TODAY IN JUDAISM: Thursday, Iyar 29, 5777 - May 25, 2017 Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - Today is Thursday, Iyar 29, 5777 · May 25, 2017 - Omer: Day 44 - Gevurah sheb'Malchut
Torah Reading
• Count "Forty-Five Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the forty-fifth day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow's date tonight, after nightfall: "Today is forty-five days, which are six weeks and three days, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Tifferet sheb'Malchut -- "Harmony in Receptiveness"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Today in Jewish History:
• Hebron Liberated (1967)
One day after Israeli forces liberated Eastern Jerusalem in the course of the Six-Day War, another of the holy cities, Hebron, was also liberated.
Following the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, Jordan took over the control of Hebron along with the rest of the West Bank. During this time, Israelis were not allowed to enter the West Bank. The Jewish Quarter was destroyed, Jewish cemeteries were desecrated, 58 synagogues were destroyed and an animal pen was built on the ruins of the Patriarch Abraham Synagogue.
Daily Quote:
In a time of increasing darkness, we must respond with an increasing of light[The Lubavitcher Rebbe, launching a world-wide campaign that all Jewish women, including young girls, should light Shabbat candles]
Daily Torah Study:
Numbers Chapter 3
| 14The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert, saying: | | ידוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 15Count the children of Levi according to their fathers' house according to their families. Count all males from the age of one month and upward. | | טופְּקֹד֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כָּל־זָכָ֛ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֥דֶשׁ וָמַ֖עְלָה תִּפְקְדֵֽם: |
| From the age of one month and upward: When he is no longer in the category of [possible] premature birth, he is counted among those called, “keepers of the holy charge.” R. Judah the son of R. Shalom said: That tribe is accustomed to being counted from the womb, as it says, “whom she bore to Levi in Egypt” ; as she entered the gate of Egypt, she bore her [Jochebed], yet she [Jochebed] was counted as one of the seventy souls. For if you count their total, you find only sixty-nine, but she completed the number. [Mid. Tanchuma , Bamidbar 16] | | מבן חדש ומעלה: משיצא מכלל נפלים הוא נמנה ליקרא שומר משמרת הקדש. אמר ר' יהודה ברבי שלום למוד הוא אותו השבט להיות נמנה מן הבטן, שנאמר (במד' כו, כט) אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים, עם כניסתה בפתח מצרים ילדה אותה. ונמנית בשבעים נפש, שכשאתה מונה חשבונם לא תמצאם אלא שבעים חסר אחת, והיא השלימה את המנין: |
| 16So Moses counted them according to God's word, just as he was commanded. | | טזוַיִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָ֛ם משֶׁ֖ה עַל־פִּ֣י יְהוָֹ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צֻוָּֽה: |
| according to God’s word: Moses said to the Holy One, blessed is He, “How can I enter their tents to know the number of their sucklings?” The Holy One, blessed is He, replied to him, “You do yours, and I will do Mine.” Moses went and stood at the entrance to the tent, and the Divine Presence preceded him. A heavenly voice then emanated from the tent, saying, “There are this many babies in this tent.” That is why it says, “according to God’s word.” [Num. Rabbah 3:9] | | על פי ה': אמר משה לפני הקב"ה היאך אני נכנס לבתי כלם ולתוך אהליהם לדעת מנין יונקיהם. אמר לו הקב"ה עשה אתה את שלך ואני אעשה את שלי. הלך משה ועמד על פתח האהל והשכינה מקדמת לפניו, ובת קול יוצאת מן האהל ואומרת כך וכך תינוקות יש באהל זה, לכך נאמר על פי ה': |
| 17These were the names of Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. | | יזוַיִּֽהְיוּ־אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־לֵוִ֖י בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי: |
| 18The names of the sons of Gershon according to their families were Libni and Shim'ei. | | יחוְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּנֵי־גֵֽרְשׁ֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לִבְנִ֖י וְשִׁמְעִֽי: |
| 19And the sons of Kohath according to their families were Amram, Itzhar, Hebron, and Uziel. | | יטוּבְנֵ֥י קְהָ֖ת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר חֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵֽל: |
| 20And the sons of Merari according to their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their fathers' houses. | | כוּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֛ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם: |
| 21For Gershon, the Libnite family and the Shim'eite family; these are the Gershonite families. | | כאלְגֵ֣רְשׁ֔וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַלִּבְנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁמְעִ֑י אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֔ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּֽי: |
| For Gershon, the Libnite family: That is to say, from Gershon, those counted were the Libnite family and Shim’eite family; their numbers were so many and so many. | | לגרשון משפחת הלבני: כלומר לגרשון היו הפקודים משפחת הלבני ומשפחת השמעי פקודיהם כך וכך: |
| 22Their sum was made according to the number of males from the age of one month and upward; the tally amounted to seven thousand, five hundred. | | כבפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶם֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה פְּקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִ֖ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת: |
| 23The Gershonite families shall camp behind the Mishkan, to the west. | | כגמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אַֽחֲרֵ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן יַֽחֲנ֖וּ יָֽמָּה: |
| 24The prince of the father's house of the Gershonites is Eliasaph the son of Lael. | | כדוּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵית־אָ֖ב לַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אֶלְיָסָ֖ף בֶּן־לָאֵֽל: |
| 25The charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting [included] the Mishkan, the Tent, its cover, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. | | כהוּמִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת בְּנֵי־גֵֽרְשׁוֹן֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְהָאֹ֑הֶל מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמָסַ֕ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| the Mishkan: The bottom curtains. | | המשכן: יריעות התחתונות: |
| the Tent: The curtains made of goats’ hair, which served as the roof. | | והאהל: יריעות עזים העשויות לגג: |
| its cover: Ram skins and tachash skins. | | מכסהו: עורות אילים ותחשים: |
| the screen for the entrance: This is the curtain. | | ומסך פתח: הוא הוילון: |
| 26The hangings of the courtyard, the screen at the entrance to the courtyard, which is around the Mishkan and the altar, its ropes, as well as all the work involved. | | כווְקַלְעֵ֣י הֶֽחָצֵ֗ר וְאֶת־מָסַךְ֙ פֶּ֣תַח הֶֽחָצֵ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִ֑יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתָרָ֔יו לְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ: |
| and its ropes: of the Mishkan and the tent, but not of the courtyard. | | ואת מיתריו: של משכן והאהל ולא של חצר: |
| 27For Kohath, the Amramite family, the Izharite family, the Hebronite family, and the Uzielite family; these are the families of Kohath. | | כזוְלִקְהָ֗ת מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הָֽעַמְרָמִי֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַיִּצְהָרִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַֽחֶבְרֹנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽעָזִּֽיאֵלִ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקְּהָתִֽי: |
| 28The number of all males from the age of one month and upward amounted to eight thousand six hundred, the keepers of the charge of the holy. | | כחבְּמִסְפַּר֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה שְׁמֹנַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת שֹֽׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| 29The families of the sons of Kohath shall camp to the south side of the Mishkan. | | כטמִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת יַֽחֲנ֑וּ עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן תֵּימָֽנָה: |
| The families of the sons of Kohath shall camp to the south: Near them was the division of Reuben, who camped to the south. Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor! This explains why Dathan, Abiram, and two hundred and fifty men were smitten with Korah and his congregation, for they were drawn into the dispute along with them. [Tanchuma, Bamidbar 12] | | משפחת בני קהת יחנו וגו' תימנה: וסמוכין להם דגל ראובן החונים תימנה, אוי לרשע ואוי לשכנו, לכך לקו מהם דתן ואבירם ומאתים וחמשים איש עם קרח ועדתו, שנמשכו עמהם במחלוקתם: |
| 30The prince of the father's house of the Kohathite families is Elizaphan the son of Uziel. | | לוּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵית־אָ֖ב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י אֱלִֽיצָפָ֖ן בֶּן־עֻזִּיאֵֽל: |
| 31Their charge [included] the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, and the holy utensils with which they would minister, and the screen and all the work involved. | | לאוּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם הָֽאָרֹ֤ן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְהַמְּנֹרָ֣ה וְהַמִּזְבְּחֹ֔ת וּכְלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְת֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ: |
| the screen: This refers to the dividing curtain [at the entrance to the Holy of Holies], for it is also known as [a screen, as in the phrase] “the screening dividing curtain” (Ex. 40:21). | | והמסך: היא הפרכת, שאף היא קרויה פרכת המסך: |
| 32The prince over all the princes of the Levites shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, the appointment of all the keepers of the charge of the Holy. | | לבוּנְשִׂיא֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הַלֵּוִ֔י אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן פְּקֻדַּ֕ת שֹֽׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| The prince over all the princes of the Levites: He was appointed over all of them. In what regard was he prince over them? “The appointment of all the keepers of the charge of the Holy” - they were all appointed by him. | | ונשיא נשיאי הלוי: ממונה על כלם. ועל מה היא נשיאותו, פקודת שומרי משמרת הקודש, על ידו היה פקודת כולם: |
| 33For Merari, the Machlite family and the Mushite family; these are the families of Merari. | | לגלִמְרָרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַמַּחְלִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמּוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת מְרָרִֽי: |
| 34Their tally according to the number of males from the age of one month and upward was six thousand two hundred. | | לדוּפְקֻֽדֵיהֶם֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה שֵׁ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּמָאתָֽיִם: |
| 35The prince of the father's house of the Merarite families is Zuriel the son of Abihail; they shall camp on the north side of the Mishkan. | | להוּנְשִׂ֤יא בֵית־אָב֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מְרָרִ֔י צֽוּרִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־אֲבִיחָ֑יִל עַ֣ל יֶ֧רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן יַֽחֲנ֖וּ צָפֹֽנָה: |
| 36The appointment of the charge of the sons of Merari [included] the planks of the Mishkan, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets, all its utensils, and all the work involved. | | לווּפְקֻדַּ֣ת מִשְׁמֶ֘רֶת֘ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִי֒ קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמֻּדָ֣יו וַֽאֲדָנָ֑יו וְכָ֨ל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ: |
| 37Also the pillars of the surrounding courtyard, their sockets, their stakes, and their ropes. | | לזוְעַמֻּדֵ֧י הֶֽחָצֵ֛ר סָבִ֖יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֑ם וִיתֵֽדֹתָ֖ם וּמֵֽיתְרֵיהֶֽם: |
| 38Camping in front of the Mishkan, in front of the Tent of Meeting to the east were Moses, Aaron and his sons, the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary as a trust for the children of Israel; any outsider who approaches shall be put to death. | | לחוְהַֽחֹנִ֣ים לִפְנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֡ן קֵ֣דְמָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֨ד | מִזְרָ֜חָה משֶׁ֣ה | וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֗יו שֹֽׁמְרִים֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּקְדָּ֔שׁ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת: |
| Moses, Aaron and his sons: Near them was the division of the camp of Judah, next to whom camped Issachar and Zebulun. It is good for the righteous, and it is good for his neighbor; because they were neighbors of Moses, who was engaged in Torah study, they became great Torah scholars, as it says, “Judah is my lawgiver” (Ps. 60:9). The descendants of Issachar were those “who had understanding of the times” (I Chron. 12:32)… the two hundred heads of the Sanhedrin,“and from Zebulun came those who wield the scribe’s quill” (Jud. 5:14). [Tanchuma 12] | | משה ואהרן ובניו: וסמוכין להם דגל מחנה יהודה, והחונים עליו יששכר וזבולן, טוב לצדיק טוב לשכנו, לפי שהיו שכניו של משה שהיה עוסק בתורה, נעשו גדולים בתורה, שנאמר (תהלים ס, ט) יהודה מחוקקי, ומבני יששכר יודעי בינה וגו' (דה"י א' יב לג) מאתים ראשי סנהדראות, ומזבולן מושכים בשבט סופר (שופטים ה יד): |
| 39The sum of the male Levites according to their families, from the age of one month and upward, counted by Moses and Aaron according to the word of the Lord, was twenty two thousand. | | לטכָּל־פְּקוּדֵ֨י הַֽלְוִיִּ֜ם אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְ֗אַֽ֗הֲ֗רֹ֛֗ן֗ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כָּל־זָכָר֙ מִבֶּן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ וָמַ֔עְלָה שְׁנַ֥יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף: |
| counted by Moses and Aaron: There are dots over the word וְאַהֲרֹן to show that he was not included in the sum of the Levites. [Bech. 4a] | | אשר פקד משה ואהרן: נקוד על ואהרן, לומר שלא היה במנין הלוים: |
| twenty-two thousand: But when you count them individually, you will find another three hundred: the descendants of Gershon were seven thousand, five hundred; the descendants of Kohath were eight thousand, six hundred, and the descendants of Merari, six thousand, two hundred. Why were they not included with the rest to redeem the firstborn, thus exempting the two hundred and seventy-three firstborns who were in excess [of the number of Levites] from redemption (see verses 46-48)? Our Sages in Tractate Bechorot (5a) answer that those three hundred Levites were firstborns, and it was enough that they exempt themselves from redemption. | | שנים ועשרים אלף: ובפרטן אתה מוצא שלש מאות יתרים, בני גרשון שבעת אלפים וחמש מאות, בני קהת שמונת אלפים ושש מאות, בני מררי ששת אלפים ומאתים, [הרי שנים ועשרים אלף ושלש מאות]. ולמה לא כללן עם השאר ויפדו את הבכורות, ולא יהיו זקוקים השלשה ושבעים ומאתים בכורות העודפים על המנין לפדיון, אמרו רבותינו במסכת בכורות (בכורות ה א) אותן שלש מאות לוים בכורות היו ודים שיפקיעו עצמם מן הפדיון: |
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 140 - 150
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 140
David composed this psalm against his slanderers, especially the chief conspirator Doeg. Anyone confronted by slanderers should recite this psalm.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. Rescue me from the evil man, protect me from the man of violence,
3. who devise evil schemes in their heart; every day they gather for wars.
4. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the spider's venom is forever under their lips.
5. Guard me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked, protect me from the man of violence-those who plot to cause my steps to slip.
6. Arrogant ones have hidden a snare for me, and ropes; they spread a net by my path, they set traps for me continually.
7. I said to the Lord, "You are my God!" Listen, O Lord, to the voice of my pleas.
8. God, my Lord, the strength of my deliverance, You sheltered my head on the day of armed battle.
9. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; fulfill not his scheme, make it unattainable forever.
10. As for the head of my besiegers, let the deceit of their own lips bury them.
11. Let burning coals fall upon them; let it cast them down into the fire, into deep pits, never to rise again.
12. Let not the slanderous man be established in the land; let the evil of the man of violence trap him until he is overthrown.
13. I know that the Lord will execute judgement for the poor, justice for the needy.
14. Indeed, the righteous will extol Your Name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.
Chapter 141
This psalm teaches an important lesson: One should pray for Divine assistance that his mouth not speak that which is not in his heart. The gatekeeper only allows the gate to be opened for a purpose; let it be the same with one's lips.
1. A psalm by David. O Lord, I have called You, hasten to me; listen to my voice when I call to You.
2. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the raising of my hands as an afternoon offering.
3. O Lord, place a guard for my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips.
4. Do not incline my heart to a bad thing-to perform deeds in wickedness, with men, doers of evil; let me not partake of their delicacies.
5. Let the righteous one strike me with kindness and let him rebuke me; like the finest oil, let my head not refuse it. For as long [as I live], my prayer is [to preserve me] from their harm.
6. For their judges have slipped because of their [hearts of] rock, though they heard my words and they were pleasant.
7. As one who chops and splinters [wood] on the ground, so have our bones been scattered to the mouth of the grave.
8. For to You, God, my Lord, are my eyes; in You I take shelter; do not pour out my soul.
9. Protect me from the hands of the snare they laid for me, and from the traps of the evildoers.
10. Let the wicked fall into their own nets together, until I pass over.
Chapter 142
David composed this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, at which time he had cut off the corner of Saul's garment (to prove that he was able to kill him but did not wish to do so). He declared, "Where can I turn, and where can I run? All I have is to cry out to You!"
1. A maskil by David, when he was in the cave, a prayer.
2. With my voice I will cry out to the Lord; with my voice I will call to the Lord in supplication.
3. I will pour out my plea before Him; I will declare my distress in His presence.
4. When my spirit is faint within me, You know my path. In the way in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.
5. Look to my right and see, there is none that will know me; every escape is lost to me. No man cares for my soul.
6. I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
7. Listen to my song of prayer, for I have been brought very low. Deliver me from my pursuers, for they are too mighty for me.
8. Release my soul from confinement, so that it may acknowledge Your Name. Because of me, the righteous will crown [You] when You will deal graciously with me.
Chapter 143
1. A psalm by David. O Lord, hear my prayer, lend Your ear to my supplications. With Your faithfulness answer me, and with Your righteousness.
2. Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no living being would be vindicated before You.
3. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has set me down in dark places, like those who are eternally dead.
4. Then my spirit became faint within me; my heart was dismayed within me.
5. I remembered the days of old; I meditated on all Your deeds; I spoke of Your handiwork.
6. I spread out my hands to You; like a languishing land my soul yearns after You, Selah.
7. Answer me soon, O Lord, my spirit is spent; hide not Your face from me, lest I become like those who descend into the pit.
8. Let me hear Your kindness in the morning, for have I trusted in You. Let me know the way in which I should walk, for to You I have lifted my soul.
9. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord. I have concealed [my troubles from all, save] You.
10. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Let Your good spirit lead me in an even path.
11. For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, give me life; in Your righteousness, take my soul out of distress.
12. And in Your kindness, cut off my enemies and obliterate all those who oppress my soul, for I am Your servant.
Chapter 144
After triumphing in all his wars, David composed this psalm in praise of God.
1. By David. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for war.
2. My source of kindness and my fortress, my high tower and my rescuer, my shield, in Whom I take refuge; it is He Who makes my people submit to me.
3. O Lord, what is man that You have recognized him; the son of a mortal, that You are mindful of him?
4. Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
5. O Lord, incline Your heavens and descend; touch the mountains and they will become vapor.
6. Flash one bolt of lightning and You will scatter them; send out Your arrows and You will confound them.
7. Stretch forth Your hands from on high, rescue me and deliver me out of many waters, from the hand of strangers,
8. whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9. God, I will sing a new song to You, I will play to You upon a harp of ten strings.
10. He who gives victory to kings, He will rescue David, His servant, from the evil sword.
11. Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12. For our sons are like plants, brought up to manliness in their youth; our daughters are like cornerstones, fashioned after the fashion of a palace.
13. Our storehouses are full, overflowing with all manner of food; our sheep increase by the thousands, growing by the tens of thousands in our open fields.
14. Our leaders bear the heaviest burden; there is none who break through, nor is there bad report, nor outcry in our streets.
15. Happy is the nation for whom this is so. Happy is that nation whose God is the Lord.
Chapter 145
One who recites this psalm three times daily with absolute concentration is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come. Because of its prominence, this psalm was composed in alphabetical sequence.
1. A psalm of praise by David: I will exalt You, my God the King, and bless Your Name forever.
2. Every day I will bless You, and extol Your Name forever.
3. The Lord is great and exceedingly exalted; there is no limit to His greatness.
4. One generation to another will laud Your works, and tell of Your mighty acts.
5. I will speak of the splendor of Your glorious majesty and of Your wondrous deeds.
6. They will proclaim the might of Your awesome acts, and I will recount Your greatness.
7. They will express the remembrance of Your abounding goodness, and sing of Your righteousness.
8. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies extend over all His works.
10. Lord, all Your works will give thanks to You, and Your pious ones will bless You.
11. They will declare the glory of Your kingdom, and tell of Your strength,
12. to make known to men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13. Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds, and Your dominion is throughout all generations.
14. The Lord supports all who fall, and straightens all who are bent.
15. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.
16. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and benevolent in all His deeds.
18. The Lord is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
19. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, hears their cry and delivers them.
20. The Lord watches over all who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked.
21. My mouth will utter the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy Name forever.
Chapter 146
This psalm inspires man to repent and perform good deeds while still alive. Let him not rely on mortals who are unable to help themselves, and who may suddenly pass on. Rather, one should put his trust in God, Who is capable of carrying out all He desires.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul.
2. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praises to my God while I yet exist.
3. Do not place your trust in nobles, nor in mortal man who has not the ability to bring deliverance.
4. When his spirit departs, he returns to his earth; on that very day, his plans come to naught.
5. Fortunate is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope rests upon the Lord his God.
6. He makes the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; He keeps His promise faithfully forever.
7. He renders justice to the oppressed; He gives food to the hungry; the Lord releases those who are bound.
8. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord straightens those who are bowed; the Lord loves the righteous.
9. The Lord watches over the strangers; He gives strength to orphan and widow; He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10. The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 147
This psalm recounts God's greatness, and His kindness and goodness to His creations.
1. Praise the Lord! Sing to our God for He is good; praise befits Him for He is pleasant.
2. The Lord is the rebuilder of Jerusalem; He will gather the banished of Israel.
3. He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages their wounds.
4. He counts the number of the stars; He gives a name to each of them.
5. Great is our Master and abounding in might; His understanding is beyond reckoning.
6. The Lord strengthens the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.
7. Lift your voices to the Lord in gratitude; sing to our God with the harp.
8. He covers the heaven with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow upon the mountains.
9. He gives the animal its food, to the young ravens which cry to Him.
10. He does not desire [those who place their trust in] the strength of the horse, nor does He want those who rely upon the thighs [swiftness] of man.
11. He desires those who fear Him, those who long for His kindness.
12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; Zion, extol your God.
13. For He has strengthened the bolts of your gates; He has blessed your children in your midst.
14. He has made peace within your borders; He satiates you with the finest of wheat.
15. He issues His command to the earth; swiftly does His word run.
16. He dispenses snow like fleece; He scatters frost like ashes.
17. He hurls His ice like morsels; who can withstand His cold?
18. He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19. He tells His words [Torah] to Jacob, His statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20. He has not done so for other nations, and they do not know [His] ordinances. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 148
The psalmist inspires one to praise God for His creations-above and below-all of which exist by God's might alone.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the celestial heights.
2. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts.
3. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all the shining stars.
4. Praise Him, hea-ven of heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens.
5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for He comman-ded and they were created.
6. He has established them forever, for all time; He issued a decree, and it shall not be transgressed.
7. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-monsters and all [that dwell in] the depths;
8. fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind carrying out His command;
9. the mountains and all hills, fruit-bearing trees and all cedars;
10. the beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged fowl;
11. kings of the earth and all nations, rulers and all judges of the land;
12. young men as well as maidens, elders with young lads.
13. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for His Name is sublime, to Himself; its radiance [alone] is upon earth and heaven.
14. He shall raise the glory of His people, [increase] the praise of all His pious ones, the Children of Israel, the people close to Him. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 149
1. Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, [recount] His praise in the assembly of the pious.
2. Israel will rejoice in its Maker; the children of Zion will delight in their King.
3. They will praise His Name with dancing; they will sing to Him with the drum and harp.
4. For the Lord desires His people; He will adorn the humble with salvation.
5. The pious will exult in glory; they will sing upon their beds.
6. The exaltation of God is in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand,
7. to bring retribution upon the nations, punishment upon the peoples;
8. to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with iron fetters;
9. to execute upon them the prescribed judgment; it shall be a glory for all His pious ones. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 150
This psalm contains thirteen praises, alluding to the Thirteen Attributes (of Mercy) with which God conducts the world.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise God in His holiness; praise Him in the firmament of His strength.
2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His abundant greatness.
3. Praise Him with the call of the shofar; praise Him with harp and lyre.
4. Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5. Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clanging cymbals.
6. Let every soul praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 52
• English Text (Lessons in Tanya)
• Hebrew Text
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Thursday, Iyar 29, 5777 · May 25, 2017
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Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 52
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ובהתלבשות מלכות דאצילות במלכות דבריאה, מתלבשת בהיכל קדשי קדשים דיצירה, שהוא חב״ד דיצירה
By virtue of the clothing of Malchut of Atzilut in Malchut of Beriah1 it then clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Yetzirah, this being the ChaBaD of Yetzirah — the Chochmah, Binah and Daat of Yetzirah. It is in this manner that the Shechinah of Malchut of Atzilut ultimately comes to reside in the World of Yetzirah.
ובהתלבשותן במלכות דיצירה, נוצרו הרוחות
When later on the latter (Malchut of Atzilut, together with the Sefirot in which it is enclothed — in Malchut of Beriah and in ChaBaD of Yetzirah) are clothed in Malchut of Yetzirah, the souls which are called Ruchot are created,
For the three levels of souls, Nefesh, Ruach (singular of Ruchot) and Neshamah, correspond to the three lower Worlds: Nefesh originates in Asiyah, Ruach in Yetzirah and Neshamah in Beriah. With regard to Neshamot, the Alter Rebbe has said previously that they are created from Malchut of Beriah. In now discussing the level of Malchut of Yetzirah, he writes that souls of the level of Ruach are created,
והמלאכים שביצירה
and the angels which are of the World of Yetzirah.
וגם משם היא המשנה שלפנינו, שהיא הלכות פסוקות הנמשכות גם כן מחב״ד של אין סוף ברוך הוא
From there too, from Malchut of Yetzirah, comes the Mishnah that we possess, which comprises the legal decisions that are likewise derived from ChaBaD of the blessed Ein Sof.2
Not only the Gemara within the Talmud, but the Mishnah too, derives from the “intelligence” of the Ein Sof. Even though it was stated earlier that the Mishnah derives from middot, yet since within the Mishnah there is concealed the rationale of the laws, they, too, emanate from the ChaBaD of Ein Sof.
רק שבחינת חב״ד, שהם טעמי ההלכות, הם מלובשים וגנוזים בגופי ההלכות, ולא בבחינת גילוי
Only that the categories of ChaBaD, that is, the reasons and interpretations of the halachot, are clothed and hidden within the laws themselves and are not in a revealed form,
In the Gemara the reasons for the laws are revealed, whereas in the Mishnah all that is revealed is the actual law itself, not the reasons underlying it.
וגופי ההלכות, שהן בבחינת גילוי, הן הן הארת מדותיו של אין סוף ברוך הוא בבחינת גילוי
while the elements of the halachot, which are in a revealed form in the Mishnah, are the very reflection of the middot of the blessed Ein Sof in their revealed form.
As mentioned earlier, the actual halachic decision that something is permissible derives from the divine attribute of kindness, and that something is prohibited derives from the attribute of severity.
כמו שכתוב לעיל בשם התיקונים, דשית ספירן מקננין ביצירה, שהן דרך כלל שני קוין, ימין ושמאל
Thus, it has been explained above in the name of the Tikkunim, that six Sefirot nest in Yetzirah. They the six Sefirot or middot comprise, in general, two extensions — right and left, right representing kindness, and left, severity,
להקל מסטרא דחסד, דהיינו: להתיר, שיוכל לעלות אל ה׳
acting with forbearance deriving from the aspect of kindness, which results in adjudicating leniently, that is to say, to permit [a thing] to ascend to G‑d,
For only that which is permitted to a Jew can ascend to G‑d. Thus, when a ruling is lenient and the object in question is permitted for use, it enables the individual, through utilizing it in the performance of a mitzvah, to cause it to ascend to G‑d. This, of course, is an act of kindness.
או להחמיר כו׳
or acting in a stringent manner, and so on, declaring the object to be forbidden for use, and thereby precluding its elevation to holiness. This is an act of severity. These two traits, kindness and severity, represent the two general directions of the emotive attributes as they exist Above, and from which the halachot of the Mishnah derive.
והכל על פי חכמה עילאה דאצילות, ובינה ודעת כלולות בה
And all this, both the Mishnah and Talmud, is according to the Supernal Chochmah of Atzilut, and Binah and Daat are comprised in it (i.e., in Chochmah),
ומיוחדות באין סוף ברוך הוא, כי בתוך כולן מלובשות חב״ד דאצילות, שאור אין סוף ברוך הוא מיוחד בהן בתכלית היחוד
and they (the Mishnah and Talmud, and the illumination of ChaBaD and middot found in them) are united with the blessed Ein Sof, for in all of them are clothed ChaBaD of Atzilut, with which the light of the blessed Ein Sof is united in a perfect union.
Thus, when the Shechinah enclothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of the World of Yetzirah, and thereafter in Malchut of Yetzirah, that part of Torah which is called the Mishnah is drawn down, this being the receptacle for the light of the Shechinah as it is revealed in the World of Yetzirah.
וכן בדרך זה ירדה השכינה, ונתלבשה בהיכל קדשי קדשים דעשיה
In like manner, i.e., in the same manner that the Shechinah first clothed itself in the level of Malchut of Yetzirah, the Shechinah then descended and clothed itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Asiyah.
וכל עולם מג׳ עולמות אלו מתחלק לרבבות מדריגות, הנקראות גם כן עולמות פרטים
And each of these three Worlds, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, is subdivided into myriads of gradations, which are also called particular worlds,
ומלכות דאצילות מלובשת במלכות של כל עולם פרטי, יורדת, ומתלבשת בהיכל קדשי קדשים, שהוא חב״ד, שבעולם שלמטה ממנו במדרגה
and Malchut of Atzilut (the level of Shechinah) is clothed in (a) the level of Malchut* of each particular World; (b) moreover, through the above-mentioned enclothing, it descends, and (c) enclothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies, namely, the ChaBaD, which is in the World below it in rank.
We thus have Malchut of Atzilut as it is enclothed in Malchut of a World of higher rank, descending into the ChaBad of a World of lesser rank.3
הגהה
ובזה יובן לשון הכתוב: מלכותך מלכות כל עולמים
*NOTE
This will enable us to understand the wording of the verse: “Your kingdom is the kingdom of all Worlds.”
The text seems to imply that there is one level of kingship called “Your kingdom,” and another level of kingship known as “the kingdom of all Worlds.” The Alter Rebbe therefore explains that the verse is telling us that “Your kingdom” is the innermost aspect of “the kingdom of all the Worlds.” Within them all is enclothed “Your kingdom” — Malchut of Atzilut.
END OF NOTE
והנה מהשכינה המלובשת בהיכל קדשי קדשים של כל עולם ועולם כללי או פרטי, נמשך ומתפשט ממנה אור וחיות לכל העולם והברואים שבו: נשמות ומלאכים וכו׳
It is from the Shechinah which is clothed in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of each and every general or particular World that light and vitality are extended and diffused to that whole World and the creatures contained therein — the souls, angels, and so forth,
The last phrase refers to the other beings of each World, such as the heichalot; they all receive light and vitality from the Shechinah as it is enclothed in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of that particular World.
כי כולם נבראו בעשרה מאמרות שבמעשה בראשית, שהם דבר ה׳ הנקרא בשם שכינה
for they were all created by the ten Divine utterances of creation,4 these being G‑d’s speech, which is termed the Shechinah.
Divine speech revealed that which was previously concealed. This is also the purpose of the Shechinah — revealing to the world a light which is essentially higher than the world. Therefore, Malchut of Atzilut (which is termed the Shechinah, and which is G‑d’s speech as revealed in the ten Divine utterances of creation) is the level from which life and vitality are drawn down and revealed to all Worlds and created beings.
And all this is accomplished through Torah, for Torah is the shrine of the Holy of Holies (in which the Shechinah first resides) in every World. Thus, as mentioned earlier, it serves as a “garment” to the Shechinah.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
Thursday, Iyar 29, 5777 · May 25, 2017
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity of a zavah [a woman who experiences menses three consecutive days outside the normal menstrual period.
When contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity. E.g.,] how she contracts this ritual impurity and how, after she becomes a zavah, she can pass on this impurity to others.
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
Positive Commandment 106
The 106th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of a zavah. This mitzvah includes the laws of how she becomes a zavah and how, after becoming a zavah, she conveys tumah to others.
• 1 Chapter A Day: Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 11
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 11
1 When a person lends money to a colleague in the presence of witnesses, or a borrower tells witnesses: "Serve as witnesses for me that I owe this person a maneh" or "You are my witnesses that I owe this person a maneh," the obligation established is referred to as a milveh b'al peh, "a loan supported by an oral commitment." Such a debt need not be repaid in the presence of witnesses.' Therefore, if the debtor claims: "I repaid the debt," he is required to take a sh'vuat hesset and is discharged.
When, by contrast, a person lends money to a colleague and has the debt supported by a promissory note, the debtor must repay him in the presence of witnesses. Therefore, if the debtor claims: "I paid this promissory note," his words are not accepted. Instead, we tell him: "Bring witnesses who testify that you paid or "Arise and pay the debt you owe him."
Therefore, when a person tells witnesses: "Serve as witnesses for me that I owe this person a maneh" they may not write down a record of their testimony and give it to the lender, unless the borrower tells them: "Write a promissory note, sign it and give it to the lender. The rationale is that their testimony, which is only oral, should not be given the legal power of a promissory note. Even when the borrower gives such instructions, they should consult with him after they have signed the promissory note. Only afterwards, may they give the promissory note to the lender in his hand.
If they performed a kinyan with the borrower affirming that he owes the lender a maneh, the witnesses may write a promissory note and give it to the lender, even though the borrower did not instruct them to do so. The rationale is that when a kinyan is performed without any further instructions, it is ready to be recorded in a legal document. There is no need to consult the borrower.אהמלוה את חבירו בפני עדים או שאמר לעדים היו עלי עדים שאני חייב לזה מנה או אתם עדי שאני חייב לזה מנה זו נקראת מלוה על פה וא"צ לפורעו בעדים לפיכך אם טען ואמר אחר כך פרעתי נשבע היסת ונפטר, אבל המלוה את חבירו בשטר צריך לפרעו בעדים לפיכך אם טען ואמר פרעתי שטר זה אינו נאמן אלא אומרים לו או הבא עדים או עמוד ושלם לו חובו, לפיכך האומר לעדים היו עלי עדים שאני חייב לזה מנה אין כותבין עדותן ונותנין למלוה שלא יחזירו למלוה על פה עדות בשטר עד שיאמר להן הלוה כתבו שטר וחתמו ותנו לו, אף על פי שאמר להן כך צריכין להמלך בו אחר שחתמו בשטר ואח"כ נותנין השטר ביד המלוה, קנו מידו שהוא חייב לו מנה הרי אלו כותבין ונותנין אע"פ שלא אמר להן כתובו שסתם קנין לכתיבה עומד ואינן צריכין להמלך בו.
2 When a borrower writes a document by himself and witnesses write testimony upon it and give it to the lender, it is an acceptable promissory note.
Similarly, should the borrower compose a promissory note - even when there are no witnesses who sign it - and give it to the lender in the presence of witnesses, the loan is considered to be backed by a promissory note, provided that it is written with a script that cannot be forged and that the witnesses in whose presence it was transferred read it.
There are Geonim who ruled that the borrower should tell the witnesses in whose presence the promissory note was transferred: "Sign the note or testify that it was transferred in your presence."בלוה שכתב שטר בכתב ידו והעיד בו עדים ונתנו למלוה הרי זה שטר כשר, וכן אם כתב שטר אע"פ שאין בו עדים ונתנו למלוה בפני עדים הרי זו מלוה בשטר והוא שיהיה כתב שאינו יכול להזדייף ויקראו אותו העדים שנמסר בפניהם, ויש מן הגאונים שהורה שצריך לומר לעדים שמסרו בפניהם חתמו והעידו שנמסר בפניכם.
3 If the lender produces a note written by the borrower , which states that he owes the lender money, but there are no witnesses who have signed it, it is considered as merely a loan supported by an oral commitment with regard to all matters. This applies even if the authenticity of his writing was verified.
Hence, if the borrower claims to have paid the debt, and the lender denies receiving payment, the borrower need only take a sh'vuat hesset before being dismissed. Nor may the lender use this note to expropriate property from the heirs, nor from the purchasers.גהוציא עליו כתב ידו שהוא חייב לו ואין שם עדים אע"פ שהוחזק כתב ידו בבית דין הרי זה כמלוה ע"פ לכל דבר, ואם טען שפרע נשבע היסת ונפטר ואינו גובה בכתב זה לא מן היורשין ולא מן הלקוחות.
4 Whenever a loan is supported by a promissory note, the lender may use this note to expropriate property from the heirs and from the purchasers, as will be explained. When, by contrast, a loan is merely supported by an oral commitment, the lender may expropriate payment from the heirs, but not from the purchasers. The rationale for this restriction is that such a loan does not become public knowledge. Therefore, the lender may not expropriate property because of such an obligation.
A loan supported by a promissory note, by contrast, does become public knowledge. Therefore, it may be used to expropriate property that was sold. The purchaser of such property caused himself a loss, because he did not inquire to the extent that he discovered that the property of the person he purchased it from was on lien because of the loan that person had taken. For according to Scriptural Law, all property belonging to a borrower is on lien to the loan.דכל מלוה בשטר גובה אותה מן היורשין ומן הלקוחות כמו שיתבאר, ומלוה על פה גובה אותה מן היורשין ואינו גובה אותה מן הלקוחות לפי שאין לה קול לפיכך לא יטרוף בה, אבל מלוה שבשטר קול יש לה והלוקח הפסיד על עצמו שלא שאל עד שידע שנכסיו של זה משועבדין במלוה שעליו, שכל נכסי הלוה תחת שיעבוד המלוה מן התורה.
5 When a person sells his field in the presence of witnesses, and a creditor of the seller expropriates the field from the purchaser, the purchaser may expropriate the money due him from property that was on lien to the sale that had been sold to others, as will be explained. The rationale is that whenever a person makes a sale, it is done in public and becomes common knowledge.ההמוכר שדהו בעדים ויצאת מתחת ידי הלוקח אע"פ שאין שם שטר ביד הלוקח הרי זה חוזר וטורף מנכסים משועבדים כמו שיתבאר שכל המוכר בפרהסיא מוכר וקול יש לו.
6 A loan that is supported by an oral commitment alone may be collected from heirs only in one of the following three instances:
a) the person who is liable admits his debt, and while mortally ill stated that he still owes so-and-so a debt;
b) the loan was given for a specific time, and the time for payment had not come; we operate under the presumption that a person will not pay a debt until it is due;
c) because of his failure to pay, the debtor was placed under a ban of ostracism until he would make restitution, and he died while under that ban.
In all these instances, the creditor may collect the debt from the heirs without having to take an oath. If, however, witnesses come and testify that the deceased owed a colleague a maneh, or that he borrowed money in their presence, the creditor may not collect anything from the heirs, because it is possible that the deceased repaid the loan. For a person who borrowed money from a colleague in the presence of witnesses does not have to repay him in the presence of witnesses. Similarly, if a person shows heirs a note from their father stating that he owes the claimant money, he may not collect anything because of it, as we have explained.ואין ההלואה שעל פה נגבית מן היורשין אלא באחד מג' דברים אלו כשחייב מודה בה וצוה בחליו שיש לפלוני עליו חוב עדיין, או שהיתה ההלואה לזמן ולא הגיע זמן לפרעה וחזקה היא שאין אדם פורע בתוך זמנו, או שנדוהו עד שיתן ומת בנדויו כל אלו גובין מן היורשין בלא שבועה, אבל אם באו עדים שהיה חייב לזה מנה או בפנינו הלוהו אינו גובה מן היורש כלום שמא פרעו שהמלוה את חבירו בעדים אין צריך לפרעו בעדים, וכן אם מוציא כתב יד אביהן שהוא חייב לו אינו גובה בו כלום כמו שביארנו.
7 The following rules apply when a borrower does not own movable property, but does own landed property. If the court is aware that he has deposited his money in the hands of other people, we compel him to sell the landed property and pay his creditor.
If this is not known to them, they issue a ban of ostracism against anyone who knows that the debtor possesses movable property and does not bring it to court. Afterwards, they take possession of property he owns that is of intermediate worth and expropriate it for the creditor, as will be explained.
When does the above apply? When payment is collected from the debtor himself. When, however, a person comes to collect payment from heirs -whether they are above or below majority - he does not have the right to collect from the movable property belonging to the estate even if it was entrusted or loaned to another person. For movable property inherited by heirs is not under lien according to Scriptural Law. 'זלוה שאין לו מטלטלין ויש לו קרקע אם נודע לבית דין שתולה מעותיו ביד אחרים כופין אותו למכור וליתן לבעל חובו, ואם לא נודע להם דבר זה מחרימין על מי שידע לו מטלטלין ולא יביאם ואח"כ יורדין לבינונית שבנכסיו ומגבין לבעל חובו כמו שיתבאר, בד"א בזמן שנפרעין מן הלוה עצמו אבל הבא ליפרע מן היורש בין קטן בין גדול לא יפרע מן המטלטלין אפילו היו מופקדין או מלוה אצל אחרים שהמטלטלין אינו תחת שיעבוד בעל חוב מן התורה.
8 It is a mitzvah for the heirs to pay a debt left by their father from the movable property that he left. If an heir does not desire to make restitution, however, he is not compelled to do so. If the creditor seized property belonging to the debtor in the debtor's lifetime, he may collect his due from it.
If a creditor claims that he seized property during the debtor's lifetime, and the debtor's heir claims that the creditor seized the property after the debtor's death, the heir has the responsibility of proving his claim. Alternatively, the lender must take an oath that he was owed so-and-so much - he can claim up to the value of the property in his possession - and include in his oath that he seized the property in the debtor's lifetime.
If the property that he seized included promissory notes, and the lender claims that he is holding them as security for a debt and that he seized them during the debtor's lifetime, the lender must prove that he seized them during the debtor's lifetime. If he cannot bring proof, he should return them to the heirs. The difference is that with regard to promissory notes, he is not claiming the acquisition of the obligation itself, but rather proof that such an obligation exists.חמצוה על היתומין לפרוע חוב אביהן מן המטלטלין שהניח ואם לא רצה היורש ליתן אין כופין אותו ואם תפס ב"ח מחיים גובה מהן, טען שמחיים תפסן והיורש טען שאחר מיתה תפס על היורש להביא ראיה או ישבע המלוה שכך וכך הוא חייב לו ויכול לטעון עד כדי דמיהן וכולל בשבועתו שמחיים תפס, היו הדברים שתפס שטרות וטען שהן משכון בידו על חובו ושמחיים תפס על המלוה להביא ראיה שמחיים תפס, ואם לא הביא ראיה יחזיר ליורשים מפני שאינו טוען לקנות גופם אלא לראיה שבהן.
9 When heirs expropriated landed property because of a debt that others owed their father, a creditor of their father's can expropriate it from them. The rationale is that this land was in effect their father's.טיתומים שגבו קרקע בחוב שהיה לאביהן אצל אחרים יש לבעל חוב של אביהם לחזור ולגבות אותה מהן שהרי קרקע זו של אביהם היא.
10 The above principles can be extended and applied in the following situation. Reuven sold a field to Shimon, accepting financial responsibility for the sale. Shimon did not pay immediately, but instead had Reuven consider the price of the field as a loan. Reuven died afterwards. Reuven's creditor then came to expropriate the field from Shimon. Instead of giving the creditor the field, Shimon appeased him with money, and he departed.
According to the law, Reuven's heirs may come and demand that Shimon pay the debt that he owed Reuven, for that loan is not on lien to Reuven's creditor.
Therefore, if Shimon is clever, he should give Reuven's heirs the land he purchased from them as payment for the debt that he accepted upon himself. He can then expropriate the property from them, because of the money that he gave to Reuven's creditor so that he would not expropriate it from him. This option is available because Reuven took financial responsibility for the field Shimon purchased.יראובן שמכר שדה לשמעון באחריות וזקף שמעון דמי השדה עליו מלוה לראובן ומת ראובן ובא בעל חוב של ראובן לטרוף משמעון השדה ופייסו שמעון במעות והלך לו הדין נותן שיבאו יורשי ראובן ויתבעו שמעון במלוה שזקף עליו שהרי אינה משועבדת לב"ח של ראובן, לפיכך אם היה שמעון פקח נותן להן הקרקע שלקח מראובן במלוה שזקף על עצמו וחוזר וטורף אותה מהן מפני המעות שנתן לב"ח של ראובן כדי שלא יטרוף אותה ממנו שהרי באחריות לקחה מראובן.
11 All of the Geonim have ordained, however, that a creditor may expropriate movable property from the heirs in payment for a debt. This judgment is enforced universally in all courts of law.
In the West, however, they would have a provision written in the promissory notes giving the creditor the right to collect the debt from either landed property or movable property in the creditor's lifetime or after his death. Thus, this provision gives the creditor more power to collect the debt than the ordinance of the Geonim.
This is a great safeguard, because it is possible that the borrower will not have known about ordinance, and thus the property of the heirs will be expropriated unjustly, because an ordinance of the later Sages does not have the legal power to be binding upon heirs.יאכבר תקנו גאונים האחרונים כולם שיהיה ב"ח גובה מטלטלין מן היורשין וכן דנין ישראל בכל ב"ד שבעולם, אבל במערב היו כותבין בשטרי חובות שיש לגבות מן הקרקע ומן המטלטלין בין בחייו בין אחר מותו ונמצא גובה על תנאי זה יותר מן התקנה, וסייג גדול עשו בדבר שמא לא ידע הלוה בתקנה זו ונמצא ממון יתומים יוצא שלא כדין שאין כח בתקנת אחרונים לחייב בה יתומים.
• 3 Chapters A Day: Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 7, Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 8, Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 9
Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 7
1 A zav imparts impurity to articles on which one lies, sits, or rides in five ways: by standing above them, sitting above them, lying above them, hanging from them, or leaning on them.
What is implied? When there is an article on which one lies, sits, or rides - even if it is under a stone - if one of the persons who imparts impurity to articles on which one lies stands, sits, lies on the stone, hangs from it, or leans on it, since he was in someway supported by the article, it becomes a primary source of impurity. Any of these five acts is included in the term midras whenever it is used.אהזב מטמא את המשכב והמושב והמרכב בחמש דרכים: עומד יושב שוכב נתלה ונשען כיצד כלי העשוי למשכב או למושב או למרכב אפילו היה תחת האבן אם עמד אחד ממטמאי משכב על האבן או ישב עליה או שכב או נשען עליה או נתלה בה הואיל ונתנשא על הכלי הזה מ"מ נטמא ונעשה אב טומאה וכל אחד מה' דרכים אלו הוא הנקרא מדרס בכל מקום:
2 Similarly, an object on which one lies and rides imparts impurity to a person in seven ways, in the five listed in the previous halachah, by touching and by carrying.
What is implied? When a zav was supported by an article on which one lies or rides and thus imparted impurity to it, if a person touches or carries that article, he contracts impurity. Similarly, one contracts impurity if one sits on it, stands on it, lies on it, hangs from it, or leans on it, even if there is a stone separating between the person who was pure and the impure support, as Leviticus 15:6 states: "One who sits on the article on which the zav had sat." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that the place on which a zav sits and imparts impurity causes a person who is pure who sits there to contract impurity. Now just as a zav imparts impurity to an object on which one rides or sits that is beneath a stone, so too, a pure person can contract impurity from an object on which one rides or sits that is beneath a stone, even though the zav is not on the object on which one sits. A person who contracts impurity who is above the midras imparts impurity to his garments as long as he does not separate from the article that imparted impurity to him, as we explained.בוכן המשכב והמרכב מטמאין את האדם בז' דרכים בחמשה דרכים אלו שמנינו ובמגע ובמשא כיצד משכב או מרכב שדרס עליו הזב ונטמא במדרסו הנוגע בו או הנושאו טמא וכן היושב עליו או העומד או השוכב או הנתלה או הנשען אף על פי שהיתה אבן מבדלת בין הטהור ובין המדרס הרי זה נטמא שנאמר והיושב על הכלי אשר ישב עליו הזב מפי השמועה למדו שמקום שהזב יושב ומטמא אם ישב שם הטהור נטמא מה הזב מטמא מרכב ומושב שתחת האבן אף הטהור מתטמא מן המשכב או המרכב שהוא מתחת האבן אע"פ שאין הזב שם על המשכב ואדם זה שהוא למעלה מן המדרס מטמא בגדים כל זמן שלא פירש ממטמאיו כמו שביארנו:
3 A zav does not impart impurity to an object upon which one lies until the majority of his body is supported by the object upon which one lies, sits, or rides. Similarly, when a pure person is supported by a midras made impure by a zav, he does not contract impurity because of the midras until the majority of his body is supported by it. If, however, only the lesser portion of his body is supported by it, since he did not touch it, he remains pure.
What is implied? If the lesser portion of an impure person's body is on a surface on which one lies and the lesser portion of the pure person's body is on that same surface, the surface is pure and the pure person whose body was supported in part by it is pure. When the majority of the impure person's body was supported by the lesser portion of the surface on which one lies or rides, that surface becomes impure in its entirety. Similarly, if the majority of a pure person's body was supported by the lesser portion of an impure midras, he becomes impure even though he was supported only by the lesser portion of the object on which one sits.גאין הזב מטמא את המשכב עד שינשא רובו על המשכב או על המושב או על המרכב וכן הטהור שדרס על מדרס הזב אינו מתטמא מחמת המדרס עד שינשא רובו עליו אבל אם נישא מיעוטו הואיל ולא נגע הרי זה טהור כיצד מקצת טמא על המשכב ומקצת הטהור על אותו משכב המשכב טהור והטהור שנשא מקצתו עליו טהורין הטמא שנשא רובו על מקצת המשכב או המרכב נטמא המשכב כולו או המרכב כולו וכן הטהור שנשא רובו על מקצת המדרס נטמא ואף ע"פ שלא נשא אלא מקצת המושב:
4 When a zav was sprawled over five benches that are positioned lengthwise, they are all impure, because each one of them supported the majority of his body. If they were positioned widthwise, they are pure, because the majority of his body was not supported by any of them. If he slept upon the benches, they are all impure, because maybe he turned over and each one supported the majority of his body at a given time.
If he was sprawled over six supports, each of his two hands on one, each of his two feet on one, his head on one and his trunk on one, the only one which is impure as a surface on which one lies is the one under his trunk, because the majority of his body is supported by it.
If he is standing on two supports, one foot on one and the other on the second, they are both impure.דזב שהיה מוטל על חמשה ספסלין שהן מונחין לאורכן טמאים שהרי נישא רובו על כל אחד מהן היו מונחין לרוחבן טהורין שהרי לא נישא רובו על כל אחד מהן ואם ישן עליהם בין כך ובין כך טמאים שמא נתהפך עליהם ונמצא רובו על כל אחד היה מוטל על ששה כלים העשויים למשכב שתי ידיו על שנים ושני רגליו על שנים וראשו על אחד וגופו על אחד אין טמא משום משכב אלא זה שתחת גופו שהרי נישא רובו עליו עמד על שני משכבות רגלו אחת על אחד ורגלו שניה על השני שניהן טמאין:
5 If a person was sitting on a bed and there were four surfaces, each one under one of the four legs of the bed, they are all impure. The rationale is that the bed cannot stand merely on three.ההיה יושב על גבי המטה וד' משכבות תחת ארבע רגלי המטה כולן טמאות מפני שאינה יכולה לעמוד על שלש:
6 If a zav was riding on an animal and there were four surfaces, one under each of the animal's four feet, they are all pure. The rationale is that the animal can stand on three feet. Thus the fourth is merely an assist and an assist is not significant. Thus each of the legs is fit to be considered as merely an assist. Since we do not know which forefoot or hindfoot the animal was not using for support, none of them are considered as impure. Hence they all remain pure.
Therefore if one support was under the two forefeet of the animal, its two hindfeet, or a forefoot and a hindfoot, the support is impure, for this support definitely served as a base for the zav, for an animal cannot stand on only two feet.והיה רוכב על גבי בהמה וד' משכבות תחת ארבע רגליה כולן טהורות מפני שהבהמה יכולה לעמוד על שלש ונמצאת הרביעית מסייע ומסייע אין בו ממש והואיל וכל אחת ראויה להיות מסייע ואין אנו יודעים אי זו יד ואי זו רגל היא שלא היתה נשענת עליה הרי לא הוחזקה טומאה באחת מהן ולפיכך כולן טהורות לפיכך אם היה משכב אחד תחת שתי ידי הבהמה או תחת שתי רגליה או תחת ידה ורגלה הרי זה טמא שהרי ודאי נישא הזב על משכב זה שאין הבהמה יכולה לעמוד על שתים:
7 When an impure person sat on the beam in an olive press, all of the keilim in the net are impure, for they are pressed directly under the beam. When, by contrast, a person sits on a launderer's press, the garments under the board in the press are pure. The press rests on its own feet and not on the garments that are under it. Thus if a person would desire to insert a knife or the like between the garments that are under the press and the press, he would be able to, even though the press is tied close.זישב הטמא על קורת בית הבד כל הכלים שבעקל טמאים שהרי הם רצוצים תחת הקורה אבל אם ישב על מכבש של כובס הרי הכלים שתחת לוח המכבש טהורים מפני שהוא רפוי ונמצאת משענת המכבש על רגליו לא על הכלים שתחתיו שאם ירצה אדם להכניס סכין וכיוצא בה בין הכלים שתחת המכבש ובין המכבש מכניס אף על פי שהוא קשור:
8 When a zav used for support an implement that was not made for one to lie, sit, or ride on, since he did not touch it, it is pure even though it could have been used to lie on. The rationale is that we tell him: "Stand up and let us perform our work with this article."
What is implied? If one turned over a measuring container for grain or a kneading trough and sat on it, or sat on a curtain or the sail of a ship, they are pure, as implied by Leviticus 15:4 which states "that he sits upon," indicating an article set aside for sitting and not one concerning which would be said: "Stand up and let us perform our work," for this article was not made for sitting.
If the article was used to be sat upon together with the purpose it was made, it can contract impurity as a midras, for example, a veil, a cloak, an outer garment, a drinking pouch, and a carrying bag. Even though none of these entities were made to lie upon, isuch an article could be used to lie upon together with the purpose for which it was made. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations. In Hilchot Keilim, I will explain which keilim can contract impurity through midras and which do not, which keilim are fit for sitting, which are fit for lying, and which are fit for riding.חזב שדרס על כלי שלא נעשה למשכב או למושב או למרכב אף ע"פ שהוא ראוי למשכב הואיל ולא נגע בו הרי זה טהור שהרי אומרים לו עמוד ונעשה מלאכתנו בכלי זה כיצד כפה סאה וישב עליה כפה עריבה וישב עליה או שישב על פרוכת או על קלע של ספינה וכיוצא בהן הרי אלו טהורים שנאמר אשר ישב עליו המיוחד לישיבה לא שאומרים לו עמוד ונעשה מלאכתנו מפני שכלי זה לא נעשה לישיבה היה הכלי משמש לישיבה עם מלאכתו שעושה לה הרי זה מתטמא במדרס כגון הרדיד והחלוק והטלית והתורמל והחמת אע"פ שכל אחד מהן לא נעשה מתחילה למשכב הרי הוא משמש את המשכב עם מלאכתו וכן כל כיוצא באלו ובהלכות כלים אבאר כל הכלים המיטמאין במדרס וכלים שאין מיטמאין במדרס ואי זה כלי ראוי לישיבה ואי זה ראוי לשכיבה ואי זה ראוי לרכיבה:
Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 8
1 At the beginning of this text, we explained that with regard to other types of impurity, if a person moves a source of impurity which imparts impurity when carried, he contracts impurity. If, however, the source of impurity caused a person to move, he does not contract impurity.אכבר ביארנו בתחלת ספר זה שאם הסיט האדם את הטומאה שהיא מטמאה במשא נטמא משום נושא אבל אם הסיטה הטומאה את האדם לא נטמא:
2 None of the sources of impurity imparts impurity when moving a pure person or a pure k'li except a zav and the like. This is the extra dimension of impurity - that if a zav moves something that is pure, that entity contracts impurity - that exists with regard to a zav that has no comparison in the entire Torah.
What is implied? A beam was positioned on top of a fence and a pure person or pure keilim, even earthenware containers, were on one side and a zav moved the other side. Since the person or the keilim were moved by the zav, it is as if he touched them. They become impure and are considered as a primary derivative of impurity according to Scriptural Law. Needless to say, the person or the keilim become impure if the zav lifted them up. All the laws that apply to a zav also apply to a zavah, a nidah, and a woman after childbirth.
Thus it can be concluded that when a pure person moves a zav, he is impure because it is as if he carried a zav. And when a zav moves a pure entity, whether a person or a k'li, even an earthenware container, that entity is impure, because having the zav move other entities is equivalent to him touching them.באין בכל אבות הטומאות כולן טומאה שאם תסיט את האדם הטהור או את הכלי הטהור תטמא אותן אלא הזב או חביריו בלבד וזו היא הטומאה היתירה בזב שלא מצינו כמותה בכל התורה שאם הסיט את הטהורין טמאין כיצד היתה קורה מוטלת על ראש הגדר ואדם טהור או כלים אפילו כלי חרס על קצתה והניד הזב את הקצה השני הואיל ונתנדנדו מחמת הזב ה"ז כמי שנגע בהן וטמאין ונעשו ראשון לטומאה דין תורה ואין צ"ל שאם נשא הזב את האדם או את הכלים שטמאן ואחד זב וזבה נדה ויולדת בכל הדברים האלו הנה למדת שהאדם הטהור שהסיט את הזב נטמא משום נושא זב והזב שהסיט את הטהור בין אדם בין כלים אפילו כלי חרס טמאין מפני שהנדת הזב לאחרים כאילו נגע בהן:
3 There is a more stringent dimension to the impurity imparted by a zav moving an entity than to the impurity he imparts by touching it. If a zav touches an earthenware container that is firmly sealed close, it is pure. If, however, the zav moves the article, it becomes impure.
A similar stringency applies to an earthenware container that is hollow like a ball for which an opening was not made, e.g., a double frying pan. If it was moved by a zav, it is impure, even though it would be considered pure were it to have been located in a tent containing a human corpse, for it is like an earthenware container that is sealed close, for its opening is sealed. Similarly, when a needle is entirely embedded in a piece of wood or a ring is entirely embedded in a brick, if a zav moves the wood or the brick, the keilim embedded within become impure. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.גחומר בהיסט הזב ממגעו שאם נגע בכלי חרס המוקף צמיד פתיל טהור ואם הסיטו טימאהו וכן כלי חרס שהוא נבוב ככדור ועדיין לא נעשה לו פה כמו אלפסין אירניות אם הסיטן הזב טמאים ואף על פי שהן טהורין באהל המת שהרי הן ככלי חרס המוקף צמיד פתיל שפתחו סתום וכן מחט שהיתה בלועה בתוך העץ וטבעת הבלועה בתוך הלבינה והסיט הזב את העץ או הלבינה נטמאו הכלים הבלועים שבתוכן וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
4 When a zav inserts his hand or foot into the inner space of an earthenware container, since he did not touch the inside of the container, nor did he move it, it remains pure. The rationale is that a nidah or the like do not impart impurity through their limbs alone.דזב שהכניס ידו או רגלו לאויר כלי חרס הואיל ולא נגע בו מתוכו ולא הנידו הרי זה טהור שאין הנדה וכיוצא בה מטמאין לאיברים:
5 When a zav had a rod held fast in the folds of his skin and used the end of the rod to move a person or a k'li, he or it remain pure, as implied by Leviticus 15:11: "Anything that will be touched by the zav when his hands were not washed in water." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this verse is speaking about a zav moving entities. It uses the wording "touch" to teach the following concept: Just as touch involves one's hand and other parts of the body like one's hands, i.e., revealed limbs that can touch, so too, moving an object must be performed by a revealed portion of the body and not by a hidden portion.
If a rod was in the folds of the skin of a pure person and he moved a zav with it, he contracts impurity. For one who moves an impure object is considered as if he carried it. Hence, just as one who carries an article in the hidden portions of his body contracts impurity, as we stated at the beginning of this book, so too, one who moves an impure object with the hidden portions of his body contracts impurity.הזב שהיה קנה אחוז בתוך קומטו והסיט והוציא בקצה הקנה אדם או כלי הרי הן טהורין שנאמר וכל אשר יגע בו הזב וידיו לא שטף במים מפי השמועה למדו שהכתוב הזה מדבר בהיסט הזב והוציאו בלשון נגיעה לומר מה נגיעה בידיו והדומה לידיו משאר גופו הגלוי אצל הנגיעה אף היסטו עד שיסיט בגלוי שבגופו לא שיסיט בבית הסתרים היה הקנה בקומטו של טהור והסיט בו את הזב טמא שהמסיט את הטומאה כנושא אותה וכשם שהנושא בבית הסתרים טמא כמו שביארנו בתחלת ספר זה כך המסיט בבית הסתרים טמא:
6 The following laws apply when a zav was on one side of a scale and a k'li made to lie on or ride on was placed on the other side. If the zav outweighed them, causing them to rise, they are considered as keilim which he touched, for he moved them. If they outweighed him, they contract the impurity associated with articles on which one lies and become a primary source of impurity. The rationale is that they lifted up the zav. Thus it is as if he stood on them.
If there were other keilim, foods, liquids, or another person on the other side of the scale, whether they outweighed the zav or he outweighed them, they are all considered a primary derivative of impurity.והזב בכף מאזנים וכלי העשוי למשכב או למרכב בכף שניה כנגדו כרע הזב הרי הן ככלים שנגע בהן שהרי הסיטן כרעו הן טמאין משום משכב ונעשו אב שהרי נשאו הזב וכאילו עמד עליהן היה בכף שניה שאר הכלים או אוכלין ומשקין או אדם בין שכרעו הן בין שכרע הזב כולן ראשון לטומאה:
7 The following laws apply when a zav and a pure person:
a) were sitting on opposite ends of a bench or a board that moved up and down,
b) both climbed a tree that was not strong, i.e., its trunk is not thick enough for a cavity fit to contain a fourth of a kab to be hollowed out within,
c) ascended a booth that is not strong, i.e., one that can be bent over by a person's hand and when he does so, he presses it and moves it,
d) climbed an Egyptian ladder that was not affixed with nails, or
e) ascended a ramp, a beam, or a door which was not firmly held in place with mortar.
In all these instances, they are impure because the entity they are ascending will shake back and forth and it would be as if the zav is moving the pure person. If, however, they sat in a large boat which would not be affected by the movement of one person, on a board or a bench that was not shaky, or climbed a tree or a booth that was strong, or an Egyptian ladder that was nailed down, or a ramp, a beam, or a door that was held in place with mortar, the pure person remains pure, even if they ascended from the same side.זהזב והטהור שישבו על הספסל או על הנסר בזמן שהן מחגירין או שעלו באילן שכחו רע והוא האילן שאין בעובי עיקרו כדי לחוק רובע הקב או שעלו בסוכה שכחה רע והוא שנחבא בה ודוחק אותה תזוז בו או שעלו בסולם מצרי שאינו קבוע במסמר או שעלו על הכבש ועל הקורה ועל הדלת בזמן שאינן מחוברין בטיט הרי זה טמא מפני שהן מתנדנדין בהן וכאילו הסיט הזב את הטהור שעמו אבל אם ישבו בספינה גדולה שאינה יכולה להסיט באדם או על הנסר או על הספסל בזמן שאינם מחגירין או שעלו באילן ובסוכה שכחן יפה או בסולם מצרי הקבוע במסמר או בכבש ובקורה ובדלת שמחוברים בטיט אפילו עלו מצד אחד הרי זה טהור:
8 When both a zav and a pure person were closing or opening a door at the same time, the pure person remains pure. If one was closing the door and the other opening it, the pure person contracts impurity.
The following laws apply when one lifted the other out of a pit. If the impure person lifted out the pure person, he imparted impurity to him, because he moved him. If the pure person lifted up the impure person, he contracts impurity, because it is as if he carried the impure person, as we explained.חזב וטהור שהיו שניהם כאחד מגיפין את הדלת או פותחין הרי זה טהור היה אחד מגיף ואחד פותח נטמא העלו זה את זה מן הבור אם הטמא העלה את הטהור טמאהו מפני שהסיטו ואם הטהור העלה את הטמא נטמא במשאו כמו שביארנו:
9 When a zav and a pure person where pulling ropes back and forth, one pulling in one direction and the other, in the other direction, the pure person contracts impurity. If they were weaving together, whether standing or sitting, or working a mill, unloading or loading a donkey, if their burden is heavy, the pure person contracts impurity. If it is light, he remains pure.טזב וטהור שהיו מפשילין בחבלים אם היה זה מושך אילך וזה מושך אילך נטמא היו אורגין בין בעומדין בין ביושבין או טוחנין או פורקין מן החמור או טוענין בזמן שמשאן כבד הרי זה טמא ואם היה משוי קל טהור:
10 When a pure person was administering lashes to a zav, he is pure. When a zav is administering lashes to a pure person, he is impure. The rationale is that that if the pure person will move, the impure person will fall. Thus he is leaning on him. Accordingly, even the clothes of the pure person contract impurity.יטהור שהיה מכה את הזב הרי זה טהור וזב שהכה את הטהור טמאהו שאם ימשך הטהור והרי הטמא נופל ונמצא כאילו נשען עליו ולפיכך אף בגדי הטהור טמאין:
11 When a portion of a zav's body was resting above a pure person or a portion of a pure person's body was resting above a zav, the pure person contracts impurity.
What is implied? If a finger of a zav was placed above a pure person or a pure person placed his finger above a zav, even if there is a stone, a beam, or the like between them, the pure person contracts impurity.
Similarly, when entities joined to a zav's body rest on a pure person or entities joined to a pure person's body rest on the zav, the pure person contracts impurity. It is as if each one carried the body of the other. These are what is meant by the term "entities joined to the body": the teeth, the nails, and the hair. It appears to me that this impurity is of Rabbinic origin.יאזב שנישא מקצתו על הטהור או טהור שנישא מקצתו על הזב נטמא כיצד אצבעו של זב שהניחה למעלה מן הטהור או הטהור שהניח אצבעו למעלה מן הזב אע"פ שיש ביניהן אבן או קורה וכיוצא בהם הרי זה טמא וכן חבורי הזב שנישאו על הטהור או חבורי טהור שנישאו על הזב הרי זה טמא וכאילו נשא כל אחד מהם עצמו של חבירו ואלו הם החיבורים: השינים הציפורנים והשיער שלהן ויראה לי שטומאה זו מדבריהם:
Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 9
1 The following laws apply when a support is firmly joined to the earth or nailed down. If it is sound and strong and a zav banged upon it and when doing so, a k'li, food, or liquids that were resting on it were moved or caused to fall from the power of his blow, they are pure. If the support was not sound or strong, but shaky and a zav banged upon it and caused keilim, food, or liquids to fall or move from the power of his blow, they are impure. It is as if he moved them, because they fell as a result of his power.
This is the general principle: Whatever falls as a direct result of the power of the zav's movement is impure. Anything that falls due to the trembling of the support is pure.
What is implied? If he knocked on a tree or a booth that were not sturdy, on an Egyptian ladder that was not affixed with nails, on a ramp, a beam, or a door that was not firmly held in place with mortar or he knocked on a door-bolt, a lock, or an oar, and when he knocked upon these entities, he caused food, liquids, or keilim to fall - or even caused them to shake without falling - they are impure. If, however, he knocked on a tree or a booth that was strong, or an Egyptian ladder that was nailed down, or a ramp, a beam, or a door that was held in place with mortar, a central building beam or an oven, and when he knocked on that entity, keilim, foods, and liquids on it were moved - and even if they fell - they remain pure. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.אדבר שהיה מחובר בארץ או מסומר במסמרים אם היה כחו יפה וחזק והקיש עליו הזב ובעת שהקיש הניד כלי או אוכלין ומשקין מכח הכאתו או שהפילן הרי אלו טהורים ואם לא היה כחו יפה וחזק אלא מתנדנד והקיש עליו הזב והפיל או הניד בכח הכאתו כלים או אוכלים ומשקין הרי אלו טמאין וכאילו הסיטן שהרי מכחו נפלו זה הכלל כל שנפל מכח היסטו טמא מכח הרעדה טהור כיצד הקיש על אילן או סוכה שכחן רע או על סולם מצרי שאינו קבוע במסמר או על קורה ודלת וכבש שאינם מחוברים בטיט או שהקיש על הנגר על המנעול והמשוט ובשעה שהקיש הפיל אוכלין ומשקין או כלים אפילו הנידן ולא נפלו הרי אלו טמאים אבל אם הקיש על אילן או על סוכה שכחן יפה או על סולם מסומר או על כבש או על דלת או קורה המחוברין בטיט או על המריש או על התנור ובשעה שהקיש הניד כלים או אוכלין ומשקין אפילו הפילן הרי אלו טהורין וכן כל כיוצא באלו:
2 When there was a loaf of bread attached to the wall of an oven and a zav knocked on the oven and caused the loaf to fall, it is pure, even if the loaf is terumah. If a shard from the oven is clinging to the loaf that fell, it is impure, even if the loaf is ordinary food.בתנור שהיתה הפת דבוקה בו והקיש על התנור ונפל ככר אפילו היה תרומה הרי זה טהור ואם היה חרס מן התנור מדובק בככר שנפל אפילו היה חולין הרי זה טמא:
3 A surface on which one lies or rides that has contracted midras impurity does not impart impurity to keilim, foods, or liquids, unless it touches them. If, however, the keilim, foods, or liquids were above the impure midras or the impure midras was above them, as long as they do not touch it, even if there is only a paper separating between them, they are pure. Similarly, if an object on which one sits caused keilim, foods, or liquids to move, they are pure.גאין המשכב או המרכב מטמא כלים או אוכלין ומשקין אלא במגע בלבד אבל אם היו כלים או אוכלים ומשקין למעלה מן המדרס או שהיה המדרס למעלה מהן אפילו לא הפסיק ביניהם אלא נייר הואיל ולא נגע בהן הרי אלו טהורין וכן אם הסיט המשכב את הכלים או את האוכלים והמשקין הרי אלו טהורין:
4 When a zav and a pure person were sitting in a small boat that could tip due to the movement of one person, on a dinghy, or riding an animal together, even if their clothes are not touching each other, the clothes of the pure person are considered to have contracted midras impurity. This impurity comes as a result of a doubt; perhaps the zav stepped upon them. Similarly, if a woman in the nidah state sat together with a woman who is pure on a bed, the other woman's clothes are impure because of midras impurity, with the exception of the cap on her head. Similarly, when a zav was in a small boat, clothes on top of the masthead are pure.דהזב והטהור שישבו בספינה קטנה היכולה להמיט באדם אחד או באסדא או שרכבו ע"ג בהמה אף ע"פ שאין בגדיהן נוגעין זה בזה הרי בגדי הטהור טמאים מדרס וטומאתן בספק שמא דרס הזב עליהן וכן נדה שישבה עם הטהור במטה בגדים טמאין מדרס חוץ מכיפה שבראשה וכן הבגדים שבראש הנס שבספינה טהורין:
5 When one pushes into a mill in which a gentile, a zav, or the like is located, his clothes contract midras impurity.
With regard to which type of mill was this said? One that shakes the ground to the extent that it will raise the person standing there and force him from his place.
It is obvious that this impurity was decreed due to a doubt: perhaps the impure person was displaced and stepped on the clothes of the pure person.ההנדחק בריחיים שהעכו"ם בתוכם או זב וכיוצא בו הרי בגדיו טמאין מדרס באי זה ריחים אמרו ברחים שמנדנדין את הקרקע עד שעוקרין את העומד כאן ודוחפין אותו ממקומו ודבר ברור הוא שטומאה זו בספק שמא נעקר הטמא ודרס על בגדי הטהור:
Hayom Yom:
Thursday, Iyar 29, 5777 · 05/25/2017
Iyar 29, 44th day of the omer
| Thursday | Iyar 29, 44th day of the omer | 5703 |
| Torah lessons: | Chumash: Bamidbar, Chamishi with Rashi. |
| Tehillim: 140-150. |
| Tanya: But as for (p. 273)...the sun itself. (p. 273). |
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The ascent of the soul1 occurs three times daily, during the three times of davening. This is particularly true of the souls of tzadikim who "go from strength to strength."2 It is certain that at all times and in every sacred place they may be, they offer invocation and prayer on behalf of those who are bound to them and to their instructions, and who observe their instructions. They offer prayer in particular for their disciples and disciples' disciples, that G-d be their aid, materially and spiritually.
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