A leader must remember at all times and at every moment that he always stands on the threshold between being one of those who bring merit to the public and, G-d forbid, one of those who cause the public to sin - the threshold between the loftiest of heights and the most abysmal depth[Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch]
Today's Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Vayeira, 3rd Portion (Genesis 19:1-19:20) with Rashi
• Genesis Chapter 19
1And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom, and Lot saw and arose toward them, and he prostrated himself on his face to the ground. אוַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֨מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט ישֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קָם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה:
the…angels: But elsewhere (18:2) Scripture calls them men! When the Shechinah was with them, it calls them men. Another explanation: In connection with Abraham, whose power was great, and the angels were as frequently with him as men, it calls them men, but in connection with Lot, it calls them angels. — [from Gen. Rabbah 52; Tan. Buber, Vayera 20] המלאכים: ולהלן קראם אנשים, כשהיתה שכינה עמהם קראם אנשים. דבר אחר אצל אברהם שכחו גדול והיו המלאכים תדירין אצלו כאנשים קראם אנשים, ואצל לוט קראם מלאכים:
in the evening: Now did the angels tarry so long from Hebron to Sodom? But they were angels of mercy, and they were waiting, perhaps Abraham would succeed in his defense for them [the cities]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:1] בערב: וכי כל כך שהו המלאכים מחברון לסדום, אלא מלאכי רחמים היו, וממתינים שמא יוכל אברהם ללמד עליהם סניגוריא:
and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom: [The word יֹשֵׁב is written without a“vav” so that it can be read יָשַׁב “he sat,” in the past tense]. On that very day, they had appointed him judge over them. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:3] ולוט ישב בשער סדום: ישב כתיב אותו היום מינוהו שופט עליהם:
and Lot saw: From Abraham’s house he learned to look for wayfarers. — [from Tan. Buber, Vayera 15] וירא לוט וגו': מבית אברהם למד לחזור על האורחים:
2And he said, "Behold now my lords, please turn to your servant's house and stay overnight and wash your feet, and you shall arise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will stay overnight in the street." בוַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֶּ֣ה נָּֽא־אֲדֹנַ֗י ס֣וּרוּ נָ֠א אֶל־בֵּ֨ית עַבְדְּכֶ֤ם וְלִ֨ינוּ֙ וְרַֽחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם וַֽהֲלַכְתֶּ֣ם לְדַרְכְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י בָֽרְח֖וֹב נָלִֽין:
Behold now, my lords: “ Behold you are now lords to me since you have passed beside me.” Another explanation: “Behold now you must pay heed to these wicked men, that they should not recognize you,” and this is sound advice. הנה נא א-דני: הנה נא אתם אדונים לי אחר שעברתם עלי. דבר אחר הנה נא צריכים אתם לתת לב על הרשעים הללו שלא יכירו בכם. וזו היא עצה נכונה:
please turn: Take a circuitous path to my house, in a roundabout way, that they should not recognize that you are entering there. That is why it says: “turn.” (Gen. Rabbah 50:4). סורו נא: עקמו את הדרך לביתי דרך עקלתון, שלא יכירו שאתם נכנסין שם לכך נאמר סורו, בבראשית רבה (נ ז):
and stay overnight and wash your feet: Now is it customary for people to first stay overnight and afterwards to wash? Moreover, Abraham said to them first, “and wash your feet!” But so did Lot say (i.e., he reasoned), “If, when the people of Sodom come, they will see that they have already washed their feet, they will invent false accusations against me and say, ‘Two or three days have already passed since they came to your house, and you did not let us know!’” Therefore, he said, “It is better that they remain here with the dust on their feet, so that they should appear as though they had just arrived now.” Therefore he said, “Stay overnight” first and afterwards, “wash.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 50:4] ולינו ורחצו רגליכם: וכי דרכן של בני אדם ללון תחלה ואחר כך לרחוץ, ועוד שהרי אברהם אמר להם תחלה (יח ד) ורחצו רגליכם. אלא כך אמר לוט אם כשיבאו אנשי סדום ויראו שכבר רחצו רגליהם, יעלילו עלי ויאמרו כבר עברו שני ימים או שלשה שבאו לביתך ולא הודעתנו, לפיכך אמר מוטב שיתעכבו כאן באבק רגליהם שיהיו נראין כמו שבאו עכשיו, לפיכך אמר לינו תחלה ואחר כך רחצו:
And they said, “No…”: But to Abraham they said,“So shall you do…” From here [we learn] that one may refuse an offer by a person of lesser importance, but should not refuse an offer by a great man (Gen. Rabbah 50:4). ויאמרו לא: לאברהם אמרו (יח ה) כן תעשה, מכאן שמסרבין לקטן ואין מסרבין לגדול:
but we will stay overnight in the street: Heb. כִּי. This כִּי is used to mean “but,” for they said, “We will not turn in to your house, but we will stay overnight in the street of the city.” כי ברחוב נלין: הרי כי משמש בלשון אלא, שאמרו לא נסור אל ביתך אלא ברחובה של עיר נלין:
3And he urged them strongly, and they turned in to him, and came into his house, and he made them a feast, and he baked unleavened cakes, and they ate. גוַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ:
and they turned in to him: They took a circuitous path toward his house. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:4] ויסרו אליו: עקמו את הדרך לצד ביתו:
and he baked unleavened cakes: It was Passover. ומצות אפה: פסח היה:
4When they had not yet retired, and the people of the city, the people of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, the entire populace from every end[of the city]. דטֶ֘רֶם֘ יִשְׁכָּ֒בוּ֒ וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר אַנְשֵׁ֤י סְדֹם֙ נָסַ֣בּוּ עַל־הַבַּ֔יִת מִנַּ֖עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֑ן כָּל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּצֶֽה:
When they had not yet retired, the people of the city, the people of Sodom: It is interpreted in Gen. Rabbah (50:5) as follows: When they had not yet retired, the people of the city were the topic of conversation of the angels, for they were asking Lot about their character and their deeds, and he told them that most of them were wicked. While they were still speaking about them, “And the people of the city,” etc. The simple meaning of the verse, however, is: “and the people of the city, people of wickedness, surrounded the house.” Because they were wicked, they are called people of Sodom, as Scripture states (above 13:13): “And the people of Sodom were very evil and sinful…” טרם ישכבו ואנשי העיר אנשי סדום: כך נדרש בבראשית רבה (נ ה) טרם ישכבו ואנשי העיר היו בפיהם של מלאכים, שהיו שואלים ללוט מה טיבם ומעשיהם, והוא אומר להם רובם רשעים. עודם מדברים בהם ואנשי סדום וגו'. ופשוטו של מקרא ואנשי העיר, אנשי רשע, נסבו על הבית. על שהיו רשעים נקראים אנשי סדום, כמו שאמר הכתוב (יג יג) ואנשי סדום רעים וחטאים:
the entire populace from every end: From one end of the city to the other, for not one of them protested, because there was not even one righteous man among them. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:5] כל העם מקצה: מקצה העיר עד הקצה, שאין אחד מהם מוחה בידם, שאפילו צדיק אחד אין בהם:
5And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, and let us be intimate with them." הוַיִּקְרְא֤וּ אֶל־לוֹט֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ אַיֵּ֧ה הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַלָּ֑יְלָה הֽוֹצִיאֵ֣ם אֵלֵ֔ינוּ וְנֵֽדְעָ֖ה אֹתָֽם:
and let us be intimate with them: homosexually, as in (verse 8):“who were not intimate with a man.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 55:5] ונדעה אתם: במשכב זכר, כמו (פסוק ח) אשר לא ידעו איש:
6And Lot came out to them to the entrance, and he shut the door behind him. ווַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם ל֖וֹט הַפֶּ֑תְחָה וְהַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגַ֥ר אַֽחֲרָֽיו:
7And he said, "My brethren, please do not do evil. זוַיֹּאמַ֑ר אַל־נָ֥א אַחַ֖י תָּרֵֽעוּ:
8Behold now I have two daughters who were not intimate with a man. I will bring them out to you, and do to them as you see fit; only to these men do nothing, because they have come under the shadow of my roof." חהִנֵּה־נָ֨א לִ֜י שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־יָֽדְעוּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אוֹצִֽיאָה־נָּ֤א אֶתְהֶן֙ אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וַֽעֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ן כַּטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֠ק לָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵל֙ אַל־תַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ דָבָ֔ר כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן בָּ֖אוּ בְּצֵ֥ל קֹֽרָתִֽי:
these: Heb. הָאֵל, like הָאֵלֶּה. [from Targumim] האל: כמו האלה:
because they have come: Heb. כִּי עַל כֵּן. Do this favor in my honor, because they have come into the shade of my roof [lit. my beam]. The Targum renders: בִּטְלֵל שָׁרִיתִי, in the shade of my beam. The Targum of קוֹרָה, beam, is שָׁרוּתָא. כי על כן באו: כי הטובה הזאת תעשו לכבודי על אשר באו בצל קורתי, תרגום בטלל שרותי, תרגום של קורה שרותא:
9But they said, "Back away." And they said, "This one came to sojourn, and he is judging! Now, we will deal even worse with you than with them." And they pressed hard upon the man Lot, and they drew near to break the door. טוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ | גֶּשׁ־הָ֗לְאָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ הָֽאֶחָ֤ד בָּֽא־לָגוּר֙ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט שָׁפ֔וֹט עַתָּ֕ה נָרַ֥ע לְךָ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם וַיִּפְצְר֨וּ בָאִ֤ישׁ בְּלוֹט֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּגְּשׁ֖וּ לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר הַדָּֽלֶת:
But they said, “Back away.”: Heb. גֶּשׁ הָלְאָה, “Get yourself away over there”; i.e.,“Draw near to the sides and distance yourself from us.” And similarly every [instance of] הָלְאָה in Scripture is an expression of distancing, as in (Num. 17:2) “Scatter away (הָלְאָה)”; (I Sam. 20:22, 37) “Behold, the arrows are beyond you (וָהָלְאָה).” Thus, גֶּשׁ הָלְאָה, means “Back away,” in Old French: trete de nos, go away from us. This is a word of rebuke, as if to say. “We don’t care about you,” and similar to it is (Isa. 65:5) “Keep (קְרַב) to yourself; do not come near me”; and so (ibid. 49:20): “Move aside (גְּשָׁה) so that I may dwell,” meaning, “Draw aside for my sake so that I will dwell beside you.” [The Sodomites were saying as follows]: “You intercede for the wayfarers? How dare you?!” In response to what he said to them about his daughters, they said to him, “Go away,” a mild expression, but in response to what he said in defense of the wayfarers, they said, “This one has come to sojourn.” You are the only stranger among us, for you have come to sojourn here, “and he is judging,” [meaning] and you have become our chastiser!? ויאמרו גש הלאה: קרב להלאה, כלומר התקרב לצדדין והתרחק ממנו, וכן כל הלאה שבמקרא לשון רחוק, כמו (במדבר יז ב) זרה הלאה, (ש"א כ כב) הנה החצי ממך והלאה. גש הלאה המשך להלן, בלשון לע"ז טרי"י טי"י ד"י נו"ש [משוך את עצמך ממנו], ודבר נזיפה הוא לומר אין אנו חוששין לך, ודומה לו (ישעיה סה ה) קרב אליך אל תגש בי, וכן (ישעיה מט כ) גשה לי ואשבה, המשך לצדדין בעבורי ואשב אצלך. אתה מליץ על האורחין, איך מלאך לבך. על שאמר להם על הבנות, אמרו לו גש הלאה, לשון נחת, ועל שהיה מליץ על האורחים אמרו האחד בא לגור, אדם נכרי יחידי אתה בינינו שבאת לגור, וישפוט שפוט ונעשית מוכיח אותנו:
the door: Heb. הַדֶּלֶת. The door, which swings to lock and to open. הדלת: דלת הסובבת לנעול ולפתוח:
10And the men stretched forth their hands, and they brought Lot to them to the house, and they shut the door. יוַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם וַיָּבִ֧יאוּ אֶת־ל֛וֹט אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וְאֶת־הַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגָֽרוּ:
11And the men who were at the entrance of the house they struck with blindness, both small and great, and they toiled in vain to find the entrance. יאוְאֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֗יִת הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּלְא֖וּ לִמְצֹ֥א הַפָּֽתַח:
the entrance: That is the space through which they enter and exit. פתח: הוא החלל שבו נכנסין ויוצאין:
with blindness: Heb. בַּסַּנְוֵרִים, a plague of blindness. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 25] בסנורים: מכת עורון:
both small and great: (Gen. Rabbah 50:8) The young ones started to sin first, as it is said (above verse 4): “both young and old”; therefore, the punishment began with them. מקטן ועד גדול: הקטנים התחילו בעבירה תחלה, שנאמר (פסוק ד) מנער ועד זקן, לפיכך התחילה הפורענות מהם:
12And the men said to Lot, "Whom else do you have here? A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take out of the place. יבוַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֶל־ל֗וֹט עֹ֚ד מִֽי־לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה חָתָן֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ בָּעִ֑יר הוֹצֵ֖א מִן־הַמָּקֽוֹם:
Whom else do you have here?: The simple meaning of the verse is: Whom else do you have in this city besides your wife and your daughters who are at home? עוד מי לך פה: פשוטו של מקרא מי לך עוד בעיר הזאת חוץ מאשתך ובנותיך שבבית:
A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters: If you have a son-in-law or sons and daughters, take them out of this place. חתן ובניך ובנותיך: אם יש לך חתן או בנים ובנות הוצא מן המקום:
your sons: The sons of your married daughters. According to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 50:5) the interpretation of עֹד is: “Still, after they have committed such a disgraceful deed, do you still have an excuse to defend them?” For the whole night he [Lot] was speaking in their favor. This may be read עֹד מִי לְךָ פֶּה: Do you still have a mouth? (i.e., Do you still have anything to say to justify them?) ובניך: בני בנותיך הנשואות. ומדרש אגדה עוד מאחר שעושין נבלה כזאת מי לך פתחון פה ללמד סניגוריא עליהם, שכל הלילה היה מליץ עליהם טובות, קרי ביה מי לך פה:
13For we are destroying this place, because their cry has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it." יגכִּֽי־מַשְׁחִתִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּי־גָֽדְלָ֤ה צַֽעֲקָתָם֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֖ה לְשַֽׁחֲתָֽהּ:
14So Lot went forth and spoke to his sons-in-law, the suitors of his daughters, and he said, "Arise, go forth from this place, for the Lord is destroying the city," but he seemed like a comedian in the eyes of his sons-in-law. ידוַיֵּצֵ֨א ל֜וֹט וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | אֶל־חֲתָנָ֣יו | לֹֽקְחֵ֣י בְנֹתָ֗יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ ק֤וּמוּ צְּאוּ֙ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וַיְהִ֥י כִמְצַחֵ֖ק בְּעֵינֵ֥י חֲתָנָֽיו:
his sons-in-law: He had two married daughters in the city. חתניו: שתי בנות נשואות היו לו בעיר:
the suitors of his daughters: to whom those in the house were betrothed. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:9] לוקחי בנותיו: שאותן שבבית היו ארוסות להם:
15And as the dawn rose, the angels pressed Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you perish because of the iniquity of the city." טווּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה וַיָּאִ֥יצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים בְּל֣וֹט לֵאמֹ֑ר קוּם֩ קַ֨ח אֶת־אִשְׁתְּךָ֜ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ הַנִּמְצָאֹ֔ת פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶ֖ה בַּֽעֲוֹ֥ן הָעִֽיר:
pressed: Heb. וַיָאִיצוּ, as the Targum renders: “and they pressed” [meaning] “they rushed him.” ויאיצו: כתרגומו ודחיקו, מהרוהו:
who are here: who are ready at hand in the house for you to save them. There is also a midrashic explanation, but this is the proper way to explain the verse. הנמצאות: המזומנות לך בבית להצילם. ומדרש אגדה יש, וזה ישובו של מקרא:
perish: You will be destroyed. [The verse] “until all the generation expires” (Deut. 2:14) is rendered by Targum as,“until the entire generation perished.” תספה: תהיה כלה. (דברים ב יד) עד תום כל הדור, מתורגם עד דסף כל דרא:
16But he tarried, and the men took hold of his hand and his wife's hand, and the hand of his two daughters, out of the Lord's pity for him, and they took him out and placed him outside the city. טזוַיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ | וַיַּֽחֲזִ֨יקוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָ֣דוֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּֽצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר:
But he tarried: in order to save his possessions. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:11] ויתמהמה: כדי להציל את ממונו:
took hold: Heb. וַיַחִזִיקוּ [in the plural form] (Gen. Rabbah 50:11). One of them was an emissary to save him and his companion was to overturn Sodom; therefore, it is stated: “and he said: Flee…,” and it is not stated, “and they said.” ויחזיקו: אחד מהם היה שליח להצילו, וחבירו להפוך את סדום, לכך נאמר (פסוק יז) ויאמר המלט, ולא נאמר ויאמרו:
17And it came to pass, when they took them outside, that he said, "Flee for your life, do not look behind you, and do not stand in the entire plain. Flee to the mountain, lest you perish." יזוַיְהִי֩ כְהֽוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַֽחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַל־תַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה:
Flee for your life: Let it suffice for you to save lives. Do not worry about possessions. — [from Tosefta Sanh. 14:1] המלט על נפשך: דייך להציל נפשות, אל תחוס על הממון:
do not look behind you: You dealt wickedly together with them, but in Abraham’s merit you are saved. You do not deserve to see their punishment while you are being saved. — [from obscure midrashic source] אל תביט אחריך: אתה הרשעת עמהם, ובזכות אברהם אתה ניצול, אינך כדאי לראות בפורענותם ואתה ניצול:
in the entire plain: the plain of the Jordan. בכל הככר: ככר הירדן:
Flee to the mountain: Flee to Abraham, who dwells on the mountain, as it is said (above 12:8): “And he moved from there to the mountain.” And even now, he was dwelling there, as it is said (above 13:3): “until the place where his tent had previously been.” And although it says (ibid. verse 18): “And Abram pitched his tents, etc.,” he had many tents, and they extended until Hebron. ההרה המלט: אצל אברהם ברח, שהוא יושב בהר, שנאמר לעיל (יב ח) ויעתק משם ההרה. ואף עכשיו היה יושב שם, שנאמר (יג ג) אל המקום אשר היה שם אהלו בתחלה, ואף על פי שכתוב (שם יח) ויאהל אברם וגו', אהלים הרבה היו לו ונמשכו עד חברון:
Flee: Heb. הִמָּלֵט. An expression of slipping away, and so is every [instance of] הַמְלָטָה in Scripture, asmuzer in Old French, to escape, slip away. And so (Isa. 66:7): “She delivered (וְהִמְלִיטָה) a male child,” meaning that the fetus was released from the womb; (Ps. 124:7): “escaped (נִמְלְטָה) like a bird”; (Isa. 46:2): “they could not deliver (מַלֵּט) the burden,” i.e., to release the burden of the excrement in their orifices. המלט: לשון השמטה, וכן כל המלטה שבמקרא אישמוציי"ר [להינצל] בלע"ז וכן (ישעיה סו ז) והמליטה זכר, שנשמט העובר מן הרחם, (תהלים קכד ז) כצפור נמלטה, (ישעיה מו ב) ולא יכלו מלט משא, להשמיט משא הרעי שבנקביהם:
18And Lot said to them, "Please, do not, O Lord. יחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹט אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַל־נָ֖א אֲדֹנָֽי:
“Please do not, O Lord”: Our Sages said (Shev. 35b) that this name is holy (referring to God), because it is stated in its context (verse 19): “to sustain my soul,” referring to He Who has the power to cause to die and to cause to live. And the Targum [similarly] renders: Please now, my Lord. אל נא א-דני: רבותינו אמרו שם זה קדש, שנאמר בו להחיות את נפשי, מי שיש בידו להמית ולהחיות. ותרגומו בבעו כען ה':
Please, do not: Do not tell me to flee to the mountain. אל נא: אל נא תאמר אלי להמלט ההרה:
Please: Heb. נָא, an expression of request. נא: לשון בקשה:
19Behold now, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and You have increased Your kindness, which You have done with me, to sustain my soul. But I cannot flee to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I die. יטהִנֵּה־נָ֠א מָצָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֣ חֵן֘ בְּעֵינֶ֒יךָ֒ וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֨יתָ֙ עִמָּדִ֔י לְהַֽחֲי֖וֹת אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאָֽנֹכִ֗י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט הָהָ֔רָה פֶּן־תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי הָֽרָעָ֖ה וָמַֽתִּי:
lest the evil overtake me: When I was among the people of Sodom, the Holy One, blessed be He, saw my deeds and the deeds of the people of the city, and I appeared righteous and worthy of being saved. But when I shall come alongside a righteous man, I shall be considered a wicked man. And so did the woman of Zarephath say to Elijah (I Kings 17: 18): “Have you come to me to cause my sins to be remembered?” Before you came to me, the Holy One, blessed be He, would see my deeds and the deeds of my people, and I was a righteous woman among them, but since you have come to me, compared to your deeds, I am wicked. — [from Gen. Rabbah 50:11] פן תדבקני הרעה: כשהייתי אצל אנשי סדום היה הקב"ה רואה מעשי ומעשי בני העיר, והייתי נראה צדיק וכדאי להנצל, וכשאבא אצל צדיק אני כרשע. וכן אמרה הצרפית לאליהו (מ"א יז יח) כי באת אלי להזכיר את עוני, עד שלא באת אצלי היה הקב"ה רואה מעשי ומעשי עמי ואני צדקת ביניהם, ומשבאת אצלי לפי מעשיך אני רשעה:
20Behold now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small. Let me please flee there. Is it not small? And my soul will survive." כהִנֵּה־נָ֠א הָעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֧את קְרֹבָ֛ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וְהִ֣וא מִצְעָ֑ר אִמָּֽלְטָ֨ה נָ֜א שָׁ֗מָּה הֲלֹ֥א מִצְעָ֛ר הִ֖וא וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי:
this city is near: (Shab. ch. 1, 10b) Its settlement is near [in time], meaning that it was recently settled. Therefore, its measure is not yet full. And how recently was it settled? From the Generation of the Dispersion, when the people commenced to disperse, and they started to settle, each one in his place, and that took place in the year of Peleg’s death. And from then until now, there were 52 years, for Peleg died when Abraham was 48 years old. How so? Peleg lived after he had begotten Reu, 209 years (above 11:19). Subtract from them 32 [years] when Serug was born, and 30 years from [the birth of] Serug until Nahor was born, totaling 62 years. And from [the birth of] Nahor until Terah was born were 29 years, totaling 91 years. And from then until Abraham was born were 70 years, totaling 161 years. Add 48 years to them, and the total is 209 years, and that was the year of the Dispersion. (See above 10:25). When Sodom was destroyed, Abraham was 99 years old. Hence, from the Generation of the Dispersion until now were 52 years. The settlement of Zoar took place after the settlement of Sodom and its companions by one year. That is the meaning of“Let me please (נָא) flee there.” נָא has the numerical value of 51. העיר הזאת קרובה: קרובה ישיבתה נתיישבה מקרוב, לפיכך לא נתמלאה סאתה עדיין. ומה היא קריבתה, מדור הפלגה שנתפלגו האנשים והתחילו להתישב איש איש במקומו, והיא היתה בשנת מות פלג, ומשם ועד כאן חמשים ושתים שנה, שפלג מת בשנת ארבעים ושמונה לאברהם. כיצד, פלג חי (לעיל יא יט) אחרי הולידו את רעו מאתים ותשע שנה, צא מהם שלשים ושתים כשנולד שרוג, ומשרוג עד שנולד נחור שלשים, הרי ששים ושתים, ומנחור עד שנולד תרח עשרים ותשע, הרי תשעים ואחת, ומשם עד שנולד אברהם שבעים, הרי מאה ששים ואחת, תן להם ארבעים ושמונה הרי מאתים ותשע, ואותה שנה היתה שנת הפלגה, וכשנחרבה סדום היה אברהם בן תשעים ותשע שנה, הרי מדור הפלגה עד כאן חמשים ושתים שנה, וצוער איחרה ישיבתה אחרי ישיבת סדום וחברותיה שנה אחת, הוא שנאמר אמלטה נא, נא בגימטריא חמשים ואחת:
Is it not small?: Are not its iniquities few? Therefore, you can leave it alone. הלא מצער היא: והלא עונותיה מועטין, ויכול אתה להניחה:
And my soul will survive: therein. This is its midrashic interpretation. But the simple meaning is [as follows]: It is a small city with a small population. You do not have to care if you spare it and my soul survives therein. — [from Targum Onkelos] ותחי נפשי: בה, זה מדרשו. ופשוטו של מקרא הלא עיר קטנה היא, ואנשים בה מעט, אין לך להקפיד אם תניחנה ותחי נפשי בה:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 72-76
• Chapter 72
David composed this psalm for Solomon, praying that he be granted the wisdom to provide justice for the poor.
1. For Solomon. O God, impart Your justice to the king, and Your righteousness to the son of the king.
2. May he judge Your people with righteousness, Your poor with justice.
3. May the mountains bear peace to the nation, also the hills, in [reward for their] righteousness.
4. May he judge the nation's poor, save the children of the destitute, and crush the oppressor,
5. so that they will fear You as long as the sun [shines] and the moon endures, generation after generation.
6. May [his words] descend like rain upon cut grass, like raindrops that water the earth.
7. In his days may the righteous flourish, with much peace until the moon is no more.
8. And may he rule from sea to sea, and from the river until the ends of the earth.
9. May nobles kneel before him, and may his enemies lick the dust.
10. The kings of Tarshish and the islands will return tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts.
11. All kings will bow to him, all nations will serve him;
12. for he rescues the needy one who cries out, the poor one who has no one to help him.
13. He pities the impoverished and needy, and saves the souls of the destitute.
14. He redeems their soul from deception and violence, and their blood is precious in his eyes.
15. He revives [the poor], and gives him of the gold of Sheba; and so [the poor] pray for him always, and bless him all day.
16. May there be abundant grain in the land, upon the mountaintops; may its fruit rustle like the [cedars of] Lebanon, and may [people] blossom from the city like the grass of the earth.
17. May his name endure forever; may his name be magnified as long as the sun [shines]. And all nations will bless themselves by him, they will praise him.
18. Blessed is the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone performs wonders.
19. Blessed is His glorious Name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with His glory, Amen and Amen.
20. The prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded
FOOTNOTES
1.David composed this psalm at the end of his lifetime.
Chapter 73
This psalm addresses the question of why the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper, and prays for an end to our long exile. Read, and you will find repose for your soul.
1. A psalm by Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to the pure of heart.
2. But as for me, my feet nearly strayed; in an instant my steps would have been swept aside.
3. For I envied the revelers when I saw the tranquility of the wicked.
4. For there are no bonds1 to their death, and their health is sound.
5. They have no part in the toil of men, nor are they afflicted like other mortals;
6. therefore they wear pride as a necklace; their bodies are enwrapped in violence.
7. Their eyes bulge from fat; they surpassed the fantasies of their heart.
8. They consume [others], and talk wickedly of oppression-from on high do they speak.
9. They set their mouths against Heaven, while their tongues walk upon the earth.
10. Therefore His people return here,2 and suck the full [cup of bitter] waters.
11. And they say, "How can it be that God knows? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12. Behold these are the wicked, and they are ever tranquil, they have gained much wealth.
13. Surely in vain have I purified my heart, and washed my hands in cleanliness;
14. for I was afflicted all day, and my rebuke came each morning.
15. Were I to say, "I shall tell it like it is," behold I would turn the generation of Your children to rebels.
16. And when I pondered to understand this, it was unjust in my eyes;
17. until I came to the sanctuaries of God, and perceived their end.
18. Only on slippery places do You set them, You cast them into darkness.
19. How they have become desolate in an instant! They came to an end, they were consumed by terrors,
20. like a dream upon awakening. O my Lord, disgrace their image in the city.
21. When my heart was in ferment, and my mind was sharpened,
22. I was a boor and did not understand, like an animal was I with You.
23. Yet I was always with You; You held my right hand.
24. Guide me with Your counsel, and afterward, receive me with honor.
25. Whom do I have in heaven [besides You]? And when I am with You I desire nothing on earth.
26. My flesh and my heart yearn; God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.
27. For behold, all those who are far from You perish, You cut down all who stray from You.
28. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have put my trust in my Lord, God, that I may recount all Your works.
FOOTNOTES
1.Their death is not protracted by illness and misery(Radak).
2.To the way of the wicked (Rashi).
Chapter 74
The psalmist mourns and weeps over all the synagogues and study halls that have been burned: the Philistines destroyed the Tabernacle of Shiloh; Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first Temple. We have been in exile for so long, without seeing any signs of redemption! When will the redemption come? Read, and you will find lamentation and consolation.
1. A maskil1 by Asaph. Why, O God, have You abandoned us forever, does Your wrath fume against the sheep of Your pasture?
2. Remember Your congregation which You acquired long ago, the tribe of Your inheritance whom You redeemed [and brought to] Mount Zion, where You rested Your Presence.
3. Lift Your steps to inflict eternal ruin, because of all the evil done by the enemy in the Sanctuary.
4. Your foes roared in the midst of Your meeting place; they considered their omens to be [genuine] signs.
5. The axes in the thicket of trees2 were reckoned as bringing [an offering] to the Above.
6. And now, all her ornaments together are smashed by hammer and hatchet.
7. They set Your Sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the Abode of Your Name to the ground.
8. Their rulers thought together in their hearts; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9. We have not seen our signs; there is no longer a prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
10. How long, O God, will the adversary disgrace, will the enemy blaspheme Your Name forever!
11. Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Cast it out from within Your bosom!
12. For God is my King from long ago, working salvations in the midst of the earth.
13. In Your might, You divided the sea; You shattered the heads of the sea-monsters on the waters.
14. You crushed the heads of the Leviathan,3 leaving him as food for the nation [wandering in] the wilderness.
15. You split [the rock, bringing forth] fountain and brook; You dried up mighty streams.
16. Yours is the day, the night is also Yours; You established the moon and the sun.
17. You set all the boundaries of the earth; summer and winter-You created them.
18. Remember this, how the enemy reviled the Lord, and the vile nation blasphemed Your Name.
19. Do not give the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast; do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20. Look to the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are filled with dens of violence.
21. Do not turn back the oppressed in disgrace; [then] the poor and needy will praise Your Name.
22. Arise, O God, champion Your cause; remember Your insults from the perverse all day long.
23. Forget not the voice of Your adversaries; the tumult of Your opponents ascends always.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
2.Chopping wood for the construction of the Temple (Metzudot).
3.Pharaoh and his chieftains
Chapter 75
How great is Israel! During their holidays they do not engage in frivolity, but in song and praise, and the study of the holiday's laws. Also, when they proclaimed (at the giving of the Torah), "We will do and we will hear!" they allowed the world to remain in existence. This psalm also admonishes those who indulge in worldly pleasures and attribute their prosperity to their own efforts.
1. For the Conductor, a plea not to be destroyed. A psalm by Asaph, a song.
2. We gave thanks to You, O God, we gave thanks; and Your Name was near [when] they1 told of Your wonders.
3. When I choose the appointed time, I will judge with fairness.
4. When the earth and all its inhabitants were melting, I established its pillars forever.
5. I said to the perverse, "Do not pervert [Israel]," and to the wicked, "Do not raise your pride.”
6. Do not raise your pride heavenward, nor speak with an arrogant neck
7. For not from the east or the west, nor from the desert does greatness come.
8. For God is Judge; He humbles one, and elevates the other.
9. For there is a cup [of punishment] in the hand of the Lord, with strong wine of full mixture; He pours from this, and all the wicked of the earth will drink, draining even its dregs.
10. But as for me, I will tell of it forever; I will sing to the God of Jacob.
11. I will cut off all glory of the wicked, but the glory of the righteous will be raised up.
FOOTNOTES
1.Our ancestors.
Chapter 76
This psalm contains the prophecy of when the vast army of Sennacherib was seized with a deep slumber that rendered the hands of the soldiers powerless to raise their weapons; thus did they all fall in battle.
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a psalm by Asaph, a song.
2. God is known in Judah, His Name is great in Israel.
3. His Tabernacle was in Shalem,1 and His dwelling place in Zion.
4. There He broke the flying arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword and battle-forever.
5. You are illumination, mightier than the mountains of prey.
6. The stout-hearted were without sense, they slept their sleep, and all the warriors were unable to find their strength.
7. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, chariot and horse were stunned.
8. You, awesome are You! Who can stand before You once You are enraged.
9. From heaven You let the verdict be heard; the earth feared and was still,
10. when God rose to pass judgement, to save all the humble of the earth forever.
11. The anger of man will cause us to thank You;2 You will restrain the residue of wrath.
12. Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; all who surround Him will bring tribute to the Awesome One.
13. He cuts down the spirit of nobles; He is awesome to the kings of the earth.
FOOTNOTES
1.Jerusalem.
2.When the wicked are punished for being angry with Israel, Israel acknowledges God (Metzudot).
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 27
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 November 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 27
• והנה, בהיות הצדיק חי על פני האדמה, היו שלש מדות אלו בתוך כלי ולבוש שלהם
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 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 5
Prayer
"And you shall serve the L-rd, your G-d"—Exodus 23:25.
We are commanded countless times throughout the Torah to serve G-d. Although this is a general commandment, it does contain a very specific application: prayer, service of the heart as expressed through the mouth.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 November 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 27
• והנה, בהיות הצדיק חי על פני האדמה, היו שלש מדות אלו בתוך כלי ולבוש שלהם
Now, while the tzaddik was alive on earth, these three attributes were contained in their vessel and garment
בבחינת מקום גשמי, שהיא בחינת נפש הקשורה בגופו
on the plane of physical space, this being the aspect of the Nefesh which is bound to his body.
וכל תלמידיו אינם מקבלים רק הארת מדות אלו, וזיון
During his lifetime his disciples all receive only a reflection of these attributes, and a ray from them
המאיר חוץ לכלי זה, על ידי דבוריו ומחשבותיו הקדושים
that radiates beyond this vessel (i.e., the tzaddik’s body) by means of his holy utterances and thoughts.
The tzaddik’s utterances and thoughts are able to reveal no more than a minor ray of his attributes.
ולכן אמרו רז״ל, שאין אדם עומד על דעת רבו וכו׳
That is why our Sages, of blessed memory, said1 that “one cannot plumb the depth of his master’s teachings [until the passage of forty years].”
אבל לאחר פטירתו, לפי שמתפרדים בחינת הנפש שנשארה בקבר מבחינת הרוח שבגן עדן, שהן שלש מדות הללו
But after [the tzaddik’s] passing, since the Nefesh — which remains in the grave — is separated from the Ruach, which comprises these three attributes and [after his passing] is in the Garden of Eden,
The three attributes, now unbounded by the body, are in the Garden of Eden, a spiritual space whose atmosphere surrounds every individual in this world, as the Alter Rebbe will presently explain.
לפיכך יכול כל הקרוב אליו לקבל חלק מבחינת רוחו שבגן עדן
whoever is close to him can receive a part of his Ruach which is in the Garden of Eden, i.e., an actual part of the very essence of these attributes, as opposed to a mere reflection of them,
הואיל ואינה בתוך כלי, ולא בבחינת מקום גשמי
because [the Ruach of the tzaddik] is [now] not within a vessel, nor on the plane of physical space, but in the Garden of Eden, which as will now be explained, is to be found within this world as well.
כנודע מאמר רז״ל על יעקב אבינו, עליו השלום, שנכנס עמו גן עדן
For, as is known, our Sages,2 of blessed memory, said of our father Jacob, peace be to him, that “the Garden of Eden entered with him” when he came to be blessed by his father Isaac.
וכן כתוב בספר עשרה מאמרות, שאויר גן עדן מתפשט סביב כל אדם
Likewise it is stated in Asarah Maamarot3 that the atmosphere of the Garden of Eden envelops every individual,
ונרשמים באויר זה, כל מחשבותיו ודבוריו הטובים בתורה ועבודת ה׳
and in this atmosphere are recorded all his good thoughts and utterances of Torah and divine worship;
(וכן להיפך, חס ושלום, נרשמים באויר המתפשט מגיהנם סביב כל אדם)
(4and likewise to the contrary, heaven forfend: [negative thoughts and utterances] are recorded in the atmosphere from Gehenna which envelops every individual [when he engages in them].
To summarize: After the tzaddik’s passing, his power and his faith, his awe and his love, are not limited by his bodily vessel and by the physical world in general, but are in the Garden of Eden, which is to be found in this world as well.
הלכך נקל מאד לתלמידיו לקבל חלקם מבחינת רוח רבם העצמיות, שהם אמונתו ויראתו ואהבתו אשר עבד בהם את ה׳
It is therefore very easy for his disciples to receive their part of the essential aspects of their master’s Ruach, i.e., his faith, his awe and his love with which he served G‑d,
ולא זיוום בלבד המאיר חוץ לכלי
and not merely a glimmer thereof which radiates beyond the vessel, and which reached them through his thoughts and words when the tzaddik was still alive.
לפי שבחינת רוחו העצמית מתעלה, בעילוי אחר עילוי
For the essential aspect of his Ruach — his essential faith, awe and love that relate to himself and not to his disciples — is raised, elevation beyond elevation,
להכלל בבחינת נשמתו שבגן עדן העליון, שבעולמות העליונים
to become absorbed in his Neshamah which is in the Higher Garden of Eden, in the supreme worlds.
ונודע שכל דבר שבקדושה אינו נעקר לגמרי מכל וכל ממקומו ומדרגתו הראשונה, וגם לאחר שנתעלה למעלה למעלה
Now it is known5 that no holy entity is ever totally and utterly uprooted from its original place and level, even after it has reached the highest point.
Rather, some trace of it always remains in its original lowly location. Moreover, as noted above, the Lower Garden of Eden is to be found even in the lowly World of Asiyah.
ובחינה זו הראשונה, שנשארה למטה בגן עדן התחתון, במקומו ומדרגתו הראשונה
Thus it is this original aspect deriving from the Ruach of the tzaddik, remaining below in the Lower Garden of Eden in its original place and level,
היא המתפשטת בתלמידיו
which extends itself among his disciples,
For this aspect has detached itself from the essential aspect of the Ruach of the tzaddik; its entire purpose is to be vested within his disciples.
כל אחד לפי בחינת התקשרותו וקרבתו אליו, בחייו ובמותו, באהבה רבה
each one according to the level of his bond and closeness to [the tzaddik], during his lifetime and after his passing, out of an abounding love.
כי המשכת כל רוחניות אינה אלא על ידי אהבה רבה
For anything spiritual is elicited only by means of an abounding love.
And when this degree of love is present, the three attributes of faith, fear and love are then drawn down.
כמו שכתוב בזהר הקדוש, דרוח דרעותא דלבא אמשיך רוח מלעילא
Thus it is stated in the sacred Zohar6 that the spirit (Ruach) of the inner heart’s desire, elicits a spirit from above —
So, too, the disciple’s heartfelt love for his master draws down these three attributes —
רק אם יכון לקראת אלקיו, בהכנה רבה ויגיעה עצומה
but only if he will prepare himself towards his G‑d7 with a great preparation and intense effort,
As explained by an unnamed elder chassid quoted in Likkutei Haggahot, “great preparation” refers to the preparation of the soul; “intense effort” refers to the toil of the body.
לקבל שלש מדות הללו כדרך שהורהו רבו, וכמאמר רז״ל: יגעת ומצאת, תאמין
so that he will receive these attributes in the way that his master taught him. [To paraphrase] the words of our Sages, of blessed memory,8 “If you have labored and [claim to have] found, believe it.”
As explained by the Rebbe Rayatz,9 “Only if he will prepare himself towards his G‑d with a great preparation and intense effort,” means that every man’s task is to vest this faith, awe and love within his physical everyday life in his observance of Torah and mitzvot.
It would also seem from the continuation of his explanation, that the meaning of “If you have labored..., believe it,” is that the individual then gains a great deal more than what he actually labored for, very much like an unexpected find. Through his toil, “successive generations of offshoots” are bound up with their source within the “essential aspect of [the master’s] Ruach(i.e., his essential faith, awe and love that relate to himself and not to his disciples) [which] is raised, elevation beyond elevation, to become absorbed in his Neshamah which is in the Higher Garden of Eden, in the supreme worlds.” The disciples of the tzaddik thus benefit not only from his Ruach insofar as it remained in the Lower Garden of Eden, but also from his essential Ruach that was incorporated within his Neshamah that is found in the Higher Garden of Eden. Surely, this is a gain that far outstrips the individual’s effort. This level of energy, as the Rebbe Rayatz concludes, is not integrated internally within his disciples, but merely encompasses them in a transcendent manner. Nevertheless, it is so powerful that it enables even their “successive generations of offshoots” to produce unending generations of further offshoots.
The Rebbe Rayatz also states there that by toiling in the path that was handed down by their master, disciples cause his spiritual life of faith, awe and love to descend into the practicalities of their own divine service, Torah study and observance of the mitzvot. Through these labors, moreover, even the further disciples who are his “successive generations of offshoots” become connected with their source in the constantly ascending Ruach and Neshamah of the tzaddik who is in the Higher Garden of Eden.
* * *
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Avodah Zarah 5b; Rashi on Devarim 29:6. |
| 2. | Bereishit Rabbah 65:22; Zohar III, 84a. |
| 3. | Maamar Chikur Din 2:12. |
| 4. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
| 5. | Pardes, Shaar 14, sec. 1; Etz Chayim, Shaar 34, sec. 3; et al. |
| 6. | Cf. Zohar II, 162b, et al. |
| 7. | Cf. Amos 4:12. |
| 8. | Cf. Megillah 6b. |
| 9. | The maamar entitled Pizar Natan LaEvyonim 5692. |
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 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 5
Prayer
"And you shall serve the L-rd, your G-d"—Exodus 23:25.
We are commanded countless times throughout the Torah to serve G-d. Although this is a general commandment, it does contain a very specific application: prayer, service of the heart as expressed through the mouth.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Prayer
Positive Commandment 5
Translated by Berel Bell
The 5th mitzvah is that we are commanded to serve G‑d (blessed be He). This commandment is repeated many times: And you shall serve G‑d, your L‑rd";1 "And you shall serve Him";2 "And to serve Him."3
Although this commandment is of a general nature,4 as explained in the Fourth Principle,5 [and apparently should not be included in the count of the 613 mitzvos,] nevertheless it has a specific quality, since it is the commandment to pray.
[We see that "service" is not just a general command from the following statements:] The Sifri6 says, "The verse, 'And to serve Him' means prayer." The Sages also said, "The verse, 'And to serve Him' means Torah study.
In the Mishnah of Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yosi HaG'lili,7 the Sages said, "What is the biblical source to include prayer among the mitzvos? From the verse, 'You shall fear G‑d, your L‑rd, and you shall serve Him.' "8
They also said,9 "Serve Him through His Torah; serve Him in His Temple." This [statement, 'serve Him in His Temple,'] means that one's goal should be to pray in the Temple or in the direction of the Temple, as King Solomon explained.10
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 23:25.
2.Deut. 13:5. Some versions of Sefer Hamitzvos include here Deut. 6:13, "And you shall serve Him."
3.Deut. 11:13.
4.I.e. "serving" G‑d includes performance of all the mitzvos, rather than a specific act.
5.In the Introductory section of Sefer Hamitzvos. This Principle states that a mitzvah must be of a specific nature in order to be counted among the 613 mitzvos.
6.Deut 11:13.
7.Also quoted in Migdal Oz, beginning of Hilchos Tefilah.
8.Deut. 10:20.
9.Sifri Medrash Tenaim.
10.Kings I, 8:23,35. Chronicles II, 6:32.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 17
• Kelim - Chapter 17
• Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Eight
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Friday, Cheshvan 14, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: Now, while the (p. 567) ...found - believe it." (p. 569).
"From G-d are man's steps established."1 Every one of Israel has a spiritual mission in life - which is to occupy himself with the work of construction, to make a "dwelling-place" for G-d. Every one, regardless of his station or location, must, through an exhaustive search, seek out a spiritual livelihood with all the intensity of his strength, just as he seeks a material livelihood.
This is so because, (as the above verse concludes) "he desires His (G-d's) way."2 As it is written of Avraham: "For I know and love him because etc. and they will keep the way of Havayeh."3 There are two "ways": The way of nature and the way that transcends nature. G-d created the universe in such a way that, in man's eyes, it appears to follow a set pattern of nature; this is the "way" of Elokim.4 Torah and Mitzvot are the "way" of Havayeh, drawing that which transcends nature into nature. By virtue of this (conduct of Israel) G-d endows Israel from that which is beyond nature into the natural.
FOOTNOTES
1.Tehillim 37:23.
2.The simple meaning of the phrase is that G-d desires man's way.
3.Bereishit 18:19.
4.See Tishrei 3 and footnotes.
• Daily Thought:
Faith in the Dark
Do you believe only when you can see with your eyes? When your prayers are answered and miracles carry you on their wings?
Or do you also believe when circumstances fly in the face of all you believe to be true?
If it touches you to the core, if it is a belief you truly own, if it is as real to you as life itself, then it cannot change.
And if it does not change, then you are bound up with the true essence of G‑d, a G‑d who does not change, and whose belief in you never ends.
-------
Positive Commandment 5
Translated by Berel Bell
The 5th mitzvah is that we are commanded to serve G‑d (blessed be He). This commandment is repeated many times: And you shall serve G‑d, your L‑rd";1 "And you shall serve Him";2 "And to serve Him."3
Although this commandment is of a general nature,4 as explained in the Fourth Principle,5 [and apparently should not be included in the count of the 613 mitzvos,] nevertheless it has a specific quality, since it is the commandment to pray.
[We see that "service" is not just a general command from the following statements:] The Sifri6 says, "The verse, 'And to serve Him' means prayer." The Sages also said, "The verse, 'And to serve Him' means Torah study.
In the Mishnah of Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yosi HaG'lili,7 the Sages said, "What is the biblical source to include prayer among the mitzvos? From the verse, 'You shall fear G‑d, your L‑rd, and you shall serve Him.' "8
They also said,9 "Serve Him through His Torah; serve Him in His Temple." This [statement, 'serve Him in His Temple,'] means that one's goal should be to pray in the Temple or in the direction of the Temple, as King Solomon explained.10
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 23:25.
2.Deut. 13:5. Some versions of Sefer Hamitzvos include here Deut. 6:13, "And you shall serve Him."
3.Deut. 11:13.
4.I.e. "serving" G‑d includes performance of all the mitzvos, rather than a specific act.
5.In the Introductory section of Sefer Hamitzvos. This Principle states that a mitzvah must be of a specific nature in order to be counted among the 613 mitzvos.
6.Deut 11:13.
7.Also quoted in Migdal Oz, beginning of Hilchos Tefilah.
8.Deut. 10:20.
9.Sifri Medrash Tenaim.
10.Kings I, 8:23,35. Chronicles II, 6:32.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 17
• Kelim - Chapter 17
1
All accessories of keilim are considered as the k'li itself. If the k'li contracts impurity, an accessory that is required to enable it to be used also contracts impurity. If the accessory is not required to enable it to be used, it is pure, as will be explained. Therefore when a stone protrudes a handbreadth from an oven or three fingerbreadths from a range with a place for two pots, it is considered as connected. Hence, if the oven or the range contract impurity, these stones also do. If foods or liquids touch these stones, they contract impurity. If they touch a place that is beyond a handbreadth from an oven or beyond three fingerbreadths from a range, they are pure.
א
כל ידות הכלים הרי הן ככלים ואם נטמא הכלי נטמאה ידו הצריך לה בתשמישו ושאין צריך לה טהור כמו שיתבאר לפיכך האבן היוצאת מן התנור טפח ומן הכירה שלש אצבעות חיבור ואם נטמא התנור והכירה נטמאו אבנים אלו ואוכלין ומשקין הנוגעין באבנים אלו נטמאו ואם נגעו בחוץ לטפח של תנור או בחוץ לשלש אצבעות של כירה טהורין:
2
When a range with a place for one pot was made for baking, the measure is the same as that of an oven. If it was made for cooking, the measure is the same as that of a range.
ב
הכופח עשאהו לאפייה שיעורו כתנור עשאהו לבישול שיעורו ככירה:
3
With regard to the extra layer of earth placed on top of an oven: that of homeowners is pure; that of bakers is susceptible to impurity like the oven is, because it is used as support for a spit. A similar law: an addition built around a pot used by those who cook olives is impure. One used by dyers is pure.
ג
מוסף התנור של בעלי בתים טהור ושל נחתומין טמא בטומאת התנור מפני שסומך עליו את השפוד כיוצא בו מוסף יורה של שולקי זיתים טמא ושל צבעים טהור:
4
The "crown" of a range is pure. The following laws apply to the tira of an oven, i.e., a place built at the side of an oven where a loaf is placed when it is removed from the oven. If it is four handbreadths high, it contracts impurity together with the oven. If it is less than four handbreadths high, it is pure, because it is not connected to the oven. If it was connected to the oven, even on three stones, it can contract impurity.
ד
עטרת הכירה טהורה וטירת התנור והוא המקום הבנוי בצידו שמניחין בו את הפת בעת רדייתה בזמן שהיא גבוהה ארבעה טפחים טמאה בטומאת התנור פחות מארבעה טפחים טהור לפי שאינה חיבור לו ואם חיברה לתנור אפילו על שלש אבנים טמאה:
5
The following laws apply to a place at the side of a range for a cruse of oil to be stored, for spices to be stored, or for a lamp to be placed. If the range contracted impurity by contact with a source of impurity, all of the above also contract impurity. If the range contracts impurity due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space, they do not contract impurity, because they are considered as joined to the range only by Rabbinic decree. Therefore our Sages made a distinction in this regard, so that terumah and sacrificial food that come in contact with it should not be burnt.
Similarly, any object concerning which it is stated that it contracts impurity through contact with a source of impurity, but it does not contract impurity due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space is considered as connected to an object that is fully susceptible to ritual impurity only according to Rabbinic Law. A distinction was made in its regard so that consecrated foods should not be burnt because of it, but instead, they should be held in abeyance.
ה
בית הפך ובית התבלין ובית הנר שבכירה אם נטמאת הכירה במגע נטמאו כולן ואם נטמאת באויר לא נטמאו לפי שאינן חיבור לה אלא מדברי סופרים ולפיכך עשו לה היכר כדי שלא ישרפו על מגען תרומה וקדשים וכן כל שאנו אומרין בעניין זה שהוא מתטמא במגע ואינו מתטמא באויר אינו חיבור אלא מדבריהם ועשו לו היכר זה כדי שלא ישרפו עליו קדשים אלא תולין:
6
The open space in front of a range is considered as joined to the range when it is elevated three fingerbreadths above the ground. If either the range or its open space contracts impurity either due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space or through contact with a source of impurity, the other entity also contracts impurity.
If the open space was lower than that and one contracted impurity through contact with a source of impurity, the other entity also contracts impurity. If, however, one contracts impurity only due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space, the other entity is not impure. The rationale is that it is only considered as connected according to Rabbinic decree.
When the open space in front of a range was separate from it, when it is three fingerbreadths high, it is considered as joined to the range, both with regard to impurity stemming from contact with a source of impurity or the impurity that arises due to the presence of impurity in its inner space. If it was lower than this or the open space was flat and did not have a border, it is not considered as joined to the range. If the range contracts impurity - whether due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space or through contact with a source of impurity - the open space is pure. Conversely, if the open space contracts impurity, the range is pure.
ו
חצר הכירה בזמן שהיא גבוהה שלש אצבעות ה"ז חיבור ואם נטמאת הכירה או חצרה בין באויר בין במגע נטמא השנייה היתה החצר פחותה מכאן ונטמאת אחת מהן במגע נטמאת השנייה אבל אם נטמאת אחת מהן מאוירה בלבד אין חבירתה טמאה לפי שאינה חיבור לה אלא מדבריהם היתה חצר הכירה מופרשת ממנה בזמן שהיא גבוהה שלש אצבעות הרי זו חיבור לה בין לטומאת מגע בין לטומאת אויר היתה פחות מכאן או שהיתה החצר חלקה ואין לה שפה אין חיבור לה ואם נטמאת הכירה בין מאוירה בין במגע החצר טהורה וכן אם נטמאת החצר הכירה טהורה:
7
The following laws apply with regard to trivets on which a pot is placed on a range. If each of them was three fingerbreadths high or less, if the range contracts impurity - whether through contact with a source of impurity or due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space - all three contract impurity. Similar laws apply if there are four protrusions on which a pot is placed.
If one of the protrusions of the trivet is removed, a slight leniency is granted. If the range contracts impurity from contact with a source of impurity, the two remaining protrusions also contract impurity. But if the range contracts impurity due to the presence of impurity in its inner space, the protrusions do not contract impurity.
If at the outset only two protrusions - one opposite the other - were made to support a pot on a range, similar laws apply. If the range contracts impurity from contact with a source of impurity, the protrusions also contract impurity. But if the range contracts impurity due to the presence of impurity in its inner space, the protrusions do not contract impurity.
When the trivet was more than three fingerbreadths high, the portions that are three fingerbreadths high and lower contract impurity together with the range whether through contact with a source of impurity or due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space. The portions higher than three fingerbreadths contract impurity together with the range if it contracts impurity through contact with a source of impurity. If, however, it contracts impurity due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space, it does not contract impurity with it.
If the protrusions are removed from the rim of the range, when they are located within three fingerbreadths of the rim, they contract impurity together with the range whether through contact with a source of impurity or due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space. When they are located beyond three fingerbreadths from the rim, they contract impurity together with the range if it contracts impurity through contact with a source of impurity. If, however, it contracts impurity due to the presence of a source of impurity in its inner space, the protrusions do not contract impurity with it.
We are not extremely meticulous with regard to these measurments, for they are all of Rabbinic origin.
ז
פטפוטי כירה שלשה היה גובה כל אחד מהן שלש אצבעות או פחות אם נטמאת הכירה בין במגע בין באויר נטמאו שלשתן וכן אם היו ארבעה ניטל אחד מהן אם נטמאת הכירה במגע נטמאו שני הפטפוטים שנשארו ואם נטמאת באויר לא נטמאו עמה עשה לה שני הפטפוטים זה כנגד זה אם נטמאת הכירה במגע נטמאו ואם נטמאת באויר לא נטמאו היו הפטפוטים גבוהין משלש אצבעות ולמטה מתטמאין עמה בין שנטמאת במגע בין שנטמאת באויר ומשלש ולמעלה מתטמאין עמה אם נטמאת במגע אבל אם נטמאת מאוירה בלבד אין מתטמאין עמה היו משוכין מן השפה בתוך שלש אצבעות מתטמאין עמה בין שנטמאת במגע בין שנטמאת באויר היו חוץ לשלש אצבעות מתטמאין עמה אם נטמאת במגע ואם נטמאת באויר בלבד אין מתטמאין עמה ואין מדקדקין בכל השיעורין האלו שכולן הן מדברי סופרים:
• Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Eight
1
Communal prayer is always heard. Even when there are transgressors among [the congregation], the Holy One, blessed be He, does not reject the prayers of the many. Therefore, a person should include himself in the community and should not pray alone whenever he is able to pray with the community.
One should always spend the early morning and evening [hours] in the synagogue, for prayer will not be heard at all times except [when recited] in the synagogue.
Anyone who has a synagogue in his city and does not pray [together] with the congregation in it is called a bad neighbor.
א
תפלת הציבור נשמעת תמיד ואפילו היו בהן חוטאים אין הקב"ה מואס בתפלתן של רבים לפיכך צריך אדם לשתף עצמו עם הציבור ולא יתפלל ביחיד כל זמן שיכול להתפלל עם הציבור ולעולם ישכים אדם ויעריב לבית הכנסת שאין תפלתו נשמעת בכל עת אלא בבית הכנסת וכל מי שיש לו בית הכנסת בעירו ואינו מתפלל בו עם הציבור נקרא שכן רע:
2
It is a mitzvah to run to the synagogue as [Hoshea 6:3] states: "Let us know. Let us run to know God." A person should not take long steps when he leaves the synagogue. Instead, he should proceed [slowly,] step by step.
When one enters a synagogue, he should go in the distance of two doorways and then pray, [in order] to fulfill [the instructions of Proverbs 8:34] which states: "to guard the posts of My doors."
ב
ומצוה לרוץ לבית הכנסת שנאמר ונדעה נרדפה לדעת את יי' וכשיצא מבית הכנסת אל יפסיע פסיעה גסה אלא ילך מעט מעט וכשיכנס בבית הכנסת יכנס שיעור שני פתחים ואח"כ יתפלל לקיים מה שנאמר לשמור מזוזות פתחי:
3
A study hall is greater than a synagogue. Even though [some of the] great Sages [lived in] cities where many synagogues were located, they would pray only in the place where they studied Torah.
The above applies, [however, only] when one can participate in communal prayer there.
ג
בית המדרש גדול מבית הכנסת וחכמים גדולים אע"פשהיו להם בעירם בתי כנסיות הרבה לא היו מתפללין אלא במקום שהיו עוסקין שם בתורה והוא שיתפלל שם תפלת הציבור:
4
What is implied by [the term,] communal prayer? One [person] prays aloud and all [the others] listen. This should not be done with fewer than ten adult free males. The leader of the congregation is [counted as] one of them.
Even if some of them have already prayed and fulfilled their obligation, they can complete the [quorum of] ten provided the majority of the ten have not prayed.
Similarly, we should not recite Kedushah, read the Torah with its blessings before and after it, or read the haftorah from the Prophets except in [a quorum of] ten.
ד
וכיצד היא תפלת הציבור יהיה אחד מתפלל בקול רם והכל שומעים ואין עושין כן בפחות מעשרה גדולים ובני חורין ושליח ציבור אחד מהם ואפילו היו מקצתן שכבר התפללו ויצאו ידי חובתן משלימין להם לעשרה והוא שיהיו רוב העשרה שלא התפללו וכן אין אומרים קדושה ולא קוראין בתורה ומברכין לפניה ולאחריה ולא מפטירין בנביאים אלא בעשרה:
5
Similarly, one [person] should not recite the blessings associated with the Shema while the others listen and answer "Amen" except [in the presence of a quorum of] ten. This is called poreis al Shema.
One only recites Kaddish with ten. The priests do not bless the people except [in the presence of a quorum of] ten. The priests [themselves] may be considered part of the quorum.
[Ten are required] because every [group of] ten Jews is called a congregation as [implied by Numbers 14:27]: "How long [must I suffer] this evil congregation." They were ten, for Joshua and Calev were not included [among them].
ה
וכן לא יהיה אחד מברך ברכת שמע והכל שומעים ועונין אחריו אמן אלא בעשרה וזה הוא הנקרא פורס על שמע ואין אומרים קדיש אלא בעשרה ואין הכהנים נושאים ידיהם אלא בעשרה והכהנים מן המנין שכל עשרה מישראל הם הנקראים עדה שנאמר עד מתי לעדה הרעה הזאת וגו' והיו עשרה שהרי יצאו יהושע וכלב:
6
Any holy matter may only [be performed] in a congregation of Jews, as [Leviticus 22:32] states: "And I shall be sanctified among the children of Israel".
Regarding all these matters, if they were begun with ten [people] and some leave - even though they are not permitted to - the remainder should conclude [the holy matter].
ו
וכל דבר קדושה לא יהא אלא בתוך העדה מישראל שנאמר ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל וכל אלו הדברים אם התחילו בהם בעשרה והלכו מקצתם אף על פי שאין רשאין יגמרו השאר:
7
All [ten members of a congregation] and the leader of the congregation must be in one place.
[The following rules apply when] a small courtyard opens up in its entirety into a large courtyard: If there are nine [people] in the large one and one in the small one, they may be considered as a group [to form a quorum of ten]. If there are nine [people] in the small one and one in the large one, they are not considered as a group.
If a congregation is in the large one, but the leader of the congregation is in the small one, they fulfill their obligation. If the congregation is in the small one, but the leader of the congregation is in the large one, they do not fulfill their obligation since he is separate from them and not with them in one place.
[The motivating principle is] that the walls on each side of the large courtyard separate it from the small one. [However], the smaller one is not separated from the large one, but rather, is considered as its corner.
ז
וצריך להיות כולם במקום אחד ושליח ציבור עמהם במקום אחד חצר קטנה שנפרצה במלואה לחצר גדולה והיו תשעה בגדולה ויחיד בקטנה מצטרפין תשעה בקטנה ויחיד בגדולה אין מצטרפין ציבור בגדולה ושליח ציבור בקטנה יוצאין ידי חובתן ציבור בקטנה ושליח ציבור בגדולה אין יוצאין ידי חובתן שהרי הוא מופלג מהם ואינו עמהם במקום אחד מפני שיש בגדולה פסין מכאן ומכאן הרי היא כמו מופלגת מן הקטנה ואין הקטנה מופלגת מן הגדולה אלא הרי היא כקרן זוית שלה:
8
Similarly, if there were feces in the larger [courtyard], it is forbidden to pray or recite the Shema [even] in the smaller one. If there were feces in the smaller one, it is permissible to pray and recite the Shema in the larger one provided there is not a foul odor since [the larger courtyard] is set apart from [the feces].
ח
וכן אם היתה צואה בגדולה אסור להתפלל ולקרות ק"ש בקטנה היתה צואה בקטנה מותר להתפלל ולקרות ק"ש בגדולה אם לא היה שם ריח רע מפני שהיא מופלגת ממנה:
9
The leader of the congregation can fulfill the obligation [of prayer] on behalf of the congregation.
What is implied? When he prays and they listen and respond "Amen" after each and every blessing, it is considered as if they prayed [themselves].
To whom does this apply? To one who does not know how to pray. However, one who does know how to pray, only fulfills his obligation by praying himself.
ט
שליח ציבור מוציא את הרבים ידי חובתן כיצד בשעה שהוא מתפלל והם שומעין ועונין אמן אחר כל ברכה וברכה הרי הן כמתפללין בד"א כשאינו יודע להתפלל אבל היודע אינו יוצא ידי חובתו אלא בתפלת עצמו:
10
When does the above apply? Throughout the entire year with the exception of Rosh HaShanah, and Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year.
On these two days, the leader of the congregation can fulfill the obligation [of prayer] on behalf of those who know [how to pray] just as he can fulfill the obligation [of prayer] on behalf of those who do not know [how to pray] because [the Shemoneh Esreh recited on these days contains] long blessings and most people do not know them [to the extent] that they can have the same intention as the leader of the congregation.
Therefore, on these two days, even a person who knows [how to pray] is granted permission to rely on the prayers of the leader of the congregation to fulfill his obligation [of prayer] if he so desires.
י
במה דברים אמורים בשאר ימות השנה חוץ מראש השנה ויום הכפורים של שנת היובל אבל בשני ימים אלו שליח ציבור מוציא את היודע כשם שמוציא מי שאינו יודע מפני שהם ברכות ארוכות ואין רוב היודעים אותן יכולין לכוון דעתן כשליח ציבור לפיכך אם רצה היודע לסמוך בשני ימים אלו על תפלת ש"ץ להוציאו ידי חובתו הרשות בידו:
11
Only a person of great stature within the community in both wisdom and deed should be appointed as the leader of the congregation. If he is an older man, it is very praiseworthy. An effort should be made to appoint as the leader of the congregation, someone who has a pleasant voice and is familiar with reading [Biblical verses].
A person who does not have a full beard should not be appointed as the leader of the congregation even if he be a wise man of great stature, as a gesture of respect to the congregation. However, he may recite the Shema publicly after he has reached the age of thirteen and manifested signs of physical maturity.
יא
אין ממנין שליח ציבור אלא גדול שבציבור בחכמתו ובמעשיו ואם היה זקן הרי זה משובח ביותר ומשתדלין להיות שליח ציבור אדם שקולו ערב ורגיל לקרות ומי שלא נתמלא זקנו אע"פ שהוא חכם גדול לא יהא ש"ץ מפני כבוד ציבור אבל פורס הוא על שמע משיביא שתי שערות אחר שלש עשרה שנים:
12
Similarly, the inarticulate who pronounce an alef as an ayinor an ayin as an alef or one who cannot articulate the letters in the proper manner should not be appointed as the leader of a congregation.
A teacher may appoint one of his students to lead the prayers in his presence. A blind person may recite the Shema publicly and serve as the leader of a congregation. A person whose shoulders are uncovered - though he may recite the Shema publicly - may not serve as the leader of the congregation until he is covered by a cloak.
יב
וכן העלג כגון מי שקורא לאל"ף עי"ן או לעי"ן אל"ף וכל מי שאינו יכול להוציא את האותיות כתיקונן אין ממנין אותו שליח ציבור והרב ממנה אחד מתלמידיו להתפלל לפניו בציבור הסומא פורס על שמע ונעשה שליח ציבור אבל מי שכתפיו מגולות אף על פי שהוא פורס על שמע אינו נעשה שליח ציבור לתפלה עד שיהיה עטוף:
Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Nine
1
The order of prayer is as follows:
In the morning, [while] all the people are sitting, the leader of the congregation descends before the ark in the midst of the people and recites the Kaddish. Everyone responds with all their strength: Amen. Yehei shemeih rabba mevarach le'alam ul'almei almaya. They answer "Amen" at the end of the Kaddish.
Afterwards, [the chazan] declares: Barchu et Ado-nai hamevorach, and they answer: Baruch Ado-nai hamevorach le'olam va'ed. He then begins by reciting the Shema and its blessings out loud. They answer "Amen" after each blessing.
A person who knows how to recite the blessings and read [the Shema] with him should read [the blessings by himself] until he recites the blessing ga'al Yisrael.
א
סדר תפלות הציבור כך הוא:
בשחר כל העם יושבים ושליח ציבור יורד לפני התיבה ועומד באמצע העם ומתחיל ואומר קדיש וכל העם עונים אמן יהא שמיה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא בכל כחן ועונין אמן בסוף קדיש ואחר כך אומר ברכו את יי' המבורך והם עונים ברוך יי' המבורך לעולם ועד ומתחיל ופורס על שמע בקול רם והם עונים אמן אחר כל ברכה וברכה והיודע לברך ולקרות עמו קורא עד שמברך גאל ישראל:
2
Immediately [afterwards], all stand and pray in a hushed tone. A person who does not know how to pray should stand in silence while the leader of the congregation prays in a hushed tone together with the others. Whoever concludes his prayers with the congregation should take three steps back and stand [still] in the place he reached when he stepped backwards.
ב
והכל עומדין מיד ומתפללים בלחש ומי שאינו יודע להתפלל עומד ושותק עד שיתפלל שליח ציבור בלחש עם שאר העם וכל מי שיגמור תפלתו עם הציבור יפסיע שלש פסיעות לאחוריו ויעמוד במקום שהגיע אליו בעת שיפסיע:
3
After the leader of the congregation takes three steps backwards and stands still, he begins and prays in a loud voice from the beginning of the blessings, in order to fulfill the obligation on behalf of those who did not pray.
Everyone - both those who did not fulfill their obligation [to pray] and those who fulfilled their obligation - stands, listens, and recites "Amen" after each and every blessing.
ג
ואחר שיפסיע שליח ציבור שלש פסיעות לאחוריו ויעמוד מתחיל ומתפלל בקול רם מתחילת הברכות להוציא את מי שלא התפלל והכל עומדים ושומעים ועונין אמן אחר כל ברכה וברכה בין אלו שלא יצאו ידי חובתן בין אלו שכבר יצאו ידי חובתן:
4
[The leader of the congregation] recites Kedushah in the third blessing.
When the leader of the congregation reaches Kedushah, each individual may return to the place where he originally stood in prayer.
When the leader of the congregation reaches Modim and bows, everyone should also bow - but not bow exceedingly - and say:
We give thanks to You, God, our Lord, and Lord of all flesh, our Creator and the Creator of all existence. [We offer] blessings and thanks to Your great and holy name, for You have granted us life and sustained us. So may You continue to grant us life and sustain us, and gather our exiles into the courtyards of Your Sanctuary [so that we may] keep Your laws, serve You in truth, and fulfill Your will with a perfect heart, for we thankfully acknowledge You.
Whoever says Modim, modim should be silenced.
ד
ואומר קדושה בברכה שלישית וכיון שהגיע שליח ציבור לקדושה יש רשות לכל אחד ואחד לחזור במקום שעמד בו בתפלה וכשיגיע שליח ציבור למודים וכורע כל העם שוחין מעט ולא ישחו יותר מדאי ואומרים מודים אנחנו לך יי' אלהינו ואלהי כל בשר יוצרנו יוצר בראשית ברכות והודאות לשמך הגדול והקדוש על שהחייתנו וקיימתנו כן תחיינו ותחננו ותאסוף גליותינו לחצרות קדשך לשמור חוקיך ולעבדך באמת ולעשות רצונך בלבב שלם על שאנו מודים לך וכל האומר מודים מודים משתקין אותו:
5
After the leader of the congregation concludes the entire Shemoneh Esreh, he and the entire congregation should sit, fall on their faces, and lean over slightly, reciting supplicatory prayers while fallen on their faces.
Then, he and the entire congregation should sit, lift their heads, and recite a small amount of supplicatory prayer out loud while seated. Afterwards, the leader of the congregation alone should stand and recite Kaddish a second time. The congregation should answer as they did previously.
Afterwards, while he is standing, he recites V'hu rachum... and Tehillah [l'David]... The congregation remains seated and recites together with him. Afterwards, he recites [the following verses]: U'va l'Tzion go'el..., Va'ani zot..., V'attah kadosh... and V'kara zeh el zeh, v'amar: Kadosh... and completes the Kedushah.
They respond: Kadosh, Kadosh three times. He then recites the Kedushah in an Aramaic translation. Afterwards, he recites [the verse] Vatisa'eni ruach and reads it in Aramaic, and then recites [the verse], Ado-nai yimloch le'olam va'ed and reads it in Aramaic. [The Aramaic translations are intended] in order that the [common] people should understand.
ה
ואחר שישלים כל התפלה ישב ויפול על פניו ויטה מעט הוא וכל הציבור ויתחנן והוא נופל וישב ויגביה ראשו הוא ושאר העם ומתחנן מעט בקול רם מיושב ואחר כך יעמוד שליח ציבור לבדו ואומר קדיש פעם שנייה והם עונים כדרך שעונין בתחלה ואומר והוא רחום וכו' תהלה וכו' הוא עומד והם יושבים והם קוראים עמו ואח"כ אומר ובא לציון גואל וכו' ואני זאת וכו' ואתה קדוש וקרא זה אל זה ואמר קדוש וגומר הקדושה והם עונין קדוש קדוש שלש פעמים וחוזר וקורא הקדושה תרגום ואומר ותשאני רוח וכו' וקורא אותו תרגום ואומר יי' ימלוך לעולם ועד וקוראהו תרגום כדי להבין העם:
6
These verses [which are recited] before Kedushah and afterwards, together with their Aramaic translations, are referred to as "the order of Kedushah."
Afterwards, he recites supplicatory prayers and verses of mercy. He then recites the Kaddish. The people respond as is customary, and depart.
ו
ואלו הפסוקים שלפני הקדושה ושל אחריה עם תרגומן הם הנקראין סדר קדושה ואחר כך מתחנן בדברי תחנונים ובפסוקי רחמים ואומר קדיש וכל העם עונין כדרכן ונפטרין:
7
One who says in his supplicatory prayers: "May He who showed mercy on a bird's nest prohibiting the taking of the mother together with the chicks, or the slaughter of an animal and its calf on the same day, also show mercy on us," or [makes other] similar statements should be silenced, because these mitzvot are God's decrees and not [expressions] of mercy. Were they [expressions] of mercy, He would not permit us to slaughter at all.
Also, a person should not be profuse in his mention of adjectives describing God, and say: "The great, mighty, awesome, powerful, courageous, and strong God," for it is impossible for man to express the totality of His praises. Instead, one should mention [only] the praises that were mentioned by Moses, of blessed memory.
ז
מי שאמר בתחנונים מי שריחם על קן ציפור שלא ליקח האם על הבנים או שלא לשחוט אותו ואת בנו ביום אחד ירחם עלינו וכיוצא בענין זה משתקין אותו מפני שמצות אלו גזרת הכתוב הן ואינן רחמים שאילו היו מפני רחמים לא היה מתיר לנו שחיטה כל עיקר וכן לא ירבה בכנוים של שם ויאמר האל הגדול הגבור והנורא והחזק והאמיץ והעיזוז שאין כח באדם להגיע בסוף שבחיו אלא אומר מה שאמר משה רבינו עליו השלום:
8
In the Minchah service, the leader of the congregation recites Ashrei yoshvei veitecha..., Tehillah l'David.... He and the congregation recite this while seated. [Then,] the leader of the congregation stands and recites Kaddish. They stand and respond in their normal manner. [Afterwards,] they all pray in a hushed tone.
Afterwards, the leader of the congregation prays out loud, as in the morning service, until he concludes the Shemoneh Esreh. Then, both he and the congregation fall on their faces, recite supplicatory prayers, lift their heads, and recite a few supplicatory prayers while seated, as in the morning service.
[The leader of the congregation] rises and recites Kaddish. The congregation responds in the normal manner and they depart to their affairs.
ח
במנחה אומר שליח ציבור אשרי יושבי ביתך וכו' תהלה לדוד וכו' קורא הוא והעם מיושב ועומד שליח ציבור ואומר קדיש והם עומדים אחריו ועונין כדרכן ומתפללין כולם בלחש ואח"כ חוזר שליח ציבור ומתפלל בקול רם כדרך שעשה בשחרית עד שישלים כל התפלה ונופלים על פניהם ומתחנן ומגביה ראשו הוא והם ומתחנן מעט מיושב כדרך שעשה בשחרית ועומד ואומר קדיש וכל העם עונין כדרכן ונפטרין למעשיהם:
9
In the evening, all the people sit, and [the leader of the congregation] stands and recites: V'hu rachum.... [He announces:] Barchu et Ado-nai hamevorach, and they answer: Baruch Ado-nai hamevorach le'olam va'ed. He then begins by reciting the Shema and its blessings out loud and recites Kaddish. [Afterwards,] they all stand and pray in a hushed tone.
When they conclude, [the leader of the congregation] recites Kaddish and they depart. He does not repeat the evening Shemoneh Esreh out loud, since the evening service is not obligatory. Therefore, he should not recite blessings in vain, for there is no one who is obligated [to recite these blessings] whose obligation he would fulfill [by his recitation].
ט
בערב כל העם יושבין והוא עומד ואומר והוא רחום כו' ברכן את יי' המבורך וכו' והם עונין ברוך יי' המבורך לעולם ועד ומתחיל לפרוס על שמע ואומר קדיש ואחר כך הכל עומדים ומתפללין בלחש וכשמשלימין אומר קדיש והם נפטרין ואינו חוזר להתפלל בקול רם ערבית לפי שאין תפלת ערבית חובה לפיכך לא יברך ברכות לבטלה שאין כאן אדם שנתחייב בהם כדי להוציאו ידי חובתו:
10
On the night of the Sabbath, after praying together with the congregation in a hushed tone, the leader of the congregation prays out loud. However, he does not recite all seven blessings, but rather one blessing that includes all seven. He states:
Blessed are You, God, our Lord and Lord of our fathers, the Lord of Abraham, the Lord of Isaac, and the Lord of Jacob, the great, mighty, and awesome God, the supreme God, who, in His mercies, creates heaven and earth.
He shielded our ancestors with His word. He resurrects the dead with His statements - the holy God, like whom there is none. He causes His people to rest on His holy Sabbath, for to them did He desire to grant rest. We will serve Him with awe and fear and give thanks to His name every day, continually, according to the blessings [appropriate for that day]. God who is worthy of thanks, Lord of peace, who sanctifies the Sabbath and blesses the seventh day and brings rest with holiness to a people satiated with delight in commemoration of the work of creation.
Our Lord, and Lord of our fathers, desire our rest.... Blessed are You, God, who sanctifies the Sabbath.
He shielded our ancestors with His word. He resurrects the dead with His statements - the holy God, like whom there is none. He causes His people to rest on His holy Sabbath, for to them did He desire to grant rest. We will serve Him with awe and fear and give thanks to His name every day, continually, according to the blessings [appropriate for that day]. God who is worthy of thanks, Lord of peace, who sanctifies the Sabbath and blesses the seventh day and brings rest with holiness to a people satiated with delight in commemoration of the work of creation.
Our Lord, and Lord of our fathers, desire our rest.... Blessed are You, God, who sanctifies the Sabbath.
He recites Kaddish and the people depart.
י
בלילי שבתות חוזר ש"ץ אחר שמתפלל בלחש עם הציבור ומתפלל בקום רם אבל אינו מתפלל שבע אלא ברכה אחת מעין שבע וכן הוא אומר ברוך אתה יי' אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב האל הגדול הגבור והנורא אל עליון קונה ברחמיו שמים וארץ מגן אבות בדברו מחיה מתים במאמרו האל הקדוש שאין כמוהו המניח לעמו בשבת קדשו כי בם רצה להניח להם לפניו נעבוד ביראה ופחד ונודה לשמו בכל יום תמיד מעין הברכות אל ההודאות אדון השלום מקדש השבת ומברך השביעי ומניח בקדושה לעם מדושני עונג זכר למעשה בראשית אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו רצה נא במנוחתנו וכו' ברוך אתה יי' מקדש השבת ואומר קדיש ונפטרין כל העם
11
Why did the Sages institute this [practice]? Because the majority of people come to recite the evening service on Friday night. It is possible that someone will come late, remain alone in the synagogue, and thus be endangered. Accordingly, the leader of the congregation repeats his prayers in order that the entire congregation will remain, [allowing] the one who came late to conclude his prayers and leave together with them.
יא
ולמה תקנו חכמים זה מפני שרוב העם באין להתפלל ערבית בלילי שבתות ויהיה שם מי שנתאחר לבא ולא השלים תפלתו וישאר לבדו בבה"כ ויבא לידי סכנה לפיכך חוזר שליח ציבור ומתפלל כדי שיתעכבו כל העם עד שישלים המתאחר ויצא עמהם:
12
Therefore, when a festival, Rosh Chodesh or Yom Kippur coincides with the Sabbath, the leader of the congregation who recites the evening service does not mention the unique aspect of the day in this blessing. Instead, he concludes, "[Blessed are You, God,] who sanctifies the Sabbath," [mentioning] only [the Sabbath], because [on the other] days, there is no obligation [to recite] this blessing.
יב
יב. לפיכך יום טוב שחל להיות בשבת או יוה"כ או ראש חדש אין שליח ציבור היורד ערבית לפני התיבה מזכיר ענין היום בברכה זו אבל חותם בה מקדש השבת בלבד לפי שלא נתחייב היום בברכה זו:
13
On the Sabbaths and the festivals, after the leader of the congregation completes the recitation of the Shemoneh Esreh of the morning service out loud, he recites Kaddish and afterwards, Tehillah l'David. He recites Kaddish [again] and [the congregation] recites Musaf in a hushed tone. Afterwards, he recites the Musaf Shemoneh Esreh out loud, in the same manner as the morning service. He recites Kaddish after Musaf and the people depart.
We do not recite Kedushah and supplicatory prayers after the morning service. Instead, we recite them before the Minchahservice. What is implied? We recite Tehillah l'David, the order of the day, and supplicatory prayers. [The leader of the congregation] recites Kaddish and the Minchah service is recited [in a hushed tone.] Afterwards, [the leader of the congregation] repeats the service out loud, and then recites Kaddish.
יג
בשבתות וימים טובים כשגומר שליח ציבור תפלת שחרית בקול רם אומר קדיש ואח"כ תהלה לדוד וכו' ואומר קדיש ומתפללין מוסף בלחש ואחר כך מתפלל מוסף בקול רם כדרך שעשה בשחרית ואומר קדיש אחר תפלת מוסף והעם נפטרין ואין אומרין קדושה ותחנונים אחר תפלת שחרית כשאר הימים אלא אומר אותה קודם תפלת המנחה כיצד קורא תהלה לדוד ואומר סדר היום ודברי תחנונים ואומר קדיש ומתפללין מנחה וחוזר ומשמיע תפלת מנחה בקול רם ואומר קדיש:
14
On Rosh Chodesh and Chol Hamo'ed, one recites the order of kedushah before the Musaf prayer. On the night following the Sabbath, the order of the day is also recited after the evening service. [Then] one recites Kaddish and afterwards, Havdalah.
יד
בראשי חדשים ובחולו של מועד אומר סדר קדושה קודם תפלת מוסף במוצאי שבת אומר סדר היום גם אחר תפלת הערב ואומרים קדיש ואח"כ מבדיל:
Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Ten
1
A person who prayed without concentrating [on his prayers] must pray a second time with concentration. However, if he had concentrated during the first blessing, nothing more is necessary.
A person who errs in the recitation of the first three blessings [of the Shemoneh Esreh] must return to the beginning [of the Shemoneh Esreh]. Should one err in the recitation of the final three blessings, one should return to [the blessing, R'tzey]. If one errs in the midst of [one of] the intermediate blessings, one should return to the beginning of that blessing and [then] conclude one's prayers in the [proper] order.
Should the leader of the congregation err when he is praying out loud, he should [correct himself] based on these principles.
א
מי שהתפלל ולא כיון את לבו יחזור ויתפלל בכוונה ואם כיון את לבו בברכה ראשונה שוב אינו צריך מי שטעה באחת משלש ברכות הראשונות חוזר לראש ואם טעה באחת משלש ברכות אחרונות יחזור לעבודה ואם טעה באחת מן האמצעיות חוזר לתחלת ברכה שטעה בה ומשלים תפלתו על הסדר וכן ש"צ שטעה כשהוא מתפלל בקול רם על דרך זו הוא חוזר:
2
However, if the leader of the congregation errs while he is praying in a hushed tone, I maintain that he does not repeat his prayers a second time, because of the difficulty it will cause the congregation. Rather, he relies on the prayer which he will recite out loud.
The above applies when he does not err in the first three blessings. If he errs in their [recitation], he always repeats [his prayers] in the same manner as any [other] individual.
ב
אבל אם טעה ש"ץ כשהוא מתפלל בלחש אני אומר שאינו חוזר ומתפלל פעם שנייה מפני טורח ציבור אלא סומך על התפלה שמתפלל בקול רם והוא שלא טעה בשלש ראשונות שאם טעה בהם לעולם חוזר כמו שהיחיד חוזר:
3
Should the leader of a congregation err [in his repetition of the Shemoneh Esreh], become confused and not know where to begin [again] - if he waits for a prolonged period, another person should replace him.
If he errs in the recitation of the blessing [that curses] the heretics, we do not wait for him [to correct himself]; rather, another person should replace him. This applies only when he did not begin this [blessing]. However, if he did begin [the blessing], we wait for him.
The second person should not refuse at this time.
ג
שליח ציבור שטעה ונבהל ולא ידע מהיכן יתחיל ושהה שעה יעמוד אחר תחתיו ואם טעה בברכת האפיקורסין אין ממתינין לו אלא מיד יעמוד אחר תחתיו שמא אפיקורסות נזרקה בו והוא שלא התחיל בה אבל אם התחיל בה ממתינין לו שעה ולא יהא השני סרבן באותה שעה:
4
From which point should [the substitute for the leader of the congregation] begin? If the first one erred in one of the intermediate blessings, [the substitute] should begin from the beginning of the blessing in which he erred. However, if he erred in one of the first three blessings, the [substitute] starts from the beginning [of the Shemoneh Esreh. If he erred in one of the final [three] blessings, the substitute should begin from [the blessing, R'tzey].
ד
ומהיכן הוא מתחיל מתחילת ברכה שטעה בה ראשון אם טעה באחת מן האמצעיות אבל אם טעה באחת מן השלש ראשונות מתחיל השני מן הראש ואם טעה באחת מן האחרונות יתחיל השני מן העבודה:
5
A person who says, "I will not lead the congregation in prayer because [I am wearing] colored clothes," should not lead the congregation in that prayer service even when wearing white clothes. If he said, "I will not lead the congregation because I am wearing sandals," he should not lead the congregation even when barefoot.
ה
האומר איני יורד לפני התיבה מפני שבגדי צבועים אף בלבנים לא יעבור באותה תפלה אמר איני עובר מפני שיש ברגלי סנדל אף יחף לא יעבור:
6
A person who is in doubt whether he prayed or not should not repeat his prayers, unless he recites the second prayer with the intention that it is a voluntary prayer, since an individual may recite voluntary prayers throughout the entire day.
A person who remembers that he has already prayed while he is in the midst of the Shemoneh Esreh should cease [praying] immediately, even if he is in the midst of a blessing. [However,] if he was reciting the evening service, he need not cease [praying], for even at the outset, he did not begin that prayer service with the thought that it was an obligation.
ו
מי שנסתפק לו אם התפלל אם לא התפלל אינו חוזר ומתפלל אלא אם כן מתפלל תפלה זו על דעת שהיא נדבה שאם רצה יחיד להתפלל כל היום תפלת נדבה יתפלל מי שהיה עומד בתפלה ונזכר שכבר התפלל פוסק ואפילו באמצע ברכה ואם היתה תפלת ערבית אינו פוסק שלא התפלל אותה מתחילה אלא על דעת שאינה חובה:
7
A person who erred and recited a weekday prayer on the Sabbath does not fulfill his obligation. If he recalled while he was in the midst of the Shemoneh Esreh, he should conclude the blessing which he has begun and [continue] reciting the Sabbath prayers.
When does the above apply? In the evening, morning, and Minchah services. However, in the Musaf service, one should cease [praying] even in the midst of a blessing. Similarly, if one completed a weekday Shemoneh Esreh with the intention that it be one's Musaf prayers, one must recite Musaf again. This applies on the Sabbath, on a festival, and on Rosh Chodesh.
ז
מי שטעה והתפלל של חול בשבת לא יצא ואם נזכר והוא בתוך התפלה גומר ברכה שהתחיל בה וחוזר ומתפלל של שבת בד"א בערבית או בשחרית או במנחה אבל במוסף פוסק אפילו באמצע הברכה וכן אם השלים תפלה של חול על דעת שהוא מוסף חוזר ומתפלל מוסף אחד שבת ואחד יום טוב ואחד ראש חדש:
8
[When] one errs during the rainy season and does not recite either morid hageshem or morid hatal, he must return to the beginning of the prayers. However, if he mentions dew, he need not repeat [his prayers].
Should one err in the summer and recite morid hageshem, he must return to the beginning of the prayers. However, if he omits mention of dew [in the summer], he need not repeat his prayers, for dew is never held back, nor is there a need to request it.
ח
מי שטעה בימות הגשמים ולא אמר מוריד הגשם ולא מוריד הטל חוזר לראש ואם הזכיר הטל אינו חוזר ואם טעה בימות החמה ואמר מוריד הגשם חוזר לראש ואם לא הזכיר טל אין מחזירין אותו שאין הטל נעצר ואין צריך בקשה:
9
[The following rules apply when] one forgets to request rain in the blessing for material prosperity: If he remembers before [the blessing,] shome'a tefilah, he should request rain in [that blessing]. If he [recalls] after reciting the blessing, shome'a tefilah, he should return to the blessing for material prosperity. If he does not recall until after he completes the Shemoneh Esreh, he must return to the beginning of the prayer and pray a second time.
ט
מי ששכח שאלה בברכת השנים אם נזכר קודם שומע תפלה שואל את הגשמים בשומע תפלה ואם אחר שבירך שומע תפלה חוזר לברכת השנים ואם לא נזכר עד שהשלים כל תפלתו חוזר לראש ומתפלל שנייה:
10
[The following rules apply when] a person errs and fails to mention Ya'aleh v'yavo: If he remembers before he has concluded the Shemoneh Esreh, he should return to [the blessing, R'tzey], and recite it. If he remembers after he has concluded his prayers, he must repeat the Shemoneh Esreh from the beginning. If he is accustomed to recite supplicatory prayers after Shemoneh Esreh and remembers after he has concluded his prayers, but before he has lifted up his feet [to step backwards after prayer], he should return to [the blessing, R'tzey].
י
טעה ולא הזכיר יעלה ויבא אם נזכר קודם שישלים תפלתו חוזר לעבודה ומזכיר ואם נזכר אחר שהשלים תפלתו חוזר לראש ואם היה רגיל לומר תחנונים אחר תפלתו ונזכר אחר שהשלים תפלתו קודם שיעקור רגליו חוזר לעבודה:
11
When does the above apply? On Chol Hamo'ed or in the morning or Minchah services of Rosh Chodesh. However, in the evening service of Rosh Chodesh, if one failed to mention it one need not repeat his prayers.
יא
במה דברים אמורים בחולו של מועד או בשחרית ובמנחה של ראשי חדשים אבל ערבית של ראש חדש אם לא הזכיר אינו חוזר:
12
In every case in which an individual is required to repeat his prayers [because of an error], the leader of the congregation is also required to repeat his prayers if he made a similar mistake while praying out loud, with the exception of the morning service of Rosh Chodesh.
[In this instance,] if the leader of the congregation failed to mention Ya'aleh v'yavo before completing his prayers, he is not required to repeat his prayers because of the difficulty it would cause the congregation. The Musaf service is still to be recited and Rosh Chodesh will be mentioned there.
יב
כל מקום שהיחיד חוזר ומתפלל ש"ץ חוזר ומתפלל אם טעה כמותו בעת שמתפלל בקול רם חוץ משחרית של ראש חדש שאם שכח ש"ץ ולא הזכיר יעלה ויבא עד שהשלים תפלתו אין מחזירין אותו מפני טורח ציבור שהרי תפלת המוספין לפניו שהוא מזכיר בה ראש חדש:
13
If during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, one erred and concluded the third blessing, Ha'El hakadosh, he should return to the beginning of the Shemoneh Esreh.
If he erred and concluded the eleventh blessing, Melech ohev tzedakah umishpat, he should return to the beginning of the blessing and conclude Hamelech hamishpat, and continue reciting his prayers in order. If he did not remember until he concluded his prayers, he must recite [his prayers again] from the beginning.
[These laws apply] to both an individual and to the leader of the congregation.
יג
עשרה ימים שמראש השנה עד יום הכפורים טעה וחתם בהם בברכה שלישית האל הקדוש חוזר לראש טעה וחתם בעשתי עשרה מלך אוהב צדקה ומשפט חוזר לתחלת הברכה וחותם בה המלך המשפט ומתפלל והולך על הסדר ואם לא נזכר אלא עד שהשלים כל תפלתו חוזר לראש אחד יחיד ואחד שליח ציבור:
14
If a person erred and did not mention Havdalah in the blessing, chonen hada'at, he should conclude his prayers, without returning [to correct himself]. Similarly, one who did not mention Al hanisim on Chanukah or Purim, or Anenu in the prayers on a fast day, need not repeat his prayers. [These laws apply] to both an individual and the leader of a congregation.
If one remembers before lifting his feet [to step backwards after prayer], he should say: "Answer us because You are the one who hears prayer, redeems, and rescues in all times of difficulty and distress. May the words of my mouth...."
יד
טעה ולא הזכיר הבדלה בחונן הדעת משלים תפלתו ואינו צריך לחזור וכן מי שלא הזכיר על הנסים בחנוכה ובפורים ועננו בתפלת תענית אינו חוזר ומתפלל אחד יחיד ואחד שליח ציבור ואם נזכר קודם שיעקור את רגליו אומר עננו כי אתה שומע תפלה פודה ומציל בכל עת צרה וצוקה יהיו לרצון אמרי פי וגו':
15
[A person who] forgot to recite the afternoon service on the Sabbath eve should recite the Sabbath evening service twice. [The same law applies] on a festival.
[A person who] forgot to recite the afternoon service on the Sabbath or a festival should recite the weekday evening service twice after their conclusion.
He should recite Havdalah in the first of these prayers and not in the second. However, if he recited Havdalah in both prayers or omitted it in both prayers, he fulfills his obligation. Nevertheless, if he did not recite Havdalah in his first Shemoneh Esreh, but mentioned it in his second, he [must] return and recite a third Shemoneh Esreh, since his first prayers were not acceptable because they were recited before the evening service.
Whoever recites two prayers [in succession] - even the morning service and the Musaf service - should not recite them one immediately after the other. Rather, he should wait between prayers, so that his mind will be settled.
טו
שכח ולא התפלל מנחה בערב שבת יתפלל ערבית שתים של שבת וכן ביום טוב שכח ולא התפלל מנחה בשבת או ביום טוב מתפלל במוצאיהן ערבית שתים של חול מבדיל בראשונה ואינו מבדיל בשנייה ואם הבדיל בשתיהן או לא הבדיל באחת מהן יצא אבל אם לא הבדיל בראשונה והבדיל בשנייה חוזר ומתפלל תפלה שלישית מפני שהראשונה לא עלתה לו מפני שהקדימה לתפלת ערבית וכל המתפלל שתי תפלות אפילו שחרית ומוסף לא יתפלל זו אחר זו אלא ישהה בין תפלה לתפלה כדי שתתחונן דעתו עליו:
16
It is forbidden for a person who is praying with a congregation to pray before the congregation.
[The following rules apply when] a person enters a synagogue and finds the congregation praying in a hushed tone: If he could begin and complete his prayers before the leader of the congregation reached Kedushah, he should recite the Shemoneh Esreh. If not, he should wait until the leader of the congregation begins reciting the Shemoneh Esreh out loud, and pray together with him word for word until the leader of the congregation reaches Kedushah. He should respond to Kedushah with the rest of the congregation and then recite the remainder of the Shemoneh Esreh alone.
One who began reciting the Shemoneh Esreh before the leader of the congregation, [but was unable to conclude his prayers before] the leader of the congregation reached Kedushah, should not interrupt his prayers [to] respond to Kedushah with [the congregation]. Similarly, one should not respond Amen, yehei shemeih rabba mevarach... while in the midst of Shemoneh Esreh. Needless to say, [this applies regarding responding "Amen"] to other blessings.
טז
אסור לו למתפלל בציבור שיקדים תפלתו לתפלת הציבור הנכנס לבית הכנסת ומצא ציבור שמתפללין בלחש אם יכול להתחיל ולגמור עד שלא יגיע שליח ציבור לקדושה יתפלל ואם לאו ימתין עד שיתחיל שליח ציבור להתפלל בקול רם ויתפלל עמו בלחש מלה במלה עד שיגיע שליח ציבור לקדושה ועונה קדושה עם הציבור ומתפלל שאר תפלה לעצמו ואם התחיל להתפלל קודם שליח ציבור והגיע שליח ציבור לקדושה לא יפסיק ולא יענה קדושה עמהן וכן לא יענה אמן יהא שמיה רבא מברך והוא באמצע התפלה ואין צריך לומר בשאר הברכות:
• Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan, 5777 · 15 November 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Friday, Cheshvan 14, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: Now, while the (p. 567) ...found - believe it." (p. 569).
"From G-d are man's steps established."1 Every one of Israel has a spiritual mission in life - which is to occupy himself with the work of construction, to make a "dwelling-place" for G-d. Every one, regardless of his station or location, must, through an exhaustive search, seek out a spiritual livelihood with all the intensity of his strength, just as he seeks a material livelihood.
This is so because, (as the above verse concludes) "he desires His (G-d's) way."2 As it is written of Avraham: "For I know and love him because etc. and they will keep the way of Havayeh."3 There are two "ways": The way of nature and the way that transcends nature. G-d created the universe in such a way that, in man's eyes, it appears to follow a set pattern of nature; this is the "way" of Elokim.4 Torah and Mitzvot are the "way" of Havayeh, drawing that which transcends nature into nature. By virtue of this (conduct of Israel) G-d endows Israel from that which is beyond nature into the natural.
FOOTNOTES
1.Tehillim 37:23.
2.The simple meaning of the phrase is that G-d desires man's way.
3.Bereishit 18:19.
4.See Tishrei 3 and footnotes.
• Daily Thought:
Faith in the Dark
Do you believe only when you can see with your eyes? When your prayers are answered and miracles carry you on their wings?
Or do you also believe when circumstances fly in the face of all you believe to be true?
If it touches you to the core, if it is a belief you truly own, if it is as real to you as life itself, then it cannot change.
And if it does not change, then you are bound up with the true essence of G‑d, a G‑d who does not change, and whose belief in you never ends.
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