Today's Laws & Customs
• Count "Twenty-Two Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the twenty-second 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 twenty-two days, which are three weeks and one day, 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: Chessed sheb'Netzach -- "Kindness in Ambition"
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."
Links:
How to count the Omer
The deeper significance of the Omer Count
Today in Jewish History
• Anti-Jewish Riots in Russia (1881)
Following the assassination a month earlier of Tzar Alexander II of Russia, and the subsequent rumors that the Jews were behind the assassination, anti-Jewish riots broke out on the 6th of Iyar. The riots and pogroms lasted for four years, during which time thousands of Jewish homes and synagogues were destroyed, and countless Jews were injured and impoverished. The unrest started out in Southern Russia, and quickly spread throughout the entire country.
Tzar Alexander III actually blamed the riots on the Jews(!) and punished them by enacting new laws which further restricted their freedoms. Among these devastating laws were legislation which restricted Jews from residing in towns with fewer than 10,000 citizens, and limiting their professional employment and education opportunities.
These oppressive laws, known as the "May Laws," compelled many Jews to emigrate. They are said to have caused more than two million Jews to leave Russia, many of them opting to move to the United States of America, and the freedoms it offered.
Link: The Pogroms of 1881-1884
• Arab Countries Declare War on Israel (1948)
One day after the State of Israel was proclaimed (see Jewish History for the 5th of Iyar), the surrounding Arab nations -- Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq --declared war on the fledgling state, with the objective of "driving the Jews into the sea." Tel Aviv was bombed on that very first day of the War of Independence.
Link: War of Independence
Daily Quote
And G‑d took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it.[Genesis 2:15]
Daily Study
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Acharei-Kedoshim, 3rd Portion Leviticus 17:8-18:21 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation | Video ClassLeviticus Chapter 17
8And you should say to them: Any man of the House of Israel or of the strangers who will sojourn among them, who offers up a burnt offering or [any other] sacrifice, ח וַֽאֲלֵהֶ֣ם תֹּאמַ֔ר אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־יָג֣וּר בְּתוֹכָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר־יַֽעֲלֶ֥ה עֹלָ֖ה אוֹ־זָֽבַח:
Who offers up a burnt-offering: [This passage] comes to make liable one who causes the limbs [of a sacrifice] to go up in smoke outside [the Temple Courtyard] like the one who slaughters [a sacrifice] outside [the Courtyard. Consequently,] if one person slaughtered [the sacrifice] and his fellow offered it up [outside the Courtyard], they are both liable [to the penalty of excision]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:103; Zev. 106a] אשר יעלה עלה: לחייב על המקטיר איברים בחוץ כשוחט בחוץ, שאם שחט אחד והעלה חבירו שניהם חייבין:
9but does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to make it [a sacrifice] to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people. טוְאֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לֹ֣א יְבִיאֶ֔נּוּ לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹת֖וֹ לַֽיהוָֹ֑ה וְנִכְרַ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא מֵֽעַמָּֽיו:
[that man] will be cut off [from his people]: Heb. מֵעַמָּיו, lit. from his peoples. [The plural form of “peoples” teaches us that] his offspring will be cut off as well as his own days being cut off. ונכרת: זרעו נכרת וימיו נכרתין:
10And any man of the House of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My attention upon the soul who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from among his people. יוְאִ֨ישׁ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וּמִן־הַגֵּר֙ הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹאכַ֖ל כָּל־דָּ֑ם וְנָֽתַתִּ֣י פָנַ֗י בַּנֶּ֨פֶשׁ֙ הָֽאֹכֶ֣לֶת אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹתָ֖הּ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ:
any blood: Since Scripture says, “[For it is the blood] that atones for the soul” (next verse), one might think that a person is liable only for [eating] the blood of sanctified things, [which effects atonement]. Scripture, therefore, says here, “any blood” [to include even the blood of ordinary animals]. — [Kereithoth 4b] כל דם: לפי שנאמר בנפש יכפר, יכול לא יהא חייב אלא על דם המוקדשים, תלמוד לומר כל דם:
I will set my attention: Heb. פָנַי. [The word פָנַי here is to be understood to mean] My פְּנַאי, i.e., My leisure. [God is saying,] “I will make Myself free (פּוֹנֶה) from all My affairs, and I will deal with this person!” - [Torath Kohanim 17:108] ונתתי פני: פנאי שלי, פונה אני מכל עסקי ועוסק בו:
11For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have therefore given it to you [to be placed] upon the altar, to atone for your souls. For it is the blood that atones for the soul. יאכִּי־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר֘ בַּדָּ֣ם הִוא֒ וַֽאֲנִ֞י נְתַתִּ֤יו לָכֶם֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הַדָּ֥ם ה֖וּא בַּנֶּ֥פֶשׁ יְכַפֵּֽר:
For the soul of the flesh: of every creature is dependent upon the blood, and therefore, I have given it to atone for the soul of man. [In this way,] one “soul” [namely, the blood of a sacrifice] shall come and atone for another soul. כי נפש הבשר: של כל בריה בדם היא תלויה, ולפיכך נתתיו על המזבח לכפר על נפש האדם. תבוא נפש ותכפר על הנפש:
12Therefore, I said to the children of Israel: None of you shall eat blood, and the stranger who sojourns among you shall not eat blood. יבעַל־כֵּ֤ן אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ מִכֶּ֖ם לֹא־תֹ֣אכַל דָּ֑ם וְהַגֵּ֛ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתֽוֹכְכֶ֖ם לֹא־יֹ֥אכַל דָּֽם:
None of you: [This phrase] comes to warn adults regarding minors [not to feed them blood]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:110; Yev. 114a] כל נפש מכם: להזהיר גדולים על הקטנים:
13And any man of the children of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who traps a quarry of a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, and sheds its blood, he shall cover it [the blood] with dust. יגוְאִ֨ישׁ אִ֜ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וּמִן־הַגֵּר֙ הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצ֜וּד צֵ֥יד חַיָּ֛ה אוֹ־ע֖וֹף אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֑ל וְשָׁפַךְ֙ אֶת־דָּמ֔וֹ וְכִסָּ֖הוּ בֶּֽעָפָֽר:
who traps: [Had the verse stated only this phrase,] we would know only [that this law applies to] creatures that require trapping. But how would we know [that the law includes also] geese and roosters, [which do not require trapping]? Scripture, therefore, adds [the word] צֵיד -a quarry, meaning in any way [even if not trapped]. But if so, why is it stated, “who traps”? [To teach us] that one should not eat flesh except with this preparation, [meaning, that just as one does not go out to trap every day, neither should one eat meat regularly at all his meals, as if he had to go out and trap it]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:111; Chul. 84a] אשר יצוד: אין לי אלא ציד, אווזין ותרנגולין מנין, תלמוד לומר ציד, מכל מקום. אם כן למה נאמר אשר יצוד, שלא יאכל בשר אלא בהזמנה הזאת:
that may be eaten: [This comes] to exclude unclean creatures [which are prohibited to be eaten, that their blood does not require covering]. — [Torath Kohanim 17:112] אשר יאכל: פרט לטמאים:
14For [regarding] the soul of all flesh its blood is in its soul, and I said to the children of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the soul of any flesh is its blood all who eat it shall be cut off. ידכִּי־נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר דָּמ֣וֹ בְנַפְשׁוֹ֘ הוּא֒ וָֽאֹמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דַּ֥ם כָּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ כִּ֣י נֶ֤פֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ דָּמ֣וֹ הִ֔וא כָּל־אֹֽכְלָ֖יו יִכָּרֵֽת:
its blood is in its soul: Its blood is in the place of its very soul, because the soul is dependent upon it. דמו בנפשו הוא: דמו הוא לו במקום הנפש, שהנפש תלויה בו:
for the soul of any flesh is its blood: [The word הִוא, meaning here “it is,” is feminine in gender.] “for the soul […] is the blood.” [For] the words דָּם and בָּשָׂר are masculine in gender, while the word נֶפֶשׁ is feminine in gender. [Hence, the antecedent of הִוא is נֶפֶשׁ.] כי נפש כל בשר דמו הוא: הנפש היא הדם. דם ובשר לשון זכר, נפש לשון נקבה:
15And any person, whether a native or a stranger, who eats carrion or what was torn, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in the waters, and shall remain unclean until evening, and then he shall become clean. טווְכָל־נֶ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֤ל נְבֵלָה֙ וּטְרֵפָ֔ה בָּֽאֶזְרָ֖ח וּבַגֵּ֑ר וְכִבֶּ֨ס בְּגָדָ֜יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב וְטָהֵֽר:
who eats carrion or what was torn: Scripture is speaking about the carcass of a clean bird [i.e., a kosher species of bird], which transmits defilement only at the time it is swallowed into the esophagus. And it teaches you here, that it defiles [the person], when he eats it. [The trefah, the bird mortally wounded by a wild beast, or stricken with a terminal illness, however, does not transmit defilement. Consequently,] the torn one mentioned here was written only to expound upon it. Thus we learned: One might think that the carcass of an unclean bird [also] defiles when it is swallowed into the esophagus. Scripture, therefore, says, “or what was torn,” [referring to a type of bird] that may fall under the category of טְרֵפָה [i.e., a kosher bird, which is prohibited only if it is torn], thus, excluding the case of an unclean bird, which can never fall under the category of טְרֵפָה, [because it is prohibited in any case]. - [Torath Kohanim 17:126] אשר תאכל נבלה וטרפה: בנבלת עוף טהור דבר הכתוב, שאין לה טומאה אלא בשעה שנבלעת בבית הבליעה, ולמדך כאן שמטמאה באכילתה, ואינה מטמאה במגע. וטרפה האמורה כאן לא נכתבה אלא לדרוש. וכן שנינו יכול תהא נבלת עוף טמא מטמאה בבית הבליעה, תלמוד לומר טרפה, מי שיש במינו טרפה, יצא עוף טמא שאין במינו טרפה:
16But if he does not immerse [his garments] or immerse his flesh, he shall bear his sin. טזוְאִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַבֵּ֔ס וּבְשָׂר֖וֹ לֹ֣א יִרְחָ֑ץ וְנָשָׂ֖א עֲוֹנֽוֹ:
he shall bear his sin: If he [subsequently] eats holy sacrifices or enters the Sanctuary [in his unclean state], he is punished by excision because of this uncleanness, like all other cases of uncleanness. — [Torath Kohanim 17: 129] ונשא עונו: אם יאכל קדש או יכנס למקדש חייב על טומאה זו ככל שאר טומאות:
[But if he does not]…immerse his flesh, he shall bear his sin: For [not] immersing his body he is punished by excision. However, for [not] immersing his garments, [and entering the Mishkan wearing them,] he is punished by lashes. — [Torath Kohanim 17:129] ובשרו לא ירחץ ונשא עונו: על רחיצת גופו ענוש כרת ועל כבוס בגדים במלקות:
Leviticus Chapter 18
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: I am the Lord, your God. בדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
I am the Lord, your God: I am the One Who said at Sinai, “I am the Lord, your God” (Exod. 20:2), and you accepted My sovereignty upon yourselves [at that time]; consequently, accept My decrees. Rabbi [Yehudah Hanassi] says: “It is openly known before Him, that they would eventually be scourged by [transgressing the laws of] immoral relations, in the days of Ezra. Therefore, [concerning these laws,] God came to them with the decree: I am the Lord, your God! You should know Who is placing these decrees upon you-the Judge Who exacts retribution (אֱלֹקִים), but Who is faithful also to pay a reward ('ה)!”- [Torath Kohanim 18:138] אני ה' אלהיכם: אני הוא שאמרתי בסיני (שמות כ ב) אנכי ה' אלהיך, וקבלתם עליכם מלכותי, מעתה קבלו גזרותי. רבי אומר גלוי וידוע לפניו שסופן לנתק בעריות בימי עזרא, לפיכך בא עליהם בגזירה אני ה' אלהיכם, דעו מי גוזר עליכם, דיין להפרע ונאמן לשלם שכר:
3Like the practice of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelled, you shall not do, and like the practice of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you, you shall not do, and you shall not follow their statutes. גכְּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֨מָּ֨ה לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּֽתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ:
Like the practice of the land of Egypt […and like the practice of the land of Canaan]: [This verse] informs [us] that the deeds of the Egyptians and the Canaanites were more corrupt than those of all other nations, and moreover, that the [Egyptians residing in that] region [of Egypt] in which the Israelites had dwelt, were the most corrupt of all. — [Torath Kohanim 18:138] כמעשה ארץ מצרים: מגיד שמעשיהם של מצריים ושל כנעניים מקולקלים מכל האומות, ואותו מקום שישבו בו ישראל מקולקל מן הכל:
and like the practice of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you: [This verse] informs [us] that those [Canaanite] peoples whom the Israelites conquered, were more corrupt than any other [people, even the Egyptians]. — [Torath Kohanim 18:138] אשר אני מביא אתכם שמה: מגיד שאותן עממין שכבשו ישראל מקולקלים יותר מכולם:
and you shall not follow their statutes: What did Scripture omit [until now] that it did not state [and includes in this clause]? However, these are their social practices, things that assumed the status of law (חָקוּק) for them, for example, [certain days set aside for attendance at] theaters and stadiums. Rabbi Meir says: These [practices referred to here,] are the “ways of the Amorites,” [the superstitious practices] enumerated by our Sages. — [see Shab. 67ab; Torath Kohanim 18: 139] ובחקתיהם לא תלכו: מה הניח הכתוב שלא אמר, אלא אלו נמוסות שלהן, דברים החקוקין להם, כגון טרטיאות ואצטדיאות. רבי מאיר אומר אלו דרכי האמורי שמנו חכמים:
4You shall fulfill My ordinances and observe My statutes, to follow them. I am the Lord, your God. דאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֧י תַּֽעֲשׂ֛וּ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
You shall fulfill My ordinances: These are the laws stated in the Torah in justice, [i.e., which human intellect deems proper,] which, had they not been stated [in the Torah], would have been deemed worthy to be stated [e.g., not to steal, not to murder, etc.]. — [Torath Kohanim 18:140] את משפטי תעשו: אלו דברים האמורים בתורה במשפט, שאלו לא נאמרו, היו כדאי לאמרן:
and observe My statutes: These are the “King’s decrees” [without apparent rationale to man], against which the evil inclination protests, “Why should we keep them?” Likewise, the nations of the world object to them. Examples are: [The prohibition of] eating pig and wearing shaatnez [a mixture of wool and linen] (see Lev. 19:19), and the purification procedure effected by purification water [the mixture including the ashes of the red cow] (see Num., Chapter 19). Therefore it says, “I am the Lord.” I have decreed [these] upon you; you are not permitted to exempt yourselves [from fulfilling them]. — Torath Kohanim 18:140] ואת חקתי תשמורו: דברים שהם גזירת המלך, שיצר הרע משיב עליהם, למה לנו לשומרן, ואומות העולם משיבין עליהם, כגון אכילת חזיר ולבישת שעטנז וטהרת מי חטאת, לכך נאמר אני ה' גזרתי עליכם, אי אתם רשאים להפטר:
to follow them: Do not take leave from [studying] them, i.e., you shall not say, “I have learned the wisdom of Israel-now I will go and learn the wisdom of the [other] nations.” - [Torath Kohanim 18:141] ללכת בהם: אל תפטר מתוכם, שלא תאמר למדתי חכמת ישראל אלך ואלמד חכמת האומות:
5You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live by them. I am the Lord. הוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם הָֽאָדָ֖ם וָחַ֣י בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances: [This comes to include other details of [laws pertaining to] this passage, that Scripture did not mention explicitly. — [Torath Kohanim 18:142] Another explanation: [This clause, “You shall observe My statutes and My judgments, which a man shall do,” was added,] in order to apply “observance” (שְׁמִירָה) and fulfillment (עֲשִׂיָּה) to statutes, and to apply “observance” (שְׁמִירָה) and “fulfillment” (עֲשִׂיָּה) to ordinances. For [up till now,] Scripture had mentioned only “fulfillment” regarding ordinances and “observance” regarding statutes (see previous verse). - [Torath Kohanim 18:134] ושמרתם את חקתי וגו': לרבות שאר דקדוקי הפרשה, שלא פרט הכתוב בהם. דבר אחר ליתן שמירה ועשייה לחוקים ושמירה ועשייה למשפטים, לפי שלא נתן אלא עשייה למשפטים ושמירה לחוקים:
and live by them: in the World-To-Come. For if you say [that the verse refers to living] in this world, does he not eventually die? [Torath Kohanim 18:134] וחי בהם: לעולם הבא, שאם תאמר בעולם הזה, והלא סופו הוא מת:
I am the Lord: faithful to pay a reward [an attribute represented by the Name 'ה ]. — [Torath Kohanim 18:134] אני ה': נאמן לשלם שכר:
6No man shall come near to any of his close relatives, to uncover [their] nakedness. I am the Lord. ואִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ אֶל־כָּל־שְׁאֵ֣ר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ לֹ֥א תִקְרְב֖וּ לְגַלּ֣וֹת עֶרְוָ֑ה אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה:
No man shall come near: Heb. תִקְרְבוּ לֹא. [This comes] to admonish the female as [it does] the male. Therefore, it is stated in the plural form. — [Torath Kohanim 18:136] לא תקרבו: להזהיר הנקבה כזכר, לכך נאמר לשון רבים:
I am the Lord: faithful to pay a reward [not only for fulfilling positive commandments but also to the one who saves himself from sinning]. — [Torath Kohanim 18:145] אני ה': נאמן לשלם שכר:
7You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. זעֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֛יךָ וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אִמְּךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אִמְּךָ֣ הִ֔וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ:
the nakedness of your father: This [refers to] your father’s wife. [But how do we know this?] Perhaps it is only to be interpreted literally [as an admonition against relations with one’s father, in addition to the general admonition against pederasty]. [The answer is:] It says here, “The nakedness of your father,” and it says further, “has uncovered his father’s nakedness” (Lev. 20:11). Just as in the latter verse, Scripture is speaking of his father’s wife [as that verse begins with, “And a man who cohabits with his father’s wife”], here, too, [Scripture is speaking of] his father’s wife. - [Sanh. 54a] ערות אביך: זו אשת אביך, או אינו אלא כמשמעו, נאמר כאן ערות אביך, ונאמר להלן (ויקרא כ יא) ערות אביו גלה, מה להלן אשת אביו, אף כאן אשת אביו:
or the nakedness of your mother: [It comes] to include [in the prohibition,] his mother who is not his father’s wife. — [Sanh. 54a] וערות אמך: להביא אמו שאינה אשת אביו:
8You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness. חעֶרְוַ֥ת אֵֽשֶׁת־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יךָ הִֽוא:
the nakedness of your father’s wife: [This admonition is repeated] to include [in the prohibition, one’s father’s wife, even] after the death [of one’s father]. — [Sanh. 54a] ערות אשת אביך: לרבות לאחר מיתה:
9The nakedness of your sister, whether your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether born to one who may remain in the home or born to one who must be sent outside you shall not uncover their nakedness. טעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲחֽוֹתְךָ֤ בַת־אָבִ֨יךָ֙ א֣וֹ בַת־אִמֶּ֔ךָ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת בַּ֔יִת א֖וֹ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת ח֑וּץ לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽן:
your father’s daughter: Included in the meaning [of the verse] is also a daughter born from a woman [the father] raped [i.e., not the father’s wife]. — [Yev. 22b] בת אביך: אף בת אנוסה במשמע:
whether born to one who may remain in the home or to one who must remain outside: מוֹלֶדֶת בַּית אוֹ מוֹלֶדֶת חוּץ, lit. born in the house or born outside. Whether they say to your father, “[You may] keep her mother [as your wife],” or whether they say to your father, “[You must] send her mother away,” for example, a mamzereth, or a nethinah [an offspring of the Gibeonites (see Josh. 9:327)]. — [Yev. 23a] מולדת בית או מולדת חוץ: בין שאומרים לו לאביך קיים את אמה ובין שאומרים לו לאביך הוצא את אמה, כגון ממזרת או נתינה:
10The nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter you shall not uncover their nakedness, for they are your own nakedness. יעֶרְוַ֤ת בַּת־בִּנְךָ֙ א֣וֹ בַת־בִּתְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָ֑ן כִּ֥י עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ הֵֽנָּה:
The nakedness of your son’s daughter [or your daughter’s daughter]: Scripture is speaking of his daughter born from a woman he had raped. [The case, however,] of [his son’s] daughter and his daughter’s daughter [who stem] from his wife, we learn from (verse 17 below), “You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; you shall not take [in marriage] her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter” about [whose nakedness] Scripture says, “You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter” whether this daughter stems from him or from another man. — [Yev. 22b] ערות בת בנך וגו: בבתו מאנוסתו הכתוב מדבר, ובתו ובת בתו מאשתו אנו למדין מערות אשה ובתה לא תגלה, בין שהיא ממנו ובין שהיא מאיש אחר:
The nakedness of your son’s daughter: How much more so, then, should one’s own daughter [be prohibited]! But since a Scriptural admonition must not be derived from an inference from minor to major, [but must be explicitly mentioned], they learned it from a gezeirah shavah [an exposition linking common words within verses of this passage, which is considered as if explicitly mentioned] in Tractate Yevamoth (3a). ערות בת בנך: קל וחומר לבתך, אלא לפי שאין מזהירין מן הדין למדוה מגזרה שוה במסכת יבמות (ג א):
11The nakedness of the daughter of your father's wife, born to your father she is your sister: you shall not uncover her nakedness. יאעֶרְוַ֨ת בַּת־אֵשֶׁ֤ת אָבִ֨יךָ֙ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת אָבִ֔יךָ אֲחֽוֹתְךָ֖ הִ֑וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ:
The nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife: [This verse] teaches us that one is not liable to the punishment [of excision, if he cohabited with] his sister who stems from a handmaid or a non-Jewess. Therefore, it says, “the daughter of your father’s wife” - [i.e.,] a woman fit to enter into marriage [thus excluding a handmaid and non-Jewess, marriage with whom is not binding]. — [Yev. 23a] ערות בת אשת אביך: לימד שאינו חייב על אחותו משפחה ונכרית לכך נאמר בת אשת אביך בראויה לקידושין:
12You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is the close relative of your father. יבעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחֽוֹת־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה שְׁאֵ֥ר אָבִ֖יךָ הִֽוא:
13You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is the close relative of your mother. יגעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחֽוֹת־אִמְּךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּֽי־שְׁאֵ֥ר אִמְּךָ֖ הִֽוא:
14You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother you shall not come near his wife; she is your aunt. ידעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲחִֽי־אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֶל־אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִקְרָ֔ב דֹּדָֽתְךָ֖ הִֽוא:
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother: And what is “his nakedness?” “you shall not come near his wife.” ערות אחי אביך לא תגלה: ומה היא ערותו, אל אשתו לא תקרב:
15You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter in law; she is your son's wife you shall not uncover her nakedness. טועֶרְוַ֥ת כַּלָּֽתְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֵ֤שֶׁת בִּנְךָ֙ הִ֔וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ:
[she is] your son’s wife: [Scripture says:] I have stated [the law] only [in the case of a woman] with whom your son has a marital tie. [This] excludes a woman he has raped, a handmaid, or a non-Jewess [with whom the son has cohabited]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:108] אשת בנך היא: לא אמרתי אלא בשיש לבנך אישות בה, פרט לאנוסה ושפחה ונכרית:
16You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness. טזעֶרְוַ֥ת אֵֽשֶׁת־אָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֖יךָ הִֽוא:
17You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; you shall not take [in marriage] her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness they are close relatives, it is evil counsel. יזעֶרְוַ֥ת אִשָּׁ֛ה וּבִתָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה אֶת־בַּת־בְּנָ֞הּ וְאֶת־בַּת־בִּתָּ֗הּ לֹ֤א תִקַּח֙ לְגַלּ֣וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ שַֽׁאֲרָ֥ה הֵ֖נָּה זִמָּ֥ה הִֽוא:
You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter: Scripture prohibits [relations with the second woman] only through a marital tie with the first one [whether the woman or her daughter]. Hence, Scripture says, לֹא תִקַּח, denoting “taking (קִיחָה) in marriage.” Similarly, when it comes to stating the punishment [of those who transgress this matter, Scripture says], “[And a man] who takes (יִקַּח) a woman and her mother [in marriage…they shall burn him and them in fire]” (Lev. 20:14), [also using] the expression of קִיחָה, “taking [in marriage].” But if he raped a woman, he is permitted to marry her daughter. — [Yev. 97a] ערות אשה ובתה: לא אסר הכתוב אלא ע"י נשואי הראשונה, לכך נאמר לא תקח, לשון קיחה, וכן לענין העונש אשר יקח את אשה ואת אמה (ויקרא כ יד), לשון קיחה, אבל אנס אשה מותר לישא בתה:
they are close relatives: Heb. שַׁאֲרָה הֵנָּה, they are related to one another. שארה הנה: קרובות (הן) זו לזו:
evil counsel: Heb. זִמָּה, counsel [like the word זָמַם, plotted]; as the Targum renders: עֲצַת חֶטְאִין, counsel of sins, which your [evil] inclination has counseled you to sin. זמה: עצה כתרגומו עצת חטאין, שיצרך יועצך לחטוא:
18And you shall not take a woman with her sister [in marriage] as rivals, to uncover the nakedness of one upon the other, in her lifetime. יחוְאִשָּׁ֥ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָ֖הּ לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח לִצְרֹ֗ר לְגַלּ֧וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ עָלֶ֖יהָ בְּחַיֶּֽיהָ:
a woman with her sister: both at the same time. אל אחתה: שתיהן כאחת:
as rivals: Heb. לִצְרֹר, an expression similar to צָרָה, rival, to make one a rival to the other. לצרר: לשון צרה לעשות את זו צרה לזו:
in her lifetime: This teaches you that if he divorced her, he may not marry her sister while she is still alive. — [Yev.. 8b] בחייה: למדך שאם גרשה לא ישא את אחותה כל זמן שהיא בחיים:
19And to a woman during the uncleanness of her separation, you shall not come near to uncover her nakedness. יטוְאֶל־אִשָּׁ֖ה בְּנִדַּ֣ת טֻמְאָתָ֑הּ לֹ֣א תִקְרַ֔ב לְגַלּ֖וֹת עֶרְוָתָֽהּ:
20You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to become defiled by her. כוְאֶל־אֵ֨שֶׁת֙ עֲמִ֣יתְךָ֔ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן שְׁכָבְתְּךָ֖ לְזָ֑רַע לְטָמְאָה־בָֽהּ:
21And you shall not give any of your offspring to pass through for Molech. And you shall not profane the Name of your God. I am the Lord. כאוּמִזַּרְעֲךָ֥ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֖ן לְהַֽעֲבִ֣יר לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֧א תְחַלֵּ֛ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:
for Molech: A form of idolatry, named Molech, and this was the manner of its worship, that one would hand over one’s child to the pagan priests, who would make two huge fires. The child was then passed through on foot between these two fires. — [Sanh. 64b, see Rashi there.] למלך: עבודה זרה היא ששמה מולך, וזו היא עבודתה, שמוסר בנו לכומרים ועושין שתי מדורות גדולות ומעבירין את הבן ברגליו בין שתי מדורות האש:
And you shall not give: This refers to the handing him over to the pagan priests. לא תתן: זו היא מסירתו לכומרים:
to pass through for Molech: This refers to passing [the child] between the fire[s]. להעביר למלך: זו (היא) העברת האש:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 35 - 38
• Hebrew text
• English textChapter 35
This psalm is an awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer about David's enemies-that they be as chaff before the wind, chased by the angel of God. It also declares that everything comes about through God's help.
1. By David. Fight my antagonists, O Lord, battle those who battle against me.
2. Take hold of shield and armor and arise to help me.
3. Draw a spear, and bar the way before my pursuers; say to my soul, "I am your deliverance.”
4. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who devise my harm retreat and be humiliated.
5. Let them be as chaff before the wind; let the angel of the Lord thrust them away.
6. Let their path be dark and slippery; let them be chased by the angel of the Lord.
7. For without cause have they laid their nets in the pit for me; without cause have they dug [pits] for my soul.
8. Let darkness come upon him unawares; let the very snare that he hid trap him, in darkness he will fall in it.
9. And my soul shall exult in the Lord, rejoice in His deliverance.
10. My entire being shall declare: Lord, who is like You? Who saves the poor from one stronger than he, the poor and the destitute from one who would rob him.
11. Corrupt witnesses rise up [against me], they demand of me things of which I do not know.
12. They repay me evil for good, death for my soul.
13. But I wore sackcloth when they were ill; I afflicted my soul with fasting. Let my prayer return upon my own bosom.
14. As if it were my friend, my brother, I went about; like a mother in mourning, I was bent over in gloom.
15. But when I limped, they rejoiced and gathered; the lowly gathered against me-even those whom I do not know; they laugh and cannot be quiet.
16. With flattery and scorn, for the sake of a meal,1 they gnash their teeth at me.
17. My Lord, how long will You look on? Restore my life from their darkness; from young lions, my soul.
18. I will thank You in a great congregation, amidst a mighty nation I will praise You.
19. Let not those who hate me without cause rejoice over me; [let not] those who despise me without reason wink their eye.
20. For they speak not of peace, rather they scheme deceitful matters against the broken of the land.
21. They opened their mouths wide against me, they said, "Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen [his misfortune].”
22. You saw, Lord, be not silent; my Lord, be not distant from me.
23. Rouse and awaken Yourself to my judgement, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me according to your righteousness, Lord my God; let them not rejoice over me.
25. Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha! We have our desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him!”
26. Let them be shamed and disgraced together, those who rejoice at my trouble; let them be clothed in shame and humiliation, those who raise themselves arrogantly over me.
27. Let those who desire my vindication sing joyously and be glad; let them say always, "Let the Lord be exalted, Who desires the peace of His servant.”
28. My tongue will speak of Your righteousness, Your praise, all day long.
FOOTNOTES
1.These men flatter Saul in order to obtain free meals (Rashi).
Chapter 36
This psalm is a message to those who follow their evil inclination, that tells them, "Do not place the fear of God before you," and brings them to sin by beautifying evil deeds in their eyes. For so is his way: "He descends (to earth) and corrupts, then goes up (to the Heavenly Court) and prosecutes."
1. For the Conductor, by the servant of the Lord, by David.
2. [I think] in my heart: Sin says to the wicked, "There is none [who need place] the fear of God before his eyes.”
3. For Sin makes itself appealing to him, until his iniquity be found and he is hated.
4. The speech of his mouth is evil and deceit; he fails to reason, to improve.
5. On his bed he contemplates evil, he stands in a path that is not good; he does not despise evil.
6. O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens; Your faithfulness is till the skies.
7. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your judgements extend to the great deep; man and beast You deliver, O Lord.
8. How precious is Your kindness, O God; man takes shelter in the shadow of Your wings.
9. They will be filled by the abundance of Your house; from the stream of Your Eden, You will give them to drink.
10. For the source of life is with You; in Your Light do we see light.
11. Extend Your kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright of heart.
12. Let not the foot of the arrogant overtake me; let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
13. There1 the doers of evil fell, thrust down, unable to rise.
FOOTNOTES
1.In the very place they intended to persecute me (Metzudot).
Chapter 37
King David exhorts his generation not to be jealous of the prosperity of the wicked, for it may lead to falling into their ways. Rather, put your trust in God, conduct yourselves with integrity, and God will take care of everything.
1. By David. Do not compete with the wicked; do not envy doers of injustice.
2. For like grass they will be swiftly cut down; like green vegetation they will wither.
3. Trust in the Lord and do good; then will you abide in the land and be nourished by faith.
4. Delight in the Lord, and He will grant you the desires of your heart.
5. Cast your needs upon the Lord; rely on Him, and He will take care.
6. He will reveal your righteousness like the light, your justness like the high noon.
7. Depend on the Lord and hope in Him. Compete not with the prosperous, with the man who invents evil schemes.
8. Let go of anger, abandon rage; do not compete with [one who intends] only to harm.
9. For the evildoers will be cut down; but those who hope in the Lord, they will inherit the earth.
10. For soon the wicked one will not be; you will gaze at his place and he will be gone.
11. But the humble shall inherit the earth, and delight in abundant peace.
12. The wicked one plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him.
13. My Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day will come.
14. The wicked have drawn a sword and bent their bow to fell the poor and destitute, to slaughter those of upright ways.
15. But their sword shall enter their own hearts, and their bows shall break.
16. Better the little of the righteous, than the abundant wealth of the wicked.
17. For the strength of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports the righteous.
18. The Lord appreciates the days of the innocent; their inheritance will last forever.
19. They will not be shamed in times of calamity, and in days of famine they will be satisfied.
20. For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord are as fattened sheep: consumed, consumed in smoke.
21. The wicked man borrows and does not repay; but the righteous man is gracious and gives.
22. For those blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him will be cut off.
23. The steps of man are directed by God; He desires his way.
24. When he totters he shall not be thrown down, for the Lord supports his hand.
25. I have been a youth, I have also aged; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his offspring begging bread.
26. All day he is kind and lends; his offspring are a blessing.
27. Turn away from evil and do good, and you will dwell [in peace] forever.
28. For the Lord loves justice, he will not abandon his pious ones-they are protected forever; but the offspring of the wicked are cut off.
29. The righteous shall inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever.
30. The mouth of the righteous one utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31. The Torah of his God is in his heart; his steps shall not falter.
32. The wicked one watches for the righteous man, and seeks to kill him.
33. But the Lord will not abandon him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34. Hope in the Lord and keep His way; then He will raise you high to inherit the earth. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35. I saw a powerful wicked man, well-rooted like a vibrant, native tree.
36. Yet he vanished, behold he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.
37. Watch the innocent, and observe the upright, for the future of such a man is peace.
38. But sinners shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked is cut off.
39. The deliverance of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of distress.
40. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they have put their trust in Him.
Chapter 38
A prayer for every individual, bewailing the length of the exile. One who is in distress should recite this psalm, hence its introduction, "A psalm... to remind" (to remind us to recite it in times of distress). One can also derive many lessons from it.
1. A psalm by David, to remind.
2. O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chastise me in Your wrath.
3. For Your arrows have landed in me, Your hand descended upon me.
4. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your rage, no peace in my bones because of my sin.
5. For my iniquities have flooded over my head; like a heavy load, they are too heavy for me.
6. My wounds are rotted; they reek because of my foolishness.
7. I am bent and extremely bowed; all day I go about in gloom.
8. My sides are inflamed; there is no soundness in my flesh.
9. I am weakened and extremely depressed; I howl from the moaning of my heart.
10. My Lord, all that I desire is before You; my sighing is not hidden from You.
11. My heart is engulfed, my strength has left me; the light of my eyes they, too, are not with me.
12. My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction; my intimates stand afar.
13. The seekers of my life have laid traps; those who seek my harm speak destructiveness; they utter deceits all day long.
14. But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear; like a mute that does not open his mouth.
15. I was like a man that does not perceive, and in whose mouth there are no rebuttals.
16. Because for You, O Lord, I wait; You will answer, my Lord, my God.
17. For I said, "Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot falters they will gloat over me.”
18. For I am accustomed to limping, and my pain is constantly before me.
19. For I admit my iniquity; I worry because of my sin.
20. But my enemies abound with life; those who hate me without cause flourish.
21. Those who repay evil for good resent me for my pursuit of good.
22. Do not forsake me, O Lord; do not be distant from me, my God.
23. Hurry to my aid, O my Lord, my Salvation.
• English textChapter 35
This psalm is an awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer about David's enemies-that they be as chaff before the wind, chased by the angel of God. It also declares that everything comes about through God's help.
1. By David. Fight my antagonists, O Lord, battle those who battle against me.
2. Take hold of shield and armor and arise to help me.
3. Draw a spear, and bar the way before my pursuers; say to my soul, "I am your deliverance.”
4. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who devise my harm retreat and be humiliated.
5. Let them be as chaff before the wind; let the angel of the Lord thrust them away.
6. Let their path be dark and slippery; let them be chased by the angel of the Lord.
7. For without cause have they laid their nets in the pit for me; without cause have they dug [pits] for my soul.
8. Let darkness come upon him unawares; let the very snare that he hid trap him, in darkness he will fall in it.
9. And my soul shall exult in the Lord, rejoice in His deliverance.
10. My entire being shall declare: Lord, who is like You? Who saves the poor from one stronger than he, the poor and the destitute from one who would rob him.
11. Corrupt witnesses rise up [against me], they demand of me things of which I do not know.
12. They repay me evil for good, death for my soul.
13. But I wore sackcloth when they were ill; I afflicted my soul with fasting. Let my prayer return upon my own bosom.
14. As if it were my friend, my brother, I went about; like a mother in mourning, I was bent over in gloom.
15. But when I limped, they rejoiced and gathered; the lowly gathered against me-even those whom I do not know; they laugh and cannot be quiet.
16. With flattery and scorn, for the sake of a meal,1 they gnash their teeth at me.
17. My Lord, how long will You look on? Restore my life from their darkness; from young lions, my soul.
18. I will thank You in a great congregation, amidst a mighty nation I will praise You.
19. Let not those who hate me without cause rejoice over me; [let not] those who despise me without reason wink their eye.
20. For they speak not of peace, rather they scheme deceitful matters against the broken of the land.
21. They opened their mouths wide against me, they said, "Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen [his misfortune].”
22. You saw, Lord, be not silent; my Lord, be not distant from me.
23. Rouse and awaken Yourself to my judgement, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me according to your righteousness, Lord my God; let them not rejoice over me.
25. Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha! We have our desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him!”
26. Let them be shamed and disgraced together, those who rejoice at my trouble; let them be clothed in shame and humiliation, those who raise themselves arrogantly over me.
27. Let those who desire my vindication sing joyously and be glad; let them say always, "Let the Lord be exalted, Who desires the peace of His servant.”
28. My tongue will speak of Your righteousness, Your praise, all day long.
FOOTNOTES
1.These men flatter Saul in order to obtain free meals (Rashi).
Chapter 36
This psalm is a message to those who follow their evil inclination, that tells them, "Do not place the fear of God before you," and brings them to sin by beautifying evil deeds in their eyes. For so is his way: "He descends (to earth) and corrupts, then goes up (to the Heavenly Court) and prosecutes."
1. For the Conductor, by the servant of the Lord, by David.
2. [I think] in my heart: Sin says to the wicked, "There is none [who need place] the fear of God before his eyes.”
3. For Sin makes itself appealing to him, until his iniquity be found and he is hated.
4. The speech of his mouth is evil and deceit; he fails to reason, to improve.
5. On his bed he contemplates evil, he stands in a path that is not good; he does not despise evil.
6. O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens; Your faithfulness is till the skies.
7. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your judgements extend to the great deep; man and beast You deliver, O Lord.
8. How precious is Your kindness, O God; man takes shelter in the shadow of Your wings.
9. They will be filled by the abundance of Your house; from the stream of Your Eden, You will give them to drink.
10. For the source of life is with You; in Your Light do we see light.
11. Extend Your kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright of heart.
12. Let not the foot of the arrogant overtake me; let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
13. There1 the doers of evil fell, thrust down, unable to rise.
FOOTNOTES
1.In the very place they intended to persecute me (Metzudot).
Chapter 37
King David exhorts his generation not to be jealous of the prosperity of the wicked, for it may lead to falling into their ways. Rather, put your trust in God, conduct yourselves with integrity, and God will take care of everything.
1. By David. Do not compete with the wicked; do not envy doers of injustice.
2. For like grass they will be swiftly cut down; like green vegetation they will wither.
3. Trust in the Lord and do good; then will you abide in the land and be nourished by faith.
4. Delight in the Lord, and He will grant you the desires of your heart.
5. Cast your needs upon the Lord; rely on Him, and He will take care.
6. He will reveal your righteousness like the light, your justness like the high noon.
7. Depend on the Lord and hope in Him. Compete not with the prosperous, with the man who invents evil schemes.
8. Let go of anger, abandon rage; do not compete with [one who intends] only to harm.
9. For the evildoers will be cut down; but those who hope in the Lord, they will inherit the earth.
10. For soon the wicked one will not be; you will gaze at his place and he will be gone.
11. But the humble shall inherit the earth, and delight in abundant peace.
12. The wicked one plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him.
13. My Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day will come.
14. The wicked have drawn a sword and bent their bow to fell the poor and destitute, to slaughter those of upright ways.
15. But their sword shall enter their own hearts, and their bows shall break.
16. Better the little of the righteous, than the abundant wealth of the wicked.
17. For the strength of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports the righteous.
18. The Lord appreciates the days of the innocent; their inheritance will last forever.
19. They will not be shamed in times of calamity, and in days of famine they will be satisfied.
20. For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord are as fattened sheep: consumed, consumed in smoke.
21. The wicked man borrows and does not repay; but the righteous man is gracious and gives.
22. For those blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him will be cut off.
23. The steps of man are directed by God; He desires his way.
24. When he totters he shall not be thrown down, for the Lord supports his hand.
25. I have been a youth, I have also aged; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his offspring begging bread.
26. All day he is kind and lends; his offspring are a blessing.
27. Turn away from evil and do good, and you will dwell [in peace] forever.
28. For the Lord loves justice, he will not abandon his pious ones-they are protected forever; but the offspring of the wicked are cut off.
29. The righteous shall inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever.
30. The mouth of the righteous one utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31. The Torah of his God is in his heart; his steps shall not falter.
32. The wicked one watches for the righteous man, and seeks to kill him.
33. But the Lord will not abandon him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34. Hope in the Lord and keep His way; then He will raise you high to inherit the earth. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35. I saw a powerful wicked man, well-rooted like a vibrant, native tree.
36. Yet he vanished, behold he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.
37. Watch the innocent, and observe the upright, for the future of such a man is peace.
38. But sinners shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked is cut off.
39. The deliverance of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of distress.
40. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they have put their trust in Him.
Chapter 38
A prayer for every individual, bewailing the length of the exile. One who is in distress should recite this psalm, hence its introduction, "A psalm... to remind" (to remind us to recite it in times of distress). One can also derive many lessons from it.
1. A psalm by David, to remind.
2. O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chastise me in Your wrath.
3. For Your arrows have landed in me, Your hand descended upon me.
4. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your rage, no peace in my bones because of my sin.
5. For my iniquities have flooded over my head; like a heavy load, they are too heavy for me.
6. My wounds are rotted; they reek because of my foolishness.
7. I am bent and extremely bowed; all day I go about in gloom.
8. My sides are inflamed; there is no soundness in my flesh.
9. I am weakened and extremely depressed; I howl from the moaning of my heart.
10. My Lord, all that I desire is before You; my sighing is not hidden from You.
11. My heart is engulfed, my strength has left me; the light of my eyes they, too, are not with me.
12. My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction; my intimates stand afar.
13. The seekers of my life have laid traps; those who seek my harm speak destructiveness; they utter deceits all day long.
14. But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear; like a mute that does not open his mouth.
15. I was like a man that does not perceive, and in whose mouth there are no rebuttals.
16. Because for You, O Lord, I wait; You will answer, my Lord, my God.
17. For I said, "Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot falters they will gloat over me.”
18. For I am accustomed to limping, and my pain is constantly before me.
19. For I admit my iniquity; I worry because of my sin.
20. But my enemies abound with life; those who hate me without cause flourish.
21. Those who repay evil for good resent me for my pursuit of good.
22. Do not forsake me, O Lord; do not be distant from me, my God.
23. Hurry to my aid, O my Lord, my Salvation.
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 44
• English Text: Lessons in Tanya
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
• Video ClassTuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · May 2, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 44
רק שאף על פי כן צריך לטרוח בשכלו להשיג ולהגיע גם לבחינת אהבת עולם הנזכרת למעלה, הבאה מהתבונה ודעת בגדולת ה׳
Nonetheless a person must strain his intellect to apprehend and attain also the above-mentioned1 level of ahavat olam, which stems from an understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G‑d,
As such it differs from the loves of “My soul...” and “Like a son...” which essentially are inherited, and are only revealed through contemplation.
כדי להגדיל מדורת אש האהבה ברשפי אש ושלהבת עזה ולהב העולה השמימה, עד שמים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות וגו׳ ונהרות לא ישטפוה וגו׳
in order to fan the blaze of the fiery love, with glowing coals and an intense fire and a flame that rises heavenwards, so that2 “not even many waters which are enemies of the love can extinguish it..., nor rivers quench it....”
Love created purely as a result of contemplation is more passionate and fiery than love which is essentially inherited, even when the inherited love is revealed through contemplation.
כי יש יתרון ומעלה לבחינת אהבה כרשפי אש ושלהבת עזה וכו׳ הבאה מהתבונה ודעת בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, על שתי בחינות אהבה הנזכרות למעלה כאשר אינן כרשפי אש ושלהבת כו׳
For there is a superiority and excellence in the quality of love burning like fiery coals and an intense flame,... which comes from an understanding and knowledge of the greatness and transcendence of the blessed Ein Sof, over the two categories of love referred to above, when they are not like fiery coals3 and a blaze,... but merely result from feeling (or contemplating) G‑d’s closeness to a Jew, inasmuch as He is “the Source of our life” and “our true Father.” The superiority of this love is:
כיתרון ומעלת הזהב על הכסף וכו׳ כמו שכתוב לקמן
similar to the superiority and excellence of gold over silver, and so forth, as will be explained later.4
Not only is gold worth more than silver ounce for ounce, in which case a preponderance of silver would be more valuable, but gold is intrinsically of greater value in that it possesses a distinctive gleam which people find highly attractive.
So, too, with regard to love that results wholly from contemplation: it is not a higher level of love; on the contrary, the level of love that comes from above and is termed ahavah rabbah, “great love,” is the higher form of love. The superiority of love that results entirely from contemplation lies in its fiery passion and yearning of the soul. This is one reason why the two previously-mentioned kinds of love that Jews inherit do not suffice; they lack passion when compared to love emanating entirely from one’s intellect.
The Alter Rebbe now provides yet another reason why wholly contemplative love is necessary: It is important to attain contemplative love not only because of the superiority of the resulting passion, but because the contemplation is an end unto itself. By contemplating G‑d’s greatness, one fulfills the whole purpose of creation — that created beings should come to know and understand G‑d’s greatness.
וגם כי זה כל האדם ותכליתו
Besides, this is the whole man and his raison d‘etre:
למען דעת את כבוד ה׳ ויקר תפארת גדולתו, איש איש כפי אשר יוכל שאת, כמו שכתוב ברעיא מהימנא, פרשת בא: בגין דישתמודען ליה וכו׳ וכנודע
that one may know the glory of G‑d and the majestic splendor of His greatness, each according to the limit of his capacity, as is written in Ra‘aya Mehemna, Parshat Bo: “In order that they may know Him,” and so forth, as is known.
Thus, there is a special quality and purpose in contemplation (that leads to love) itself. Contemplation of G‑d’s greatness is exercised to a much greater degree in the love that is created from contemplation, than it is found in a love which is merely revealed through contemplation, as is the case in the two aforementioned kinds of love.
In order to merely reveal the love of “My soul...” by contemplating how G‑d is the “true Source of life,” or to reveal the love of “Like a son..,” by contemplating how G‑d is “our true Father,” one’s meditation need not be exceedingly profound. A much deeper understanding and more profound mode of meditation is necessary in order to create a love of G‑d based solely on intellectual comprehension.
As a result, the divine intention “that they may know Him” — that created beings come to know G‑dliness — is realized to a much greater extent through wholly contemplative love. This is the additional reason as to why the kinds of love inherited from the Patriarchs do not suffice, and it is necessary to exert oneself to attain a love of G‑d that stems entirely from contemplating His greatness.
FOOTNOTES
1. Ch. 43.
2. Shir HaShirim 8:7.
3. Commenting on the words “when they are not like fiery coals,” the Rebbe notes that it is indeed possible for the loves of “My soul...” and “Like a son...” to possess the quality and passion of “fiery coals.” This comes about when the contemplation which leads to the revelation of these two loves focuses [not on His nearness, but] on the transcendence of “our true Father” and the “Source of our life”; the majestic exaltedness of the Father arouses a thirsting and longing love in the son.
Briefly, the matter is as follows: There are two general modes of contemplating G‑dliness — contemplating His transcendence and exaltedness (or conversely, the distance of the worlds from G‑d), and contemplating G‑d’s close relationship with us. The former will result in the thirsting and longing love of “fiery coals,” while the latter will result in a Jew’s feeling close to G‑d. This love is known as “love similar to water.”
Each of these two modes of contemplation has two possible results: (1) it leads to the revelation of a love (or fear) that already exists in the soul (as an inheritance from the Patriarchs), or (2) it creates love (or fear).
The Rebbe concludes: “It is noteworthy that [love resulting from contemplating G‑d’s] transcendence must refer to a form of transcendence that has some relationship to the person; otherwise the result will be self-abnegation. The same is true with regard to [contemplating the world’s] distance [from G‑d]. Cf. references cited in note to Kuntres Etz HaChayim, ch. 2.”
4. In ch. 50.Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassTuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · May 2, 2017
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 74
Offering of the Zav
"And when the zav is cleansed from his discharge... And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtledoves..."—Leviticus 15:13-14.
A man who is a zav [one who suffers an abnormal seminal discharge] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering—two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »Offering of the Zav
Positive Commandment 74
Translated by Berel Bell
The 74th mitzvah is that we are commanded that a man who is a zav1 must bring an offering after being healed from his discharge.
This offering, known as a korban zav, consists of two doves or two young pigeons, one for a sin-offering and one as a burnt-offering. His atonement is incomplete2 until they are sacrificed.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "When the man is rid of his discharge...on the eighth day he shall take for himself two doves..."
FOOTNOTES
1.A man who emits a thin sort of seed as a result of an illness. See P104. HilchosMechusarei Kapparah 2:1.
2.See note to P75, above.
3.Lev. 15:13-15.
• English Text: Lessons in Tanya
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
• Video ClassTuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · May 2, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 44
רק שאף על פי כן צריך לטרוח בשכלו להשיג ולהגיע גם לבחינת אהבת עולם הנזכרת למעלה, הבאה מהתבונה ודעת בגדולת ה׳
Nonetheless a person must strain his intellect to apprehend and attain also the above-mentioned1 level of ahavat olam, which stems from an understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G‑d,
As such it differs from the loves of “My soul...” and “Like a son...” which essentially are inherited, and are only revealed through contemplation.
כדי להגדיל מדורת אש האהבה ברשפי אש ושלהבת עזה ולהב העולה השמימה, עד שמים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות וגו׳ ונהרות לא ישטפוה וגו׳
in order to fan the blaze of the fiery love, with glowing coals and an intense fire and a flame that rises heavenwards, so that2 “not even many waters which are enemies of the love can extinguish it..., nor rivers quench it....”
Love created purely as a result of contemplation is more passionate and fiery than love which is essentially inherited, even when the inherited love is revealed through contemplation.
כי יש יתרון ומעלה לבחינת אהבה כרשפי אש ושלהבת עזה וכו׳ הבאה מהתבונה ודעת בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, על שתי בחינות אהבה הנזכרות למעלה כאשר אינן כרשפי אש ושלהבת כו׳
For there is a superiority and excellence in the quality of love burning like fiery coals and an intense flame,... which comes from an understanding and knowledge of the greatness and transcendence of the blessed Ein Sof, over the two categories of love referred to above, when they are not like fiery coals3 and a blaze,... but merely result from feeling (or contemplating) G‑d’s closeness to a Jew, inasmuch as He is “the Source of our life” and “our true Father.” The superiority of this love is:
כיתרון ומעלת הזהב על הכסף וכו׳ כמו שכתוב לקמן
similar to the superiority and excellence of gold over silver, and so forth, as will be explained later.4
Not only is gold worth more than silver ounce for ounce, in which case a preponderance of silver would be more valuable, but gold is intrinsically of greater value in that it possesses a distinctive gleam which people find highly attractive.
So, too, with regard to love that results wholly from contemplation: it is not a higher level of love; on the contrary, the level of love that comes from above and is termed ahavah rabbah, “great love,” is the higher form of love. The superiority of love that results entirely from contemplation lies in its fiery passion and yearning of the soul. This is one reason why the two previously-mentioned kinds of love that Jews inherit do not suffice; they lack passion when compared to love emanating entirely from one’s intellect.
The Alter Rebbe now provides yet another reason why wholly contemplative love is necessary: It is important to attain contemplative love not only because of the superiority of the resulting passion, but because the contemplation is an end unto itself. By contemplating G‑d’s greatness, one fulfills the whole purpose of creation — that created beings should come to know and understand G‑d’s greatness.
וגם כי זה כל האדם ותכליתו
Besides, this is the whole man and his raison d‘etre:
למען דעת את כבוד ה׳ ויקר תפארת גדולתו, איש איש כפי אשר יוכל שאת, כמו שכתוב ברעיא מהימנא, פרשת בא: בגין דישתמודען ליה וכו׳ וכנודע
that one may know the glory of G‑d and the majestic splendor of His greatness, each according to the limit of his capacity, as is written in Ra‘aya Mehemna, Parshat Bo: “In order that they may know Him,” and so forth, as is known.
Thus, there is a special quality and purpose in contemplation (that leads to love) itself. Contemplation of G‑d’s greatness is exercised to a much greater degree in the love that is created from contemplation, than it is found in a love which is merely revealed through contemplation, as is the case in the two aforementioned kinds of love.
In order to merely reveal the love of “My soul...” by contemplating how G‑d is the “true Source of life,” or to reveal the love of “Like a son..,” by contemplating how G‑d is “our true Father,” one’s meditation need not be exceedingly profound. A much deeper understanding and more profound mode of meditation is necessary in order to create a love of G‑d based solely on intellectual comprehension.
As a result, the divine intention “that they may know Him” — that created beings come to know G‑dliness — is realized to a much greater extent through wholly contemplative love. This is the additional reason as to why the kinds of love inherited from the Patriarchs do not suffice, and it is necessary to exert oneself to attain a love of G‑d that stems entirely from contemplating His greatness.
FOOTNOTES
1. Ch. 43.
2. Shir HaShirim 8:7.
3. Commenting on the words “when they are not like fiery coals,” the Rebbe notes that it is indeed possible for the loves of “My soul...” and “Like a son...” to possess the quality and passion of “fiery coals.” This comes about when the contemplation which leads to the revelation of these two loves focuses [not on His nearness, but] on the transcendence of “our true Father” and the “Source of our life”; the majestic exaltedness of the Father arouses a thirsting and longing love in the son.
Briefly, the matter is as follows: There are two general modes of contemplating G‑dliness — contemplating His transcendence and exaltedness (or conversely, the distance of the worlds from G‑d), and contemplating G‑d’s close relationship with us. The former will result in the thirsting and longing love of “fiery coals,” while the latter will result in a Jew’s feeling close to G‑d. This love is known as “love similar to water.”
Each of these two modes of contemplation has two possible results: (1) it leads to the revelation of a love (or fear) that already exists in the soul (as an inheritance from the Patriarchs), or (2) it creates love (or fear).
The Rebbe concludes: “It is noteworthy that [love resulting from contemplating G‑d’s] transcendence must refer to a form of transcendence that has some relationship to the person; otherwise the result will be self-abnegation. The same is true with regard to [contemplating the world’s] distance [from G‑d]. Cf. references cited in note to Kuntres Etz HaChayim, ch. 2.”
4. In ch. 50.Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassTuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · May 2, 2017Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 74
Offering of the Zav
"And when the zav is cleansed from his discharge... And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtledoves..."—Leviticus 15:13-14.
A man who is a zav [one who suffers an abnormal seminal discharge] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering—two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »Offering of the Zav
Positive Commandment 74
Translated by Berel Bell
The 74th mitzvah is that we are commanded that a man who is a zav1 must bring an offering after being healed from his discharge.
This offering, known as a korban zav, consists of two doves or two young pigeons, one for a sin-offering and one as a burnt-offering. His atonement is incomplete2 until they are sacrificed.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "When the man is rid of his discharge...on the eighth day he shall take for himself two doves..."
FOOTNOTES
1.A man who emits a thin sort of seed as a result of an illness. See P104. HilchosMechusarei Kapparah 2:1.
2.See note to P75, above.
3.Lev. 15:13-15.
Positive Commandment 77
Offering of the Metzora
"On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female ewe"—Leviticus 14:10.
A metzora [one who suffers from the biblical disease known as tzara'at] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering: Three animals – one as a Burnt Offering, one as a Sin Offering, and one as a Guilt Offering – and a log of oil. If his financial means do not allow for this, he can instead bring one lamb as a guilt offering and two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Offering of the MetzoraOffering of the Metzora
"On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female ewe"—Leviticus 14:10.
A metzora [one who suffers from the biblical disease known as tzara'at] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering: Three animals – one as a Burnt Offering, one as a Sin Offering, and one as a Guilt Offering – and a log of oil. If his financial means do not allow for this, he can instead bring one lamb as a guilt offering and two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Positive Commandment 77
Translated by Berel Bell
The 77th mitzvah is that we are commanded that every leper1 must bring an offering after his condition heals.
It consists of three animals — a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, and a guilt-offering — and one log of oil. If he is poor, his offering consists of a sheep as the guilt-offering and two doves or two young pigeons — one for a burnt-offering and the other for a sin-offering. This is the fourth category of "those whose atonement is incomplete" [as long as the sacrifice has not yet been brought].2
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male sheep and one unblemished yearling female sheep."
Perhaps someone will ask: why don't you count the sacrifices brought by all "those whose atonement is incomplete" as one mitzvah? This is because they all share the same idea — that they lack atonement, and would then be [one mitzvah] like one of the purification procedures. You would then say: "the following mitzvah is the commandment not to consider the purification of certain categories complete until the sacrifices have been brought — [those categories being] zav, zavah, a woman who has just given birth, and a leper. This seems to be similar to counting the purification of the mikvah as one mitzvah, that each person who is tameh must fulfill, regardless of the type of impurity. So too, you could count the sacrifices of "those who lack atonement" as one mitzvah, regardless of the type of impurity!
G‑d knows that this would be absolutely true if the identical sacrifice was brought for each of the four categories of "those whose atonement is incomplete." Then it would be similar to purification with water, which is a purification procedure which applies to [virtually] all who are tameh. But since, as you can see, the type of sacrifice varies, we are forced to count each one separately; because what completes the purification for this category does not work for another category. These categories are like the water of the red heifer, a mikvah, and the four species used to purify a leper — which, although they are all used for purification, nevertheless count as three mitzvos, as will be later explained.4
The laws regarding the four categories of "those whose atonement is incomplete" and the laws of their sacrifices are discussed — in general and in detail — in the first two chapters of tractate Kerisus, the second chapter of Erachin and Zevachim, the 8th chapter of Nazir, the end of Negaim, tractate Kinim, and sprinkled throughout various passages in the Talmud. The vast majority, though, are found in the places I've noted.
FOOTNOTES
1.Although the word metzora is commonly translated "leper," it is not an accurate translation. The metzora is afflicted by a condition that in some cases turns the skin white, in other cases affects the hair. The term "leprosy" is used because it is the contemporary condition that most closely resembles tzora'as, since the lesions are often lighter than the skin's natural color.
2.See P75.
3.Lev. 14:10.
4.P110.
• 1 Chapter: Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 9
English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class
English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class
1
The following rule applies when a person hires workers and tells them: "Get up early and work late." In a place where it is not customary for workers to get up early and work late, he cannot compel them to keep the times he desires. In a place where it is customary for an employer to provide his workers' meals, he must provide their meals. If it is customary for him to provide dried figs, dates and the like for the workers, he must. Everything follows the local custom.
א
השוכר את הפועלים ואמר להם להשכים ולהעריב מקום שנהגו שלא להשכים ושלא להעריב אינו יכול לכופן מקום שנהגו לזון יזון לספק בגרוגרות או בתמרים וכיוצא בהן לפועלים יספק הכל כמנהג המדינה:
2
When a person hires a worker and tells him: "I will pay you like any other worker in the city," we check the lowest wage paid and the highest wage paid and arrive at an average.
ב
השוכר את הפועל ואמר לו כאחד וכשנים מבני העיר רואין הפחות שבשכירות והיתר שבשכירות ומשמנין ביניהן:
3
The following rules apply when a person tells his agent: "Go out and hire workers for me for three zuz," and the agent hires them for four. If the agent told them: "I am responsible for your wage," he must pay them four. He receives three zuz from the employer, and forfeits one zuz of his own.
If he told them: "The employer is responsible for your wages," the employer should pay them according to the local custom. If there are some in that city who are hired at three and others at four, he is not required to pay them more than three. They have, however, justified complaints'3 against the agent.
When does the above apply? When it cannot be determined that they invested extra effort in their work. If, however, it is obvious that they invested extra effort in their work, and it is worth four zuz, the employer must pay them four. For had the agent not told them four, they would not have worked harder and produced work that is worth four.
If the employer told the agent: "Hire workers for me at four," and the agent goes and hires them at three, they receive no more than three. This applies even when their work is worth four. For they accepted the lower amount. They do, however, have a complaint against the agent.
If the employer told the agent three zuz, and the agent hires them for four, but the workers say: "We will work for what the employer says," their intent is that the employer will pay them more than four zuz. Therefore, we evaluate their work. If it is worth four, they should receive four zuz from the employer. If the value of their work is not obvious or it is not worth four, they may be paid only three.
If the employer told the agent to hire workers at four zuz, and he hired them at three, but they say: "We will work for what the employer says," they may be paid only three. This applies even if their work is worth four, for they heard the agent say three and agreed.
ג
אמר לשלוחו צא ושכור לי פועלים בשלשה והלך ושכרן בארבעה אם אמר להם השליח שכרכם עלי נותן להם ארבעה ונוטל מבעל הבית שלשה ומפסיד אחד מכיסו אמר להם שכרכם על בעה"ב נותן להם בעה"ב כמנהג המדינה היה במדינה מי שנשכר בשלשה ומי שנשכר בארבעה אינו נותן להם אלא שלשה ויש להם תרעומת על השליח בד"א כשאין מלאכתן ניכרת אבל היתה מלאכתן ניכרת והרי היא שוה ארבעה נותן להם בעה"ב ארבעה שאילו לא אמר להם שלוחו ארבעה לא טרחו ועשו שוה ארבעה אמר לו בעה"ב שכור לי בארבעה והלך השליח ושכר בשלשה אע"פ שהרי מלאכתן שוה ארבעה אין להם אלא שלשה שהרי קבלו על עצמן ויש להם תרעומת על השליח אמר לו בעה"ב בשלשה והלך השליח ואמר להם בארבעה ואמרו הרינו כמה שאמר בעה"ב אין דעתם אלא שיתן בעה"ב יתר על ארבעה לפיכך שמין מה שעשו אם שוה ארבעה נוטלין ארבעה מבעל הבית ואם אינו ידוע או אינו שוה אין להם אלא שלשה אמר לו בעל הבית בארבעה והלך השליח ואמר להם בשלשה ואמרו לו כמה שאמר בעה"ב אף על פי שמלאכתן שוה ארבעה אין להם אלא שלשה שהרי שמעו שלשה וקבלו עליהם:
4
When a person hires workers and the workers hoax the employer or the employer hoaxes the workers, all they have is complaints against each other.
When does the above apply? When the workers did not go to the appointed place. Different rules apply, however, if donkey drivers went to the appointed place and did not find any grain, workers went to a field and found that the ground was wet, or the employer hired workers to irrigate his field and they discovered that it was filled with water. If the owner checked the area that required work on the previous evening and saw that the workers were necessary, the workers are not entitled to any reimbursement. What could the owner have done? If, however, he did not check the land where he wants the work to be performed beforehand, he must pay them as an idle worker. For a person who comes carrying a burden cannot be compared to someone who comes empty-handed, nor can a person who performs labor be compared to someone who does not.
When does the above apply? When they did not begin doing work. If, however, the worker began doing his work different rules apply. A worker may quit his work even in the middle of the day. This is derived from Leviticus 25:55: "The children of Israel are servants to Me" - i.e., to Me alone. They are not servants to servants.
What is the law that applies to a worker who quits after having started work? We evaluate the work that he performed and he is paid that amount. If he is a contractor, we evaluate the work that still must be performed. Whether the price of labor was low at the time he was hired or it was not low, whether it was reduced afterwards or whether it was not reduced, we evaluate the work that must be performed.
What is implied? A person agreed to harvest standing grain for two selaim. He harvested half of the grain, but left half unharvested. Similarly, a person agreed to weave a garment for two selaim. He wove half of the garment, but left half unwoven. If the remainder would cost six dinarim to complete, the original contractor is paid a shekel or he is given the option of completing his work. If the remainder was worth only two dinarim, the owner need not pay the contractor more than a sela, because he did not perform more than half the work.
When does the above apply? With regard to work that does not involve an immediate loss. If, however, the work involves an immediate loss - e.g., he hired the workers to remove flax from the vat, or he hired a donkey to bring flutes for a funeral or for a wedding or the like - neither a worker nor a contractor may retract unless he is held back by forces beyond his control -e.g., he became ill or a close relative died. If the worker is not held back by forces beyond his control, and he retracts, the owner may hire others on their account or deceive them.
What is meant by deceiving them? He tells them: "I agreed to pay you a sela; take two so that you will complete your work." Afterwards, he is not required to give them anything more than he originally agreed. Moreover, even if he gave them two, he can compel them to return the additional amount.
What is meant by hiring others on their account? He hires other workers who complete their task so that he will not suffer a loss. Whatever he must add to pay these later workers beyond the amount the first workers agreed upon, he may take from the first workers.
To what extent are the first workers responsible? For their entire wage. Moreover, if they have property that is in the employer's possession, the employer can use that property to hire workers to complete their work until he pays each worker 40 or 50 zuz a day although he originally hired the worker at three or four zuz.
When does the above apply? When there are no workers available to hire at the wage to be paid the original workers. If, however, such workers are available and the original workers tell the employer: "Go out and hire from these to complete your work so that you will not suffer a loss," whether a worker or a contractor is involved, the employer has only complaints against them. To determine the wage that should be paid, we follow these guidelines: For a worker, we calculate the work he already[ performed and for a contractor, we calculate the work that must be performed.
ד
השוכר את הפועלים והטעו את בעה"ב או בעה"ב הטעה אותם אין להם זה על זה אלא תרעומת במה דברים אמורים בשלא הלכו אבל הלכו החמרין ולא מצאו תבואה פועלים ומצאו שדה כשהיא לחה או ששכר להשקות השדה ומצאוה שנתמלאה מים אם ביקר בעה"ב מלאכתו מבערב ומצא שצריכה פועלים אין לפועלים כלום מה בידו לעשות ואם לא ביקר נותן להם שכרן כפועל בטל שאינו דומה הבא טעון לבא ריקן ועושה מלאכה לבטל בד"א בשלא התחילו במלאכה אבל אם התחיל הפועל במלאכה וחזר בו אפילו בחצי היום חוזר שנאמר כי לי בני ישראל עבדים ולא עבדים לעבדים וכיצד דין הפועל שחזר בו אחר שהתחיל שמין לו מה שעשה ונוטל ואם קבלן הוא שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות בין שהוזלו בעת ששכרן בין לא הוזלו בין שהוזלה מלאכה אחר כן בין לא הוזלה שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות כיצד קיבל ממנו קמה לקצור בשתי סלעים קצר חציה והניח חציה בגד לארוג בשתי סלעים ארג חציו והניח חציו שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות אם היה שוה ששה דינרין נותן לו שקל או יגמרו את מלאכתן ואם היה הנשאר יפה שנים דינרין אינו נותן להן אלא סלע שהרי לא עשו אלא חצי מלאכה במה דברים אמורים בדבר שאינו אבוד אבל בדבר האבוד כגון פשתנו להעלות מן המשרה או ששכר חמור להביא חלילין למת או לכלה וכיוצא בהן אחד פועל ואחד קבלן אינו יכול לחזור בו אלא אם כן נאנס כגון שחלה או שמע שמת לו מת ואם לא נאנס וחזר בו שוכר עליהן או מטען:
כיצד מטען אומר להם סלע קצצתי לכם בואו וטלו שתים עד שיגמרו מלאכתן ולא יתן להם אלא מה שפסק תחלה ואפילו נתן להם השתים מחזיר מהן התוספת כיצד שוכר עליהן שוכר פועלים אחרים וגומרים מלאכתן שלא תאבד וכל שיוסיף לאלו הפועלין האחרים על מה שפסק לראשונים נוטל מן הראשונים עד כמה עד כדי שכרן של ראשונים ואם היה להם ממון תחת ידו שוכר להשלים המלאכה עד ארבעים וחמשים זוז בכל יום לכל פועל אע"פ ששכר הפועל שלשה או ארבעה בד"א שאין שם פועלים לשכור בשכרן להשלים המלאכה אבל יש פועלים לשכור בשכרן ואמרו לו צא ושכור מאלו להשלים מלאכתך ולא תאבד בין שוכר בין קבלן אין עליהן אלא תרעומת ושמין לשוכר מה שעשה ולקבלן מה שעתיד לעשות:
5
When a person hires a worker, but [the worker is then taken to perform the king's service, the worker need not be paid for a full day's work. Instead, the employer should pay him only for the work he performed.
ה
השוכר את הפועל ונאחז לעבודת המלך לא יאמר לו הריני לפניך אלא נותן לו שכר מה שעשה:
6
The following rules apply when a person hires a worker to irrigate his field from a particular river, and that river dried up in the middle of the day. If the river does not ordinarily dry up, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed.
Similarly, if the inhabitants of the city frequently dam the river, and they stop its flow in the middle of the day, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed. The rationale is that the workers know the pattern of this river. If, however, the river often dries up on its own accord, the employer must pay the workers their entire wage. For it was his responsibility to inform them.
If a person hires workers to irrigate a field and it rains and completes the watering of the field, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed. If a river rises and irrigates the field, they should be paid their entire wage. From heaven, they were granted help.
When does the above apply? With regard to a worker. Different rules apply, however, when a person stipulates with a sharecropper that if he waters a field four times a day, he will receive half the crop, in contrast to other sharecroppers who water the field twice a day and receive a fourth of the crop. If rain comes and he does not have to draw water to irrigate the crop, he still receives half the crops, as he stipulated. The rationale is that a sharecropper is considered to be a partner, not a worker.
ו
השוכר את הפועל להשקות את השדה מזה הנהר ופסק הנהר בחצי היום אם אין דרכו להפסיק אין להן אלא שכר מה שעשו וכן אם דרכו שיפסיקו אותו בני העיר והפסיקוהו בחצי היום אין להן אלא שכר מה שעשו שהרי ידעו הפועלים דרכו של נהר ואם דרכו להפסיק מאליו נותן להם שכר כל היום מפני שהיה לו להודיעם שכרן להשקות השדה ובא המטר והשקה אין להן אלא מה שעשו בא הנהר והשקה נותן להן כל שכרן מן השמים נסתייעו בד"א בפועל אבל מי שפסק עם אריסו שאם ישקה שדה זו ארבע פעמים ביום יטול חצי הפירות וכל האריסין שהן משקין שתי פעמים אינן נוטלין אלא רביע הפירות ובא המטר ולא הוצרך לדלות ולהשקות נוטל חצי הפירות כמו שפסק עמו שהאריס כשותף ואינו כפועל:
7
The following rules apply when a person hires a worker to perform work for an entire day and he completes it in half the day. If the employer has another task that is as - or less - difficult, he may have the worker perform it for the remainder of the day. If he does not have a task for him to perform, he should pay him as an idle worker. When the worker is one who digs, labors in the field or performs heavy labor of this nature and hence will become ill if he does not work, the employer must pay him his entire wage even if he is idle.
ז
השוכר את הפועל לעשות מלאכה כל היום ושלמה המלאכה בחצי היום אם יש לו מלאכה אחרת כמותה או קלה ממנה עושה שאר היום ואם אין לו מה יעשה נותן לו שכרו כפועל בטל ואם יהיה מן החופרים או עובדי אדמה וכיוצא בהן שדרכו לטרוח הרבה ואם לא יעשה במלאכה יחלה נותן לו כל שכרו:
8
When a person hires a worker to bring him an object from one place to another, and the worker goes to the designated place but cannot find the object specified, the employer is obligated to pay him his entire wage.
If a person hires a worker to bring rods to use as supports for a vineyard, but the worker can not find them, and hence does not bring them, the employer must pay the worker his wage.
If he hired him to bring cabbage or prunes for a sick person, the worker went and when he returned, the sick person either died or recovered, the employer should not tell the worker: "Take what you brought as your payment." Instead, he must pay him the entire wage he promised him. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ח
השוכר את הפועל להביא לו שליחות ממקום למקום והלך ולא מצא שם מה יביא נותן לו שכרו משלם שכרו להביא קנים לכרם והלך ולא מצא ולא הביא נותן לו שכרו משלם שכרו להביא כרוב ודורמסקנין לחולה והלך ומצאו שמת או הבריא לא יאמר לו טול מה שהבאת בשכרך אלא נותן לו כל שכרו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
9
When a person hires a worker to perform work in his own field, but shows him a field belonging to a colleague and has him perform work there, he must pay him his entire wage. Afterwards, he may require his colleague to reimburse him for the benefit he received from this work.
ט
השוכר את הפועל לעשות עמו בשלו והראהו בשל חבירו נותן כל שכרו וחוזר ולוקח מחבירו מה שנהנה בזו המלאכה:
10
When a person hires a worker to work together with him with straw, stubble and the like, he is not given the option of telling the worker: "Take what you did as your payment." If, however, he made such an offer, and the worker agreed, he is not given the option of changing his mind and telling the worker: "Take your wage and I will take my straw."
י
השוכר את הפועל לעשות עמו בתבן וקש וכיוצא בהן ואמר לו טול מה שעשית בשכרך אין שומעין לו ואם משקיבל עליו אמר לו הילך שכרך ואני אטול את שלי אין שומעין לו:
11
An ownerless object discovered by a worker belongs to him. This law applies even when the employer told him: "Work for me today." Needless to say, it applies if he told him: "Hoe for me."
If, however, he hired him to take possession of ownerless objects - e.g., a river dried up and he hired him to collect the fish in a nearby marsh -whatever he finds, even a wallet filled with silver coins, belongs to the owner.
יא
מציאת הפועל לעצמו אע"פ שאמר לו עשה עמי מלאכה היום ואין צריך לומר אם אמר לו עדור עמי היום אבל אם שכרו ללקט מציאות כגון שחסר הנהר ושכרו ללקט הדגים הנמצאין באגם הרי מציאתו לבעל הבית ואפילו מצא כיס מלא דינרין:
• 3 Chapters: Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 3, Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 4, Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 5
English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download
English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 3
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Tuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · 02 May 2017
"Today's Day"
Tuesday Iyar 6, 21st day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Emor, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 35-38.
Tanya: In a manner (p. 241)...above at length. (p. 243).
Our sages said: "One should not take leave of his friend other than with a parting word of Torah-law, a d'var halacha."1 Our forefathers, the saintly Rebbes, explained: The parting word should be the kind of Torah-teaching that transforms the listener into a mehaleich. "Progress," hiluch, means to rise from level to level, with one ascent after another. Such progression embodies the superiority of the human soul over the angels, for this ascent is greatest through an act of goodness - extending a favor to another, a material favor in general, a spiritual favor in particular.
FOOTNOTES
1. Halacha is related to mehaleich,"one who progresses."
-------
Daily Thought
Panic
Panic, confusion and pessimism, these are the nightmares of a heart freely handed the reins to your mind.
Reverse the process. Hand your mind the reins to your heart.
Feed yourself with wholesome thoughts. With all your willpower, stay focused on those thoughts. Ignore the burning panic in your heart; refuse to allow it to distract you.
Soon enough, the black horse of pessimism gallops off into the night.
-------
1
During all the days when a zav experiences zav discharges, he is ritually impure. When the zav discharges cease, he counts seven clean days, like a zavah must, immerses himself on the seventh day, and waits until nightfall. On the eighth day, he brings his sacrifice if he had experienced three discharges.
If he experienced a zav discharge even at the end of the seventh day after he immersed himself, he negates his entire counting and must begin to count seven clean days from the day of his last discharge.
א
כל הימים שהזב רואה בהן זיבות הרי הוא טמא וכשיפסוק הזיבות מונה שבעה ימים נקיים כזבה וטובל בשביעי ומעריב שמשו ובשמיני מביא קרבנו אם היה בעל שלש ראיות ואם ראה ראייה של זוב אפילו בסוף יום שביעי אחר שטבל סתר הכל ומתחיל למנות שבעה ימים נקיים מאחר יום ראייה האחרונה:
2
When a zav has a seminal emission during the seven clean days he counts, he only nullifies that day. From the following day onward, he completes the seven days and then brings his sacrifice.
What is implied? He had a seminal emission on the fifth day, He counts another three clean days afterwards, immerses himself on the third day and brings his sacrifice on the fourth day.
ב
זב שראה קרי באחד משבעת ימי הספירה אינו סותר אלא יומו בלבד ומשלים שבעה ימים ומביא קרבנו כיצד ראה קרי ביום החמישי סופר אחריו שלשה ימים וטובל בשלישי ומביא קרבנו ברביעי:
3
When a zav checks himself on the first day of his counting and finds himself pure and does not check himself for the remainder of the seven days until the seventh day when he checks himself and finds himself pure, he may rely on the presumption that he is pure. Even if he checked on the day when he had an impure discharge and saw that he was pure and that the discharge had ended and he did not check himself throughout the seven days, but did check himself on the seventh dayor the eighth day, should he find himself pure, the days of counting are significant and he may rely on the presumption that he is pure.
ג
זב שבדק ביום ראשון מימי הספירה ומצא טהור ולא בדק כל שבעה וביום השביעי בדק ומצא טהור הרי זה בחזקת טהרה אפילו בדק ביום הטומאה עצמה ומצא טהור ופסק הזוב ולא בדק למחר בתחילת ימי הספירה ובדק בשביעי או בשמיני ומצא טהור עלו לו ימי הספירה והרי זה בחזקת טהרה:
4
Any discharge that causes the counting of the days to be nullified does not bring about an obligation for a sacrifice.
What is implied? A man experienced two discharges and than had an interruption for a day or two and thus he began counting his seven clean days. Although he experienced a zav discharge in the midst of the seven days, it is not combined with the previous two. Instead, it nullifies the counting and he must begin to count over again, as we explained.
Moreover, even if he experienced three consecutive discharges in the midst of the counting - even if he experienced them on one day, and even if that was on the conclusion of the seventh day of the seven clean days - he should not bring a sacrifice. For these discharges are considered as nullifying the clean days that were being counted. If he experienced three discharges on the night of the eighth day, he must bring a sacrifice, because these discharges do not nullify the previous counting.
To whom does the above apply? To a zav who has experienced two discharges. A zav who experienced three discharges previously, by contrast, who experiences three discharges on the eighth night after the seven clean days does not bring a second sacrifice because of these three discharges, only one sacrifice for the first three discharges. Although these three discharges do not nullify the clean days that were counted, the man has not entered a time when it is fit for him to bring a sacrifice, since the preceding night is considered as "lacking in time," with regard to all Torah laws, with the exception of a woman after childbirth who miscarried on the night of the eighty-first day. She brings a second sacrifice, as we explained. This concept was communicated by the Oral Tradition.
ד
כל ראייה שהיא סותרת אינה מביאה לידי קרבן כיצד ראה שתי ראיות והפסיק יום או יומים והרי הוא מונה שבעה ימים נקיים ובתוך השבעה ראה ראייה של זוב אינה מצטרפת לשתים אלא סותרת ומתחיל למנות כמו שביארנו אפילו ראה בתוך ימי הספירה שלש ראיות זו אחר זו אפילו ראה אותם ביום אחד אפילו ראה שלש ראיות בסוף יום שביעי של שבעה ימים נקיים אינו מביא קרבן שראיות אלו לסתירה הן ראה שלש ראיות בליל שמיני מביא קרבן שאין ראיות אלו סותרין בד"א בזב בעל שתי ראיות אבל בזב בעל שלש ראיות בליל שמיני שלאחר שבעת ימים נקיים אינו מביא קרבן שני על שלש ראיות אלו אלא קרבן אחד על השלש הראשונות שאע"פ שאין שלש אחרונות סותרות הרי לא יצא לזמן שראוי לקרבן והלילה מחוסר זמן הוא לכל חוץ מיולדת שהפילה בליל שמונים ואחד שהיא מביאה קרבן שני כמו שביארנו ודבר זה מפי הקבלה:
5
If a man experienced one discharge on the eighth night and two discharges on the eighth day, they are linked together and he is required to bring a sacrifice because of the two latter discharges. The rationale is that a zav's first discharge is considered as a seminal emission. If he experiences two others afterwards, it is combined together with them to obligate him for a sacrifice. If, however, he experienced two discharges on the eighth night and one on the eighth day, they are not linked together and he is not required to bring a second sacrifice because of the latter zav discharges.
ה
ראה ראיה אחת בליל שמיני ושתי ראיות ביום שמיני הרי אלו מצטרפין ומביא קרבן שני על זיבות האחרונות שהרי ראייה ראשונה של כל זב כשכבת זרע היא חשובה ואם ראה אחריה שתים מצטרפת עמהם לקרבן אבל אם ראה שתים בליל שמיני ואחת ביום שמיני אין מצטרפת ואינו מביא קרבן על הזיבה זו האחרונה:
6
Every male can contract zav impurity, even an infant on the day of his birth, a convert, a servant, a deafmute, and an intellectually and/or emotionally unstable person. It appears to me that atonement is brought for them so that it is possible for them to partake of sacrificial food. Their sin-offering should be eaten, for they are like a child who is not intellectually capable.
A person who was castrated or one who is born sexually impotent may contract impurity because of a zav discharge like other men.
ו
הכל מתטמאין בזיבה אפילו קטן בן יומו והגרים והעבדים וחרש ושוטה ויראה לי שמביאין עליהן כפרה כדי להאכילן בקדשים וחטאתן נאכלת שהרי הן כקטן שאינו בן דעת וסריס אדם וסריס חמה מתטמאין בזיבה ככל האנשים:
7
The stringencies that apply both to males and females are placed upon a tumtum and an androgynus They contract ritual impurity because of uterine bleeding like a woman or because of clear discharges like a man. Their impurity is of questionable status. Therefore if one such person had three zav discharges or discovered zavah bleeding for three consecutive days, he must bring a sacrifice, but it is not eaten. If he was counting seven clean days to purify himself from a zav discharge and he experienced uterine bleeding or he was counting to purify himself from uterine bleeding and experienced a zav discharge, the counting is not disrupted.
ז
הטומטום והאנדרוגינוס נותנין עליהן חומרי האיש וחומרי האשה מתטמאין בדם כנשים ובלובן כאנשים וטומאתן בספק לפיכך אם היה אחד מהן בעל שלש ראיות או זבה שראתה דם שלשה ימים זה אחר זה מביאין קרבן ואינו נאכל היה מונה שבעה ימים נקיים ללובן וראה אודם או לאודם וראה לובן הרי זה אינו סותר:
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 4
1
When a person afflicted by tzara'at is healed of his affliction, and he has been purified with a cedar branch, a hyssop, a crimson thread, and two birds, all of his flesh is shaved and he is immersed in a mikveh. After this entire process, he may enter Jerusalem. He then counts seven days and on the seventh day, he shaves a second time like the first shaving. He then immerses himself. His status is then that of a t'vul yom. He waits until the evening. On the morrow, on the eighth day, he immerses a second time and then he brings his sacrifices.
Why must he immerse himself on the eighth day if he immersed himself previously? Because he had become habituated to contracting lesser types of impurity during the days that he was identified as one afflicted by tzara'at and he would not show care not to contract impurity and perhaps he contracted impurity after he immersed. Therefore, he would immerse himself on the eighth day in the Women's Courtyard, in the Chamber for those Afflicted by Tzara'at,even though he did not divert his attention after his immersion.
א
כשיתרפא הצרוע מצרעתו אחר שמטהרין אותו בעץ ארז ואזוב ושני תולעת ושתי צפורים ומגלחין את כל בשרו ומטבילין אותו אחר כל זאת יכנס לירושלים ומונה שבעת ימים וביום השביעי מגלח תגלחתו שניה כתגלחת הראשונה וטובל והרי הוא טבול יום ומעריב שמשו ולמחר בשמיני טובל פעם שנייה ואח"כ מקריבין קרבנותיו ומפני מה טובל בשמיני אחר שטובל מאמש מפני שהיה רגיל בטומאה בימי חלוטו ואינו נזהר משום טומאה ושמא נטמא אחר שטבל לפיכך טובל בשמיני בעזרת הנשים בלשכת המצורעים ששם אף על פי שלא הסיח דעתו:
2
If he delayed and did not shave on the seventh day, but instead, shaved on the eighth day or after several days, on the day that he shaves, he should immerse and wait until the evening. On the following day, he brings his sacrifices after immersing himself a second time, as we explained.
What are the rites performed for him? The person who had been afflicted with tzara'at stands outside the Courtyard of the Israelites, in front of the eastern entrance, at the lintel of the Gate of Nicanor, facing west. There all those who require atonement stand at the time they are being purified and a sotah is forced to drink the bitter waters there.
The priest takes the sheep to be offered as the guilt-offering of the afflicted person while it is alive and performs tenufah with it together with the log of oil in the eastern portion of the Temple Courtyard where all tenufot are performed. If tenufah was performed with the sheep and the oil each separately, the person fulfills his obligation.
Afterwards, the guilt-offering of the afflicted person is brought to the entrance to the Temple Courtyard. The afflicted person inserts his two hands into the Courtyard and places them on his sheep. It is then slaughtered immediately. Two priests receive its blood. One receives it in a receptacle and casts it on the altar and one receives it in his right hand. He pours it into his left hand and sprinkles it with the index finger of his right hand. If he deviated and received it in his left hand first, it is disqualified.
The priest who received a portion of the blood in a receptacle should carry it and cast it on the altar first. Afterwards, the priest who received the blood in his palm should approach the afflicted person at the entrance. The priest stands inside and the afflicted person outside. The afflicted person inserts his head and the priests applies some of the blood in his hand on the middle lobe of his right ear. Afterwards, the afflicted person inserts his right hand and the priest applies the blood to his thumb. Afterwards, he inserts his right foot and the priest applies the blood to his large toe. If he applies it the left organs, the afflicted person does not fulfill his obligation. Afterwards, his sin-offerings and burnt-offering are sacrificed.
After he applied the blood to his thumb and toe, the priest takes the log of oil and pours it into the left palm of a colleague. If he pours it into his own palm, the person fulfills his obligation. He dips his right index finger in the oil in his palm and sprinkles seven times toward the Holy of Holies. Each time he sprinkles the oil, he dips his finger into it. If he sprinkled it, but did not direct it toward the Holy of Holies, it is acceptable.
Afterwards, he approaches the afflicted person and applies the oil to the place where he applied the blood on the middle lobe of his ear, his thumb, and his large toe. He then applies the remainder of the oil to the head of the person seeking purification. If he did not apply it, he does not achieve atonement. The remainder of the log is divided among the priests.
ב
נתאחר ולא גילח בשביעי וגילח בשמיני או אחר כמה ימים ביום שיגלח יטבול ויעריב שמשו ולמחר יביא קרבנותיו אחר שיטבול פעם שנייה כמו שביארנו:
כיצד עושין לו המצורע עומד חוץ לעזרת ישראל כנגד פתח מזרחית באסקופת שער ניקנור ופניו למערב ושם עומדים כל מחוסרי כפרה בעת שמטהרין אותן ושם משקין את הסוטות והכהן לוקח אשם של מצורע כשהוא חי ומניפו עם לוג השמן במזרח כדרך כל התנופות ואם הניף זה בפני עצמו וזה בפני עצמו יצא ואח"כ מביא את האשם של מצורע עד הפתח ומכניס שתי ידיו לעזרה וסומך עליו ושוחטין אותו מיד ומקבלין שני כהנים את דמו אחד מקבל בכלי וזורקו על גבי המזבח ואחד בידו הימנית ומערה לידו השמאלית ומזה באצבעו הימנית ואם שינה וקבל בשמאל תחילה פסל הכהן שקיבל מקצת הדם בכלי מוליכו וזורקו על המזבח תחילה ואחר כך יבא הכהן שקיבל הדם בכפו אצל המצורע הכהן מבפנים והמצורע מבחוץ ומכניס המצורע ראשו ונותן הכהן מן הדם שבכפו על תנוך אזנו הימנית ואחר כך יכניס ידו הימנית ויתן על בהן ידו ואח"כ יכניס רגלו הימנית ויתן על בהן רגלו ואם נתן על השמאל לא יצא ואחר כך יקריב חטאתו ועולתו ואחר שיתן הדם על הבהונות נוטל הכהן מלוג השמן ויוצק לתוך כפו של חבירו השמאלית ואם יצק לתוך כף עצמו יצא וטובל אצבעו הימנית בשמן שבכפו ומזה שבע פעמים כנגד בית קדש הקדשים על כל הזייה טבילת אצבע בשמן ואם הזה ולא כיון כנגד בית קדש הקדשים כשירות ואח"כ יבא אצל המצורע ויתן מן השמן על מקום דם האשם בתנוך אזן ובהן ידו ובהן רגלו והנותר מן השמן שבכפו יתננו על ראש המתטהר ואם לא נתן לא כפר ושאר הלוג מתחלק לכהנים:
3
The remainder of the log of oil may be eaten only in the Temple Courtyard by males of the priestly family like other sacrifices of the most holy order,for an association was established between it and the guilt-offering. It is forbidden to partake of the log of oil until after the seven sprinklings and the application of blood to the thumbs and toes were performed. If one partakes of it, he is liable for lashes, like one who partook of the meat of sacrifices of the most holy order before their blood was cast upon the altar.
ג
שירי הלוג אינו נאכל אלא בעזרה לזכרי כהונה כשאר קדשי קדשים שהרי הוקש לאשם ואסור לאכול מלוג השמן עד שיתן ממנו מתן שבע ומתן בהונות ואם אכל לוקה כאוכל קדשים קודם זריקה:
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 5
1
What is meant by the term "the tinuch of the ear"? The middle lobe.
If the priest applied the oil to the sides of the thumb and the large toe, it is acceptable. If he applied it to their lower surface, it is invalid. Whether the priest applies the oil to the blood of the guilt-offering directly above it or he applied it at the side of the blood, even if the blood was cleaned off before he placed the oil on the thumb and the toe, he fulfills his obligation, as implied by Leviticus 14:28 which states that the oil must be applied "on the place of the blood of the guilt-offering."
If an afflicted person does not have a right hand, a right foot, or a right ear, he can never regain ritual purity.
א
אי זהו תנוך אזן זה גדר האמצעי נתן על צדי הבהונות כשר נתן על צדי צדיהן פסול בין שנתן השמן על דם האשם עצמו מלמעלה בין שנתן בצד הדם אפילו נתקנח הדם קודם שיתן השמן על בהונות יצא שנאמר על מקום דם האשם אין לו בוהן יד ימנית או בוהן רגל ימנית או שאין לו אזן ימנית אין לו טהרה עולמית:
2
When a guilt offering of an afflicted person was slaughtered without the proper intent or its blood was not applied to the person's thumb and toe, it should be brought to the altar and it requires additional offerings like those offered for a guilt-offering of one afflicted with tzara'at. The afflicted person must bring another guilt-offering for his purificiation.
ב
אשם מצורע ששחטו שלא לשמו או שלא נתן מדמו על גבי בהונות הרי זה עולה למזבח וטעון נסכים כנסכי אשם מצורע וצריך המצורע אשם אחר להכשירו:
3
If the afflicted person's sin-offering was offered before his guilt-offering, we do not say that one should stir the blood of the sin-offering until the guilt-offering was offered. Instead, it should be left overnight and then taken to the place where sacrifices are burnt.
ג
הקדים חטאתו לאשמו לא יהיה אחר ממרס בדמה אלא תעובר צורתה ותצא לבית השריפה:
4
A person may bring his guilt-offering one day and his log of oil even after ten days. If he desires to alter the designation of the log and designate it for the guilt-offering of another afflicted person, he may although he has already had it consecrated in a sacred utensil. If the amount of oil decreased before it was poured into the priest's hand and was less than a log, the measure should be refilled. If it decreased after it was poured, another log should be brought instead.
ד
יש לאדם להביא אשמו היום ולוגו אחר עשרה ימים ואם רצה לשנות הלוג לאשם מצורע אחר משנה אע"פ שקדש בכלי חסר הלוג עד שלא יצק ימלאנו חסר מאחר שיצק יביא אחר בתחילה:
5
The following laws apply if the oil was poured into the priest's hand, his colleague began to sprinkle it and then the log spilled. If it spilled before he completed the seven sprinklings, he should bring another log of oil and begin the seven sprinklings. If he completed the seven sprinklings and then the log of oil spilled, he should bring another log and begin applying the oil to the thumb and toe. If he already began applying the oil to the thumb and toe and the log spilled before he could complete it, he should bring another log and begin applying the oil to the thumb and toe. If he completed applying the oil to the thumb and toe and the log spilled before he placed the remainder of the oil on the head of the person being purified, he does not have to bring another log, for the application of the oil to his head is not an indispensable requirement, as implied by Leviticus 14:17, 18 which mentions "the remainder of the oil," and "the additional oil."
ה
יצק מן השמן לכפו והתחיל להזות ונשפך הלוג אם עד שלא גמר מתן שבע נשפך הלוג יביא אחר ויתחיל במתן שבע גמר מתן שבע ונשפך הלוג יביא אחר ויתחיל לכתחילה בבהונות התחיל בבהונות ונשפך הלוג קודם שיגמור יביא אחר ויתחיל לכתחילה בבהונות גמר הבהונות ואח"כ נשפך הלוג קודם שיתן שאר השמן שבכפו על ראש המטהר אינו צריך להביא לוג אחר שמתנת הראש אינה מעכבת שנאמר והנותר בשמן ומיתר השמן:
6
If the priest applied the oil before he applied the blood, he should fill the log container with additional oil and apply the oil after the blood. If the oil was applied to the thumb and toe before the seven sprinklings were made, the log container should be filled with additional oil which should be applied to the thumb and toe after the seven sprinklings. These laws are derived from Leviticus 14:2 which states: "This is the law applying to one afflicted with tzara'at." Implied is that the entire law should be carried out according to the prescribed sequence.
ו
הקדים מתן שמן למתן דם ימלא הלוג שמן ויחזור ויתן השמן אחר הדם הקדים מתן שמן על הבהונות למתן שבע ימלא הלוג ויחזור ויתן על הבהונות אחר מתן שבע שנאמר זאת תהיה תורת המצורע שתהיה כל תורתו על הסדר:
7
If the seven sprinklings were made without the proper intent, the offering does not find favor Above, but the afflicted person regains his status of purity.
ז
נתן שבע המתנות שלא לשמן לא הורצה והוכשר המצורע:
8
When a person who had been afflicted with tzara'at becomes afflicted again after bringing his guilt-offering, he must bring another set of sacrifices for the second affliction. Similarly, if he brings his guilt-offering for the second affliction and becomes afflicted again, he must bring a sacrifice for every time he became afflicted. If, however, he became afflicted and was healed and brought the birds and then became afflicted again, when he was healed a second time and brings his birds, it is sufficient to bring one set of sacrifices for all the times he was afflicted.
ח
מצורע שנתנגע אחר שהביא אשמו צריך קרבן אחר לצרעת שניה וכן אם הביא אשמו ונתנגע צריך קרבן על כל אחת ואחת אבל אם נתנגע ונרפא והביא צפוריו וחזר ונתנגע ונתרפא והביא צפוריו קרבן אחד לכולן:
9
The following laws apply when an afflicted person brings the sacrifices required of a poor person and then he becomes rich, or he brought the sacrifices required of a rich person and he became poor. Everything depends on his status at the time he brings his guilt-offering. If he was wealthy at the time the guilt-offering was slaughtered, he should complete the offering of a wealthy person. If he was poor at that time, he should complete the offering of a poor person.
ט
מצורע שהביא קרבן עני והעשיר או עשיר והעני קודם שיקריב קרבנותיו הכל הולך אחר האשם אם היה בשעת שחיטת האשם עשיר ישלם קרבן עשיר ואם היה עני ישלם קרבן עני:
10
There were two afflicted persons whose sacrifices became intermingled and the blood of one of the sin-offerings was sprinkled on the altar and then one of the afflicted persons died. What should the afflicted person who is alive do? He may not bring an animal as a sin-offering, for perhaps the sin-offering whose blood was cast on the altar was his and we follow the principle: an animal is not brought as a sin-offering when there is a doubt whether one is liable. He may not bring a sin-offering of fowl, because a rich man who brings a poor man's offering does not fulfill his obligation.
What then should he do? He should sign all his property over to another person. Thus he will be poor. Hence he may bring a sin-offering of fowl, because of the doubt. It is not eaten, as we explained. He may then partake of sacrificial foods.
י
שני מצורעים שנתערבו קרבנותיהן ונזרק דם אחת משתי החטאות שלהן ואחר כך מת אחד מן המצורעים כיצד עושה זה המצורע החי להביא חטאת בהמה אינו יכול שמא זו שנזרק דמה חטאתו היא ואין מביאין חטאת בהמה על הספק ולהביא חטאת העוף אינו יכול שעשיר שהביא קרבן עני לא יצא וכיצד יעשה יכתוב כל נכסיו לאחר ונמצא עני ויביא חטאת העוף מספק ולא תאכל כמו שביארנו ונמצא אוכל בקדשים:
11
When a rich man says: "I take responsibility for the sacrifices of this afflicted person," and the afflicted person was poor, he must bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man, for the person who took the vow has the financial capacity. If a poor person said: "I take responsibility for the sacrifices of this afflicted person," and the afflicted person was wealthy, he must bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man, for the person who took the vow obligated himself to bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man.
יא
עשיר שאמר קרבנו של מצורע זה עליו והמצורע היה עני הרי זה מביא על ידו קרבנות עשיר שהרי יד הנודר משגת ועני שאמר קרבנו של מצורע זה עלי והיה המצורע עשיר הרי זה מביא על ידו קרבנות עשיר שהרי זה הנודר חייב בקרבנות עשיר:
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
סליקו להו הלכות מחוסרי כפרה בס"ד:
• English Text | Video Class
Tuesday, Iyar 6, 5777 · 02 May 2017
"Today's Day"
Tuesday Iyar 6, 21st day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Emor, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 35-38.
Tanya: In a manner (p. 241)...above at length. (p. 243).
Our sages said: "One should not take leave of his friend other than with a parting word of Torah-law, a d'var halacha."1 Our forefathers, the saintly Rebbes, explained: The parting word should be the kind of Torah-teaching that transforms the listener into a mehaleich. "Progress," hiluch, means to rise from level to level, with one ascent after another. Such progression embodies the superiority of the human soul over the angels, for this ascent is greatest through an act of goodness - extending a favor to another, a material favor in general, a spiritual favor in particular.
FOOTNOTES
1. Halacha is related to mehaleich,"one who progresses."
-------
Daily Thought
Panic
Panic, confusion and pessimism, these are the nightmares of a heart freely handed the reins to your mind.
Reverse the process. Hand your mind the reins to your heart.
Feed yourself with wholesome thoughts. With all your willpower, stay focused on those thoughts. Ignore the burning panic in your heart; refuse to allow it to distract you.
Soon enough, the black horse of pessimism gallops off into the night.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment