the day I am afraid, I trust in You.
5. [I trust] in God and praise His word; in God I trust, I do not fear-what can [man of] flesh do to me?
6. Every day they make my words sorrowful; all their thoughts about me are for evil.
7. They gather and hide, they watch my steps, when they hope [to capture] my soul.
8. Should escape be theirs in reward for their iniquity? Cast down the nations in anger, O God!
9. You have counted my wanderings; place my tears in Your flask-are they not in Your record?
10. When my enemies will retreat on the day I cry out, with this I will know that God is with me.
11. When God deals strictly, I praise His word; when the Lord deals mercifully, I praise His word.
12. In God I trust, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
13. My vows to You are upon me, O God; I will repay with thanksgiving offerings to You.
14. For You saved my soul from death-even my feet from stumbling-to walk before God in the light of life.
FOOTNOTES
1.David having fled from Jerusalem, is silenced by fear (Rashi/Metzudot).
2.A psalm that was especially precious to David
Chapter 57
David composed this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, facing grave danger. Like Jacob did when confronted with Esau, David prayed that he neither be killed nor be forced to kill. In the merit of his trust in God, God wrought wonders to save him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction. By David, a michtam, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
2. Favor me, O God, favor me, for in You my soul took refuge, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until the disaster passes.
3. I will call to God the Most High; to the Almighty Who fulfills [His promise] to me.
4. He will send from heaven, and save me from the humiliation of those who long to swallow me, Selah; God will send forth His kindness and truth.
5. My soul is in the midst of lions, I lie among fiery men; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.
6. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be upon all the earth.
7. They laid a trap for my steps, they bent down my soul; they dug a pit before me, [but] they themselves fell into it, Selah.
8. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and chant praise.
9. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I shall awaken the dawn.
10. I will thank You among the nations, my Lord; I will praise You among the peoples.
11. For Your kindness reaches till the heavens, Your truth till the skies.
12. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be over all the earth.
Chapter 58
David expresses the anguish caused him by Avner and his other enemies, who justified Saul's pursuit of him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction; by David, a michtam.
2. Is it true that you are mute [instead of] speaking justice? [Instead of] judging men with fairness?
3. Even with your heart you wreak injustice upon the land; you justify the violence of your hands.
4. The wicked are estranged from the womb; from birth do the speakers of falsehood stray.
5. Their venom is like the venom of a snake; like the deaf viper that closes its ear
6. so as not to hear the voice of charmers, [even] the most skillful caster of spells.
7. O God, smash their teeth in their mouth; shatter the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.
8. Let them melt like water and disappear; when He aims His arrows, may they crumble.
9. Like the snail that melts as it goes along, like the stillbirth of a woman-they never see the sun.
10. Before your tender shoots know [to become] hardened thorns, He will blast them away, as one [uprooting] with vigor and wrath.
11. The righteous one will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
12. And man will say, "There is indeed reward for the righteous; indeed there is a God Who judges in the land."
Chapter 59
This psalm speaks of the great miracle David experienced when he eluded danger by escaping through a window, unnoticed by the guards at the door. The prayers, supplications, and entreaties he offered then are recorded here.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction, By David, a michtam, when Saul dispatched [men], and they guarded the house in order to kill him.
2. Rescue me from my enemies, my God; raise me above those who rise against me.
3. Rescue me from evildoers, save me from men of bloodshed.
4. For behold they lie in ambush for my soul, mighty ones gather against me-not because of my sin nor my transgression, O Lord.
5. Without iniquity [on my part,] they run and prepare-awaken towards me and see!
6. And You, Lord, God of Hosts, God of Israel, wake up to remember all the nations; do not grant favor to any of the iniquitous traitors, Selah.
7. They return toward evening, they howl like the dog and circle the city.
8. Behold, they spew with their mouths, swords are in their lips, for [they say], "Who hears?”
9. But You, Lord, You laugh at them; You mock all nations.
10. [Because of] his might, I wait for You, for God is my stronghold.
11. The God of my kindness will anticipate my [need]; God will show me [the downfall] of my watchful foes.
12. Do not kill them, lest my nation forget; drive them about with Your might and impoverish them, O our Shield, my Master,
13. [for] the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips; let them be trapped by their arrogance. At the sight of their accursed state and deterioration, [people] will recount.
14. Consume them in wrath, consume them and they will be no more; and they will know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth, Selah.
15. And they will return toward evening, they will howl like the dog and circle the city.
16. They will wander about to eat; when they will not be sated they will groan.
17. As for me, I shall sing of Your might, and sing joyously of Your kindness toward morning, for You have been a stronghold to me, a refuge on the day of my distress.
18. [You are] my strength, to You I will sing, for God is my stronghold, the God of my kindness.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 26
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 26
• The above applies nowadays, when the Shechinah is exiled in kelipat nogah; hence the main function of Torah study is to seek out and elevate the sparks of holiness from the kelipot. Hence, too, the current concentration on the laws of issur and hetter, kasher and passul, and the like.
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 73
Confessing Sins
"And he shall confess that he has sinned"—Leviticus 5:5.
One who has sinned is obligated to verbally confess and say, "Please, G‑d, I have sinned by doing..." The individual should then elaborate to the best of his ability and ask G‑d for atonement. This mitzvah applies whether the sin was against G‑d or against a fellow man.
Even in the times of the Holy Temple when a person would bring a sin-offering to attain forgiveness, he was still required to orally confess his sin. The same for those who were guilty of capital offenses, they were asked to confess their sin prior to their execution.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Confessing Sins
Positive Commandment 73
Translated by Berel Bell
The 73rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to verbally acknowledge the sins we have committed before G‑d (exalted be He), when we come to doteshuvah (to repent).1 This is vidui (verbal confession), the idea2 of which is to say, " 'O G‑d, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed and done ..." One should elaborate verbally and ask for atonement on this transgression with all the eloquence at his command.
You must understand that even for those sins which require one to bring certain sacrifices, as described above,3 (and regarding which G‑d (exalted be He) has said that the one who offers them thereby receives atonement) one must recite vidui at the time of the sacrifice.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),4 "Speak to the Israelites: A man or woman who does any sin against his fellow man, ... must recite vidui on their sins that they have committed."
The Mechilta5 explains the meaning of this verse: "Since it is written,6 'he must recite vidui [on it] for the sin that he has committed,' we learn that one must recite vidui for a sin. Since the verse adds ['he must recite vidui] on it,' we learn that the vidui must be said when the animal is still alive, rather than after it has been slaughtered. However, from this we may derive the necessity of reciting vidui only for the transgression of an impure person entering the Temple."
G‑d's7 statement (exalted be He) This verse — "he must recite vidui on it for the sin that he has committed" — is written in parshas Vayikra regarding an impure person entering the Temple or eating sanctified food, and the other related cases we mentioned previously.8 Therefore, the Mechilta says that the only obligation of vidui to be derived from this verse is for an impure person who has entered the Temple [or the related cases].
"How9 do we derive [the obligation of vidui] for all other mitzvos? From the verse, 'Speak to the Israelites: ... they must recite vidui...' How do we know that even those punishable by death and by kares must recite vidui? From the expression, 'their sins.' The expression, 'any of their sins,'10 comes to include [the necessity of vidui] for any prohibition. The expression, 'who does,' comes to include the positive mitzvos."
There it continues [to interpret this verse]: "'Any sin against his fellow man,' comes to include any interpersonal transgression, such as theft, robbery, or lashon hara. The expression, 'Being untrue [to G‑d],' comes to include one who swore falsely using G‑d's Name, and one who curses Him. The expression, 'Becomes guilty of a crime,' comes to include those who are punishable by death — that all the above are obligated to recite vidui. One might think that one who is executed due to false testimony [must also recite vidui] — however, the verse only says, 'And he becomes guilty of a crime.' " This means that the individual must recite vidui only if he knows that he sinned, not if he was convicted by false testimony.11
It has therefore been explained to you that one must recite vidui for all categories of sin — more severe and less severe, and even positive mitzvos.
However, since this commandment, "They must recite vidui," is mentioned together with the obligation to bring the appropriate sacrifice, one might think that vidui is secondary to the sacrifice, rather than a distinct mitzvah on its own. Therefore the Mechilta must continue:
"One might think that the obligation to recite vidui applies only when bringing a sacrifice. How do we know that it applies even when no sacrifice is brought? This we learn from the statement, 'Speak to the Israelites ... they must recite vidui.'12 We still only know of the obligation of vidui in Israel. How do we know it applies even in exile? This we learn from what Daniel said, 'They will then recite vidui for their sins and the sins of their fathers,'13 and from the verse, 'To You, G‑d, there is charity, and to us there is shame.' "14
From all of this it is understood that vidui is a distinct mitzvah for itself; and that it is obligatory for anyone who commits any type of sin, whether in Israel or outside of Israel, whether or not accompanied by a sacrifice. [In all cases,] he is required to recite vidui, G‑d (exalted be He) stated, "They must recite vidui for their sins that they have committed."
The Sifri also explains the verse in this way: " 'And he must recite vidui' — this refers to verbal confession."
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the last chapter of tractate Kippurim [Yoma].
FOOTNOTES
1.This statement seems to imply that technically there is no mitzvah to do teshuvah, but rather when one does decide to do teshuvah, there is the mitzvah of vidui. However, in Hilchos Teshuvah, the Rambam begins, "There is one positive mitzvah: for the sinner to do teshuvah before G‑d and recite vidui." This indicates that teshuvah itself is part of the mitzvah. See Chidushim U'Biurim L'Shas, Kehot, Vol. I, Ch. 18.
2.See Kapach edition, 5731, note 10, who explains that there is no obligation to say any specific words (e.g., "I have sinned," etc.).
3.Previously in Sefer Hamitzvos. See numerical list in Introduction.
4.Num. 5:6-7.
5.The commentaries comment that our version of the Mechilta does not have this passage; rather it is found in Sifri Zuta.
6.Lev. 5:5.
7.The Rambam interrupts his quoting of the Mechilta in order to explain.
8.P72. The other transgressions which require the same type of sacrifice are 1) uttering a false oath to perform (or to refrain from) a certain action, and 2) uttering a false oath that one has no testimony to offer for a judicial proceeding.
9.The Rambam continues by quoting the rest of the Mechilta.
10.Although this exact expression does not appear in the verse, evidently it refers to the similar expression used in the previous verse, Bamidbar 5:6. See Kapach, 5731 ed. note 18. However, see Chinuch, Mitzvah 364.
11.This is the opinion of the Mechilta. However, in Hilchos Sanhedrin, 13:1, the Rambam rules that even such a person must recite vidui. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 43b) explains that otherwise, every convict will refuse to recite vidui in order to prove his innocence.
12.Perhaps the meaning of this proof is that in this passage, the sacrifice is mentioned only in passing ("in addition to the atonement ram," Num. 5:8), unlike the passage in Lev. 5.
13.Lev. 26:40. This speaks of a time when the Jewish people will be outside Israel, as stated in verse 33, "I will scatter you among the nations," and verse 39, "Those of you who survive in the land of your enemies ... they will then say vidui ..."
14.Daniel 9:7. This vidui was uttered outside of Israel.
• Positive Commandment 10
The Shema
"And you shall talk of them ... when you lie down and when you rise up"—Deuteronomy 6:7.
We are commanded to recite the Shema twice daily: morning and night. Women are not obligated in this time-bound mitzvah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 26
• The above applies nowadays, when the Shechinah is exiled in kelipat nogah; hence the main function of Torah study is to seek out and elevate the sparks of holiness from the kelipot. Hence, too, the current concentration on the laws of issur and hetter, kasher and passul, and the like.
אבל בצאת השכינה מקליפת נוגה [מהקליפות]
But when the Shechinah will emerge from kelipat nogah [1or: from the kelipot],
אחר שיושלם בירור הניצוצות, ויופרד הרע מהטוב, ויתפרדו כל פועלי און
after the extraction of the sparks will be completed, and the evil of the kelipot will be separated from the good of holiness,2 “and all the workers of evil will be dispersed,”
ולא שלטא אילנא דטוב ורע, בצאת הטוב ממנה
and the Tree of [Knowledge of] Good and Evil (which is of kelipat nogah and which prevails during the time of exile)will no longer be dominant, because the good will have departed from it,
Kelipat nogah is influential only by virtue of its minimal component of good; as soon as this is extracted, kelipat nogah will have no dominion whatever.
אזי לא יהיה עסק התורה והמצות לברר בירורין
then people will engage in the study of Torah and in the observance of the commandments not in order to extract the sparks, as in the present,
כי אם ליחד יחודים עליונים יותר, להמשיך אורות עליונים יותר, שלמעלה מאצילות
but in order to bring about the consummation of yichudim (“unions” or “marriages” of Sefirot) more sublime than those which are effected through our present Torah study — in order to call forth more sublime lights, transcending3 Atzilut.
כמו שכתב האריז״ל
This is explained in the writings of R. Isaac Luria, of blessed memory.
והכל על ידי פנימיות התורה, לקיים המצות בכוונות עליונות, שמכונות לאורות עליונים
Everything [will be accomplished] by means of the pnimiyut of the Torah, the esoteric dimension of the Torah,by the performance of the commandments with lofty mystical devotions directed to [drawing down] sublime “lights” [from the Divine Luminary].
כי שרש המצות הוא למעלה מעלה, באין סוף ברוך הוא
For the root of the commandments is exceedingly high, in the blessed Ein Sof, at a level loftier than Atzilut.
(ומה שאמרו רז״ל, דמצות בטילות לעתיד לבא
(4As for the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory, that5 “the commandments will be abrogated in the future,”
היינו בתחיית המתים
this refers to the era of the Resurrection of the Dead.
אבל לימות המשיח, קודם תחיית המתים, אין בטלים)
In the days of the Messiah, however, before the Resurrection of the Dead, they will not be abrogated.)6
At that time, the observance of mitzvot will draw down to this world even higher levels of G‑dliness than those drawn down by the current observance of mitzvot.
ולכן יהיה גם עיקר עסק התורה גם כן בפנימיות המצות, וטעמיהם הנסתרים
This is why Torah study will then be mainly directed to the pnimiyut (the innermost, mystical depths) of the commandments, and their hidden reasons.
Specifically: Gaining insights into the dynamics of the above-mentioned yichudim, and thereby understanding why the scrupulous performance of the commandments brings about these Supernal “unions” which give birth to renewed diffusions of the Divine light that animates this world.
אבל הנגלות יהיו גלוים וידועים לכל איש ישראל, בידיעה בתחלה, בלי שכחה
The revealed aspects of the Torah, however, will be manifest and known to every Jew, by an innate and unforgotten knowledge.
Review will thus be unnecessary.
ואין צריך לעסוק בהם, אלא לערב רב
Only the mixed multitude (and not the Jews) will have to toil in these [aspects of the Torah],
שלא יזכו למטעם מאילנא דחיי, שהוא פנימיות התורה והמצוה
because they will not have merited to taste from the Tree of Life, i.e., the pnimiyut of the Torah and of the commandments.
וצריכים לעסוק [בתורה] במשנה, להתיש כח הסטרא אחרא הדבוק בהם (על ידי עסק התורה)
They will [therefore] need to engage [7in Torah] in Mishnah, in order to weaken (8by their occupation with Torah) the power of the sitra achra that cleaves to them,
שלא תשלוט בהם, להחטיאם
so that it will not dominate them and cause them to sin.
כדכתיב: והחוטא בן מאה שנה יקולל, שיהיו חוטאים מערב רב
Thus it is written,9 “And the sinner at the age of a hundred will be cursed.” This refers to the sinners of the mixed multitude.
Thus, even with the arrival of the Messiah there will be sinners among the mixed multitude, since the sitra achra cleaves to them. They will therefore require means by which to weaken it, so that they will not sin.
Nor will they need only the revealed aspects of the Torah in order to repel the sitra achra.
למעשה יהיו צריכים לפרטי הלכות אסור וטומאה יותר מישראל
In addition, on the practical level, they will need the detailed rulings of prohibition and impurity more than the Jews.
שלא יארע להם פסול וטומאה ואסור
For the latter, nothing will occur that is ritually unfit, impure, or forbidden,
כי לא יאונה כו׳
since10 “there shall not befall [any sin to the righteous]”11 — and in the era of Mashiach, all Jews will be at the level of the “righteous”.
וגם אפשר, וקרוב הדבר, שידעו מפנימיות התורה, כל גופי התורה הנגלית
It is also possible, and indeed probable, that [the Jewish people] will know all the fundamentals of the revealed plane of the Torah from the pnimiyut of the Torah,
כמו אברהם אבינו, עליו השלום
as was the case with our father Abraham, peace be to him.
The Gemara relates12 that Abraham fulfilled the entire Torah even before it was given at Sinai. Now there are passages and commandments to which he could not possibly have related on a physical level.
Inscribed on the tiny parchment scrolls within tefillin, for example, are Biblical passages which record the Exodus from Egypt — a land to which his descendants had not yet been exiled. The mode of Abraham’s performance of the commandments was thus spiritual and esoteric, as the Alter Rebbe explains in Torah Or13 and Likkutei Torah.14
Abraham thus knew all the revealed aspects of Torah from its esoteric core. In Time to Come all Jews will know the Torah in a similar manner.
ולכן אין צריך לעסוק בהם כלל
They will therefore not need to occupy themselves with them — with the laws defining what is permitted or prohibited, pure or impure — at all.
מה שאין כן בזמן בית שני, היו צריכים לעסוק
At the time of the Second Temple, by contrast, although the scholars did not derive their sustenance from the illiterate, for they had their own fields and vineyards, they needed to be involved in these [laws],
גם כי לא בשביל הלכה למעשה בלבד, אלא שזהו עיקר העבודה
and not only for their practical application, but because this is the main purpose of divine service —
להתיש כח הסטרא אחרא, ולהעלות ניצוצי הקדושה, על ידי התורה והעבודה, כמו שכתוב במקום אחר
to weaken the power of the sitra achra and to elevate the sparks of holiness by means of Torah study and worship, as is explained elsewhere.15
* * *
ואחר הדברים והאמת האלו, יובן היטב בתוספת ביאור הרעיא מהימנא דלעיל
After the above words of truth it will be possible to clearly understand the earlier-quoted passage from Ra’aya Mehemna,
במה שאמר: אילנא דטוב ורע כו׳
which spoke of “the Tree of Good and Evil, [i.e., prohibition and permission],”
רצונו לומר: קליפת נוגה, שהוא עיקר עולם הזה
meaning kelipat nogah, which is the mainstay of this world,16
כמו שכתוב בעץ חיים
as is written in Etz Chayim.
At the moment, until Mashiach arrives, the dominant influence in this material world is kelipat nogah, the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.” After his arrival, however, this dominion will cease, and man’s divine service will be directed not to extracting the sparks of holiness hidden in the material world, but to bringing about ever higher Supernal unions, as explained above.
ודי למבין
This will suffice for the discerning.
Addendum
In the middle of the above Epistle, the Alter Rebbe stated that if “one ate [forbidden food] in order to save an endangered life,... [the food] becomes [entirely] permissible.”
The Rebbe notes17 that this concept is problematic; indeed, many editions of the Tanya omit the word “entirely”, which is evidently why it found its way into current editions as a bracketed text.
The Rebbe goes on to distinguish between prohibition (issur) and impurity (tumah). When something is prohibited, one can sense its inherent evil; for example, forbidden foods clog the mind and heart with spiritual congestion. Thus, even if a pregnant woman scented forbidden food on Yom Kippur and the Torah permitted her to eat it (if her life would otherwise be in danger),18 eating that food would still becloud her soul.
Moreover, even when the prohibition was not intrinsic to the food, but a thought or a statement invalidated it, as for example when an animal was slaughtered with idolatrous intent,19 eating this food leaves its imprint. Thus, for example, the Midrash20 traces the wayward path of Elisha ben Avuyah (known as “Acher”) to very early beginnings — before his birth his mother had tasted food that was prepared for idolatrous worship.
In light of the above, the Rebbe goes on to note, we can understand why a nursing mother who has eaten forbidden food, even when permitted to do so because her life was endangered, should refrain from nursing her child.21 For although eating this food was in fact halachically permitted, the nature of the food and the spiritual blemish which it imparts to her infant remain unchanged.
This is especially so, according to the halachic determination (with regard to one who is ill as well), that a life-threatening situation merely sets aside a prohibition; it does not make the prohibited object permissible.22
As the Rebbe concludes, the above considerations evidently explain why in current editions of Iggeret HaKodesh — regarding the food eaten in a life-threatening situation that becomes “[entirely] permissible” — the word “entirely” is bracket-ed, and in many editions never appeared.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | These brackets are in the original text. |
| 2. | Tehillim 92:10. |
| 3. | The word translated “transcending” does not appear in the printed Hebrew text. It has been inserted here according to the emendation of the Rebbe in Luach HaTikkun. |
| 4. | These parentheses are in the original text. |
| 5. | Niddah 61b. |
| 6. | This differentiation between the performance of mitzvot before and after the Resurrection, follows the view of Tosafot in Niddah (loc. cit.). There Tosafot explains that the fact that burial shrouds may be made of kilayim, the forbidden mixture of wool and linen, proves that mitzvot will be abrogated after the Resurrection, for otherwise a Jew would arise wearing forbidden garments. The Rashba, cited there in Chiddushei HaRan, disagrees, holding that the mitzvot are abrogated as far as the individual is concerned only while he is deceased. As the Rashba understands the Gemara, they will not be abrogated after the Resurrection. The Rebbe uses this debate to resolve a seeming contradiction between two statements by the Alter Rebbe. In his Note to ch. 36 of Tanya (on p. 478 of Vol. II in the present series), the Alter Rebbe writes that “the [time of] receiving the reward is essentially in the seventh millennium.” Since this is after the time of the Resurrection, this is a time during which we are still intended to perform mitzvot. How, then, does the Alter Rebbe state here that mitzvot will be abrogated at the time of the Resurrection? The distinction: In the Note to ch. 36 the Alter Rebbe follows the view of the Rashba, who maintains that at the time of the Resurrection, mitzvot will continue to be in effect. (The Alter Rebbe also follows this view in his maamar in Likkutei Torah on the phrase VeHayah BaYom Hahu Yitaka BeShofar Gadol.) Here, however, he follows the view of Tosafot. The Rebbe goes on to say that drawing a distinction (as the Alter Rebbe does above) between the two periods, resolves most of the problematic queries posed by the MaHaratz Chayot, whose Glosses on Tractate Niddah cite those Talmudic sources which would seem to indicate that in future time the commandments will not be abrogated. For those sources speak of the era of the Messiah, before the Resurrection, while the teaching that they will be abrogated applies to the era that follows the Resurrection (according to the view of Tosafot). For further examonation of this subject, the Rebbe refers the reader to the sources listed in Sdei Chemed, Klalim 40:218 (Vol. III, p. 561c ff. in the Kehot edition) and in Divrei Chachamim, sec. 53 (p. 1962b ff.). |
| 7. | These brackets are in the original text. |
| 8. | This phrase, enclosed in parentheses in the printed Hebrew text, does not appear in some manuscripts. |
| 9. | Yeshayahu 65:20. |
| 10. | Mishlei 12:21. |
| 11. | Note of the Rebbe: “...For only with regard to the present time does Tosafot maintain (contrary to the view of Rashi) [that the promise of this verse applies] only to edibles (Chullin 5b), [for it is particularly shameful for a righteous person to eat forbidden food, even if unwittingly]. This [restriction to the present] may be derived from the underlying reasoning, viz.: In Time to Come the entire world will attain perfection. [At that time, therefore, no kind of unwitting sin will befall any of the Jewish people, since all will then be righteous].” |
| 12. | Yoma 28b; Kiddushin 82a. |
| 13. | Lech Lecha 11d. |
| 14. | Shemini 18c. |
| 15. | See Likkutei Torah, BeHaalot’cha 32d. |
| 16. | The last phrase in the Hebrew text has been emended according to the Table of Glosses and Emendations. |
| 17. | This Addendum is based on selections from Likkutei Sichot, Vol. III, p. 984ff., and footnotes there. |
| 18. | Yoma 82a; the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 617:2. |
| 19. | Chullin 39b. |
| 20. | Ruth Rabbah 6:6. |
| 21. | Taz (Turei Zahav) and Shach (Siftei Cohen) in Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, end of sec. 81. |
| 22. | Cf. Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat, beginning of ch. 2. |
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 73
Confessing Sins
"And he shall confess that he has sinned"—Leviticus 5:5.
One who has sinned is obligated to verbally confess and say, "Please, G‑d, I have sinned by doing..." The individual should then elaborate to the best of his ability and ask G‑d for atonement. This mitzvah applies whether the sin was against G‑d or against a fellow man.
Even in the times of the Holy Temple when a person would bring a sin-offering to attain forgiveness, he was still required to orally confess his sin. The same for those who were guilty of capital offenses, they were asked to confess their sin prior to their execution.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Confessing Sins
Positive Commandment 73
Translated by Berel Bell
The 73rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to verbally acknowledge the sins we have committed before G‑d (exalted be He), when we come to doteshuvah (to repent).1 This is vidui (verbal confession), the idea2 of which is to say, " 'O G‑d, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed and done ..." One should elaborate verbally and ask for atonement on this transgression with all the eloquence at his command.
You must understand that even for those sins which require one to bring certain sacrifices, as described above,3 (and regarding which G‑d (exalted be He) has said that the one who offers them thereby receives atonement) one must recite vidui at the time of the sacrifice.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),4 "Speak to the Israelites: A man or woman who does any sin against his fellow man, ... must recite vidui on their sins that they have committed."
The Mechilta5 explains the meaning of this verse: "Since it is written,6 'he must recite vidui [on it] for the sin that he has committed,' we learn that one must recite vidui for a sin. Since the verse adds ['he must recite vidui] on it,' we learn that the vidui must be said when the animal is still alive, rather than after it has been slaughtered. However, from this we may derive the necessity of reciting vidui only for the transgression of an impure person entering the Temple."
G‑d's7 statement (exalted be He) This verse — "he must recite vidui on it for the sin that he has committed" — is written in parshas Vayikra regarding an impure person entering the Temple or eating sanctified food, and the other related cases we mentioned previously.8 Therefore, the Mechilta says that the only obligation of vidui to be derived from this verse is for an impure person who has entered the Temple [or the related cases].
"How9 do we derive [the obligation of vidui] for all other mitzvos? From the verse, 'Speak to the Israelites: ... they must recite vidui...' How do we know that even those punishable by death and by kares must recite vidui? From the expression, 'their sins.' The expression, 'any of their sins,'10 comes to include [the necessity of vidui] for any prohibition. The expression, 'who does,' comes to include the positive mitzvos."
There it continues [to interpret this verse]: "'Any sin against his fellow man,' comes to include any interpersonal transgression, such as theft, robbery, or lashon hara. The expression, 'Being untrue [to G‑d],' comes to include one who swore falsely using G‑d's Name, and one who curses Him. The expression, 'Becomes guilty of a crime,' comes to include those who are punishable by death — that all the above are obligated to recite vidui. One might think that one who is executed due to false testimony [must also recite vidui] — however, the verse only says, 'And he becomes guilty of a crime.' " This means that the individual must recite vidui only if he knows that he sinned, not if he was convicted by false testimony.11
It has therefore been explained to you that one must recite vidui for all categories of sin — more severe and less severe, and even positive mitzvos.
However, since this commandment, "They must recite vidui," is mentioned together with the obligation to bring the appropriate sacrifice, one might think that vidui is secondary to the sacrifice, rather than a distinct mitzvah on its own. Therefore the Mechilta must continue:
"One might think that the obligation to recite vidui applies only when bringing a sacrifice. How do we know that it applies even when no sacrifice is brought? This we learn from the statement, 'Speak to the Israelites ... they must recite vidui.'12 We still only know of the obligation of vidui in Israel. How do we know it applies even in exile? This we learn from what Daniel said, 'They will then recite vidui for their sins and the sins of their fathers,'13 and from the verse, 'To You, G‑d, there is charity, and to us there is shame.' "14
From all of this it is understood that vidui is a distinct mitzvah for itself; and that it is obligatory for anyone who commits any type of sin, whether in Israel or outside of Israel, whether or not accompanied by a sacrifice. [In all cases,] he is required to recite vidui, G‑d (exalted be He) stated, "They must recite vidui for their sins that they have committed."
The Sifri also explains the verse in this way: " 'And he must recite vidui' — this refers to verbal confession."
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the last chapter of tractate Kippurim [Yoma].
FOOTNOTES
1.This statement seems to imply that technically there is no mitzvah to do teshuvah, but rather when one does decide to do teshuvah, there is the mitzvah of vidui. However, in Hilchos Teshuvah, the Rambam begins, "There is one positive mitzvah: for the sinner to do teshuvah before G‑d and recite vidui." This indicates that teshuvah itself is part of the mitzvah. See Chidushim U'Biurim L'Shas, Kehot, Vol. I, Ch. 18.
2.See Kapach edition, 5731, note 10, who explains that there is no obligation to say any specific words (e.g., "I have sinned," etc.).
3.Previously in Sefer Hamitzvos. See numerical list in Introduction.
4.Num. 5:6-7.
5.The commentaries comment that our version of the Mechilta does not have this passage; rather it is found in Sifri Zuta.
6.Lev. 5:5.
7.The Rambam interrupts his quoting of the Mechilta in order to explain.
8.P72. The other transgressions which require the same type of sacrifice are 1) uttering a false oath to perform (or to refrain from) a certain action, and 2) uttering a false oath that one has no testimony to offer for a judicial proceeding.
9.The Rambam continues by quoting the rest of the Mechilta.
10.Although this exact expression does not appear in the verse, evidently it refers to the similar expression used in the previous verse, Bamidbar 5:6. See Kapach, 5731 ed. note 18. However, see Chinuch, Mitzvah 364.
11.This is the opinion of the Mechilta. However, in Hilchos Sanhedrin, 13:1, the Rambam rules that even such a person must recite vidui. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 43b) explains that otherwise, every convict will refuse to recite vidui in order to prove his innocence.
12.Perhaps the meaning of this proof is that in this passage, the sacrifice is mentioned only in passing ("in addition to the atonement ram," Num. 5:8), unlike the passage in Lev. 5.
13.Lev. 26:40. This speaks of a time when the Jewish people will be outside Israel, as stated in verse 33, "I will scatter you among the nations," and verse 39, "Those of you who survive in the land of your enemies ... they will then say vidui ..."
14.Daniel 9:7. This vidui was uttered outside of Israel.
• Positive Commandment 10
The Shema
"And you shall talk of them ... when you lie down and when you rise up"—Deuteronomy 6:7.
We are commanded to recite the Shema twice daily: morning and night. Women are not obligated in this time-bound mitzvah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Shema
Positive Commandment 10
Translated by Berel Bell
The 10th mitzvah is that we are commanded to recite the Shema1 daily, both in the evening and in the morning.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "And you shall speak of them when you sit in your house [and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise.]"
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the tractate Berachos. There3 it is explained that reciting Shema is a Biblical requirement.4
The Tosefta5 explains [regarding the mitzvah of prayer]: "Just as the Torah established the time for reciting Shema, so our Sages established a time for prayer." The meaning of this statement is as follows: Although prayer itself is ordained by the Torah, as explained above,6 the set times for prayer are not. The Sages established the times for prayer. This is also the meaning of the statement,7 "The prayers were established to correspond to the tamid sacrifices."8 This means that the Sages established the times of prayer to correspond to the times of the sacrifices.9
Women are not obligated in this mitzvah.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 6:4.
2.Deut. 6:7.
3.Berachos 21a.
4.The Rambam brings this to prove that this mitzvah, since it is Biblical in origin, counts among the 613.
5.Berachos, beginning of Ch. 3.
6.P5.
7.Berachos 26a.
8.See P39.
9.These passages prove that not only is the recital of Shema itself ordained by the Torah, but that the times are also ordained by the Torah. This makes reciting Shema a mitzvah she'ha'zman groma — a mitzvah connected with a set time — from which women are exempt. See Yad HaLevi on Sefer Hamitzvos, P10, note 1.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 13
• Kelim - Chapter 13
• Teshuvah - Chapter Ten
THE BOOK OF THE LOVE [OF GOD]
"Oh, how I love Your Torah. It is what I discuss the entire day." (Psalms 119:97)
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Monday, Cheshvan 10, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 55-59.
Tanya: But when the (p. 561) ...for the initiated. (p. 563).
The Alter Rebbe used to refer to Atzilut as "Above." They say that because of intense emotion, when writing the word he could get no further than "Atzi -."
• Daily Thought:
Traveling to Yourself
G‑d said to Abram, “Go to yourself, from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.”[Genesis 12:1]
If you were not you, if you saw yourself from the eyes of another, how would you see your journeys through life?
You would see how each journey leads away from home. Away from your birthplace, from those who nurtured you and that which made you what you are. Outwards, away from yourself in so many directions.
But you see your journey from within. From within, every journey leads in one direction: Towards within. Towards yourself. Closer and yet closer.
To the land in which G‑d shows you yourself.[Maamar Lech Lecha 5738.]
-------
Positive Commandment 10
Translated by Berel Bell
The 10th mitzvah is that we are commanded to recite the Shema1 daily, both in the evening and in the morning.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "And you shall speak of them when you sit in your house [and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise.]"
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the tractate Berachos. There3 it is explained that reciting Shema is a Biblical requirement.4
The Tosefta5 explains [regarding the mitzvah of prayer]: "Just as the Torah established the time for reciting Shema, so our Sages established a time for prayer." The meaning of this statement is as follows: Although prayer itself is ordained by the Torah, as explained above,6 the set times for prayer are not. The Sages established the times for prayer. This is also the meaning of the statement,7 "The prayers were established to correspond to the tamid sacrifices."8 This means that the Sages established the times of prayer to correspond to the times of the sacrifices.9
Women are not obligated in this mitzvah.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 6:4.
2.Deut. 6:7.
3.Berachos 21a.
4.The Rambam brings this to prove that this mitzvah, since it is Biblical in origin, counts among the 613.
5.Berachos, beginning of Ch. 3.
6.P5.
7.Berachos 26a.
8.See P39.
9.These passages prove that not only is the recital of Shema itself ordained by the Torah, but that the times are also ordained by the Torah. This makes reciting Shema a mitzvah she'ha'zman groma — a mitzvah connected with a set time — from which women are exempt. See Yad HaLevi on Sefer Hamitzvos, P10, note 1.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 13
• Kelim - Chapter 13
1
In several places, we have already explained that an earthenware container contracts impurity only from its inner space or when moved by a zav. In contrast, all other keilim contract impurity when touched by impurity, but if impurity enters their inner space without touching them, they remain pure.
Thus what makes an earthenware container impure leaves other keilim pure. And what makes other keilim impure, leaves an earthenware container pure, for an earthenware container contracts impurity only from its inner space, as Leviticus 11:33states: "Any earthenware container into whose inner space one of these will fall." It contracts impurity from its inner space and not from its outer side.
א
כבר ביארנו בכמה מקומות שאין כלי חרס מתטמא אלא מאוירו או בהיסט הזב ושאר כל הכלים שנגעה בהן הטומאה נטמאו ואם נכנסה טומאה לאוירו ולא נגעה בהן הרי הם טהורין נמצא הטמא בכלי חרס טהור בכלים והטמא בכל הכלים טהור בכלי חרס ומניין שאין כלי חרס מתטמא אלא מאוירו שנאמר וכלי חרש אשר יפול מהם אל תוכו וגו' מתוכו הוא מתטמא לא מאחוריו:
2
Just as it contracts impurity from its inner space, so too, it imparts impurity to food and liquids from its inner space. What is implied?
When food and/or liquids enter the inner space of an earthenware container that contracted impurity, they contract impurity even though they never touched, as ibid. states: "Everything inside it shall contract impurity." Other impure keilim do not impart impurity to an impure k'li unless they touch it.
ב
וכשם שמתטמא מאוירו כך מטמא אוכלין ומשקין מאוירו כיצד כלי חרס שנטמא ונכנסו אוכלין ומשקין לאוירו אע"פשלא נגעו בו הרי אלו טמאין שנאמר כל אשר בתוכו יטמא אבל שאר הכלים הטמאין אינן מטמאין אוכלין ומשקין עד שיגעו בהן:
3
An earthenware container does not impart impurity to keilim - whether earthenware keilim or other keilim - through their entry into its inner space.
What is implied? When there is a large earthenware container with other containers in it and impurity enters its inner space, it contracts impurity, but all the containers inside of it remain pure. If there also were liquids inside of them, the liquids contract impurity because of their presence within the inner space of the large container and they then impart impurity to the smaller containers. It is as the smaller containers say: "The one that imparted impurity to you did not impart impurity to me, but you imparted impurity to me."
ג
אין כלי חרס מטמא כלים מאוירו בין כלי חרס בין שאר כלים כיצד כלי חרס גדול שהיו בתוכו כלים ונכנסה טומאה באוירו הוא טמא וכל הכלים שבתוכו טהורין היו משקין בכלים שבתוכו נטמאו המשקין מאוירו וחוזרין ומטמאין את הכלים והרי זה אומר מטמאיך לא טמאוני ואתה טמאתני:
4
When impure liquids touch only the outer surface of an earthenware container, its outer surface contracts impurity like other keilim.
When does the above apply? When it is a container that has inner space. If, however, it is an implement that does not have inner space and impure liquids touch it, it is pure. For the outer surface of any earthenware k'li that does not have inner space does not contract impurity from liquids.
If foods or liquids touch the outer surface of an impure earthenware container, they are impure. Earthenware containers and other keilim are governed by the same laws in this context. For when foods or liquids touch any impure utensil whether on its inner surface or its outer surface, they contract impurity.
ד
כלי חרס שנגעו משקין טמאין באחוריו בלבד נטמאו אחוריו כשאר כל הכלים בד"א בשהיה לו תוך אבל אם אין לו תוך ונגעו בו משקין טמאין הרי זה טהור שכל שאין לו תוך בכלי חרס אין אחוריו מתטמאין במשקין נגעו אוכלין או משקין באחורי כלי חרס הטמא הרי אלו טמאין ואחד כלי חרס ואחד שאר כל הכלים בדבר זה שכל הכלים הטמאין שנגעו אוכלין או משקין בהן בין מתוכן בין מאחוריהן נטמאו:
5
The same laws that apply when impurity enters the inner space of an earthenware container apply when one turns it over, covering impurity that is lying on the ground and serving as a tent over it, for the impurity is within its inner space. According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that the phrase, ibid., "into whose inner space" also includes containers that serve as tents.
ה
אחד כלי חרס שנכנסה טומאה לאוירו או שכפהו על הטומאה המונחת על הארץ ונעשה אהל עליה שהרי הטומאה בתוכו מפי השמועה למדו שזה שנאמר אל תוכו לרבות את האהלים:
6
When there is a pit with the carcass of a crawling animal inside of it and an earthenware container is turned over the pit, it does not contract impurity. For the phrase "Within its inner space" implies that the impurity itself must enter its inner space.
For this reason, if the carcass of a crawling animal is found beneath the earth below an oven, the oven is pure, for we assume that it was alive when it fell into the pit and it died while in that pit. Similarly, if a needle or a ring is found beneath the earth below an oven, the oven is pure even though any keilim that are found are considered impure, as we explained. For we assume that the keilimwere there before the oven was placed there and the oven was built over them without them having fallen inside of it. If these keilim were found in the ash removed from the oven, the oven is impure, because there is nothing on which the person can base a supposition for leniency.
The following laws apply if these keilim were found in the earth below an oven; they were visible, but did not enter the inner space of the oven. If when one bakes dough, they will touch it, the oven is impure as if they were within its inner space. If not, the oven is pure as if they were beneath the earth below it. Concerning what type of dough was this said? An ordinary dough that was neither overly soft, nor overly firm.
ו
גומא שהיה השרץ מונח בתוכה וכפה כלי חרס על הגומא לא נטמא שנאמר אל תוכו עד שתכנס עצמה של טומאה בתוכו לפיכך השרץ שנמצא למטה מנחושתו של תנור שהיא קרקעית התנור טהור שאני אומר חי נפל ועכשיו מת בתוך הגומא זו וכן אם נמצאת מחט או טבעת למטה מנחושתו אף על פי שכל הכלים הנמצאים טמאים כמו שביארנו הרי התנור טהור שאני אומר שם היו עד שלא בא התנור והתנור נבנה עליהן ולא נפלו בתוכו נמצאו בדשן הרי התנור טמא שאין לו במה יתלה נמצאו בנחושתו של תנור נראין אבל אינן יוצאין לאוירו אם אופה את הבצק והוא נוגע בהן נטמא התנור כאילו היו בתוך אוירו ואם לאו התנור טהור כאילו היו למטה מנחושתו באי זה בצק אמרו בבצק הבינוני שאינו רך ביותר ולא קשה:
7
The following laws apply if the carcass of a crawling animal was found in the eye of an oven, the eye of a range for two pots, or the eye of a range for one pot. If the crawling animal was within the inner edge of the hole or further toward the outside, the oven or range is pure, because it did not enter the inner space of the oven or the range. Instead, it is suspended below the thickness of its walls. The oven or the range is pure even if an olive-sized portion of a human corpse is found in that place unless the opening of the eye is a handbreadth. In the latter instance, the oven would be impure because a hole of that size brings impurity to the inner space of the oven, as explained with regard to the impurity of a human corpse.
ז
השרץ שנמצא בעין של תנור בעין של כירה בעין של כופח אם נמצא מן השפה הפנימית ולחוץ טהור וכן אם נמצא באויר העין טהור שהרי לא נכנס לאויר התנור או הכירה או הכופח אלא תחת עובי דפנותיהן הוא תלוי ואפילו היה שם כזית מן המת טהורין אלא א"כ היה בעובי העין פותח טפח שהרי מביא את הטומאה לאויר התנור כמו שנתבאר בעניין טומאת מת:
8
When the carcass of a crawling animal is found in the place where wood is placed, if it is found from the inner edge of the range and further outward, the range is pure. If it is found in the place where the bath attendant sits or the dyer sits, or the place where those who cook olives sit, everything is pure.
ח
נמצא השרץ במקום הנחת העצים מן השפה הפנימית ולחוץ טהור נמצא במקום ישיבת הבלן במקום ישיבת הצבע במקום ישיבת שולקי הזיתים הכל טהור:
9
Neither an oven, a range, nor other places of cooking contract impurity unless the impurity is found from the sealing and inward.
ט
אין התנור ולא הכירה ולא שאר מקומות היקוד מתטמאין אא"כ נמצאת הטומאה מן הסתימה ולפנים:
10
There are earthenware containers from which homeowners drink water that have an earthenware screen in their center and projections like a comb above that screen. It is called a tzirtzur. If impurity entered the space enclosed by the comb above the screen, the entire k'li is impure, for this is "the inner space" of this container.
י
כלי חרס ששותין בו בעלי בתים המים שבאמצעו כמו רשת של חרס ושפתו שלמעלה מן הרשת כמו מסרק וזהו הנקרא צרצור אם נכנסה הטומאה לאויר המסרק למעלה מן הרשת נטמא כולו שזהו תוכו של כלי זה:
11
The following laws apply when there is an earthenware container that has three walls, one further inside than the other. If the interior wall was the highest and impurity entered its inner space, all foods and liquids that are in the space between the inner wall and middle wall or the outer wall are pure. If the middle wall was the highest and its inner space became impure, the area from this wall inward is impure. The area outside of it is pure. If the exterior wall was the highest and its inner space became impure, everything is impure. If the walls are of the same height, any enclosure whose inner space contracts impurity is impure and the remainder are pure.
יא
כלי חרס שהיה לו שלש שפיות זו לפנים מזו היתה הפנימית עודפת ונכנסה טומאה לאויר הפנימית כל האוכלין והמשקין שבאויר שבין השפה הפנימית ובין האמצעית והחיצונה טהורין היתה האמצעית עודפת ונטמא אוירה ממנה ולפנים טמא ממנה ולחוץ טהור היתה החיצונה עודפת ונטמא אוירה הכל טמא היו שוות כל שנטמא אוירה טמאה והשאר טהור:
12
If several frying pans are placed one inside the other and their rims are of the same height, should the carcass of a crawling animal be found in the uppermost frying pan or the lowest one, the frying pan containing the carcass is impure and the other frying pans and the food inside of them are pure.
If all of the frying pans had a hole that would allow liquid to seep in and the carcass was in the uppermost one, all of the foods and liquids in all the frying pans are impure, because the impurity is considered in the inner space of all of them, as will be explained. If the impurity was in the bottom one, it is impure and all the others are pure, because the carcass of the crawling animal did not enter the inner space of the uppermost one and the rim of the lowest one is not higher than it, so that it would impart impurity to all the food and liquids contained in it.
If the carcass was located in the uppermost one and the rim of the lower one was higher, the uppermost one is impure, because the carcass is located within it. Similarly, the bottom one is impure, because its rim is higher and thus the carcass is in its inner space. The remainder of the frying pans that are located in the bottom one are pure, because an earthenware container does not impart impurity to other keilim inside of it. If there was liquid that could be felt between the frying pans, any pan that has liquid on it contracts impurity. For the liquid contracts impurity because of its presence in the inner space of the bottom pan whose edges extend above the higher pan. It then imparts impurity to the pan that it touches.
יב
אלפסים זו בתוך זו ושפתותיהן שוות והשרץ בעליונה או בתחתונה זו שיש בה השרץ טמאה ושאר האלפסין טהורין הן וכל האוכלין שבהן היה כל אילפס מהן נקובה בכונס משקה והשרץ בעליונה כל האוכלין והמשקין שבכל האלפסים טמאים שהטומאה באויר כולן כמו שיתבאר היה השרץ בתחתונה היא טמאה וכולן טהורות שהרי לא נכנס שרץ לאויר העליונה ואין שפת התחתונה עודפת כדי לטמא כל האוכלין והמשקין שבתוכה היה השרץ בעליונה והיתה שפת התחתונה עודפת העליונה טמאה שהשרץ בתוכה וכן התחתונה מפני ששפתה עודפת הרי השרץ באוירה ושאר האלפסין שבתוך התחתונה טהורין שאין כלי חרס מטמא כלי' שבתוכו ואם היה ביניהן משקה טופח כל שיש בה משקה טופח טמאה שהמשקה מתטמא מאויר התחתונה העודפת וחוזר ומטמא את האלפס:
13
When an earthenware tabletop had bowls attached to it from the time that it was initially made, although it is all a single k'li, if one bowl contracts impurity, they all do not contract impurity. If the table top has an upraised border, all of the bowls are considered in its inner space. Thus if one contracts impurity, they all become impure. Similar laws apply to an earthenware spice box and a split inkwell that are made in analogous manner.
יג
טבלא של חרס שהיו קערות דבוקו' בה בתחלת מעשיה והרי הכל כלי אחד ונטמאת אחת מהן לא נטמאו כולן ואם היה לטבלא דופן עודף שנמצאו כל הקערות בתוכו ונטמאת אחת מהן נטמאו כולן וכן הדין בבית התבלין של חרס וקלמירין המתאימות כיוצא בו:
14
When one of the compartments of a wooden spice box contracts impurity from liquids, the remainder of its compartments do not contract impurity. If it has an upraised border and thus all of the compartments are considered within its inner space and one of them contracts impurity from liquids, they all contract impurity, for it is considered as a single container and when the inner space of a container contracts impurity from liquids, the entire container becomes impure.
If the compartments were attached to it by nails, they are considered as joined both with regard to contracting impurity and with regard to sprinkling the ashes of the red heifer. If they are merely wedged together, they are considered as joined with regard to contracting impurity, but not with regard to sprinkling the ashes of the red heifer. If the compartments could be easily removed and returned, they are not considered as joined, neither with regard to contracting impurity, nor with regard to sprinkling the ashes of the red heifer.
יד
בית התבלין של עץ שנטמא אחד מבתיו במשקין לא נטמאו שאר הבתים ואם יש לו דופן עודף שנמצאו כל הבתים בתוכו ונטמא אחד מבתיו במשקין נטמאו כולן שהכל ככלי אחד וכלי שנטמא תוכו במשקין נטמא כולו היו בתיו קבועין במסמר הרי אלו חיבור זה לזה לטומאה ולהזייה היו תקועין בלבד הרי אלו חיבור לטומאה ולא להזייה ואם היו בתיו ניטלין וניתנין אינן חיבור לא לטומאה ולא להזייה:
• Teshuvah - Chapter Ten
1
A person should not say: "I will fulfill the mitzvot of the Torah and occupy myself in its wisdom in order to receive all the blessings which are contained within it or in order to merit the life of the world to come."
"[Similarly,] I will separate myself from all the sins which the Torah warned against so that I will be saved from all the curses contained in the Torah or so that [my soul] will not be cut off from the life of the world to come."
It is not fitting to serve God in this manner. A person whose service is motivated by these factors is considered one who serves out of fear. He is not on the level of the prophets or of the wise.
The only ones who serve, God in this manner are common people, women, and minors. They are trained to serve God out of fear until their knowledge increases and they serve out of love.
א
אל יאמר אדם הריני עושה מצות התורה ועוסק בחכמתה כדי שאקבל כל הברכות הכתובות בה או כדי שאזכה לחיי העולם הבא ואפרוש מן העבירות שהזהירה תורה מהן כדי שאנצל מן הקללות הכתובות בתורה או כדי שלא אכרת מחיי העולם הבא אין ראוי לעבוד את ה' על הדרך הזה שהעובד על דרך זה הוא עובד מיראה ואינה מעלת הנביאים ולא מעלת החכמים ואין עובדים ה' על דרך זה אלא עמי הארץ והנשים והקטנים שמחנכין אותן לעבוד מיראה עד שתרבה דעתן ויעבדו מאהבה:
2
One who serves [God] out of love occupies himself in the Torah and the mitzvot and walks in the paths of wisdom for no ulterior motive: not because of fear that evil will occur, nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true, and ultimately, good will come because of it.
This is a very high level which is not merited by every wise man. It is the level of our Patriarch, Abraham, whom God described as, "he who loved Me," for his service was only motivated by love.
God commanded us [to seek] this rung [of service] as conveyed by Moses as [Deuteronomy 6:5] states: "Love God, your Lord.'' When a man will love God in the proper manner, he will immediately perform all of the mitzvot motivated by love.
ב
העובד מאהבה עוסק בתורה ובמצות והולך בנתיבות החכמה לא מפני דבר בעולם ולא מפני יראת הרעה ולא כדי לירש הטובה אלא עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת וסוף הטובה לבא בגללה ומעלה זו היא מעלה גדולה מאד ואין כל חכם זוכה לה והיא מעלת אברהם אבינו שקראו הקב"ה אוהבו לפי שלא עבד אלא מאהבה והיא המעלה שצונו בה הקדוש ברוך הוא על ידי משה שנאמר ואהבת את ה' אלהיך ובזמן שיאהוב אדם את ה' אהבה הראויה מיד יעשה כל המצות מאהבה:
3
What is the proper [degree] of love? That a person should love God with a very great and exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of God. Thus, he will always be obsessed with this love as if he is lovesick.
[A lovesick person's] thoughts are never diverted from the love of that woman. He is always obsessed with her; when he sits down, when he gets up, when he eats and drinks. With an even greater [love], the love for God should be [implanted] in the hearts of those who love Him and are obsessed with Him at all times as we are commanded [Deuteronomy 6:5: "Love God...] with all your heart and with all soul."
This concept was implied by Solomon [Song of Songs 2:5] when he stated, as a metaphor: "I am lovesick." [Indeed,] the totality of the Song of Songs is a parable describing [this love].
ג
וכיצד היא האהבה הראויה הוא שיאהב את ה' אהבה גדולה יתירה עזה מאוד עד שתהא נפשו קשורה באהבת ה' ונמצא שוגה בה תמיד כאלו חולה חולי האהבה שאין דעתו פנויה מאהבת אותה אשה והוא שוגה בה תמיד בין בשבתו בין בקומו בין בשעה שהוא אוכל ושותה יתר מזה תהיה אהבת ה' בלב אוהביו שוגים בה תמיד כמו שצונו בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך והוא ששלמה אמר דרך משל כי חולת אהבה אני וכל שיר השירים משל הוא לענין זה:
4
The Sages of the previous generations declared: Should one say: "I will study Torah in order that I become wealthy, in order that I be called a Rabbi, or in' order that I receive reward in the world to come?" The Torah teaches [Deuteronomy 11:13]: "[If you are careful to observe My commandments...] to love God; [implying] that all that you do should only be done out of love.
The Sages also said: [Psalms 112:1 instructs:] "Desire His commandments greatly." [Desire His commandments] and not the reward [which comes from] His commandments.
In a similar manner, the great Sages would command the more understanding and brilliant among their students in private: "‘Do not be like servants who serve their master [for the sake of receiving a reward].’ Rather, since He is the Master, it is fitting to serve Him;" i.e., serve [Him] out of love.
ד
אמרו חכמים הראשונים שמא תאמר הריני למד תורה בשביל שאהיה עשיר בשביל שאקרא רבי בשביל שאקבל שכר בעולם הבא תלמוד לומר לאהבה את ה' כל מה שאתם עושים לא תעשו אלא מאהבה ועוד אמרו חכמים במצותיו חפץ מאד ולא בשכר מצותיו וכן היו גדולי החכמים מצוים לנבוני תלמידיהם ומשכיליהם ביחוד אל תהיו כעבדים המשמשים את הרב וכו' אלא מפני שהוא הרב ראוי לשמשו כלומר עבדו מאהבה:
5
Anyone who occupies himself with the Torah in order to receive reward or in order to protect himself from retribution is considered as one who is not occupied for the God's sake.
[In contrast,] anyone who occupies himself with it, not because of fear, nor to receive a reward, but rather because of his love for the Lord of the entire earth who commanded it, is one who occupies himself for God's sake.
Nevertheless, our Sages declared: A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come service that is intended for God's sake.
Therefore, when one teaches children, women, and most of the common people, one should teach them to serve out of fear and in order to receive a reward. As their knowledge grows and their wisdom increases, this secret should be revealed to them [slowly,] bit by bit. They should become accustomed to this concept gradually until they grasp it and know it and begin serving [God] out of love.
ה
כל העוסק בתורה כדי לקבל שכר או כדי שלא תגיע עליו פורענות הרי זה עוסק שלא לשמה וכל העוסק בה לא ליראה ולא לקבל שכר אלא מפני אהבת אדון כל הארץ שצוה בה הרי זה עוסק בה לשמה ואמרו חכמים לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ואפילו שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה לפיכך כשמלמדין את הקטנים ואת הנשים וכלל עמי הארץ אין מלמדין אותן אלא לעבוד מיראה וכדי לקבל שכר עד שתרבה דעתן ויתחכמו חכמה יתירה מגלים להם רז זה מעט מעט ומרגילין אותן לענין זה בנחת עד שישיגוהו וידעוהו ויעבדוהו מאהבה:
6
It is a well-known and clear matter that the love of God will not become attached within a person's heart until he becomes obsessed with it at all times as is fitting, leaving all things in the world except for this. This was implied by the command [Deuteronomy 6:5: "Love God, your Lord,] with all your heart and all your soul.
One can only love God [as an outgrowth] of the knowledge with which he knows Him. The nature of one's love depends on the nature of one's knowledge! A small [amount of knowledge arouses] a lesser love. A greater amount of knowledge arouses a greater love.
Therefore, it is necessary for a person to seclude himself in order to understand and conceive wisdom and concepts which make his creator known to him according to the potential which man possesses to understand and comprehend as we explained in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah.
ו
דבר ידוע וברור שאין אהבת הקב"ה נקשרת בלבו של אדם עד שישגה בה תמיד כראוי ויעזוב כל מה שבעולם חוץ ממנה כמו שצוה ואמר בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך אינו אוהב הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא בדעת שידעהו ועל פי הדעה תהיה האהבה אם מעט מעט ואם הרבה הרבה לפיכך צריך האדם ליחד עצמו להבין ולהשכיל בחכמות ותבונות המודיעים לו את קונו כפי כח שיש באדם להבין ולהשיג כמו שבארנו בהלכות יסודי התורה:
Blessed be God who grants assistance. This concludes the first book, the Book of Knowledge, with the help of the Almighty. The amount of chapters in this book are 46:
Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah - 10 chapters.
Hilchot De'ot - 7 chapters.
Hilchot Talmud Torah - 7 chapters.
Hilchot Avodat Kochavim - 12 chapters.
Hilchot Teshuvah - 10 chapters.
נגמר ספר ראשון והוא ספר המדע:
Kri'at Shema - Chapter One
"Oh, how I love Your Torah. It is what I discuss the entire day." (Psalms 119:97)
Introduction to Hilchos Kri'as Shema
This section contains one positive Torah commandment: to recite the Shema twice daily.
The elucidation of this commandment appears in the following chapters.
The elucidation of this commandment appears in the following chapters.
1
We [are obligated to] recite the Shema twice daily - in the evening and in the morning - as [Deuteronomy 6:7] states: "...when you lie down and when you rise" - i.e., when people are accustomed to sleep - this being the night - and when people are accustomed to rise, this being daytime.
א
פעמים בכל יום קוראין ק"ש בערב ובבקר שנאמר ובשכבך ובקומך בשעה שדרך בני אדם שוכבין וזה הוא לילה ובשעה שדרך בני אדם עומדין וזה הוא יום:
2
And what is it that one recites? These three sections:
"Hear O Israel..." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9),
"And if you will listen..." (Deuteronomy 11:13-21),and
"And God said..." (Numbers 15:37-41).
"And if you will listen..." (Deuteronomy 11:13-21),and
"And God said..." (Numbers 15:37-41).
We begin with the section of "Hear O Israel" since it contains [the concept of] the unity of God, [the commandment of] loving Him and the study of Torah, it being a fundamental principle upon which everything is based.
After it, [we read] "And if you will listen...," since it contains the imperative to fulfill the rest of the commandments, and finally the portion of tzitzit, since it also contains the imperative of remembering all the commandments.
ב
ומה הוא קורא שלשה פרשיות אלו הן:
שמע והיה אם שמוע ויאמר ומקדימין לקרות פרשת שמע מפני שיש בה יחוד השם ואהבתו ותלמודו שהוא העיקר הגדול שהכל תלוי בו ואחריה והיה אם שמוע שיש בה צווי על (זכירת) שאר כל המצות ואחר כך פרשת ציצית שגם היא יש בה צווי זכירת כל המצות:
3
The commandment of tzitzit is not obligatory at night. Nevertheless, we recite [the section describing] it at night because it contains mention of the exodus from Egypt.
We are commanded to mention the exodus both during the day and at night as [Deuteronomy 16:3] states: "In order that you shall remember the day of your leaving the land of Egypt all the days of your life."
Reading these three sections in this order constitutes the recitation of the Shema.
ג
אע"פ שאין מצות ציצית נוהגת בלילה קוראין אותה בלילה מפני שיש בה זכרון יציאת מצרים ומצוה להזכיר יציאת מצרים ביום ובלילה שנאמר למען תזכור את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים כל ימי חייך וקריאת שלש פרשיות אלו על סדר זה היא הנקראת קריאת שמע:
4
When reciting the Shema, after completing the first verse, one says quietly "Blessed be the name of the glory of His Kingdom forever." He then continues to read the first section in its normal fashion: "And you shall love God, your Lord..."
Why do we read it in this fashion? It is our tradition that when the patriarch, Jacob, gathered all his sons together in Egypt close to his death, he commanded and urged them regarding the Unity of God and the path of God upon which Abraham and Isaac, his father, had tread.
He asked them: "My sons, perhaps there are dregs among you, one who does not stand with me in the Unity of God?" This is comparable to the manner in which Moses, our teacher, said to us: "Lest there be among you a man or woman [whose heart turns this day from God...]" (Deuteronomy 29:17).
They all answered and said: "Listen, Israel, God is our Lord, God is One," i.e., listen to us, Israel, our father, God is our Lord, God is One.
The wise elder responded: "Blessed be the Name of the Glory of His Kingdom forever." Therefore, the Jews are accustomed to utter the praise that Israel, the wise elder, uttered after this verse.
ד
הקורא קריאת שמע כשהוא גומר פסוק ראשון אומר בלחש ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד וחוזר וקורא כדרכו ואהבת את יי' אלהיך עד סופה ולמה קורין כן מסורת היא בידינו שבשעה שקבץ יעקב אבינו את בניו במצרים בשעת מיתתו ציום וזרזם על יחוד השם ועל דרך ה' שהלך בה אברהם ויצחק אביו ושאל אותם ואמר להם בני שמא יש בכם פסלות מי שאינו עומד עמי ביחוד השם כענין שאמר לנו משה רבינו פן יש בכם איש או אשה וגו' ענו כולם ואמרו שמע ישראל יי' אלהינו יי' אחד כלומר שמע ממנו אבינו ישראל יי' אלהינו יי' אחד פתח הזקן ואמר ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד לפיכך נהגו כל ישראל לומר שבח ששבח בו ישראל הזקן אחר פסוק זה:
5
Blessings are recited before and after Kri'at Shema. In the day, one recites two blessings before it and one after it. At night, one recites two blessings before and two blessings after it.
ה
הקורא קריאת שמע מברך לפניה ולאחריה ביום מברך שתים לפניה ואחת לאחריה ובלילה מברך שתים לפניה ושתים לאחריה:
6
The first blessing preceding [the Shema] in the day [begins: "Blessed are You, God...], the One who forms the light and creates darkness,..." The second blessing [begins with]: "With everlasting love, You have loved us..."
[The Shema] is followed by [the section beginning] "True and certain..."
The first blessing preceding [the Shema] at night [begins: "Blessed are You, God...], the One who brings the evening,..." and the second [begins] "With everlasting love, You have loved Your people Israel." The first blessing after [the Shema] is [the section begining] "True and faithful..." and the second [begins] "Lay us down..."
ו
ברכה ראשונה שלפניה ביום יוצר אור ובורא חשך וכו' וברכה שנייה אהבת עולם אהבתנו ושל אחריה אמת ויציב וברכה ראשונה שלפניה בלילה מעריב ערבים וכו' שנייה לה אהבת עולם בית ישראל עמך אהבת כו' וברכה ראשונה על אחריה אמת ואמונה שנייה לה השכיבנו:
7
The first blessing preceding [the Shema], both in the day and at night, begins "Blessed [are You, God, our Lord...]" and concludes "Blessed [are You, God]..." The rest of the blessings all conclude with "Blessed [are]...," but do not begin "Blessed [are]..."
These blessings and all the rest of the blessings familiar to the Jewish people were instituted by Ezra, the scribe, and his court. One may not detract from them or add to them.
In every instance that they decreed to conclude with "Blessed...," one may not omit this conclusion. Where they decreed not to conclude [with "Blessed..."], one may not conclude with it. Where they decreed not to begin with "Blessed," one may not begin with it. Where they decreed to begin [with "Blessed..."], one may not omit it.
The general principle is that anyone who deviates from the set form of blessings established by the Sages is mistaken and must recite the blessing again in its proper form.
Anyone who does not say [the paragraph of] "True and certain..." in the morning prayer or [the paragraph of] "True and faithful..." in the evening prayer does not fulfill his obligation.
ז
ברכה ראשונה שלפניה בין ביום בין בלילה פותח בה בברוך וחותם בה בברוך ושאר ברכותיה חותם בכל אחת מהן בברוך ואין להם פתיחה בברוך ברכות אלו עם שאר כל הברכות הערוכות בפי כל ישראל עזרא הסופר ובית דינו תקנום ואין אדם רשאי לפחות מהם ולא להוסיף עליהם מקום שהתקינו לחתום בברוך אינו רשאי שלא לחתום ומקום שהתקינו שלא לחתום אינו רשאי לחתום מקום שהתקינו שלא לפתוח בברוך אינו רשאי לפתוח מקום שהתקינו לפתוח אינו רשאי שלא לפתוח כללו של דבר כל המשנה ממטבע שטבעו חכמים בברכות הרי זה טועה וחוזר ומברך כמטבע וכל שאינו אומר אמת ויציב בשחרית ואמת ואמונה בערבית לא יצא ידי חובתו:
8
One who recites the second blessing before the first, whether in the day or at night, or whether the transposed blessings are recited before or after Kri'at Shema, fulfills his obligation, since there is no absolute order to the blessings.
A person who begins with "...the One who forms the light..." and concludes with "...the One who brings the evenings" in the morning prayer does not fulfill his obligation.
Were he to begin with "...the One who brings the evenings" and conclude with "...the One who forms the light", he would fulfill his obligation. Were he to begin with "...the One who brings the evenings" ...and conclude with "...the One who forms the light" in the evening, he would not fulfill his obligtation.
If he begins with "...the One who forms light" and concludes with "...the One who brings the evenings" - he fulfills his obligation since all blessings are defined by their conclusions.
ח
הקדים ברכה שנייה לברכה ראשונה בין ביום בין בלילה בין לפניה בין לאחריה יצא לפי שאין סדר בברכות בשחרית פתח יוצר אור וסיים מעריב ערבים לא יצא פתח במעריב ערבים וסיים ביוצר אור יצא ובערב פתח במעריב ערבים וסיים ביוצר אור לא יצא פתח ביוצר אור וסיים במעריב ערבים יצא שכל הברכות הולכות אחר חתימתן:
9
When is the [proper] time for the recitation of Shema at night? The commandment [starts] from the time of the appearance of the stars...
A person who transgresses and delays fulfills his obligation if he recites [the Shema] before dawn. [The Sages established the limit] of midnight only in order to distance us from negligent wrongdoing.
ט
אי זהו זמן קריאת שמע בלילה מצותה משעת יציאת הכוכבים עד חצי הלילה ואם עבר ואיחר וקרא עד שלא עלה עמוד השחר יצא ידי חובתו שלא אמרו עד חצות אלא כדי להרחיק אדם מן הפשיעה:
10
One who reads the Shema [of the night] after dawn, [but] before sunrise, does not fulfill his obligation unless he was unavoidably detained - e.g., drunk or sick, or in a similar situation. A person who was so detained and reads [the Shema] at this time does not recite [the blessing of] "Lay us down."
י
הקורא קריאת שמע של ערבית אחר שיעלה עמוד השחר קודם הנץ החמה לא יצא ידי חובתו אא"כ היה אנוס כגון שכור או חולה וכיוצא בהן ואנוס שקרא בעת זה אינו אומר השכיבנו:
11
When is the proper time [for the recitation of the Shema] during the day? The commandment is that one should start to read before sunrise in order to conclude and recite the last blessing with the sunrise. This measure [of time] is one-tenth of an hour before the sun rises.
A person who delays and reads the Shema after the sun rises fulfills his obligation, for the proper time is until the end of the third hour of the day for one who transgresses and delays.
יא
ואי זה הוא זמנה ביום מצותה שיתחיל לקרות קודם הנץ החמה כדי שיגמור לקרות ולברך ברכה אחרונה עם הנץ החמה ושיעור זה כמו [עישור] שעה קודם שתעלה השמש ואם איחר וקרא קריאת שמע אחר שתעלה השמש יצא ידי חובתו שעונתה עד סוף שלש שעות ביום למי שעבר ואיחר:
12
One who is overhasty and recites the Shema of the morning prayers after dawn, even though he finishes before sunrise, fulfills his obligation. In extraordinary circumstances - e.g., one who rises early in order to travel - one may recite it at the outset from dawn.
יב
מי שהקדים וקרא קריאת שמע של שחרית אחר שיעלה עמוד השחר אף על פי שהשלים קודם שתנץ החמה יצא ידי חובתו ובשעת הדחק כגון שהיה משכים לצאת לדרך קורא לכתחלה משעלה עמוד השחר:
13
One who recited [the Shema] after [the end of] the third hour, even if he was unavoidably detained, does not fulfill his obligation to recite the Shema at its proper time. He can be compared to one who studies Torah.
He should recite the blessings preceding it and after it all day, even if he delays and recited it after [the end of] the third hour.
יג
הקורא אחר שלש שעות ביום אפילו היה אנוס לא יצא ידי חובת קריאת שמע בעונתו אלא הרי הוא כקורא בתורה ומברך לפניה ולאחריה כל היום אפילו איחר וקרא אחר שלש שעות:
Kri'at Shema - Chapter Two
1
One who recites the first verse of Kri'at Shema - i.e., Shema Yisrael... - without intention, does not fulfill his obligation. [One who recites] the rest without intention fulfills his obligation.
Even a person studying Torah in his usual way or proofreading these portions at the time of Kri'at Shema fulfills his obligation provided he concentrates his intention for the first verse.
א
הקורא את שמע ולא כיון לבו בפסוק ראשון שהוא שמע ישראל לא יצא ידי חובתו והשאר אם לא כיון לבו יצא אפי' היה קורא בתורה כדרכו או מגיה את הפרשיות האלו בעונת קריאה יצא והוא שכיון לבו בפסוק ראשון:
2
A person may recite [the Shema] as he is, whether standing, walking, lying down or riding on the back of an animal. It is forbidden to recite the Shema while lying face down on the ground or flat on one's back with his face pointing upwards. However, one may recite it lying on his side.
A particularly obese person who cannot turn over onto his side or a sick person should lean slightly to the side and [then] recite it.
ב
כל אדם קורין כדרכן בין עומדין בין מהלכין בין שוכבין בין רוכבין על גבי בהמה ואסור לקרות קריאת שמע והוא מוטל ופניו טוחות בקרקע או מושלך על גבו ופניו למעלה אבל קורא הוא והוא שוכב על צדו ואם היה בעל בשר הרבה ואינו יכול להתהפך על צדו או שהיה חולה נוטה מעט לצדו וקורא:
3
A person who is walking on foot must stop for the first verse. He may recite the rest while walking. If one is sleeping, we should disturb him by awakening him until he reads the first verse. From that point on, if he is overcome by sleep, we are not obligated to disturb him.
ג
מי שהיה מהלך על רגליו עומד בפסוק ראשון והשאר קורא והוא מהלך היה ישן מצערין אותו ומעירין אותו עד שיקרא פסוק ראשון ומכאן ואילך אם אנסתו שינה אין מצערין אותו:
4
A person who is involved in work must stop while he recites the whole first section. Artisans must also interrupt their work for the first section, in order that their recitation should not be haphazard. They may recite the rest while working in their normal manner. Even one standing in a tree or on top of a wall may read [the Shema] where he is, reciting the blessings before and after it.
ד
מי שהיה עוסק במלאכה מפסיק עד שיקרא פרשה ראשונה כולה וכן האימנין בטלין ממלאכתן בפרשה ראשונה כדי שלא תהא קריאתן עראי והשאר קורא הוא כדרכו ועוסק במלאכתו אפילו היה עומד בראש האילן או בראש הכותל קורא במקומו ומברך לפניה ולאחריה:
5
A person who is studying Torah when the time to recite the Shema arrives should stop to recite the Shema with the blessings before and after it. One who is involved in community matters should not stop, but rather finishes his work and reads the Shema if there is still time left.
ה
היה עוסק בתלמוד תורה והגיע זמן קריאת שמע פוסק וקורא ומברך לפניה ולאחריה היה עוסק בצרכי רבים לא יפסוק אלא יגמור עסקיהן ויקרא אם נשאר עת לקרות:
6
A person who is eating, is in the bathhouse, is having a haircut, is working with skins or is involved in court, should complete [his task] and recite the Shema afterwards. If he fears that the time for its recitation will pass, and, [therefore,] stops to recite it, he has acted in a praiseworthy fashion.
ו
היה עוסק באכילה או שהיה במרחץ או שהיה עוסק בתספורת או שהיה מהפך בעורות או שהיו עוסקין בדין גומר ואח"כ קורא קריאת שמע ואם היה מתיירא שמא יעבור זמן קריאה ופסק וקרא הרי זה משובח:
7
A person who immerses in a ritual bath and is able to come up and dress before sunrise, should do so, and [then] recite [the Shema]. If he is afraid that perhaps the sun will rise before he can recite the Shema, he should cover himself with the water in which he stands and recite the Shema.
He should not cover himself with putrid water that has an unpleasant odor or with water that has been used for soaking flax or with water so clean that his nakedness is visible. However, he may cover himself with murky water that has no unpleasant odor and recite [the Shema] where he is.
ז
מי שירד לטבול אם יכול לעלות ולהתכסות קודם שתנץ החמה יעלה ויתכסה ויקרא ואם היה מתיירא שמא תנץ החמה קודם שיקרא יתכסה במים שהוא עומד בהן ויקרא ולא יתכסה לא במים הרעים שריחן רע ולא במי המשרה ולא במים צלולין מפני שערותו נראית בהן אבל מתכסה הוא במים עכורין שאין ריחן רע וקורא במקומו:
8
While reciting the Shema, one should not gesture with his eyes or lips, or point with his fingers, in order that his reading not be haphazard. If one were to do this, although he does fulfill his obligation, he has acted improperly.
One should recite the Shema so that his words are audible to himself. [However, even] if he does not do this, he fulfills his obligation. One must enunciate the letters clearly. [However, even] if he does not do this, he fulfills his obligation.
ח
הקורא קריאת שמע לא ירמוז בעיניו ולא יקרוץ בשפתיו ולא יראה באצבעותיו כדי שלא תהיה קריאתו עראי ואם עשה כן אף על פי שיצא ידי חובתו הרי זה מגונה וצריך להשמיע לאזנו כשהוא קורא ואם לא השמיע לאזנו יצא וצריך לדקדק באותיותיו ואם לא דקדק יצא:
9
How must one enunciate? He must be careful not to pronounce [a letter with] a strong dagesh as if there were no dagesh, or [a letter with] no dagesh as if there were one. Nor should one pronounce the silent sheva or silence the pronounced sheva.
Therefore, one must pause between two words in which the first word ends with the same letter with which the second word begins. For example, when reading בכל לבבך (bechol levavcha) (Deuteronomy 6:5), one should pause slightly between בכל (bechol) and לבבך (levavcha). [One should act] similarly in the cases of ואבדתם מהרה (va'avad'tem meheirah) (Deuteronomy 11:17) and הכנף פתיל (hacanaf p'til) (Numbers 15:38).
One must also pronounce distinctly the zayin of תזכרו (tizkeru) (Numbers 15:40).
One should sufficiently elongate the dalet in אחד (echad) (Deuteronomy 6:4) in order to proclaim God's sovereignty over the Heaven and the Earth, and all four directions. The chet in אחד (echad, ibid.) should not be shortened so that the word sounds like איחד (ee-chad).
ט
כיצד ידקדק ישמור שלא ירפה החזק ולא יחזיק הרפה ולא יניח הנד ולא יניד הנח לפיכך צריך ליתן ריוח בין הדבקים בין כל שתי אותיות הדומות שאחת מהן סוף תיבה והאחרת תחלת תיבה הסמוכה לה כגון בכל לבבך קורא בכל ושוהה וחוזר וקורא לבבך וכן ואבדתם מהרה הכנף פתיל וצריך לבאר זיי"ן של תזכרו וצריך להאריך בדל"ת של אחד כדי שימליכהו בשמים ובארץ ובארבע רוחות וצריך שלא יחטוף בחי"ת כדי שלא יהא כאומר אי חד:
10
A person may recite the Shema in any language he understands. One who recites in a foreign language must be as scrupulous in his enunciation as if he were reciting it in the Holy Tongue.
י
קורא אדם את שמע בכל לשון שיהיה מבינה והקורא בכל לשון צריך להזהר מדברי שבוש שבאותו הלשון ומדקדק באותו הלשון כמו שמדקדק בלשון הקדש:
11
One who reads [the Shema] out of order does not fulfill his obligation. This refers to the order of the verses. However, were one to reverse the order of the sections, even though it is not permitted, I hold that he does fulfill his obligation, since these sections are not sequential in the Torah.
To recite a verse and then repeat it again is improper. One who reads a word and then repeats it, such as one who recites Shema, Shema, should be silenced.
יא
הקורא למפרע לא יצא בד"א בסדר הפסוקים אבל אם הקדים פרשה לפרשה אף ע"פ שאינו רשאי אני אומר שיצא לפי שאינה סמוכה לה בתורה קרא פסוק וחזר וקראו פעם שנייה הרי זה מגונה קרא מלה אחת וכפלה כגון שקרא שמע שמע משתקין אותו:
12
If one reads intermittently, he fulfills his obligation, even if he pauses between each reading an amount of time sufficient to complete the entire Kri'at Shema.
This refers to the one who recites it in order. If one recites it while drowsy - i.e., not fully awake, but not fast asleep - he fulfills his obligation, as long as he was fully awake while reciting the first verse.
יב
קראה סירוגין יצא אפילו שהה בין סירוג לסירוג כדי לגמור את כולה יצא והוא שיקרא על הסדר קראה מתנמנם והוא מי שאינו ער ולא נרדם בשינה יצא ובלבד שיהיה ער בפסוק ראשון:
13
One who is unsure whether or not he recited the Shema, should recite it with the blessings before and after it. However, if he is sure that he recited the Shema, but is in doubt regarding whether he recited the blessings before and after it, he need not recite the blessings again.
A person who made a mistake while reciting [the Shema] should return to the point of his mistake. If one becomes confused and forgets which section he has just completed, he should return to the first section - i.e., "And you shall love God, your Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
יג
ספק קרא קריאת שמע ספק לא קרא חוזר וקורא ומברך לפניה ולאחריה אבל אם ידע שקרא ונסתפק לו אם בירך לפניה ולאחריה או לא בירך אינו חוזר ומברך קרא וטעה יחזור למקום שטעה נעלם ממנו בין פרשה לפרשה ואינו יודע אי זו פרשה השלים ואי זו צריך להתחיל חוזר לפרשה ראשונה שהוא ואהבת את ה' אלהיך וגו':
14
A person who errs in the middle of a section and is unaware of where he paused, should return to the beginning of that section.
One who recited וכתבתם (uch'tavtam) but does not know whether or not he recited uch'tavtam of [the section of] "Shema" or of [the section of] והיה אם שמוע (And if you will listen), should return to uch'tavtam of "Shema." However, if his doubt arises only after having recited למען ירבו ימיכם (In order that your days be multiplied) (Deuteronomy 11:21), he need not return, because [we assume] he has recited in accordance with the natural pattern of his speech.
יד
טעה באמצע הפרק ואינו יודע להיכן פסק חוזר לראש הפרק היה קורא וכתבתם ואינו יודע אם הוא בוכתבתם של שמע או בוכתבתם שבוהיה אם שמוע חוזר לוכתבתם של שמע ואם נסתפק לו אחר שקרא למען ירבו ימיכם אינו חוזר שעל הרגל לשונו הוא הולך:
15
[The following rules apply when] one encounters other people or is approached by them while reciting the Shema. If he is between sections, he should stop and greet those he is obligated to honor - e.g., his father, his teacher or anyone greater than he in learning. He may return the greetings of any person who initiates the friendly exchange.
טו
היה קורא ופגע באחרים או פגעו בו אחרים אם היה בין פרק לפרק פוסק ומתחיל ושואל שלום מי שהוא חייב בכבודו כגון שפגע באביו או רבו או מי שהוא גדול ממנו בחכמה ומשיב שלום לכל אדם שנתן לו שלום:
16
If one is in the middle [of a section], he may stop and initiate an exchange of greetings only with someone of whom he is afraid - e.g., a king or tyrant. However, he may return the greetings of those he is obligated to honor - e.g., his father or his teacher.
טז
היה קורא באמצע הפרשה אינו פוסק ומתחיל לשאול אלא בשלום מי שהוא מתיירא ממנו כגון מלך או אנס וכיוצא בהן אבל מי שהוא חייב בכבודו כגון אביו או רבו אם נתן לו שלום תחלה פוסק ומשיב לו שלום:
17
These are the intervals between the sections: between the first blessing and the second; between the second [blessing] and Shema; between the first and second sections of Kri'at Shema; between the second and third sections of Kri'at Shema.
Between these sections, one initiates an exchange with one whom it is his duty to honor and responds to the greetings of anyone. However, the interval between the end of the third section of Kri'at Shema and [the paragraph beginning with] Emet v'yatziv is considered the middle of a section, and one may interrupt only to greet one of whom one is afraid, or to respond to the greetings of someone one is obligated to honor.
יז
ואלו הן בין הפרקים בין ברכה ראשונה לשנייה בין שנייה לשמע בין שמע לוהיה אם שמוע בין והיה אם שמוע לויאמר בין הפרקים האלו שואל מפני הכבוד ומשיב שלום לכל אדם אבל בין ויאמר לאמת ויציב הרי זה כאמצע הפרק ולא יפסיק אלא לשאול מפני היראה ולהשיב מפני הכבוד:
• Friday, 10 Cheshvan, 5777 · 11 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Monday, Cheshvan 10, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 55-59.
Tanya: But when the (p. 561) ...for the initiated. (p. 563).
The Alter Rebbe used to refer to Atzilut as "Above." They say that because of intense emotion, when writing the word he could get no further than "Atzi -."
• Daily Thought:
Traveling to Yourself
G‑d said to Abram, “Go to yourself, from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.”[Genesis 12:1]
If you were not you, if you saw yourself from the eyes of another, how would you see your journeys through life?
You would see how each journey leads away from home. Away from your birthplace, from those who nurtured you and that which made you what you are. Outwards, away from yourself in so many directions.
But you see your journey from within. From within, every journey leads in one direction: Towards within. Towards yourself. Closer and yet closer.
To the land in which G‑d shows you yourself.[Maamar Lech Lecha 5738.]
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