Torah Reading
Chayei Sarah: Genesis 23:1 Sarah lived to be 127 years old; these were the years of Sarah’s life. 2 Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena‘an; and Avraham came to mourn Sarah and weep for her. 3 Then he got up from his dead one and said to the sons of Het, 4 “I am a foreigner living as an alien with you; let me have a burial site with you, so that I can bury my dead wife.” 5 The sons of Het answered Avraham, 6 “Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us, so choose any of our tombs to bury your dead — not one of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 Avraham got up, bowed before the people of the land, the sons of Het, 8 and spoke with them. “If it is your desire to help me bury my dead, then listen to me: ask ‘Efron the son of Tzochar 9 to give me the cave of Makhpelah, which he owns, the one at the end of his field. He should sell it to me in your presence at its full value; then I will have a burial site of my own.”
10 ‘Efron the Hitti was sitting among the sons of Het, and he gave Avraham his answer in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city: 11 “No, my lord, listen to me: I’m giving you the field, with its cave — I’m giving it to you. In the presence of my people I give it to you.” 12 Avraham bowed before the people of the land 13 and spoke to ‘Efron in their hearing: “Please be good enough to listen to me. I will pay the price of the field; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there.” 14 But ‘Efron answered Avraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me. A plot of land worth 400 silver shekels — what is that between me and you? Just bury your dead.” 16 Avraham got the point of what ‘Efron had said, so he weighed out for ‘Efron the amount of money he had specified in the presence of the sons of Het, 400 silver shekels of the weight accepted among merchants [ten pounds].
Today in Jewish History:
• Hasmonean Holiday (137 BCE)
Daily Quote:
In Talmudic times, Cheshvan 23 was commemorated as the day on which the stones of the altar which were defiled by the Greeks were removed from the Holy Temple.
Achashverosh was a fool: first he killed his wife at the urging of his friend, and then he killed his friend at the urging of his wife.[Yalkut Shimoni]
Today's Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Chayei Sarah, 5th Portion Genesis 24:53-24:67 with Rashi
• Genesis Chapter 24
53And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebecca, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother. נגוַיּוֹצֵ֨א הָעֶ֜בֶד כְּלֵי־כֶ֨סֶף וּכְלֵ֤י זָהָב֙ וּבְגָדִ֔ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לְרִבְקָ֑ה וּמִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת נָתַ֥ן לְאָחִ֖יהָ וּלְאִמָּֽהּ:
and… delicacies: Heb. וּמִגְדָּנוֹת. An expression of sweet fruits (מְגָדִים), for he had brought with him various kinds of fruits of the Land of Israel. ומגדנות: לשון מגדים, שהביא עמו מיני פירות של ארץ ישראל:
54And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and they lodged, and they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master." נדוַיֹּֽאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׁתּ֗וּ ה֛וּא וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֖וֹ וַיָּלִ֑ינוּ וַיָּק֣וּמוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שַׁלְּחֻ֥נִי לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
and they lodged: Wherever lodging is mentioned in Scripture, it refers to one night’s lodging. וילינו: כל לינה שבמקרא לינת לילה אחד:
55And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us a year or ten [months]; afterwards she will go." נהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אָחִ֨יהָ֙ וְאִמָּ֔הּ תֵּשֵׁ֨ב הַנַּֽעֲרָ֥ה (כתיב הנער)אִתָּ֛נוּ יָמִ֖ים א֣וֹ עָשׂ֑וֹר אַחַ֖ר תֵּלֵֽךְ:
And her brother and her mother said: And where was Bethuel? He wanted to stop [Rebecca’s marriage]; so an angel came and slew him. — [Gen. Rabbah 60:12] ויאמר אחיה ואמה: ובתואל היכן היה, הוא היה רוצה לעכב ובא מלאך והמיתו:
a year: יָמִים [means] a year, as in (Lev. 25:29):“the time of its redemption shall be one full year (יָמִים).” For a maiden is granted a period of twelve months to outfit herself with ornaments. — [Kethuboth 57]. ימים: שנה, כמו (ויקרא כה כט) ימים תהיה גאולתו, שכך נותנין לבתולה זמן שנים עשר חדש לפרנס את עצמה בתכשיטים:
or ten: [Meaning] ten months, for if you say that יָמִים is [to be understood literally as] days, it is not customary for people who make requests to request a small thing and [to say,] “If you are unwilling, give us more than that.” - [Kethuboth 57]. או עשור: עשרה חדשים. ואם תאמר ימים ממש, אין דרך המבקשים לבקש דבר מועט ואם לא תרצה תן לנו מרובה מזה:
56But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my way prosper. Send me away, and I will go to my master." נווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַל־תְּאַֽחֲר֣וּ אֹתִ֔י וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֑י שַׁלְּח֕וּנִי וְאֵֽלְכָ֖ה לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
57And they said, "Let us call the maiden and ask her." נזוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ נִקְרָ֣א לַנַּֽעֲרָ֑ה (כתיב לנער) וְנִשְׁאֲלָ֖ה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ:
And ask her: From here we learn that we may not marry off a woman except with her consent. — [Gen. Rabbah 60: 12] ונשאלה את פיה: מכאן שאין משיאין את האשה אלא מדעתה:
58And they summoned Rebecca, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." נחוַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְרִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ הֲתֵֽלְכִ֖י עִם־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ:
and she said, “I will go.”: of my own accord, even if you do not desire it. ותאמר אלך: מעצמי, ואף אם אינכם רוצים:
59So they sent away Rebecca their sister and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. נטוַיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵֽנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו:
60And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies." סוַיְבָֽרְכ֤וּ אֶת־רִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לָ֔הּ אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ אַ֥תְּ הֲיִ֖י לְאַלְפֵ֣י רְבָבָ֑ה וְיִירַ֣שׁ זַרְעֵ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֽׂנְאָֽיו:
may you become thousands of myriads: May you and your seed receive that blessing that was stated to Abraham on Mount Moriah (above 22:17): “and I will surely multiply your seed, etc.” “May it be His will that those children shall be from you and not from another woman.” את היי לאלפי רבבה: את וזרעך תקבלו אותה ברכה שנאמר לאברהם בהר המוריה (לעיל כב יז) הרבה ארבה את זרעך וגו'. יהי רצון שיהא אותו הזרע ממך ולא מאשה אחרת:
61And Rebecca and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rebecca and left. סאוַתָּ֨קָם רִבְקָ֜ה וְנַֽעֲרֹתֶ֗יהָ וַתִּרְכַּ֨בְנָה֙ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וַתֵּלַ֖כְנָה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּקַּ֥ח הָעֶ֛בֶד אֶת־רִבְקָ֖ה וַיֵּלַֽךְ:
62Now Isaac was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south. סבוְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב:
coming from Be’er Lachai Ro’i: where he had gone to bring Hagar to Abraham his father, that he should marry her (Gen. Rabbah 60:14). מבוא באר לחי ראי: שהלך להביא הגר לאברהם אביו שישאנה:
and he dwelt in the land of the south: Near that well, as it is said (above 20:1): “And Abraham traveled from there to the south land, and he dwelt between Kadesh and Shur,” and there the well was located, as it is said (above 16:14):“Behold it is between Kadesh and Bered.” יושב בארץ הנגב: קרוב לאותו באר, שנאמר (לעיל כ א) ויסע משם אברהם ארצה הנגב וישב בין קדש ובין שור, ושם היה הבאר, שנאמר (שם טז יד) הנה בין קדש ובין ברד:
63And Isaac went forth to pray in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching. סגוַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים:
to pray: לָשׂוּחַ is an expression of prayer, as in (Ps. 102:1):“He pours out his prayer (שִׂיחוֹ).” - [Gen. Rabbah 60: 14, Ber. 26b] \b 64\b0 לשוח: לשון תפלה, כמו (תהלים קב א) ישפוך שיחו:
64And Rebecca lifted her eyes, and saw Isaac, and she let herself down from the camel. סדוַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל:
and saw Isaac: She saw his majestic appearance, and she was astounded by him (Gen. Rabbah 60:14). ותרא את יצחק: ראתה אותו הדור ותוהא מפניו:
and she let herself down: She slipped off toward the earth, as the Targum כִינַת, “and she leaned.” She leaned towards the earth but did not reach the ground, as (above verse 14):“Please lower (הַטִּי) your pitcher,” [which the Targum renders:] אַרְכִינִי [tilt]. Similar to this, (II Sam. 22:10):“And He bent (וַיֵּט) the heavens,” [which the Targum renders:] וְאַרכִין, an expression of leaning towards the earth, and similarly (Ps. 37: 24):“Though he falls (יִפֹּל), he will not be cast down,” meaning that if he falls toward the earth, he will not reach the ground. ותפל: השמיטה עצמה לארץ, כתרגומו ואתרכינת הטתה עצמה לארץ ולא הגיעה עד הקרקע, כמו (פסוק יד) הטי נא כדך, ארכיני, (ש"ב כב י) ויט שמים, וארכין, לשון מוטה לארץ, ודומה לו (תהלים לז כד) כי יפול לא יוטל, כלומר אם יטה לארץ לא יגיע עד הקרקע:
65And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself. סהוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַֽהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס:
and covered herself: וַתִּתְכָּס is in the reflexive form, as in (below 35:8) ַותִּקָּבֵר (and she was buried); (I Sam. 4:18) וַתִּשָּׁבֵר (and it was broken). ותתכס: לשון ותתפעל, כמו ותקבר, ותשבר:
66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. סווַיְסַפֵּ֥ר הָעֶ֖בֶד לְיִצְחָ֑ק אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה:
And the servant told: (Gen. Rabbah 60:15) He revealed to him [Isaac] the miracles that were wrought for him, that the earth had shrunk for him and that Rebecca had come to him providentially as a result of his prayer. ויספר העבד: גלה לו נסים שנעשו לו שקפצה לו הארץ ושנזדמנה לו רבקה בתפלתו:
67And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted for [the loss of] his mother. סזוַיְבִאֶ֣הָ יִצְחָ֗ק הָאֹ֨הֱלָה֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־רִבְקָ֛ה וַתְּהִי־ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֶּֽאֱהָבֶ֑הָ וַיִּנָּחֵ֥ם יִצְחָ֖ק אַֽחֲרֵ֥י אִמּֽוֹ:
to the tent of Sarah his mother: He brought her to the tent, and behold, she was Sarah his mother; i.e., she became the likeness of Sarah his mother, for as long as Sarah was alive, a candle burned from one Sabbath eve to the next, a blessing was found in the dough, and a cloud was attached to the tent. When she died, these things ceased, and when Rebecca arrived, they resumed (Gen. Rabbah 60:16). האהלה שרה אמו: ויביאה האהלה ונעשית דוגמת שרה אמו, כלומר והרי היא שרה אמו, שכל זמן ששרה קיימת היה נר דלוק מערב שבת לערב שבת, וברכה מצויה בעיסה, וענן קשור על האהל, ומשמתה פסקו, וכשבאת רבקה חזרו:
for…his mother: It is the way of the world that, as long as a person’s mother is alive, he is attached to her, but as soon as she dies, he finds comfort in his wife. — [Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 32.] אחרי אמו: דרך ארץ כל זמן שאמו של אדם קיימת כרוך הוא אצלה, ומשמתה הוא מתנחם באשתו:
• Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 108 - 112
• Chapter 108
1. A song, a psalm by David.
2. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and chant praises even with my soul.
3. Awake, O lyre and harp; I shall awaken the dawn.
4. I will thank You among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises to You among the peoples.
5. Indeed, Your kindness reaches above the heavens; Your truth reaches to the skies.
6. Be exalted upon the heavens, O God, [show] Your glory upon all the earth.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God spoke in His holiness that I would exult, I would divide portions [of the enemies' land], I would measure the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head, Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, I will cast my shoe upon Edom, I will shout over Philistia.
11. Who brings me to the fortified city? Who led me unto Edom?
12. Is it not God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth, O God, with our armies?
13. Give us help against the adversary; futile is the help of man.
14. Through God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
Chapter 109
David composed this psalm while fleeing from Saul. At that time he faced many enemies who, despite acting friendly in his presence, spoke only evil of him; he therefore curses them bitterly.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they spoke to me with a false tongue.
3. They have surrounded me with words of hate, and attacked me without cause.
4. In return for my love they hate me; still, I am [a man of] prayer.
5. They placed harm upon me in return for my favor, and hatred in return for my love.
6. Appoint a wicked man over him; let an adversary stand at his right.
7. When he is judged may he go out condemned; may his prayer be considered a sin.
8. May his days be few; may another take his position.
9. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow.
10. May his children wander about and beg; may they seek charity from amid their ruins.
11. May the creditor seize all that he has, and may strangers plunder [the fruits of] his labor.
12. May he have none who extends him kindness, and may none be gracious to his orphans.
13. May his posterity be cut off; may their name be erased in a later generation.
14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and the sin of his mother not be erased.
15. May they be before the Lord always, and may He cut off their memory from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to do kindness, and he pursued the poor and destitute man and the broken-hearted, to kill [him].
17. He loved the curse and it has come upon him; he did not desire blessing, and it has remained far from him.
18. He donned the curse like his garment, and it came like water into his innards, like oil into his bones.
19. May it be to him like a cloak in which he wraps himself, as a belt with which he girds himself always.
20. This is from the Lord for the deeds of my enemies, and [for] those who speak evil against my soul.
21. And You, God, my Lord, do [kindness] with me for the sake of Your Name; for Your kindness is good, rescue me!
22. For I am poor and destitute, and my heart has died within me.
23. Like the fleeting shadow I am banished, I am tossed about like the locust.
24. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean without fat.
25. And I became a disgrace to them; they see me and shake their heads.
26. Help me, Lord, my God, deliver me according to Your kindness.
27. Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
28. Let them curse, but You will bless; they arose, but they will be shamed, and Your servant will rejoice.
29. May my adversaries be clothed in humiliation; may they wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
30. I will thank the Lord profusely with my mouth, and amid the multitude I will praise Him,
31. when He stands at the right of the destitute one to deliver him from the condemners of his soul.
Chapter 110
This psalm records the response of Eliezer, servant of Abraham (to those who asked how Abraham managed to defeat the four kings). He tells of Abraham killing the mighty kings and their armies. Read, and you will discover that the entire psalm refers to Abraham, who merited prominence for recognizing God in his youth.
1. By David, a psalm. The Lord said to my master, "Sit at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
2. The staff of your strength the Lord will send from Zion, to rule amid your enemies.
3. Your people [will come] willingly on the day of your campaign; because of your splendid sanctity from when you emerged from the womb, you still possess the dew of your youth.
4. The Lord has sworn and will not regret: "You shall be a priest forever, just as Melchizedek!”
5. My Lord is at your right; He has crushed kings on the day of His fury.
6. He will render judgement upon the nations, and they will be filled with corpses; He will crush heads over a vast land.
7. He will drink from the stream on the way, and so will hold his head high.
Chapter 111
This psalm is written in alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two verses which contain three letters each. The psalm is short yet prominent, speaking of the works of God and their greatness.
1. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the counsel of the upright and the congregation.
2. Great are the works of the Lord, [yet] available to all who desire them.
3. Majesty and splendor are His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
4. He established a memorial for His wonders, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5. He gave food to those who fear Him; He remembered His covenant always.
6. He has declared the power of His deeds to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations.
7. The works of His hands are true and just; all His mandates are faithful.
8. They are steadfast for ever and ever, for they are made with truth and uprightness.
9. He sent redemption to His people, [by] commanding His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His Name.
10. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; sound wisdom for all who practice it-His praise endures forever.
Chapter 112
This psalm, too, follows alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two which contain three letters each. It speaks of the good traits man should choose, and of how to give charity-the reward for which is never having to rely on others.
1. Praise the Lord! Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord, and desires His commandments intensely.
2. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; he will be blessed with an upright generation.
3. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4. Even in darkness light shines for the upright, for [He is] Compassionate, Merciful, and Just.
5. Good is the man who is compassionate and lends, [but] provides for his own needs with discretion.
6. For he will never falter; the righteous man will be an eternal remembrance.
7. He will not be afraid of a bad tiding; his heart is steadfast, secure in the Lord.
8. His heart is steadfast, he does not fear, until he sees his oppressors [destroyed].
9. He has distributed [his wealth], giving to the needy. His righteousness will endure forever; his might will be uplifted in honor.
10. The wicked man will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the wish of the wicked will be ruined.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 30
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 23 Cheshvan, 5777 · 24 November 2016
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Chayei Sarah, 5th Portion Genesis 24:53-24:67 with Rashi
• Genesis Chapter 24
53And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebecca, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother. נגוַיּוֹצֵ֨א הָעֶ֜בֶד כְּלֵי־כֶ֨סֶף וּכְלֵ֤י זָהָב֙ וּבְגָדִ֔ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לְרִבְקָ֑ה וּמִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת נָתַ֥ן לְאָחִ֖יהָ וּלְאִמָּֽהּ:
and… delicacies: Heb. וּמִגְדָּנוֹת. An expression of sweet fruits (מְגָדִים), for he had brought with him various kinds of fruits of the Land of Israel. ומגדנות: לשון מגדים, שהביא עמו מיני פירות של ארץ ישראל:
54And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and they lodged, and they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master." נדוַיֹּֽאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׁתּ֗וּ ה֛וּא וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֖וֹ וַיָּלִ֑ינוּ וַיָּק֣וּמוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שַׁלְּחֻ֥נִי לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
and they lodged: Wherever lodging is mentioned in Scripture, it refers to one night’s lodging. וילינו: כל לינה שבמקרא לינת לילה אחד:
55And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us a year or ten [months]; afterwards she will go." נהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אָחִ֨יהָ֙ וְאִמָּ֔הּ תֵּשֵׁ֨ב הַנַּֽעֲרָ֥ה (כתיב הנער)אִתָּ֛נוּ יָמִ֖ים א֣וֹ עָשׂ֑וֹר אַחַ֖ר תֵּלֵֽךְ:
And her brother and her mother said: And where was Bethuel? He wanted to stop [Rebecca’s marriage]; so an angel came and slew him. — [Gen. Rabbah 60:12] ויאמר אחיה ואמה: ובתואל היכן היה, הוא היה רוצה לעכב ובא מלאך והמיתו:
a year: יָמִים [means] a year, as in (Lev. 25:29):“the time of its redemption shall be one full year (יָמִים).” For a maiden is granted a period of twelve months to outfit herself with ornaments. — [Kethuboth 57]. ימים: שנה, כמו (ויקרא כה כט) ימים תהיה גאולתו, שכך נותנין לבתולה זמן שנים עשר חדש לפרנס את עצמה בתכשיטים:
or ten: [Meaning] ten months, for if you say that יָמִים is [to be understood literally as] days, it is not customary for people who make requests to request a small thing and [to say,] “If you are unwilling, give us more than that.” - [Kethuboth 57]. או עשור: עשרה חדשים. ואם תאמר ימים ממש, אין דרך המבקשים לבקש דבר מועט ואם לא תרצה תן לנו מרובה מזה:
56But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my way prosper. Send me away, and I will go to my master." נווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַל־תְּאַֽחֲר֣וּ אֹתִ֔י וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֑י שַׁלְּח֕וּנִי וְאֵֽלְכָ֖ה לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
57And they said, "Let us call the maiden and ask her." נזוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ נִקְרָ֣א לַנַּֽעֲרָ֑ה (כתיב לנער) וְנִשְׁאֲלָ֖ה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ:
And ask her: From here we learn that we may not marry off a woman except with her consent. — [Gen. Rabbah 60: 12] ונשאלה את פיה: מכאן שאין משיאין את האשה אלא מדעתה:
58And they summoned Rebecca, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." נחוַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְרִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ הֲתֵֽלְכִ֖י עִם־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ:
and she said, “I will go.”: of my own accord, even if you do not desire it. ותאמר אלך: מעצמי, ואף אם אינכם רוצים:
59So they sent away Rebecca their sister and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. נטוַיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵֽנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו:
60And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies." סוַיְבָֽרְכ֤וּ אֶת־רִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לָ֔הּ אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ אַ֥תְּ הֲיִ֖י לְאַלְפֵ֣י רְבָבָ֑ה וְיִירַ֣שׁ זַרְעֵ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֽׂנְאָֽיו:
may you become thousands of myriads: May you and your seed receive that blessing that was stated to Abraham on Mount Moriah (above 22:17): “and I will surely multiply your seed, etc.” “May it be His will that those children shall be from you and not from another woman.” את היי לאלפי רבבה: את וזרעך תקבלו אותה ברכה שנאמר לאברהם בהר המוריה (לעיל כב יז) הרבה ארבה את זרעך וגו'. יהי רצון שיהא אותו הזרע ממך ולא מאשה אחרת:
61And Rebecca and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rebecca and left. סאוַתָּ֨קָם רִבְקָ֜ה וְנַֽעֲרֹתֶ֗יהָ וַתִּרְכַּ֨בְנָה֙ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וַתֵּלַ֖כְנָה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּקַּ֥ח הָעֶ֛בֶד אֶת־רִבְקָ֖ה וַיֵּלַֽךְ:
62Now Isaac was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south. סבוְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב:
coming from Be’er Lachai Ro’i: where he had gone to bring Hagar to Abraham his father, that he should marry her (Gen. Rabbah 60:14). מבוא באר לחי ראי: שהלך להביא הגר לאברהם אביו שישאנה:
and he dwelt in the land of the south: Near that well, as it is said (above 20:1): “And Abraham traveled from there to the south land, and he dwelt between Kadesh and Shur,” and there the well was located, as it is said (above 16:14):“Behold it is between Kadesh and Bered.” יושב בארץ הנגב: קרוב לאותו באר, שנאמר (לעיל כ א) ויסע משם אברהם ארצה הנגב וישב בין קדש ובין שור, ושם היה הבאר, שנאמר (שם טז יד) הנה בין קדש ובין ברד:
63And Isaac went forth to pray in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching. סגוַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים:
to pray: לָשׂוּחַ is an expression of prayer, as in (Ps. 102:1):“He pours out his prayer (שִׂיחוֹ).” - [Gen. Rabbah 60: 14, Ber. 26b] \b 64\b0 לשוח: לשון תפלה, כמו (תהלים קב א) ישפוך שיחו:
64And Rebecca lifted her eyes, and saw Isaac, and she let herself down from the camel. סדוַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל:
and saw Isaac: She saw his majestic appearance, and she was astounded by him (Gen. Rabbah 60:14). ותרא את יצחק: ראתה אותו הדור ותוהא מפניו:
and she let herself down: She slipped off toward the earth, as the Targum כִינַת, “and she leaned.” She leaned towards the earth but did not reach the ground, as (above verse 14):“Please lower (הַטִּי) your pitcher,” [which the Targum renders:] אַרְכִינִי [tilt]. Similar to this, (II Sam. 22:10):“And He bent (וַיֵּט) the heavens,” [which the Targum renders:] וְאַרכִין, an expression of leaning towards the earth, and similarly (Ps. 37: 24):“Though he falls (יִפֹּל), he will not be cast down,” meaning that if he falls toward the earth, he will not reach the ground. ותפל: השמיטה עצמה לארץ, כתרגומו ואתרכינת הטתה עצמה לארץ ולא הגיעה עד הקרקע, כמו (פסוק יד) הטי נא כדך, ארכיני, (ש"ב כב י) ויט שמים, וארכין, לשון מוטה לארץ, ודומה לו (תהלים לז כד) כי יפול לא יוטל, כלומר אם יטה לארץ לא יגיע עד הקרקע:
65And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself. סהוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַֽהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס:
and covered herself: וַתִּתְכָּס is in the reflexive form, as in (below 35:8) ַותִּקָּבֵר (and she was buried); (I Sam. 4:18) וַתִּשָּׁבֵר (and it was broken). ותתכס: לשון ותתפעל, כמו ותקבר, ותשבר:
66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. סווַיְסַפֵּ֥ר הָעֶ֖בֶד לְיִצְחָ֑ק אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה:
And the servant told: (Gen. Rabbah 60:15) He revealed to him [Isaac] the miracles that were wrought for him, that the earth had shrunk for him and that Rebecca had come to him providentially as a result of his prayer. ויספר העבד: גלה לו נסים שנעשו לו שקפצה לו הארץ ושנזדמנה לו רבקה בתפלתו:
67And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted for [the loss of] his mother. סזוַיְבִאֶ֣הָ יִצְחָ֗ק הָאֹ֨הֱלָה֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־רִבְקָ֛ה וַתְּהִי־ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֶּֽאֱהָבֶ֑הָ וַיִּנָּחֵ֥ם יִצְחָ֖ק אַֽחֲרֵ֥י אִמּֽוֹ:
to the tent of Sarah his mother: He brought her to the tent, and behold, she was Sarah his mother; i.e., she became the likeness of Sarah his mother, for as long as Sarah was alive, a candle burned from one Sabbath eve to the next, a blessing was found in the dough, and a cloud was attached to the tent. When she died, these things ceased, and when Rebecca arrived, they resumed (Gen. Rabbah 60:16). האהלה שרה אמו: ויביאה האהלה ונעשית דוגמת שרה אמו, כלומר והרי היא שרה אמו, שכל זמן ששרה קיימת היה נר דלוק מערב שבת לערב שבת, וברכה מצויה בעיסה, וענן קשור על האהל, ומשמתה פסקו, וכשבאת רבקה חזרו:
for…his mother: It is the way of the world that, as long as a person’s mother is alive, he is attached to her, but as soon as she dies, he finds comfort in his wife. — [Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 32.] אחרי אמו: דרך ארץ כל זמן שאמו של אדם קיימת כרוך הוא אצלה, ומשמתה הוא מתנחם באשתו:
• Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 108 - 112
• Chapter 108
1. A song, a psalm by David.
2. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and chant praises even with my soul.
3. Awake, O lyre and harp; I shall awaken the dawn.
4. I will thank You among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises to You among the peoples.
5. Indeed, Your kindness reaches above the heavens; Your truth reaches to the skies.
6. Be exalted upon the heavens, O God, [show] Your glory upon all the earth.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God spoke in His holiness that I would exult, I would divide portions [of the enemies' land], I would measure the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head, Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, I will cast my shoe upon Edom, I will shout over Philistia.
11. Who brings me to the fortified city? Who led me unto Edom?
12. Is it not God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth, O God, with our armies?
13. Give us help against the adversary; futile is the help of man.
14. Through God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
Chapter 109
David composed this psalm while fleeing from Saul. At that time he faced many enemies who, despite acting friendly in his presence, spoke only evil of him; he therefore curses them bitterly.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they spoke to me with a false tongue.
3. They have surrounded me with words of hate, and attacked me without cause.
4. In return for my love they hate me; still, I am [a man of] prayer.
5. They placed harm upon me in return for my favor, and hatred in return for my love.
6. Appoint a wicked man over him; let an adversary stand at his right.
7. When he is judged may he go out condemned; may his prayer be considered a sin.
8. May his days be few; may another take his position.
9. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow.
10. May his children wander about and beg; may they seek charity from amid their ruins.
11. May the creditor seize all that he has, and may strangers plunder [the fruits of] his labor.
12. May he have none who extends him kindness, and may none be gracious to his orphans.
13. May his posterity be cut off; may their name be erased in a later generation.
14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and the sin of his mother not be erased.
15. May they be before the Lord always, and may He cut off their memory from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to do kindness, and he pursued the poor and destitute man and the broken-hearted, to kill [him].
17. He loved the curse and it has come upon him; he did not desire blessing, and it has remained far from him.
18. He donned the curse like his garment, and it came like water into his innards, like oil into his bones.
19. May it be to him like a cloak in which he wraps himself, as a belt with which he girds himself always.
20. This is from the Lord for the deeds of my enemies, and [for] those who speak evil against my soul.
21. And You, God, my Lord, do [kindness] with me for the sake of Your Name; for Your kindness is good, rescue me!
22. For I am poor and destitute, and my heart has died within me.
23. Like the fleeting shadow I am banished, I am tossed about like the locust.
24. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean without fat.
25. And I became a disgrace to them; they see me and shake their heads.
26. Help me, Lord, my God, deliver me according to Your kindness.
27. Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
28. Let them curse, but You will bless; they arose, but they will be shamed, and Your servant will rejoice.
29. May my adversaries be clothed in humiliation; may they wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
30. I will thank the Lord profusely with my mouth, and amid the multitude I will praise Him,
31. when He stands at the right of the destitute one to deliver him from the condemners of his soul.
Chapter 110
This psalm records the response of Eliezer, servant of Abraham (to those who asked how Abraham managed to defeat the four kings). He tells of Abraham killing the mighty kings and their armies. Read, and you will discover that the entire psalm refers to Abraham, who merited prominence for recognizing God in his youth.
1. By David, a psalm. The Lord said to my master, "Sit at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
2. The staff of your strength the Lord will send from Zion, to rule amid your enemies.
3. Your people [will come] willingly on the day of your campaign; because of your splendid sanctity from when you emerged from the womb, you still possess the dew of your youth.
4. The Lord has sworn and will not regret: "You shall be a priest forever, just as Melchizedek!”
5. My Lord is at your right; He has crushed kings on the day of His fury.
6. He will render judgement upon the nations, and they will be filled with corpses; He will crush heads over a vast land.
7. He will drink from the stream on the way, and so will hold his head high.
Chapter 111
This psalm is written in alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two verses which contain three letters each. The psalm is short yet prominent, speaking of the works of God and their greatness.
1. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the counsel of the upright and the congregation.
2. Great are the works of the Lord, [yet] available to all who desire them.
3. Majesty and splendor are His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
4. He established a memorial for His wonders, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5. He gave food to those who fear Him; He remembered His covenant always.
6. He has declared the power of His deeds to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations.
7. The works of His hands are true and just; all His mandates are faithful.
8. They are steadfast for ever and ever, for they are made with truth and uprightness.
9. He sent redemption to His people, [by] commanding His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His Name.
10. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; sound wisdom for all who practice it-His praise endures forever.
Chapter 112
This psalm, too, follows alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two which contain three letters each. It speaks of the good traits man should choose, and of how to give charity-the reward for which is never having to rely on others.
1. Praise the Lord! Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord, and desires His commandments intensely.
2. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; he will be blessed with an upright generation.
3. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4. Even in darkness light shines for the upright, for [He is] Compassionate, Merciful, and Just.
5. Good is the man who is compassionate and lends, [but] provides for his own needs with discretion.
6. For he will never falter; the righteous man will be an eternal remembrance.
7. He will not be afraid of a bad tiding; his heart is steadfast, secure in the Lord.
8. His heart is steadfast, he does not fear, until he sees his oppressors [destroyed].
9. He has distributed [his wealth], giving to the needy. His righteousness will endure forever; his might will be uplifted in honor.
10. The wicked man will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the wish of the wicked will be ruined.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 30
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 23 Cheshvan, 5777 · 24 November 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 30
• This is a reasoned message of encouragement in which the Alter Rebbe urges his chassidim not to reduce their fixed annual commitment to charity for the Holy Land, even though their circumstances may have altered. He reminds them once again (as above in Epistle XXI), that what counts is not only the total of one’s contributions over a particular period, but also the multiplicity of benevolent action. The potent repercussions of this oft-repeated activity resound all the way up to the World of Atzilut, where they impregnate the Sefirah of Malchut — the mother, so to speak, of all created worlds.
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
מודעת זאת מה שאמרו רז״ל: כל הרגיל לבא לבית הכנסת, ויום אחד לא בא, הקדוש ברוך הוא שואל עליו, שנאמר: מי בכם ירא ה׳ וכו׳
It is well known that our Sages, of blessed memory, said that1 whoever is accustomed to come to the synagogue, and one day did not come, the Holy One, blessed be He, inquires after him; for it is written,2“Who among you fears G‑d, [who listens to the voice of His (prophetic) servant; who walked in the darkness, and for whom no light shone]?”
The Gemara understands this verse as referring to a person who went to “a place of darkness”; his path on this occasion did not lead to the performance of a mitzvah, and this was why he did not attend synagogue. In contrast, the commentaries on the Tanach understand the quoted phrase as referring to a person who finds himself in a situation of darkness and travail. And even such an individual should not refrain from attending, but should (as the verse concludes) “trust in the Divine Name, and rely on His G‑d.”
In this spirit, the present letter argues that even in a difficult situation, at a time of “darkness”, a Jew should not think of reducing his accustomed charitable contributions; rather, he should “trust in the Divine Name, and rely on His G‑d.”
To return now to the opening teaching — that whoever is accustomed to come to the synagogue, and one day did not come, G‑d inquires after him. This does not apply only to the communal prayer of which the Gemara speaks; rather:
וכן בכל המצות, ובפרט מצות הצדקה, ששקולה כנגד כל המצות
The same applies to all the commandments, and especially to the precept of charity, which is3 “balanced against all the commandments.” Thus, if the above teaching applies to prayer, it surely applies to charity: If a person retreats from his customary charitability, “G‑d inquires after him.”
הגם שהיא בלי נדר, חס ושלום
Though [one’s regular giving] is not bound by a vow, heaven forfend, for one should of course see to it that an accustomed mitzvah should not become subject to the legal force of a vow,4
אף על פי כן, כל החיל אשר נגע יראת ה׳ בלבם, לא יאתה לנפשם האלקית לתת מגרעות בקדש
nevertheless, it is not becoming to the divine soul of all the men of valor whose hearts the fear of G‑d has touched,5 that they should reduce that which is holy, for by restricting their charitable contributions they reduce the downflow of Divine energy from the sublime source which is called Kodesh (lit., “holy”) into the Sefirah of Malchut,
מאשר כבר הורגלו מדי שנה להפריש ממאודם
relative to what they were accustomed to set aside, annually, from their wealth,6
להחיות רוח שפלים ונדכאים, דלית להון מגרמיהון
to revive the spirit of the humble and downcast who have nothing of their own, viz., the impoverished settlers of the Holy Land —
היא בחינת סוכת דוד הנופלת וכו׳
which [during the time of exile] is referred to as7 “the fallen sukkah of David...,” as also is its supernal source, the Sefirah of Malchut in the World of Atzilut,8
לקומם ולרומם וכו׳
to raise and exalt [it]...
למהוי אחד באחד וכו׳
“so that oneness be united with Oneness.”9
In the context of souls in this world, this means that tzedakah unites one Jew with his fellow. In the supernal context of Sefirot, it refers to the desired connection between (a) the “lower level of unity” (Yichuda Tataah) which comes into being when the Sefirah of Malchut becomes a source of creation to lower worlds, and (b) the “higher level of unity” (Yichuda Ilaah)involving the six higher emotive Sefirot, which transcend direct contact with the created worlds. This is the union of Kudsha Brich Hu and His Shechinah, which is also called Malchut of Atzilut.
והכל לפי רוב המעשה וכו׳
And10 “everything is [judged] according to the multiplicity of action....”
As discussed above in Epistle XXI, it is preferable to divide a sum set aside for tzedakah into many individual acts of giving. Maimonides explains11 that this refines the soul. Chassidut adds that each act of giving effects a union (yichud) in the worlds above.
Accordingly, the Alter Rebbe had explained in the above Epistle that one’s annual contribution for the needy of Eretz Yisrael should be given weekly or at least monthly. It could therefore be that here he is warning against reducing one’s contribution one year and compensating for it the following year, because in this way the present year would be lacking the “multiplicity of action.” (It is clear that the Alter Rebbe is not speaking here of a situation in which a person simply thinks of not giving because of his difficult circumstances, because he has already said in Epistle XVI that even if one needs to borrow for food, he should still give tzedakah.)
ולפי החשבון
and according to the account (cheshbon).
As the Alter Rebbe will soon point out, the level of Divinity from which one elicits “G‑d’s greatness” is determined by the magnitude of the total amount — whether it is in hundreds or thousands, or whatever. (Multiples of a hundred, for example, relate to the level known as Keter.) Reducing one’s regular gift thus proportionately reduces both his “great amount” and its cosmic effect.
כמאמר רז״ל: כל פרוטה ופרוטה מצטרפת לחשבון גדול וכו׳
Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, said,12 “All the individual coins [given to charity] add up to a great amount (cheshbon gadol),”
על דרך מאמר רז״ל: אימתי גדול הוי׳, כשהוא בעיר אלקינו וכו׳
and as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory,13 “When is ‘Havayah great’? — When He is ‘in the city of our G‑d’ Malchut, at which]14
I.e., G‑d’s greatness is revealed when the Divine Name Havayah is vested in the Sefirah of Malchut, and illuminates it. Malchut, the realm of speech, is known as “the city of our G‑d,” for just as a city is composed of many dwellings which in turn are composed of many bricks, so too is the realm of speech built up of many letters and combinations of letters. In Sefer Yetzirah,15 letters are termed “stones”, for they are the basic bricks which join to form the ongoing Divine creative utterances which are the source of all worlds and all created beings.16 They thus reveal the greatness of G‑d’s glory.
The Alter Rebbe now continues to speak of the “city of our G‑d,” which is the Sefirah of Malchut:
היא בחינת ומקום החשבון
This is the spiritual state and the place of reckoning (cheshbon),17
For reckoning is possible only with entities which are finite and divisible, and Malchut is the source of all finite and divisible created beings.
כמו שכתוב: עיניך ברכות בחשבון
as it is written,18 “Your eyes are wells in Cheshbon.”
Since a well (or a pool) is a receptor for water that flows down into it, “well” serves as a term for Malchut, i.e., the “feminine” Sefirah which receives the downflow of Divine life-force from the higher Sefirot. The word “Cheshbon” is a Biblical place name, but on the non-literal level of derush it is here understood in its dictionary meaning of “recokning”. The allusion to this verse thus reinforces the identity of the concept of “reckoning” with the Sefirah of Malchut.
The Alter Rebbe now returns to clarify the meaning of his earlier statement that giving a “great amount” (cheshbon gadol)of tzedakah manifests the “greatness of Havayah” in the “city of our G‑d.”
והמכוון, כנודע, כי באתערותא דלתתא, המשכת חיים חן וחסד במעשה הצדקה, ברצון הטוב וסבר פנים טובות, אתערותא דלעילא
As is known, the meaning [of the above statement] is that as a result of an arousal from [man] below — the provision of [the means for] life, grace and kindness by an act of charity with goodwill and a friendly countenance — there is elicited an arousal from above,
יאר ה׳ פניו, הוא הארת והמשכת חן וחסד ורצון עליון
[so that]19 “G‑d will make His Countenance shine forth,” with a radiation and downflow of grace, kindness and Supreme favor
מחיי החיים, אין סוף ברוך הוא, אשר לגדולתו אין חקר והשגה כלל
from the Fountainhead of Life, the blessed Ein Sof,20 “Whose greatness is unfathomable” and utterly incomprehensible (and thus not manifest),
אל בחינת מלכותך מלכות כל עולמים, עלמא דאתגליא
to the level [of Divinity, viz., Malchut, at which]21 “Your kingdom is the kingdom of all worlds,” [i.e.,] the “World of Manifestation.”
המחיה כל הברואים שבכל ההיכלות עליונים ותחתונים, שהן בבחינת מספר וחשבון
This [Sefirah of Malchut] animates all the created beings that are in all the upper and lower Heichalot, which are all subject to counting and reckoning (cheshbon),
כמו שכתוב: אלף אלפים ישמשוניה
as it is written,22 “A thousand thousands (i.e., a finite number of angels) minister unto Him.”
To revert now to our above key phrase, cheshbon gadol (“a great reckoning”): Giving tzedakah with goodwill and a friendly countenance marries the infinite power of gadol Havayah (“G‑d is great”) with the finite framework of cheshbon(“reckoning”) — the Sefirah of Malchut, which is the source of all finite created beings.
וזהו חשבון גדול, שעל ידי רוב מעשה הצדקה, שלום
This, then, is the meaning of the “great amount,” for numerous acts of charity bring about peace, as it is written,23 “And [the reward for] the act of tzedakah will be peace,” as explained above in Epistle 12.
כי פירוש שלום, הוא דבר המחבר ומתווך ב׳ קצוות הפכיים
For “peace” implies the joining and conciliation of two opposite extremes.
שהן קצה השמים לעילא, בחינת ולגדולתו אין חקר
[In our context] these are the extremity of the superior heaven, alluded to in the phrase, “And His greatness is unfathomable,” referring to G‑d’s incomprehensible infinitude,
וקצה השמים לתתא
and the extremity of the inferior heaven, referring to Malchut, the lowest of the Ten Sefirot,
המתלבש בבריאה יצירה עשיה, בחינת גבול ומספר
which becomes vested in [the Worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, [i.e.,] in a category of finitude and number.
ודי למבין
This will suffice for the discerning.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Cf. Berachot 6b. |
| 2. | Yeshayahu 50:10. |
| 3. | Bava Batra 9b; Yerushalmi, Peah 1:5. |
| 4. | Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, sec. 203. |
| 5. | Cf. I Samuel 10:26. |
| 6. | Berachot 9:5. |
| 7. | Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 93. |
| 8. | Cf. Epistles IV and XXI, above. |
| 9. | From the passage beginning Kegavna, in Zohar II, 135a; cf. Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 133. |
| 10. | Avot 3:15. |
| 11. | In his commentary ad loc. |
| 12. | Bava Batra 9b. |
| 13. | Zohar II, 225a, commenting on Tehillim 48:2. |
| 14. | Loc. cit., verse 13. |
| 15. | 4:12. |
| 16. | Cf. Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah (in Vol. III of the present series), chs. 1 and 2. |
| 17. | Cf. Zohar III, 220b. |
| 18. | Shir HaShirim 7:5. |
| 19. | Bamidbar 6:25. |
| 20. | Tehillim 145:3. |
| 21. | Loc. cit., verse 13. |
| 22. | Daniel 7:10. |
| 23. | Yeshayahu 10:17. |
• Thursday, 23 Cheshvan, 5777 · 24 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 19
Grace after Meals
"And you will eat and be sated then you will bless G‑d"—Deuteronomy 8:10.
We are commanded to express gratitude to G‑d after every meal.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Grace after Meals
Positive Commandment 19
Translated by Berel Bell
The 19th mitzvah is that we are commanded to thank G‑d (exalted be He) after each time we eat.1
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "When you have eaten and are satiated, You shall bless G‑d your L‑rd."
The Tosefta3 says, "Reciting the blessing after eating is a mitzvah of the Torah, as the verse says, 'When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless G‑d your L‑rd.' "
The details of this mitzvah are explained in many places in the tractate Berachos.4
FOOTNOTES
1.This speaks primarily of bread made from the five grains. After eating other types of food, one is required to recite a blessing by Rabbinic ordinance.
2.Deut. 8:10.
3.Berachos, beginning of Chapter 6.
4.The Rambam usually explains whether or not a particular mitzvah is obligatory on women. However, in Hilchos Berachos, Chapter 5, Halacha 1, he rules that it is halachically doubtful whether they are obligated by Torah or Rabbinic law.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 26
• Kelim - Chapter 26
• Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day: Berachot Berachot - Chapter Seven, Berachot Berachot - Chapter Eight, Berachot Berachot - Chapter Nine
• Berachot - Chapter Seven
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Thursday, 23 Cheshvan, 5777 · 24 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Sunday, Cheshvan 23, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tol'dot, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 108-112.
Tanya: XXX. It is known (p. 585) ...for the initiated. (p. 587).
The Tzemach Tzedek was arrested twenty-two times during the Rabbinical conference in Petersburg, in 5603 (1843), for opposing the demands of the government regarding changes in education, etc. The minister in charge confronted him: "Is this not rebellion against the government?!"
The Tzemach Tzedek answered: "A rebel against the government is liable to be punished by death of the body; a rebel against the Kingdom of Heaven is punishable by death of the soul. Now which is worse?"
• Daily Thought:
Higher Life(Chayei Sarah)
The years of Sarah were…these were the years of Sarah.[Genesis 23:1]
Sarah had two sets of years to her life, because she merited to higher life as well. Why Sarah more than anyone else? Because she descended to Egypt and rose back up.[Zohar]
You came to this life to achieve higher life. Yet whatever spiritual heights you could achieve in this life cannot compare to the heights of your soul before it was squeezed into the limitations of a body. Before it descended to Egypt.
That is, until you do what was put in front of you to do, until you work with this Egypt into which you have been sent, holding tight to your integrity, filling each act with meaning, redeeming the jewels that were lost among the ashes.
Then you will rise higher than anything your soul could achieve. Even while living in this world, you will have higher life.[Maamar Chayei Sarah 5713 (1958)]-------
Positive Commandment 19
Translated by Berel Bell
The 19th mitzvah is that we are commanded to thank G‑d (exalted be He) after each time we eat.1
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "When you have eaten and are satiated, You shall bless G‑d your L‑rd."
The Tosefta3 says, "Reciting the blessing after eating is a mitzvah of the Torah, as the verse says, 'When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless G‑d your L‑rd.' "
The details of this mitzvah are explained in many places in the tractate Berachos.4
FOOTNOTES
1.This speaks primarily of bread made from the five grains. After eating other types of food, one is required to recite a blessing by Rabbinic ordinance.
2.Deut. 8:10.
3.Berachos, beginning of Chapter 6.
4.The Rambam usually explains whether or not a particular mitzvah is obligatory on women. However, in Hilchos Berachos, Chapter 5, Halacha 1, he rules that it is halachically doubtful whether they are obligated by Torah or Rabbinic law.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 26
• Kelim - Chapter 26
1
The following rules apply to wooden keilim that are fit to serve as supports that were permanently affixed to a wall in a building. If they were fixed in a wall, but nothing was built upon them or something was built upon them, but they were not permanently attached to the wall, they are still susceptible to midras impurity, as before. If they were affixed to the wall with nails and then one built over them, they are pure.
Similarly, when a mat was placed over beams, if it was affixed there, but a ceiling was not built over it or a ceiling was built over it, but it was not affixed, it is still susceptible to midras impurity. If it was affixed and a ceiling was built over it, it is pure.
א
כלי עץ הראוי למדרס שקבעו בכותל בתוך הבניין קבעו בכותל ולא בנה על גביו או בנה על גביו ולא קבעו עדיין מתטמא במדרס כשהיה קבעו במסמרים ובנה עליו טהור וכן מפץ שנתנו על גבי הקורות קבעו ולא נתן עליו את המעזיבה או שנתן עליו את המעזיבה ולא קבעו מתטמא במדרס קבעו ונתן עליו את המעזיבה טהור:
2
When one of the legs of a bench was removed, it is still susceptible to midras impurity. If the other leg is also removed, it is pure. If, however, it is a handbreadth high, it is susceptible to midras impurity.
ב
ספסל שניטל אחד מראשיו עדיין הוא ראוי למדרס ניטל השני טהור ואם יש בו גובה טפח מתטמא במדרס:
3
When the ornamental coating of a bride's chair was removed, it is pure. If the coating of a chair did not project outward and was removed, the chair is still susceptible to midras impurity, because it is the ordinary practice to turn it on its side and sit on it.
ג
כסא של כלה שניטלו חפוייו טהור ואם לא היו חפוייו יוצאים וניטלו עדיין הוא ראוי למדרס שכן דרכו להיות מטהו על צדו ויושב עליו:
4
When the coating of a chair was removed and it is still fit to be sat upon, it is susceptible to impurity. If two of its coatings, one next to the other, were removed, it is pure.
ד
כסא שניטלו חפוייו ועדיין הוא ראוי לישיבה מתטמא ניטלו שנים מחפוייו זה בצד זה טהור:
5
When the upper portion of a closet is removed, it is still impure because of the lower portion, because that portion is fit to use as a support. If the bottom portion was removed, it is impure because of the upper portion. If they were both removed, the side frames are pure.
ה
שידה שניטל העליון שלה טמאה מפני התחתון שהוא ראוי למדרס ניטל התחתון טמאה מפני העליון ניטלו שתיהן הרי הדפין טהורין:
6
When a chest is broken open at its side, it is susceptible to midras impurity and other types of impurity, because it is still fit to sit on, and indeed everyone sits on it. If it was broken open from above, it is pure with regard to midras impurity, for it is no longer fit to sit on. It is, however, susceptible to other impurities, because it is still a receptacle. If it is broken open from below, it is pure from all types of impurity. The rationale is that even though it is still possible to sit on it like a chair, since its fundamental purpose was to serve as a receptacle and that fundamental purpose has been nullified, its secondary purpose is not considered significant. Its drawers are subject to impurity and are not considered as joined to it.
Similarly, a basket that serves as a dispenser which is broken open to the extent that it cannot hold pomegranates is entirely pure even though it is still fit to serve as a support. The rationale is that its fundamental purpose was to serve as a receptacle and since that fundamental purpose has been nullified, the secondary purpose is also nullified.
ו
תיבה שנפחתה מצדה מתטמאה במדרס ובשאר טומאות מפני שראויה אף לישיבה והכל יושבין עליה נפחתה מלמעלה טהורה מן המדרס שהרי אינה ראויה לישיבה ומתטמאה בשאר טומאות שעדיין היא מקבלת נפחתה מלמטה טהורה מכל טומאות אע"פ שאפשר לישב עליה בכסא מפני שעיקר מעשיה לקבלה וכבר בטל העיקר והמגורות שלה מתטמאות ואינן חיבור לה וכן משפלת שנפחתה מלקבל רמונים אף על פי שראויה למדרס הרי היא טהורה מכלום מפני שעיקר מעשיה לקבלה והואיל ובטל העיקר בטלה הטפילה:
7
A mixing trough made from wood in which building materials and gypsum are mixed is not susceptible to midras impurity even though it is susceptible to other forms of impurity.
When a kneading trough used to knead dough that holds between two luggin and nine kabbin has been cracked to the extent that one cannot wash even one foot in it because of the crack, it is susceptible to midras impurity. The rationale is that mostly likely it will be turned upside down and sat upon, because of its size and because of its crack.
If the cracked kneading trough was left in the rain until its wood swelled and the crack closed, it is no longer susceptible to midrasimpurity, for in its present state, it is fit to knead dough and, initially, that was its purpose. It is susceptible to other types of impurity. If, afterwards, one left it exposed to the east wind, and the crack opened, it becomes susceptible to midras impurity again and is pure with regard to other types of impurity.
ז
עריבה של עץ שמגבלין בה הבניין או את הגפסים אע"פ שמקבלת שאר טומאות אינה מתטמא במדרס ושלשין בה את הבצק שמחזקת משני לוגין ועד תשעה קבין שנסדקה עד שאינו יכול לרחוץ בה רגלו אחת מפני הסדק ה"ז מתטמאה במדרס שסתמה שכופתה ויושב עליה לפי גודלה וסדק שלה הניחה בגשמים עד שנתפחה ונסתם הסדק אינה מתטמאה במדרס שהרי היא ראויה ללוש בה ותחילת מעשיה ללוש בה ומקבלת שאר טומאות חזר והניחה בקרים ונפתח הסדק חזרה לקבל טומאת מדרס וטהורה משאר טומאות:
8
When a large kneading trough that can hold more than nine kabbin that was damaged and cannot hold pomegranates was prepared to be sat upon, it is pure even from midras impurity until the corners were trimmed. The rationale is that one's intent does not have an effect on the status of a large kneading trough that was damaged unless one performs a deed to make it fit for that purpose. If he made it a feeding trough for animals, it is susceptible to all types of impurity even if it was affixed to a wall.
ח
עריבה גדולה שהיא יתר על תשעה קבין שנפחתה מלקבל רמונים והכינה לישיבה הרי זו טהורה אף מטומאת מדרס עד שיקציע שאין המחשבה מועלת בעריבה גדולה שנפחתה עד שיעשה בה מעשה עשאה אבוס לבהמה אע"פ שקבעה בכותל טמאה בכל הטומאות:
9
When the two long sideboards of a bed were removed after it contracted impurity and new sideboards were made for it, but the holes used to attach the sideboards to the headboards were not changed, the bed, including the new sideboards remains impure. Even if the new sideboards are broken, the bed is still impure. If the old sideboards are broken, it is pure, because the status of the entire bed depends on the old sideboards.
ט
מטה שניטלו שתי ארוכות שלה אחר שנטמאת ועשה לה ארוכות חדשות ולא שינה את הנקבים ונשברו החדשות עדיין היא בטומאתה נשתברו הישנות טהורה שהכל הולך אחר הישנות:
10
When a bed had contracted midras impurity and a short board and its two legs were removed, it is still impure, because it still has the form of a bed. If one of the sideboards and its two legs were removed, it is pure.
י
מטה שהיתה טמאה מדרס וניטלה קצרה ושתי כרעיים עדיין היא בטומאתה שעדיין צורת המטה עומדת ניטלה ארוכה ושתי כרעיים טהורה:
11
If one cut off two of the cornerposts of a bed on a diagonal, cut off two of the bedposts by a handbreadth by a handbreadth on a diagonal, or reduced their size to less than a handbreadth, the bed is considered as broken and it is pure.
If one of the sideboards were broken and fixed, the bed is still considered as a primary source of impurity, as it was before. If also the second sideboard was broken and fixed, it is free of midrasimpurity. It is, however, impure because it touched a support to which a zav imparted impurity. If one was not able to fix the first before the second was broken, the bed is pure.
יא
קצץ שתי לשונות של מטה באלכסון או שקצץ שתי כרעיים טפח על טפח באלכסון או שמיעטן פחות מטפח ה"ז נשברה וטהורה נשברה ארוכה ותיקנה עדיין היא אב טומאה כשהיתה נשברה הארוכה השנייה ותקנה טהורה מן המדרס אבל טמאה מגע מדרס לא הספיק לתקן את הראשונה עד שנשברה השנייה טהורה:
12
When a bed had contracted midras impurity or other types of impurity and then half of it was stolen or lost, or brothers or partners divided it, it is pure. It is like a broken k'li. If it was put back together, it is susceptible to impurity in the future. It is like someone who made a k'li from the broken pieces of impure keilim. The new k'li is pure and is susceptible to impurity in the future.
יב
מטה שהיתה טמאה מדרס או בשאר טומאות ונגנב חצייה או אבד חצייה או שחלקוה אחין או שותפין ה"ז טהורה שה"ז ככלי שנשבר החזירוה מקבלת טומאה מכאן ולהבא ה"ז דומה למי שעשה כלי אחד משברי כלים שנטמא שהוא טהור ומקבל טומאה להבא:
13
The following laws apply when the components of a bed were taken apart. If one sideboard and two bedposts or one headboard or footboard and two bedposts were broken, it is still impure, because it can be propped against a wall and slept upon.
יג
מטה שנפרקו איבריה אם נשברה ארוכה ושתי כרעיים או קצרה ושתי כרעיים הרי אלו מתטמאין מפני שראויין לסומכן בכותל ולישן עליהן:
14
Even when an entire bed contracted impurity, if it was immersed component by component, it is pure.
יד
מטה שנטמאת כולה אם הטבילה איברים איברים טהורה:
15
When one takes a bed apart to immerse it, a person who touches its cords, is pure.
טו
המפרק את המטה להטבילה הנוגע בחבלים שלה טהור:
• Berachot - Chapter Seven
1
The Sages of Israel were wont to follow many customs at meals. All these are included in the realm of mannered behavior. Among them:
When entering for a meal, the man of greatest stature should wash his hands first. Afterwards, all should enter enter and sit down, reclining on couches. The man of greatest stature reclines at the head of the company, and the person who is second in prominence reclines below him. If there are three couches, the man of greatest stature reclines at the head of the company, the person who is second in prominence reclines above him, and the person who is third in prominence reclines below him.
א
מנהגות רבות נהגו חכמי ישראל בסעודה וכולן דרך ארץ ואלו הן:
כשנכנסין לסעודה הגדול שבכולן נוטל את ידיו תחלה ואחר כך נכנסין ויושבין מסובין וגדול מיסב בראש ושני לו למטה הימנו היו שלשה מטות גדול מיסב בראש ושני לו למעלה הימנו ושלישי לו למטה הימנו:
2
The host should recite the blessing hamotzi. When he completes the blessing, he should break bread. A guest should recite grace, so that he will bless the host. If they are all members of the household, the person of greatest stature should break bread and recite grace.
ב
בעל הבית מברך המוציא ומשלים הברכה ואח"כ בוצע והאורח מברך ברכת המזון כדי שיברך לבעל הבית ואם היו כולן בעלי הבית הגדול שבהן בוצע והוא מברך ברכת המזון:
3
The person breaking bread is not permitted to do so until salt or relishes have been brought before each individual, unless their intention was to eat bread by itself.
One should not break off a small piece, lest one appear stingy, nor a piece larger than the size of an egg, lest one appear like a glutton. On the Sabbath, however, one may break off a large piece. One should break the bread at the place that it has been baked thoroughly.
ג
אין הבוצע רשאי לבצוע עד שיביאו מלח או לפתן לפני כל אחד ואחד אלא אם כן נתכוונו לאכול פת הרבה ואינו בוצע לא פרוסה קטנה מפני שהוא נראה כצר עין ולא פרוסה גדולה יותר מכביצה מפני שנראה כרעבתן ובשבת יש לו לבצוע פרוסה גדולה ואינו בוצע אלא ממקום שנתבשל יפה יפה:
4
The most preferable way to perform the mitzvah is to break open a whole loaf. When one possesses a whole loaf of barley bread and a sliced loaf of wheat bread, one should put the sliced loaf together with the whole loaf, so that one will break open both a loaf of wheat and a whole loaf.
On Sabbaths and on festivals, one is obligated to break bread on two whole loaves. One should hold both in one's hands [when reciting the blessing] and break open one.
ד
מצוה מן המובחר לבצוע ככר שלימה אם היתה שם שלימה של שעורים ופרוסה של חטים מניח שלימה בתוך פרוסה ובוצע משתיהן כדי שיבצע מחטים ומשלימה בשבתות ובימים טובים חייב לבצוע על שתי ככרות נוטל שתיהן בידו ובוצע אחת מהן:
5
The person who breaks bread should give a slice of bread to each individual, ¼the latter« should each pick up the piece with his hand. The person who breaks bread should not place the bread in the hand of a person who is eating unless the latter is a mourner.
The person who breaks bread should take the bread first and eat. Those assembled may not eat until the person who recites the blessing tastes [from the bread]. The person reciting the blessing may not taste [from the bread] until those assembled complete the recitation of Amen. Should the person breaking bread desire to honor his teacher or a scholar of greater stature than he by allowing him to take the bread before he does, he may.
ה
הבוצע נותן פרוסה לפני כל אחד ואחד והאחר נוטל בידו ואין הבוצע נותן ביד האוכל אא"כ היה אבל והבוצע הוא פושט ידיו תחלה ואוכל ואין המסובין רשאין לטעום עד שיטעום המברך ואין הבוצע רשאי לטעום עד שיכלה אמן מפי רוב המסובין ואם רצה הבוצע לחלוק כבוד לרבו או למי שהוא גדול ממנו בחכמה ויניחנו לפשוט ידו קודם לו הרשות בידו:
6
Two people should wait for each other when [eating from the same] dish. When three people are [eating from the same dish], it is not [necessary] to wait. When two have completed eating, the third should also cease. If, however, one completes eating, the other two need not cease.
One should not talk during a meal lest a dangerous situation arise. For this reason, if wine is brought in the midst of the meal, each person should recite the blessing alone. Were one to recite the blessing and another to answer Amen while he is swallowing, a dangerous situation might arise.
One should not look at the face of a person who is eating or at his portion, lest he become embarrassed.
ו
שנים ממתינין זה לזה בקערה שלשה אין ממתינין גמרו מהן שנים השלישי מפסיק עמהן גמר אחד מהן השנים אין מפסיקין לו אלא אוכלין והולכין עד שגומרין אין משיחין בסעודה כדי שלא יבא לידי סכנה ומפני זה אם בא להם יין בתוך המזון כל אחד ואחד מברך לעצמו שאם בירך אחד ועונה העונה אמן בשעת הבליעה יבא לידי סכנה ואין מסתכלין בפני האוכל ולא למנתו שלא לביישו:
7
An attendant who stands before those dining should not eat together with them. As an act of mercy, one should allow him to taste each dish to satisfy his desire. If the assembled give him wine, he should recite a blessing over each cup, because his drinking is dependent on their desire, not his own.
ז
השמש שעומד לפני המסובין אינו אוכל עמהן ודרך רחמנות הוא ליתן לתוך פיו מכל תבשיל ותבשיל כדי ליישב דעתו ואם נתנו לו יין מברך על כל כוס וכוס שנותנין לו מפני שאין שתייתו תלויה ברצונו אלא ברצונם:
8
Should one of the assembled go out to urinate, he need wash only one hand [before] entering. Should he speak with a friend and thus remain outside for an extended period of time, he should wash both his hands [before] entering.
If [the company] was sitting and drinking, he should enter, sit in his place, wash his hands [with his back turned], and then turn to face the guests. Why should he wash in his place? So that the others will not say that he did not wash his hands because bread is not being served.
ח
יצא אחד מן המסובין להשתין מים נוטל ידו אחת ונכנס דיבר עם חבירו והפליג נוטל שתי ידיו ונכנס אם היו מסובין לשתייה נכנס ויושב במקומו ונוטל ידיו ואחר כך מחזיר פניו לאורחין ולמה נוטל במקומו שמא יאמרו לא נטל ידיו מפני שאין שם אכילה:
9
Raw meat should not be placed on bread, nor should a full cup be passed over bread. Similarly, bread should not be used as a support for a plate, nor should it be thrown. The same applies to pieces [of meat or fish] and other foods that do not have shells - e.g., berries, grapes, and figs - because they will become disgusting.
It is permissible to cause wine to flow through pipes in the halls of bridegrooms, and roasted grains and nuts may be tossed at the bridegrooms in summer. This is not permitted in the winter, however, because they will become disgusting.
We should not wash our hands with wine, whether it has been mixed with water or not. Similarly, we may not spoil any other food or beverage in a contemptuous and derisive manner.
ט
אין מניחין בשר חי על הפת ואין מעבירין כוס מלא על הפת ואין סומכין את הקערה בפת ואין זורקין את הפת ולא את החתיכות ולא את האוכלין שאין להן קליפין כגון תותים וענבים ותאנים מפני שהן נמאסין ומותר למשוך את היין בצינורות בבתי חתנים וזורקין לפניהם קליות ואגוזים בימות החמה אבל לא בימות הגשמים מפני שנמאסין ואין נוטלין ידיהן ביין בין חי בין מזוג וכן אין מפסידין שאר אוכלין ומשקין דרך בזוי ובעיטה:
10
It is forbidden for guests to take any of [the food] that they have been served and give it to the sons or the daughters of the host. Perhaps the host will become embarrassed because all he had was what he had served and that will have been taken away by the children.
A person should not send a friend a cask of wine with oil floating on its surface, lest one send a friend a cask that is [almost] entirely wine with only [a small amount] of oil on its surface. The recipient may be [unaware of the cask's contents,] invite guests [with the intention of serving them oil,] and become embarrassed [at his inability to do so]. Similarly, any other activity that may cause a person who holds a feast to become embarrassed is forbidden.
י
אסור לאורחים ליטול כלום ממה שלפניהם וליתן ביד בנו או בתו של בעל הבית שמא יתבייש בעל הסעודה שהרי אין לו אלא מה שהביא לפניהם ונמצאו הקטנים נוטלים אותם והולכים לא ישלח אדם לחבירו חבית יין ושמן צף על פיה שמא ישלח לו אדם חבית שכולה יין וידמה שהוא שמן ושמן הוא שעל פניה בלבד ויזמן אורחים ויתבייש וכל כל כיוצא בדברים אלו המביאים לידי בושה לבעל הסעודה אסורין:
11
After [everyone] finishes eating, the tables should be removed and the place where they ate should be swept. Afterwards, [those assembled] should wash their hands [as mentioned above].
[This practice should be followed] lest pieces [of bread] the size of an olive be found on the floor. It is forbidden to walk or wash over [pieces of this size]. If, however, the pieces are smaller than an olive, it is permissible to destroy them intentionally.
יא
גמרו מלאכול מסלקין את השולחן ומכבדין את המקום שאכלו בו ואח"כ נוטלין את ידיהם שמא ישיירו שם פירורין שיש בהן כזית שאסור להלך בהן ולרחוץ עליהן אבל פירורין שאין בהן כזית מותר לאבדן ביד:
12
When water is brought to wash, the one who recites grace washes his hands first, so that the person of greatest stature will not sit with dirty hands while others are washing. The remainder of the people eating wash one after another.
Honor is not paid to anyone with regard to [the order of washing], because honor is not extended with regard to dirty hands, crossing bridges, or on the roads, with the exception of an entrance that is fit to have a mezuzah, and even then only with regard to entering.
יב
הביאו להם מים לנטילה כל שמברך ברכת המזון הוא נוטל ידיו תחלה כדי שלא ישב הגדול וידיו מזוהמות עד שיטול אחר ושאר הסועדין נוטלין ידן בסוף זה אחר זה ואין מכבדין בדבר זה שאין מכבדין בידים מזוהמות ולא בגשרים ולא בדרכים אלא בפתח הראוי למזוזה ובשעת כניסה:
13
After [the assembled] finish washing their hands, drying their hands, and reciting grace, the person who recited grace should recite the blessing over the incense when the incense burner is brought in. Everyone should answer Amen.
יג
גמרו ליטול ידיהן ונגבו ידיהן וברכו ברכת המזון והביאו את המוגמר מי שבירך ברכת המזון הוא מברך על המוגמר וכולן עונין אמן:
14
If wine is available, [grace should be recited over a cup of wine]. We bring a cup that contains a revi'it or more and spices. [The person reciting grace] should hold the wine in his right hand and the spices in his left hand while reciting grace. Afterwards, he should recite the blessing on the wine, and then the blessing on the spices.
If the spices were fragrant oil or the like, he should spread them on the head of the attendant afterwards. If the attendant was a Torah sage, he should spread it on the wall so that he will not be going out to the marketplace with perfume.
יד
אם היה שם יין מביאין כוס מחזיק רביעית או יתר על רביעית ומביאין בשמים ואוחז את היין בימינו ואת הבשמים בשמאלו ומברך ברכת המזון ואחר כך מברך על היין ואחר כך מברך על הבשמים אם היו הבשמים שמן ערב וכיוצא בו טחו בראש השמש ואם היה השמש תלמיד חכם טחו בכותל כדי שלא יצא מבושם לשוק:
15
Although grace does not require wine, should one recite grace over wine according to the custom we have mentioned, [several conditions must be met:]
One should wash out the cup over which the blessing is recited on the inside and rinse its outside.
It should be filled with undiluted wine. When one reaches the blessing for Eretz Yisrael, one should add a small amount of water so that it will be pleasant to drink.
Conversation should not be made over the cup over which grace is recited. Rather, everyone should remain silent until grace and the blessing of the wine is concluded, and then they should drink.
טוOne should wash out the cup over which the blessing is recited on the inside and rinse its outside.
It should be filled with undiluted wine. When one reaches the blessing for Eretz Yisrael, one should add a small amount of water so that it will be pleasant to drink.
Conversation should not be made over the cup over which grace is recited. Rather, everyone should remain silent until grace and the blessing of the wine is concluded, and then they should drink.
אף ע"פ שאין ברכת המזון צריכה יין אם בירך על היין כמנהג שאמרנו צריך שידיח כוס של ברכה מבפנים ולשטוף אותו מבחוץ וימלאנו יין חי וכיון שהגיע לברכת הארץ נותן לתוכו מעט מים כדי שיהא ערב לשתיה ואין משיחין על כוס של ברכת המזון אלא הכל שותקים עד שתכלה ברכת המזון וברכת היין וישתו:
Berachot - Chapter Eight
1
[When partaking of] all fruit that grows on trees, we recite the blessing borey pri ha'etz beforehand, and borey nefashot rabbot... afterward. An exception is made regarding the five species of fruit mentioned in the Torah: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. The single blessing that includes the three [blessings of grace] is recited after them.
[When partaking of] fruit that grows from the earth and vegetables, we recite the blessing borey pri ha'adamah beforehand and borey nefashot rabbot afterward.
[When partaking of] foods that do not grow from the earth - e.g., meat, cheese, fish, eggs, water, milk, honey, and the like - we recite the blessing, shehakol beforehand and borey nefashot rabbot afterward.
When a person drinks water for an intention other than fulfilling his thirst, it is not necessary for him to recite a blessing beforehand or afterward.
א
כל פירות האילן מברכין עליהן בתחלה בורא פרי העץ ולבסוף בורא נפשות רבות חוץ מחמשת המינין הכתובין בתורה והם ענבים ורמונים ותאנים וזיתים ותמרים שהוא מברך עליהן בסוף ברכה אחת מעין שלש ועל פירות הארץ והירקות מברכין עליהן בתחלה בורא פרי האדמה ולבסוף בורא נפשות רבות דברים שאין גידולן מן הארץ כגון בשר וגבינה ודגים וביצים ומים וחלב ודבש וכיוצא בהן בתחלה מברך שהכל ולבסוף בורא נפשות רבות והשותה מים שלא לרוות צמאו אינו טעון ברכה לא לפניו ולא לאחריו:
2
When a person squeezes fruit - with the exception of grapes and olives - to extract its juices, he should recite the blessings shehakol beforehand and borey nefashot afterward.
Over wine, he should recite the blessing borey pri hagafenbeforehand and the single blessing that includes the three [blessings of grace] afterward. Over oil, he should recite the blessing borey pri ha'etz beforehand.
When does the above apply? When he has a sore throat and drinks the oil together with the sauce of cooked [vegetables] and the like, for he benefited by drinking. If, however, a person drank oil alone or did not have a sore throat, he should recite the blessing shehakol, because he did not benefit from the taste of the oil.
ב
הסוחט פירות והוציא מהן משקין מברך עליהן בתחלה שהכל ולבסוף בורא נפשות חוץ מן הענבים והזיתים שעל היין הוא מברך בורא פרי הגפן ולבסוף ברכה אחת מעין שלש ועל השמן בתחלה הוא מברך בורא פרי העץ בד"א שהיה חושש בגרונו ושתה מן השמן עם מי השלקות וכיוצא בהן שהרי נהנה בשתייתו אבל אם שתה השמן לבדו או שלא היה חושש בגרונו מברך עליו שהכל שהרי לא נהנה בטעם השמן:
3
When fruits and vegetables that are usually eaten raw are cooked or stewed, one should recite the blessings shehakolbeforehand and borey nefashot afterward.
[Conversely,] when one eats vegetables that are usually eaten cooked - e.g., cabbage or turnips - raw, one should recite the blessings shehakol beforehand and borey nefashot afterward. When one eats them cooked or stewed, one should recite the blessings borey pri ha'adamah beforehand and borey nefashotafterward.
When foods are commonly eaten both raw and cooked, regardless of whether one eats them raw or cooked, one should recite the blessing appropriate for them: i.e., if they are fruit that grows on trees, borey pri ha'etz; if they are fruits that grow from the ground or vegetables, borey pri ha'adamah.
ג
פירות או ירקות שדרכן להאכל חיים אם בשלן או שלקן מברך עליהן בתחלה שהכל ולבסוף בורא נפשות וירקות שדרכן להאכל שלוקין כגון כרוב ולפת אם אכלן חיין מברך עליהן בתחלה שהכל ולבסוף בורא נפשות רבות ואם בשלן או שלקן מברך עליהן בורא פרי האדמה ולבסוף בורא נפשות רבות דברים שדרכן להאכל חיין ומבושלין אכלן בין חיין בין מבושלין מברך עליהן בתחלה ברכה הראויה להן אם היו פירות עץ מברך בורא פרי העץ ואם היו פירות האדמה או ירקות מברך בורא פרי האדמה:
4
When one stews vegetables that are frequently stewed, one should recite the blessing borey pri ha'adamah on the soup produced, because the soup produced by stewing is equivalent to [the vegetables] that are stewed if it is common custom to stew them. This applies only when one stews them to drink the soup.
The blessing shehakol is recited over date-honey. Nevertheless, when one crushes dates by hand, removes their pits, and makes them into a substance resembling a dough, one should recite the blessing borey pri ha'etz beforehand and the single blessing that includes the three [blessings of grace] afterward.
ד
ירקות שדרכן להשלק שלקן מברך על מי שלק שלהן בורא פרי האדמה והוא ששלקן לשתות מימיהן שמימי השלקות כשלקות במקום שדרכן לשתותן דבש תמרים מברכין עליו תחלה שהכל אבל תמרים שמעכן ביד והוציא גרעינין שלהן ועשאן כמו עיסה מברך עליהן תחלה בורא פרי העץ ולבסוף ברכה אחת מעין שלש:
5
Regarding sugar cane whose sap is extracted and cooked until it crystallizes like salt: The overwhelming majority of the Geonim require that the blessing borey pri ha'adamah is recited upon it. Others say that the blessing borey pri ha'etz should be recited upon it.
Similarly, they say that one who sucks sugar cane should recite the blessing borey pri ha'adamah. I say that this is not a fruit, and the blessing shehakol should be recited upon it. The "honey" produced by these canes that has been altered by fire should not be given greater prominence than date honey, which is not changed by fire, and yet the blessing shehakol is recited upon it.
ה
הקנים המתוקים שסוחטין אותן ומבשלין מימיהן עד שיקפא וידמה למלח כל הגאונים אומרים שמברכין עליו בורא פרי האדמה ומקצתם אמרו בורא פרי העץ וכן אמרו שהמוצץ אותם קנים מברך בורא פרי האדמה ואני אומר שאין זה פרי ואין מברכין עליו אלא שהכל שלא יהיה דבש אלו הקנים שנשתנה על ידי אור גדול מדבש תמרים שלא נשתנה ע"י האור ומברכין עליו שהכל:
6
[When partaking of] the top stalk of the palm tree [hearts of palm], which is like white wood, one should recite the blessingshehakol.[When partaking of] petals from [the flowers of] the caper bush, one should recite the blessing borey pri ha'adamah, because they are not fruit. Caper berries - the fruit of this bush which looks like small dates - require the blessing borey pri ha'etz.
ו
הקור והוא ראש הדקל שהוא כמו עץ לבן מברך עליו בתחלה שהכל קפרס של צלף מברך עליו בורא פרי האדמה מפני שאינו פרי והאביונות של צלף הן הפרי שהן כצורות תמרים דקים קטנים מברך עליהן בורא פרי העץ:
7
[When partaking of] fresh peppers and ginger, one should recite the blessing borey pri ha'adamah. When these products are dry, they do not require any blessing, neither beforehand nor afterward, because they are considered spices and not food.
Similarly, foods that are not fit to be eaten and beverages that are not fit to be drunk do not require any blessing, neither beforehand nor afterward.
ז
הפלפלין והזנגביל בזמן שהן רטובין מברך עליהן בורא פרי האדמה אבל יבשין אין טעונין ברכה לא לפניהם ולא לאחריהם מפני שהן תבלין ואינו אוכל וכן אוכלין שאין ראויין לאכילה ומשקין שאינן ראויין לשתייה אינן טעונין ברכה לא לפניהן ולא לאחריהן:
8
The blessing shehakol is recited over bread that has become moldy, wine on which a film has risen, food that has spoiled, windfall fruit that is underdeveloped, beer, vinegar, locusts, salt, truffles, and mushrooms.
Whenever shehakol is recited before partaking of a food, the blessing borey nefashot is recited afterwards. Whenever a food requires a blessing afterwards, it also requires a blessing beforehand.
ח
הפת שעיפשה והיין שהקרים ותבשיל שעברה צורתו והנובלות שהן פגין והשכר והחומץ והגובאי והמלח והכמהין והפטריות על כולן מברך תחלה שהכל וכל המברכין לפניו שהכל לאחרונה מברך בורא נפשות וכל הטעון ברכה לאחריו טעון ברכה לפניו:
9
When one pours three measures [of water] over [wine] dregs and receives four measures of liquid, one should recite the blessing borey pri hagafen upon it, for it is considered to be diluted wine. If one receives less than four measures of liquid, one should recite the blessing shehakol even when the liquid tastes like wine.
ט
שמרים שנתן עליהם שלשה והוציא מהן ארבעה מברך עליהן בורא פרי הגפן שזה יין מזוג הוא הוציא פחות מארבעה אע"פ שיש בהם טעם יין מברך עליהן שהכל תחלה:
10
A person who recited the blessing borey pri ha'adamahover fruits that grow on trees fulfills his obligation. Conversely, one who recited the blessing borey pri ha'etz over fruits that grow from the ground does not fulfill his obligation. One who recites the blessing shehakol over any food fulfills his obligation. [This applies even in regard] to bread and wine.
י
בירך על פירות האילן בורא פרי האדמה יצא ועל פירות האדמה בורא פרי העץ לא יצא ועל כולם אם בירך שהכל יצא ואפי' על הפת ועל היין:
11
Should a person take a cup of beer in his hand and begin reciting a blessing with the intention of saying shehakol..., and instead err and say borey pri hagafen, he is not compelled to repeat [the blessing].
Similarly, if fruits that grow from the earth were placed before him, and he began reciting a blessing with the intention of saying borey pri ha'adamah, and instead erred and said borey pri ha'etz, he is not compelled to repeat [the blessing].
By the same token, if a cooked dish of grain was placed before him and he began reciting a blessing with the intention of saying borey minei mezonot, and instead erred and said hamotzi..., he fulfills his obligation.
[These decisions were rendered] because at the time when he mentioned God's name and His sovereignty, which are the essence of this blessing, he had the intention of reciting the appropriate blessing for this food. Therefore, since the essence of the blessing was not recited in error, he is considered to have fulfilled his obligation and need not repeat it, although he erred at its conclusion.
יא
לקח כוס של שכר בידו והתחיל הברכה על מנת לומר שהכל וטעה ואמר בורא פרי הגפן אין מחזירין אותו וכן אם היו לפניו פירות הארץ והתחיל הברכה על מנת לומר בורא פרי האדמה וטעה ואמר בורא פרי העץ אין מחזירין אותו וכן אם היה לפניו תבשיל של דגן ופתח על מנת לומר בורא מיני מזונות וטעה ואמר המוציא יצא מפני שבשעה שהזכיר את השם והמלכות שהן עיקר הברכה לא נתכוון אלא לברכה הראויה לאותו המין והואיל ולא היה בעיקר הברכה טעות אף על פי שטעה בסופה יצא ואין מחזירין אותו:
12
With regard to all these blessings, if a doubt arises whether one recited the blessing or not, one should not repeat the blessing, neither before eating or afterwards, because [the blessings] were instituted by the Sages.
[The following rules apply when] a person forgets and places food in his mouth without reciting a blessing: with regard to beverages, he should swallow them and recite a blessing afterwards. If they were fruit which would become disgusting if he would remove them [from his mouth] - e.g., berries or grapes - he should push them to the side [of his mouth], recite the blessing and swallow them afterwards. If they would not become disgusting - e.g., beans or peas - he should remove them, so that his mouth will be free to recite the blessing and eat them afterwards.
יב
כל הברכות האלו אם נסתפק לו בהם אם בירך או לא בירך אינו חוזר ומברך לא בתחלה ולא בסוף מפני שהן מדברי סופרים שכח והכניס אוכלין לתוך פיו בלא ברכה אם היו משקין בולען ומברך עליהן בסוף ואם היו פירות שאם זרקן ימאסו כגון תותים וענבים מסלקן לצד אחד ומברך ואח"כ בולען ואם אינן נמאסין כגון פולים ואפונים פולטן מפיו עד שיברך ופיו פנוי ואחר כך אוכל:
13
[The following rules apply when] several types of food are placed before a person [at the same time]: If the same blessing applies to all of them, one should recite the blessing on one, and thus fulfill one's obligation regarding the others. If the same blessing does not apply to all of them, one should recite the blessing that is appropriate for each one individually. The order of precedence depends on one's desires.
When there is no one type of food that one desires more than the others, [the order of precedence is as follows:] If among the foods there are foods from the seven species [for which Eretz Yisrael was praised], the blessing should be recited over them first. The species that are mentioned first in the verse receive precedence with regard to the blessing.
The seven species are those mentioned in the following verse, [Deuteronomy 8:8:] "A land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olives that produce oil and honey." Honey refers to date-honey.
Dates are given precedence over grapes because dates were mentioned second in proximity to the word "land," and grapes were mentioned third in proximity to that word.
יג
היו לפניו מינין הרבה אם היו ברכותיהן שוות מברך על אחת מהם ופוטר את השאר ואם אין ברכותיהם שוות מברך על כל אחת מהן ברכה הראויה לו ואי זה מהם שירצה להקדים מקדים ואם אינו רוצה בזה יותר מזה אם יש ביניהם אחד משבעת המינים עליו הוא מברך תחלה וכל הקודם בפסוק קודם בברכה והשבעה הן האמורים בפסוק זה ארץ חטה ושעורה וגפן ותאנה ורמון ארץ זית שמן ודבש ודבש זה הוא דבש תמרים והתמרים קודמין לענבים שהתמרים שני לארץ והענבים שלישי לארץ:
14
The single blessing that includes the three blessings [of grace] recited over the five species of fruit and over wine is the same as that recited over grain products, except that for fruit, one should say [at the beginning]: "for the trees, for the fruit of the trees and for the produce of the field, and for the precious land..." and for wine, one should say [at the beginning]: "for the vines and for the fruit of the vine...."
For both [wine and fruit], one should conclude: "for the land and for the fruits." A person in Eretz Yisrael should conclude: "for the land and for its fruits."
There are some who add the following phrase before the conclusion of this blessing: "For You, God, are good and do good," for it reflects the fourth blessing [of grace]. There is, however, an opinion that states that the fourth blessing was instituted for grace alone.
יד
ברכה אחת שהיא מעין שלש של חמשת המינין של פירות ושל יין היא של מיני הדגן אלא שעל הפירות הוא אומר על העץ ועל פרי העץ ועל תנובת השדה ועל ארץ חמדה וכו' ועל היין הוא אומר על הגפן ועל פרי הגפן וחותם בשתיהן על הארץ ועל הפירות ואם היה בארץ ישראל חותם על הארץ ועל פירותיה ויש מי שמוסיף בברכה שמעין שלש קודם חתימה כי אל טוב ומטיב אתה שהוא מעין ברכה רביעית ויש מי שאמר שלא תיקנו ברכה רביעית אלא בברכת המזון בלבד:
15
Should a person drink wine, eat dates, and also eat cooked food made from the five species of grain, he should recite [a single] blessing afterwards: "Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, for the life-giving and the sustaining [food], for the vines and the fruit of the vine, for the trees and for the fruit of the trees and for the produce of the field, and for the precious land...." He should conclude, "Blessed are You, God, for the land and for the sustenance and for the fruits."
טו
שתה יין ואכל תמרים ואכל תבשיל של חמשת מיני דגן מברך באחרונה ברוך אתה יי' אלהינו מלך העולם על המחיה ועל הכלכלה ועל הגפן ועל פרי הגפן ועל העץ ועל פרי העץ ועל תנובת השדה ועל ארץ חמדה וכו' וחותם ברוך אתה יי' על הארץ ועל המחיה ועל הפירות:
16
If, however, a person ate meat and drank wine, he should recite a separate blessing afterwards for each food. Nevertheless, if he ate figs or grapes with apples, pears, and the like, he should recite the single blessing that includes the three blessings [of grace] afterwards. It includes everything that he ate, since all the foods are "fruit of the trees." The same principles apply in other similar situations.
טז
אבל אם אכל בשר ושתה יין מברך בסוף על זה בפני עצמו ועל זה בפני עצמו אכל תאנים או ענבים ותפוחים ואגסים וכיוצא בהן מברך בסוף ברכה אחת מעין שלש והיא כוללת הכל מפני שכולן פירות העץ וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Berachot - Chapter Nine
1
Just as it is forbidden to benefit from food or drink before reciting a blessing, so too, it is forbidden to benefit from a pleasant fragrance before reciting a blessing.
What blessings should be recited over pleasant fragrance? If the fragrant substance is a tree or the product of a tree, one should recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who created fragrant trees." If the fragrant substance is an herb or the product of an herb, one should recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who created fragrant herbs."
If it is not from a tree or an herb - e.g., musk, which comes from an animal - one should recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who created various kinds of spices." If it is a fruit that is fit to eat - e.g., an etrog or an apple - one should recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who endowed fruits with pleasant fragrance."
Should one recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who created various kinds of spices," on any fragrance, one fulfills one's obligation.
א
כשם שאסור לאדם ליהנות במאכל או במשקה קודם ברכה כך אסור לו ליהנות בריח טוב קודם ברכה וכיצד מברך על ריח טוב אם היה זה שיש להריח עץ או מין עץ מברך בורא עצי בשמים ואם היה עשב או מין עשב מברך בורא עשבי בשמים ואם לא היה מן העץ ולא מן האדמה כגון המור שהוא מן החיה מברך בורא מיני בשמים ואם היה פרי הראוי לאכילה כגון אתרוג או תפוח מברך שנתן ריח טוב בפירות ועל הכל אם אמר בורא מיני בשמים יצא:
2
A blessing should not be recited on incense until a cloud of smoke rises up.
What blessing should be recited over it? If the incense comes from a tree, one should recite the blessing "[Blessed...] who created fragrant trees." If it comes from an herb, [one should recite] "... who created fragrant herbs." If it came from an animal or the like, [one should recite] "... who created various kinds of spices."
ב
אין מברכין על המוגמר עד שתעלה תמרתו וכיצד מברכין עליו אם היה זה הנשרף שנתן ריח מעץ מברכין בורא עצי בשמים ואם היה עשב עשבי בשמים ואם היה ממין חיה וכיוצא בה מברך עליו בורא מיני בשמים:
3
Balsam oil and the like require the blessing "... who created pleasant oil." If, however, one pressed or soaked olives until they produced oil with a pleasant fragrance, one should recite the blessing "...who created fragrant trees." Oil in which spices were mixed, as was done for the anointing oil, requires the blessing "...who created various kinds of spices."
If one brought both oil and a myrtle to a person, he should recite the blessing on the myrtle and include the oil, because the same blessing, "...who created fragrant trees," applies to both of them.
ג
שמן של אפרסמון וכיוצא בו מברך עליו בורא שמן ערב אבל שמן זית שכבשו או שטחנו עד שחזר ריחו נודף מברך עליו בורא עצי בשמים שמן שבשמו כעין שמן המשחה מברך עליו בורא מיני בשמים הביאו לפניו שמן והדס מברך על ההדס ופוטר את השמן מפני שברכה אחת לשתיהן והוא עצי בשמים:
4
When one has both a fragrant spice from a tree and a fragrant spice from an herb, a single blessing should not be recited to include both of them. Rather, a blessing should be recited for each one individually.
When wine and fragrant oil are brought before a person, he should hold the wine in his right hand and the oil in his left hand, recite the blessing over the wine and drink it, and then recite the blessing over the oil, smell it, and then, spread it on the attendant's head. If the attendant is a Torah scholar, he should spread it on the wall.
ד
היו לפניו בושם שהוא עץ ובושם שהוא עשב אין ברכה אחת מהן פוטרת את חבירו אלא מברך על זה לעצמו ועל זה לעצמו הביאו לפניו יין ושמן אוחז יין בימינו ושמן בשמאלו ומברך על היין ושותהו וחוזר ומברך על השמן ומריח בו וטחו בראש השמש ואם היה השמש תלמיד חכם טחו בכותל:
5
If there is a doubt whether a spice requires the blessing "...who created fragrant trees" or the blessing "...who created fragrant herbs," one should recite the blessing "...who created various kinds of spices." Similarly, one should recite the blessing "...who created various kinds of spices" over a mixture of spices prepared by a perfumer.
When a person enters a perfumery, he should recite the blessing "...who created various kinds of spices." If he spends the entire day there, he should recite only one blessing. If he enters and leaves several times, he should recite a blessing each time he enters.
ה
דבר שהוא ספק אם מן העץ אם מן האדמה מברך עליו בורא מיני בשמים בושם שעירבו הרוכל ממינין הרבה מברך עליו בורא מיני בשמים נכנס לחנותו של בושם שיש בה מינין הרבה מברך עליו בורא מיני בשמים אם ישב שם כל היום כולו אינו מברך אלא אחת נכנס ויצא נכנס ויצא מברך על כל פעם ופעם:
6
Anemones and lavender require the blessing "...who created fragrant trees." Lilies that are raised in a garden require the blessing "...who created fragrant trees"; those that grow in the field require the blessing "...who created fragrant herbs."
Roses, rose water, frankincense, and rock roses require the blessing "...who created fragrant trees."
ו
השושנה וחלפי המים מברכין עליהן בורא עצי בשמים נרגיס של גינה בורא עצי בשמים ושל שדה בורא עשבי בשמים הורד ומי הורד והלבונה והמסטכי וכיוצא בהן בורא עצי בשמים:
7
There are types of pleasant fragrances over which blessings should not be recited: a pleasant fragrance that is forbidden, a pleasant fragrance used as a deodorant, and a pleasant fragrance that was not prepared with the intent that it be smelled itself.
ז
שלשה מיני ריח טוב אין מברכין עליהן ואלו הן ריח טוב שאסור להריח בו וריח טוב שעשוי להעביר ריח רע וריח טוב שלא נעשה להריח בעצמו של ריח זה:
8
What is implied? One should not recite a blessing over perfumes of false gods or over perfumes of women with whom sexual relations are forbidden, because it is forbidden to smell them.
Blessings should not be recited over perfumes placed by the dead, perfumes placed in toilets, or an oil used to remove filth, because they are intended to remove a foul odor.
A blessing is not recited when incense is burned to perfume utensils or clothes, because the incense was not prepared with the intent that it be smelled itself. Similarly, a blessing should not be recited on clothes that were perfumed in this manner, because the fragrant substance itself is not present; there is merely a fragrance without any substance.
ח
כיצד בשמים של עכו"ם ובשמים של ערוה מן העריות אין מברכין עליהן לפי שאסור להריח בהן בשמים של מתים ובשמים של בית הכסא ושמן העשוי להעביר את הזוהמא אין מברכין עליהן לפי שנעשו להעביר ריח רע מוגמר שמגמרין בו את הכלים ואת הבגדים אין מברכין עליהן לפי שלא נעשה להריח בעצמו של מוגמר וכן המריח בבגדים שהן מוגמרים אינו מברך לפי שאין שם עיקר בושם אלא ריח בלא עיקר:
9
A blessing should not be recited on spices used at a gentile party, because we assume that a gentile party is dedicated to idol worship.
[The following rules apply when] a person smelled a pleasant fragrance while walking outside a city: If the majority of the city are gentiles, he should not recite a blessing. If the majority of the city are Jewish, he should. If a fragrance for which a blessing should be recited becomes mixed with a fragrance for which a blessing should not be recited, the ruling depends on the majority.
ט
בשמים של מסיבה של עכו"ם אין מברכין עליהם שסתם מסיבת עכו"ם לעכו"ם היה מהלך חוץ לכרך והריח ריח טוב אם רוב העיר עכו"ם אינו מברך ואם רוב ישראל מברך נתערב ריח שמברכין עליו בריח שאין מברכין עליו הולכין אחרי הרוב:
• Thursday, 23 Cheshvan, 5777 · 24 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Sunday, Cheshvan 23, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tol'dot, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 108-112.
Tanya: XXX. It is known (p. 585) ...for the initiated. (p. 587).
The Tzemach Tzedek was arrested twenty-two times during the Rabbinical conference in Petersburg, in 5603 (1843), for opposing the demands of the government regarding changes in education, etc. The minister in charge confronted him: "Is this not rebellion against the government?!"
The Tzemach Tzedek answered: "A rebel against the government is liable to be punished by death of the body; a rebel against the Kingdom of Heaven is punishable by death of the soul. Now which is worse?"
• Daily Thought:
Higher Life(Chayei Sarah)
The years of Sarah were…these were the years of Sarah.[Genesis 23:1]
Sarah had two sets of years to her life, because she merited to higher life as well. Why Sarah more than anyone else? Because she descended to Egypt and rose back up.[Zohar]
You came to this life to achieve higher life. Yet whatever spiritual heights you could achieve in this life cannot compare to the heights of your soul before it was squeezed into the limitations of a body. Before it descended to Egypt.
That is, until you do what was put in front of you to do, until you work with this Egypt into which you have been sent, holding tight to your integrity, filling each act with meaning, redeeming the jewels that were lost among the ashes.
Then you will rise higher than anything your soul could achieve. Even while living in this world, you will have higher life.[Maamar Chayei Sarah 5713 (1958)]-------
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