Torah Reading
Purim: Exodus 17:8 Then ‘Amalek came and fought with Isra’el at Refidim. 9 Moshe said to Y’hoshua, “Choose men for us, go out, and fight with ‘Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with God’s staff in my hand.” 10 Y’hoshua did as Moshe had told him and fought with ‘Amalek. Then Moshe, Aharon and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 When Moshe raised his hand, Isra’el prevailed; but when he let it down, ‘Amalek prevailed. 12 However, Moshe’s hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aharon and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other; so that his hands stayed steady until sunset. 13 Thus Y’hoshua defeated ‘Amalek, putting their people to the sword.
(Maftir) 14 Adonai said to Moshe, “Write this in a book to be remembered, and tell it to Y’hoshua: I will completely blot out any memory of ‘Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moshe built an altar, called it Adonai Nissi [Adonai is my banner/miracle], 16 and said, “Because their hand was against the throne of Yah, Adonai will fight ‘Amalek generation after generation.”
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Purim Observances Purim observances include:
a) Reading of the Megillah (Book of Esther), which recounts the story of the Purim miracle.
b) Giving to the poor (gifts of money should be given to at least two poor people).
c) Sending gifts of food to friends (a minimum of two ready-to-eat foods to at least one friend).
d) The Purim feast.
e) Reciting the Al Hanissim prayer.
Customs include dressing up in disguising costumes and the traditional Purim food, the hamantash. For more detailed information, see links below.
(In Jerusalem and other ancient walled cities, the festival is observed tomorrow--see entries for Adar 15.)
• Purim Links Virtual Purim (a website offering the story of Purim, detailed How-To's, articles and essays, Purim songs and video clips, and a global Purim event directory).
A special Purim site for kids
The book of Esther with commentary.
A Purim anthology
Today in Jewish History:
• Moses' Brit (1393 BCE) Moses was born on the 7th of Adar of the year 2368 from creation (1393 BCE); accordingly, Adar 14 was the 8th day of his life and the day on which he was circumcised in accordance with the Divine command to Abraham.
• Purim Victory Celebrated (356 BCE) The festival of Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day."
The events of Purim extended over a period of several years, culminating in the victory celebrations of Adar 14-15 of 356 BCE. Below is a timeline of the major events. For the detailed story, see the Book of Esther and The Story of Purim
Event
Date
Achashveirosh ascends the throne of Persia
369 BCE
Achashveirosh's 180-day feast; Queen Vashti executed
366 BCE
Esther becomes queen
Tevet, 362 BCE
Haman casts lots to choose date for Jews' annihilation
Nissan, 357 BCE
Royal decree ordering killing of all Jews
Nissan 13, 357 BCE
Mordechai calls on Jews to repent; 3-day fast ordered by Esther
Nissan 14-16, 357 BCE
Esther goes to Achashveirosh; hosts 1st wine party with Achashveirosh and Haman
Nissan 16, 357 BCE
Esther's 2nd wine party; Haman's downfall and hanging
Nissan 17, 357 BCE
Second decree issued by Achashveirosh, empowering the Jews to defend themselves
Sivan 23, 357 BCE
Battles fought throughout the empire against those seeking to kill the Jews; Haman's ten sons killed
Adar 13, 356 BCE
Purim celebrations everywhere, except Shushan where 2nd day of battles are fought
Adar 14, 356 BCE
Purim celebration in Shushan
Adar 15, 356 BCE
Megillah written by Esther and Mordechai; Festival of Purim instituted for all generations
355 BCE
Daily Quote:
"I will make your descendents like the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:17). As the dust of the earth is everywhere, so, too, will the people of Israel be scattered from one end of the world to the other. As dust is treaded upon by all, so, too, will Israel be treaded upon by all. As dust erodes all metals while it itself lasts forever, so is it with Israel: all nations disintegrate, while they persist.[Midrash Rabbah]
Today's Study:
Purim: Exodus 17:8 Then ‘Amalek came and fought with Isra’el at Refidim. 9 Moshe said to Y’hoshua, “Choose men for us, go out, and fight with ‘Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with God’s staff in my hand.” 10 Y’hoshua did as Moshe had told him and fought with ‘Amalek. Then Moshe, Aharon and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 When Moshe raised his hand, Isra’el prevailed; but when he let it down, ‘Amalek prevailed. 12 However, Moshe’s hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aharon and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other; so that his hands stayed steady until sunset. 13 Thus Y’hoshua defeated ‘Amalek, putting their people to the sword.
(Maftir) 14 Adonai said to Moshe, “Write this in a book to be remembered, and tell it to Y’hoshua: I will completely blot out any memory of ‘Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moshe built an altar, called it Adonai Nissi [Adonai is my banner/miracle], 16 and said, “Because their hand was against the throne of Yah, Adonai will fight ‘Amalek generation after generation.”
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Purim Observances Purim observances include:
a) Reading of the Megillah (Book of Esther), which recounts the story of the Purim miracle.
b) Giving to the poor (gifts of money should be given to at least two poor people).
c) Sending gifts of food to friends (a minimum of two ready-to-eat foods to at least one friend).
d) The Purim feast.
e) Reciting the Al Hanissim prayer.
Customs include dressing up in disguising costumes and the traditional Purim food, the hamantash. For more detailed information, see links below.
(In Jerusalem and other ancient walled cities, the festival is observed tomorrow--see entries for Adar 15.)
• Purim Links Virtual Purim (a website offering the story of Purim, detailed How-To's, articles and essays, Purim songs and video clips, and a global Purim event directory).
A special Purim site for kids
The book of Esther with commentary.
A Purim anthology
Today in Jewish History:
• Moses' Brit (1393 BCE) Moses was born on the 7th of Adar of the year 2368 from creation (1393 BCE); accordingly, Adar 14 was the 8th day of his life and the day on which he was circumcised in accordance with the Divine command to Abraham.
• Purim Victory Celebrated (356 BCE) The festival of Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day."
The events of Purim extended over a period of several years, culminating in the victory celebrations of Adar 14-15 of 356 BCE. Below is a timeline of the major events. For the detailed story, see the Book of Esther and The Story of Purim
Event
Date
Achashveirosh ascends the throne of Persia
369 BCE
Achashveirosh's 180-day feast; Queen Vashti executed
366 BCE
Esther becomes queen
Tevet, 362 BCE
Haman casts lots to choose date for Jews' annihilation
Nissan, 357 BCE
Royal decree ordering killing of all Jews
Nissan 13, 357 BCE
Mordechai calls on Jews to repent; 3-day fast ordered by Esther
Nissan 14-16, 357 BCE
Esther goes to Achashveirosh; hosts 1st wine party with Achashveirosh and Haman
Nissan 16, 357 BCE
Esther's 2nd wine party; Haman's downfall and hanging
Nissan 17, 357 BCE
Second decree issued by Achashveirosh, empowering the Jews to defend themselves
Sivan 23, 357 BCE
Battles fought throughout the empire against those seeking to kill the Jews; Haman's ten sons killed
Adar 13, 356 BCE
Purim celebrations everywhere, except Shushan where 2nd day of battles are fought
Adar 14, 356 BCE
Purim celebration in Shushan
Adar 15, 356 BCE
Megillah written by Esther and Mordechai; Festival of Purim instituted for all generations
355 BCE
Daily Quote:
"I will make your descendents like the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:17). As the dust of the earth is everywhere, so, too, will the people of Israel be scattered from one end of the world to the other. As dust is treaded upon by all, so, too, will Israel be treaded upon by all. As dust erodes all metals while it itself lasts forever, so is it with Israel: all nations disintegrate, while they persist.[Midrash Rabbah]
Today's Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Ki Tisa, 1st Portion Exodus 30:11-31:17 with Rash
• Exodus Chapter 30
11The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
12"When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to their numbers, let each one give to the Lord an atonement for his soul when they are counted; then there will be no plague among them when they are counted. יבכִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם:
When you take: Heb. כִּי תִשָׂא. [This is] an expression of taking, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders. [I.e.,] when you wish to take the sum [total] of their numbers to know how many they are, do not count them by the head, but each one shall give a half-shekel, and you shall count the shekels. [Thereby] you will know their number. כי תשא: לשון קבלה, כתרגומו, כשתחפוץ לקבל סכום מנינם לדעת כמה הם, אל תמנם לגלגולת, אלא יתנו כל אחד מחצית השקל ותמנה את השקלים ותדע מנינם:
then there will be no plague among them: for the evil eye has power over numbered things, and pestilence comes upon them, as we find in David’s time (II Sam. 24). ולא יהיה בהם נגף: שהמנין שולט בו עין הרע והדבר בא עליהם, כמו שמצינו בימי דוד:
13This they shall give, everyone who goes through the counting: half a shekel according to the holy shekel. Twenty gerahs equal one shekel; half of [such] a shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. יגזֶ֣ה | יִתְּנ֗וּ כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַֽחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל מַֽחֲצִ֣ית הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל תְּרוּמָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
This they shall give: He [God] showed him [Moses] a sort of coin of fire weighing half a shekel, and He said to him, “Like this one they shall give.” -[from Tanchuma 9; Tanchuma Buber, Naso p. 35; Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 19a; Midrash Psalms 91:1; Yerushalmi, Shekalim 1:4] זה יתנו: הראה לו כמין מטבע של אש, ומשקלה מחצית השקל, ואומר לו כזה יתנו:
who goes through the counting: Heb. הָעֹבֵר עַל-הַפְקֻדִים. It is customary for those who count to pass the ones who have been counted one following another, and so [too the word יַעִבֹר in] “each one that passes under the rod” (Lev. 27:32), and so [the word ךְתַּעִבֹרְנָה in] “flocks will again pass under the hands of one who counts them” (Jer. 33:13). העבר על הפקודים: דרך המונין מעבירין את הנמנין זה אחר זה, וכן לשון (ויקרא כז לב) כל אשר יעבור תחת השבט, וכן (ירמיה לג יג) תעבורנה הצאן על ידי מונה:
half a shekel according to the holy shekel: By the weight of the shekel that I fixed for you [against which] to weigh the holy shekels, such as the shekels mentioned in the section dealing with personal evaluations (Lev. 27:1-8) and [in the section concerning] inherited fields (Lev. 27:16-21). מחצית השקל בשקל הקודש: במשקל השקל שקצבתי לך לשקול בו שקלי הקדש, כגון שקלים האמורין בפרשת ערכין ושדה אחוזה:
Twenty gerahs equal one shekel: Now He explains to you how much it is. עשרים גרה השקל: עכשיו פירש לך כמה הוא:
gerahs: Heb. גֵרָה, a word meaning a ma’ah [a small coin]. Likewise, “will come to prostrate himself before him for a silver piece (אִגוֹרַתכֶּסֶף) and a morsel of bread” (I Sam. 2:36). גרה: לשון מעה, וכן בשמואל (בשמואל א' ב לו) יבוא להשתחות לו לאגורת כסף וככר לחם:
Twenty gerahs equal one shekel: for a whole shekel equals four zuzim, and the zuz was originally five ma’oth, but they came and added a sixth to it and raised it to six ma’oth of silver, and half of this shekel [of] which I have spoken to you [here in this verse], they shall give as an offering to the Lord. עשרים גרה השקל: השקל השלם, שהשקל ארבעה זוזים, והזוז מתחלתו חמש מעות, אלא באו והוסיפו עליו שתות והעלוהו לשש מעה כסף, ומחצית השקל הזה, שאמרתי לך, יתנו תרומה לה':
14Everyone who goes through the counting, from the age of twenty and upward, shall give an offering to the Lord. ידכֹּ֗ל הָֽעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה:
from the age of twenty and upward: [The Torah] teaches you here that no one under twenty years old goes out [to serve] in the army or is counted among men. מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה: למדך כאן, שאין פחות מבן עשרים יוצא לצבא ונמנה בכלל אנשים:
15The rich shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less than half a shekel, with which to give the offering to the Lord, to atone for your souls. טוהֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִמַּֽחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶֽם:
to atone for your souls: That they should not be struck by a plague because of the counting. Another explanation: לכפר על נפשתיכם: שלא תנגפו על ידי המנין. דבר אחר לכפר על נפשותיכם, לפי שרמז להם כאן שלש תרומות, שנכתב כאן תרומת ה' שלוש פעמים אחת תרומת א-דנים, שמנאן כשהתחילו בנדבת המשכן ונתנו כל אחד ואחד מחצית השקל, ועלה למאת ככר, שנאמר (שמות לח כה) וכסף פקודי העדה מאת ככר, ומהם נעשו הא-דנים, שנאמר (שמות לח כז) ויהי מאת ככר הכסף וגו'. והשנית אף היא על ידי מנין שמנאן, משהוקם המשכן, הוא המנין האמור בתחלת חומש הפקודים (במדבר א א) באחד לחדש השני בשנה השנית, ונתנו כל אחד מחצית השקל, והן לקנות מהן קרבנות צבור של כל שנה ושנה, והושוו בהם עניים ועשירים, ועל אותה תרומה נאמר לכפר על נפשותיכם, שהקרבנות לכפרה הם באים. והשלישית היא תרומת המשכן, כמו שנאמר (שמות לה כד) כל מרים תרומת כסף ונחשת, ולא היתה יד כולם שוה בה, אלא איש איש מה שנדבו לבו:
to atone for your souls: [This was written] because [God] hinted to them [the Israelites] here [about] three offerings, because “an offering to the Lord” is written here three times. The first [represents] the offering [of silver] for the sockets [of the Mishkan], for he [Moses] counted them when they commenced with the donations for the Mishkan. Everyone gave a half-shekel, amounting to one hundred talents, as it is said: “And the silver of the community census was one hundred talents” (Exod. 38:25). The sockets were made from this, as it is said: “One hundred talents of the silver was [used to cast the sockets of the Mishkan and the sockets of the dividing curtain]” (Exod. 38:27). The second [offering mentioned here] was also [collected] through counting, for he [Moses] counted them after the Mishkan was erected. This is the counting mentioned in the beginning of the Book of Numbers: “on the first of the second month in the second year” (Num. 1:1). [For this offering] everyone gave a half-shekel, [the total of] which was [earmarked] for the purchase of communal sacrifices for every year. The rich and poor were equal in them [i.e., they gave equally in these two offerings]. Concerning that [second] offering, it is said: “to atone for your souls,” because the sacrifices are brought for the purpose of atonement. The third one [offering] is the offering for the Mishkan, as it is said: “Whoever set aside an offering of silver or copper” (Exod. 35:24). In this [offering] not everyone gave the same amount, but each one [gave] according to what his heart inspired him to give. -[from Shekalim 2b]
16You shall take the silver of the atonements from the children of Israel and use it for the work of the Tent of Meeting; it shall be a remembrance for the children of Israel before the Lord, to atone for your souls." טזוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ אֶת־כֶּ֣סֶף הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנָֽתַתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶֽם:
and use it for the work of the Tent of Meeting: [From this] you learn that they were commanded to count them at the beginning of the donation for the Mishkan after the incident of the calf. [They were commanded then] because a plague had befallen them, as it is said: “And the Lord plagued the people” (Exod. 32:35). This can be compared to a flock of sheep, treasured by its owner, which was stricken with pestilence. When it [the pestilence] was over, he [the owner] said to the shepherd, “Please count my sheep to know how many are left,” in order to make it known that he treasured it [the flock] (Tanchuma, Ki Thissa 9). It is, however, impossible to say that this counting [mentioned here] was the [same] one mentioned in the Book of Numbers, for in that one [counting] it says: “on the first of the second month” (Num. 1:1), and the Mishkan was erected on the first [day] of the first month, as it is said: On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall erect, etc. (Exod. 40:2). The sockets were made from shekels realized from that counting, as it is said: “One hundred talents of the silver were used to cast, etc.” (Exod. 38:27). Thus you learn that they [the countings] were two-one at the beginning of their donation [to the Mishkan] after Yom Kippur in the first year [after the Exodus], and one in the second year in Iyar after the Mishkan had been erected. Now if you ask, how is it possible that in both of these countings the Israelites equaled six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty? In the case of the silver of the community census, it says this number, and also in the Book of Numbers it says the same: “And all the counted ones were six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty” (Num. 1:46). Were they [the countings] not in two [separate] years? It is impossible that in the first census there were none who were nineteen years old and consequently not counted, and by the second counting became twenty years old [and were counted]. The answer to this matter is that in the context of the ages of people, they were counted in the same year, but in the context of the Exodus they [the two dates] were two [separate] years, since [to figure the time] from the Exodus, we count from [the month of] Nissan, as we learned in [tractate] Rosh Hashanah (2b). In this context, the Mishkan was built in the first year [after the Exodus] and erected in the second year, for the new year started on the first of Nissan. People’s ages, however, are counted according to the number of years of the world, beginning with [the month of] Tishri. Thus, the two countings were [taken] in the same year. The first counting was in Tishri after Yom Kippur, when the Omnipresent was placated toward Israel to forgive them, and they were commanded concerning [building] the Mishkan. The second one [counting] was on the first of Iyar. -[from Num. Rabbah 1:10] ונתת אתו על עבודת אהל מועד: למדת שנצטוה למנותם בתחלת נדבת המשכן אחר מעשה העגל, מפני שנכנס בהם מגפה, כמו שנאמר (שמות לב לה) ויגוף ה' את העם. משל לצאן החביבה על בעליה, שנפל בה דבר, ומשפסק אמר לו לרועה בבקשה ממך, מנה את צאני ודע כמה נותרו בהם, להודיע שהיא חביבה עליו. ואי אפשר לומר, שהמנין הזה הוא האמור בחומש הפקודים, שהרי נאמר בו (במדבר א א) באחד לחדש השני, והמשכן הוקם באחד לחודש הראשון, שנאמר (שמות מ ב) ביום החודש הראשון באחד לחודש תקים וגו', ומהמנין הזה נעשו הא-דנים משקלים שלו, שנאמר (שמות לח כז) ויהי מאת ככר הכסף לצקת וגו', הא למדת שתים היו אחת בתחלת נדבתן אחר יום הכפורים בשנה ראשונה, ואחת בשנה שנייה באייר משהוקם המשכן. ואם תאמר, וכי אפשר שבשניהם היו ישראל שוים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמישים, שהרי בכסף פקודי העדה נאמר כן, ובחומש הפקודים אף בו נאמר כן (במדבר א מו) ויהיו כל הפקודים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים, והלא בשתי שנים היו, ואי אפשר שלא היו בשעת מנין הראשון בני תשע עשרה שנה שלא נמנו ובשנייה נעשו בני עשרים. תשובה לדבר, אצל שנות האנשים בשנה אחת נמנו, אבל למנין יציאת מצרים היו שתי שנים, לפי שליציאת מצרים מונין מניסן, כמו ששנינו במסכת ראש השנה (ב ב), ונבנה המשכן בראשונה והוקם בשנייה שנתחדשה שנה באחד בניסן, אבל שנות האנשים מנוין למנין שנות עולם המתחילין מתשרי, נמצאו שני המנינים בשנה אחת המנין הראשון היה בתשרי לאחר יום הכפורים, שנתרצה המקום לישראל לסלוח להם, ונצטוו על המשכן, והשני באחד באייר:
for the work of the Tent of Meeting: These are the sockets made from it [i.e., from the silver of the atonements]. על עבודת אהל מועד: הן הא-דנים שנעשו בו:
17The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
18"You shall make a washstand of copper and its base of copper for washing, and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water therein. יחוְעָשִׂ֜יתָ כִּיּ֥וֹר נְח֛שֶׁת וְכַנּ֥וֹ נְח֖שֶׁת לְרָחְצָ֑ה וְנָֽתַתָּ֣ אֹת֗וֹ בֵּֽין־אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָֽתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖מָּה מָֽיִם:
a washstand: Like a sort of large caldron, which has faucets allowing water to pour out through their openings. כיור: כמין דוד גדולה ולה דדים המריקים בפיהם מים:
and its base: Heb. וְכַנּוֹ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וּבְסִיסֵיהּ, a seat prepared for the washstand. וכנו: כתרגומו ובסיסיה, מושב מתוקן לכיור:
for washing: This refers back to the washstand. לרחצה: מוסב על הכיור:
between… the altar: [This refers to] the altar for burnt offerings, about which it is written that it was in front of the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting. The washstand was drawn away slightly [from the entrance] and stood opposite the space between the altar and the Mishkan, but it did not intervene at all [between them], because it is said: “And he placed the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting” (Exod. 40:29), implying that the altar was in front of the Tent of Meeting, but the washstand was not in front of the Tent of Meeting. How is that so? It [the washstand] was drawn away slightly to the south. So it is taught in Zev. (59a). ובין המזבח: מזבח העולה שכתוב בו, שהוא לפני פתח משכן אהל מועד, והיה הכיור משוך קמעא ועומד כנגד אויר שבין המזבח והמשכן, ואינו מפסיק כלל בינתים, משום שנאמר (שמות מ כט) ואת מזבח העולה שם פתח משכן אהל מועד, כלומר מזבח לפני אהל מועד ואין כיור לפני אהל מועד, הא כיצד, משוך קמעא כלפי הדרום, כך שנויה בזבחים (נט א):
19Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it. יטוְרָֽחֲצ֛וּ אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן וּבָנָ֖יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם:
their hands and feet: He [the kohen] would wash his hands and feet simultaneously. So we learned in Zev. (19b): How was the washing of the hands and the feet [performed]? [The kohen] would lay his right hand on his right foot and his left hand on his left foot and wash [in this manner]. את ידיהם ואת רגליהם: בבת אחת היה מקדש ידיו ורגליו, וכך שנינו בזבחים (יט ב) כיצד קדוש ידים ורגלים, מניח ידו הימנית על גבי רגלו הימנית, וידו השמאלית על גבי רגלו השמאלית, ומקדש:
20When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to serve, to make a fire offering rise up in smoke to the Lord, כבְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
When they enter the Tent of Meeting: to bring the incense up in smoke in the morning and in the afternoon, or to sprinkle some of the blood of the bull of the anointed Kohen [Gadol, who erred in his halachic decision and practiced according to that erroneous decision,] (Lev. 4:3-12) and the blood of the kids for [sin offerings for having engaged in] idolatry (Num. 15:22-26). בבאם אל אהל מועד: להקטיר קטרת שחרית ובין הערבים, או להזות מדם פר כהן המשיח ושעירי עבודה זרה:
so that they will not die: This implies that if they do not wash, they will die. For in the Torah [there] are stated implications, and from the negative implication you [can] understand the positive. ולא ימותו: הא אם לא ירחצו ימותו, שבתורה נאמרו כללות, ומכלל לאו אתה שומע הן:
the altar: [I.e.,] the outer [altar], in which no entry to the Tent of Meeting is involved, only [entry] into the courtyard. אל המזבח: החיצון, שאין כאן ביאת אהל מועד אלא בחצר:
21they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be for them a perpetual statute, for him and for his descendants, for their generations." כאוְרָֽחֲצ֛וּ יְדֵיהֶ֥ם וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ וְהָֽיְתָ֨ה לָהֶ֧ם חָק־עוֹלָ֛ם ל֥וֹ וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ לְדֹֽרֹתָֽם:
so that they will not die: [This verse is written] to impose death upon one who serves on the altar when his hands and feet are not washed, for from the first death penalty (verse 20) we understand only [that death is imposed] upon one who enters the Temple. ולא ימותו: לחייב מיתה על המשמש במזבח ואינו רחוץ ידים ורגלים, שהמיתה הראשונה לא שמענו אלא על הנכנס להיכל:
22The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: כבוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
23"And you, take for yourself spices of the finest sort: of pure myrrh five hundred [shekel weights]; of fragrant cinnamon half of it two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]; of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty [shekel weights], כגוְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֘ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־בֶּ֥שֶׂם מַֽחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־בֹ֖שֶׂם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתָֽיִם:
spices of the finest sort: Heb. בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ, of high quality. בשמים ראש: חשובים:
fragrant cinnamon: Since cinnamon is the bark of a tree, and there is one good type [of cinnamon] that has a fragrant bouquet and a good taste, and there is another that is merely like wood, it was necessary to state “fragrant cinnamon,” [meaning that the incense was to be made] of the good species. וקנמן בשם: לפי שהקנמון קליפת עץ הוא, יש שהוא טוב ויש בו ריח טוב וטעם, ויש שאינו אלא כעץ, לכך הוצרך לומר קנמן בשם, מן הטוב:
half of it two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]: Half of the amount to be brought shall be two hundred and fifty; thus altogether it is five hundred [shekel weights], like the amount of pure myrrh. If so, why was it stated in halves? This is a Scriptural decree to bring it in halves to add to it two overweights, because we do not weigh [the spices] exactly. So it was taught in Kereithoth (5a). מחציתו חמשים ומאתים: מחצית הבאתו תהא חמשים ומאתים, נמצא כולו חמש מאות, כמו שיעור מר דרור, אם כן, למה נאמר בו חצאין, גזירת הכתוב היא להביאו לחצאין, להרבות בו שתי הכרעות, שאין שוקלין עין בעין, וכך שנויה בכריתות (דף ה א):
fragrant cane: Heb. וּקְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם, cane of spice. Since there are canes that are not of spice, it is necessary to specify: בֹשֶׂם וקנה בשם: קנה של בשם לפי שיש קנים שאינן של בשם, הוצרך לומר בשם:
two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]: [This is] its total sum. חמשים ומאתים: סך משקל כולו:
24and of cassia five hundred [shekel weights] according to the holy shekel, and one hin of olive oil. כדוְקִדָּ֕ה חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְשֶׁ֥מֶן זַ֖יִת הִֽין:
and of cassia: Heb. וְקִדָּה, the name of the root of an herb, and in the language of the Sages: קְצִיעָה, cassia. -[from Ker. 6a] וקדה: שם שורש עשב, ובלשון חכמים קציעה:
hin: [The equivalent of] twelve logs. The Sages of Israel differ concerning it [i.e., how the oil was made]. Rabbi Meir says: They [whoever made the anointing oil] boiled the roots in it [the oil of the anointment]. Rabbi Judah said to him: But is it not so that it [the anointment oil] did not even suffice to anoint the roots [and thus they certainly couldn’t boil the spices in the oil]? Rather, they soaked them [the spices] in water so that they would not absorb the oil, and then poured the oil on them until they were impregnated with the scent, and [then] they wiped the oil off the roots. -[from Ker. 5a] הין: שנים עשר לוגין, ונחלקו בו חכמי ישראל רבי מאיר אומר בו שלקו את העיקרין. אמר לו רבי יהודה והלא לסוך את העיקרין אינו סיפק, אלא שראום במים, שלא יבלעו את השמן, ואחר כך הציף עליהם השמן עד שקלט הריח וקפחו לשמן מעל העיקרין:
25You shall make this into an oil of holy anoinment, a perfumed compound according to the art of a perfumer; it shall be an oil of holy anointment. כהוְעָשִׂ֣יתָ אֹת֗וֹ שֶׁ֚מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֔דֶשׁ רֹ֥קַח מִרְקַ֖חַת מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה רֹקֵ֑חַ שֶׁ֥מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶֽה:
a perfumed compound: Heb. רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת. רֹקַח is a noun, and the accent, which is on the first syllable, proves that. It is like רֶקַע רֶגַע, but it is not like “Who wrinkles (רֹגַע) the sea” (Isa. 51:15), or like “Who spread out (רֹקַע) the earth” (Isa. 42:5)[which are both verbs], because [in those instances] the accent is at the end of the word. Any substance mixed with another substance until one becomes impregnated from the other with either scent or taste is called מִרְקַחַת. רקח מרקחת: רקח שם דבר הוא, והטעם מוכיח שהוא למעלה, והרי הוא כמו רקח, רגע, ואינו כמו (ישעיה נא טו) רגע הים, וכמו (ישעיהו מב ה) רקע הארץ, שהטעם למטה, וכל דבר המעורב בחבירו, עד שזה קופח מזה או ריח או טעם קרוי מרקחת:
a perfumed compound: Heb. רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת, a compound made through the skill of mixing. רקח מרקחת: רקח העשוי על ידי אומנות ותערובות:
according to the art of a perfumer: Heb. רֹקֵחַ, the name of the craftsman in this field. מעשה רוקח: שם האומן בדבר:
26And you shall anoint with it the Tent of Meeting and the Ark of Testimony, כווּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ ב֖וֹ אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְאֵ֖ת אֲר֥וֹן הָֽעֵדֻֽת:
And you shall anoint with it: All anointments were in the shape of the Greek [letter] “chaff,” except those of the kings, which were like a sort of crown. -[from Ker. 5b] ומשחת בו: כל המשיחות כמין כי יונית, חוץ משל מלכים שהן כמין נזר:
27the table and all its implements, the menorah and its implements, the altar of incense, כזוְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֖ה וְאֶת־כֵּלֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
28the altar of the burnt offering and all its implements, the washstand and its base. כחוְאֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ:
29And you shall sanctify them so that they become a holy of holies; whatever touches them shall become holy. כטוְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְהָי֖וּ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֑ים כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהֶ֖ם יִקְדָּֽשׁ:
And you shall sanctify them: This anointment sanctifies them to be a holy of holies. And what is their sanctity? Whatever touches them shall become holy. [I.e.,] whatever is fit for [placement in] a service vessel, when it enters them [the vessels], it becomes intrinsically holy so that it becomes unfit [to be an offering] if it goes out [of its designated boundaries], if it stays [out] overnight, or if [it comes in contact with] a person who has immersed himself [from uncleanness] on that day, and it may not be redeemed to become ordinary [unsanctified] food. Something unfit for them [i.e., for the service vessels], however, they [the vessels] do not sanctify (Zev. 87a). This was taught as an explicit Mishnah concerning the altar [i.e., a Baraitha, Zev. 83b]: Since it is stated: “Whatever touches the altar will be holy” (Exod. 29:37), I understand it to mean whether it is fit or unfit. Therefore, [to clarify this,] the Torah states [that] lambs [are to be sacrificed upon the altar]. Because just as lambs are fit, so is anything else that is fit [sanctified if it comes in contact with the altar]. Every anointment of the Mishkan, the kohanim, and the kings is translated [by Onkelos] as an expression of greatness because there is no need to anoint them except in order to proclaim their greatness. So did the King [God] decree, that this [the anointment] is their initiation into greatness. Other anointments, however, such as anointed wafers, “and with the first oils they anoint themselves” (Amos 6:6), their Aramaic [translation] is the same as the Hebrew. וקדשת אותם: משיחה זו מקדשתם להיות קדש קדשים, ומה היא קדושתם, כל הנוגע וגו', כל הראוי לכלי שרת משנכנס לתוכו קדוש קדושת הגוף ליפסל ביוצא ובלינה ובטבול יום, ואינו נפדה לצאת לחולין, אבל דבר שאינו ראוי להם אין מקדשין. ושנויה היא משנה שלימה אצל מזבח, מתוך שנאמר (שמות כט לז) כל הנוגע במזבח יקדש, שומע אני בין ראוי בין שאינו ראוי, תלמוד לומר כבשים, מה כבשים ראויים אף כל ראוי. כל משיחת משכן וכהנים ומלכים מתורגם לשון רבוי, לפי שאין צורך משיחתן אלא לגדולה, כי כן יסד המלך, שזה חנוך גדולתן, ושאר משיחות כגון (שמות כט ב) רקיקין משוחין, (עמוס ו ו) וראשית שמנים ימשחו, לשון ארמית בהן כלשון עברית:
30And with it you shall anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them to serve Me [as kohanim]. לוְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תִּמְשָׁ֑ח וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם לְכַהֵ֥ן לִֽי:
31And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying: 'This shall be oil of holy anointment to Me for your generations. לאוְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר שֶׁ֠מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֨דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה זֶ֛ה לִ֖י לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
for your generations: From here our Rabbis deduced that it [the anointing oil made by Moses] will all remain in existence in the future. -[from Horioth 11b] לדרתיכם: מכאן למדו רבותינו לומר שכולו קיים לעתיד לבא:
This: Heb. זֶה. In gematria, this equals twelve logs. [ ז, ה, totaling 12.] -[from Horioth 11b] זה: בגימטריה תריסר לוגין הוו:
32It shall not be poured upon human flesh, and according to its formula you shall not make anything like it. It is holy; it shall be holy to you. לבעַל־בְּשַׂ֤ר אָדָם֙ לֹ֣א יִיסָ֔ךְ וּבְמַ֨תְכֻּנְתּ֔וֹ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ כָּמֹ֑הוּ קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֔וּא קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:
It shall not be poured: Heb. לֹא יִיסָ. [This is spelled] with two “yud” s. It is an expression [in the form] of לֹא יִפְעַל, it shall not do, like, “and in order that it be good (יִיטַב) for you” (Deut. 5:16). לא ייסך: בשני יודי"ן, לשון לא יפעל, כמו (דברים ה טו) למען ייטב לך:
It shall not be poured upon human flesh: from this very oil. על בשר אדם לא ייסך: מן השמן הזה עצמו:
and according to its formula you shall not make anything like it: With the amount of its ingredients you shall not make another like it, but if one decreased or increased the ingredients according to the measure of a hin of oil, it is permitted. Also, the [oil] made according to the formula of this [oil]-the one who anoints himself [with it] is not liable, only the one who mixes it. -[from Ker. 5a] ובמתכנתו לא תעשו כמהו: בסכום סמניו לא תעשו אחר כמוהו במשקל סמנין הללו לפי מדת הין שמן, אבל אם פחת או רבה סממנין לפי מדת הין שמן מותר, ואף העשוי במתכונתו של זה, אין הסך ממנו חייב אלא הרוקחו:
according to its formula: Heb. וּבְמַתְכֻּנְךְתּוֹ, a word meaning a number, like “the number of (מַתְכֹּנֶת) bricks” (Exod. 5:8), and so, בְּמַתְכֻּנְךְתָּה, mentioned in reference to the incense (below, verse 37). ובמתכנתו: לשון חשבון, כמו (שמות ה ח) מתכנת הלבנים, וכן במתכונתה של קטורת:
33Any person who compounds anything like it or puts any of it on an alien shall be cut off from his people.' " לגאִ֚ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְקַ֣ח כָּמֹ֔הוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִתֵּ֛ן מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַל־זָ֑ר וְנִכְרַ֖ת מֵֽעַמָּֽיו:
or puts any of it: Of that [oil] of [i.e., made by] Moses. [However, anyone who anoints himself with oil that was made copying the original anointing oil is not liable.] -[from Ker. 5a] ואשר יתן ממנו: מאותו של משה:
on an alien: [I.e.,] which is not needed for the kehunah or the kingship. על זר: שאינו צורך כהונה ומלכות:
34And the Lord said to Moses: "Take for yourself aromatics, [namely] balsam sap, onycha and galbanum, aromatics and pure frankincense; they shall be of equal weight. לדוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֶל־משֶׁ֜ה קַח־לְךָ֣ סַמִּ֗ים נָטָ֤ף | וּשְׁחֵ֨לֶת֙ וְחֶלְבְּנָ֔ה סַמִּ֖ים וּלְבֹנָ֣ה זַכָּ֑ה בַּ֥ד בְּבַ֖ד יִֽהְיֶֽה:
balsam sap: Heb. נָטָף. This is balm (צֳרִי), but since it is only the sap that drips (נוֹטֵף) from the balsam trees, it is called נָטָף (Ker. 6a), and in French, gomme, gum resin. The balm itself, however, is called triaca [in Old Provencal], theriac. נטף: הוא צרי, ועל שאינו אלא שרף הנוטף מעצי הקטף קרוי נטף ובלעז גומ"א, והצרי קורין לו תירייק"א ושחלת - שורש בשם חלק ומצהיר כצפורן, ובלשון המשנה קרוי צפורן, וזהו שתרגם אונקלוס וטופרא:
onycha: Heb. וּשְׁחֵלֶת, a root of a spice, smooth and shiny as fingernails, and in the language of the Mishnah (Ker. 6a) it is called צִפֹּרֶן. This is what Onkelos renders as וְטוּפְרָא. [Both צִפֹּרֶן and טוּפְרָא mean “fingernail.”] וחלבנה: בשם שריחו רע וקורין לו גלבנא, ומנאה הכתוב בין סמני הקטורת, ללמדנו, שלא יקל בעינינו לצרף עמנו באגודת תעניותינו ותפלותינו את פושעי ישראל שיהיו נמנין עמנו:
and galbanum: A spice with a vile odor, called galbane [in Old French], galbanum. The Scripture counted it among the ingredients of the incense [in order] to teach us that we should not look askance at including Jewish transgressors with us when we assemble for fasting or prayer. [The Torah instructs us] that they should be counted with us. -[from Ker. 6b] סמים: אחרים:
aromatics: Heb. סַמִּים. Other [aromatics]. -[from Ker. 6b] ולבנה זכה: מכאן למדו רבותינו אחד עשר סמנין נאמרו לו למשה בסיני מיעוט סמים שנים, נטף ושחלת וחלבנה שלשה, הרי חמישה, סמים, לרבות עוד כמו אלו, הרי עשרה, ולבונה הרי אחד עשר ואלו הן הצרי והצפורן, החלבנה והלבונה, מור וקציעה, שבולת נרד וכרכם, הרי שמונה, שהשבולת ונרד אחד, שהנרד דומה לשבולת, הקושט והקילופה והקנמון הרי אחד עשר. בורית כרשינה אינו נקטר אלא בו שפין את הצפורן ללבנה שתהא נאה:
and pure frankincense: From here our Rabbis learned that eleven ingredients were told to Moses [when he was] at Sinai: the minimum of aromatics-two [since סַמִּים is written in the plural form]; balsam sap, onycha, and galbanum-three, equaling five; aromatics [written a second time]-to include again the number of these, equaling ten; and frankincense, totaling eleven. They are as follows: (1) balsam sap, (2) onycha, (3) galbanum, (4) frankincense, (5) myrrh, (6) cassia, (7) spikenard נֵרְדְּ) (שִׁבֹּלֶת, and (8) saffron, totaling eight, because שִׁבֹּלֶת and נֵרְדְּ are one, for spikenard נֵרְדְּ is like an ear [of grain] שִׁבֹּלֶת. [To continue:] (9) costus, (10) aromatic bark, and (11) cinnamon, thus totaling eleven. Borith carshina [mentioned further in the Baraitha, is not counted because it] does not go up in smoke, but they rub the onycha with it to whiten it so that it should be beautiful. -[from Ker. 6a] בד בבד יהיה: אלו הארבעה הנזכרים כאן יהיו שוין משקל במשקל, כמשקלו של זה כך משקלו של זה, וכן שנינו (כריתות ו א) הצרי והצפורן, החלבנה והלבונה משקל שבעים שבעים מנה. ולשון בד נראה בעיני שהוא לשון יחיד, אחד באחד, יהיה זה כמו זה:
they shall be of equal weight: Heb. יִהְיֶה בַּד בְּבַד. These four [ingredients] mentioned here [explicitly] shall be equal, a weight for a weight. Like the weight of one, so shall be the weight of the other. So we learned (Ker. 6a): The balsam, the onycha, the galbanum, and the frankincense the weight of each was seventy manehs. The word בַּד appears to me to mean a unit; each one [i. e., the weight] shall be this one like that one.
35And you shall make it into incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, well blended, pure, holy. להוְעָשִׂ֤יתָ אֹתָהּ֙ קְטֹ֔רֶת רֹ֖קַח מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה רוֹקֵ֑חַ מְמֻלָּ֖ח טָה֥וֹר קֹֽדֶשׁ:
well blended: Heb. מְמֻלָח, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: מְעָרֵב, mixed. He should mix their [the spices’] powder thoroughly, one with the other. Accordingly, I say that [the following] are similar to this: “And the sailors (הַמַּלָּחִים) were frightened” (Jonah 1:5); “your sailors (מַלָחַיִ) and your mariners” (Ezek. 27:27). [Sailors are given this appellation] because they turn over the water with oars when they propel the ship, like a person who turns over beaten eggs with a spoon to blend them with water. And anything that a person wishes to blend thoroughly, he turns over with his finger or with a spoon. ממלח: כתרגומו מעורב, שיערב שחיקתן יפה יפה זה עם זה. ואומר אני שדומה לו (יונה א ה) וייראו המלחים, (יחזקאל כז כז) מלחיך וחובליך, על שם שמהפכין את המים במשוטות, כשמנהיגים את הספינה, כאדם המהפך בכף ביצים טרופות לערבן עם המים, וכל דבר שהאדם רוצה לערב יפה יפה, מהפכו באצבע או בבזך:
well blended, pure, holy: It shall be well blended; it shall be pure, and it shall be holy. ממלח טהור קדש: ממולח יהיה וטהור יהיה וקדש יהיה:
36And you shall crush some of it very finely, and you shall set some of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will arrange meetings with you; it shall be to you a holy of holies. לווְשָֽׁחַקְתָּ֣ מִמֶּ֘נָּה֘ הָדֵק֒ וְנָֽתַתָּ֨ה מִמֶּ֜נָּה לִפְנֵ֤י הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִוָּעֵ֥ד לְךָ֖ שָׁ֑מָּה קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:
and you shall set some of it: This is the daily incense, which is on the inner altar, which is in the Tent of Meeting. ונתתה ממנה וגו': היא קטרת שבכל יום ויום שעל מזבח הפנימי, שהוא באהל מועד:
where I will arrange meetings with you: All appointments to speak that I will set up for you, I will set up for that place. אשר אועד לך שמה: כל מועדי דבור שאקבע לך, אני קובעם לאותו מקום:
37And the incense that you make, you shall not make for yourselves according to its formula; it shall be holy to you for the Lord. לזוְהַקְּטֹ֨רֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה בְּמַ֨תְכֻּנְתָּ֔הּ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
according to its formula: According to the number of its ingredients. במתכנתה: במנין סממניה:
it shall be holy to you for the Lord: That you shall not make it except for My Name. קדש תהיה לך לה': שלא תעשנה אלא לשמי:
38Any person who makes anything like it, to smell it[s fragrance], shall be cut off from his people. לחאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה כָמ֖וֹהָ לְהָרִ֣יחַ בָּ֑הּ וְנִכְרַ֖ת מֵֽעַמָּֽיו:
to smell it[s fragrance]: But you may make it according to its formula of your own [ingredients] in order to deliver it to the community. -[from Ker. 5a] להריח בה: אבל עושה אתה במתכונתה משלך כדי למוסרה לצבור:
Exodus Chapter 31
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2"See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ברְאֵ֖ה קָרָ֣אתִי בְשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה:
I have called by name: to perform My work Bezalel. קראתי בשם: לעשות מלאכתי, את בצלאל:
3and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship גוָֽאֲמַלֵּ֥א אֹת֖וֹ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּחָכְמָ֛ה וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכָל־מְלָאכָֽה:
with wisdom: [I.e.,] what a person hears from others and learns. -[from Sifrei Deut. 1:13] בחכמה: מה שאדם שומע מאחרים ולמד:
with insight: With his intellect he understands other things based on what he learned. -[from Sifrei Deut. 1:13] ובתבונה: מבין דבר מלבו, מתוך דברים שלמד:
with knowledge: The holy spirit. ובדעת: רוח הקדש:
4to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper, דלַחְשֹׁ֖ב מַֽחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת לַֽעֲשׂ֛וֹת בַּזָּהָ֥ב וּבַכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַנְּחֽשֶׁת:
to do master weaving: Heb. לַחְשֹׁב מַחִשָׁבֹת, the weaving work of a master weaver. לחשוב מחשבת: אריגת מעשה חושב:
5with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work. הוּבַֽחֲר֥שֶׁת אֶ֛בֶן לְמַלֹּ֖את וּבַֽחֲר֣שֶׁת עֵ֑ץ לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּכָל־מְלָאכָֽה:
with the craft: Heb. וּבַחִרשֶׁת, a term denoting a craft, like “a skilled craftsman (חָרָשׁ) ” (Isa. 40:20). Onkelos, however, explained [this term] but varied [the wording] in their explanation [i.e., in the explanation of the two mentions of חִרשֶׁ. וּבַחִרשֶׁתאֶבֶן he rendered וּבְאוּמָנוּתאִבַן טָבָא, and בַחִרשֶׁתעֵץ he rendered וּבְנַגָּרוּתאָעָא, because a craftsman of stones is called אוּמָן, craftsman, whereas a craftsman of wood is called נַגַָָּר, carpenter. ובחרשת: לשון אומנות, כמו (ישעיה מ כ) חרש חכם, ואונקלוס פירש ושנה בפירושן, שחרש אבנים קרוי אומן, וחרש עץ קרוי נגר:
for setting: Heb. לְמַלֹאת, lit., to fill. To set it [each stone] into its setting in its fullness, [i.e.,] to make the setting equal to the measurement of the bottom of the stone and its thickness. [See commentary on Exod. 25:7.] למלאת: להושיבה במשבצת שלה במלואה, לעשות המשבצת למדת מושב האבן ועוביה:
6And, behold, with him I have placed Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and all the wise hearted into whose hearts I have instilled wisdom, and they shall make everything I have commanded you: ווַֽאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה נָתַ֣תִּי אִתּ֗וֹ אֵ֣ת אָֽהֳלִיאָ֞ב בֶּן־אֲחִֽיסָמָךְ֙ לְמַטֵּה־דָ֔ן וּבְלֵ֥ב כָּל־חֲכַם־לֵ֖ב נָתַ֣תִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְעָשׂ֕וּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִֽךָ:
and all the wise-hearted into whose hearts I have instilled wisdom: And additionally, other wise-hearted people among you [shall assist], as well as everyone into whom I have instilled wisdom, and [all of them] shall make everything I have commanded you. ובלב כל חכם לב וגו': ועוד שאר חכמי לב יש בכם, וכל אשר נתתי בו חכמה ועשו את כל אשר צויתיך:
7The Tent of Meeting and the ark for the testimony, as well as the cover that [shall be] upon it, all the implements of the tent, זאֵ֣ת | אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד וְאֶת־הָֽאָרֹן֙ לָֽעֵדֻ֔ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֥י הָאֹֽהֶל:
and the ark for the testimony: For the purpose of the tablets of the testimony. ואת הארן לעדת: לצורך לוחות העדות:
8the table and its implements, the pure menorah and all its implements, the altar of incense, חוְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְאֶת־כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֥ה הַטְּהֹרָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
the pure: Heb. הַטְּהֹרָה. [The menorah is described by this adjective] because [it was made] of pure gold. [based on Exod. 25:31] הטהרה: על שם זהב טהור:
9the altar for the burnt offering and all its implements, the washstand and its base, טוְאֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְאֶת־הַכִּיּ֖וֹר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ:
10the meshwork garments, the holy garments for Aaron the kohen, the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim], יוְאֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י הַשְּׂרָ֑ד וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֤י הַקֹּ֨דֶשׁ֙ לְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו לְכַהֵֽן:
the meshwork garments: Heb. בִּגְדֵי הַשְְׂרָד In my opinion, according to the simple meaning of the verse, it is impossible to say that the garments of the kehunah are referred to [here], because it says next to them [at the end of the verse], “the holy garments for Aaron the kohen, the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim].” But these בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד [referred to here] are the garments of blue, purple, and crimson wool mentioned in the section dealing with the travels (Num. 4:6-13): “and they shall place upon it a garment of blue wool,” “and they shall place upon it a garment of purple wool,” “and they shall place upon them a garment of crimson wool.” My assertion [that בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד refers to the coverings of the vessels] appears correct, since it says: “And from the blue wool, the purple wool, and the crimson they made בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד ” (Exod. 39:1), but linen was not mentioned with them. Now, if it [the text] is speaking of the garments of the kehunah, we do not find in any of them [reference to] purple or crimson wool without [the addition of] linen. בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד Some [commentators] explain בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד as an expression of work and service, like its [Aramaic] translation, לְבוּשֵׁי שִׁמוּשָׁא, and it has no similarity in the Scriptures. But I believe that it is Aramaic, like the [Aramaic] translation of קְלָעִים [hangings, translated סְרָדִין] (Exod. 27:9) and the [Aramaic] translation of מִכְבָּר [grating, translated סְרָדָא] (Exod. 27:4), for they were woven with a needle [and] made of many holes, lazediz in Old French, mesh-work, crochet-work, [or] lace. ואת בגדי השרד: אומר אני לפי פשוטו של מקרא אי אפשר לומר שבבגדי כהונה מדבר, לפי שנאמר אצלם ואת בגדי הקדש לאהרן הכהן ואת בגדי בניו לכהן, אלא אלו בגדי השרד, הם בגדי התכלת והארגמן ותולעת שני, האמורין בפרשת מסעות (במדבר ד יב) ונתנו אל בגד תכלת, (שם יג) ופרשו עליו בגד ארגמן, (שם ח) ופרשו עליהם בגד תולעת שני. ונראין דברי, שנאמר (שמות לט א) ומן התכלת והארגמן ותולעת השני עשו בגדי שרד לשרת בקדש, ולא הוזכר שש עמהם, ואם בבגדי כהונה מדבר, לא מצינו באחד מהם ארגמן או תולעת שני בלא שש:
11the anointing oil and the incense for the Holy; in complete accordance with everything I have commanded you they shall do." יאוְאֵ֨ת שֶׁ֧מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֛ה וְאֶת־קְטֹ֥רֶת הַסַּמִּ֖ים לַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִ֖ךָ יַֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
and the incense for the Holy: For the purpose of bringing [incense] up in smoke in the Heichal, which is holy. ואת קטרת הסמים לקדש: לצורך הקטרת ההיכל שהוא קדש:
12The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
13"And you, speak to the children of Israel and say: 'Only keep My Sabbaths! For it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I, the Lord, make you holy. יגוְאַתָּ֞ה דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֥ךְ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כִּי֩ א֨וֹת הִ֜וא בֵּינִ֤י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם:
And you, speak to the children of Israel: But [as for] you, although I have mandated you to command them [the Israelites] concerning the work of the Mishkan, do not let it seem to you that you may easily set aside the Sabbath because of that work. ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל: ואתה, אף על פי שהפקדתיך לצוותם על מלאכת המשכן, אל יקל בעיניך לדחות את השבת מפני אותה מלאכה:
Only keep My Sabbaths!: Although you will be rushed to perform the work [of the Mishkan] quickly, the Sabbath shall not be set aside because of it. All instances of אַ and רַק [imply limitations, i.e.,] are exclusive, to exclude the Sabbath from the work of the Mishkan. אך את שבתתי תשמרו: אף על פי שתהיו רדופין וזריזין בזריזות מלאכה שבת אל תדחה מפניה. כל אכין ורקין מיעוטין, למעט שבת ממלאכת המשכן:
For it is a sign between Me and you: It is a sign of distinction between us that I have chosen you, by granting you as an inheritance My day of rest for [your] rest. כי אות הוא ביני וביניכם: אות גדולה היא בינינו שבחרתי בכם, בהנחילי לכם את יום מנוחתי למנוחה:
to know: [So that] the nations [should know] that I, the Lord, sanctify you. לדעת: האומות [בה] כי אני ה' מקדשכם:
14Therefore, keep the Sabbath, for it is a sacred thing for you. Those who desecrate it shall be put to death, for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people. ידוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ הִ֖וא לָכֶ֑ם מְחַֽלֲלֶ֨יהָ֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת כִּ֗י כָּל־הָֽעֹשֶׂ֥ה בָהּ֙ מְלָאכָ֔ה וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמֶּֽיהָ:
shall be put to death: If there are witnesses and a warning. מות יומת: אם יש עדים והתראה:
will be cut off: without warning. -[from Mechilta] ונכרתה: בלא התראה:
Those who desecrate it: Heb. מְחַלְלֶיהָ, [those] who treat its sanctity as profane. מחלליה: הנוהג בה חול בקדושתה:
15Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever performs work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.' טושֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֘ יֵֽעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֧ת שַׁבָּת֛וֹן קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כָּל־הָֽעֹשֶׂ֧ה מְלָאכָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת:
a Sabbath of complete rest: Heb. שַׁבָּתשַׁבָּתוֹן, a reposeful rest, not a casual rest. שבת שבתון: מנוחת מרגוע ולא מנוחת עראי:
(a Sabbath of complete rest: For this reason, Scripture repeated it [the word, שַׁבָּת], to inform [us] that on it all work is prohibited, even what is needed for food. Similarly regarding Yom Kippur, in whose context it says: “It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you” (Lev. 23:32), all work is prohibited. However, concerning festivals it says only: “on the first day is a rest, and on the eighth day is a rest” (Lev. 23:39), [meaning that] on them [i.e., on holidays] only servile work is prohibited, but work needed for food [preparation] is permitted.) שבת שבתון: לכך כפלו הכתוב לומר שאסור בכל מלאכה, אפילו אוכל נפש, וכן יום הכפורים שנאמר בו (ויקרא כג לב) שבת שבתון הוא לכם, אסור בכל מלאכה, אבל יום טוב לא נאמר בו כי אם ביום הראשון שבתון וביום השמיני שבתון (שם) אסורים בכל מלאכת עבודה, ומותרים במלאכת אוכל נפש:
holy to the Lord: The observance of its sanctity shall be for My name and by My commandment. קדש לה': שמירת קדושתה לשמי ובמצוותי:
16Thus shall the children of Israel observe the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. טזוְשָֽׁמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת לַֽעֲשׂ֧וֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת לְדֹֽרֹתָ֖ם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם:
17Between Me and the children of Israel, it is forever a sign that [in] six days The Lord created the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and rested." יזבֵּינִ֗י וּבֵין֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל א֥וֹת הִ֖וא לְעֹלָ֑ם כִּי־שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שָׁבַ֖ת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ:
and rested: Heb. וַיִּנָפַשׁ. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וְנָח, and rested. Now every expression of נוֹפֶשׁ, rest, is an expression of נֶפֶשׁ, soul, for one regains one’s soul and one’s breath when one rests from the toil of work. He about Whom it is written: “He neither tires nor wearies” (Isa. 40:28), and Whose every act is performed by speech [alone, without physical effort], dictated rest in reference to Himself [only] in order to make it understood to the [human] ear with words that it can understand. וינפש: כתרגומו ונח, וכל לשון נופש והוא לשון נפש, שמשיב נפשו ונשימתו בהרגיעו מטורח מהמלאכה. ומי שכתוב בו (ישעיה מ כח) לא ייעף ולא יגע, וכל פעלו במאמר, הכתיב מנוחה לעצמו, לשבר האוזן מה שהיא יכולה לשמוע:
• Daily Tehillim: Psalm 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 concluded1
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: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 34
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Sunday, 14 Adar, 5777 · 12 March 2017
• Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 34
• והנה מודעת זאת שהאבות הן הן המרכבה
• Rambam Shabbat, Sunday, 14 Adar, 5777 · 12 March 2017
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Positive Commandment 133• The Dough Offering ("Challah")
"You shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough as a gift"—Numbers 15:20.
We are commanded to separate a portion of every dough we prepare and give it to the priest.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Dough Offering ("Challah")
Positive Commandment 133
Translated by Berel Bell
The 133rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to separate challah from each dough and to give it to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "You must separate the first portion of your kneading as challah [a dough offering]."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractates Challah and Orlah. It is a Biblical commandment only in Eretz Yisroel.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Num. 15:20.
2.Outside Eretz Yisroel it is obligatory by Rabbinic decree.
• Positive Commandment 143
• The Priestly Portion of Meat
"And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those who perform a slaughter, be it an ox or a sheep"—Deuteronomy 18:3.
We are commanded to give to the priest the foreleg, jaw, and belly of any kosher animal that we slaughter.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• The Priestly Portion of Meat
Positive Commandment 143
Translated by Berel Bell
The 143rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to give the foreleg, the jaw, and the keivah1 from every kosher animal that we slaughter to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "This shall be the law of what the Kohanim receive from the people when an animal is slaughtered: [whether ox or sheep you must give the Kohen the foreleg, the jaw, and the keivah]."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 10th chapter of tractate Chullin. Levites are not obligated in this mitzvah.3
FOOTNOTES
1.One of the cow's four stomachs.
2.Deut. 18:3.
3.Since the verse says, "from the people." See Chullin 131a.
• Positive Commandment 144• The Priestly Portion of Fleece
"The first of the fleece of your sheep [shearing], you shall give him"—Deuteronomy 18:4.
We are commanded to separate the first portion of [a sheep's] shearing and give it to the priest.
This mitzvah applies only in the Land of Israel.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Priestly Portion of Fleece
Positive Commandment 144
Translated by Berel Bell
The 144th mitzvah is that we are commanded to separate the first of our shearings and give them to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "You shall give him the first of your shearing."
This mitzvah applies only in Eretz Yisroel.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 11th chapter of tractate Chullin.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid. 18:4.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
• Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
• Bikkurim - Chapter 6
• Sunday, 14 Adar, 5777 · 12 March 2017
• "Today's Day"
• Friday, 14 Adar I, Purim Katan, 5703
Tachanun is not said.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tetzaveh, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: And even he (p. 127)...speech and action. (p. 129).
My grandfather told my father: "My father (the Tzemach Tzedek) selected the maamarim printed in Likutei Torah from among 2,000 maamarim.
Sunday, Adar Sheini 14, Purim, 5703
In reading the Megilla, we read (8:11); laharog ul'abeid, v'laharog ul'abeid.
In 9:2, v'ish lo amad bifneihem, v'ish lo amad lifneihem. When saying ha'igeret hazot and igeret ha'Purim hazot hasheinit, we rustle the Megilla.
In Shoshanat Yaakov (p. 340): bruchim kol hatzadikim. Shehecheyanu is said before the daytime Megilla-reading too.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tzav, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: Furthermore, the vital (p. 169)...the gross world. (p. 171).
In the Megilla my grandfather wrote, he did not place the ten sons of Haman in a separate column-page, nor did he begin each column-page with the word hamelech ("the king").
(In the Hebrew text at this point, there appear textual emendations in Torah Or, meaningful only in Hebrew. Translator).
• Daily Thought:
G-d with the Oppressed
G‑d is always with the oppressed. Even if the oppressor is righteous and the oppressed is wicked, our sages tell us, G‑d is with the oppressed. (Lev. Rabba 27:7)
Visit the prisoners and bring them some happiness. Even if they are guilty; even if, in your eyes, they deserve whatever misery they have. Bring them joy.
And it is not only those in the penitentiary. A hospital, a home for the elderly, even a private residence of a lonely old man—these, too, can be prisons of the soul.[Purim 5736:4]
Chumash: Ki Tisa, 1st Portion Exodus 30:11-31:17 with Rash
• Exodus Chapter 30
11The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
12"When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to their numbers, let each one give to the Lord an atonement for his soul when they are counted; then there will be no plague among them when they are counted. יבכִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם:
When you take: Heb. כִּי תִשָׂא. [This is] an expression of taking, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders. [I.e.,] when you wish to take the sum [total] of their numbers to know how many they are, do not count them by the head, but each one shall give a half-shekel, and you shall count the shekels. [Thereby] you will know their number. כי תשא: לשון קבלה, כתרגומו, כשתחפוץ לקבל סכום מנינם לדעת כמה הם, אל תמנם לגלגולת, אלא יתנו כל אחד מחצית השקל ותמנה את השקלים ותדע מנינם:
then there will be no plague among them: for the evil eye has power over numbered things, and pestilence comes upon them, as we find in David’s time (II Sam. 24). ולא יהיה בהם נגף: שהמנין שולט בו עין הרע והדבר בא עליהם, כמו שמצינו בימי דוד:
13This they shall give, everyone who goes through the counting: half a shekel according to the holy shekel. Twenty gerahs equal one shekel; half of [such] a shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. יגזֶ֣ה | יִתְּנ֗וּ כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַֽחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל מַֽחֲצִ֣ית הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל תְּרוּמָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
This they shall give: He [God] showed him [Moses] a sort of coin of fire weighing half a shekel, and He said to him, “Like this one they shall give.” -[from Tanchuma 9; Tanchuma Buber, Naso p. 35; Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 19a; Midrash Psalms 91:1; Yerushalmi, Shekalim 1:4] זה יתנו: הראה לו כמין מטבע של אש, ומשקלה מחצית השקל, ואומר לו כזה יתנו:
who goes through the counting: Heb. הָעֹבֵר עַל-הַפְקֻדִים. It is customary for those who count to pass the ones who have been counted one following another, and so [too the word יַעִבֹר in] “each one that passes under the rod” (Lev. 27:32), and so [the word ךְתַּעִבֹרְנָה in] “flocks will again pass under the hands of one who counts them” (Jer. 33:13). העבר על הפקודים: דרך המונין מעבירין את הנמנין זה אחר זה, וכן לשון (ויקרא כז לב) כל אשר יעבור תחת השבט, וכן (ירמיה לג יג) תעבורנה הצאן על ידי מונה:
half a shekel according to the holy shekel: By the weight of the shekel that I fixed for you [against which] to weigh the holy shekels, such as the shekels mentioned in the section dealing with personal evaluations (Lev. 27:1-8) and [in the section concerning] inherited fields (Lev. 27:16-21). מחצית השקל בשקל הקודש: במשקל השקל שקצבתי לך לשקול בו שקלי הקדש, כגון שקלים האמורין בפרשת ערכין ושדה אחוזה:
Twenty gerahs equal one shekel: Now He explains to you how much it is. עשרים גרה השקל: עכשיו פירש לך כמה הוא:
gerahs: Heb. גֵרָה, a word meaning a ma’ah [a small coin]. Likewise, “will come to prostrate himself before him for a silver piece (אִגוֹרַתכֶּסֶף) and a morsel of bread” (I Sam. 2:36). גרה: לשון מעה, וכן בשמואל (בשמואל א' ב לו) יבוא להשתחות לו לאגורת כסף וככר לחם:
Twenty gerahs equal one shekel: for a whole shekel equals four zuzim, and the zuz was originally five ma’oth, but they came and added a sixth to it and raised it to six ma’oth of silver, and half of this shekel [of] which I have spoken to you [here in this verse], they shall give as an offering to the Lord. עשרים גרה השקל: השקל השלם, שהשקל ארבעה זוזים, והזוז מתחלתו חמש מעות, אלא באו והוסיפו עליו שתות והעלוהו לשש מעה כסף, ומחצית השקל הזה, שאמרתי לך, יתנו תרומה לה':
14Everyone who goes through the counting, from the age of twenty and upward, shall give an offering to the Lord. ידכֹּ֗ל הָֽעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה:
from the age of twenty and upward: [The Torah] teaches you here that no one under twenty years old goes out [to serve] in the army or is counted among men. מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה: למדך כאן, שאין פחות מבן עשרים יוצא לצבא ונמנה בכלל אנשים:
15The rich shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less than half a shekel, with which to give the offering to the Lord, to atone for your souls. טוהֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִמַּֽחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶֽם:
to atone for your souls: That they should not be struck by a plague because of the counting. Another explanation: לכפר על נפשתיכם: שלא תנגפו על ידי המנין. דבר אחר לכפר על נפשותיכם, לפי שרמז להם כאן שלש תרומות, שנכתב כאן תרומת ה' שלוש פעמים אחת תרומת א-דנים, שמנאן כשהתחילו בנדבת המשכן ונתנו כל אחד ואחד מחצית השקל, ועלה למאת ככר, שנאמר (שמות לח כה) וכסף פקודי העדה מאת ככר, ומהם נעשו הא-דנים, שנאמר (שמות לח כז) ויהי מאת ככר הכסף וגו'. והשנית אף היא על ידי מנין שמנאן, משהוקם המשכן, הוא המנין האמור בתחלת חומש הפקודים (במדבר א א) באחד לחדש השני בשנה השנית, ונתנו כל אחד מחצית השקל, והן לקנות מהן קרבנות צבור של כל שנה ושנה, והושוו בהם עניים ועשירים, ועל אותה תרומה נאמר לכפר על נפשותיכם, שהקרבנות לכפרה הם באים. והשלישית היא תרומת המשכן, כמו שנאמר (שמות לה כד) כל מרים תרומת כסף ונחשת, ולא היתה יד כולם שוה בה, אלא איש איש מה שנדבו לבו:
to atone for your souls: [This was written] because [God] hinted to them [the Israelites] here [about] three offerings, because “an offering to the Lord” is written here three times. The first [represents] the offering [of silver] for the sockets [of the Mishkan], for he [Moses] counted them when they commenced with the donations for the Mishkan. Everyone gave a half-shekel, amounting to one hundred talents, as it is said: “And the silver of the community census was one hundred talents” (Exod. 38:25). The sockets were made from this, as it is said: “One hundred talents of the silver was [used to cast the sockets of the Mishkan and the sockets of the dividing curtain]” (Exod. 38:27). The second [offering mentioned here] was also [collected] through counting, for he [Moses] counted them after the Mishkan was erected. This is the counting mentioned in the beginning of the Book of Numbers: “on the first of the second month in the second year” (Num. 1:1). [For this offering] everyone gave a half-shekel, [the total of] which was [earmarked] for the purchase of communal sacrifices for every year. The rich and poor were equal in them [i.e., they gave equally in these two offerings]. Concerning that [second] offering, it is said: “to atone for your souls,” because the sacrifices are brought for the purpose of atonement. The third one [offering] is the offering for the Mishkan, as it is said: “Whoever set aside an offering of silver or copper” (Exod. 35:24). In this [offering] not everyone gave the same amount, but each one [gave] according to what his heart inspired him to give. -[from Shekalim 2b]
16You shall take the silver of the atonements from the children of Israel and use it for the work of the Tent of Meeting; it shall be a remembrance for the children of Israel before the Lord, to atone for your souls." טזוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ אֶת־כֶּ֣סֶף הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנָֽתַתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶֽם:
and use it for the work of the Tent of Meeting: [From this] you learn that they were commanded to count them at the beginning of the donation for the Mishkan after the incident of the calf. [They were commanded then] because a plague had befallen them, as it is said: “And the Lord plagued the people” (Exod. 32:35). This can be compared to a flock of sheep, treasured by its owner, which was stricken with pestilence. When it [the pestilence] was over, he [the owner] said to the shepherd, “Please count my sheep to know how many are left,” in order to make it known that he treasured it [the flock] (Tanchuma, Ki Thissa 9). It is, however, impossible to say that this counting [mentioned here] was the [same] one mentioned in the Book of Numbers, for in that one [counting] it says: “on the first of the second month” (Num. 1:1), and the Mishkan was erected on the first [day] of the first month, as it is said: On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall erect, etc. (Exod. 40:2). The sockets were made from shekels realized from that counting, as it is said: “One hundred talents of the silver were used to cast, etc.” (Exod. 38:27). Thus you learn that they [the countings] were two-one at the beginning of their donation [to the Mishkan] after Yom Kippur in the first year [after the Exodus], and one in the second year in Iyar after the Mishkan had been erected. Now if you ask, how is it possible that in both of these countings the Israelites equaled six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty? In the case of the silver of the community census, it says this number, and also in the Book of Numbers it says the same: “And all the counted ones were six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty” (Num. 1:46). Were they [the countings] not in two [separate] years? It is impossible that in the first census there were none who were nineteen years old and consequently not counted, and by the second counting became twenty years old [and were counted]. The answer to this matter is that in the context of the ages of people, they were counted in the same year, but in the context of the Exodus they [the two dates] were two [separate] years, since [to figure the time] from the Exodus, we count from [the month of] Nissan, as we learned in [tractate] Rosh Hashanah (2b). In this context, the Mishkan was built in the first year [after the Exodus] and erected in the second year, for the new year started on the first of Nissan. People’s ages, however, are counted according to the number of years of the world, beginning with [the month of] Tishri. Thus, the two countings were [taken] in the same year. The first counting was in Tishri after Yom Kippur, when the Omnipresent was placated toward Israel to forgive them, and they were commanded concerning [building] the Mishkan. The second one [counting] was on the first of Iyar. -[from Num. Rabbah 1:10] ונתת אתו על עבודת אהל מועד: למדת שנצטוה למנותם בתחלת נדבת המשכן אחר מעשה העגל, מפני שנכנס בהם מגפה, כמו שנאמר (שמות לב לה) ויגוף ה' את העם. משל לצאן החביבה על בעליה, שנפל בה דבר, ומשפסק אמר לו לרועה בבקשה ממך, מנה את צאני ודע כמה נותרו בהם, להודיע שהיא חביבה עליו. ואי אפשר לומר, שהמנין הזה הוא האמור בחומש הפקודים, שהרי נאמר בו (במדבר א א) באחד לחדש השני, והמשכן הוקם באחד לחודש הראשון, שנאמר (שמות מ ב) ביום החודש הראשון באחד לחודש תקים וגו', ומהמנין הזה נעשו הא-דנים משקלים שלו, שנאמר (שמות לח כז) ויהי מאת ככר הכסף לצקת וגו', הא למדת שתים היו אחת בתחלת נדבתן אחר יום הכפורים בשנה ראשונה, ואחת בשנה שנייה באייר משהוקם המשכן. ואם תאמר, וכי אפשר שבשניהם היו ישראל שוים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמישים, שהרי בכסף פקודי העדה נאמר כן, ובחומש הפקודים אף בו נאמר כן (במדבר א מו) ויהיו כל הפקודים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים, והלא בשתי שנים היו, ואי אפשר שלא היו בשעת מנין הראשון בני תשע עשרה שנה שלא נמנו ובשנייה נעשו בני עשרים. תשובה לדבר, אצל שנות האנשים בשנה אחת נמנו, אבל למנין יציאת מצרים היו שתי שנים, לפי שליציאת מצרים מונין מניסן, כמו ששנינו במסכת ראש השנה (ב ב), ונבנה המשכן בראשונה והוקם בשנייה שנתחדשה שנה באחד בניסן, אבל שנות האנשים מנוין למנין שנות עולם המתחילין מתשרי, נמצאו שני המנינים בשנה אחת המנין הראשון היה בתשרי לאחר יום הכפורים, שנתרצה המקום לישראל לסלוח להם, ונצטוו על המשכן, והשני באחד באייר:
for the work of the Tent of Meeting: These are the sockets made from it [i.e., from the silver of the atonements]. על עבודת אהל מועד: הן הא-דנים שנעשו בו:
17The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
18"You shall make a washstand of copper and its base of copper for washing, and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water therein. יחוְעָשִׂ֜יתָ כִּיּ֥וֹר נְח֛שֶׁת וְכַנּ֥וֹ נְח֖שֶׁת לְרָחְצָ֑ה וְנָֽתַתָּ֣ אֹת֗וֹ בֵּֽין־אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָֽתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖מָּה מָֽיִם:
a washstand: Like a sort of large caldron, which has faucets allowing water to pour out through their openings. כיור: כמין דוד גדולה ולה דדים המריקים בפיהם מים:
and its base: Heb. וְכַנּוֹ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וּבְסִיסֵיהּ, a seat prepared for the washstand. וכנו: כתרגומו ובסיסיה, מושב מתוקן לכיור:
for washing: This refers back to the washstand. לרחצה: מוסב על הכיור:
between… the altar: [This refers to] the altar for burnt offerings, about which it is written that it was in front of the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting. The washstand was drawn away slightly [from the entrance] and stood opposite the space between the altar and the Mishkan, but it did not intervene at all [between them], because it is said: “And he placed the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting” (Exod. 40:29), implying that the altar was in front of the Tent of Meeting, but the washstand was not in front of the Tent of Meeting. How is that so? It [the washstand] was drawn away slightly to the south. So it is taught in Zev. (59a). ובין המזבח: מזבח העולה שכתוב בו, שהוא לפני פתח משכן אהל מועד, והיה הכיור משוך קמעא ועומד כנגד אויר שבין המזבח והמשכן, ואינו מפסיק כלל בינתים, משום שנאמר (שמות מ כט) ואת מזבח העולה שם פתח משכן אהל מועד, כלומר מזבח לפני אהל מועד ואין כיור לפני אהל מועד, הא כיצד, משוך קמעא כלפי הדרום, כך שנויה בזבחים (נט א):
19Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it. יטוְרָֽחֲצ֛וּ אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן וּבָנָ֖יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם:
their hands and feet: He [the kohen] would wash his hands and feet simultaneously. So we learned in Zev. (19b): How was the washing of the hands and the feet [performed]? [The kohen] would lay his right hand on his right foot and his left hand on his left foot and wash [in this manner]. את ידיהם ואת רגליהם: בבת אחת היה מקדש ידיו ורגליו, וכך שנינו בזבחים (יט ב) כיצד קדוש ידים ורגלים, מניח ידו הימנית על גבי רגלו הימנית, וידו השמאלית על גבי רגלו השמאלית, ומקדש:
20When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to serve, to make a fire offering rise up in smoke to the Lord, כבְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
When they enter the Tent of Meeting: to bring the incense up in smoke in the morning and in the afternoon, or to sprinkle some of the blood of the bull of the anointed Kohen [Gadol, who erred in his halachic decision and practiced according to that erroneous decision,] (Lev. 4:3-12) and the blood of the kids for [sin offerings for having engaged in] idolatry (Num. 15:22-26). בבאם אל אהל מועד: להקטיר קטרת שחרית ובין הערבים, או להזות מדם פר כהן המשיח ושעירי עבודה זרה:
so that they will not die: This implies that if they do not wash, they will die. For in the Torah [there] are stated implications, and from the negative implication you [can] understand the positive. ולא ימותו: הא אם לא ירחצו ימותו, שבתורה נאמרו כללות, ומכלל לאו אתה שומע הן:
the altar: [I.e.,] the outer [altar], in which no entry to the Tent of Meeting is involved, only [entry] into the courtyard. אל המזבח: החיצון, שאין כאן ביאת אהל מועד אלא בחצר:
21they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be for them a perpetual statute, for him and for his descendants, for their generations." כאוְרָֽחֲצ֛וּ יְדֵיהֶ֥ם וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ וְהָֽיְתָ֨ה לָהֶ֧ם חָק־עוֹלָ֛ם ל֥וֹ וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ לְדֹֽרֹתָֽם:
so that they will not die: [This verse is written] to impose death upon one who serves on the altar when his hands and feet are not washed, for from the first death penalty (verse 20) we understand only [that death is imposed] upon one who enters the Temple. ולא ימותו: לחייב מיתה על המשמש במזבח ואינו רחוץ ידים ורגלים, שהמיתה הראשונה לא שמענו אלא על הנכנס להיכל:
22The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: כבוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
23"And you, take for yourself spices of the finest sort: of pure myrrh five hundred [shekel weights]; of fragrant cinnamon half of it two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]; of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty [shekel weights], כגוְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֘ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־בֶּ֥שֶׂם מַֽחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־בֹ֖שֶׂם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתָֽיִם:
spices of the finest sort: Heb. בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ, of high quality. בשמים ראש: חשובים:
fragrant cinnamon: Since cinnamon is the bark of a tree, and there is one good type [of cinnamon] that has a fragrant bouquet and a good taste, and there is another that is merely like wood, it was necessary to state “fragrant cinnamon,” [meaning that the incense was to be made] of the good species. וקנמן בשם: לפי שהקנמון קליפת עץ הוא, יש שהוא טוב ויש בו ריח טוב וטעם, ויש שאינו אלא כעץ, לכך הוצרך לומר קנמן בשם, מן הטוב:
half of it two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]: Half of the amount to be brought shall be two hundred and fifty; thus altogether it is five hundred [shekel weights], like the amount of pure myrrh. If so, why was it stated in halves? This is a Scriptural decree to bring it in halves to add to it two overweights, because we do not weigh [the spices] exactly. So it was taught in Kereithoth (5a). מחציתו חמשים ומאתים: מחצית הבאתו תהא חמשים ומאתים, נמצא כולו חמש מאות, כמו שיעור מר דרור, אם כן, למה נאמר בו חצאין, גזירת הכתוב היא להביאו לחצאין, להרבות בו שתי הכרעות, שאין שוקלין עין בעין, וכך שנויה בכריתות (דף ה א):
fragrant cane: Heb. וּקְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם, cane of spice. Since there are canes that are not of spice, it is necessary to specify: בֹשֶׂם וקנה בשם: קנה של בשם לפי שיש קנים שאינן של בשם, הוצרך לומר בשם:
two hundred and fifty [shekel weights]: [This is] its total sum. חמשים ומאתים: סך משקל כולו:
24and of cassia five hundred [shekel weights] according to the holy shekel, and one hin of olive oil. כדוְקִדָּ֕ה חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְשֶׁ֥מֶן זַ֖יִת הִֽין:
and of cassia: Heb. וְקִדָּה, the name of the root of an herb, and in the language of the Sages: קְצִיעָה, cassia. -[from Ker. 6a] וקדה: שם שורש עשב, ובלשון חכמים קציעה:
hin: [The equivalent of] twelve logs. The Sages of Israel differ concerning it [i.e., how the oil was made]. Rabbi Meir says: They [whoever made the anointing oil] boiled the roots in it [the oil of the anointment]. Rabbi Judah said to him: But is it not so that it [the anointment oil] did not even suffice to anoint the roots [and thus they certainly couldn’t boil the spices in the oil]? Rather, they soaked them [the spices] in water so that they would not absorb the oil, and then poured the oil on them until they were impregnated with the scent, and [then] they wiped the oil off the roots. -[from Ker. 5a] הין: שנים עשר לוגין, ונחלקו בו חכמי ישראל רבי מאיר אומר בו שלקו את העיקרין. אמר לו רבי יהודה והלא לסוך את העיקרין אינו סיפק, אלא שראום במים, שלא יבלעו את השמן, ואחר כך הציף עליהם השמן עד שקלט הריח וקפחו לשמן מעל העיקרין:
25You shall make this into an oil of holy anoinment, a perfumed compound according to the art of a perfumer; it shall be an oil of holy anointment. כהוְעָשִׂ֣יתָ אֹת֗וֹ שֶׁ֚מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֔דֶשׁ רֹ֥קַח מִרְקַ֖חַת מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה רֹקֵ֑חַ שֶׁ֥מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶֽה:
a perfumed compound: Heb. רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת. רֹקַח is a noun, and the accent, which is on the first syllable, proves that. It is like רֶקַע רֶגַע, but it is not like “Who wrinkles (רֹגַע) the sea” (Isa. 51:15), or like “Who spread out (רֹקַע) the earth” (Isa. 42:5)[which are both verbs], because [in those instances] the accent is at the end of the word. Any substance mixed with another substance until one becomes impregnated from the other with either scent or taste is called מִרְקַחַת. רקח מרקחת: רקח שם דבר הוא, והטעם מוכיח שהוא למעלה, והרי הוא כמו רקח, רגע, ואינו כמו (ישעיה נא טו) רגע הים, וכמו (ישעיהו מב ה) רקע הארץ, שהטעם למטה, וכל דבר המעורב בחבירו, עד שזה קופח מזה או ריח או טעם קרוי מרקחת:
a perfumed compound: Heb. רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת, a compound made through the skill of mixing. רקח מרקחת: רקח העשוי על ידי אומנות ותערובות:
according to the art of a perfumer: Heb. רֹקֵחַ, the name of the craftsman in this field. מעשה רוקח: שם האומן בדבר:
26And you shall anoint with it the Tent of Meeting and the Ark of Testimony, כווּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ ב֖וֹ אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְאֵ֖ת אֲר֥וֹן הָֽעֵדֻֽת:
And you shall anoint with it: All anointments were in the shape of the Greek [letter] “chaff,” except those of the kings, which were like a sort of crown. -[from Ker. 5b] ומשחת בו: כל המשיחות כמין כי יונית, חוץ משל מלכים שהן כמין נזר:
27the table and all its implements, the menorah and its implements, the altar of incense, כזוְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֖ה וְאֶת־כֵּלֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
28the altar of the burnt offering and all its implements, the washstand and its base. כחוְאֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ:
29And you shall sanctify them so that they become a holy of holies; whatever touches them shall become holy. כטוְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְהָי֖וּ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֑ים כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהֶ֖ם יִקְדָּֽשׁ:
And you shall sanctify them: This anointment sanctifies them to be a holy of holies. And what is their sanctity? Whatever touches them shall become holy. [I.e.,] whatever is fit for [placement in] a service vessel, when it enters them [the vessels], it becomes intrinsically holy so that it becomes unfit [to be an offering] if it goes out [of its designated boundaries], if it stays [out] overnight, or if [it comes in contact with] a person who has immersed himself [from uncleanness] on that day, and it may not be redeemed to become ordinary [unsanctified] food. Something unfit for them [i.e., for the service vessels], however, they [the vessels] do not sanctify (Zev. 87a). This was taught as an explicit Mishnah concerning the altar [i.e., a Baraitha, Zev. 83b]: Since it is stated: “Whatever touches the altar will be holy” (Exod. 29:37), I understand it to mean whether it is fit or unfit. Therefore, [to clarify this,] the Torah states [that] lambs [are to be sacrificed upon the altar]. Because just as lambs are fit, so is anything else that is fit [sanctified if it comes in contact with the altar]. Every anointment of the Mishkan, the kohanim, and the kings is translated [by Onkelos] as an expression of greatness because there is no need to anoint them except in order to proclaim their greatness. So did the King [God] decree, that this [the anointment] is their initiation into greatness. Other anointments, however, such as anointed wafers, “and with the first oils they anoint themselves” (Amos 6:6), their Aramaic [translation] is the same as the Hebrew. וקדשת אותם: משיחה זו מקדשתם להיות קדש קדשים, ומה היא קדושתם, כל הנוגע וגו', כל הראוי לכלי שרת משנכנס לתוכו קדוש קדושת הגוף ליפסל ביוצא ובלינה ובטבול יום, ואינו נפדה לצאת לחולין, אבל דבר שאינו ראוי להם אין מקדשין. ושנויה היא משנה שלימה אצל מזבח, מתוך שנאמר (שמות כט לז) כל הנוגע במזבח יקדש, שומע אני בין ראוי בין שאינו ראוי, תלמוד לומר כבשים, מה כבשים ראויים אף כל ראוי. כל משיחת משכן וכהנים ומלכים מתורגם לשון רבוי, לפי שאין צורך משיחתן אלא לגדולה, כי כן יסד המלך, שזה חנוך גדולתן, ושאר משיחות כגון (שמות כט ב) רקיקין משוחין, (עמוס ו ו) וראשית שמנים ימשחו, לשון ארמית בהן כלשון עברית:
30And with it you shall anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them to serve Me [as kohanim]. לוְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תִּמְשָׁ֑ח וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם לְכַהֵ֥ן לִֽי:
31And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying: 'This shall be oil of holy anointment to Me for your generations. לאוְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר שֶׁ֠מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֨דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה זֶ֛ה לִ֖י לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
for your generations: From here our Rabbis deduced that it [the anointing oil made by Moses] will all remain in existence in the future. -[from Horioth 11b] לדרתיכם: מכאן למדו רבותינו לומר שכולו קיים לעתיד לבא:
This: Heb. זֶה. In gematria, this equals twelve logs. [ ז, ה, totaling 12.] -[from Horioth 11b] זה: בגימטריה תריסר לוגין הוו:
32It shall not be poured upon human flesh, and according to its formula you shall not make anything like it. It is holy; it shall be holy to you. לבעַל־בְּשַׂ֤ר אָדָם֙ לֹ֣א יִיסָ֔ךְ וּבְמַ֨תְכֻּנְתּ֔וֹ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ כָּמֹ֑הוּ קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֔וּא קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:
It shall not be poured: Heb. לֹא יִיסָ. [This is spelled] with two “yud” s. It is an expression [in the form] of לֹא יִפְעַל, it shall not do, like, “and in order that it be good (יִיטַב) for you” (Deut. 5:16). לא ייסך: בשני יודי"ן, לשון לא יפעל, כמו (דברים ה טו) למען ייטב לך:
It shall not be poured upon human flesh: from this very oil. על בשר אדם לא ייסך: מן השמן הזה עצמו:
and according to its formula you shall not make anything like it: With the amount of its ingredients you shall not make another like it, but if one decreased or increased the ingredients according to the measure of a hin of oil, it is permitted. Also, the [oil] made according to the formula of this [oil]-the one who anoints himself [with it] is not liable, only the one who mixes it. -[from Ker. 5a] ובמתכנתו לא תעשו כמהו: בסכום סמניו לא תעשו אחר כמוהו במשקל סמנין הללו לפי מדת הין שמן, אבל אם פחת או רבה סממנין לפי מדת הין שמן מותר, ואף העשוי במתכונתו של זה, אין הסך ממנו חייב אלא הרוקחו:
according to its formula: Heb. וּבְמַתְכֻּנְךְתּוֹ, a word meaning a number, like “the number of (מַתְכֹּנֶת) bricks” (Exod. 5:8), and so, בְּמַתְכֻּנְךְתָּה, mentioned in reference to the incense (below, verse 37). ובמתכנתו: לשון חשבון, כמו (שמות ה ח) מתכנת הלבנים, וכן במתכונתה של קטורת:
33Any person who compounds anything like it or puts any of it on an alien shall be cut off from his people.' " לגאִ֚ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְקַ֣ח כָּמֹ֔הוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִתֵּ֛ן מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַל־זָ֑ר וְנִכְרַ֖ת מֵֽעַמָּֽיו:
or puts any of it: Of that [oil] of [i.e., made by] Moses. [However, anyone who anoints himself with oil that was made copying the original anointing oil is not liable.] -[from Ker. 5a] ואשר יתן ממנו: מאותו של משה:
on an alien: [I.e.,] which is not needed for the kehunah or the kingship. על זר: שאינו צורך כהונה ומלכות:
34And the Lord said to Moses: "Take for yourself aromatics, [namely] balsam sap, onycha and galbanum, aromatics and pure frankincense; they shall be of equal weight. לדוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֶל־משֶׁ֜ה קַח־לְךָ֣ סַמִּ֗ים נָטָ֤ף | וּשְׁחֵ֨לֶת֙ וְחֶלְבְּנָ֔ה סַמִּ֖ים וּלְבֹנָ֣ה זַכָּ֑ה בַּ֥ד בְּבַ֖ד יִֽהְיֶֽה:
balsam sap: Heb. נָטָף. This is balm (צֳרִי), but since it is only the sap that drips (נוֹטֵף) from the balsam trees, it is called נָטָף (Ker. 6a), and in French, gomme, gum resin. The balm itself, however, is called triaca [in Old Provencal], theriac. נטף: הוא צרי, ועל שאינו אלא שרף הנוטף מעצי הקטף קרוי נטף ובלעז גומ"א, והצרי קורין לו תירייק"א ושחלת - שורש בשם חלק ומצהיר כצפורן, ובלשון המשנה קרוי צפורן, וזהו שתרגם אונקלוס וטופרא:
onycha: Heb. וּשְׁחֵלֶת, a root of a spice, smooth and shiny as fingernails, and in the language of the Mishnah (Ker. 6a) it is called צִפֹּרֶן. This is what Onkelos renders as וְטוּפְרָא. [Both צִפֹּרֶן and טוּפְרָא mean “fingernail.”] וחלבנה: בשם שריחו רע וקורין לו גלבנא, ומנאה הכתוב בין סמני הקטורת, ללמדנו, שלא יקל בעינינו לצרף עמנו באגודת תעניותינו ותפלותינו את פושעי ישראל שיהיו נמנין עמנו:
and galbanum: A spice with a vile odor, called galbane [in Old French], galbanum. The Scripture counted it among the ingredients of the incense [in order] to teach us that we should not look askance at including Jewish transgressors with us when we assemble for fasting or prayer. [The Torah instructs us] that they should be counted with us. -[from Ker. 6b] סמים: אחרים:
aromatics: Heb. סַמִּים. Other [aromatics]. -[from Ker. 6b] ולבנה זכה: מכאן למדו רבותינו אחד עשר סמנין נאמרו לו למשה בסיני מיעוט סמים שנים, נטף ושחלת וחלבנה שלשה, הרי חמישה, סמים, לרבות עוד כמו אלו, הרי עשרה, ולבונה הרי אחד עשר ואלו הן הצרי והצפורן, החלבנה והלבונה, מור וקציעה, שבולת נרד וכרכם, הרי שמונה, שהשבולת ונרד אחד, שהנרד דומה לשבולת, הקושט והקילופה והקנמון הרי אחד עשר. בורית כרשינה אינו נקטר אלא בו שפין את הצפורן ללבנה שתהא נאה:
and pure frankincense: From here our Rabbis learned that eleven ingredients were told to Moses [when he was] at Sinai: the minimum of aromatics-two [since סַמִּים is written in the plural form]; balsam sap, onycha, and galbanum-three, equaling five; aromatics [written a second time]-to include again the number of these, equaling ten; and frankincense, totaling eleven. They are as follows: (1) balsam sap, (2) onycha, (3) galbanum, (4) frankincense, (5) myrrh, (6) cassia, (7) spikenard נֵרְדְּ) (שִׁבֹּלֶת, and (8) saffron, totaling eight, because שִׁבֹּלֶת and נֵרְדְּ are one, for spikenard נֵרְדְּ is like an ear [of grain] שִׁבֹּלֶת. [To continue:] (9) costus, (10) aromatic bark, and (11) cinnamon, thus totaling eleven. Borith carshina [mentioned further in the Baraitha, is not counted because it] does not go up in smoke, but they rub the onycha with it to whiten it so that it should be beautiful. -[from Ker. 6a] בד בבד יהיה: אלו הארבעה הנזכרים כאן יהיו שוין משקל במשקל, כמשקלו של זה כך משקלו של זה, וכן שנינו (כריתות ו א) הצרי והצפורן, החלבנה והלבונה משקל שבעים שבעים מנה. ולשון בד נראה בעיני שהוא לשון יחיד, אחד באחד, יהיה זה כמו זה:
they shall be of equal weight: Heb. יִהְיֶה בַּד בְּבַד. These four [ingredients] mentioned here [explicitly] shall be equal, a weight for a weight. Like the weight of one, so shall be the weight of the other. So we learned (Ker. 6a): The balsam, the onycha, the galbanum, and the frankincense the weight of each was seventy manehs. The word בַּד appears to me to mean a unit; each one [i. e., the weight] shall be this one like that one.
35And you shall make it into incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, well blended, pure, holy. להוְעָשִׂ֤יתָ אֹתָהּ֙ קְטֹ֔רֶת רֹ֖קַח מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה רוֹקֵ֑חַ מְמֻלָּ֖ח טָה֥וֹר קֹֽדֶשׁ:
well blended: Heb. מְמֻלָח, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: מְעָרֵב, mixed. He should mix their [the spices’] powder thoroughly, one with the other. Accordingly, I say that [the following] are similar to this: “And the sailors (הַמַּלָּחִים) were frightened” (Jonah 1:5); “your sailors (מַלָחַיִ) and your mariners” (Ezek. 27:27). [Sailors are given this appellation] because they turn over the water with oars when they propel the ship, like a person who turns over beaten eggs with a spoon to blend them with water. And anything that a person wishes to blend thoroughly, he turns over with his finger or with a spoon. ממלח: כתרגומו מעורב, שיערב שחיקתן יפה יפה זה עם זה. ואומר אני שדומה לו (יונה א ה) וייראו המלחים, (יחזקאל כז כז) מלחיך וחובליך, על שם שמהפכין את המים במשוטות, כשמנהיגים את הספינה, כאדם המהפך בכף ביצים טרופות לערבן עם המים, וכל דבר שהאדם רוצה לערב יפה יפה, מהפכו באצבע או בבזך:
well blended, pure, holy: It shall be well blended; it shall be pure, and it shall be holy. ממלח טהור קדש: ממולח יהיה וטהור יהיה וקדש יהיה:
36And you shall crush some of it very finely, and you shall set some of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will arrange meetings with you; it shall be to you a holy of holies. לווְשָֽׁחַקְתָּ֣ מִמֶּ֘נָּה֘ הָדֵק֒ וְנָֽתַתָּ֨ה מִמֶּ֜נָּה לִפְנֵ֤י הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִוָּעֵ֥ד לְךָ֖ שָׁ֑מָּה קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:
and you shall set some of it: This is the daily incense, which is on the inner altar, which is in the Tent of Meeting. ונתתה ממנה וגו': היא קטרת שבכל יום ויום שעל מזבח הפנימי, שהוא באהל מועד:
where I will arrange meetings with you: All appointments to speak that I will set up for you, I will set up for that place. אשר אועד לך שמה: כל מועדי דבור שאקבע לך, אני קובעם לאותו מקום:
37And the incense that you make, you shall not make for yourselves according to its formula; it shall be holy to you for the Lord. לזוְהַקְּטֹ֨רֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה בְּמַ֨תְכֻּנְתָּ֔הּ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
according to its formula: According to the number of its ingredients. במתכנתה: במנין סממניה:
it shall be holy to you for the Lord: That you shall not make it except for My Name. קדש תהיה לך לה': שלא תעשנה אלא לשמי:
38Any person who makes anything like it, to smell it[s fragrance], shall be cut off from his people. לחאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה כָמ֖וֹהָ לְהָרִ֣יחַ בָּ֑הּ וְנִכְרַ֖ת מֵֽעַמָּֽיו:
to smell it[s fragrance]: But you may make it according to its formula of your own [ingredients] in order to deliver it to the community. -[from Ker. 5a] להריח בה: אבל עושה אתה במתכונתה משלך כדי למוסרה לצבור:
Exodus Chapter 31
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2"See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ברְאֵ֖ה קָרָ֣אתִי בְשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה:
I have called by name: to perform My work Bezalel. קראתי בשם: לעשות מלאכתי, את בצלאל:
3and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship גוָֽאֲמַלֵּ֥א אֹת֖וֹ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּחָכְמָ֛ה וּבִתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכָל־מְלָאכָֽה:
with wisdom: [I.e.,] what a person hears from others and learns. -[from Sifrei Deut. 1:13] בחכמה: מה שאדם שומע מאחרים ולמד:
with insight: With his intellect he understands other things based on what he learned. -[from Sifrei Deut. 1:13] ובתבונה: מבין דבר מלבו, מתוך דברים שלמד:
with knowledge: The holy spirit. ובדעת: רוח הקדש:
4to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper, דלַחְשֹׁ֖ב מַֽחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת לַֽעֲשׂ֛וֹת בַּזָּהָ֥ב וּבַכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַנְּחֽשֶׁת:
to do master weaving: Heb. לַחְשֹׁב מַחִשָׁבֹת, the weaving work of a master weaver. לחשוב מחשבת: אריגת מעשה חושב:
5with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work. הוּבַֽחֲר֥שֶׁת אֶ֛בֶן לְמַלֹּ֖את וּבַֽחֲר֣שֶׁת עֵ֑ץ לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּכָל־מְלָאכָֽה:
with the craft: Heb. וּבַחִרשֶׁת, a term denoting a craft, like “a skilled craftsman (חָרָשׁ) ” (Isa. 40:20). Onkelos, however, explained [this term] but varied [the wording] in their explanation [i.e., in the explanation of the two mentions of חִרשֶׁ. וּבַחִרשֶׁתאֶבֶן he rendered וּבְאוּמָנוּתאִבַן טָבָא, and בַחִרשֶׁתעֵץ he rendered וּבְנַגָּרוּתאָעָא, because a craftsman of stones is called אוּמָן, craftsman, whereas a craftsman of wood is called נַגַָָּר, carpenter. ובחרשת: לשון אומנות, כמו (ישעיה מ כ) חרש חכם, ואונקלוס פירש ושנה בפירושן, שחרש אבנים קרוי אומן, וחרש עץ קרוי נגר:
for setting: Heb. לְמַלֹאת, lit., to fill. To set it [each stone] into its setting in its fullness, [i.e.,] to make the setting equal to the measurement of the bottom of the stone and its thickness. [See commentary on Exod. 25:7.] למלאת: להושיבה במשבצת שלה במלואה, לעשות המשבצת למדת מושב האבן ועוביה:
6And, behold, with him I have placed Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and all the wise hearted into whose hearts I have instilled wisdom, and they shall make everything I have commanded you: ווַֽאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה נָתַ֣תִּי אִתּ֗וֹ אֵ֣ת אָֽהֳלִיאָ֞ב בֶּן־אֲחִֽיסָמָךְ֙ לְמַטֵּה־דָ֔ן וּבְלֵ֥ב כָּל־חֲכַם־לֵ֖ב נָתַ֣תִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְעָשׂ֕וּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִֽךָ:
and all the wise-hearted into whose hearts I have instilled wisdom: And additionally, other wise-hearted people among you [shall assist], as well as everyone into whom I have instilled wisdom, and [all of them] shall make everything I have commanded you. ובלב כל חכם לב וגו': ועוד שאר חכמי לב יש בכם, וכל אשר נתתי בו חכמה ועשו את כל אשר צויתיך:
7The Tent of Meeting and the ark for the testimony, as well as the cover that [shall be] upon it, all the implements of the tent, זאֵ֣ת | אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד וְאֶת־הָֽאָרֹן֙ לָֽעֵדֻ֔ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֥י הָאֹֽהֶל:
and the ark for the testimony: For the purpose of the tablets of the testimony. ואת הארן לעדת: לצורך לוחות העדות:
8the table and its implements, the pure menorah and all its implements, the altar of incense, חוְאֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְאֶת־כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֥ה הַטְּהֹרָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֥ח הַקְּטֹֽרֶת:
the pure: Heb. הַטְּהֹרָה. [The menorah is described by this adjective] because [it was made] of pure gold. [based on Exod. 25:31] הטהרה: על שם זהב טהור:
9the altar for the burnt offering and all its implements, the washstand and its base, טוְאֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְאֶת־הַכִּיּ֖וֹר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ:
10the meshwork garments, the holy garments for Aaron the kohen, the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim], יוְאֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י הַשְּׂרָ֑ד וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֤י הַקֹּ֨דֶשׁ֙ לְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו לְכַהֵֽן:
the meshwork garments: Heb. בִּגְדֵי הַשְְׂרָד In my opinion, according to the simple meaning of the verse, it is impossible to say that the garments of the kehunah are referred to [here], because it says next to them [at the end of the verse], “the holy garments for Aaron the kohen, the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim].” But these בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד [referred to here] are the garments of blue, purple, and crimson wool mentioned in the section dealing with the travels (Num. 4:6-13): “and they shall place upon it a garment of blue wool,” “and they shall place upon it a garment of purple wool,” “and they shall place upon them a garment of crimson wool.” My assertion [that בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד refers to the coverings of the vessels] appears correct, since it says: “And from the blue wool, the purple wool, and the crimson they made בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד ” (Exod. 39:1), but linen was not mentioned with them. Now, if it [the text] is speaking of the garments of the kehunah, we do not find in any of them [reference to] purple or crimson wool without [the addition of] linen. בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד Some [commentators] explain בִּגְדֵי הַשְׂרָד as an expression of work and service, like its [Aramaic] translation, לְבוּשֵׁי שִׁמוּשָׁא, and it has no similarity in the Scriptures. But I believe that it is Aramaic, like the [Aramaic] translation of קְלָעִים [hangings, translated סְרָדִין] (Exod. 27:9) and the [Aramaic] translation of מִכְבָּר [grating, translated סְרָדָא] (Exod. 27:4), for they were woven with a needle [and] made of many holes, lazediz in Old French, mesh-work, crochet-work, [or] lace. ואת בגדי השרד: אומר אני לפי פשוטו של מקרא אי אפשר לומר שבבגדי כהונה מדבר, לפי שנאמר אצלם ואת בגדי הקדש לאהרן הכהן ואת בגדי בניו לכהן, אלא אלו בגדי השרד, הם בגדי התכלת והארגמן ותולעת שני, האמורין בפרשת מסעות (במדבר ד יב) ונתנו אל בגד תכלת, (שם יג) ופרשו עליו בגד ארגמן, (שם ח) ופרשו עליהם בגד תולעת שני. ונראין דברי, שנאמר (שמות לט א) ומן התכלת והארגמן ותולעת השני עשו בגדי שרד לשרת בקדש, ולא הוזכר שש עמהם, ואם בבגדי כהונה מדבר, לא מצינו באחד מהם ארגמן או תולעת שני בלא שש:
11the anointing oil and the incense for the Holy; in complete accordance with everything I have commanded you they shall do." יאוְאֵ֨ת שֶׁ֧מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֛ה וְאֶת־קְטֹ֥רֶת הַסַּמִּ֖ים לַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִ֖ךָ יַֽעֲשֽׂוּ:
and the incense for the Holy: For the purpose of bringing [incense] up in smoke in the Heichal, which is holy. ואת קטרת הסמים לקדש: לצורך הקטרת ההיכל שהוא קדש:
12The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
13"And you, speak to the children of Israel and say: 'Only keep My Sabbaths! For it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I, the Lord, make you holy. יגוְאַתָּ֞ה דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֥ךְ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כִּי֩ א֨וֹת הִ֜וא בֵּינִ֤י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם:
And you, speak to the children of Israel: But [as for] you, although I have mandated you to command them [the Israelites] concerning the work of the Mishkan, do not let it seem to you that you may easily set aside the Sabbath because of that work. ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל: ואתה, אף על פי שהפקדתיך לצוותם על מלאכת המשכן, אל יקל בעיניך לדחות את השבת מפני אותה מלאכה:
Only keep My Sabbaths!: Although you will be rushed to perform the work [of the Mishkan] quickly, the Sabbath shall not be set aside because of it. All instances of אַ and רַק [imply limitations, i.e.,] are exclusive, to exclude the Sabbath from the work of the Mishkan. אך את שבתתי תשמרו: אף על פי שתהיו רדופין וזריזין בזריזות מלאכה שבת אל תדחה מפניה. כל אכין ורקין מיעוטין, למעט שבת ממלאכת המשכן:
For it is a sign between Me and you: It is a sign of distinction between us that I have chosen you, by granting you as an inheritance My day of rest for [your] rest. כי אות הוא ביני וביניכם: אות גדולה היא בינינו שבחרתי בכם, בהנחילי לכם את יום מנוחתי למנוחה:
to know: [So that] the nations [should know] that I, the Lord, sanctify you. לדעת: האומות [בה] כי אני ה' מקדשכם:
14Therefore, keep the Sabbath, for it is a sacred thing for you. Those who desecrate it shall be put to death, for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people. ידוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ הִ֖וא לָכֶ֑ם מְחַֽלֲלֶ֨יהָ֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת כִּ֗י כָּל־הָֽעֹשֶׂ֥ה בָהּ֙ מְלָאכָ֔ה וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמֶּֽיהָ:
shall be put to death: If there are witnesses and a warning. מות יומת: אם יש עדים והתראה:
will be cut off: without warning. -[from Mechilta] ונכרתה: בלא התראה:
Those who desecrate it: Heb. מְחַלְלֶיהָ, [those] who treat its sanctity as profane. מחלליה: הנוהג בה חול בקדושתה:
15Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever performs work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.' טושֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֘ יֵֽעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֧ת שַׁבָּת֛וֹן קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כָּל־הָֽעֹשֶׂ֧ה מְלָאכָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת:
a Sabbath of complete rest: Heb. שַׁבָּתשַׁבָּתוֹן, a reposeful rest, not a casual rest. שבת שבתון: מנוחת מרגוע ולא מנוחת עראי:
(a Sabbath of complete rest: For this reason, Scripture repeated it [the word, שַׁבָּת], to inform [us] that on it all work is prohibited, even what is needed for food. Similarly regarding Yom Kippur, in whose context it says: “It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you” (Lev. 23:32), all work is prohibited. However, concerning festivals it says only: “on the first day is a rest, and on the eighth day is a rest” (Lev. 23:39), [meaning that] on them [i.e., on holidays] only servile work is prohibited, but work needed for food [preparation] is permitted.) שבת שבתון: לכך כפלו הכתוב לומר שאסור בכל מלאכה, אפילו אוכל נפש, וכן יום הכפורים שנאמר בו (ויקרא כג לב) שבת שבתון הוא לכם, אסור בכל מלאכה, אבל יום טוב לא נאמר בו כי אם ביום הראשון שבתון וביום השמיני שבתון (שם) אסורים בכל מלאכת עבודה, ומותרים במלאכת אוכל נפש:
holy to the Lord: The observance of its sanctity shall be for My name and by My commandment. קדש לה': שמירת קדושתה לשמי ובמצוותי:
16Thus shall the children of Israel observe the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. טזוְשָֽׁמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת לַֽעֲשׂ֧וֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת לְדֹֽרֹתָ֖ם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם:
17Between Me and the children of Israel, it is forever a sign that [in] six days The Lord created the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and rested." יזבֵּינִ֗י וּבֵין֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל א֥וֹת הִ֖וא לְעֹלָ֑ם כִּי־שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שָׁבַ֖ת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ:
and rested: Heb. וַיִּנָפַשׁ. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וְנָח, and rested. Now every expression of נוֹפֶשׁ, rest, is an expression of נֶפֶשׁ, soul, for one regains one’s soul and one’s breath when one rests from the toil of work. He about Whom it is written: “He neither tires nor wearies” (Isa. 40:28), and Whose every act is performed by speech [alone, without physical effort], dictated rest in reference to Himself [only] in order to make it understood to the [human] ear with words that it can understand. וינפש: כתרגומו ונח, וכל לשון נופש והוא לשון נפש, שמשיב נפשו ונשימתו בהרגיעו מטורח מהמלאכה. ומי שכתוב בו (ישעיה מ כח) לא ייעף ולא יגע, וכל פעלו במאמר, הכתיב מנוחה לעצמו, לשבר האוזן מה שהיא יכולה לשמוע:
• Daily Tehillim: Psalm 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 concluded1
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: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 34
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Sunday, 14 Adar, 5777 · 12 March 2017
• Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 34
• והנה מודעת זאת שהאבות הן הן המרכבה
It is known that “the Patriarchs constitute the Divine Chariot.“1
שכל ימיהם לעולם לא הפסיקו אפילו שעה אחת מלקשר דעתם ונשמתם לרבון העולמים
Throughout their lives, they did not cease even momentarily from binding their mind and soul to the Master of the universe,
בביטול הנ״ל ליחודו יתברך
with the aforementioned absolute surrender to His unity.
I.e., their constant awareness of G‑d’s unity led them to be continuously in a state of self-nullification before G‑d; and, as explained more fully in ch. 23, this self-nullification is what is meant by the term “chariot”, a vehicle submissive to the will of its pilot.
ואחריהם כל הנביאים, כל אחד לפי מדרגת נשמתו והשגתו
After them came all the prophets who similarly nullified themselves before G‑d’s unity in varying degrees, each according to the level of his soul and his understanding.
ומדרגת משה רבנו עליו השלום היא העולה על כולנה, שאמרו עליו: שכינה מדברת מתוך גרונו של משה
The rank of our teacher Moses, peace be upon him, surpassed them all; of him our Sages said:2 “TheShechinah (the Divine Presence) spoke out of Moses‘ throat.”
His was such a total surrender to G‑dliness, that the very words he uttered were Divine speech; the relation of Moses’ throat to Divine speech was that of one’s throat to his own speech.
ומעין זה זכו ישראל במעמד הר סיני
At Mount Sinai, Israel were privileged to experience a glimmer of this level of self-nullification.
רק שלא יכלו לסבול, כמאמר רז״ל: שעל כל דיבור פרחה נשמתן כו׳, שהוא ענין ביטול במציאות הנ״ל
But they could not endure it; as our Sages have said,3 “At every Divine utterance their souls took flight,”and G‑d resurrected them each time. This flight of their soul actually represents the self-nullification spoken of previously.4
לכן מיד אמר להם לעשות לו משכן ובו קדשי הקדשים להשראת שכינתו, שהוא גילוי יחודו יתברך, כמו שכתוב לקמן
Therefore, because they were unable to live with this feeling of self-surrender before G‑d, He commanded them immediately to erect for Him a Sanctuary, in which would be the Holy of Holies, wherein His presence would dwell; i.e., there His unity would be revealed, as will be explained further.5
The Alter Rebbe points out below that when one specific place is singled out as an abode for G‑d’s presence, despite the fact that “his glory fills the entire earth,” the uniqueness of this site lies in the revelation of G‑dliness which occurs there. In contrast to the rest of the world, where G‑d’s unity as the sole existing being stands concealed, in “the abode of G‑d’s presence” it is clearly apparent that “there is naught besides Him.” We thus see that the revelation of G‑d’s unity which the Jewish people experienced at Mount Sinai, but which they could not endure, was continued by means of the Sanctuary.
ומשחרב בית המקדש אין להקב״ה בעולמו משכן ומכון לשבתו, הוא יחודו יתברך, אלא ארבע אמות של הלכה
Ever since the Temple was destroyed, “the four cubits of the Halachah” — i.e., Torah study — is the only sanctuary and abode which the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world; i.e., Torah is the only abode for the revelation of His unity.
שהוא רצונו יתברך וחכמתו, המלובשים בהלכות הערוכות לפנינו
For the halachot set out before us are the actual embodiment of G‑d’s Will and wisdom, which are one with G‑d; the halachic ruling represents the Divine Will, and what underlies it is Divine wisdom. Hence in the Torah, G‑d’s unity stands revealed.
ולכן אחר שיעמיק האדם מחשבתו בענין ביטול הנ״ל כפי יכלתו, זאת ישיב אל לבו
Therefore, after one meditates deeply, according to his ability, on the subject of this above-mentioned self-nullification, let him reflect in his heart as follows:
כי מהיות קטן שכלי ושרש נשמתי מהכיל להיות מרכבה ומשכן ליחודו יתברך באמת לאמיתו
“The capacity of my intelligence and of my soul’s root is too limited to constitute a chariot and an abode for G‑d’s unity in perfect truth.
מאחר דלית מחשבה דילי תפיסא ומשגת בו יתברך כלל וכלל שום השגה בעולם
“For my thought cannot grasp or apprehend His unity at all with any degree of comprehension in the world;
ולא שמץ מנהו מהשגת האבות והנביאים
not an iota, in fact, of that which was grasped by the Patriarchs and Prophets, who were G‑d’s chariot and abode by virtue of their awareness of G‑d’s unity, as they grasped it.
אי לזאת אעשה לו משכן ומכון לשבתו, הוא העסק בתלמוד תורה כפי הפנאי שלי בקביעות עתים ביום ובלילה
“This being so, I will make Him a sanctuary and an abode by studying Torah at fixed times by day and by night, to the extent of my free time,
כדת הניתנה לכל אחד ואחד בהלכות תלמוד תורה
as stipulated by the law governing each individual’s situation, set forth in the Laws of Torah Study.
וכמאמר רז״ל: אפילו פרק אחד שחרית כו׳
”As our Sages say,6 ‘Even one chapter in the morning and one at night...’ suffice, for one who can manage no more, for him to be regarded as ‘engaging in Torah study day and night.’ Therefore, by fulfilling this minimal quota, I too will become an abode for G‑dliness.”
ובזה ישמח לבו ויגיל, ויתן הודאה על חלקו בשמחה ובטוב לבב
Thereby, his heart shall rejoice; he shall be glad and offer joyous thanks for his fortune
על שזכה להיות אושפזיכן לגבורה פעמים בכל יום כפי העת והפנאי שלו, כמסת ידו אשר הרחיב ה׳ לו
in meriting to be the Almighty’s “host”7 through his study of Torah, which causes him to be a “sanctuary” for G‑dtwice each day, according to the extent of his available time, and according to the capacity which G‑d has granted him.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | See above, ch. 23. |
| 2. | Cf. Zohar III, 232a; commentary of Rabbi David Luria on Shemot Rabbah, end of ch. 3. |
| 3. | Shabbat 88b. |
| 4. | See also below, end of ch. 36. |
| 5. | Ch. 53. |
| 6. | Menachot 99b. |
| 7. | Yoma 12a. |
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Positive Commandment 133• The Dough Offering ("Challah")
"You shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough as a gift"—Numbers 15:20.
We are commanded to separate a portion of every dough we prepare and give it to the priest.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Dough Offering ("Challah")
Positive Commandment 133
Translated by Berel Bell
The 133rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to separate challah from each dough and to give it to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "You must separate the first portion of your kneading as challah [a dough offering]."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractates Challah and Orlah. It is a Biblical commandment only in Eretz Yisroel.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Num. 15:20.
2.Outside Eretz Yisroel it is obligatory by Rabbinic decree.
• Positive Commandment 143
• The Priestly Portion of Meat
"And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those who perform a slaughter, be it an ox or a sheep"—Deuteronomy 18:3.
We are commanded to give to the priest the foreleg, jaw, and belly of any kosher animal that we slaughter.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• The Priestly Portion of Meat
Positive Commandment 143
Translated by Berel Bell
The 143rd mitzvah is that we are commanded to give the foreleg, the jaw, and the keivah1 from every kosher animal that we slaughter to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "This shall be the law of what the Kohanim receive from the people when an animal is slaughtered: [whether ox or sheep you must give the Kohen the foreleg, the jaw, and the keivah]."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 10th chapter of tractate Chullin. Levites are not obligated in this mitzvah.3
FOOTNOTES
1.One of the cow's four stomachs.
2.Deut. 18:3.
3.Since the verse says, "from the people." See Chullin 131a.
• Positive Commandment 144• The Priestly Portion of Fleece
"The first of the fleece of your sheep [shearing], you shall give him"—Deuteronomy 18:4.
We are commanded to separate the first portion of [a sheep's] shearing and give it to the priest.
This mitzvah applies only in the Land of Israel.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Priestly Portion of Fleece
Positive Commandment 144
Translated by Berel Bell
The 144th mitzvah is that we are commanded to separate the first of our shearings and give them to a kohen.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "You shall give him the first of your shearing."
This mitzvah applies only in Eretz Yisroel.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 11th chapter of tractate Chullin.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid. 18:4.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
• Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
1
When a person gives a gift to a colleague, the recipient does not acquire it until he takes possession through one of the legal processes by which a purchaser takes possession of a purchase.
If the giver desires to give him movable property, the recipient must lift up the article, perform meshichah on an article that one would not ordinarily lift up, or acquire that article through one of the other means through which movable property is acquired.
If he is giving him landed property or servants, the recipient does not acquire them until he manifests ownership over them as a purchaser would, or until a legal document recording the gift reaches his hand.
A verbal statement is not sufficient. The recipient does not acquire the gift, and either one of them still has the option of retracting.
א
הנותן מתנה לחבירו אין המקבל זוכה בה אלא באחד מן הדרכים שהקונה זוכה בהן במקחו אם מטלטלין רוצה ליתן לו עד שיגביה או שימשוך דבר שאין דרכו להגביה או יקנה באחד משאר הדברים שהמטלטלין נקנין בהן ואם קרקע או עבדים נתן לו עד שיחזיק כדרך שמחזיק הלוקח או עד שיגיע שטר מתנה לידו אבל בדברים לא זכה המקבל אלא כל אחד מהן עדיין יכול לחזור בו:
2
When, by contrast, a creditor forgoes a debt to a colleague or gives him an object that previously had been entrusted to the recipient for safekeeping, such a gift is made final by a verbal statement alone. Nothing further is necessary, as we have explained.
ב
מחל לחבירו חוב שיש לו עליו או נתן לו הפקדון שהיה מופקד אצלו הרי זו מתנה הנקנית בדברים בלבד ואין צריך דבר אחר כמו שביארנו:
3
Similarly, if a person tells a colleague: "You owe me a maneh.Give it to this person," the intended recipient acquires it. Neither has the option of retracting. This applies whether he gave the recipient the maneh in payment for a debt he owed him, or whether he gave it to him as a gift. And it applies whether the maneh had been given to the person to whom the giver charged with making the gift as a loan or it had been entrusted to him for safekeeping, as we have explained.
ג
וכן האומר לחבירו מנה שיש לי בידך תנהו לזה קנה ואין אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו בין שנתן המנה בחוב שיש לו אצלו בין שנתנו לו מתנה בין שהיה חוב אצלו בין שהיה פקדון אצלו כמו שביארנו:
4
Just as with regard to buying and selling, witnesses are necessary only to reveal the truth of the situation when there are claims and denials, so too, with regard to the waiver of obligations and gifts, witnesses are necessary only because of liars.
ד
כשם שאין צריכים עדים לענין מקח וממכר אלא לגלות הדבר בלבד אם היתה שם טענה וכפירה כך במחילות ומתנות אין צריכין עדים אלא מפני המשקרים:
5
Just as a seller must define the property that he sells, as we have explained, so too, a person who gives a gift must define what he is giving.
What is implied? If a person writes a deed to a colleague which states: "Land from my property is given to you," or he writes: "All of my property is acquired by you with some exceptions," since he did not identify the property he was giving, and the recipient did not know what he was receiving, the recipient does not acquire anything. The recipient may not demand of the giver: "Give me the least valuable of your properties." Instead, he acquires nothing unless the giver defines the place that he is giving him.
Different rules apply, however, if the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving you a portion worth such and such in this and this field." Since he defined the field, even though he did not define the portion of the field, the recipient may collect a portion of that value from the least valuable portion of the field.
ה
כשם שמוכר צריך לסיים הממכר כמו שביארנו כך הנותן כיצד הכותב לחבירו קרקע מנכסי נתונה לך או שכתב לו כל נכסי קנויין לך חוץ ממקצתן הואיל ולא סיים הדבר שנתן לו ואינו ידוע לא קנה כלום ואינו יכול לומר לו תן לי פחות שבנכסיך עד שסיים לו המקום שנתן לו אבל אם אמר לו חלק כך וכך בשדה פלונית הואיל וסיים השדה אף על פי שלא סיים החלק נוטל אותו חלק מן הפחות שבאותה שדה:
6
The following rules apply whenever a person gives a gift within the context of a conditional agreement. Whether the condition was stipulated by the giver or by the recipient, should the recipient take possession of and acquire the gift, the gift becomes binding when the condition is fulfilled. If the condition is not fulfilled, the gift is nullified and the recipient must return the benefit that he derived. This applies provided that the condition was stated in the proper manner.
ו
כל הנותן מתנה על תנאי בין שהתנה נותן בין שהתנה המקבל והחזיק המקבל וזכה בה אם נתקיים התנאי נתקיים המתנה ואם לא נתקיים התנאי בטלה המתנה ויחזיר פירות שאכל והוא שיהיה התנאי כראוי:
7
We have already explained that with regard to all conditional agreements concerning gifts, purchases and sales, it is necessary that the condition be restated, that the positive dimension of the condition be stated before the negative, that the condition precede the deed, and that the condition is one that is possible to fulfill. If any one of these factors is lacking, the condition is nullified, and it is as if it had never been stated.
ז
כבר ביארנו שכל תנאין שיש במתנות או במקח וממכר צריך שיהיה תנאי כפול והן קודם ללאו ותנאי קודם למעשה ויהיה תנאי שאפשר לקיימו ואם חסר אחד מאלו התנאין בטל וכאילו אין שם תנאי:
8
Whenever a person uses the expression: "conditional on the following," it is as if he said that the transaction will take effect retroactive to the present time"; he does not have to restate the condition. Some of the geonim have ruled in this manner. And this is also my opinion.
My teachers ruled that there is no need to restate the condition or state the positive dimension of the condition first, except in cases of divorce and consecration. There is no proof to substantiate this approach.
ח
וכל האומר על מנת כאומר מעכשיו דמי ואינו צריך לכפול התנאי כך הורו מקצת הגאונים ולזה דעתי נוטה ורבותי הורו שאין צריך לכפול התנאי ולהקדים הן ללאו אלא בגיטין ובקידושין בלבד ואין לדבר זה ראיה:
9
Whenever a person gives a gift on the condition that it be returned, the gift is valid. The gift is valid whether the condition was made to return the article immediately, that it be returned after a specific time passes, that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of either the giver or the recipient, or that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of another person.
The above applies both with regard to movable property and landed property. The recipient may derive benefit from the gift for the entire time that it is his.
ט
הנותן מתנה על מנת להחזיר הרי זו מתנה בין שהתנה להחזיר מיד בין שהתנה להחזירה לזמן קצוב או כל ימי חייו של אחד מהם או כל ימי חייו של פלוני הרי זו מתנה בין במטלטלין בין בקרקע ואוכל פירות כל זמן המתנה:
10
When a person tells a colleague: "I am giving you this ox as a gift on the condition that you return it," if the recipient consecrates the ox and then returns it, it is consecrated, and he has fulfilled his obligation to return it.
If, however, the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving it to you on the condition that you return it to me," the ox is not consecrated. For implied in the condition stated by the owner is that he return to him an article that will be fitting for him to use. The same applies in all analogous situations.
י
האומר לחבירו שור זה אני נותן לך במתנה על מנת שתחזירהו הקדישו והחזירו הרי זה מוקדש ומוחזר אמר לו על מנת שתחזירהו לי אינו קדוש שלא התנה עליו אלא שיחזיר דבר הראוי לו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
11
It is forbidden for a Jew to give a gentile a gift without charge. He may, however, give such a gift to a resident alien, as implied by Deuteronomy 14:21: "Give it to the stranger in your gates to eat or sell it to a gentile."
To a gentile, it must be sold; it may not be given. To a resident alien, by contrast, it may be sold or given. The reason for the distinction is that we are obligated to sustain a resident alien, as implied by Leviticus 25:35: "A stranger or a resident, he shall live among you."
יא
אסור לישראל ליתן לעכו"ם מתנת חנם אבל נותן הוא לגר תושב שנאמר לגר אשר בשעריך תתננה ואכלה או מכור לנכרי במכירה ולא במתנה אבל לגר תושב בין במכירה בין בנתינה מפני שאתה מצווה להחיותו שנאמר גר ותושב וחי עמך:
12
When a person gives a gift to a Canaanite servant or a married woman, it is acquired by the husband or the owner. There is, however, a distinction between their powers of acquisition. The servant's master acquires the article itself, while the husband acquires merely the right to the benefit from the article.
יב
הנותן מתנה לעבד או לאשה קנה הבעל והאדון אלא שהאדון קונה לגוף והבעל קונה אותה לפירות:
13
Even if a person gives a gift to a married woman on the condition that her husband have no authority over it, or to a servant on the condition that his master have no authority over it, the master or the husband acquires it.
If, however, one gives a gift to a married woman or to a servant and the giver stipulates that the gift itself may be used for only this or this purpose, the master or the husband does not acquire it.
יג
נתן מתנה לאשה על מנת שאין לבעלה רשות בה ולעבד על מנת שאין לרבו רשות בו קנה האדון וקנה הבעל אבל הנותן מתנה לאשה או לעבד והתנה עמהן הנותן בגופה של מתנה שתהיה לכך וכך לא קנה האדון ולא קנה הבעל:
14
What is implied? When a person gives a gift to a married woman and tells her: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for clothing, that you use it for beverages or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your husband," the husband has no authority over it.
Similarly, if a person told a servant: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for food and drink, that you use it to obtain your freedom/1 or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your master," the master has no authority over it. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
יד
כיצד הנותן מתנה לאשה ואמר לה הרי המעות האלו נתונים לך במתנה על מנת שתלבשי בהן או על מנת שתשתי בהם ותעשי מה שתרצי בלא רשות הבעל לא קנה הבעל וכן אם אמר לעבד על מנת שתאכל בהן ותשתה בהן על מנת שתצא בהם לחירות או על מנת שתעשה בהם כל מה שתרצה בלא רשות אדון שלך לא קנה האדון וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
15
When a person gives all his possessions to a servant as a gift, the servant acquires himself, and he becomes a free man. He then acquires all the other property.
If, however, the master retains for himself even the slightest amount of property - even movable property, the servant does not acquire anything.
The rationale is that the deed is not a complete bill of freedom, for the master retains some connection to the bill of transfer. Therefore, the servant is not freed, and since he is not freed, he does not acquire anything.
טו
הנותן כל נכסיו לעבדו קנה עצמו ויצא בן חורין וקנה שאר הנכסים ואם שייר כל שהוא אפילו מטלטלין לא קנה כלום שאין זה גט חירות גמור שהרי שייר בו בגט ומתוך שלא נשתחרר לא קנה כלום:
• Bikkurim - Chapter 6
1
א
הלוקח מן הנחתום חייב בחלה ומפריש מן החמה על הצוננת ומן הצוננת על החמה אפילו מדפוסין הרבה:
2
The obligation [to separate] challah applies only to [dough from] the five species of grain: wheat barley, rye, oats, and spelt,3 as [implied by Numbers 15:19]: "When you partake of the bread of the land." The term "bread" refers only to a loaf made from these five species.4 If, however, one makes bread from rice, millet, or other legumes, there is no obligation of challah at all.
ב
אין חייבין בחלה אלא חמשה מיני תבואה בלבד והם החטין והשעורים והכוסמין ושבולת שועל והשיפון שנאמר באכלכם מלחם הארץ ואין קרוי לחם אלא פת הנעשית מאלו אבל העושה פת אורז או דוחן וכיוצא בהן מן הקטניות אינן חייבין בחלה כלל:
3
Although there is no obligation to separate terumah from leket, shichachah, pe'ah,5 grain which is ownerless,6 and grain which did not reach a third of its growth,7 there is an obligation to separate challah from these. Similarly, there is an obligation to separate challah [from dough made from grain in the following circumstances]: the tithes was separated from the grain early while it was still stalks8 and terumat ma'aser was separated from it, even though the portion of the great terumah is still included in it,9 [grain that was from] the second tithe or consecrated property that was redeemed, the extra [portions of barley harvested for] the omer offering,10 the two loaves [prepared to be offered on Shavuot], and [the loaves prepared for] the showbread11 which were redeemed.12
ג
הלקט והשכחה והפאה וההפקר ותבואה שלא הביאה שליש אע"פ שהן פטורין מן התרומה חייבין עליה בחלה וכן מעשר ראשון שהקדימו בשבלים שניטלה תרומתו אף על פי שיש בו חלק תרומה גדולה ומעשר שני והקדש שנפדו ומותר העומר ושתי הלחם ולחם הפנים כשיפדו כל אותן המותרות הכל חייבין בחלה:
4
When a dough was made from grain from the second tithe in Jerusalem13or from grain from the Sabbatical year,14 or when there is a doubt whether the dough was made from a mixture of terumah and ordinary produce,15 there is an obligation to separate challah. A mixture of terumah and ordinary produce is exempt from the obligation of challah.16
ד
עיסה של מע"ש בירושלים ועיסת שביעית וספק מדומע חייבין בחלה אבל המדומע פטור מן החלה:
5
The loaves for the thanksgiving offering17 and the wafers for the nazirite offering18 which a person made for himself19 are exempt from the obligation of challah, for they are sanctified.20 [If they were made] to sell in the market place to nazirites and to those bringing thanksgiving offerings, there is an obligation to separate challah, since [the baker] has the intent that if they are not sold [for sacrificial purposes], he will eat them.
ה
חלות תודה ורקיקי נזיר עשאן לעצמו פטורין מן החלה מפני שהן קדש למוכרן בשוק לנזירים ולמקריבי תודה חייבין בחלה לפי שבדעתו שאם לא תמכר יאכלנה:
6
ו
עיסת השותפין והעושה עיסה לרבים חייבת בחלה:
7
When a person makes dough using grain that is tevel - whether the challah is separated before terumah or the terumah separated before challah - what he did is effective.23If he separated the challah first, he should not partake of it until he separates terumah and terumat ma'aser for it. If he separated terumah first, he should not partake of it until he separates challah.24
ז
העושה עיסה מן הטבל בין שהקדים חלה לתרומה בין שהקדים תרומה לחלה מה שעשה עשוי ואם הפריש החלה תחלה לא תאכל עד שיוציא עליה תרומה ותרומת מעשר ואם הפריש תחלה תרומה לא תאכל עד שיוציא עליה חלה:
8
When a person makes a dough with the intent25 of feeding the bread baked from it to an domesticated animal or a wild animal, it is exempt from challah.26There is an obligation to separate challah from a dough made for dogs27 which is eaten by the shepherds.28 A dough made by a gentile is exempt from challah.29
ח
העושה עיסה להאכיל הפת שלה לבהמה או לחיה פטורה עיסת הכלבים בזמן שהרועים אוכלין ממנה חייבת בחלה עיסת העכו"ם פטורה:
9
If a gentile and a Jew were partners in a dough and the portion owned by the Jew was large enough to be liable for challah, it is liable for challah.30
ט
היו ישראל ועכו"ם שותפין בעיסה אם היה בחלק ישראל שיעור עיסה החייבת בחלה הרי זו חייבת בחלה:
10
When a gentile separates challah even in Eretz Yisrael, it is not challah. Instead, we inform him that he does not have to [observe this mitzvah. The dough separated] may be eaten by a non-priest.31
י
עכו"ם שהפריש חלה אפילו בא"י אינה חלה אלא מודיעין אותו שאינו צריך ותאכל לזר ולמה לא חששנו לה שמא עיסה של ישראל היא ותלה אותה ביד עכו"ם וכדי לפוטרה שאם ירצה ישראל יפטור עצמו ויעשה ישראל עיסתו פחות משיעור חלה:
11
[The following laws apply when a person] mixes flour from wheat34and rice flour35 and makes a dough: If it has the flavor of grain, challah must be separated from it.36 If not, it is exempt. Even if one placed yeast37 from wheat38 into a dough from rice, one is obligated to separate challah from it if it has the flavor of wheat. If it does not have that flavor, it is exempt.
יא
המערב קמח חטין וקמח אורז ועשה מהן עיסה אם יש בה טעם דגן חייבת בחלה ואם לאו פטורה אפי' היה השאור חטים לתוך עיסת אורז אם יש בה טעם דגן חייבת בחלה ואם לאו פטורה:
12
There is an obligation to separate challah in all [the following instances]:39 a dough that was kneaded with wine, oil, or honey,40 or with boiling water, or one in which spices where placed, water was boiled and flour was placed inside of it and a dough was kneaded. [And challah must be separated when] dough was baked whether in an oven or [in a pit] in the earth,41 whether in a frying pan or a deep pan, whether first one attached the dough to the frying pan or the deep pan and then heated them with fire from below until the loaf was baked or one heated them first and then attached the dough.
If, however, one made a dough to dry it in the sun alone or to cook it in a pot, it is exempt from challah, for [dough cooked] in the sun is not bread whether it was kneaded with water or other liquids.42Similarly, roasted grain that was kneaded whether with water or honey and which is eaten without being baked is exempt, for the obligation of challah applies only to a dough that will ultimately be baked as bread for human consumption.
יב
עיסה שנילושה ביין או שמן או דבש או מים רותחים או שנתן לתוכה תבלין או הרתיח המים והשליך הקמח לתוכו ולשו אם אפאה בין בתנור בין בקרקע בין על המחבת והמרחשת בין שהדביק את הבצק במחבת ובמרחשת ואחר כך הרתיחן באש מלמטה עד שנאפת הפת בין שהרתיחה ואח"כ הדביק הבצק כל אלו חייבין בחלה אבל העושה עיסה ליבשה בחמה בלבד או לבשלה בקדרה הרי היא פטורה מן החלה שאין מעשה חמה לחם בין שלשה במים בין שלשה בשאר משקין וכן קלי שלשין אותו במים או בדבש ואוכלין אותו בלא אפייה פטור שאין חייבת אלא עיסה שסופה להאפות לחם למאכל אדם:
13
When a dough was first kneaded to make a dough to be cooked in the sun and then the person completed making it for a loaf of bread, or he began making it to bake bread and completed it to cook it in the sun and similarly, when roasted flour was kneaded to bake a loaf of bread, there is an obligation to separate challah.43
יג
עיסה שלשה תחלה לעשותה מעשה חמה והשלימה לעשותה פת או שהתחיל בה לאפות פת והשלימה לעשות מעשה חמה וכן קלי שלשו לאפותו פת חייבין בחלה:
14
יד
לחם העשוי לכותח מעשיה מוכיחין עליה עשאה כעכין חייבת בחלה עשאה כלמודין פטורה מן החלה:
15
What is the minimum measure of dough from which we are obligated to separate challah? An entire omer of flour,47whether from one of the five species or from all five together, for they are all combined to reach the minimum measure.
What is the measure of an omer? One fifth [of a kab] less than two kabbin. A kab is four lugim and a log is four revi'iot.48 A revi'it is the volume of a cube two fingerbreadths by two fingerbreadths by a height of two and seven tenths fingerbreadths. A fingerbreadth refers to the width of a thumb.
Thus an omer is a measure that is ten fingerbreadths by ten fingerbreadths by a height of approximately 3 and one ninth fingerbreadths. Similarly, a cube with each side six and seven ninths fingerbreadths produces a measure of an omer.
How much does this measure contain? The volume of 43 and 1/5 eggs. This is equivalent to the weight of 86 2/3 selaim of Egyptian wheat flour.49 This is equivalent to 520 zuz of Egyptian zuzim at present. A measure that comprises such a weight of wheat is used universally to measure for the separation of challah.
טו
כמה שיעור העיסה שחייבת בחלה מלא העומר קמח בין מאחד מה' מינים בין מחמשתן כולם מצטרפין לשיעור וכמה הוא שיעור העומר שני קבין פחות חומש והקב ארבעה לוגין והלוג ד' רביעיות והרביעית אצבעיים על אצבעיים ברום אצבעיים וחצי אצבע וחומש אצבע וכל האצבעות הם רוחב גודל אצבעות של יד נמצאת למד שהמדה שיש בה י' אצבעות על י' אצבעות ברום שלש אצבעות ותשע אצבע בקירוב הוא העומר וכן מדה שיש בה שבע אצבעות פחות שני תשיעי אצבע על ז' אצבעות פחות שני תשיעי אצבע ברום שבע אצבעות פחות שני תשיעי אצבע היא מדת העומר ושתי המדות כאחד הם עולים וכמה מכילה מדה זו כמו ארבעים ושלש ביצים בינוניות וחומש ביצה והם משקל ששה ושמונים סלעים ושני שלישי סלע מקמח החטים שבמצרים שהם משקל חמש מאות ועשרים זוז מזוזי מצרים בזמן הזה ומדה שמכילה כמשקל הזה מקמח החטים הזה בה מודדין לחלה בכל מקום:
16
It is forbidden for a person to make his dough less than the minimum measure50 in order to free it from the obligation of challah.51 When a person separates challah from a dough that is smaller than the prescribed measure, his actions are of no consequence and the dough is ordinary dough as before.
When a person made a dough that is less than the prescribed measure, baked it, and put the loaf in a basket, baked another loaf52 and put it in the basket, and [continued doing this] until a measure from which challah [must be separated] was collected in the basket, the basket joins them together [as a single entity, establishing an obligation for] challah.53 He must separate challahfrom the bread. This is derived [from the prooftext mentioned above]: "When you partake of the bread of the land." [The verse] teaches that one should separate [challah] from [bread] that is baked. An oven, [however,] does not join loaves together [to create an obligation to separate] challah.54
טז
אסור לאדם לעשות עיסתו פחות פחות מכשיעור כדי לפוטרה מן החלה והמפריש חלה מעיסה שהיא פחותה מכשיעור לא עשה כלום והרי היא חולין כשהיתה עשה עיסה פחותה מכשיעור ואפאה ונתן הפת לסל וחזר ואפה פת אחרת ונתן לסל אם נתקבץ בסל שיעור חלה הסל מצרפן לחלה ומפריש החלה מן הפת שנאמר והיה באכלכם מלחם הארץ מלמד שהוא מפריש מן האפוי ואין התנור מצרפן לחלה:
17
If [small] loaves were joined together and a quantity equal to the measure of challah was gathered together, there is an obligation to separate challah.55 [This applies] even if they are not placed in a basket [together].56 If one baked loaves a little bit at a time and gathered together the entire quantity on a board that does not have a cavity,57 there is a doubt regarding [the matter].58 If [the obligation to separate] challah is of Rabbinic origin,59 one is not obligated to separate it until they are gathered in a container with a cavity.60
יז
היו הככרות נושכות זו בזו ונתקבץ מן הכל שיעור חלה חייבין בחלה אע"פ שאינן בסל אפה מעט מעט וקבץ הכל על לוח שאין לו תוך הרי זה ספק ואם חלה של דבריהם היא אינו חייב להפריש עד שיצרף אותו כלי שיש לו תוך:
18
When flour was not sifted, but instead kneaded together with its bran, since the entire measure of the flour61comprises an omer, there is an obligation [to separate] challah.62 If, however, one removed the bran from the flour and then completed the [required] measure of dough by returning the bran to the flour, there is no obligation to separate challah.63
יח
קמח שלא רקדו אלא לשו בסובין שלו הואיל ויש בכל הקמח עומר חייב בחלה אבל אם נטל המורסן מן הקמח וחזר והשלים שיעור העיסה במורסן שהחזירו לקמח אינו חייב בחלה:
19
יט
נחתום שעשה עיסה לעשותה שאור לחלקה חייבת בחלה שאם לא תמכר יעשנה פת אבל העושה עיסה לחלקה בצק פטורה:
20
כ
נשים שנתנו קמח לנחתום לעשות להם שאור אם אין בשל אחת מהן כשיעור אף על פי שיש בכללן כשיעור פטורה:
FOOTNOTES
1.
The commentaries raise a question concerning this ruling, because seemingly, the baker should separate challah himself. Moreover, because of the severity of the prohibition of challah, the common people were not considered suspect to refrain from making this separation.
The Radbaz explains that we are speaking about an instance where the baker told the purchaser to separate challah, alternatively, an instance where the baker is suspect not to separate challah. The Kessef Mishneh explains that the responsibility for the baker to separate challah applies only when the challah is ritually pure. Since it will be eaten by the priest, it is appropriate that the baker separate it. When, by contrast, it is impure and must be burnt, it should be separated by the purchaser.
2.
Difusim, translated as "trays," literally means "molds." In the Talmudic era, bread was baked in various molds so that the loaves would be shaped differently. In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Demai 1:3), the Rambam explains that there was an opinion which forbade separating challah from one tray for another lest the flour used to bake the different breads was from different years.
3.
I.e., whether the dough is made from each of the species individually or a combination of any of the five, as stated in Halachah 15.
4.
The Jerusalem Talmud (Challah1:1) derives this concept because there is an association between challah and matzah. Matzah may only be made from these five species, for they are the only species that can become leaven. Hence, it is these five to which the mitzvah of challah applies. See Halachah 11 which discusses the laws that apply when a dough is made using one of these grains and other species.
5.
These mitzvot refer to grain left for the poor.
6.
When the grain was left by its owner, it was ownerless and hence, there were no agricultural obligations incumbent upon it. Now, however, that someone took possession of it, those obligations do apply.
7.
Because at this point it is not considered as grain yet. See Hilchot Ma'aser 2:3-5. Nevertheless, since a dough made from such grain will become leaven, there is an obligation to separate challah[the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Bikkurim 1:4)].
8.
Before it was threshed; see Hilchot Terumah3:13, Hilchot Ma'aser 3:19.
9.
For as stated in Hilchot Terumah, op. cit., there is no obligation to separate terumah from such grain. And since there is no obligation to separate terumah, one might think that one is also exempt from the obligation to separate challah
10.
As explained in Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 7:11-12, three se'ah of barley would be harvested for the omer offering. That barley was then made into flour, sifted and refined until only an isaron(a far smaller measure) was selected for the omer offering. The remainder of the barley was redeemed and could be used for mundane purposes.
11.
This refers to the extra flour which had been set aside for the two loaves or the showbread, like the remainder of the barley mentioned in the previous note, it could be redeemed and then used for mundane purposes.
12.
In all these instances, since the dough was prepared after it was redeemed, it is considered as bread belonging to an ordinary person. Hence, the obligation to tithe it applies (Radbaz, Kessef Mishneh).
13.
Although produce of the second tithe is "the property of the Most High," in Jerusalem, it is permitted to be eaten by ordinary people. Hence, challah must be separated from the dough (Radbaz).
14.
Like the ownerless produce mentioned in the previous halachah, at present, it is the property of the person who took it as his own. Hence, there is an obligation to separate challah.
15.
Although there is a possibility that the produce is a mixture of terumah and ordinary produce which is exempt as stated in the following clause, there is also a possibility that this is only ordinary produce in which instance, an obligation does apply.
16.
The Radbaz states that this law applies only in the present era when the obligation to separate challah is of Rabbinic origin. In that instance, the prohibition of a mixture of terumah offsets the obligation to separate challah, for they are both Rabbinic safeguards. If, however, the obligation to separate challah is Scriptural in origin, it would take precedence.
17.
Together with the thanksgiving offering, 40 loaves (10 each of four types) were offered.
18.
Together with the ram a nazirite offered 30 loaves (10 each of three types) were offered. See Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot9:12-24 for a description of these loaves.
19.
To bring as part of his offering, rather than to sell to someone else.
20.
And challah need only be separated from a person's private property, not from consecrated property (Menachot67a).
21.
This applies even if the dough is not large enough that each of the partners will receive a portion the size of an olive (Radbaz). Even though they intend to separate the bread after it is baked, as long as they do not intend to separate the dough, they are obligated to separate challah(Siftei Cohen 326:1).
22.
We are speaking about a situation where a person bakes bread in order to give it to many people. He does not, however, declare the bread ownerless. Were he to do so, there would be no obligation to separate challah, as stated in Chapter 8, Halachah 6.
23.
I.e., even though he should have separated the terumah before the dough was made, after the fact, his separation is effective
24.
The Radbaz questions why the Rambam does not mention the second tithe, for in the years that there is an obligation to separate it, one may not partake of the produce until it is separated.
25.
The Radbaz states that the law depends on the intent of the person making the dough and not what it is eventually used for.
26.
For the mitzvah applies only to dough prepared for human consumption.
27.
A dough made without bran being separated from the flour which is thus usually not intended for human consumption [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Challah 1:8)].
28.
Since the shepherds also intend to partake of it, it is considered as intended for human consumption and challah must be separated from the entire dough, even from the portion intended for the dogs.
29.
Menachot 67a derives this from the fact that Numbers 15:20, the prooftext for the obligation of challah, speaks of "the first of your dough," i.e., the dough of a Jew and not of a gentile.
30.
The Radbaz maintains that the Jew mayt separate challah from the entire dough, even from the gentile's portion.
31.
Because there is no holiness associated with it.
32.
I.e., the Jew thought that if he gave the dough to a gentile to prepare, it would be exempt and the gentile desired to separate challah from it. The Radbaz states that although generally we do not suspect that a prohibition is being violated, there is room to do so in this instance, because otherwise, why would the gentile think of separating challah.
33.
As stated in Halachah 15.
34.
Or any other of the five species of grain mentioned in Halachah 2.
35.
The Turei Zahav 324:9 states this law applies to rice and not to other species, because rice takes on the flavor of wheat.
36.
This applies even if quantitatively, there is more rice than wheat. For the wheat is considered as dominant.
The Ra'avad states that this ruling applies only when there is enough wheat in the dough to establish an obligation. The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishnehexplain that the Rambam does not make such a distinction. The difference of opinion between them centers on the interpretation of the Jerusalem Talmud (Challah 3:5). The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah324:9) quotes the Rambam's wording without any further qualification. There is a similar disagreement between the Rambam and the Ra'avad with regard to matzah made from wheat and rice. See Hilchot Chametz UMatzah 6:5.
37.
Yeast is singled out, because a small amount of yeast can affect an entire dough.
38.
The Ra'avad states that this applies when the yeast is taken from a dough from which challahhad not been separated. The Radbaz, however, states that it is possible that the Rambam does not accept that conclusion. In this instance as well, the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah324:10) quotes the Rambam's ruling without further qualification.
39.
All of the instances mentioned in the first clause of the halachah are not bread in the simple sense. Nevertheless, they are all considered as dough within the context of this mitzvah.
40.
Even though no water was mixed into it [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 329:9)].
41.
Since ultimately the dough was baked, the fact that the flour was boiled first is not significant (Siftei Cohen 329:8).
42.
Similarly, dough boiled in water is not considered as bread, but as cooked food.
43.
As long as there was an intent to use the dough for bread at one stage in its preparation, challahmust be separated.
44.
A mixture of whey and bread crumbs used as a dip.
45.
This shape indicates that he may change his mind and serve the cakes as bread.
46.
This indicates that he is not intending to serve the strips as bread, but will indeed crumble them and use them for kutach.
47.
Our Sages derived this measure as follows: Numbers 15:19states: "You shall separate the first of your dough as challah." As Exodus 16:16 relates the amount of manna allotted to each individual in the desert was an omer. Hence we use that as the size of the required measure of dough (Eruvin 83b).
48.
A revi'it is approximately 86cc according to Shiurei Torah and approximately 150 cc according to Chazon Ish. Thus a log is 344 or 600 cc, a kab 1376 or 2400 cc, and the measure of the dough from which challah must be separated is 2500 (because the above figures are approximations) or 4320 cc.
49.
Shiurei Torah writes that a blessing should be recited when separating challah from a dough made from 3 pounds and 10 ¾ ounces of flour and one should be stringent and separate challah from a dough made from 2 pounds and 10.1 ounces of flour.
50.
I.e., less than the measure described in the previous halachah.
51.
This applies even though he is ritually impure and he knows that he will be separating the dough to have it burnt (Challah 2:3). The Turei Zahav 324:17 and the Siftei Cohen 324:25 emphasize that this applies only when the person's intent in making the loaf small is that he will not have to separate challah. If he has another intent, his actions are not sanctioned.
52.
Which was also less than the prescribed measure.
53.
This applies even though the loaves themselves are not joined together. One of the examples of the separation of challah with which many are familiar - the separation of challah from matzah - employs this principle.
54.
I.e., if small loaves are baked together in an oven, but taken out separately, there is no obligation to separate challah.
55.
Even though at the time the dough was made, there was not a sufficient quantity to require the separation of challah.
56.
The fact that they are joined is sufficient for them to be considered as a singled entity.
57.
In contrast to the basket mentioned in the previous halachah.
58.
Pesachim 48b mentions an unresolved difference of opinion concerning this question among the Sages.
59.
Like the challah separated in the present era, as stated Chapter 5, Halachah 5.
60.
For we follow the principle: When there is a doubt regarding a Rabbinic obligation, we rule leniently (Radbaz, Kessef Mishneh).
The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 325:1) writes that if one places the bread on a board and then covers it with a cloth, there is an authority who requires the separation of challah. The Siftei Cohen 325:5 questions why the Shulchan Aruch uses the expression "there is an authority...," in as much as this principle is universally accepted.
61.
I.e., the flour together with the bran, even though the flour alone is not of sufficient quantity to require challah to be separated.
62.
For a poor person will eat bread made from coarse flour containing bran (Shabbat 76b).
63.
The Jerusalem Talmud (Challah2:6) explains that this is derived from Numbers 15:21 that speaks of "your dough," i.e., the way dough is ordinarily made.
64.
According to the Rambam, this halachah pertains to a baker and not to ordinary individuals. The laws pertaining to them are mentioned in the following halachah.
65.
To sell to others to use the yeast to leaven other doughs without this dough being baked.
66.
So that he will be baking smaller portions and not be obligated to separate challah.
67.
I.e., private individuals who will use the yeast for themselves and not for commercial purposes.
68.
Because the dough is not being made to be baked as bread, but to be divided as dough. Since it is being made for private individuals, the Rambam maintains that there is little likelihood that they will change their minds and have it baked. Even though the women did not give their flour to the baker together, the fact that he made a dough from them would have caused an obligation for challahhad the intent been to bake the dough. Moreover, the Rama (Yoreh De'ah 326:3) rules that if the women consent to having their flour mixed in a larger dough, an obligation to separate challah is created.
The Ra'avad maintains that if one woman makes dough to use as yeast, the law mentioned with regard to a baker in the previous halachah applies to her and she is required to separate challah.Here the leniency is granted because several women are involved. The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh argue against the Ra'avad's conclusion and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah326:2) states that the stringency applies to a baker and not to an ordinary person.
Bikkurim - Chapter 7
1
[The following laws apply when] there are two doughs that when combined comprise the measure that obligates the separation of challah, but neither comprises that measure alone should they touch each other and become attached to each other.1 If they belong to two individuals,2 they are exempt from challah even though they are of the same type of grain.3 [The rationale is that] we assume that the two people object [to the combination of their doughs].4 If it is known that they would not object to the combination of their doughs, they are considered as one.
א
שתי עיסות שיש בשתיהן שיעור החייב בחלה ואין באחת מהן כשיעור ונגעו זו בזו ונשכו זו את זו אם היו של שנים אפילו הן ממין אחד פטורין מן החלה שסתם שנים מקפידין ואם ידוע שאינן מקפידין על עירוב העיסות הרי אלו מצטרפות:
2
[Different rules apply if] the two belonged to one person. If they were from one type [of grain], they are combined and challah is obligated to be separated from them. If they are from two types, they are not combined. [The rationale is that] we assume that one person does not object [to the combination of his doughs].5 If he objects [to their combination and endeavors] that one dough not touch the other or become mixed with it, they are not considered as one, even if they are of one type of grain.
ב
היו שתיהן של איש אחד אם היו ממין אחד מצטרפין וחייבות בחלה ואם משני מינין היו אין מצטרפין שסתם אחד אינו מקפיד ואם היה מקפיד שלא תגע עיסה זו בזו ולא תתערב עמה אפי' היו ממין אחד אין מצטרפות:
3
What is meant by the statement that if they belonged to one person and were from the same type [of grain] they are combined? When a dough from wheat touches6 a dough from spelt, they are combined.7 If it touched [a dough from] another type of grain,8 they are not combined.9 Similarly, if a dough of barley touches a dough of spelt,10 oats, or rye, or doughs of spelt, oats, or rye touch each other, they can be combined.11
ג
וכיצד מצטרפות אם היו של אחד ממין אחד עיסת החטים שנגעה בעיסת הכוסמין מצטרפות נגעה בשאר המינין אין מצטרפות וכן עיסת שעורין שנגעה בעיסת הכוסמין או שבולת שועל או שיפון וכן עיסת כוסמין ושל שבולת שועל ושל שיפון שנגעה כל אחת משלשתן בחבירתה הרי אלו מצטרפות:
4
A dough from grain from one year should not be combined with a dough from grain from the previous year even though they are of the same species. [This is a decree,] lest people say that terumah may be separated from new grain for old grain.12A person should not separate [the challah] from the middle of the two.13 Instead, he should bring another dough - either from this year or the previous - and combine it with them to complete the required measure.14
When does the above apply? When one dough touches another. If, however, one mixes flour from the species of grain and makes a single dough from one of them, the five are combined to comprise the measure of dough required for challah, as we explained.15
ד
עיסת חדש אינה מצטרפת לשל ישן אע"פ שהן ממין אחד כדי שלא יאמרו תורמין מן החדש על הישן ולא יתרום מאמצע שתיהן אלא יביא עיסה אחרת חדש או ישן ויצטרף להם להשלים השיעור בד"א בעיסה שנגעה בעיסה אחרת אבל הבולל קמח חמשת המינין ועושה מהם עיסה אחת הרי חמשתן מצטרפין לשיעור עיסת חלה כמו שביארנו:
5
When there is a dough that is less than the required measure on one side and another dough less than the required measure on the other side,16 and a dough that is exempt from challah in the middle - e.g., a dough of rice, a dough of terumah [flour] or from terumah [flour] that was mixed with ordinary flour, or a dough from a gentile17 - [the doughs] are not combined even though they touch each other.18 [The rationale is that] an entity that is exempt from challah separates in the middle.
ה
עיסה שהיא פחותה מכשיעור מכאן ועיסה פחותה מכשיעור מכאן ועיסה שאינה חייבת בחלה באמצע כגון עיסת אורז או עיסת תרומה או מדומע או עיסת עכו"ם אף על פי שנוגעות זו בזו אינן מצטרפות שהרי דבר הפטור מן החלה מבדיל באמצע:
6
When, by contrast, there is a dough from which challah was separated between them, [the two outer doughs] can be combined, because originally, there was an obligation to separate challah from the dough in the center.19Similarly, if a dough that was consecrated was in the center, they are combined, [because that dough] is fit to be redeemed20 [at which point,] there will be an obligation to separate challah from it. Similarly, if there was a dough of another type of grain, a dough belonging to another person, or a dough from a different year between them, the doughs on the sides are combined [to comprise an obligation to separate] challah.
ו
היה באמצע עיסה שהורמה חלתה מצטרפות שהעיסה שביניהן כבר היתה מחוייבת בחלה וכן אם היה ביניהן עיסת הקדש מצטרפות מפני שראוי לפדותה ותתחייב בחלה וכן אם היתה ביניהן עיסת מין אחר או עיסת איש אחר או עיסת חדש הרי שתי העיסות שבצדדין מצטרפות לחלה:
7
There were two doughs, each one of them less than the minimum measure for challah. One separated challah from each of them. Afterwards, they touched each other and [the combined doughs] comprise the [required] measure. There is an obligation to separate challah [from the combined doughs], for the challot separated originally are of no consequence.21
ז
שתי עיסות שכל אחת מהן פחותה מכשיעור שהפריש חלה מזו וחלה מזו וחזרו ונגעו זו בזו והרי בשתיהם כשיעור חייבין להפריש מהן חלה שהחלות הראשונות אינן כלום:
8
Two gentiles22 made a dough comprising the required measure [for challah]23 and divided it. Afterwards, they converted24 and after the conversion, each one added to his portion until it comprised the [required] measure. There is an obligation [to separate] challah. [The rationale is that] there was no time that it was of the size obligating [challah] while they were gentiles, because each was to receive less than the required measure.25
ח
שני עכו"ם שעשו עיסה כשיעור וחלקוה ואחר כך נתגיירו והוסיף כל אחד על חלקו אחר שנתגייר עד שהשלימו לשיעור הרי זו חייבת שלא היתה לה שעת חובה כשהיו עכו"ם שהרי פחות מכשיעור היה ביד כל אחד מהן:
9
If, however, two Jews made [a dough] in the above manner and then, they divided it and each one of them added to his portion26 until it comprised the required measure, it is exempt. [The rationale is that] there was a time when there would have been an obligation [to separate challah from the original dough]27and they were exempt at that time, because the dough was made to be divided.28
ט
אבל שני ישראלים שעשו כך וחזר כל אחד אחר שחלקו והוסיף על חלקו עד שהשלימו לשיעור הרי זו פטורה שכבר היתה לה שעת חובה והן היו פטורין באותה שעה מפני שעשאוה לחלק:
10
[Different rules apply when], by contrast, the dough was owned by a gentile and a Jew in partnership and they divided it.29 If, afterwards, the gentile converted and then added to his portion and the Jew added to his portion until each one of them completed the measure that requires the separation of challah, there is an obligation to separate challah from the dough of the Jew,30 but the dough of the gentile31 is exempt.32
י
היתה העיסה ביד העכו"ם והישראל בשותפות וחלקו ואחר כך נתגייר העכו"ם והוסיף הגר על שלו [וישראל על שלו] עד שהשלים כל אחד עיסתו לשיעור של ישראל חייבת ושל עכו"ם פטורה:
11
[The following laws apply when a person] takes yeast from a dough from which challah was not separated and places it in a dough from which challah was separated. He should bring a second dough that - together with this yeast - will comprise a measure that obligates the separation of challah and combine it with the dough from which challah was separated.33 He should then separate from the second dough the appropriate measure of challah for it and for the yeast. [In this manner,] he is separating [challah] from [dough] that is in the same place.34 If he does not have a second dough, the entire [first dough] is considered as tevel. He should separate challah for the entire amount.35 [The rationale is that] when tevel36 is mixed with its own type,37 even the slightest amount causes the mixture to become forbidden.38
יא
הנוטל שאור מעיסה שלא הורמה חלתה ונתנו לתוך עיסה שהורמה חלתה ה"ז מביא עיסה שנייה שיהיה בה עם שאור זה שיעור עיסה שחייבת בחלה ונותנה בתוך העיסה שהורמה חלתה ומפריש מן העיסה השנייה שיעור חלה עליה ועל השאור כדי שיטול מן המוקף ואם אין לו עיסה שנייה נעשית זו כולה טבל ומפריש חלה על הכל שהטבל במינו אוסר בכל שהוא:
12
A dough from which challah has not been separated is like ordinary produce and not like challah with regard to the laws of ritual purity. As will be explained in the appropriate place,39 impurity of the second degree does not bring about impurity of the third degree with regard to ordinary produce.40
It is permitted to cause ordinary produce to contract ritual impurity in Eretz Yisrael.41 Therefore when there are two doughs, one that is ritually impure and one that is ritually pure, one may take [a portion of dough]42 equivalent to the measure of challah to be separated from both of them from a dough from which challah was not separated and place it in the center close to the pure dough. He should then extend a portion of the impure dough the size of an egg43 to the pure dough44 so that he will be able to separate challah45 from the dough in the same place.46
יב
עיסה הטבולה לחלה אינה כחלה והרי היא כחולין לענין הטומאה שאין השני עושה שלישי בחולין כמו שיתבאר במקומו ומותר לגרום טומאה לחולין שבארץ ישראל לפיכך שתי עיסות אחת טמאה ואחת טהורה נוטל כדי חלת שתיהם מעיסה שלא הורמה חלתה ונותנו באמצע סמוך לעיסה הטהורה ומושך מן הטמאה לטהורה כדי ביצה כדי לתרום מן המוקף:
13
A person may make a pure dough and refrain from separating challah from it, setting it - or a portion of it - aside to continuously separate challot from other doughs with it until the dough set aside becomes challah in its entirety,47provided [the dough set aside] does not become spoiled to the point that it is no longer fit for human consumption. [This applies] even if the doughs became impure. Once the dough is no longer fit for human consumption, [challah] cannot be separated with it.
When does the above apply? When there is a question whether or not challah has been separated from the doughs for which he is separating challah.48[The rationale is that] challah of a doubtful status49may be taken from the pure dough for the impure as an initial preference50 and the two need not be in the same place.51
יג
עושה אדם עיסה טהורה ואינו מפריש חלתה ומניחה או מניח מקצתה להיות מפריש עליה והולך חלות של עיסות אחרות ואפילו נטמאו העיסות עד שתעשה העיסה שהניח כולה חלה ויתננה לכהן והוא שלא תפסל מאוכל אדם אבל משתסרח אינו מפריש עליה במה דברים אמורים כשהיו אותם העיסות שמפריש עליהן ספק אם הורמה חלה מהן או לא הורמה שחלת דמאי ניטלת מן הטהור על הטמא לכתחלה ושלא מן המוקף:
FOOTNOTES
1.
The Radbaz emphasizes that touching each other is not sufficient; the two doughs must become attached. See Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 325:1).
2.
Who are not partners (Siftei Cohen 326:1).
3.
See the following halachah which distinguishes between doughs made from one type and those made from two. See also Chapter 6, Halachot 16-17, which deal with the issues mentioned in this and the following halachot.
4.
Thus even if they were kneaded together, since they were intended to be separated, they are considered as distinct entities.
5.
Since they both belong to him and are of the same type of grain, why would he object to their combination?
This, however, applies only when the two doughs are types that would normally be mixed together. If they would not be normally mixed, even if they are owned by one person, this principle does not apply [Shulchan Aruch and Rama (Yoreh De'ah 326:1)].
6.
And becomes attached. This applies to all the other instances when touching doughs are mentioned in this chapter.
7.
Although they are from different species, since they are of the same general type (for the doughs made from the two are similar, see Chapter 8, Halachah 4), they are combined.
8.
I.e., barley, oats, or rye.
9.
Despite the fact that if the different species of grain are mixed in the same dough, they are combined, as stated in the following halachah.
10.
Although spelt is often associated with wheat (ibid.), its dough can be combined with that of rye.
11.
The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 324:2) mentions the Rambam's perspective as a minority ruling, favoring the opinion of Rabbenu Asher who maintains that rye can be combined with barley and with spelt, but not with oats or wheat. And oats can be combined with barley and spelt, but not with rye or wheat.
12.
See Hilchot Terumah 10:18.
13.
I.e., taking a portion of both of the two doughs. This advice was given by Rabbi Yishmael (Challah 4:4).
14.
I.e., placing the doughs of new grain on either side of the dough of old grain or the doughs of old grain on either side of the dough from new grain. Since the person will see that he is adding an extra dough, he will not err and think that one may separate terumah from new grain for old grain [Kessef Mishneh; Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 324:8); see Halachah 6]. The Radbaz offers a different explanation.
15.
Chapter 6, Halachah 15.
16.
The two doughs on the sides are of the same type of grain and together, they comprise the required measure.
17.
See Chapter 6, Halachot 2-4, 9-10, which mention the exemption of these doughs.
18.
I.e., the two external doughs touch the middle dough. If, however, the two external doughs are touching, challahmust be separated from them.
19.
In all the instances mentioned in this halachah, the governing principle is that even if the dough in the center cannot be combined with those on the side (as explained in Halachot 1-4), since it is fit to require the separation of challah, it does not prevent the doughs on the side from being combined.
20.
This is speaking about a dough that was not consecrated until after it was made. If it was consecrated before it was rolled together, it is not fit to be redeemed. See Chapter 8, Halachot 6-7.
21.
As stated in Chapter 6, Halachah 16.
22.
In contrast to two Jews or a Jew and a gentile, as explained in the following halachot.
23.
Since they were gentiles (see Chapter 6, Halachah 8) at the time the obligation to separate challah could have taken effect, the mitzvah of challah is not relevant to them at all . Hence, the exemption because the dough was made with the intent that it be divided into small portions (see ibid. 19) is not significant.
24.
If, however, they divided the dough after they converted, there is no obligation to separate challah even if they added to the dough. For in such an instance, they would be comparable to the two Jews mentioned in the following halachah (Rambam LeAm).
25.
Hence we do not say - as is said with regard to the following halachah - since the dough was exempt at the time when it could have been obligated, it cannot become obligated again.
26.
The Siftei Cohen 326:8 emphasizes that for this law to apply the addition must be less than the size that obligates the separation of challah.
27.
Had it belonged to one person.
28.
And since the obligation was not incurred at the time it could have been incurred originally, it cannot be incurred afterwards.
The Ra'avad objects to this ruling. He admits that it appears to have a source in the Jerusalem Talmud (Challah 3:4), but argues that logically, it is hard to distinguish this from a situation where a person made a dough smaller than the required size and then attached it to a dough of the required size (see Chapter 6, Halachah 16). Hence, he rules that both Jews should separate challah from the dough after they increased its size.
The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh support the Rambam's ruling, differentiating between the two instances by explaining that when a dough is smaller than the required size, it has never reached a state where the obligation to separate challahrelates to it. In contrast, in the instance described here, the dough was of the size that obligates the separation of challah and it was exempted. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 326:4) quotes the Rambam's view.
29.
The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh explains that this is speaking about a situation where the two had not originally intended to divide their dough and then decided to divide it. Had they originally intended to divide it, it would be necessary to separate challah from the portion belonging to the convert as well.
30.
In contrast to the situation mentioned in the previous halachah, the dough was not originally intended to be divided. Hence, since the gentile has a portion in it, while it is whole, it is not considered as if the mitzvah of challah relates to it. Thus the Jew's portion of the dough was never of the size that requires the separation of challah and when he increases its size, an obligation is created (Radbaz).
31.
I.e., the convert.
32.
Since originally, the gentile's involvement in the dough caused his portion to be exempted, when he adds to it, it is not liable, based on the principle explained above. The Ra'avad differs and maintains that there is an obligation to separate challahfrom both doughs. For just as the mitzvah of challah is not considered as relating to the Jew's dough, it also does not relate to the gentile's dough. Hence, when he adds to it after his conversion, the obligation takes effect. The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh favor the Rambam's understanding and it is quoted as halachah by Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah330:6).
33.
This is preferable to separating challah from the dough with which the yeast was mixed, because a) it will represent a saving for the person separating the challah, since he will not be separating challah a second time; b) it is not desirable to separate challah from the first dough, because the obligation to separate challah from it is Rabbinic, not Scriptural, as will be explained.
34.
As is required (Chapter 5, Halachah 14). That is why the second dough must be combined with the first dough into which the yeast was placed.
35.
The combination of the yeast and the dough.
36.
The yeast.
37.
And yeast and dough are considered of the same type.
38.
This is a Rabbinic decree, according to Scriptural Law, the presence of tevel is also nullified when there is a majority of permitted substances. Our Sages considered tevel as a devar sheyeish lo matirin, a prohibition that could be released, since once the necessary separations are made, the prohibition no longer exists. See Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot 15:6. Hence, he is not considered to be separating challah from dough that is obligated for that which is exempt (Siftei Cohen 324:20).
39.
Hilchot Sha'ar Avot HaTuma'ah11:2, 15.
40.
It does, however, have such an effect with regard to terumah and challah.
41.
See Hilchot Tuma'at Ochalin 16:9. There the Rambam differentiates between produce from which the appropriate agricultural separations have been made and produce from which they have not been made (as in the present instance). If the separations have already been made, one may bring it into direct contact with ritual impurity. If they have not been made, one may only "cause it to contract ritual impurity," i.e., indirectly.
42.
Which is ritually pure.
43.
Challah 2:8 gives this suggestion, but speaks of taking less than the size of an egg of the impure dough, for in that manner, the other dough will not become impure.
44.
Causing it to touch it. This will cause the pure dough to become ritually impure (see Hilchot Tuma'at Ochalin 6:18). Nevertheless, this is not significant, because - as the Rambam stated - there is no prohibition against causing food to become ritually impure.
45.
The dough set aside to be separated as challah does not become ritually impure, because until it becomes consecrated as challah, it does not become impure because it was touched by dough that was impure to the second degree. And before it is consecrated as challah, it is lifted up and no longer in contact with the source of ritual impurity. To clarify this, the Rambam began this halachah: "A dough from which challah has not been separated is like ordinary produce and... impurity of the second degree does not bring about impurity of the third degree with regard to ordinary produce" (Radbaz).
46.
Ordinarily to separate challah for two doughs in the same place, it is not necessary for them to touch. Nevertheless, since one should not separate challah from dough that is ritually pure for dough that is ritually impure (Chapter 5, Halachah 14), in this instance, they must be touching.
The Ra'avad objects to the Rambam's ruling, based on Challah 2:8, but the Radbaz explains the Rambam's position as above.
47.
I.e., the person would consider an appropriate portion of the dough set aside as challah for a given dough and would continue doing this for future doughs until the entire dough that was set aside became challah [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Challah 4:6)].
48.
E.g., two witnesses stated that challah had been separated from the dough and two other witnesses state that it was not separated.
49.
Here the demai is being used differently than its ordinary meaning. For unlike the tithes, it is taken for granted that the common people separate challahjust as they separate terumah(Radbaz; see Chapter 8, Halachah 14).
50.
Generally, the initial preference is not to separate challah from dough that is ritually pure for dough that is ritually impure (Chapter 5, Halachah 14).
51.
And generally, they must (ibid.).
Bikkurim - Chapter 8
1
When a person separates challah from flour, it is not challah.1[The flour given] the priest is like stolen property in his possession2 and there is an obligation [to separate] challahfrom a dough [made from] the remainder [of the flour].3 If the flour set aside [mistakenly] as challah is an omer in measure4 and a dough was made from it, one must separate challah from it as [is necessary with regard to doughs made] from any ordinary flour.
א
המפריש חלתו קמח אינה חלה וגזל ביד כהן ושאר העיסה חייבת בחלה ואותו הקמח שהפריש לשם חלה אם יש בו עומר ועושהו עיסה ה"ז מפריש ממנו חלה כשאר כל קמח חולין:
2
When should challah be set aside? When one adds water and mixes the flour with the water, he should set aside [a portion as] challah from the first portion that is kneaded, as [indicated by Numbers 15:20:] "From the first of your dough."5
[The above applies] provided a measure of flour equal to an omer6that has not become mixed with water does not remain in the kneading trough.7 If he stipulates: "This is challah for the dough, for the yeast, and for the flour that remains. When it all becomes one dough, the portion set aside will become sanctified as challah," it is permitted.8
ב
אימתי מפרישין חלה כשיתן את המים ויתערב הקמח במים מפריש החלה מתחלת דבר שנילוש שנאמר ראשית עריסותיכם והוא שלא ישאר שם בעריבה קמח שלא נתערב במים שיעור עומר ואם אמר ה"ז חלה על העיסה ועל השאור ועל הקמח שנשתייר ולכשתעשה כולה עיסה אחת תתקדש זו שבידו לשם חלה ה"ז מותר:
3
If the person left the dough [intact] until it was all kneaded and mixed together and separated [the challah] afterwards, [the delay] is of no consequence. If he does not separate challahwhile the mixture is a dough, but bakes the entire dough, he should separate [challah] from the loaf, as we explained.9
ג
הניח העיסה עד שלש הכל וערבה ואח"כ הפריש אין בכך כלום ואם לא הפריש החלה בצק אלא אפה הכל ה"ז מפריש מן הפת כמו שביארנו:
4
When does the obligation [to separate] challah from dough take effect? When the wheat [flour] was rolled into a ball and [all of] the flour becomes mixed with it or when the barley [flour] was made into a single mass and formed one block. One may snack from the dough until the wheat [flour] was rolled into a ball or the barley [flour] was made into a single mass.10 The laws pertaining to wheat [flour] pertain to spelt [flour] and those pertaining to barley [flour] pertain to oat and rye [flour].11
ד
מאימתי תתחייב העיסה בחלה משתגלגל בחטים ויתערב הקמח במים או שתטמטם בשעורים ותעשה כולה גוף אחד ואוכלין עראי מן העיסה עד שתתגלגל בחטים ותטמטם בשעורים והכוסמין כחטים ושבולת שועל והשיפון כשעורים:
5
Once the wheat [flour] was rolled into a ball or the barley [flour] was made into a single mass, one who partakes of it before challah was separated, he is liable for death [at the hand of heaven], because it is tevel.12 Therefore, if there is a Scriptural obligation [to separate] challah from the dough, a person who partakes of it is liable for lashes, as is anyone who partakes of tevel.13 If the obligation is Rabbinic in origin, [a person who partakes of the dough] is liable for stripes for rebellious conduct.
ה
נתגלגלה בחטים ונטמטמה בשעורים האוכל ממנה קודם הפרשת חלה חייב מיתה מפני שהיא טבל לפיכך אם היתה העיסה חייבת בחלה מן התורה האוכל ממנה לוקה ככל אוכל טבל ואם היתה חייבת מדבריהם מכין אותו מכת מרדות:
6
When a dough from ordinary flour becomes mixed with flour that is terumah14 before [all the flour] was rolled into a ball, it is exempt [from the obligation of challah].15 When it becomes mixed with it after it was rolled into a ball, there is an obligation [to separate challah].16
Similarly, if a person consecrates a dough or declares it ownerless17 before it was rolled into a ball and then redeemed it or took possession of it and rolled it into a ball - alternatively, he consecrated it or declared it ownerless after it was rolled into a ball18 - there is an obligation [to separate] challah.
ו
עיסה שנדמעה עד שלא תתגלגל פטורה משתגלגל חייבת וכן המקדיש עיסתו או המפקיר אותה קודם שנתגלגלה ופדאה או זכה בה ואחר כך גלגלה או הקדישה או הפקיר אותה אחר שנתגלגלה ופדאה או זכה בה הרי זו חייבת בחלה:
7
If he consecrated it before he rolled it and it was rolled in the possession of the Temple treasury and afterwards, he redeemed it, it is exempt. For at the time the obligation would have taken effect, [the dough] was exempt.19
ז
הקדישה קודם שתתגלגל ונתגלגלה ביד ההקדש ואח"כ פדאה פטורה שבשעת חובתה היתה פטורה:
8
ח
וכן עכו"ם שנתן לישראל לעשות לו עיסה ונתנה לו במתנה עד שלא גלגלה חייבת ומשגלגלה פטורה:
9
[The following laws apply when] a convert joins the Jewish faith. If he had a dough that was rolled into a ball before he converted, it is exempt.22 If it was rolled afterwards, there is an obligation [to separate challah]. If there is a doubt [concerning the matter], there is an obligation, [because eating bread from which challah was not separated] is a transgression punishable by death [at the hand of heaven].23 If a non-priest [unknowingly] partook of this challah that was separated due to such a doubt or the like, he is not liable to add a fifth [when making restitution].24
ט
גר שנתגייר והיתה לו עיסה נתגלגלה עד שלא נתגייר פטורה ואם משנתגייר חייבת ואם ספק חייבת בחלה לפי שהוא עון מיתה וזר שאכל חלת ספק זו וכיוצא בה אין חייב עליה חומש:
10
When a question arises concerning the ritual purity of a dough before it was rolled together as a ball,25 he should prepare [the dough] in a state of ritual impurity.26 For it is permitted to make ordinary produce impure in Eretz Yisrael. The challah should then be burnt.27
If, after a dough was rolled into a ball, a doubtful situation arose concerning its ritual purity which, were it to be ascertained that it was definitely impure, would convey ritual impurity of Scriptural origin, its [preparation] should be completed in a state of ritual purity. [The rationale is that with regard to] any circumstance where impurity would be imparted to ordinary produce were one certain that it transpired, our Sages decreed that if there is a doubt that it transpired, a dough upon which the obligation to separate challahalready fell should not intentionally be made impure, for that obligation has already taken effect.28 Instead, the challah[separated] is a tentative state; it is not eaten,29 nor is it burnt.30
י
עיסה שנולד בה ספק טומאה קודם שתתגלגל יעשנה בטומאה לפי שמותר לטמא חולין שבא"י ותשרף חלתה נולד לה אחר שנתגלגלה ספק טומאה שודאה מטמא את החולין מן התורה יגמרנה בטהרה שכל שודאה מטמא את החולין גזרו על ספיקו בחולין הטבולים לחלה שלא יטמאו אותן הואיל ונטבלו לחלה ותהיה החלה תלויה לא נאכלת ולא נשרפת:
11
As an initial preference, a person should not prepare his dough in a state of ritual impurity.31 Instead, he should be careful and endeavor to purify himself and his utensils so that he can separate challah in a state of ritual purity. If he is more than four mil32 from water [fit for an immersion],33 he should prepare [the dough] in a state of ritual impurity and separate impure challah.
יא
לא יעשה אדם עיסתו בטומאה לכתחלה אלא יזהר וישתדל ויטהר הוא וכליו כדי להפריש חלה טהורה היה בינו ובין המים יתר על ד' מילין יעשנה בטומאה ויפריש חלה טמאה:
12
A loaf to serve as challah34 should not be prepared in a state of ritual purity for a common person.35 A loaf of ordinary produce may, however, be made in ritual purity [for him].36
What is implied? A chaver37 may mix the dough and separate an appropriate measure of challah from it. He then places [the challah] in a utensil made from dung, stone, or clay, which do not contract ritual impurity.38 When the common person comes, he should take both of them, the dough and the challah. We tell him: "Be careful not to touch the challah, lest it become tevel again."39 Why is this allowed?40 So that the person making the dough could earn his livelihood.
יב
אין עושים חלת עם הארץ בטהרה אבל עושים עיסת חולין בטהרה כיצד מגבל העיסה זה החבר ומפריש ממנה כדי חלתה ומניחה בכלי גללים או כלי אבנים או בכלי אדמה שאין מקבלין טומאה וכשיבא עם הארץ נוטל את שתיהן את העיסה ואת החלה ואומרים לו הזהר שלא תגע בחלה שמא תחזור לטבלה ומפני מה התירו לו זה משום כדי חייו של גבל:
13
The wife of a chaver may sift and strain [flour] together with the wife of a common person.41 Once water has been mixed with the dough, however, she should not help her, because [the wife of the common person] makes her dough while ritually impure.42 Similarly, one should not kneaded or array dough with a baker who bakes his dough in a state of ritual impurity. [The rationale is that] one should not reinforce the hands of transgressors.43 One may, however, transport bread with him to a bakery.44
יג
אשת חבר מרקדת ובוררת עם אשת עם הארץ אבל משתטיל מים בעיסה לא תסייע אותה מפני שהיא עושה עיסתה בטומאה וכן הנחתום שעושה בטומאה לא לשין ולא עורכין עמו שאין מחזיקין ידי עוברי עבירה אלא מוליכין עמו פת לפלטר:
14
When a person purchases bread from a baker who is a common person in Syria45 and [the baker] tells him: "I separated challah," [the purchaser] does not need to separate challah because of the doubt.46 Just as the entire Jewish people47 in Eretz Yisrael were not suspect [to ignore the separation of] the great terumah, so too, in Syria, they were not suspect [to ignore the separation of] challah.
יד
הלוקח מנחתום עם הארץ בסוריא ואמר לו הפרשתי חלה אינו צריך להפריש חלה מספק כשם שלא נחשדו כל ישראל בארץ על תרומה גדולה כך לא נחשדו בסוריא על החלה:
15
טו
הלוקח בח"ל מן הנחתום צריך להפריש חלה מספק אבל הלוקח מבעל הבית ואין צריך לומר המתארח אצלו אינו צריך להפריש חלה מספק:
FOOTNOTES
1.
It is permitted to be eaten by a non-priest. Rashi (Kiddushin46b) explains that the rationale for this law is that the prooftext requiring the separation of challah mentions "your doughs," i.e., the obligation is incurred only when dough is made.
The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch(Yoreh De'ah 327:1) clarify that this law applies when the person desires that the flour be considered as challah while it is still flour. If, however, he stipulates: "May it be considered challah when a dough is made from it," when it is made into a dough, his statement takes effect.
2.
The priest is obligated to return it to the person who gave it to him. This applies even if the one who gave it is a Torah scholar who knows that flour cannot be separated as challah. Although one could assume that he was giving the flour to the priest as a gift, it must be returned lest the priest think that it was challahand not separate challah from the dough he makes from it (Kiddushin 46b; Turei Zahav327:1).
3.
Since the first separation is of no consequence.
4.
I.e., it was of the measure from which we are required to separate challah.
5.
The Ra'avad objects to the Rambam's ruling, stating that it is undesirable to separate challahin this manner, for as indicated by Halachah 4, the obligation to separate challah has not taken effect yet. Based on the Jerusalem Talmud (Pesachim3:3), the Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh explain that the statements in this halachah are a safeguard against the dough becoming ritually impure. From the time the water is mixed with the flour, it is permitted to separated the challah and one may do so if he is worried that the dough will become ritually impure. It is, however, preferable to wait until the dough is thoroughly mixed as stated in Halachah 4. Certainly, this applies in the present era when there is no need to take safeguards against ritual impurity [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah327:3)]
6.
I.e., it was of the measure from which we are required to separate challah.
7.
For then the dough made from that flour would have a separate obligation. When, by contrast, there is less than that measure, it is considered as ancillary to the initial dough.
8.
This applies even if an omer of flour remains. Since he can easily mix the dough, he can make a stipulation that will take effect when he actually mixes it together. The Shulchan Aruch(Yoreh De'ah 327:2) states that it is desirable to teach women who separate challah to make this stipulation.
9.
Chapter 6, Halachah 16.
10.
After the obligation to separate challah takes effect, however, it is forbidden to snack from the dough. It is considered as teveland one is liable as stated in the following halachah.
11.
For spelt flour has characteristics similar to wheat flour, and rye and oats to barley.
12.
See Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot10:19; Hilchot Ma'aser 1:5; 9:2.
13.
Hilchot Sanhedrin 18:1. This applies when he is given a warning before transgressing.
14.
And thus challah need not be separated from it.
15.
As stated in Chapter 6, Halachah 4. This applies only in the present era when the obligation to separate challah is Rabbinic in origin (Radbaz).
16.
Because the obligation to separate challah from the dough had already taken effect.
17.
There is no obligation to separate challah from dough that is consecrated. Once, however, the consecrated dough is redeemed, challah must be separated. When a person makes dough from flour that was ownerless which he acquired, he must separate challah from it. See Chapter 6, Halachot 3 and 5.
18.
In which instance, the obligation to separate challah had already taken effect before it was consecrated or declared ownerless.
19.
Because it was consecrated.
20.
Because the obligation to separate challah took effect when the dough belonged to the Jew.
21.
For at the time the obligation to separate challah was to take effect, the dough belonged to the gentile and was exempt.
22.
Because at the time the obligation to separate challahwas to take effect, the convert had not converted and was not obligated to separate challah.
23.
The Rambam adds this explanation (based on Chullin134a), because generally, we would follow the principle: "When one desires to expropriate property from a colleague, the burden of proof is on him" (see Chapter 9, Halachah 13). Nevertheless, in this instance, because of the severity of the transgression, challah should be separated. The Turei Zahav330:3 and the Siftei Cohen 330:8 note that in the present age, when there is a question whether of not challah has been separated, one is exempt, for at present the observance of the mitzvah of challah is Rabbinic in origin. On this basis, the Sifei Cohen questions why this law is quoted by the Shulchan Aruch(Yoreh De'ah 330:5),
24.
Since there is a doubt concerning the matter, the person must make restitution for the challah, because whenever there is a question with regard to Scriptural Law, we rule stringency and require him to make restitution sp that he can gain atonement. There is, however, no such obligation with regard to the additional fifth, because it was never definitely established that he was liable.
25.
And thus, the obligation to separate challah has not been established. Hence, the principle that we are allowed to cause ordinary produce to become impure is applied.
26.
For in this way, he will have defined the ritual state of the challah.
27.
As stated in Chapter 5, Halachah 4.
28.
We are forbidden to cause challah mandated by Scriptural Law to contract ritual impurity (Hilchot Terumah 12:1). In this instance, since the challah has not been separated, that prohibition would not be violated. Nevertheless, since the obligation to separate challahhas been established, it is preferable to be stringent.
29.
Lest it be impure. Thus a priest who partakes of it would be transgressing, as stated in Hilchot Terumah 7:3.
30.
Lest it be pure. In which case, it would be forbidden to destroy it unnecessarily. See Hilchot Terumah 12:3.
31.
This refers to dough prepared in Eretz Yisrael when the obligation to separate challah was of Scriptural origin. See Hilchot Terumah 12:1. See also Radbaz.
32.
A Talmudic measure roughly equivalent to a kilometer.
33.
I.e., a mikveh or stream in which he can purge himself from impurity. Compare to Hilchot Tefilah 4:2-3 which makes a distinction whether the water is before him or behind him. See Kessef Mishneh.
34.
I.e., a loaf to be set aside and used as challah for loaves to be baked in the future.
35.
Lest over time he cause it to become impure. The person making the loaf is thus enabling the common person to transgress the prohibition against making challah impure.
36.
By making the dough pure, the doughmaker is required to separate challah in a state of ritual impurity. That is problematic, because the common person may cause it to become ritually impure. Nevertheless, as will be explained, certain provisions are enacted to allow such a dough to be made.
37.
A person who is careful in his observance of the laws of ritual impurity.
38.
See Hilchot Tuma'at Meit 6:2, Hilchot Keilim 1:6, et al. Thus even if the common person would touch the utensil, it would not become impure.
39.
This warning is not true, for once challah is separated, a dough never becomes tevel again. Nevertheless, we assume that the common person will not know the law and will be careful not to touch the dough, because of this warning. We are not concerned about the dough itself, because one is permitted to cause ordinary produce to contract ritual impurity, as stated in Chapter 7, Halachah 12.
40.
I.e., it is not desirable, because ultimately, there is the possibility that the challah will become impure.
41.
Although the common person's wife is presumed to be ritually impure, nevertheless, since the flour is dry, it is not susceptible to ritual impurity. Hence even if she would touch it, it would not present a difficulty [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Sh'vi'it 5:9)]. This leniency is allowed only as an expression of "the ways of piece" (Sh'vi'it, loc. cit.).
42.
I.e., needless to say, the wife of the chaver should not let the wife of the common person help her, for her dough would become ritually impure. She should not even help the wife of the common person for the reason stated by the Rambam.
43.
And preparing dough in a state of ritual impurity was considered a transgression in the Talmudic era when the laws of ritual impurity were observed.
44.
For then the baking process has already been completed.
45.
Which is considered an intermediate level between Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora with regard to many of the agricultural laws. With regard to its status for challah, see Chapter 5, Halachah 8.
Certainly, this law applies in Eretz Yisrael where eating bread from which challah was not separated is punishable by death at the hand of heaven. We do not suspect a baker of being willing to cause a fellow Jew to violate such a transgression. Nevertheless, the above applies only when the baker says that he has separated the challah. If he does not make such a statement and he is a common person, even in Eretz Yisrael, the purchaser must separate challahas stated in Chapter 6, Halachah 1 (Radbaz).
46.
I.e., he can rely on the baker.
47.
Even the common people.
48.
We are speaking about a baker who is a common person. Even if he says that he separated challah, his word is not accepted (Radbaz).
49.
Even if he is a common person.
50.
We assume that a common person is careful about what he eats himself - and what he serves from his kitchen. It is only when selling retail that his integrity is suspect.
• Sunday, 14 Adar, 5777 · 12 March 2017
• "Today's Day"
• Friday, 14 Adar I, Purim Katan, 5703
Tachanun is not said.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tetzaveh, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: And even he (p. 127)...speech and action. (p. 129).
My grandfather told my father: "My father (the Tzemach Tzedek) selected the maamarim printed in Likutei Torah from among 2,000 maamarim.
Sunday, Adar Sheini 14, Purim, 5703
In reading the Megilla, we read (8:11); laharog ul'abeid, v'laharog ul'abeid.
In 9:2, v'ish lo amad bifneihem, v'ish lo amad lifneihem. When saying ha'igeret hazot and igeret ha'Purim hazot hasheinit, we rustle the Megilla.
In Shoshanat Yaakov (p. 340): bruchim kol hatzadikim. Shehecheyanu is said before the daytime Megilla-reading too.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tzav, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: Furthermore, the vital (p. 169)...the gross world. (p. 171).
In the Megilla my grandfather wrote, he did not place the ten sons of Haman in a separate column-page, nor did he begin each column-page with the word hamelech ("the king").
(In the Hebrew text at this point, there appear textual emendations in Torah Or, meaningful only in Hebrew. Translator).
• Daily Thought:
G-d with the Oppressed
G‑d is always with the oppressed. Even if the oppressor is righteous and the oppressed is wicked, our sages tell us, G‑d is with the oppressed. (Lev. Rabba 27:7)
Visit the prisoners and bring them some happiness. Even if they are guilty; even if, in your eyes, they deserve whatever misery they have. Bring them joy.
And it is not only those in the penitentiary. A hospital, a home for the elderly, even a private residence of a lonely old man—these, too, can be prisons of the soul.[Purim 5736:4]
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