Torah Reading
Vayak'hel: Exodus 35:1 Moshe assembled the whole community of the people of Isra’el and said to them, “These are the things which Adonai has ordered you to do. 2 On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest in honor of Adonai. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. 3 You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat.”
4 Moshe said to the whole community of the people of Isra’el, “Here is what Adonai has ordered: 5 ‘Take up a collection for Adonai from among yourselves — anyone whose heart makes him willing is to bring the offering for Adonai: gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat’s hair, 7 tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood; 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breastplate.
10 “‘Then let all the craftsmen among you come and make everything Adonai has ordered: 11 the tabernacle with its tent, covering, fasteners, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets; 12 the ark with its poles, ark-cover and the curtain to screen it; 13 the table with its poles, all its utensils and the showbread; 14 the menorah for the light, with its utensils and lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 the incense altar with its poles; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entranceway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar for burnt offerings, with its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; 17 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the gateway of the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle; the tent pegs for the courtyard, with their ropes; 19 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and the holy garments for Aharon the cohen and the garments for his sons, so that they can serve in the office of cohen.’”
20 Then the whole community of the people of Isra’el withdrew from Moshe’s presence;
Today in Jewish History:• Nebuchadnezzar died (397 BCE)
Death of King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian emperor who conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the first Holy Temple 26 years earlier, died on the 25th of Adar of the year 3364 from creation. (Jeremiah 52:31)
• Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson's Birthday (1901) Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah Schneerson (1901-1988) of righteous memory, wife of the Lubavitcher Rebbe of righteous memory, was born on Shabbat, the 25th of Adar, in Babinovich, a town near the Russian city of Lubavitch, in the year 5661 from creation (1901). In an address delivered on the 25 of Adar of 1988 (the Rebbetzin's 87th birthday, and about a month after her passing), the Rebbe initiated an international birthday campaign, urging people to celebrate their birthdays and utilize the day as a time of introspection and making resolutions involving an increase in good deeds.
Links:
An on-line biography of the Rebbetzin
On the Jewish Birthday and the birthday customs
Daily Quote:
The morning prayer was instituted by Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 19:27): "And Abraham arose early in the morning, to the place where he stood before the Face of G-d"... Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is written (Genesis 24:63): "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field towards evening"... Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is written (Genesis 28:11): "And he encountered the Place... for the sun had set"[Talmud, Berachot 26b]Today's Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Vayak'hel-Pekudei, 5th Portion Exodus 39:2-39:21 with Rashi
• Exodus Chapter 39
2And he made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen. בוַיַּ֖עַשׂ אֶת־הָֽאֵפֹ֑ד זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מָשְׁזָֽר:
3They hammered out the sheets of gold and cut threads [from them] to work [the gold] into the blue wool, into the purple wool, into the crimson wool, and into the fine linen, the work of a master weaver. גוַיְרַקְּע֞וּ אֶת־פַּחֵ֣י הַזָּהָב֘ וְקִצֵּ֣ץ פְּתִילִם֒ לַֽעֲשׂ֗וֹת בְּת֤וֹךְ הַתְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ וּבְת֣וֹךְ הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן וּבְת֛וֹךְ תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וּבְת֣וֹךְ הַשֵּׁ֑שׁ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֖ה חשֵֽׁב:
They hammered out: Heb. וַיְרַקְּעוּ, like “To Him Who spread out (לְרוֹקַע) the earth over the water” (Ps. 136:6), as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וְרַדִידוּ, they hammered thin plates out of the gold, estendre in Old French [etendre in modern French, meaning] to extend into thin sheets. Here [the text] teaches you how they spun the gold [together] with the [wool] threads. They would hammer [the gold into] thin sheets and cut threads out of them along the length of the sheet, [in order] to work those threads by combining them with each kind [of colored material] in the choshen and in the ephod, about which gold is mentioned [to be included with them [i.e.,] one thread of gold [was intertwined] with six threads of blue wool, and similarly with each kind [of wool], for each kind had threads of six strands, and the gold was the seventh thread with each one. -[from Yoma 72a] וירקעו: כמו (תהלים קלו ו) לרוקע הארץ, כתרגומו ורדידו טסין היו מרדדין מן הזהב, אישטינדר"א בלעז [למתוח] טסין דקין. כאן הוא מלמדך, היאך היו טווין את הזהב עם החוטין מרדדין הטסין דקין וקוצצין מהן פתילים לאורך הטס, לעשות אותן פתילים מעורבין עם כל מין ומין בחשן ואפוד שנאמר בהן זהב, חוט אחד של זהב עם ששה חוטין של תכלת, וכן עם כל מין ומין שכל המינים חוטן כפול ששה, והזהב חוט שביעי עם כל אחד ואחד:
4They made connecting shoulder straps for it at both its ends, it was entirely connected. דכְּתֵפֹ֥ת עָֽשׂוּ־ל֖וֹ חֹֽבְרֹ֑ת עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י קְצוֹתָ֖יו (כתיב קצוותיו) חֻבָּֽר:
5And its decorative band, which is above it, [emanated] from it, of the same work: gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen as the Lord had commanded Moses. הוְחֵ֨שֶׁב אֲפֻדָּת֜וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֗יו מִמֶּ֣נּוּ הוּא֘ כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֒הוּ֒ זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֑ר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
6And they prepared the shoham stones, enclosed in gold settings, engraved [similar to] the engravings of a seal, with the names of the sons of Israel. ווַֽיַּֽעֲשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אַבְנֵ֣י הַשֹּׁ֔הַם מֻֽסַבֹּ֖ת מִשְׁבְּצֹ֣ת זָהָ֑ב מְפֻתָּחֹת֙ פִּתּוּחֵ֣י חוֹתָ֔ם עַל־שְׁמ֖וֹת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
7And he put them upon the shoulder straps of the ephod [as] stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses. זוַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹתָ֗ם עַ֚ל כִּתְפֹ֣ת הָֽאֵפֹ֔ד אַבְנֵ֥י זִכָּר֖וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
8He made the choshen, the work of a master weaver like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen. חוַיַּ֧עַשׂ אֶת־הַח֛שֶׁן מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה חשֵׁ֖ב כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֵפֹ֑ד זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מָשְׁזָֽר:
9It was square [and] they made the choshen doubled its length one span and its width one span, doubled. טרָב֧וּעַ הָיָ֛ה כָּפ֖וּל עָשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הַח֑שֶׁן זֶ֧רֶת אָרְכּ֛וֹ וְזֶ֥רֶת רָחְבּ֖וֹ כָּפֽוּל:
10And they filled into it four rows of stones. One row: odem, pitdah, and bareketh, the one row. יוַיְמַ֨לְאוּ־ב֔וֹ אַרְבָּעָ֖ה ט֣וּרֵי אָ֑בֶן ט֗וּר אֹ֤דֶם פִּטְדָה֙ וּבָרֶ֔קֶת הַטּ֖וּר הָֽאֶחָֽד:
11And the second row: nofech, sappir, and yahalom. יאוְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָֽהֲלֹֽם:
12And the third row: leshem, shevo, and achlamah. יבוְהַטּ֖וּר הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י לֶ֥שֶׁם שְׁב֖וֹ וְאַחְלָֽמָה:
13And the fourth row: tarshish, shoham, and yashpheh; enclosed in gold settings in their fillings. יגוְהַטּוּר֙ הָֽרְבִיעִ֔י תַּרְשִׁ֥ישׁ שֹׁ֖הַם וְיָֽשְׁפֵ֑ה מֽוּסַבֹּ֛ת מִשְׁבְּצֹ֥ת זָהָ֖ב בְּמִלֻּֽאֹתָֽם:
14And the stones were for the names of the sons of Israel twelve, corresponding to their names; [similar to] the engravings of a seal, every one according to his name, for the twelve tribes. ידוְ֠הָֽאֲבָנִ֠ים עַל־שְׁמֹ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל הֵ֛נָּה שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֹתָ֑ם פִּתּוּחֵ֤י חֹתָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר שָֽׁבֶט:
15For the choshen they made chains at the edges, of cable work, of pure gold. טווַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּ עַל־הַח֛שֶׁן שַׁרְשְׁרֹ֥ת גַּבְלֻ֖ת מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה עֲבֹ֑ת זָהָ֖ב טָהֽוֹר:
16They made two golden settings and two golden rings, and they placed the two rings on the two ends of the choshen. טזוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֗וּ שְׁתֵּי֙ מִשְׁבְּצֹ֣ת זָהָ֔ב וּשְׁתֵּ֖י טַבְּעֹ֣ת זָהָ֑ב וַיִּתְּנ֗וּ אֶת־שְׁתֵּי֙ הַטַּבָּעֹ֔ת עַל־שְׁנֵ֖י קְצ֥וֹת הַחֽשֶׁן:
17And they placed the two golden cables on the two rings, at the ends of the choshen. יזוַיִּתְּנ֗וּ שְׁתֵּי֙ הָֽעֲבֹתֹ֣ת הַזָּהָ֔ב עַל־שְׁתֵּ֖י הַטַּבָּעֹ֑ת עַל־קְצ֖וֹת הַחֽשֶׁן:
18And the two ends of the two cables they placed upon the two settings, and they placed them upon the shoulder straps of the ephod, on its front part. יחוְאֵ֨ת שְׁתֵּ֤י קְצוֹת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י הָֽעֲבֹתֹ֔ת נָתְנ֖וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֣י הַמִּשְׁבְּצֹ֑ת וַיִּתְּנֻ֛ם עַל־כִּתְפֹ֥ת הָֽאֵפֹ֖ד אֶל־מ֥וּל פָּנָֽיו:
19And they made two golden rings and placed them on the two ends of the choshen, on its edge that faced the inner side of the ephod. יטוַיַּעֲשׂ֗וּ שְׁתֵּי֙ טַבְּעֹ֣ת זָהָ֔ב וַיָּשִׂ֕ימוּ עַל־שְׁנֵ֖י קְצ֣וֹת הַח֑שֶׁן עַל־שְׂפָת֕וֹ אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֶל־עֵ֥בֶר הָֽאֵפֹ֖ד בָּֽיְתָה:
20And they made two golden rings and placed them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod, from below, toward its front, adjacent to its seam, above the band of the ephod. כוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ֘ שְׁתֵּ֣י טַבְּעֹ֣ת זָהָב֒ וַיִּתְּנֻ֡ם עַל־שְׁתֵּי֩ כִתְפֹ֨ת הָֽאֵפֹ֤ד מִלְּמַ֨טָּה֙ מִמּ֣וּל פָּנָ֔יו לְעֻמַּ֖ת מַחְבַּרְתּ֑וֹ מִמַּ֕עַל לְחֵ֖שֶׁב הָֽאֵפֹֽד:
21And they fastened the choshen by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue wool, so that it could be upon the band of the ephod, so that the choshen would not move off the ephod, as the Lord had commanded Moses. כאוַיִּרְכְּס֣וּ אֶת־הַח֡שֶׁן מִטַּבְּעֹתָיו֩ אֶל־טַבְּעֹ֨ת הָֽאֵפֹ֜ד בִּפְתִ֣יל תְּכֵ֗לֶת לִֽהְיֹת֙ עַל־חֵ֣שֶׁב הָֽאֵפֹ֔ד וְלֹֽא־יִזַּ֣ח הַח֔שֶׁן מֵעַ֖ל הָֽאֵפֹ֑ד כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
• Daily Tehillim: Psalm Chapter 119, Verses 1-96
• Verses 1-96
David composed this prominent psalm in alphabetical sequence-eight verses for each letter. Every verse contains one of the following words (referring to different aspects of Torah): Way; Torah; Testimony; Precept; Commandment; Statement (translated here as Word or Promise); Word; Judgement (or Laws); Righteousness; Statute. Replete with morals and prayers, this psalm should be recited daily, as a powerful preparation for the service of God. (In verses beginning with one of the letters of the mnemonic PeReTZ BeN DaMaH, the word "עדותיך" is pronounced "eidvotecha.")
1. Fortunate are those whose way is artless, who walk with the Torah of the Lord.
2. Fortunate are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with all their hearts.
3. Indeed, they have not done iniquity; they walk in His ways.
4. You have commanded Your precepts to be observed diligently.
5. My wish is that my ways be directed to keep Your statutes.
6. Then I will not be ashamed, when I behold all Your commandments.
7. I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments.
8. I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me
9. How can a young man keep his way pure? By observing Your word.
10. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
11. I have harbored Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
12. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
13. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.
14. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as I would with all riches.
15. I will speak of Your precepts, and gaze upon Your ways.
16. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
17. Deal kindly with Your servant, that I may live to keep Your word.
18. Unveil my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah.
19. I am a sojourner on earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.
20. My soul is crushed with a longing for Your judgments every moment.
21. You have rebuked the accursed scoffers, those who stray from Your commandments.
22. Remove insult and contempt from me, for I have kept Your testimonies.
23. Though princes sat and spoke against me, Your servant speaks of Your statutes.
24. Indeed, Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counsellors.
25. My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me in accordance with Your word.
26. I have spoken of my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes.
27. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will speak of Your wonders.
28. My soul drips away out of grief; sustain me according to Your word.
29. Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously endow me with Your Torah.
30. I have chosen the way of faith; Your judgments have I laid before me.
31. I held fast to Your testimonies, O Lord; put me not to shame.
32. I will run on the path of Your commandments, for You will broaden my heart.
33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the last.
34. Grant me understanding and I will keep Your Torah; I will observe it with all my heart.
35. Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for that is my desire.
36. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to greed.
37. Avert my eyes from seeing vanity; by Your ways give me life.
38. Fulfill for Your servant Your promise, which brings to the fear of You.
39. Remove my shame which I fear, for Your judgments are good.
40. Behold, I have longed for Your precepts; give me life in Your righteousness.
41. And let Your kindness come to fruition for me, O Lord, Your salvation as You promised.
42. I will offer a retort to those who taunt me, for I trust in Your word.
43. Do not at all remove the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope [to fulfill] Your judgments.
44. I will keep Your Torah continually, for ever and ever.
45. And I will walk in spacious paths, for I seek Your precepts.
46. I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
47. And I will delight in Your commandments, which I love.
48. I will lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I will speak of Your statutes.
49. Remember the word [promised] to Your servant, by which You gave me hope.
50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.
51. [Though] the wicked ridicule me severely, I have not strayed from Your Torah.
52. When I remember Your judgments of old, O Lord, I take comfort.
53. Trembling seized me because of the wicked, those who forsake Your Torah.
54. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my wanderings.
55. At night I remembered Your Name, O Lord, and I kept Your Torah.
56. All this came to me because I kept Your precepts.
57. The Lord is my portion; I pledged to keep Your words.
58. I pleaded before You with all my heart: have compassion upon me according to Your word.
59. I contemplated my ways, and returned my feet to Your testimonies.
60. I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
61. Bands of wicked men plundered me, [but] I did not forget Your Torah.
62. At midnight, I rise to thank You for Your righteous judgments.
63. I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
64. Your kindness, O Lord, fills the earth; teach me Your statutes.
65. You have dealt goodness to Your servant, O Lord, in accord with Your promise.
66. Teach me the goodness and wisdom of the [Torah's] reasons, for I believe in Your commandments.
67. Before I afflicted myself, I would blunder; but now I observe Your word.
68. You are good and benevolent; teach me Your statutes.
69. The wicked have smeared me with lies, [when in truth] I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
70. Their hearts grew thick as fat; but as for me, Your Torah is my delight.
71. It is for my good that I was afflicted, so that I might learn Your statutes.
72. The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands in gold and silver.
73. Your hands have made me and prepared me; grant me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74. Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because I hoped in Your word.
75. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are just; righteously have You afflicted me.
76. Let Your kindness be my comfort, as You promised to Your servant.
77. Let Your mercies come upon me, that I may live, for Your Torah is my delight.
78. Let the scoffers be shamed, for they have maligned me with falsehood; but I will meditate upon Your precepts.
79. May those who fear You return to me, and those who know Your testimonies.
80. May my heart be perfect in Your statutes, so that I not be shamed.
81. My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope for Your word.
82. My eyes long for Your promise, saying, "When will You comfort me?”
83. Though I became [dried out] like a wineskin in smoke, I did not forget Your statutes.
84. How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment upon my pursuers?
85. The wicked have dug pits for me, in violation of Your Torah.
86. All Your commandments teach truth, [yet] they pursue me with lies, help me!
87. They nearly consumed me upon the earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts.
88. As befits Your kindness, grant me life, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.
89. Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens.
90. Your faithfulness persists for all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.
91. They stand ready today [to execute] Your judgments, for all are Your servants.
92. Had Your Torah not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
93. Never will I forget Your precepts, for through them You have sustained me.
94. I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
95. The wicked hope to destroy me, but I meditate upon Your testimonies.
96. To every goal I have seen a limit, but Your commandment is immensely broad.
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 37
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 25 Adar, 5777 · 23 March 2017
• Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 37
• ומאחר שכללות נפש החיונית שבכללות ישראל תהיה מרכבה קדושה לה׳
Once the totality of the vital soul of the community of Israel will become a holy chariot for G‑d,
אזי גם כללות החיות של עולם הזה, שהיא קליפת נוגה עכשיו, תצא אז מטומאתה וחלאתה ותעלה לקדושה
then also the general vitality of this world, which now consists of kelipat nogah, will also emerge from its impurity and sickness (the term “impurity” refers to the evil of the kelipah; “sickness” refers to the element of good that kelipat nogah contains, which is nevertheless the good of kelipah, not holiness), and will ascend to holiness,
להיות מרכבה לה׳, בהתגלות כבודו
to become a chariot for G‑d, upon the revelation of His glory (in the World to Come).
וראו כל בשר יחדיו, ויופיע עליהם בהדר גאון עוזו, וימלא כבוד ה׳ את כל האר׳
Then all flesh will behold [G‑dliness] together, and He will appear upon them with the majestic beauty of His power, and “the glory of G‑d will fill the whole world.”
וישראל יראו עין בעין, כבמתן תורה
Israel will see “eye to eye” — the human eye will see the truth of G‑dliness just as the Supernal “eye” sees it — just as [they saw] at the giving of the Torah,
דכתיב: אתה הראת לדעת כי ה׳ הוא אלקים, אין עוד מלבדו
of which it is written,1 “You showed Yourself, so that it be known that ‘G‑d is the L‑rd (lit.: the Four-Letter Divine Name is ELOKIM; i.e., despite the concealment of the Four-Letter Divine Name (which denotes G‑d’s limitless power) by the name Elokim (which signifies G‑d’s self-limitation), it is the former that still pervades all existence);there is nothing else besides Him.”
But whereas the revelation at Sinai lasted only a short time, the revelation in the future will be permanent.
ועל ידי זה יתבלעו ויתבטלו לגמרי כל השלש קליפות הטמאות
Through this ascent of kelipat nogah to holiness, the three unclean kelipot will be utterly annihilated and nullified.
כי יניקתן וחיותן מהקדושה עכשיו, היא על ידי קליפת נוגה, הממוצעת ביניהן
For the nurture and vitality which they now receive from holiness, comes to them [only] by way of kelipat nogah, the intermediary between them.
Kelipat nogah, containing both good and evil, is the medium through which these kelipot which are completely evil receive their vitality from G‑dliness, which is completely good. When kelipat nogah ascends to G‑dliness, the impurekelipot, no longer having any access to G‑dly vitality, cease to exist.
ונמצא כי כל תכלית של ימות המשיח ותחיית המתים, שהוא גילוי כבודו ואלקותו יתברך, ולהעביר רוח הטומאה מהאר׳
It follows, therefore, that the purpose of the Messianic era and of the resurrection, namely, the revelation of His glory and Divinity, and the banishment of the spirit of impurity from the earth,
תלוי בהמשכת אלקותו ואור אין סוף ברוך הוא לנפש החיונית שבכללות ישראל בכל רמ״ח אבריה, על ידי קיומה כל רמ״ח מצות עשה
is entirely dependent on [our] drawing down His G‑dliness and the blessed Ein Sof-light upon all the 248 limbs of the vital soul of all Israel (for by way of the vital soul, all the world will be suffused with G‑dliness), and this is achieved by the vital soul’s performance of all the 248 positive mitzvot;
ולהעביר רוח הטומאה ממנה, בשמירתה כל שס״ה מצות לא תעשה, שלא יינקו ממנה שס״ה גידיה
and this purpose is also dependent on [our] banishing the spirit of impurity, i.e., the three impure kelipot, from the vital soul of all Israel (for by being banished from the vital soul, the spirit of impurity is banished from the entire world); and this is accomplished by the vital soul’s observance of all 365 prohibitive mitzvot, thus preventing its 365 blood vessels from drawing nurture from the spirit of impurity.
Why is it that suffusing the vital soul with Ein Sof-light and banishing the impure kelipot from the vital soul produces a parallel effect on the entire world?
כי כללות ישראל, שהם ששים רבוא נשמות פרטיות, הם כללות החיות של כללות העולם, כי בשבילם נברא
For the community of Israel, comprising 600,000 particular souls, is the general source of vitality for the world as a whole, since the world was created for the sake of these souls.
וכל פרט מהם הוא כולל ושייך לו החיות של חלק אחד מששים רבוא מכללות העולם
Each specific one of them contains and to each is related the vitality of one six-hundred-thousandth-part of the entire world.
התלוי בנפשו החיונית להעלותו לה׳ בעלייתה
This [part of the world] depends on his vital soul for its elevation to G‑d through [the vital soul’s] own elevation.
דהיינו במה שמשתמש מעולם הזה לצורך גופו ונפשו החיונית לעבודת ה׳
This means that one elevates “his” portion of the world by his partaking of this world for the requirements of his body and vital soul in the service of G‑d. By using the objects of this world that one’s body and vital soul need for the sake of serving G‑d, one elevates his portion of the world.
כגון אכילה ושתיה ודומיהם, ודירה וכל כלי תשמישיו
For example: eating, drinking, and the like; one’s dwelling and all his utensils.
But surely there are more than 600,000 souls; besides, it is quite impossible for one person to use a six-hundred-thousandth of the entire world.
אלא ששים רבוא נשמות פרטיות אלו הן שרשים, וכל שרש מתחלק לששים רבוא ניצוצות, שכל ניצו׳ הוא נשמה אחת
These 600,000 particular souls, however, are “roots”; and, like a root from which grow numerous branches,each root-soul subdivides into 600,000 sparks, each spark being one Neshamah.
וכן בנפש ורוח, בכל עולם מארבע עולמות: אצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה
Similarly with the Nefesh and Ruach, in each of the four Worlds — Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. In each of these four Worlds are found all three soul-levels — Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Devarim 4:35. |
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Positive Commandment 23• The Service of the Levites
"And the Levite shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting"—Numbers 18:23.
The Levites – and only the Levites – are commanded to discharge the Levite duties in the Holy Temple. These duties include serving as gatemen and accompanying with song the offering of the sacrifices.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• The Service of the Levites
Positive Commandment 23
Translated by Berel Bell
The 23rd mitzvah is the commandment to the Levites to carry out certain types of service in the Holy Temple, such as closing the gates, and singing at the time when the sacrifices were offered.
The source of this mitzvah is G‑d's statement,1 "This is the service of the Levites."
The Sifri2 says, "We might think that the Levite can serve if he wants to, but that if he doesn't want to, he is not obligated. The Torah therefore says, 'This is the service of the Levites' — even against their will." This means that it is obligatory upon him and that the mitzvah is forced upon him.
What the service of the Levites consists of is explained in many places in tractates Tamid3 and Middos.4 It is also explained in the second chapter of tractate Erachin5 that only the Levites can perform the service of singing. This commandment is repeated in another verse,6 "He can serve in the name of G‑d, his G‑d just the same as any of his fellow Levites." Our Sages explained in the second chapter of Erachin, "What is meant by service 'in the name of G‑d'? It refers to the singing."
FOOTNOTES
1.Num. 18:23.
2.Ibid.
3.5:6. 6:7.
4.1:1.
5.11a.
6.Deut. 18:7.
• Negative Commandment 72• Priests and Levites Exchanging Duties
"Each man individually to his task and his load"—Numbers 4:19.
The kohanim (priests) and Levites each have their unique tasks in the Holy Temple. As such, Levites are forbidden to discharge any of the duties that are the domain of the kohanim, and vice versa.
Indeed, it is also forbidden for a priest or Levite to get involved in a task that was assigned to a fellow priest or Levite. The Talmud relates that Rabbi Joshua ben Chananiah once wished to aid his fellow Levite Rabbi Yochanan ben Gurgoda. "Desist from this," Rabbi Yochanan told him, "for you are already liable to pay with your life. For I am of the gatemen and you are of the singers..."
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Priests and Levites Exchanging Duties
Negative Commandment 72
Translated by Berel Bell
The 72nd prohibition is that the Levites are prohibited from performing any Temple service which belongs to the kohanim, and the kohanim from performing any Temple service which belongs to the Levites. The reason for this is that each of these two families, i.e. the kohanim and the Levites, have their own specific types of service in the Holy Temple. Therefore G‑d (exalted be He), addressed a prohibition to both simultaneously, that each group should perform its own type of service, not the other's. This was told to them in the verse,1 "Each one shall be placed on his service and carry his load."
The prohibition is conveyed in G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), to the Levites, "But they shall not approach the sacred vessels or the altar, so that they not die." He then continued by saying to the kohanim,3 "[so that they not die,] not they and also not you." The phrase, "and also not you," means "you [i.e. the kohanim] are included in this prohibition. Just as you are commanded to perform your service, i.e. with the sacred vessels and the altar, so too you are forbidden from performing their service."
The Sifri4 says, "The words, 'They shall not approach the sacred vessels or the altar,' constitutes a prohibition. The words, "so that they not die,' is the punishment. This teaches only that the Levites have a prohibition and punishment for performing the kohanim's service. How do we know that same applies for the kohanim performing that of the Levites? From the words, 'not they.' [How do I know further than a Levite of] one group [is forbidden to do the work of] the other group? From the words, 'and also not you.' It once occurred that R. Yehoshua ben Chananya tried to help R. Yochanan ben Gudgada [to close the gates of the Sanctuary; whereupon the latter] said to him: 'Go back! You are already guilty of the death penalty since I am from those who take care of the gates5 and you are from those that sing.' " This explains clearly that anyone who serves in a way not meant for him receives a heavenly death penalty.
Similarly, the kohanim may not perform the service of the Levites; but the punishment for doing so is lashes, not death. The Mechilta6 says, "[The verse says,] 'But they shall not approach the sacred vessels or the altar.' One might think that one is punished even for touching them. The verse therefore says 'but' — one is punished only for performing a type of service. This verse only teaches about Levites who perform the service of the kohanim. From where do we derive the prohibition of kohanim performing the service of the Levites? From the words, 'not they and also not you.' " There it also says, "Levites who perform the service of the kohanim are punished by death, but kohanim who perform the service of the Levites only transgress a regular prohibition."
FOOTNOTES
1.Num. 4:19.
2.Ibid., 18:3.
3.Ibid.
4.Ibid.
5.Although both were Levites and were performing Levitical service, they still had to keep to their assigned task.
6.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 75.
• Positive Commandment 32• Honoring the Priests
"You shall sanctify him, for he offers up the food offering of your G‑d; he shall be holy to you"—Leviticus 21:8.
We are commanded to honor and exalt the seed of Aaron, the kohanim (priests), and to acknowledge their holiness.
This mitzvah applies whether or not the specific priest desires such honor. This mitzvah applies also to maimed kohanim, though they are not eligible to serve in the Holy Temple.
We fulfill this mitzvah by honoring the priest with the first aliyah to the Torah and leading the Grace after Meals, and by allowing him to take the first choice portion of food.
Honoring the kohanim is, in effect, honoring G‑d, who chose them to serve Him [in the Holy Temple] and offer the sacrifices.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Honoring the Priests
Positive Commandment 32
Translated by Berel Bell
The 32nd mitzvah is that we are commanded to exalt, honor, and elevate the descendants of Aaron [i.e. kohanim]; to treat them in a way of holiness and respect. Even if they refuse to accept it, one should not listen to them. All this is to honor G‑d (exalted be He), since He singled them out to serve Him and offer His sacrifices.
The source of this mitzvah is G‑d's statement,1 "You must keep him holy, since he presents the food-offering to G‑d."
Our Sages explained,2 "The word 'vikidashto' ('keep him holy') refers to every matter of holiness: he should be the first to read in the Torah; first to recite the blessing [after meals]; first to take the choicest portion."
The Sifra3 also says, "The word 'vikidashto' ('keep him holy') implies 'even against his will.' " This means that this commandment is given to us, and does not depend on the desire of the kohen.
The Sages also said,4 "The phrase,5 'they shall be holy unto their G‑d,' means even against their will. 'They must remain holy,' comes to include even those kohanim who have a blemish." We should not say, "Since he is not fit6 to 'present the food-offering to G‑d,' why should we give him special treatment and show him honor and respect?" The Torah therefore said [the apparently redundant phrase], "they must remain holy" — to teach you that it applies to all from this distinguished lineage, whether blemished or blemish-free.
The proper conditions7 under which they must be honored are explained in various Talmudic passages: Makkos,8 Chullin,9 Bechoros,10 Shabbos,11 and others.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 21:8.
2.Gittin 59b.
3.Parshas Emor, Ch. 1, Halachah 14.
4.Sifra, ibid., Halachah 6.
5.Lev. 21:6.
6.Because of his blemish. See N70.
7.I.e. to exclude when a kohen forfeits his sanctity.
8.See Kapach, 5718, footnote 130; 5731, footnote 71.
9.132b.
10.45b.
11.55b. See Kapach, 5731, footnote 74.
• Positive Commandment 36• The Priestly Shifts
"And if a Levite comes . . . he may come whenever his soul desires . . . and he may serve in the name of G‑d, his G‑d, just like all his Levite brothers, who stand there before G‑d. They shall eat equal portions..."—Deuteronomy 18:6-8.
We are commanded to divide the kohanim (priests) into shifts, so that each week another shift should serve in the Holy Temple. Only during the festivals shall all the kohanim serve together.
The prophet Samuel and King David divided the kohanim into 24 shifts.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Priestly Shifts
Positive Commandment 36
Translated by Berel Bell
The 36th mitzvah is that we are commanded that the kohanim shall serve in watches, i.e. that each watch shall serve for one week's time. They shall not be mixed together except for the festivals, when all watches shall serve together and anyone who comes may perform the service. It is explained in Chronicles1 that Dovid and Shmuel divided them and assigned them to 24 watches.2 In tractate Sukkah3 it is explained that during the festivals, all are treated equally.
The verse which refers to this mitzvah is G‑d's statement,4 "A Levite5 can come [from one of your gates]...whenever he wishes...and may serve before G‑d, his G‑d, just the same as any of his fellow Levites whose turn it is to serve before G‑d. He shall receive the same portion to eat."
The Sifri6 says, "From the phrase, 'whenever he wishes' one could think that it means any time whatsoever. The Torah therefore says, 'from one of your gates,' i.e. when all the Jewish people are gathered at one gate7 — during the three festivals. One could think that all watches share equally during the festival even in offerings that are not specifically festival offerings.8 The Torah therefore says, 'The only exception is that which was sold by the ancestors.' What did the ancestors 'sell' to each other? They said, 'You [will serve] in your Shabbos and I in my Shabbos.' " This means that they agreed to setting up a system of watches with a different watch each week. The Targum also explains the verse in this way: "Except for the watch of that week, because that is how the ancestors established it."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the end of tractate Sukkah.9
FOOTNOTES
1.Chronicles I, 9:22.
2.In Hilchos Klei HaMikdash 4:3, the Rambam writes that Moses originally split them into 8 groups.
3.55a.
4.Deut. 18:6-8.
5.In Hilchos Klei HaMikdash 4:6, the Rambam explains that here the word "Levite" refers to kohanim. This is obvious from the end of the verse, which says, "He shall receive the same portion to eat," and only kohanim receive "portions" in the Holy Temple.
6.Deut., ibid.
7.I.e. Jerusalem.
8.Such as the offerings of Shabbos, when the festival falls on Shabbos. Although it is brought during the festival, such an offering is treated as a regular offering and the service is performed by the kohanim of that week's watch.
9.55a
• Rambam • 1 Chapter: Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Two
• Shechenim - Chapter Two
1
The following laws apply with regard to courtyards in villages where every person builds a house for himself, and thus the courtyard in between the two houses is used jointly by all the members of the two households. Every opening is granted four cubits in front of it for the entire length of the opening. With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if there is enough to provide every partner with four cubits by four cubits, it is divided. If not, it is not divided. For any courtyard that is not four cubits by four cubits cannot be called a courtyard, as we have explained.
What is implied? If there were two partners, one owned two houses in the courtyard and the other owned one. For the one who owns two houses, we grant him four cubits from the courtyard in front of the entire width of the entrances to each of his homes, even if the entrances of each are ten cubits wide. And we give the partner who owns one house four cubits in front of the entire width of the entrance to his home.
With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if it is at least eight cubits by four cubits, so that each one will receive a portion at least four cubits by four cubits in addition to the area in front of the entrances, it is considered large enough to divide, and it should be divided. If it is smaller than this, it is not large enough to divide.
א
חצרות הכפרים שכל אחד ואחד בונה לו בית ונמצאת החצר שבין שני הבתים משותפת לכל בני הבתים הרי יש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות לפניו ברוחב כל הפתח והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות לכל שותף ושותף חולקין אותה ואם לאו אין חולקין אותה שכל חצר שאין לה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אינה קרויה חצר כמו שביארנו כיצד היו שני שותפין לזה שני בתים ולזה בית אחד זה שיש לו שני בתים מודדין לו מן החצר ארבע אמות לכל בית ובית על כל רוחב הפתח אפילו היה עשר אמות וזה שיש לו בית אחד נותנין לו ארבע אמות ברוחב פתחו לפני פתחו והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בה שמנה אמות כדי שיהא לזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות ולזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות חוץ מן הפתחים יש בה דין חלוקה וחולקין פחות מזה אין בה דין חלוקה:
2
When a house in a courtyard has many entrances on all sides, it is granted four cubits on every side. If the owner designates one entrance as the entrance to the house, he is granted four cubits only opposite this entrance.
ב
בית שיש לו פתחים רבים מכל רוחותיו יש לו ארבע אמות לכל רוח ואם ייחד לו פתח אין לו אלא ארבע אמות כנגד פתחו:
3
When a person can enter an excedra carrying his load, he is not granted these four cubits. If not, he is granted these four cubits. For the sole reason our Sages said that a person is granted four cubits for every entrance is so that he can unload his burden there.
ג
אכסדרה אם אפשר לו להכנס לתוכה במשאו אין לה ארבע אמות ואם לאו יש לה ארבע אמות שלא אמרו שיש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות אלא לפרק שם משאו:
4
A person is granted four cubits in front of a guard's room or a porch.
If there are five structures that open up to a porch, and the porch opens up to a courtyard, only four cubits are granted.
ד
בית שער או מרפסת יש להם ארבע אמות היו חמשה בתים פתוחים למרפסת והמרפסת פתוחה לחצר אין לה אלא ארבע אמות:
5
A chicken coop is not granted four cubits.
ה
לול של תרנגולים אין לו ארבע אמות:
6
When a house has a roof over half of it, but not over the second half, regardless of whether the roofed portion is on the inside or toward the outside, it is not granted four cubits.
ו
בית חציו מקורה וחציו שאינו מקורה בין שקרויו כלפי פנים בין שקרויו כלפי חוץ אין לו ארבע אמות:
7
Although the entrance to a house is closed off, the owner is granted four cubits. If, however, the owner destroyed the doorway and closed it entirely, it is not granted four cubits.
ז
בית סתום יש לו ארבע אמות פרץ את פצימיו אין לו ארבע אמות:
8
When a house is smaller than four cubits by four cubits, its owner is not granted four cubits in the courtyard.
Thus, the following rule applies if there is a courtyard with two structures, and at least one of them is smaller than this minimal size. If the courtyard contains four cubits for one owner and four cubits for the other, even though this measure reaches the entrance of the structure, the courtyard is divided.
The manure in the courtyard should be divided according to the entrances. The levy of the king for the keep of his legions is divided according to the number of people living in the courtyard.
ח
בית שאין בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אין לו ארבע אמות בחצר אלא אם יש בחצר ארבע אמות לזה וארבע אמות לזה עד פתח הבית הזה חולקין והזבל של חצר מתחלק לפי הפתחים אבל אכסניא של מלך לפי בני אדם:
9
When partners desire to divide an entity that is not fit to be divided, they may divide it, although because of their actions it will no longer be called by the same name.
With regard to holy scrolls, by contrast, even though the partners desire, a scroll should not be divided.
When does the above apply? When all the sacred writings are contained in one scroll, but if the sacred writings are contained in two scrolls, they may be divided.
ט
השותפין שרצו לחלוק דבר שאין בו דין חלוקה אף על פי שהן מפסידין את שמו חולקין ובכתבי הקדש אף על פי שרצו לא יחלוקו בד"א בכרך אחד אבל בשתי כריכות חולקין:
10
When partners desire to divide a place that is not large enough to be divided, each one has the right to retract until the actual division is made. This applies even when the decision was confirmed with a kinyan, for this is merely a kinyan concerning words, as we have explained.
If, however, the partners made a kinyan, stating that this one desired the portion of the property in one direction, and the other desired the portion of the property in the other direction, they cannot retract. Similarly, if each one went and manifested ownership over his portion, neither can retract, even though they did not confirm their commitment with a kinyan.
י
מקום שאין בו דין חלוקה שרצו שותפין לחלקו אע"פשקנו מידם כל אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו שזה קניין דברים הוא כמו שביארנו אבל אם קנו מידם שזה רצה ברוח פלוני וזה רצה ברוח פלוני אינן יכולים לחזור בהם וכן אם הלך זה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו וזה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו אע"פ שלא קנו מידם אין אחד מהם יכול לחזור בחבירו:
11
When brothers divide an estate by lottery, once one of them receives his lot, they all acquire the remainder of the property. The rationale is that with the satisfaction that they receive from the fact that they carried out the agreement that they arranged between themselves, each one concluded the matter and transferred the appropriate share to his fellow.
יא
האחין שחלקו ועשו ביניהם גורל כיון שעלה גורל לאחד מהן קנו כולן בהנייה שנעשית להם ששמעו זה מזה לדבר שהסכימו עליו גמר כל אחד מהן ומקנה לחבירו:
12
When brothers divide an estate, they are considered as having purchased their shares from each other. Thus, none of them is entitled to claim from any of the others the right of passage, the right to erect a ladder, the right to maintain a window, or the right to the passage of an irrigation channel. For once they have divided the property, none of them has any right with regard to the property belonging to any of the other brothers.
Therefore, one brother may tell another: "When the field was owned by one person, he would cause this irrigation ditch to pass from one place to another. Now, however, that this field has become my portion, I have the right to close the irrigation ditch." Similarly, he may block off a window that looks over his portion and build next to a ladder, even though it nullifies its usefulness.
The same laws apply when two people buy a field in partnership from one person and then decide to divide the property. Neither has any rights with regard to the portion of his colleague. The owner of either portion may dam the irrigation ditch or block off the windows.
יב
האחין שחלקו הרי הן כלקוחות זה מזה ואין להם דרך זה על זה ולא סולמות זה על זה ולא חלונות זה על זה ולא אמת המים זה על זה שכיון שחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהן זכות בחלק חבירו לפיכך יש לומר לאחין כשהיתה השדה כולה לאחד היה מעביר בה אמת המים הזאת ממקום למקום אבל עתה שנעשית זה חלקי יש לי להסיר אמת המים מעלי וכן סותם החלון המשקיף על חלקו ובונה בצד הסולם אף על פי שהוא מבטל תשמישו והוא הדין בשנים שקנו שדה מאחד וחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהם זכות בחלק חבירו ומפסיק אמת המים מחלקו וסותם החלונות:
13
When, by contrast, two people buy a field from two other people, or from two brothers, neither has the right to dam the irrigation ditch or to change any other of the privileges that one of the sellers had established as his own, even though it is damaging to his colleague.
יג
אבל שנים שקנו שדה משני אנשים או משני אחין אין לאחד מהן להפסיק אמת המים ולא לשנות דבר מן הנזקים שהחזיקו בהן המוכרין:
14
The following rule applies with regard to a courtyard owned in partnership that is large enough to divide or one that was divided by consent, even though it is not large enough to divide. Each of the partners may compel the other to join in the building of a wall in the middle of the courtyard, so that one will not see the other when using the courtyard.
The rationale is that damage caused by an invasion of privacy is considered to be damage.
Neither partner can claim that it is an established fact that the courtyard has remained without a wall. Instead, even though the courtyard stood many years without a divider, one partner can compel the other to join in the building of a divider whenever he desires.
יד
חצר השותפין שיש בה דין חלוקה או שחלקוה ברצונם אע"פ שאין בה חלוקה יש לכל אחד מהן לכוף את חבירו לבנות הכותל באמצע כדי שלא יראהו חבירו בשעה שמשתמש בחלקו שהיזק ראייה היזק הוא ואין לו חזקה בחצר אלא אף על פי שעמדו כך שנים רבות בלא מחיצה כופהו לעשות מחיצה בכל עת שירצה:
15
The space where the wall will be built comes from both partners.
How wide must the partition be? Everything depends on local custom. Even if the local custom is to make a partition from reeds or palm leaves, such a partition is made, provided it does not leave open space for one neighbor to look and see his colleague.
טו
רוחב מקום הכותל משל שניהם וכמה יהיה רחבו הכל כמנהג המדינה ואפילו נהגו לעשות מחיצה ביניהם בקנים ובהוצין ובלבד שלא יהיה אויר שיסתכל בו ויראה את חבירו:
16
How high must the wall be? No smaller than four cubits. Similarly, in a garden, a person may compel his neighbor to separate their two gardens with a divider ten handbreadths high. But in a stretch of fields, there is no need to separate one person's stretch of fields from another unless this is the local custom.
If a person desires to make a distinction between his stretch of fields and that belonging to his colleague, he must build the barrier within his own property. Therefore, he should make a sign of approximately a cubit by a cubit of mortar on the outside to indicate that the wall belongs to him. Therefore, if the wall falls, both the land and the stones belong to him.
If the wall is built by the two of them in partnership, they should build a projection on both sides. Therefore, if the wall falls, they both share the space and the stones.
טז
כמה גובה הכותל אין פחות מארבע אמות וכן בגינה כופהו להבדיל גינתו מגינת חבירו במחיצה גבוהה עשרה טפחים אבל בבקעה אין צריך להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו אלא במקום שנהגו רצה להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ועושה חזית כמו אמה בסיד מבחוץ כדי להודיע שהכותל שלו לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים שלו ואם עשו מדעת שניהם בונים הכותל באמצע ועושין חזית מכאן ומכאן לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים של שניהן:
17
The following rule applies when a person sells a garden to a colleague without any specifications. If it is attached with other gardens, we compel the purchaser to construct a fence between them. This applies even when the custom is not to erect fences in gardens. If, however, he sells a field without any specifications, we do not require him to erect a fence unless this is the local custom.
יז
המוכר גינה לחבירו סתם והיתה מעורבת עם גנות אחרות כופין את הלוקח לבנות את הכותל ביניהם ואפילו במקום שנהגו שלא לגדור בגנות אבל אם מכר בקעה סתם אין מחייבים אותו לגדור אלא במקום שנהגו:
18
In a place where it is customary to use stones that are not hewn to build the walls that divide courtyards or gardens, each of the partners should give three handbreadths. If they use hewn stones, each of the partners should give two and a half handbreadths. If they use broken bricks, each of the partners should give two handbreadths. If they use bricks, each of the partners should give a handbreadth and a half. All these measures include the thickness of the wall and the mortar.
Since the space of the wall belongs equally to both of them, should the wall fall, the space and the stones are shared equally between them. Even if the wall fell into the property of one of them, or one cleared all the stones into his property and claimed that his colleague sold him his portion or gave it to him as a gift, his word is not accepted. Instead, they are considered to belong to both of them unless one of them proves his claim.
יח
מקום שנהגו לבנות כותלים המבדילין בחצירות או בגנות באבנים שאינן גזית זה נותן שלשה טפחים וזה נותן שלשה טפחים בגזית זה נותן טפחיים ומחצה וזה נותן טפחיים ומחצה בכפיסין זה נותן טפחיים וזה נותן טפחיים בלבנים זה נותן טפח ומחצה וזה נותן טפח ומחצה וכל השיעורין האלו עובי הכותל עם הסיד והואיל ומקום הכותל משל שניהם אם נפל הכותל הרי המקום והאבנים של שניהם ואפילו נפל לרשות אחד מהן או שפינה אחד מהן את כל האבנים לרשותו וטען שמכר לו חבירו חלקו או נתנו לו במתנה אינו נאמן אלא הרי הן ברשות של שניהם עד שיביא ראיה:
• Klei Hamikdash - Chapter 6
1
It is impossible for the sacrifice of a person to be offered without him standing in attendance. [Now,] the communal offerings are the sacrifices of the entire Jewish people, but it is impossible for the entire Jewish people to stand in the Temple Courtyard at the time they are being offered. Therefore, the prophets of the first era1 ordained that there be selective upright and sin-fearing Jews who should serve as the agents of the entire Jewish people2 to stand [and observe the offering of] the sacrifices. They were called "the men of the maamad."3
They divided them into 24 ma'amadot, equaling the number of watches of the priests and Levites. Over each of the watches was one who was appointed as [the supervisor] of them all. He was called the head of the ma'amad.
א
אי אפשר שיהיה קרבנו של אדם קרב והוא אינו עומד על גביו וקרבנות הציבור הן קרבן של כל ישראל ואי אפשר שיהיו ישראל כולן עומדין בעזרה בשעת קרבן לפיכך תקנו נביאים הראשוני' שיבררו מישראל כשרים ויראי חטא ויהיו שלוחי כל ישראל לעמוד על הקרבנות והם הנקראים אנשי מעמד וחלקו אותם כ"ד מעמדות כמנין משמרות כהונה ולויה ועל כל מעמד ומעמד אחד מהן ממונה על כולם והוא נקרא ראש המעמד:
2
Each week, the members of the ma'amad of that week would gather together. Those [living] in Jerusalem or close to it would enter the Temple with the priestly and Levitical watch of that week. When [the week of] their ma'amad arrived, those members of the ma'amad who [lived] in distant places would gather in the synagogues of their locale.
ב
בכל שבת ושבת מתקבצין אנשי מעמד של אותה שבת מי שהיה מהן בירושלים או קרוב לה נכנסין למקדש עם משמר כהונה ולויה של אותה שבת והרחוקים שבאותו מעמד כיון שהגיע מעמד שלהן הן מתקבצין לבית הכנסת שבמקומן:
3
What would those who gather together - both in Jerusalem and in the synagogues - do? They would fast on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of their week. They would not fast on Friday out of respect for the Sabbath4 and not on Sunday, so they would not make a transition from the pleasure of the Sabbath to a fast.5
ג
ומה הן עושין אלו המתקבצין בין בירושלים בין בבתי כנסיות מתענין בשני בשבת שלהן ובשלישי וברביעי ובחמישי אבל בערב שבת לא היו מתענין מפני כבוד שבת ובאחד בשבת אינם מתענים כדי שלא יצאו מעונג שבת לצום:
4
On every day of the week that was their ma'amad, they would recite four prayer services: the morning service, the afternoon service, the neilah service,6 and another prayer service between the morning service and the afternoon service which was additional [and unique] for them.7 In the ma'amad, the priests bless the people three times, in the morning service, in this additional service, and in the neilah service.8
They would have three men read from the Torah twice a day: in the morning service and in the second service that they would add.9 In the afternoon service, they would not read the Torah. Instead, they would recite the Shema by heart. They would not gather for the afternoon service on Friday, for they were busy [with their preparations] for the Sabbath.
ד
ובכל יום ויום משבת שהיה מעמדן מתפללין ארבע תפלות שחרית ומנחה ונעילה ועוד מוסיפין תפלה אחרת בין שחרית ומנחה והיא יתירה להן ונושאין כפיהן הכהנים במעמד ג' פעמים בכל יום בשחרית ובתפלה זו היתירה ובנעילה וקורין בספר תורה שלשה אנשים שתי פעמים בכל יום בשחרית ובתפלה השניה שמוסיפין אבל במנחה לא היו קורין בספר תורה אלא על פה כקוראין את שמע ולא היו מתקבצין לתפלת מנחה בע"ש מפני שהן טרודין לשבת:
5
Their gathering together for each of these prayers of these four services and their standing in prayer, supplication, and petition and reading the Torah is called a ma'amad.
ה
וקיבוצן לכל תפלה מארבע תפלות אלו ועמידתן שם לתפלה ולתחינה ולבקשה ולקרות בתורה נקרא מעמד:
6
What would they read [from the Torah]? The narrative of creation.10 On the first day, they would read: "In the beginning," "Let there be a firmament;"11On the second day, "Let there be a firmament" and "Let [the waters] be gathered;" on the third day, "Let [the waters] be gathered" and "Let there be luminaries;" on the fourth day, "Let there be luminaries" and "Let the waters teem;" on the fifth day, "Let the waters teem" and "Let the earth produce;" on the sixth day, "Let the earth produce" and "[The heavens and the earth] were completed."
ו
ובמה היו קוראין במעשה בראשית ביום הראשון קוראין בראשית ויהי רקיע בשני יהי רקיע ויקוו בשלישי יקוו ויהיה מאורות ברביעית יהי מאורות וישרצו בחמישי ישרצו ותוצא הארץ בששי ותוצא הארץ ויכולו:
7
A large passage12 would be read by two men, a small passage, by one. The two passages that were read in the morning would be read during this second service from a scroll. They would then be read again during the afternoon service by heart.
ז
פרשה גדולה קוראין אותה בשנים וקטנה קורא אותה אחד ושתי פרשיות שקוראין שחרית הם שחוזרין וקורין אותן בתפלה השניה בספר וחוזרין וקוראין אותן במנחה על פה:
8
During the eight days of Chanukah, the men of the ma'amadwould not carry out a ma'amad13 in the morning service.14On any day when there was a Musaf sacrifice,15 there was not a ma'amad during their second service, nor in the afternoon service,16 only during the morning and neilah services. On any day when there was a sacrifice of wood,17 there was not a ma'amadduring the neilah service, only during the morning, second, and afternoon services.
ח
שמנת ימי חנוכה לא היו אנשי מעמד עושין מעמד בשחרית וכל יום שיש בו קרבן מוסף לא היה בו מעמד לא בתפלה שניה שלהם ולא במנחה אלא בשחרית ובנעילה בלבד וכל יום שהיה בו קרבן העצים לא היה בו מעמד בנעילה אלא בשחרית ובתפלה שניה ובמנחה:
9
What was a sacrifice of wood? Certain families had a fixed time on which they would go out to the forests and bring wood for the arrangement [on the altar].18 On the day designated for this family to bring their sacrifices, they would bring voluntary burnt offerings. This was called the sacrifice of the wood. It was like a festival for these families and they were forbidden to have eulogies delivered, fast, and perform work on that day. This was a custom.
ט
ומהו קרבן העצים זמן קבוע היה למשפחות משפחות לצאת ליערים להביא עצים למערכה ויום שיגיע לבני משפחה זו להביא העצים היו מקריבין עולות נדבה וזהו קרבן העצים והיה להם כמו יו"ט ואסורין בו בהספד ובתענית ובעשיית מלאכה ודבר זה מנהג:
10
Even a private individual who gave wood or logs for the arrangement [of the altar]19 is forbidden to have eulogies delivered, fast, and perform work on that day. This was a custom.
י
אפילו יחיד שהתנדב עצים או גזרים במערכה אסור באותו היום בהספד ובתענית ובעשיית מלאכה ודבר זה מנהג:
11
The men of the ma'amad are forbidden to have their hair cut and to launder [their clothes] throughout the week [they serve in the Temple]. On Thursday,20 they were permitted in honor of the Sabbath. Why were they forbidden to have their hair cut and to launder [their clothes]? So that they would not enter their ma'amad while they were unkept. Instead, they would have their hair cut and launder [their clothes] beforehand.21
יא
אנשי מעמד אסורין מלספר ומלכבס כל שבת שלהן ובחמישי מותרין מפני כבוד השבת ומפני מה אסרו עליהם לספר ולכבס כדי שלא יכנסו למעמדם כשהם מנוולין אלא יספרו ויכבסו מקודם:
FOOTNOTES
1.
Samuel and David (Ta'anit 27a).
2.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Ta'anit 4:2), the Rambam writes: " Their intent and their goal was involvement in Divine service and prayer. They were not occupied with their own concerns. Their minds and their thought were on the sacrifices."
3.
Ma'amad literally means "standing," because they would stand over the sacrifice or stand in prayer, as stated in Halachah 5. The term also has the connotation of "status" and "dignified position."
4.
So that they would have the energy to make their Sabbath preparations.
5.
This would weaken them exceedingly (ibid.).
6.
Neilah means "closing." Hilchot Tefilah 1:7 states that the Men of the Great Assembly ordained "a prayer after the afternoon service [to be recited] close to sunset on fast days only to increase supplication and pleading due to the fast. This is called the neilahservice, as if to say the gates of heaven are being closed." Since the men of the ma'amad were observing an ordained fast, they would recite this service as well.
7.
The Ra'avad differs and maintains that there was not an extra service ordained especially for the men of the ma'amad. If the Mishnah spoke of Musaf, the additional service, in this context, the intent was a day like Rosh Chodesh when Musaf would be recited by the entire Jewish people.
The Radbaz supports the Rambam's opinion, explaining that during this prayer service they would pray that the sacrifices be accepted and that Jews in situations of danger be saved.
8.
They would not bless the people in the afternoon service, because generally, it was suspected that a priest might be intoxicated in the afternoon and it is improper to bless the people in such a state. Hence, our Sages forbade the recitation of the priestly blessing in the afternoon service at all times. They allowed it to be recited in the Neilah service, because the neilah service is only recited on a fast day. In later generations, it became customary to recite the priestly blessing (or in the Ashkenazic community, the passage Eloheinu V'Elohei Avoseinu) in the afternoon service, because at present, it is customary to recite the afternoon service late on a fast day. Hence, it resembles the neilah service and will not be confused with an ordinary afternoon service. See the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Taanit 4:1), Hilchot Nesiat Kapayim 14:1-2.
9.
The Ra'avad differs here as well and states that there is no extra service and, hence, no extra Torah reading, except on a day when Musaf is recited.
10.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.:2), the Rambam explains that this subject was chosen, because the ultimate fulfillment of existence is the service of sacrificial worship, as implied by Ta'anit 27b: "Were it not for the sacrifices, the heavens and the earth would not be maintained."
11.
On each day, they would read the passage associated with that and the following day of creation.
12.
I.e., three aliyot were given out for each reading. If the passage was large - i.e., it contained eight verses - two aliyot were given in it and the third aliyah was given for the second passage that accompanied it.
13.
I.e., read from the Torah or recite the readings by heart [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.:4)].
14.
Since they would recite the Hallelprayers that day. As Taanit 4:4 states: Whenever Hallel was recited [and the Musaf service was not recited (the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah)], there was no ma'amad. The rationale is that since the recitation of Hallel took time, no further obligations were imposed on the men of the ma'amad.
15.
I.e., on the intermediate days of the festivals and on Rosh Chodesh.
16.
For they were occupied with the sacrifice of the Musaf service.
17.
See the following halachah.
18.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.:5), the Rambam refers to Nechemiah 10:35 which speaks of casting lots for the wood offering. Implied is that different families were allotted the responsibility for bringing wood for the altar and were given different days to bring that wood. On that day, in addition to the wood, they would bring other sacrifices, as the Rambam continues to explain.
19.
For bringing wood is considered equivalent to bringing a sacrifice and the day on which a person brings a sacrifice is considered as his private festival.
20.
And certainly on Friday (Rambam LeAm).
21.
See Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash1:17,12.
Klei Hamikdash - Chapter 7
1
There were fifteen officers in the Temple and similarly, an officer would always be appointed over these fifteen matters.1They are [responsible for]:
a) the time [for the offering of the sacrifices],2
b) the locking of the gates,3
c) the guards,4
d) the singers,5
e) the cymbals and the other musical instruments,6
f) the lotteries,7
g) the pairs [of doves],8
h) the seals,9
i) the wine libations,10
j) the sick,11
k) the water,12
l) the preparation of the showbread,13
m) the preparation of the incense offering,14
n) the preparation of the curtains,15
o) the preparation of the priestly garments.16
א
חמשה עשר ממונין היו במקדש וכן ממנים לעולם על כל דבר מט"ו דברים אלו ממונה אחד ואלו הן: (א) על הזמנים ג (ב) על נעילת שערים ד (ג) על השומרים ה (ד) על המשוררים ו (ה) על הצלצל עם שאר כלי שיר ז (ו) על הפייסות ח (ז) על הקנים ט (ח) על החותמות י (ט) על הנסכים יא (י) על החולין יב (יא) על המים יג (יב) על מעשה לחם הפנים יד (יג) על מעשה הקטורת טו (יד) על מעשה הפרכת טז (טו) על מעשה בגדי כהונה:
2
Each one of these officers has many men under his command in order to arrange the task over which he is appointed.
The one [appointed] to supervise the times: He and his men watch the times. When the time comes for a sacrifice to be offered,17 he or one of the men under his charge announce: "Priests arise to the [Temple] service. Levites [go] to the platform,18 Israelites, to the ma'amad." When his voice was heard, everyone would proceed to his task.
ב
כל אחד ואחד מממונים אלו תחת ידו אנשים הרבה כדי להכין המלאכה שהוא ממונה עליה זה שעל הזמנים הוא ואנשיו משמרים את הזמנים כיון שיגיע עת הקרבן מכריז הוא או אחד מאנשיו ברשותו ואומר עמדו כהנים לעבודה ולוים לדוכן וישראל למעמד וכיון שישמע קולו יבוא כל אחד למלאכתו:
3
The one [appointed] to supervise the locking of the gates: At his command, the gates would be locked19 and opened.20Those who sound [the trumpets] every day for the opening of the gates sound them only by his instruction. Every day, [the trumpets] were sound three times at the opening of the gates [in the following manner]: a tekiah,21 a teruah,22 and a tekiah.
ג
זה שעל נעילת שערים על פיו נועלין ועל פיו פותחין ואין התוקעין תוקעין בכל יום לפתיחת השערים אלא ברשותו ובכל יום תוקעין במקדש שלש תקיעות לפתיחת השערים תקיעה תרועה ותקיעה:
4
ד
זה שעל השומרים הוא איש הר הבית שמסבב על הלוים בכל לילה וכל מי שישן על משמרו מלקה אותו במקלו ושורף את כסותו:
5
The one [appointed] to supervise the singers: Each day, he would chose singers to stand on the duchan to sing melodies. At his command, [the trumpets] would be sounded for the sacrifices. There were never less than 21 trumpet blasts sounded each day in the Temple: three at the opening of the gates [of the Temple Courtyard],25 nine for the daily offering of the morning,26and nine for the daily offering of the afternoon. On a day when a Musaf offering is brought, nine trumpet blasts are added for the Musaf offering. If Rosh Chodesh or a festival falls on the Sabbath27 or Rosh HaShanah falls on the Sabbath - in which instance three Musaf offerings are brought28- we do not sound the trumpets for each Musaf offering individually. Instead, nine trumpet blasts are sounded for all the Musaf offerings.
ה
זה שעל המשוררים הוא בורר בכל יום המשוררים שעומדים על הדוכן לומר שירה בפה ועל פיו תוקעין על הקרבנות אין פוחתין במקדש מאחת ועשרים תקיעה בכל יום שלש לפתיחת שערים ותשע לתמיד של שחר ותשע לתמיד של בין הערבים ויום שיש בו קרבן מוסף מוסיפין תשע על קרבן מוסף ואם חל ראש חדש או יו"ט להיות בשבת או שחל ראש השנה להיות בשבת שיש שם שלשה מוספין אין תוקעין לכל מוסף ומוסף בפני עצמו אלא תוקעין תשע בלבד לכל המוספין:
6
One Friday, six trumpet blasts are added: three29 to [notify] the people [when] to cease work30 and three to make a distinction between the holy and the mundane. On the pilgrimage festivals, three are added [to announce] the opening of the lower gate, i.e., the gate to the Women's Courtyard,31 and three [to announce] the opening of the upper gate, i.e., the Gate of Nicanor.32
Why is it called the upper gate? Because it is higher than the Women's Courtyard.33On Sukkot, three trumpet blasts are added [to announce] the filling of [a vessel with] water which is used for a libation on that holiday.34 The trumpets are not sounded for the filling of the water on the Sabbath. Three trumpet blasts are added upon the altar while the water libation is being offered.
All of these trumpet blasts were sounded under the direction of the officer in charge of the singers and at his command. All of these blasts were sounded with trumpets.35
ו
בערב שבת מוסיפין שש שלש להבטיל את העם מן המלאכה ושלש להבדיל בין קדש לחול וברגל מוסיפין שלש לפתיחת שער התחתון והוא שער עזרת נשים וג' לפתיחת שער העליון הוא שער נקנור ולמה נקרא שער עליון לפי שהוא למעלה מעזרת נשים וכן תוקעין שלש למילוי המים שמנסכין בחג ואין תוקעים למלוי המים בשבת ותוקעין ג' על גבי המזבח בשעה שמנסכין המים וכל התוקעים שתוקעים על הקרבנות מתחת יד זה שעל המשוררים וברשותו וכל אלו התקיעות בחצוצרות הן:
7
The one [appointed] to supervise the cymbal: He would arrange all the musicians who would help the Levites together with their instruments, as we explained.36
ז
זה שעל הצלצל הוא המעמיד כל המשוררים על פי כלי שיר שסועדין עם הלוים כמו שביארנו:
8
The one [appointed] to supervise the lotteries, he would conduct the lotteries between the priests every day until each one would perform the work that he acquired through the lotteries. There were four lotteries conducted every day. In Hilchot Temidim,37 I will explain how these lotteries were conducted.
ח
זה שעל הפייסות הוא מפיס בין הכהנים בכל יום עד שיהיה כל איש ואיש עושה מלאכתו שזכה בה בפייס וד' פעמים היו מפיסין בכל יום ובהלכות תמידין אבאר כיצד היו מפיסין:
9
The one [appointed] to supervise [the sale of] the pairs of doves:38 He is the one with whom a price is determined to sell pairs [of doves] for the sacrifices, so-and-so many doves for a sela. Everyone who was obligated to [bring] turtle doves39 or doves40 [as a sacrifice]41 would bring the money for them to the Temple. This officer would give the pairs [of doves] to the people bringing the sacrifices. He would make a reckoning with the treasurers and they would provide him with [the doves].42
Every thirty days, a price was established with him. If the price decreases [during that month], [the Temple treasurers] supply him with them according to the lower price. If it increases, they provide them at the price established [originally], for the Temple is always given the upper hand [in business transactions]. Similarly, if a pair of doves is discovered to be unacceptable or was disqualified before it was offered, [this officer] must provide another in its place.43
ט
הממונה שעל הקינים הוא שפוסקין עמו שימכור הקנים לקרבנות כך וכך בסלע וכל מי שהוא חייב תורים או שני בני יונה יביא דמיהם למקדש וזה הממונה נותן הקינים לבעלי הקרבנות ועושה חשבון עם הגזברין ונותנין לו משלשים יום לשלשים יום פוסקין עמו השער ואם הוזלו הקינים מספיק כשער הזול ואם הוקרו מספיק כמו שפסקו עמו שיד הקדש על העליונה וכן קן שנמצא פסול או שנפסל קודם שיקרב נותן אחר תחתיו:
10
The one [appointed] to supervise [the sale of] the seals: He would receive the money for the wine libations from those obligation to bring libations and give them seals. The one [appointed] to supervise the wine libations would sell the wine libations.44
י
זה שעל החותמות הוא שמקבל דמי הנסכים ממחוייבי נסכים ונותן להם חותמות וזה שעל הנסכים הוא שמוכר הנסכים:
11
יא
כיצד ארבע חותמות היו במקדש האחד כתוב עליו עגל והשני כתוב עליו זכר והשלישי כתוב עליו גדי והרביעי כתוב עליו חוטא:
12
Whoever would bring his sacrifices to the Temple would give the money for the wine libations to the officer in charge of the seals. He would give him seals according to the number of sacrifices he brought. If a person afflicted with tzara'at was wealthy, he should give him one seal with "sinner" written upon it.49 The recipient then takes the seals to the officer in charge of the wine libations and he gives him wine libations according to the number of seals he has and what is written upon them. In the evening, [the two officers] meet and one gives the other seals and receives money in exchange for them.
If there is extra money, it is given to the Temple treasury.50 If there is less money, the officer in charge of the seals must pay from his own resources. When a person loses a seal, he should wait until the evening. If there is found an extra amount of money equivalent to the seal that he claims, it is given to him. If not, it is not given to him.
The date of each day is written on the seal [to protect against] deceivers [to prevent] one from keeping a seal in his possession until the price of the libations increases.51
יב
כל מי שיביא קרבנותיו למקדש נותן דמי הנסכים לזה הממונה על החותמות ונותן לו חותמות כמנין הקרבנות שלו ואם היה מצורע עשיר נותן לו חותם אחד שכתוב עליו חוטא והלה הולך בחותמות שבידו לזה הממונה על הנסכים ונותן לו נסכים כמניין החותמות וכמ"ש בהן ולערב באים זה אצל זה מוציא את החותמות ומקבל כנגדן מעות אם הותירו המעות הותירו להקדש ואם פחתו המעות ישלם זה שעל החותמות מביתו מי שאבד חותמו ממתינין לו עד הערב אם מצאו במעות יתר כדי חותם שטוען נותנין לו ואם לאו אין נותנין לו ושם כל היום כתוב על החותם מפני הרמאים שלא ישהא החותם אצלו עד שיוקרו הנסכים:
13
Every thirty days, a price for the wine and the flour is established with the officer in charge of the wine libations. If the price of the wine libations increases, he must supply them according to the price established beforehand. If their price decreases, he must supply them according to the lower price.52
יג
משלשים יום לשלשים יום פוסקין שער היין והסולת עם הממונה על הנסכים אם הוקרו נסכים מספק להן כמו שפסקו עמו ואם הוזלו מספק להן כשער הזול והשכר שמשתכר ההקדש בשערים אלו הוא הנקרא מותר נסכים ולוקחין בו עולות לקיץ המזבח ואין מקיצין את המזבח בעולות עוף שאין בקרבנות הציבור עוף:
14
Since the priests stand on the floor at all times,55 eat much meat,56 and during their Temple service, they are not covered by any garments other than one cloak, they [often] suffer digestive ailments.57 Therefore an officer is appointed to check them and heal all their illnesses. He and the people in his charge are involved with them at all times.58
יד
הכהנים מפני שהן עומדין על הרצפה תמיד ואוכלין בשר הרבה ואין עליהן בגדים בשעת העבודה אלא חלוק אחד הם חולין במעיהן לפיכך מעמידין ממונה אחד שיהיה מבקר אותן ומרפא כל תחלואיהן ועוסק בהן תמיד הוא ואנשיו שתחת ידו:
15
טו
וכן ממנין אחר להיות חופר בורות ושיחין ומתקן הבורות של רבים כדי שיהיו המים מצויין בירושלים לכל אחד מיושביה ולכל עולי הרגלים ואחד ממונה על כל אומני לחם הפנים והוא מתקן כל מלאכתו ואחד ממונה על כל אומני הקטרת והוא מתקן מלאכתה:
16
The one [appointed] to supervise [the making of] the curtains would be in charge of all those who wove the curtains and embroidered [designs]63 on them so that they would be prepared for the Temple and the gates.
Each year, they would make two curtains64 to separate between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies.65 The strands of these curtains were all six-fold. They were of four types of fabric: linen, sky-blue dyed wool, purple dyed wool, and crimson dyed wool. Each one was six fold. Thus there were 24 strings.66 The curtains were a hand-breadth67thick. They were woven with 72 heddles.68Its length was forty cubits and its width was 20 cubits.69
טז
זה שעל הפרוכת ממונה על כל אורגי הפרוכות והרוקמין בהן שיהיו מוכנות להיכל ולשערים ושתי פרוכות היו עושין בכל שנה להבדיל בין הקדש לקדש הקדשים וחיטי הפרוכת כפולין ששה ששה וארבעה מינין היו בה שש ותכלת וארגמן ותולעת שני וכל אחד מהן כפול ששה הרי כ"ד חוטין וטפח היה עביה ועל שנים ושבעים נירין היתה נארגת ארכה ארבעים אמה ורחבה עשרים אמה:
17
There were thirteen curtains in the Second Temple: Seven over the seven gates to the Temple Courtyard,70 one over the opening of the Entrance Porch,71one over the entrance to the Sanctuary, two72 to serve as the d'vir73between it and the [most] holy chamber, and two corresponding to them in the upper storey.74
יז
וי"ג פרוכות היו במקדש שני שבע על שבעה שערי העזרה ואחת על פתח האולם ואחת על פתח ההיכל ושתים לדביר בינו ובין הקודש ושתים כנגדן בעלייה:
18
When a curtain becomes impure [due to contact] with a derivative of impurity,75 it should be immersed within [the Temple Courtyard].76 It was brought into [the Temple] immediately, because there is no need to wait until the evening.77If it became impure because of contact with a substance that is a source of impurity, it should be immersed [in a mikveh] outside [the Temple Courtyard]78 and it is spread out in the chayl,79 because it must wait until sunset [for its impurity] to depart. If it was new, it would be spread over the colonnade80 so that the people could see its embroidery for it was attractive.
יח
פרוכת שנטמאת בולד הטומאה מטבילין אותה בפנים ומכניסין אותה מיד לפי שאינה צריכה הערב שמש ושנטמאת באב הטומאה מטבילין אותה מבחוץ ושוטחין אותה בחיל מפני שהיא צריכה הערב שמש ואם היתה חדשה שוטחין אותה על גב האצטבא כדי שיראה העם את מלאכתה שהיא נאה:
19
All of the utensils in the Temple had copies and copies of the copies so that if the original contracted impurity, the second could be used in its place.
יט
וכל הכלים שהיו במקדש היו להם שניים ושלישים שאם יטמאו הראשונים יביאו השניים תחתיהם:
20
The one [appointed] to supervise [the making of] the priestly garments: He is occupied with the preparation of the garments of the ordinary priests and the garments of the High Priests and their being woven.81 Everything [necessary for them] is done under his authority. He had a chamber in the Sanctuary.82
כ
זה הממונה על מעשה בגדי כהונה עוסק בהכנסת בגדי כהנים הדיוטים ובגדי כ"ג ובאריגתן ומתחת ידו נעשה הכל ולשכה היתה לו במקדש:
FOOTNOTES
1.
Shekalim 5:1 mentions officers for these fifteen positions. The Rambam explains that this was not merely the situation at one specific time, but represented the ongoing division of responsibilities in the Temple. The officers
2.
See Halachah 2.
3.
See Halachah 3.
4.
See Halachah 4. The Ra'avad offers a different interpretation of this officer's function. The Kessef Mishneh explains that the Ra'avad's view is based on the Jerusalem Talmud (Shekalim5:1), while the Rambam's opinion is based on the Babylonian Talmud. He questions why the Ra'vad favors the Jerusalem Talmud when generally, if there is a difference of opinion between the two, the halachah follows the Babylonian Talmud.
5.
See Halachah 5.
6.
See Halachah 7.
7.
See Halachah 8.
8.
See Halachah 9.
9.
See Halachah 10.
10.
See Halachah 12. The Radbaz notes that the Mishnah (loc. cit.) refers to this person as being appointed over the flour. He explains that since flour would accompany the wine libation, the same person was appointed over both.
11.
See Halachah 14.
12.
See Halachah 15.
13.
See Halachah 15.
14.
See Halachah 15.
15.
See Halachah 16.
16.
See Halachah 15.
17.
Actually, the announcement would be made slightly before the time for the sacrifice. For example, in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Tamid 1:2; 3:8), the Rambam writes that this announcement was made at (or before) dawn.
18.
Where they would stand to sing. Although they would not sing until the wine offering was brought and that was after the limbs of the sacrifice were offered (see Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 6:5), they would proceed to their posts at the same time as the priests.
19.
At sunset.
20.
At dawn.
21.
A prolonged and drawn out blast.
22.
A series of staccato blasts.
23.
The priests would also stand watch in three places. The commentaries discuss why they are not mentioned.
24.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah8:10 where the function of this officer is also mentioned.
25.
As mentioned in Halachah 3.
26.
See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim6:5, 7.
27.
And thus two different Musafofferings are brought: one for the Sabbath and one for the festival or for Rosh Chodesh.
28.
One for the Sabbath, one for Rosh HaShanah, and one for Rosh Chodesh.
29.
I.e., a tekiah, teruah, tekiahseries.
30.
As explained in Hilchot Shabbat5:18-20, these trumpet blasts were sounded beginning one and a quarter seasonal hours before sunset. The first three were not sounded together. On the contrary, each represented a further stage in the imminent approach of the Sabbath. The second set of three were sounded close to sunset as a unit of three.
31.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:7 for a description of this courtyard.
32.
See ibid. 5:5 for a description of this gate.
33.
22 ½ cubits higher, as indicated by ibid. 6:2.
34.
The water libation and these trumpet blasts are described in Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 10:6-7.
35.
This represents a reversal in the Rambam's thinking from his earlier views in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Tamid 3:8) where he states that it was the shofar that was sounded.
36.
See Chapter 3, Halachah 3.
37.
Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 4:1, 3.
38.
The Rambam in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 5:1) notes that the most renown figure to fill this post was Mordechai, the hero of the Purim Megilah. The Radbaz, in his gloss to Halachah 13, feels it necessary to emphasize the extent to which our Sages cherished the service in the Temple. For Mordechai abandoned all the wealth and leisure of the of the Persian court to provide doves for pilgrims to the Temple.
39.
A smaller, wild variety of the dove family. See Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 3:2 for more particulars.
40.
Ordinary domesticated doves.
41.
Many different people would have to bring doves as a sacrifice (see examples in Hilchot Mechusrei Kapparah1:3). Hence, it was necessary that the Temple provide a source for them.
42.
Note the explanation given by the Rambam with regard to the wine libations and meal offerings. In a similar manner, the Temple treasury would purchase doves and sell them to this officer. He would then sell them to those people required to bring them.
43.
And suffer the loss from his own funds.
44.
And the accompanying flour and oil offerings, as explained in the notes to the following halachah.
45.
This referred to the wine libations brought when offering a bull, a half of a hin of wine. Together with the wine were brought three esronim of flour and half a hin of oil.
46.
This referred to the wine libations brought when offering a male ram, a third of a hin of wine. Together with the wine were brought two esronim of flour and third of a hin of oil.
47.
This referred to the wine libations brought when offering a ewe, a fourth of a hin of wine. Together with the wine were brought one isaron of flour and fourth of a hinof oil.
48.
This refers to the wine libations brought by a wealthy person afflicted by tzara'at (a mystic affliction similar to leprosy). He is called a sinner because the affliction was brought about by his sins [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 5:3), i.e., because tzara'at is brought about by gossip. (See the conclusion of Hilchot Tuma'at Tzara'at.)
Such a person would bring three animals as a sacrifice, accompanied by three revi'ot of wine, together with three esronimof flour and three revi'ot of oil (Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot2:6).
49.
If, however, a person afflicted with tzara'at is poor, he is only required to bring a ewe as an offering. Hence, he only purchases a "kid" seal.
50.
We do not accept the claim that the officer's own money became mixed together with the money he received.
51.
I.e., the prices of agricultural commodities fluctuate seasonally. Were it not for this safeguard, a person could purchase a seal in the summer (when the prices are relatively cheap, because it is the time of the harvest) and use it in the winter, when the prices had increased.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 5:4), the Rambam added another reason. Perhaps, the seal was lost and found by another person. The Radbaz states that the latter is an inferior rationale, because we do not usually take safeguards against such occurrences.
52.
For as stated above, the Temple treasury is given the upper hand in all financial transactions.
53.
Our translation is based on the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 4:4), where he explains that the term kayitzrefers to the time of the fig and grape harvest. These fruits are served as desert, after a person has eaten his major meal. Similarly, these offerings do not represent the fundamental "food" of the altar, but instead, are offered only when the altar is free.
54.
See Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 1:4.
55.
While barefoot, so nothing would separate between their feet and the Temple's floor (Radbaz; see Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash 5:17).
56.
See the Rambam's statements in Hilchot De'ot 4:9, where he lists certain types of meat as unhealthy food.
57.
As the Rambam mentions, this officer was in charge of healing all the priests' medical ailments. He singles out their digestive ailments here, because they were the most prevalent (Radbaz).
58.
The Radbaz continues explaining that their health situation would have been far more serious except that they were watched over by unique Divine providence.
59.
The Jerusalem Talmud (Shekalim 5:1) explains that these officers had intimate knowledge of the earth and knew how to determine under which rocks there was a spring of cold water and where a spring of hot water could be found.
60.
As the Rambam explains in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 5:1), this person's activity was not confined to Jerusalem. Instead, he would dig wells throughout Eretz Yisrael so that water would be available to the pilgrims.
61.
These were the elders of the House of Garmu. The Jerusalem Talmud (loc. cit.) criticizes these priests, because they were unwilling to teach others their unique craft.
62.
These were the elders of the House of Avtinas. The Jerusalem Talmud (loc. cit.) explains that they also would not teach their craft to others. At first, the Sages considered this to be undesirable. Later, they discovered that the House of Avtinas refused to do so in order that the information not be used to prepare incense offerings for idols. The Sages then deemed their conduct praiseworthy.
63.
The Kessef Mishnehunderstands the Rambam's wording as implying that the embroidery was not part of the original weave of the curtain, but needle work done afterwards. Nevertheless, he quotes other sources that indicate that the designs were made within the pattern of the weave itself.
64.
Each year, new curtains were made, because the smoke from the incense offerings would discolor the old ones (Rabbenu Asher to Tamid 29b). See also Hilchot Shekalim 4:2 which describes additional points concerning these curtains.
65.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 4:2 for an explanation regarding the use of these two curtains.
66.
I.e., each string had four strands and each strand had six threads. The Kessef Mishneh explains that the term sheish, the word the Torah uses for linen implies a strand of six threads. See Chapter 8, Halachah 14. From this, we learn that the strings of the other three fabrics were made in a similar manner.
67.
3.5 centimeters in contemporary measure thick.
68.
For there were 72 strings used to weave it.
69.
For the Holy of Holies was 20 cubits wide and 40 cubits high.
70.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:4 for an explanation regarding the gates to the Temple Courtyard.
71.
The Entrance Porch did not have a gate (ibid. 4:8).
72.
The two mentioned in the previous halachah.
73.
See the notes to Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 4:2 for an explanation of this term.
74.
For it was necessary to make a distinction between the place of the Sanctuary and that of the Holy of Holies on the second storey as well (Rashi, Yoma 54a; see Hilchot Beit HaBechirah4:13, 7:23).
75.
I.e., an entity that is not inherently impure, but rather contracted impurity because of contact with another impure entity. More specifically, the commentaries explain that the curtain came into contact with liquids that contracted impurity which render utensils impure (see Hilchot Sha'ar Avot HaTuma'ah 7:1-2). Also, it is speaking about a time when the curtain was not hanging in its place. For if it is hanging in its place, it is considered as part of the structure and it does not contract ritual impurity.
76.
It was immersed in "the Sea of Solomon," a large copper receptacle in the Temple Courtyard. That immersion was acceptable, because that receptacle received its water directly from underground springs.
77.
This type of impurity was instituted by Rabbinic decree and they did not imposed the stringency of waiting until sunset (see Hilchot Sha'ar Avot HaTuma'ah 9:1; 12:6).
78.
For an article that is ritually impure may not be brought within the Temple Courtyard (Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash 3:17).
79.
The rampart surrounding the wall of the Temple Courtyard (Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:3).
80.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:1.
81.
The Ra'avad maintains that this officer was in charge of dressing the priests (and not necessarily preparing their garments). In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Shekalim 5:1), the Rambam writes that this officer would perform both functions.
82.
In the Temple Courtyard, next to the Gate of Nicanor. See Midot1:4.
Klei Hamikdash - Chapter 8
1
There are three types of priestly garments: the garments of an ordinary priest, [the High Priest's] golden garments and his white garments. An ordinary priest has four garments: a tunic, leggings, a hat, and a sash. They are all made from white linen with six-fold threads.1The sash2 alone was embroidered with wool.3
א
בגדי כהונה שלשה מינים בגדי כהן הדיוט ובגדי זהב ובגדי לבן בגדי כהן הדיוט הם ארבעה כלים כתנת ומכנסים ומגבעות ואבנט וארבעתן של פשתן לבנים וחוטן כפול ששה והאבנט לבדו רקום בצמר:
2
The golden garments are the garments of the High Priest.4There were eight garments: The four of an ordinary priest, the cloak, the ephod, the breastplate, and the forehead plate. The sash of the High Priest was embroidered5 and was made in a similar manner as that of the ordinary priest. Similarly, the turban [the Torah] mentions with regard to Aaron6 corresponds to the hat mentioned with regard to his sons.7 [The difference is that the] turban of the High Priest is worn like fabric swathed around a hernia. The hat of the ordinary priest, by contrast, is worn like an ordinary hat;8 hence, its name.9
ב
בגדי זהב הן בגדי כהן גדול והם שמנה כלים: הארבעה של כל כהן ומעיל ואפוד וחושן וציץ ואבנטו של כהן גדול מעשה רוקם הוא והוא דומה במעשיו לאבנט כהן הדיוט ומצנפת האמורה באהרן היא המגבעת האמורה בבניו אלא שכהן גדול צנוף בה כמי שלופף על השבר ובניו צונפין בה ככובע ולפיכך נקראת מגבעת:
3
The white garments are the four garments that the High Priests would wear on Yom Kippur.10 They are: a tunic, leggings, a sash, and a turban. They are all white, their threads are six-fold, and they are made from linen alone.11 The High Priests had two other tunics for Yom Kippur: one he would wear in the morning12 and one he would wear in the evening.13Both of them cost 30 maneh.14They were purchased with communal funds.15 If he wished to add to their value, he must add from his own funds. He would consecrate the additional money and then use it to have the tunic made.
ג
בגדי לבן הם ארבעה כלים שמשמש בהן כ"ג ביוה"כ: כתנת ומכנסים ואבנט ומצנפת וארבעתן לבנים וחוטן כפול ששה ומן הפשתן לבדו הם ושתי כתנות אחרות היו לו לכהן גדול ביום הכפורים אחת לובשה בשחר ואחת בין הערבים ושתיהם בשלשים מנה משל הקדש ואם רצה להוסיף מוסיף משלו ומקדיש התוספת ואח"כ עושה בה הכתנת:
4
It is a mitzvah for the priestly garments to be new, attractive, and to hang low like the garments of the men of stature, as [implied by Exodus 28:2 which states that they must be made]: "for honor and for beauty." If they were soiled,16 torn,17longer than his appropriate measure,18 shorter than his appropriate measure, hoisted up by the sash,19 and a priest performed service while wearing them, his service is invalid.20If they were worn-out or they were too long and he hoisted them with the sash so that they would be appropriate to his measure, his service is valid.
ד
בגדי כהונה מצוותן שיהיו חדשים נאים ומשולשים כדרך בגדי הגדולים שנאמר לכבוד ולתפארת היו מטושטשין או מקורעין או ארוכין יתר על מדתו או קצרים פחות ממדתו או שסלקן באבנט ועבד עבודתו פסולה היו משוחקין או שהיו ארוכים וסילקן באבנט עד שנעשו כמדתו ועבד עבודתו כשרה:
5
Whenever any of the priestly garments become soiled, they are not bleached or laundered. Instead, they are left to be used for wicks and he should wear new ones.21When the garments of the High Priest22 become worn out, they should be entombed.23 The white garments which the High Priest wears on the day of the fast should not be worn a second time at all. Instead, they are entombed in the place where he removes them, as [Leviticus 16:23] states: "And he shall leave them there." It is forbidden to benefit from them.
ה
כל בגד מבגדי כהונה שנעשו צואין אין מלבנין אותן ואין מכבסין אותן אלא מניחן לפתילות ולובש חדשים ובגדי כהן גדול שבלו גונזין אותן ובגדי לבן שעובד בהם ביום הצום אינו עובד בהם פעם שניה לעולם אלא נגנזין במקום שיפשוט אותם שם שנאמר והניחם שם והם אסורין בהנאה:
6
They would make wicks from the leggings and the sashes of the ordinary priests that wore out.24 They were used to kindle lamps in the Temple for the rejoicing that accompanied the water libation.25 The tunics of the ordinary priests26 that wore out were used to make wicks for the Menorah lit continually.27
ו
מכנסי כהנים הדיוטים שבלו ואבנטיהם היו עושין מהן פתילות ומדליקין בהן במקדש בשמחת בית השואבה וכתנות כהנים הדיוטים שבלו היו עושין מהן פתילות למנורת תמיד:
7
All of the priestly garments come from communal funds. When one individual donates one of the priestly garments, he may donate it to the community and then it is permitted to be used. Similarly, the sacrificial vessels and the wood for the altar arrangement that an individual donated to the community are acceptable.28 Even all the communal sacrifices which an individual donates from his own resources to the community are acceptable, provided he gives them to the community.
ז
כל בגדי הכהנים אינן באים אלא משל ציבור ויחיד שהתנדב בגד מבגדי כהונה מוסרו לציבור ומותר וכן כל כלי השרת ועצי המערכה שמסרן יחיד לציבור הרי הן כשרין אף כל קרבנות הציבור שהתנדב אותן יחיד משלו כשרים ובלבד שימסרם לציבור:
8
They would make many sets29 of clothes for ordinary priests. There were 96 lockers in the Temple30 in which to place the clothes, four lockers for each watch. The name of each watch was written on the lockers and they were all closed. When the men of the watch began their priestly service on the Sabbath, they would open their lockers throughout their week and take their garments. When they departed, they would return the clothes to their lockers and close them.
ח
בגדי כהנים הדיוטים היו עושין מהן מחלצות רבות וששה ותשעים חלון היו במקדש להניח בהן הבגדים ארבעה חלונות לכל משמר ושם כל משמר כתוב על חלונותיו וכולן סתומות וכשיכנסו אנשי משמר לעבודה בשבת שלהן פותחין חלונותיהן כל ימי שבתן ונוטלין הכלים וכשיצאו מחזירין הבגדים לחלונותיהן וסותמן:
9
Why did they make four lockers for each watch? So that the garments would not be intermingled.31 Instead, all of the leggings were [stored] in one locker on which was written: Leggings. Similarly, the sashes were [stored] in one locker on which was written: Sash. Similarly, the hats and the tunics each had their own locker.
ט
ולמה עשו ארבעה חלונות לכל משמר לפי שלא יהיו הכלים מעורבין אלא כל המכנסים בחלון אחד וכתוב עליו מכנסים וכן האבנטים בחלון אחד וכתוב עליו אבנט וכן המצנפות כולן בחלון אחד והכתנות כולן בחלון אחד:
10
The High Priest would leave his golden garments in his chamber32 at night or when he left the Temple.
י
כהן גדול מניח בגדי זהב בלשכה שלו בלילה או בעת שיצא מן המקדש:
11
יא
בגדי כהונה מותר ליהנות בהן לפיכך לובשם ביום עבודתו ואפילו שלא בשעת עבודה חוץ מן האבנט מפני שהוא שעטנז:
12
It is, however, forbidden for an ordinary priest to wear it except during his service. The [clothes] the priests wear for their service are of wool and linen alone.
יב
אסור לכהן הדיוט ללובשו אלא בשעת עבודה אין הכהנים לובשין לעבודה אלא צמר ופשתים בלבד:
13
יג
וכל מקום שנאמר בתורה שש או בד הוא הפשתים והוא הבוץ ותכלת האמורה בכל מקום היא הצמר הצבוע כעצם שמים שהוא פתוך מן הכוחל הארגמן הוא הצמר הצבוע אדום ותולעת השני הוא הצמר הצבוע בתולעת:
14
Whenever the Torah uses the term sheish or "spun sheish," it is necessary that the strand be sixfold.38 Where the term bad is used, it is valid, if one strand alone is used. [Even in such situations,] the most desirable manner of performing the mitzvah is that it be sixfold. Whenever the term meshizar39 is used alone, the intent is a thread that is eightfold.
יד
כל מקום שנאמר בתורה שש או שש משזר צריך שיהיה החוט כפול ששה ומקום שנאמר בד אם היה חוט אחד לבדו כשר ומצוה מן המובחר שיהיה כפול ששה ומקום שנאמר בו משזר בלבד צריך שיהיה חוטן כפול שמנה:
15
Whenever the Torah uses the term "a work of embroidery," the intent is that the design which is woven will be seen on one side of the fabric. When it uses the term "a work of craft," the intent is that the design will be seen on both sides of the fabric, front and back.
טו
כל מקום שנאמר בתורה מעשה רוקם הוא שתהיינה הצורות הנעשות באריגה נראות מצד אחד בפני האריג ומעשה חושב הוא שתהיה הצורה נראית משני צדדין פנים ואחור:
16
How are the clothes made? The tunic - whether of the High Priest or an ordinary priest - was made with a boxlike knit. The knit had sequences of squares as is the structure of an animal's maw,40 in the manner which weavers make firm garments. Its sleeve was woven separately and then sown to the body of the tunic.
טז
וכיצד מעשה הבגדים הכתונת בין של כ"ג בין של כהן הדיוט משבצת היתה שהיא בתים בתים באריגתה כמו בית הכוסות כדרך שעושין האורגין בבגדים הקשים ובית יד שלה נארג בפני עצמו ומחברין אותו עם גוף הכתונת בתפירה:
17
The length of the tunic extended until slightly above the heel.41 The length of the sleeve extended until his wrist and its width was the width of his hand.
יז
אורך הכתונת עד למעלה מן העקב ואורך בית יד שלה עד פס ידו ורוחבו כרוחב היד:
18
The leggings - whether of the High Priest or an ordinary priest - extend from the loins until the thighs, i.e., from above the navel, close to the heart, until the end of the thigh, i.e., until the knee. They had straps.42 They did not have a special feature for the anus, nor for the male organ. Instead, they would surround the body like a pouch.
יח
המכנסים בין של כ"ג בין של כהן הדיוט הם ממתנים עד ירכים שהוא למעלה מן הטיבור קרוב מן הלב עד סוף הירך שהוא הארכובה ושנצים יש להם ואין להם לא בית הנקב ולא בית הערוה אלא מוקפין כמין כיס:
19
The turban - whether of an ordinary priest or a High Priest - was sixteen cubits long.43 The sash was about three fingerbreadths44 wide and 32 cubits long. [The priest would] wrap it around himself, winding after winding. The priestly garments were not sown, rather they woven, as [Exodus 39:22] states: "weavers' craft."
יט
המצנפת של כ"ג או הדיוט ארכו שש עשרה אמות והאבנט רוחב כמו שלש אצבעות ואורכו ל"ב אמה מקיפו ומחזירו כרך ע"ג כרך ובגדי כהונה כולן אין עושין אותן מעשה מחט אלא מעשה אורג שנאמר מעשה אורג:
FOOTNOTES
1.
As mentioned in the notes to the previous chapter, the Radbaz explains that this is implied by the very Hebrew term used for linen sheish, for that term also means "six." See Halachah 14.
2.
The Torah (Exodus 39:29)mentions the use of woolen fabrics only with regard to the sash of the High Priest, but through the process of Biblical exegesis, our Sages (Yoma 12b) also derived that the sash of an ordinary priest also contains these fabrics.
3.
Although the combination of these fabrics violates the prohibition against shaatnez (see Hilchot Kilayim, ch. 12), the positive commandment of wearing the Priestly Garments overrides the negative commandment of shaatnez. Nevertheless, this applies only when it is a mitzvah to wear them, i.e., when involved in the Temple service. Otherwise, it is forbidden to wear them (Hilchot Kilayim 10:3).
4.
As the Rambam continues to explain, these garments were not all golden. Nevertheless, they are called golden because certain garments were golden.
7.
Ibid.:40.
8.
The Kessef Mishneh cites the Ramban who states that the headgear of both the ordinary priests and the High Priests were turbans. This is also indicated by Halachah 18 which speaks of their length. The turban of the High Priest, however, was round, while those of the ordinary priests were cone-shaped like hats. Other authorities (Rashi and the Ra'avad) differ and maintain that the ordinary priests wore hats and not turbans.
9.
With regard to this point as well, the Kessef Mishneh cites the Ramban who states that the letters kuf and gimmel can be interchanged. Thus migba'atparallels mikva'at that relates to the word kova, hat.
10.
More particularly, they are the garments that he would wear when he performed the service unique to Yom Kippur. For he would also wear his golden garments on that day and carry out the service that was also peformed on other days while wearing them. See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 2:1.
11.
I.e., even the sash was made from linen alone. On this day, it was not of sha'tnez.
12.
To perform the sacrificial service of Yom Kippur.
13.
To remove from the Holy of Holies the ladle that had carried the incense.
14.
A maneh is 100 silver pieces. Thus these were very expensive garments, made of fine fabric. The commentaries note that Yoma 35a states that the garments the High Priest would wear in the morning were more valuable than those he would wear in the evening and question why the Rambam does not mention this point. See also the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Yoma 3:7) which states that the only difference between the two was their cut.
15.
I.e., funds from terumat halishkah, the Temple treasury collected to purchase the communal sacrifices and all their needs. See Halachah 7 and Hilchot Shekalim 4:2.
16.
Our translation is based on Rashi's commentary to Zevachim 18b.
17.
The commentaries have drawn attention to an apparent contradiction in the Rambam's words, for in Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash 1:14, he rules that, after the fact, when a priest performs service in torn garments, although he is liable to die at the hand of heaven, his service is acceptable. Among the resolutions offered is that here, the Rambam is speaking about clothes that remain torn. Hence, it is as if he is no longer wearing that garment. In Hilchot Bi'at Hamikdash, by contrast, he is speaking about torn garments that were mended. As the Radbaz explains (in his gloss there), the Rambam is speaking about a tear like the tear made when one rends his garments in mourning which can be mended. Here, he is speaking about a garment that was torn in many places.
18.
I.e., they should reach slightly above the ground, extending until above the priest's heel (Halachah 17). If they drag along the ground, they are disqualified. That is the intent of the phrase "too long" mentioned later (Kessef Mishneh).
19.
It is as if the material hoisted up by the sash was cut off (Zevachim 18b).
20.
It is as if he performed the service without wearing priestly garments at all.
21.
For there should be no expressions of poverty in a place of wealth (Zevachim 88b).
22.
I.e., the golden garments.
23.
Although this is not stated explicitly, it is deduced from a comparison to the white garments (Yoma 12b).
24.
These were not used for the Menorah. The rationale is that since the sash contains wool, it will not serve as an effective wick (see Shabbat 20b-21a). And it is improper to use the leggings for that purpose since the priest wore them on his lower body (Tifferet Yisrael, Sukkah 5:3).
25.
See the conclusion of Hilchot Lulav where this rejoicing is described. Significantly, however, there the Rambam does not connect the rejoining with the water libation.
26.
The Kessef Mishneh asks why the Rambam does not mention the hats of the ordinary priests. He offers two possible resolutions: a) their fabric was thin and not suitable for wicks at all;
b) they were in fact used for the Menorah.
27.
In contrast to the lamps for the water libation rejoicing which took place only during the Sukkot holiday.
28.
I.e., generally, we think of the community purchasing these items by using funds from the Temple treasury. If, however, an individual donates these substances to the Temple treasury they also become communal property and then can be used for whatever purpose the community desires.
29.
I.e., a set with four garments: leggings, a tunic, a sash, and a hat.
30.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Sukkah 5:6), the Rambam speaks of 24 lockers. Rambam LeAm suggests that each watch had one large locker which in turn had four compartments.
31.
Having the garments sorted individually made it easier for the priests to put on the garments in the proper order: first, the leggings, then, the tunic, the sash, and the hat [see Chapter 10, Halachah 1; see also the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Tamid 5:3)].
32.
The Chamber of the High Priest. See Chapter 5, Halachah 7.
Har Hamoriah writes that since the Talmud does not mention that there was a locker for the High Priest's garments, we can assume there was none and that he would leave them in his chamber.
33.
Tosafot, Yoma 69a, suggests that as an initial preference, a priest should not benefit from them. In practice, however, that is not possible, because "the Torah was not given to the ministering angels" and it is impossible for the priests to remove the priestly garments immediately after their Temple service was completed (Kiddushin 54b). Hence they were consecrated with the stipulation that the priests would derive personal benefit from them.
34.
A prohibited mixture of fabrics. During the Temple service, however, it may be worn, because then it is a mitzvah to do so and the observance of a positive mitzvah supersedes the observance of a prohibition. The Ra'avad differs with the Rambam and maintains that the sash may be worn throughout the day, as long as the priest is in the Temple.
Rav Yosef Corcus mentions that the ephod and the breastplate of the High Priest also involved a forbidden mixture of fabrics. He explains, however, that according to the Rambam, the prohibition against mixed fabrics does not apply to them, because they are not worn to provide the body with warmth, and if a garment is worn for a purpose other than that, this prohibition does not apply (Hilchot Kilayim10:19).
35.
See Hilchot Tuma'at Tzara'at 1:4 where the Rambam defines patuch as a color mixed with white. See also Hilchot Tzitzit2:1.
36.
There are some who interpret the term as referring to a purplish dye. Others explain that it is mixture of several dyes of thread. See Ra'avad and Kessef Mishneh.
37.
See Hilchot Parah Adumah 3:2 where the Rambam writes that this dye is produced from a seed that has a small gnat in it that produces a scarlet color.
38.
I.e., one strand made up of six thinner threads.
39.
Often translated as twisted.
40.
See the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Chulin 3:1). The boxes were indented slightly, like small pockets.
41.
For as mentioned in Halachah 4, the priests' garments should be fit to their measure, neither too long or too short. Compare to the description of the clothes of Torah scholars in Hilchot De'ot5:9.
42.
To tighten them around the priest's waist.
43.
As explained in Halachah 2, according to the Rambam, the difference was the manner in which they wrapped the turbans. The actual cloth was the same.
44.
A fingerbreadth is about 2 cm according to Shiurei Torah.
• Thursday, 25 Adar, 5777 · 23 March 2017
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, 25 Adar I, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayakheil, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 119, 1-96.
Tanya: This is what (p. 145)...great length elsewhere. (p. 145).
Hoshi'einu (p. 76) is said after the Song of the Day on weekdays, Shabbat, Festivals, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
Thursday, Adar Sheini 25*, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Sh'mini, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 119, 1-96.
Tanya: Not that an (p. 183)...in man (respectively). (p. 185).
The chassid, R. Mordechai Horodoker, related: The first aphorism we heard from the Alter Rebbe when we arrived in Lyozna was: What is forbidden is forbidden, and what is permitted is unnecessary. For some three or four years we labored with this until we integrated this manner (of service) into the various aspects of our lives. Only then did we enter into yechidus, to ask for a path in avoda.
FOOTNOTES
*.This day marks the birth, in 5661 (1901) of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka o.b.m., daughter of the Previous Rebbe o.b.m., and wife of the Rebbe of righteous memory.
• Daily Thought:
The Quantum Leap
There are times when moving forward step by step is not enough.
There are times when you can’t just change what you do, how you speak and how you think about things.
Sometimes, you have to change who you are. You need to pick both feet off the ground and leap.
Sometimes, you need to change at your very core of being.[Public Letter for Passover, Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5736.]
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment