TODAY IN JUDAISM: Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - Today is Wednesday, Sivan 6, 5777 · May 30, 2017 - Shavuot 1st Day - Candle Lighting - Light Holiday Candles after nightfall ––:––

ב"ה

Today in Judaism

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - Today is Wednesday, Sivan 6, 5777 · May 30, 2017 - Shavuot 1st Day - Candle Lighting - Light Holiday Candles after nightfall ––:–– Torah Reading: Shavuot Day 1: Exodus 19:1 - 20:23 Exodus 19:1 (iv) In the third month after the people of Isra’el had left the land of Egypt, the same day they came to the Sinai Desert. 2 After setting out from Refidim and arriving at the Sinai Desert, they set up camp in the desert; there in front of the mountain, Isra’el set up camp.3 Moshe went up to God, and Adonai called to him from the mountain: “Here is what you are to say to the household of Ya‘akov, to tell the people of Isra’el: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra’el.” (v) 7 Moshe came, summoned the leaders of the people and presented them with all these words which Adonai had ordered him to say. 8 All the people answered as one, “Everything Adonai has said, we will do.” Moshe reported the words of the people to Adonai. 9 Adonai said to Moshe, “See, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, so that the people will be able to hear when I speak with you and also to trust in you forever.” Moshe had told Adonai what the people had said; 10 so Adonai said to Moshe, “Go to the people; today and tomorrow separate them for me by having them wash their clothing; 11 and prepare for the third day. For on the third day, Adonai will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. 12 You are to set limits for the people all around; and say, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or even touch its base; whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death. 13 No hand is to touch him; for he must be stoned or shot by arrows; neither animal nor human will be allowed to live.’ When the shofar sounds, they may go up on the mountain.” (S: vi) 14 Moshe went down from the mountain to the people and separated the people for God, and they washed their clothing. 15 He said to the people, “Prepare for the third day; don’t approach a woman.” 16 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder, lightning and a thick cloud on the mountain. Then a shofar blast sounded so loudly that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Moshe brought the people out of the camp to meet God; they stood near the base of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was enveloped in smoke, because Adonai descended onto it in fire — its smoke went up like the smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the sound of the shofar grew louder and louder, Moshe spoke; and God answered him with a voice. (A: vi, S: vii) 20 Adonai came down onto Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; then Adonai called Moshe to the top of the mountain; and Moshe went up. 21 Adonai said to Moshe, “Go down and warn the people not to force their way through to Adonai to see him; if they do, many of them will perish. 22 Even the cohanim, who are allowed to approach Adonai, must keep themselves holy; otherwise, Adonai may break out against them.” 23 Moshe said to Adonai, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, because you ordered us to set limits around the mountain and separate it.” 24 But Adonai answered him, “Go, get down! Then come back up, you and Aharon with you. But don’t let the cohanim and the people force their way through to come up to Adonai, or he will break out against them.” 25 So Moshe went down to the people and told them. 20 Then God said all these words: א 2 “I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery. ב 3 “You are to have no other gods before me. 4 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline. 5 You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot. ג 7 “You are not to use lightly the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly. ד 8 “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself. ה 12 “Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which Adonai your God is giving you. ו 13 “Do not murder. ז (14) “Do not commit adultery. ח (15) “Do not steal. ט (16) “Do not give false evidence against your neighbor. י 14 (17) “Do not covet your neighbor’s house; do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (A: vii) 15 (18) All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled. Standing at a distance, 16 (19) they said to Moshe, “You, speak with us; and we will listen. But don’t let God speak with us, or we will die.” 17 (20) Moshe answered the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come only to test you and make you fear him, so that you won’t commit sins.” 18 (21) So the people stood at a distance, but Moshe approached the thick darkness where God was. (A: Maftir) 19 (22) Adonai said to Moshe, “Here is what you are to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘You yourselves have seen that I spoke with you from heaven. 20 (23) You are not to make with me gods of silver, nor are you to make gods of gold for yourselves. (S: Maftir) 21 (24) For me you need make only an altar of earth; on it you will sacrifice your burnt offerings, peace offerings, sheep, goats and cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you. 22 (25) If you do make me an altar of stone, you are not to build it of cut stones; for if you use a tool on it, you profane it. 23 (26) Likewise, you are not to use steps to go up to my altar; so that you won’t be indecently uncovered.’” Shavuot Day 1: Numbers 28:26-31 Numbers 28:26 “‘On the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to Adonai in your feast of Shavu‘ot, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; 27 but present a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma for Adonai, consisting of two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, 28 and their grain offering — fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for each bull, four quarts for the one ram, 29 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs — 30 plus a male goat to make atonement for you. 31 You are to offer these in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering (they are to be without defect for you), with their drink offerings. Shavuot Day 1: Ezekiel 1:1-28; Ezekiel 3:12 Ezekiel 1:1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the K’var River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was during the fifth year of King Y’hoyakhin’s exile, 3 the word of Adonai came to the cohen Yechezk’el son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the K’var River; there the hand of Adonai was on him.4 I looked and saw a windy storm approaching from the north and a huge cloud with flashing fire, glowing brightly all around with the color of gleaming amber from within the fire. 5 Inside, there appeared to be four living creatures that looked like human beings; 6 but each one had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, with feet like calves’ hoofs. They glittered like burnished bronze. 8 Beneath their wings they had human hands on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings as follows: 9 they touched one another with their wings; they did not turn when they moved, but each one moved straight forward; 10 as for the appearance of their faces, they had human faces [in front], each of the four had a lion’s face on the right, each of the four had a bull’s face on the left, and each of the four had an eagle’s face [toward the rear] — 11 thus their faces. As for their wings, each had two that stretched upward and joined those of others, and two more that covered their bodies. 12 Each [living creature] moved in the direction of any of its faces; in whichever direction the spirit wanted to go, they went, without turning as they moved — 13 thus the appearance of the living creatures. With them was something that looked like fiery coals burning the way torches do, with the fire flashing here and there between the living creatures; the fire had a brilliance, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 The living creatures kept speeding here and there like flashes of lightning. 15 As I gazed at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground, one next to each of the four-faced living creatures. 16 All four wheels looked the same: their inner parts gleamed like beryl, and their structure seemed to be that of a wheel inside a wheel. 17 When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they moved. 18 Their rims were tall and fearsome, because the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved along with them; and when the creatures were lifted off the ground, the wheels went with them. 20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, in the direction the spirit wanted to go. The wheels were lifted up next to them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When [the living creatures] moved, [the wheels] moved; when the former stood still, the latter stood still; and when the former were lifted off the ground, the wheels were lifted up next to them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22 Over the heads of the living creatures was what appeared to be a dome glittering like ice; it was awesome, spread out over their heads, above them. 23 Under the dome each had a pair of wings spread out straight toward those of others, and each had a pair which covered his body. 24 I heard the sound of their wings when they moved; it was like the sound of rushing water, like the voice of Shaddai, like the noise of a tumultuous crowd or army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings. 25 Whenever there was a sound from above the dome over their heads, they stopped and lowered their wings. 26 Above the dome that was over their heads was something like a throne that looked like a sapphire. On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person. 27 I saw what looked like gleaming, amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him. 28 This brilliance around him looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was how the appearance of the glory of Adonai looked. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.; Ezekiel 3:12 A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound — blessed be the glory of Adonai from his place! Today's Laws & Customs: • Torah Reading: Ten Commandments The Torah reading for the 1st day of Shavuot is from Exodus 19-20, which recounts the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (see "Today in Jewish History") and includes the "Ten Commandments" proclaimed at Sinai that encapsulate the entire Torah. Links: The Shavuot Torah Readings About the Ten Commandments • Children in Shul The Lubavitcher Rebbe urged that all children -- including infants --should be brought to the synagogue on the 1st day of Shavuot to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments in re-enactment of the Giving of the Torah at Sinai. Our sages relate that when G-d came to give the Torah to the people of Israel, He asked for a guarantee that that they will not forsake it. "The heaven and the earth shall be our guarantors," said the Jews, but G-d replied that "they will not last forever." "Our fathers will guarantee it," said the people, but G-d said that "they are busy." It was only when we promised that "our children will guarantee it" that G-d agreed, "These are excellent guarantors." Link: Our Children, Our Selves • Book of Ruth It is the custom in many communities to read the biblical Book of Ruth, which tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite princess--and ancestress of King David--who converted to Judaism. Links: Text of Book of Ruth and its connection to ShavuotHow Does One Convert to Judaism? • Dairy Foods It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot. Traditional Shavuot dairy foods include cheesecake and blintzes. Links Why we eat dairy foods on Shavuot Shavuot recipes • More on Shavuot Visit our Shavuot megasite Today in Jewish History: • Giving of the Torah (1313 BCE) On the 6th Sivan of the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), seven weeks after the Exodus, G-d revealed Himself on Mount Sinai. The entire people of Israel (600,000 heads of households and their families), as well as the souls of all future generations of Jews, heard G-d declare the first two of the Ten Commandments and witnessed G-d's communication of the other eight through Moses. Following the revelation, Moses ascended the mountain for 40 days, to receive the remainder of the Torah from G-d. At Sinai, G-d rescinded the "decree" and "divide" (gezeirah) that had been in force since the 2nd day of creation separating the spiritual and the physical into two hermetic worlds; from this point on, "the higher realms could descend into the lower realms, and the lower could ascend to the higher." Thus was born the "mitzvah" -- a physical deed that, by virtue of the fact that it is commanded by G-d, brings G-dliness into the physical world. Links: The Torah: an Anthology The Giving of the Torah • Passing of King David (837 BCE) David, a descendent of Judah the son of Jacob as well as of Ruth, a Moabite convert to Judaism, was anointed King of Israel by Samuel in 878 BCE. All future legitimate kings of Israel were David's descendents, as will be Moshiach (the messiah), who will "restore the kingdom of David to its glory of old." David fought many wars, defeating Israel's enemies and securing and expanding its borders. He conquered Jerusalem, purchased the Temple Mount from its Yebusite owner, and prepared the foundation for the Holy Temple (which was built by his son, King Solomon). David served as the head of the Sanhedrin and the foremost Torah authority of his generation; he is also the "sweet singer of Israel" who composed the Book of Psalms that for 28 centuries has embodied the joys, sorrows and yearnings of the Jewish people. King David passed away on the 6th of Sivan of the year 837 BCE, age 70. Links: King David • Cologne Jews Martyred (1096) During the first crusade (see "Today in Jewish History" for Iyar 8), the Jews of Cologne, Germany chose to be killed rather than convert to Christianity. This was the case, during the first crusades, for many of the Jews who were given the choice between being killed or being baptized. Most of those who converted continued to practice Judaism in secrecy and, one year later, were permitted by Henry IV to openly return to Judaism. • Passing of R. Israel Baal Shem Tov  (1760) In 1734, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov ("BeSHT", 1698-1760), who up until that time had lived as a hidden tzaddik, began to publicly disseminate his teachings. While adding nothing "new" to Judaism, he re-emphasized truths and doctrines that had been buried under the hardships of exile: the immense love that G-d has for every Jew, the cosmic significance of every mitzvah a person performs, the divine meaningfulness that resides in every blade of grass, in every event, and in every thought in the universe. He spoke to the downtrodden masses and to the aloof scholars, giving meaning to their existence, and thus joy, and thus life. Many disciples came to imbibe the "inner soul" of Torah from him, and the new movement came to be known as "Chassidism." Rabbi Israel passed away on the 6th of Sivan of 1760, and was succeeded (one year later, on the first anniversary of his passing) by his disciple, Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch. Links: Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov Daily Torah Study: Chumash: Naso, 4th Portion Numbers 5:11-6:27 with Rashi • English / Hebrew Linear Translation • Video Class • Daily Wisdom (short insight) Numbers Chapter 5 11The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:   יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: 12Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: Should any man's wife go astray and deal treacherously with him,   יבדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־תִשְׂטֶ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וּמָֽעֲלָ֥ה ב֖וֹ מָֽעַל: Should any man’s wife go astray: What is written above [i.e., before] this subject? “Everyone’s holy things belong to him.” If you withhold the gifts of the kohanim, then-by your life!-you will have to come to him to bring him an unfaithful wife. - [Ber. 63a]   איש איש כי תשטה אשתו: מה כתיב למעלה מן הענין ואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו, אם אתה מעכב מתנות הכהן, חייך שתצטרך לבא אצלו להביא לו את הסוטה: any man: Heb. אִישׁ אִישׁ, lit. a man, a man. [The double expression] teaches that she has been doubly unfaithful-against [the Lord, who is known as] the Man (אִישׁ) of War on high (Exod. 15:3), and against her husband (אִישָׁהּ), lit.,“her man”] below [in this world].   איש איש: ללמדך שמועלת בשתים, באיש מלחמה שלמעלה ואישה מלמטה: Should any man’s wife go astray: Heb. תִשְׂטֶה. Our Sages teach (Tanchuma Naso 5): Adulterers do not commit adultery unless a spirit of folly (שְׁטוּת) enters them, as it is written [here],“should go astray” [תִשְׂטֶה, can also mean to become a שׁוֹטֶה, i.e., to become “foolish”], and it is written, “One who commits adultery with a woman is devoid of sense” (Prov. 6:32) (Tanchuma Naso 5). The simple meaning of the verse is: “Should [any man’s wife] goes astray.” She deviates from modest ways, thus arousing his suspicion, as in [the verse],“turn away שְׂטֵה from it and pass” (Prov. 4:15), [and]“Let your heart not veer off יֵשְׂטְ into her ways” (Prov. 7:25).   כי תשטה אשתו: שנו רבותינו אין המנאפין נואפין עד שתכנס בהן רוח שטות, דכתיב כי תשטה, וכתוב בו נואף אשה חסר לב (משלי ו, לב). ופשוטו של מקרא כי תשטה - תט מדרכי צניעות ותחשד בעיניו, כמו שטה מעליו ועבור (שם ד, טו), אל ישט אל דרכיה לבך (שם ז, כה): and deal treacherously with him: What is her treachery?   ומעלה בו מעל: ומהו המעל, ושכב איש אותה: 13and a man lie with her carnally, but it was hidden from her husband's eyes, but she was secluded [with the suspected adulterer] and there was no witness against her, and she was not seized.   יגוְשָׁכַ֨ב אִ֣ישׁ אֹתָהּ֘ שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֒רַע֒ וְנֶעְלַם֙ מֵֽעֵינֵ֣י אִישָׁ֔הּ וְנִסְתְּרָ֖ה וְהִ֣יא נִטְמָ֑אָה וְעֵד֙ אֵ֣ין בָּ֔הּ וְהִ֖וא לֹ֥א נִתְפָּֽשָׂה: A man lie with her: This excludes a minor and a non-human [such as an animal]. — [Sotah 26b]   ושכב איש: פרט לקטן ומי שאינו איש: with her carnally: Her intercourse disqualifies her, but her sister’s intercourse [with the husband] does not disqualify her [to her husband] (Yevamoth 95a), as in the account of two sisters who resembled each other. - [Tanchuma Naso 6] [See Levush, Nachalath Ya’akov]   אתה שכבת זרע: שכיבתה פוסלת אותה, ואין שכיבת אחותה פוסלת אותה כמעשה בשתי אחיות שהיו דומות זו לזו: but it was hidden from her husband’s eyes: This excludes a blind man (Sotah 27a, Sifrei Naso 1:40, Tanchuma 7). It follows that, if he saw [the adulterous act] and ignored it, the water [prescribed further in the section] will not test her. — [Sifrei Naso 1:40]   ונעלם מעיני אישה: פרט לסומא הא אם היה ראוה ומעמעם [ומעלים] אין המים בודקין אותה: but she was secluded: the amount [of time] it takes for one who is secluded [with a man] to be defiled by intercourse. - [Sifrei Naso 1:41, Sotah 2b, 4a]   ונסתרה: שיעור שתראה לטומאת ביאה: and there is no witness against her: But if there is even one witness against her who claims that she has been defiled, she does not drink [the water]. — [Sifrei Naso 1:41, Sotah 2b]   עד אין בה: הא אם יש בה אפילו עד אחד שאמר נטמאת לא היתה שותה: and there is no witness against her: to the defilement, but there were witnesses to the seclusion. — [Sotah 2b]   ועד אין בה: לטומאה אבל יש עדים לסתירה: seized: Heb. נִתְפָּשָׂה, raped, as in“seized her (וּתְפָשָׂהּ) and lay with her” (Deut. 22:28). - [Sifrei Naso 1:42]   נתפשה: נאנסה, כמו ותפשה ושכב עמה (דברים כב, כח): 14But a spirit of jealousy had come upon him and he became jealous of his wife, and she was defiled, or, a spirit of jealousy had come upon him and he was jealous of his wife, and she was not defiled.   ידוְעָבַ֨ר עָלָ֧יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָ֛ה וְקִנֵּ֥א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְהִ֣וא נִטְמָ֑אָה אֽוֹ־עָבַ֨ר עָלָ֤יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָה֙ וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהִ֖יא לֹ֥א נִטְמָֽאָה: had come upon him: before the seclusion. - [Sotah 3a]   ועבר עליו: קודם לסתירה: a spirit of jealousy… and he became jealous: Our Sages explain (Sotah 3a) as an expression of warning: he warned her, “Do not seclude yourself with such-and-such a man.” - [Sotah 5b]   רוח קנאה וקנא: פירשו רבותינו לשון התראה, שמתרה בה אל תסתרי עם איש פלוני: and she was defiled, or, a spirit… had come on him: That is to say, he warned her, but she disregarded his warning, and it is not known whether she was defiled or not.   והיא נטמאה או עבר עליו וגו': כלומר הוא התרה בה ועברה על התראתו, ואין ידוע אם נטמאה אם לאו: 15Then the man shall bring his wife to the kohen and bring her offering for her, one tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall neither pour oil over it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousies, a meal offering of remembrance, recalling iniquity.   טווְהֵבִ֨יא הָאִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֘ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהֵבִ֤יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנָהּ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ עֲשִׂירִ֥ת הָֽאֵיפָ֖ה קֶ֣מַח שְׂעֹרִ֑ים לֹֽא־יִצֹ֨ק עָלָ֜יו שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֹֽא־יִתֵּ֤ן עָלָיו֙ לְבֹנָ֔ה כִּֽי־מִנְחַ֤ת קְנָאֹת֙ ה֔וּא מִנְחַ֥ת זִכָּר֖וֹן מַזְכֶּ֥רֶת עָוֹֽן: flour: [Ordinary flour,] that it should not be of fine flour. - [Sifrei Naso 1:48]   קמח: שלא יהא מסלת: barley: But not wheat; [since] she acted like an animal, her offering is [composed of] animal feed. - [Sotah 15b, Sifrei Naso 1:48]   שערים: ולא חטים, היא עשתה מעשה בהמה וקרבנה מאכל בהמה: He shall not pour oil over it: so that her offering should not be beautiful (Sotah 15a), for oil is called “light”-but she acted in darkness. - [Tanchuma Naso 3]   לא יצק עליו שמן: שלא יהא קרבנה מהודר, שהשמן קרוי אור והיא עשתה בחשך: nor put frankincense on it: For the matriarchs are [symbolically] known as frankincense, as it says,“to the hill of frankincense” (Songs, 4:6), yet she [the accused woman] deviated from their ways. - [Tanchuma Naso 3]   ולא יתן עליו לבונה: שהאמהות נקראות לבונה, שנאמר אל גבעת הלבונה (שה"ש ד, ו), והיא פרשה מדרכיהן: for it is a meal offering of jealousies: Heb. כִּי מִנְחַת קְנָאֹת הוּא [The word הוּא, it is, means] this flour; [the word for flour,] קֶמַח, is masculine in gender.   כי מנחת קנאת הוא: הקמח הזה, קמח לשון זכר: a meal offering of jealousies: It arouses against her two jealousies [i.e., expressions of wrath]: the wrath of the Omnipresent and the wrath of her husband. - [Sifrei Naso 1:50]   מנחת קנאת: מעוררת עליה שתי קנאות, קנאת המקום וקנאת הבעל: 16The kohen shall bring her forth and present her before the Lord.   טזוְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהֶֽעֱמִדָ֖הּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: 17The kohen shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and some earth from the Mishkan floor, the kohen shall take and put it into the water.   יזוְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מַ֥יִם קְדשִׁ֖ים בִּכְלִי־חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִן־הֶֽעָפָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִקַּ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְנָתַ֥ן אֶל־הַמָּֽיִם: holy water: which had been sanctified in the washstand. Because the washstand was made from the copper of the “mirrors of the women who had gathered” (Exod. 38:8) [at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting; see Rashi on that verse], whereas this one had abandoned their ways. They had intercourse with their husbands in Egypt “beneath the apple tree” (Song 8:5), whereas this one, who had corrupted herself with another [man]-let her be examined through it [the washstand]. - [Midrash Aggadah]   מים קדשים: שקדשו בכיור, לפי שנעשה מנחשת מראות הצובאות, וזו פרשה מדרכיהן שהיו נבעלות לבעליהן במצרים תחת התפוח, וזו קלקלה לאחר, תבדק בו: in an earthen vessel: She gave the adulterer to drink choice wine in valuable goblets; therefore, let her drink bitter water in a worthless clay vessel. — [Sotah 9a]   בכלי חרש: היא השקתה את הנואף יין משובח בכוסות משובחים, לפיכך תשתה מים המרים במקדה בזויה של חרש: 18Then the kohen shall stand the woman up before the Lord and expose the [hair on the] head of the woman; he shall place into her hands the remembrance meal offering, which is a meal offering of jealousies, while the bitter curse bearing waters are in the kohen's hand.   יחוְהֶֽעֱמִ֨יד הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֘ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹה֒ וּפָרַע֙ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנָתַ֣ן עַל־כַּפֶּ֗יהָ אֵ֚ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַזִּכָּר֔וֹן מִנְחַ֥ת קְנָאֹ֖ת הִ֑וא וּבְיַ֤ד הַכֹּהֵן֙ יִֽהְי֔וּ מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַֽמְאָֽרְרִֽים: Then the kohen shall set, etc.: Has it not already been said, “and present her before the Lord” (verse 16) ? However, they would move her around from place to place to tire her out so that she should become agitated and confess. — [Sotah 8a]   והעמיד הכהן וגו': והלא כבר נאמר והעמידה לפני ה', אלא מסיעין היו אותה ממקום למקום כדי ליגעה ותטרף דעתה ותודה: and expose: He unravels the plaits of her hair to humiliate her. From here [we derive] that a bared head is considered a disgrace for the daughters of Israel. — [Keth. 72a]   ופרע: סותר את קליעת שערה כדי לבזותה, מכאן לבנות ישראל שגלוי הראש גנאי להן: before the Lord: At the Nicanor Gate, the eastern gate of the [Temple] courtyard (Sotah 7a) the route by which everyone enters.   לפני ה': בשער נקנור, הוא שער העזרה המזרחי, דרך כל הנכנסים: he shall place into her hands: In order to weary her, [in the hope] that she will become agitated and confess, and the Explicit Name will not be erased in the water. - [Sotah 14a]   ונתן על כפיה: ליגעה אולי תטרף דעתה ותודה, ולא ימחה שם המיוחד על המים: the bitter: [They were called bitter] because of their effects, for they will prove bitter for her. — [Sifrei Naso 1:47]   המרים: על שם סופן שהם מרים לה: curse-bearing: [I.e.,] which eliminates her from the world; it is an expression like [the phrase]“a pricking (מַמְאִיר) briar” (Ezek. 28:24). But it is impossible to render it as“accursed water,” because it was holy, and Scripture does not write אִרוּרִים, but מְאָרְרִים, [meaning]“which cause others to be cursed.” Onkelos too does not translate it as לִיטַיָא,“cursed,” but מְלַטְטַיָּא, “that cause a curse,” [i.e.,] which reveal a curse on the body of this [woman].   המאררים: המחסרים אותה מן העולם, לשון סלון ממאיר (יחזקאל כח, כד). ולא יתכן לפרש מים ארורים, שהרי קדושים הן, ולא ארורים כתב הכתוב, אלא מאררים את אחרים. ואף אונקלוס לא תרגם ליטייא, אלא מלטטיא, שמראות קללה בגופה של זו: 19The kohen shall then place her under oath, and say to the woman, "If no man has lain with you and you have not gone astray to become defiled [to another] in place of your husband, then [you will] be absolved through these bitter waters which cause the curse.   יטוְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ אֹתָ֜הּ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַ֤ר אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אִם־לֹ֨א שָׁכַ֥ב אִישׁ֙ אֹתָ֔ךְ וְאִם־לֹ֥א שָׂטִ֛ית טֻמְאָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת אִישֵׁ֑ךְ הִנָּקִ֕י מִמֵּ֛י הַמָּרִ֥ים הַֽמְאָֽרְרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה: Place her under oath: What is the oath?"If no man has lain with you… [you will] be absolved (הִנָּקִי), but if he has lain [with you], may you suffocate (חֲנָקִי) ! From the negative, you imply the affirmative, but we are duty-bound to commence capital cases by presuming innocence. [Therefore, we do not commence with the affirmative, but only imply it from the negative.] - [Kid. 62a]   והשביע אותה וגו': ומה היא השבועה אם לא שכב הנקי, הא אם שכב חנקי [לא תנקי], שמכלל לאו אתה שומע הן, אלא שמצוה לפתוח בדיני נפשות תחלה לזכות: 20But as for you, if you have gone astray [to another] instead of your husband and have become defiled, and another man besides your husband has lain with you..."   כוְאַ֗תְּ כִּ֥י שָׂטִ֛ית תַּ֥חַת אִישֵׁ֖ךְ וְכִ֣י נִטְמֵ֑את וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אִ֥ישׁ בָּךְ֙ אֶת־שְׁכָבְתּ֔וֹ מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֖י אִישֵֽׁךְ: But if you have gone astray: כִּי שָׂטִית. [The word] כִּי is used in the sense of “if.”   ואת כי שטית: כי משמש בלשון אם: 21The kohen shall now adjure the woman with the oath of the curse, and the kohen shall say to the woman, "May the Lord make you for a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord causes your thigh to rupture and your belly to swell.   כאוְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֘ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָֽאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יִתֵּ֨ן יְהוָֹ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ עַמֵּ֑ךְ בְּתֵ֨ת יְהוָֹ֤ה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ נֹפֶ֔לֶת וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ צָבָֽה: with the oath of the curse: The oath which contains a curse.   בשבועת האלה: שבועה של קללה: May the Lord make you for a curse, etc.: so that everyone shall use your name in cursing [such as], “May it befall you as it befell so-and-so.”   יתן ה' אותך לאלה: שיהיו הכל מקללין ביך יבואך כדרך שבא לפלונית: and an oath: so that everyone will swear by you [such as], “If [I am] not [speaking the truth], may it happen to me as it happened to so-and-so.” Similarly, it says, “And you shall leave your name for an oath for My elect” (Isa. 65:15). [It is customary for] the righteous [to] swear by the calamities that befall the wicked. The same applies to blessings [as it says]: “shall be blessed with you” (Gen. 12:3);“With you, Israel will bless, saying” (Gen. 48:20). - [Sifrei Naso 1:73]   ולשבועה: שיהיו הכל נשבעין ביך לא יארע לי כדרך שאירע לפלונית וכן הוא אומר והנחתם שמכם לשבועה לבחירי (ישעיה סה, טו), שהצדיקים נשבעים בפורענותן של רשעים, וכן לענין הברכה ונברכו וגו' (בראשית יב ג) בך יברך ישראל לאמר (בראשית מח כ): your thigh: In the curse, the thigh precedes the belly, because she began the sin with it [the thigh]. — [Sotah 8b]   את ירכך: בקללה הקדים ירך לבטן לפי שבה התחילה בעבירה תחלה: swell: Heb. צָבָה. As Targum [Onkelos] renders: נְפִיחָא, swollen.   צבה: כתרגומו נפוחה: 22For these curse bearing waters shall enter your innards, causing the belly to swell and the thigh to rupture," and the woman shall say, "Amen, amen."   כבוּבָ֠אוּ הַמַּ֨יִם הַֽמְאָֽרְרִ֤ים הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ בְּמֵעַ֔יִךְ לַצְבּ֥וֹת בֶּ֖טֶן וְלַנְפִּ֣ל יָרֵ֑ךְ וְאָֽמְרָ֥ה הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אָמֵ֥ן | אָמֵֽן: causing the belly to swell: Heb. לַצְבּוֹת בֶּטֶן, like לְהַצְבּוֹת בֶּטֶן, “to cause the belly to swell.” This is the function of the pathach with which the “lamed” is vocalized; similarly,“to to lead them (לַנְחֹתָם) on the way” (Exod. 13:21) and“to show you (לַרְאֹתְכֶם) the way in which to go” (Deut. 1:33). Similarly, [Scripture says in this verse] לַנְפִּל יָרֵךְ [which is equivalent to]: לְהַנְפִּל יָרֵךְ, “to cause the thigh to rupture,” for the water distends the belly and ruptures the thigh.   לצבות בטן: כמו להצבות בטן, זהו שמוש פתח שהלמ"ד נקודה בו, וכן לנחותם הדרך (שמות יג, כא), לראותכם בדרך אשר תלכו בה (דברים א, לג), וכן לנפיל ירך להנפיל ירך, שהמים מצבים את הבטן ומפילים את הירך: causing the belly to swell and the thigh to rupture: [This refers to] the belly and thigh of the adulterer, or perhaps only those of the adulteress? [However,] when Scripture says “causes your thigh to rupture and your belly to swell” (verse 21), those of the adulteress are stated [thus here it must refer to the adulterer]. — [Sotah 28a and Sifrei Naso 1:65]   לצבות בטן ולנפיל ירך: בטנו וירכו של בועל, או אינו אלא של נבעלת, כשהוא אומר את ירכך נופלת ואת בטנך צבה, הרי של נבעלת אמור: Amen, amen: An acceptance of the oath: “amen” for the curse, “ amen” for the oath, “amen” whether from this man [whom her husband suspects], “amen” whether from another man, “amen” that I did not go astray while betrothed or married, while awaiting levirate marriage from my brother-in-law or after having married him. — [Sifrei Naso 1:66, Sotah 18a, b].   אמן אמן: קבלת שבועה, אמן על האלה אמן על השבועה, אמן אם מאיש זה, אמן אם מאיש אחר, אמן שלא סטיתי ארוסה ונשואה שומרת יבם וכנוסה: 23Then the kohen shall write these curses on a scroll and erase it in the bitter water.   כגוְ֠כָתַ֠ב אֶת־הָֽאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּסֵּ֑פֶר וּמָחָ֖ה אֶל־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִֽים: 24He shall then give the bitter, curse bearing waters to the woman to drink, and the curse bearing waters shall enter her to become bitter.   כדוְהִשְׁקָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מֵ֥י הַמָּרִ֖ים הַֽמְאָֽרְרִ֑ים וּבָ֥אוּ בָ֛הּ הַמַּ֥יִם הַֽמְאָֽרְרִ֖ים לְמָרִֽים: He shall then give… the woman to drink: This is not the sequence in which it was done, for first he [the kohen] would offer up her meal-offering. But Scripture informs you that when he makes her drink, it [the water] becomes bitter within her. Since it mentions [only] “belly” and “thigh,” how do I know that the rest of the body [is also affected]? [Because] Scripture states, “shall enter her”- [that is,] into all of her [body]. If so, why does Scripture [explicitly] mention “belly” and“thigh”? Since the transgression began through them, therefore the punishment begins with them. - [Sotah 19a, b, according to Rabbi Simeon]   והשקה את האשה: אין זה סדר המעשה, שהרי בתחלה מקריב מנחתה, אלא הכתוב מבשרך שכשישקנה יבואו בה למרים. לפי שנאמר בטן וירך, מניין לשאר כל הגוף, תלמוד לומר ובאו בה בכולה, אם כן מה תלמוד לומר בטן וירך, לפי שהן התחילו בעבירה תחילה, לפיכך התחילה מהן הפורענות: to become bitter: They will be harmful and bitter for her.   למרים: להיות לה רעים ומרים: 25The kohen shall take the meal offering of jealousies from the woman's hand, wave the meal offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar.   כהוְלָקַ֤ח הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֣ת הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת וְהֵנִ֤יף אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹ֔ה וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: wave: He moves it to and fro, up and down (Sifrei Naso 1:71). She, too, waves with him, for her hand is above the kohen’s hand. — [Sotah 19a]   והניף: מוליך ומביא מעלה ומוריד, ואף היא מניפה עמו שידה למעלה מידו של כהן: and bring it: This refers to placing it at the south-west corner of the altar, before קְמִיצָה, “scooping up a handful,” as is the case with other meal-offerings. - [Sotah 14b]   והקריב אתה: זו היא הגשתה בקרן דרומית מערבית של מזבח קודם קמיצה כשאר מנחות: 26The kohen shall scoop out from the meal offering its reminder and burn it upon the altar, and then he shall give the woman the water to drink.   כווְקָמַ֨ץ הַכֹּהֵ֤ן מִן־הַמִּנְחָה֙ אֶת־אַזְכָּ֣רָתָ֔הּ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְאַחַ֛ר יַשְׁקֶ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמָּֽיִם: its reminder: This is the handful, for through bringing it up in smoke, the meal-offering comes to the Most High as a memorial. — [Sifrei 1:72]   אזכרתה: הוא הקומץ, שעל ידי הקטרתו המנחה באה לזכרון לגבוה: 27He shall make her drink the water, and it shall be that, if she had been defiled and was unfaithful to her husband, the curse bearing waters shall enter her to become bitter, and her belly will swell, and her thigh will rupture. The woman will be a curse among her people.   כזוְהִשְׁקָ֣הּ אֶת־הַמַּ֗יִם וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה אִם־נִטְמְאָה֘ וַתִּמְעֹ֣ל מַ֣עַל בְּאִישָׁהּ֒ וּבָ֨אוּ בָ֜הּ הַמַּ֤יִם הַֽמְאָֽרְרִים֙ לְמָרִ֔ים וְצָֽבְתָ֣ה בִטְנָ֔הּ וְנָֽפְלָ֖ה יְרֵכָ֑הּ וְהָֽיְתָ֧ה הָֽאִשָּׁ֛ה לְאָלָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ: He shall make her drink the water: [The repetition of this statement is meant] to include that if she says, “I refuse to drink” after the scroll [in which God’s name is written] has been erased [by the water], they pour it into her, making her drink it against her will, unless [she admits and] says, “I have been defiled.” - [Sotah 19b]   והשקה את המים: לרבות שאם אמרה איני שותה לאחר שנמחקה מגלה, מערערין אותה ומשקין אותה בעל כרחה, אלא אם כן אמרה טמאה אני: her belly will swell: Although in reference to the curse, the thigh is mentioned first, the water tests [the body] only in the order it enters it [which is first the belly and then the thigh]. - [Sotah 9b]   וצבתה בטנה וגו': אף על פי שבקללה הזכיר ירך תחילה, המים אין בודקין אלא דרך כניסתן בה: The woman will be a curse: As I explained (verse 21), everyone will curse by her [name]. — [Sifrei Naso 1:73]   והיתה האשה לאלה: כמו שפירשתי שהיו הכל אלין בה: among her people: There is a difference between a person who is disgraced in a place where he is known and a person who is disgraced in a place where he is unknown. — [Sifrei Naso 1:64]   בקרב עמה: הפרש יש בין אדם המתנוול במקום שניכר, לאדם המתנוול במקום שאינו ניכר: 28But if the woman had not become defiled and she is clean, she shall be exempted and bear seed.   כחוְאִם־לֹ֤א נִטְמְאָה֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּטְהֹרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְנִקְּתָ֖ה וְנִזְרֳעָ֥ה זָֽרַע: But if the woman had not become defiled: During this seclusion,   ואם לא נטמאה האשה: בסתירה זו: and she is clean: regarding any other place,   וטהרה היא: ממקום אחר: she shall be exempted: from [the dire effects of] the curse-bearing water, and moreover, she “shall bear seed.” If she used to have painful births, she will now have easy births; if she used to give birth to dark-skinned babies, she will now give birth to fair ones. — [Sotah 26a]   ונקתה: ממים המאררים, ולא עוד אלא ונזרעה זרע, אם היתה יולדת בצער תלד בריוח, אם היתה יולדת שחורים יולדת לבנים: 29This is the law of jealousies when a woman goes astray to someone other than her husband and is defiled,   כטזֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַקְּנָאֹ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׂטֶ֥ה אִשָּׁ֛ה תַּ֥חַת אִישָׁ֖הּ וְנִטְמָֽאָה: 30or if a spirit of jealousy comes over a man, and he is jealous of his wife, and he presents the woman before the Lord, and the kohen shall do to her all of this law,   לא֣וֹ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תַּֽעֲבֹ֥ר עָלָ֛יו ר֥וּחַ קִנְאָ֖ה וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְהֶֽעֱמִ֤יד אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹ֔ה וְעָ֤שָׂה לָהּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת: Or if a man: [The meaning here is] as in [the phrase]: “Or if it be known” (Exod. 21:36), that is to say, if he was a jealous man, then on account of this “he will present the woman [before the Lord].”   או איש: כמו או נודע (שמות כא, לו), כלומר אם איש קנאי הוא, לכך והעמיד את האשה: 31the man shall be absolved of iniquity, and the woman shall bear her iniquity.   לאוְנִקָּ֥ה הָאִ֖ישׁ מֵֽעָוֹ֑ן וְהָֽאִשָּׁ֣ה הַהִ֔וא תִּשָּׂ֖א אֶת־עֲו‍ֹנָֽהּ: The man shall be absolved of iniquity: If the water tested her, he should not become distressed and say, “I am responsible for her death.” [Rather,] he is exempt of any punishment (Midrash Aggadah, Num. Rabbah 9: 43). Another interpretation: Once he has made her drink, she becomes permitted to him, and he is free of any sin, for a woman under suspicion is forbidden to her husband. - [Num. Rabbah 9:43]   ונקה האיש מעון: אם בדקוה המים אל ידאג לומר חבתי במיתתה, נקי הוא מן העונש. דבר אחר משישקנה תהיה אצלו בהיתר ונקה מעון, שהסוטה אסורה לבעלה: Numbers Chapter 6 1The Lord spoke to Moses saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: 2Speak to the children of Israel, and you shall say to them: A man or woman who sets himself apart by making a nazirite vow to abstain for the sake of the Lord.   בדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר לְהַזִּ֖יר לַֽיהוָֹֽה: who sets himself apart: Heb. כִּי יַפְלִא, sets himself apart. Why is the section dealing with the nazirite juxtaposed to the section of the adulterous woman? To tell us that whoever sees an adulteress in her disgrace should vow to abstain from wine, for it leads to adultery. — [Sotah 2a]   כי יפלא: יפריש. למה נסמכה פרשת נזיר לפרשת סוטה, לומר לך שכל הרואה סוטה בקלקולה יזיר עצמו מן היין, שהוא מביא לידי ניאוף: a nazirite vow: Heb. נָזִיר [The term] נְזִירָה everywhere [in Scripture] means only separation; here too [the nazirite] separates himself from wine. - [Sifrei Naso 1:87]   נדר נזיר: אין נזירה בכל מקום אלא פרישה, אף כאן שפרש מן היין: to abstain for the sake of the Lord: To separate himself from wine for the sake of Heaven. — [Ned. 9b, Sifrei Naso 1:84]   להזיר לה': להבדיל עצמו מן היין לשם שמים: 3He shall abstain from new wine and aged wine; he shall not drink [even] vinegar made from new wine or aged wine, nor shall he drink anything in which grapes have been steeped, and he shall eat neither fresh grapes nor dried ones.   גמִיַּ֤יִן וְשֵׁכָר֙ יַזִּ֔יר חֹ֧מֶץ יַ֛יִן וְחֹ֥מֶץ שֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א יִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וְכָל־מִשְׁרַ֤ת עֲנָבִים֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַֽעֲנָבִ֛ים לַחִ֥ים וִֽיבֵשִׁ֖ים לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל: from new wine and aged wine: Heb. מִיַיִּן וְשֵׁכָר. As Targum [Onkelos] renders:“From new wine and aged wine,” for when wine has been aged, it intoxicates מְשַׁכֵּר.   מיין ושכר: כתרגומו מחמר חדת ועתיק, שהיין משכר כשהוא ישן: anything in which grapes have been steeped: Heb. מִשְׁרַת עֲנָבִים. [The word מִשְׁרַת is] an expression denoting steeping in water, or any other liquid. In the language of the Mishnah, there are many [such examples]: We may not steep (אֵין שׁוֹרִין) ink or dye [in water on the eve of Sabbath] (Shab. 17b); a nazirite who steeped (שֶׁשָּׁרָה) his bread in wine (Nazir 34b).   וכל משרת: לשון צביעה במים וכל משקה, ובלשון משנה יש הרבה אין שורין דיו וסמנים (שבת יז ב), נזיר ששרה פתו ביין (נזיר לד ב): 4For the entire duration of his abstinence, he shall not eat any product of the grape vine, from seeds to skins.   דכֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ מִכֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵֽעָשֶׂ֜ה מִגֶּ֣פֶן הַיַּ֗יִן מֵֽחַרְצַנִּ֛ים וְעַד־זָ֖ג לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל: seeds: Heb. חַרְצַנִּים. They are the kernels. - [Sifrei Naso 1:93]   חרצנים: הם הגרעינין: skins: Heb. זָג, the outer shells, for the seeds are inside, like the clapper in a bell (זוּג).   זג: הם קליפות שמבחוץ, שהחרצנים בתוכן כענבל בזוג: 5All the days of his vow of abstinence, no razor shall pass over his head; until the completion of the term that he abstains for the sake of the Lord, it shall be sacred, and he shall allow the growth of the hair of his head to grow wild.   הכָּל־יְמֵי֙ נֶ֣דֶר נִזְר֔וֹ תַּ֖עַר לֹא־יַֽעֲבֹ֣ר עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ עַד־מְלֹ֨את הַיָּמִ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־יַזִּ֤יר לַֽיהוָֹה֙ קָדֹ֣שׁ יִֽהְיֶ֔ה גַּדֵּ֥ל פֶּ֖רַע שְׂעַ֥ר רֹאשֽׁוֹ: it shall be sacred: [That is,] his hair; he must let the growth of the hair of his head flourish.   קדוש יהיה: השער שלו, לגדל הפרע של שער ראשו: growth: Heb. פֶּרַע. [The word] is vowelized with a small “pattach” [known as “segol”] because it is [a construct state and] attached to the phrase“the hair of his head.” [The meaning is:] A growth of hair, and the word פֶּרַע means to allow the hair to grow [wild]. Similarly [we find],“He shall not allow his head to grow freely (לֹא יִפְרָע)” (Lev. 21:10). Any growth [of hair] less than thirty days is not considered פֶּרַע.   פרע: נקוד פתח קטן לפי שהוא דבוק לשער ראשו, פרע של שער. ופירושו של פרע, גדול של שער, וכן את ראשו לא יפרע (ויקרא כא, י), ואין קרוי פרע פחות משלושים יום: 6All the days that he abstains for The Lord, he shall not come into contact with the dead.   וכָּל־יְמֵ֥י הַזִּיר֖וֹ לַֽיהוָֹ֑ה עַל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ מֵ֖ת לֹ֥א יָבֹֽא: 7To his father, to his mother, to his brother, or to his sister, he shall not defile himself if they die, for the crown of his God is upon his head.   זלְאָבִ֣יו וּלְאִמּ֗וֹ לְאָחִיו֙ וּלְאַ֣חֹת֔וֹ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בְּמֹתָ֑ם כִּ֛י נֵ֥זֶר אֱלֹהָ֖יו עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ: 8For the entire duration of his abstinence, he is holy to the Lord.   חכֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ קָד֥שׁ ה֖וּא לַֽיהוָֹֽה: For the entire duration of his abstinence, he is holy: This [refers to] the sanctification of the body, against contamination by [contact with] the dead.   כל ימי נזרו קדוש הוא: זו קדושת הגוף מליטמא למתים: 9If someone in his presence dies unexpectedly or suddenly, and causes the nazirite head to become defiled, he shall shave off [the hair of] his head on the day of his purification; on the seventh day, he shall shave it off.   טוְכִֽי־יָמ֨וּת מֵ֤ת עָלָיו֙ בְּפֶ֣תַע פִּתְאֹ֔ם וְטִמֵּ֖א רֹ֣אשׁ נִזְר֑וֹ וְגִלַּ֤ח רֹאשׁוֹ֙ בְּי֣וֹם טָֽהֳרָת֔וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י יְגַלְּחֶֽנּוּ: unexpectedly: Heb. בְּפֶתַע. This is an unavoidable occurrence.   בפתע: זה אונס: suddenly: This refers to an unintentional [defilement] (Sifrei Naso 1:110). Some say that [the words] פֶּתַע פִּתְאֹם are a single phrase [denoting one idea, namely], “a sudden incident.” [Perhaps Rashi is alluding to Onkelos or to Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p.147). See Leket Bahir].   פתאם: זה שוגג. ויש אומרים פתע פתאום דבר אחד הוא, מקרה של פתאום: If someone in his presence dies: In the tent in which he is located. - [Midrash Lekach Tov]   וכי ימות מת עליו: באהל שהוא בו: on the day of his purification: On the day he is to be sprinkled, or perhaps only on the eighth day, when he becomes completely clean? [Therefore] Scripture states, “on the seventh day.” But if on the seventh, I might think that [his head must be shaved] even if he was not sprinkled. So Scripture [also] states,“on the day of his purification.” - [Sifrei Naso 1:113]   ביום טהרתו: ביום הזייתו, או אינו אלא בשמיני שהוא טהור לגמרי, תלמוד לומר ביום השביעי, אי שביעי יכול אפילו לא הזה, תלמוד לומר ביום טהרתו: 10And on the eighth day, he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the kohen, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.   יוּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יָבִא֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה אֶ֨ל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves: This [is meant] to exclude the seventh [day], or perhaps it is meant to exclude only the ninth [day]? It [Scripture] designates a time for the sacrifices and it designates a time for those offering them. Just as it validates the eighth [day] and from the eighth [day] onwards for sacrifices, so those who offer the sacrifices may do so on the eighth [day] and from the eighth [day] onwards. - [Sifrei Naso 1:116]   וביום השמיני יבא שתי תרים: להוציא את השביעי. או אינו אלא להוציא את התשיעי, קבע זמן לקרבין וקבע זמן למקריבין, מה קרבין הכשיר שמיני ומשמיני והלאה, אף מקריבין שמיני ומשמיני והלאה: 11The kohen shall prepare one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering and atone on his behalf for sinning by coming into contact with the dead, and he shall sanctify his head on that day.   יאוְעָשָׂ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֶחָ֤ד לְחַטָּאת֙ וְאֶחָ֣ד לְעֹלָ֔ה וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלָ֔יו מֵֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖א עַל־הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ וְקִדַּ֥שׁ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא: for sinning by coming into contact with the dead: Heb. מֵאֲשֶׁר חָטָא עַל הַנֶּפֶשׁ, lit., for sinning concerning the body, meaning that he did not take precautions against becoming defiled by the dead. Rabbi Eleazar Hakappar says: He afflicted himself [by abstaining] from wine, [thus, he sinned against his own body]. — [Nazir 19a, B.K. 91b, Ta’anith 11a, Sifrei Naso 1:18, and other places]   מאשר חטא על הנפש: שלא נזהר מטומאת המת, רבי אלעזר הקפר אומר שציער עצמו מן היין: and he shall sanctify his head: By beginning again the count of his naziriteship. - [Sifrei Naso 1:119]   וקדש את ראשו: לחזור ולהתחיל מנין נזירותו: 12He shall consecrate to the Lord the period of his abstinence and bring a lamb in its first year as a guilt offering; the previous days shall be canceled because his naziriteship has been defiled.   יבוְהִזִּ֤יר לַֽיהוָֹה֙ אֶת־יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֔וֹ וְהֵבִ֛יא כֶּ֥בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָת֖וֹ לְאָשָׁ֑ם וְהַיָּמִ֤ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִים֙ יִפְּל֔וּ כִּ֥י טָמֵ֖א נִזְרֽוֹ: He shall consecrate to the Lord the period of his abstinence: He shall start counting his naziriteship again from the beginning. — [Sifrei Naso 1:119]   והזיר לה' את ימי נזרו: יחזור וימנה נזירותו כבתחילה: The previous days shall be canceled: They shall not count. — [Targum Onkelos]   והימים הראשונים יפלו: לא יעלו מן המנין: 13This is the law of the nazirite: On the day his period of naziriteship is completed, he shall present himself at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.   יגוְזֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַנָּזִ֑יר בְּי֗וֹם מְלֹאת֙ יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֔וֹ יָבִ֣יא אֹת֔וֹ אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: he shall present himself: Heb. יָבִיא אֹתוֹ, lit.,“he shall bring him,” i.e., he shall bring himself. This [word אֹתוֹ“himself”] is one of the three [cases of the word] אֶת which Rabbi Ishmael expounded in this way [as being reflexive]. Similarly,“thereby bringing upon themselves (אוֹתָם) to bear iniquity and guilt” (Lev. 22:16) - [“ אוֹתָם ” meaning] themselves. Similarly,“He buried him (אֹתוֹ) in the ravine” (Deut. 34:6) he [Moses] buried himself. — [Sifrei Naso 1:124]   יביא אתו: יביא את עצמו, זה אחד משלשה אתים שהיה ר' ישמעאל דורש כן. כיוצא בו והשיאו אותם עון אשמה (ויקרא כב, טז), את עצמם, כיוצא בו ויקבור אותו בגיא (דברים לד, ו), הוא קבר את עצמו: 14He shall bring his offering to the Lord: one unblemished lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one unblemished ewe lamb in its first year as a sin offering, and one unblemished ram as a peace offering,   ידוְהִקְרִ֣יב אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֣וֹ לַֽיהוָֹ֡ה כֶּ֩בֶשׂ֩ בֶּן־שְׁנָת֨וֹ תָמִ֤ים אֶחָד֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וְכַבְשָׂ֨ה אַחַ֧ת בַּת־שְׁנָתָ֛הּ תְּמִימָ֖ה לְחַטָּ֑את וְאַֽיִל־אֶחָ֥ד תָּמִ֖ים לִשְׁלָמִֽים: 15and a basket of unleavened cakes; loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, with their meal offerings and their libations.   טווְסַ֣ל מַצּ֗וֹת סֹ֤לֶת חַלֹּת֙ בְּלוּלֹ֣ת בַּשֶּׁ֔מֶן וּרְקִיקֵ֥י מַצּ֖וֹת מְשֻׁחִ֣ים בַּשָּׁ֑מֶן וּמִנְחָתָ֖ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶֽם: with their meal-offerings and libations: Of the burnt offerings and peace offerings [but not of the sin-offering]. Since they were included in the general rule [requiring libations] but were then singled out to be the subject of a new case, namely, that they required bread, [Scripture] returns them to the general rule [by stating that] they require libations, as is the universal law for all burnt offerings and peace offerings. - [See Sifrei Naso 1:127]   ומנחתם ונסכיהם: של עולה ושלמים, לפי שהיו בכלל ויצאו לידון בדבר חדש שיטעינו לחם, החזירן לכללן שיטעינו נסכים כדין עולה ושלמים: unleavened loaves and unleavened wafers: Ten of each kind. — [Men. 77b; Rambam , Mishnah Comm ., Men. 7:2; Mishneh Torah , Neziruth 8:1, Kesef Mishneh]   חלות מצות ורקיקי מצות: עשר מכל מין: 16The kohen shall present it before the Lord, and perform the service of his sin offering and his burnt offering.   טזוְהִקְרִ֥יב הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹ֑ה וְעָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־חַטָּאת֖וֹ וְאֶת־עֹֽלָתֽוֹ: 17He shall make the ram as a peace offering to the Lord, along with the basket of unleavened cakes, and the kohen shall perform the service of its meal offering with its libation.   יזוְאֶת־הָאַ֜יִל יַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה זֶ֤בַח שְׁלָמִים֙ לַֽיהוָֹ֔ה עַ֖ל סַ֣ל הַמַּצּ֑וֹת וְעָשָׂה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶת־מִנְחָת֖וֹ וְאֶת־נִסְכּֽוֹ: a peace offering to the Lord, along with the basket of unleavened cakes: He slaughters the [ram of] the peace offering with the intention of sanctifying the bread. — [Men. 46b]   זבח שלמים לה' על סל המצות: ישחט את השלמים על מנת לקדש את הלחם: Its meal offering with its libation: [I.e.,] the ram’s.   את מנחתו ואת נסכו: של איל: 18The nazirite shall shave the head of his naziriteship at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and he shall take the hair of the head of his naziriteship and place it upon the fire which is under the peace offering.   יחוְגִלַּ֣ח הַנָּזִ֗יר פֶּ֛תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ נִזְר֑וֹ וְלָקַ֗ח אֶת־שְׂעַר֙ רֹ֣אשׁ נִזְר֔וֹ וְנָתַן֙ עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֖חַת זֶ֥בַח הַשְּׁלָמִֽים: The nazirite shall shave…at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting: I might think that he should shave in the courtyard, but this would be degrading [for the courtyard]. Rather, “the nazirite shall shave” after the peace offering has been slaughtered, regarding which it is written, “and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting” (Lev. 3:2). - [Nazir 45a, Sifrei Naso 1: 128]   וגלח הנזיר פתח אהל מועד: יכול יגלח בעזרה, הרי זה דרך בזיון. אלא וגלח הנזיר לאחר שחיטת השלמים שכתוב בהן ושחטו פתח אהל מועד (ויקרא ג, ב), ספרי: which is under the peace offering: [I.e.,] under the pot in which he cooks it. For the nazirite’s peace offering was cooked in the courtyard, since the kohen had to take the foreleg after it had been cooked and wave it before the Lord.   אשר תחת זבח השלמים: תחת הדוד שהוא מבשלן בו, לפי ששלמי נזיר היו מתבשלין בעזרה, שצריך ליטול הכהן הזרוע אחר שנתבשלה ולהניף לפני ה': 19The kohen shall then take the cooked foreleg of the ram, one unleavened loaf from the basket and one unleavened wafer, place [them] in the hands of the nazirite after he has shaven off his nazirite [head].   יטוְלָקַ֨ח הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־הַזְּרֹ֣עַ בְּשֵׁלָה֘ מִן־הָאַ֒יִל֒ וְחַלַּ֨ת מַצָּ֤ה אַחַת֙ מִן־הַסַּ֔ל וּרְקִ֥יק מַצָּ֖ה אֶחָ֑ד וְנָתַן֙ עַל־כַּפֵּ֣י הַנָּזִ֔יר אַחַ֖ר הִתְגַּלְּח֥וֹ אֶת־נִזְרֽוֹ: the cooked foreleg: After it has been cooked.   הזרוע בשלה: לאחר שנתבשלה: 20The kohen shall wave them as a waving before the Lord; it is consecrated to the kohen, along with the breast of the waving and the thigh of the uplifting. After this, the nazirite may drink wine.   כוְהֵנִיף֩ אוֹתָ֨ם הַכֹּהֵ֥ן | תְּנוּפָה֘ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹה֒ קֹ֤דֶשׁ הוּא֙ לַכֹּהֵ֔ן עַ֚ל חֲזֵ֣ה הַתְּנוּפָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל שׁ֣וֹק הַתְּרוּמָ֑ה וְאַחַ֛ר יִשְׁתֶּ֥ה הַנָּזִ֖יר יָֽיִן: it is consecrated to the kohen: The loaf, the wafer, and the foreleg are donations for the kohen.   קדש הוא לכהן: החלה והרקיק והזרוע תרומה הן לכהן: along with the breast of the waving, etc.: Besides the breast and thigh due him from all peace offerings, this foreleg is added to the nazirite peace offerings. [This is] because the nazirite peace offerings were included in the general rule, but were then singled out to determine something new-setting apart the foreleg. [Thus,] it was necessary to return them to the general rule so that they are subject to [the gifts of] the breast and the thigh as well. — [Sifrei Naso 1: 134]   על חזה התנופה: מלבד חזה ושוק הראויים לו מכל שלמים מוסף על שלמי נזיר הזרוע הזה, לפי שהיו שלמי נזיר בכלל ויצאו לידון בדבר החדש להפרשת זרוע הוצרך להחזירן לכללן לידון אף בחזה ושוק: 21This is the law of a nazirite who makes a vow: his offering to the Lord for his naziriteship is in addition to what is within his means. According to the vow that he vows, so shall he do, in addition to the law of his naziriteship.   כאזֹ֣את תּוֹרַ֣ת הַנָּזִיר֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדֹּר֒ קָרְבָּנ֤וֹ לַֽיהוָֹה֙ עַל־נִזְר֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־תַּשִּׂ֣יג יָד֑וֹ כְּפִ֤י נִדְרוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדֹּ֔ר כֵּ֣ן יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה עַ֖ל תּוֹרַ֥ת נִזְרֽוֹ: in addition to that which is within his means: [For example,] if he said,“I am hereby a nazirite on the condition that I shall shave [my hair] with one hundred burnt offerings and with one hundred peace offerings” - according to the vow that he vows, so shall he do added to the law of his naziriteship.   מלבד אשר תשיג ידו: שאם אמר הריני נזיר על מנת לגלח על מאה עולות ועל מאה שלמים כפי נדרו אשר ידור כן יעשה מוסף על תורת נזרו: In addition to the law of his naziriteship: Heb. תּוֹרַת נִזְרוֹ means he may add to the law of his naziriteship but not omit anything. If he said, “I am hereby a nazirite five times over on condition that I shave with [only] these three animals,” I do not apply to him [the rule],“According to the vow that he vows, so shall he do.” - [Sifrei Naso 1:137]   על תורת נזרו: יוסיף ולא יחסר, שאם אמר הריני נזיר חמש נזירות על מנת לגלח על שלש בהמות הללו, אין אני קורא בו כאשר ידור כן יעשה: 22The Lord spoke to Moses saying:   כבוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: 23Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them:   כגדַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶל־בָּנָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֥ה תְבָֽרֲכ֖וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָמ֖וֹר לָהֶֽם: saying to them: Heb. אָמוֹר. [The infinitive] as in זָכוֹר,“remembering” (Exod. 20:8), and שָׁמוֹר, “keeping” (Deut. 5:12); in French, disant.   אמור להם: כמו זכור שמור, בלע"ז דישנ"ט (באמרכם): saying to them: So that they can all hear- [Sifrei Naso 1:143]   אמור להם: שיהיו כולם שומעים: saying: The word אָמוֹר is written in its full form [i.e., with a “vav”], indicating that they should not bless them hastily or in a hurried manner, but with concentration and with wholeheartedness. - [Midrash Tanchuma Naso 10]   אמור: מלא, לא תברכם בחפזון ובהלות, אלא בכוונה ובלב שלם: 24"May the Lord bless you and watch over you.   כדיְבָֽרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָֹ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ: May [the Lord] bless you: that your possessions shall be blessed. - [Midrash Tanchuma Naso 10, Sifrei Naso 1:144]   יברכך: שיתברכו נכסיך: and watch over you: that no thieves shall attack you and steal your money. For when one gives his servant a gift, he cannot protect it from all other people, so if robbers come and take it from him, what benefit has he [the servant] from this gift? As for the Holy One, blessed be He, however, He is the One who [both] gives and protects (Midrash Tanchuma Naso 10). There are many expository interpretations in the Sifrei .   וישמרך: שלא יבואו עליך שודדים ליטול ממונך, שהנותן מתנה לעבדו אינו יכול לשמרו מכל אדם, וכיון שבאים לסטים עליו ונוטלין אותה ממנו, מה הנאה יש לו במתנה זו, אבל הקב"ה הוא הנותן הוא השומר. והרבה מדרשים דרשו בו בספרי: 25May the Lord cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you.   כהיָאֵ֨ר יְהוָֹ֧ה | פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ: May the Lord cause His countenance to shine to you: May He show you a pleasant, radiant countenance. - [Midrash Tanchuma Naso 10, Sifrei Naso 1:144]   יאר ה' פניו אליך: יראה לך פנים שוחקות, פנים צהובות: and favor you: May He grant you favor - [Sifrei Naso 1:144]   ויחנך: יתן לך חן: 26May the Lord raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace."   כויִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָֹ֤ה | פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם: May the Lord raise His countenance toward you: by suppressing His wrath. - [Sifrei Naso 1:144,]   ישא ה' פניו אליך: יכבוש כעסו: 27They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them.   כזוְשָׂמ֥וּ אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽאֲנִ֖י אֲבָֽרֲכֵֽם: They shall bestow My Name: They shall bless them with the Explicit Name. - [Sifrei Naso 1:144, Num. Rabbah 11:4, 8]   ושמו את שמי: יברכום בשם המפורש: so that I will bless them: [I.e.,] the Israelites, and endorse the [blessing of the] kohanim. Another interpretation: “I will bless them”-that is, the kohanim. - [Chul. 49a]   ואני אברכם: לישראל ואסכים עם הכהנים. דבר אחר ואני אברכם לכהנים: Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 35 - 38 • Hebrew text • English text Chapter 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: Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, end of Introduction • English Text (Lessons in Tanya) • Hebrew Text • Audio Class: Listen | Download • Video Class Sivan 6, 5777 · May 31, 2017 Today's Tanya Lesson Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, end of Introduction AUDIO & VIDEO CLASSES     • VIDEO CLASS: Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon   Watch • Listen   • AUDIO CLASS: Rabbi Manis Freidman   Listen • Download MP3 אך הנה ידוע ליודעים טעמא דקרא, מאי דכתיב: כי שבע יפול צדיק וקם Now, those who are familiar with the esoteric meaning of Scripture know the meaning of the verse,1 “For a tzaddik may fall seven times, and yet rises again.” Even a tzaddik can (as it were) fall from his level and then regain his stature. There thus exists a certain interval of time during which he does not maintain his higher level of love for G‑d. ובפרט שהאדם נקרא מהלך, ולא עומד Especially so, since the conditions of spiritual service dictate that at given times he will not maintain his level, for man is called “mobile” and not “static”, This phrase not only means that man is obliged to be ever reaching for ever greater heights; it means, moreover, that his newly-attained level is infinitely more elevated than his previous level. When one is constantly on the same level, or even when one advances in finite stages from one comparable level to the next, there is no need to abandon one’s former level before establishing one’s foothold on the next; on the contrary, one’s former position may well help one to take the next step upward. When one is truly mobile, however, climbing from one level to an infinitely higher one, his previous level — which is finite compared to the level he is about to attain — actually hinders his progress. Indeed, if he aspires to mature to a more exalted spiritual mindset, he must first purge himself of his previous one.2 וצריך לילך ממדרגה למדרגה, ולא לעמוד במדרגה אחת לעולם and must therefore advance from one level to another infinitely higher level, and not remain forever at one level. For if his new level is merely within range of the first, he is essentially fixated at the same level. ובין מדרגה למדרגה, טרם שיגיע למדרגה עליונה ממנה, הוא בבחינת נפילה ממדרגתו הראשונה Between one level and the next, before he can reach the higher one, he is in a state of decline from his previous level, and thus he lacks the superior level of love in which he is accustomed to delight. אך: כי יפול לא יוטל, כתיב Yet, it is written,3 “Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down” from his spiritual service and from his love for G‑d. ואינה נקראת נפילה אלא לגבי מדריגתו הראשונה, ולא לגבי שאר כל אדם, חס ושלום This is considered a decline only relative to his former state, and not (G‑d forbid) relative to all other men; he is most assuredly loftier than those who have not attained the level of tzaddik, שאף על פי כן הוא למעלה מכל האדם בעבודתו, כי נשאר בה בחינת רשימו ממדריגתו הראשונה for notwithstanding his fall he still surpasses them in his divine service, inasmuch as it retains an impression of his former level. אך עיקרה: מאהבה שנתחנך והורגל בה מנעוריו, בטרם שהגיע למדרגת צדיק For the mainstay of his service while he is in this fallen state is the love of G‑d in which he had been educated and trained from his youth, before he attained the level of tzaddik, with its higher reaches in the love of G‑d. Just as then his love of G‑d was born of contemplation, so too now, this lower level of love is the root of his divine service. וזהו שכתוב: גם כי יזקין וגו׳ This, then, is what is meant by saying that “even as he grows old [he will not depart from it],” from the path of his youth. Not “when he is old” but “as he grows old.” This implies an ongoing, lifelong climb from level to level. Yet even when he has risen to the dizziest heights of love for G‑d, he will yet have occasion to revert to the path of his youth — to the lower, more measured level of love that is born of meditation. * * * והנה ראשית הדברים המעוררים האהבה והיראה, ויסודן, היא האמונה הטהורה ונאמנה ביחודו ואחדותו, יתברך ויתעלה First among the factors that arouse love and fear, and their foundation, is a pure and faithful belief in the Unity and Oneness of G‑d, may He be blessed and exalted. (“Oneness” here means that all of creation is united with G‑d and utterly nullified to Him.) That is to say, pure faith in G‑d’s Unity is the starting-point and foundation of one’s meditation on yichuda ila‘ah (“higher-level Unity”) and yichuda tata’ah (“lower-level Unity”), and this meditation in turn leads to the love and fear of Him. There are truths that transcend intellect and that can be perceived only through faith. At the same time, utilizing faith for something that can be comprehended is making use of the wrong faculty: intellect must grasp that which is within the reach of intellect, and faith must be used to apprehend that which transcends intellect. When within belief there is a mingling of the rational and the superrational — when truths that are accessible to comprehension are confused with things that defy comprehension — such belief is not “pure”, for pure belief deals only with that which transcends rationality. It is only when one utilizes his intellect to comprehend all that is subject to comprehension and his power of faith is then utilized solely for that which defies intellect, that such faith can then be deemed “pure faith.” Since both categories are represented in the subject of G‑d’s Unity and Oneness, it becomes necessary to explain those aspects of the subject that are capable of being comprehended so that one’s faith will be “pure” — relating only to those matters that entirely transcend comprehension. FOOTNOTES 1. Mishlei 24:16. 2. Note of the Rebbe: “Similar to R. Zeira, who fasted in order to forget the Babylonian Talmud [as a prerequisite to his attaining mastery of the spiritually more elevated Jerusalem Talmud]” (cf. Bava Metzia 85a). 3. Tehillim 37:24. Rambam: • Sefer Hamitzvot: English Text | Hebrew Text Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class Wednesday, Sivan 6, 5777 · May 31, 2017 Today's Mitzvah A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot" AUDIO & VIDEO CLASSES     • VIDEO CLASS: Rabbi Mendel Kaplan   Watch • Listen   • AUDIO CLASS: Rabbi Berel Bell   Listen • MP3 Download Important Message Regarding This Lesson The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track. Positive Commandment 97 Ritual Impurity of Sheratzim We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity [contained in and emitted by] certain creeping animals, known as sheratzim, listed in the Torah. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.] Full text of this Mitzvah » Ritual Impurity of Sheratzim Ritual Impurity of Sheratzim Positive Commandment 97 Translated by Berel Bell The 97th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of the eight types of sheratzim.1 This mitzvah includes tumas sheretz and all its laws.2 Footnotes 1.See Lev. 11:29-38. Kaplan (The Living Torah, 1981) translates them as the weasel, mouse, ferret, hedgehog, chameleon, lizard, snail, and mole. 2.See Hilchos Shaar Avos HaTuma'os, Chapter 4. • 1 Chapter A Day: Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 17 English Text | Hebrew Text Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 17 1 The following laws apply when a lender dies and his heir comes and demands payment from a borrower, because of the promissory note for which he is liable. If the borrower claims: "I paid your father," and the heir says: "I don't know whether you did or not," we tell the borrower: "Arise and pay him." If the borrower demands: "Take an oath for me," the heir should take an oath, while holding a sacred object, that his father did not instruct him via another person that the debt was paid, that he did not tell him this verbally, and that he did not find a note saying that this promissory note was paid among his father's legal documents. After taking this oath, he may collect the debt.אמלוה שמת ובא היורש לתבוע את הלוה בשטר שעליו ואמר פרעתי לאביך והיורש אומר איני יודע אומרים לו עמוד ושלם לו, אמר ישבע לי ה"ז נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שלא פקדנו אבא על ידי אחר ושלא אמר לנו אבא בפיו ושלא מצינו בין שטרותיו של אבא ששטר זה פרוע וגובה. 2 If the borrower died after the lender died, and the lender's heir comes and demands payment from the borrower's heir, he may not collect payment unless he takes an oath. We tell him: "Take an oath that 'My father did not instruct me...,' 'My father did not tell me...,' 'I did not find a note saying that this promissory note was paid among my father's legal documents.'" Even if the heir was a baby lying in a cradle when his father died, he must take this oath and collect. If the lender made a statement immediately before his death that this promissory note has not been paid, the lender's heir need not take an oath before exacting payment. This applies even if he is collecting payment] from the heir.במת הלוה אחר שמת המלוה ובא היורש להפרע מן היורש לא יפרע אלא בשבועה ואומר לו תחלה ישבע שלא פקדנו אבא ושלא אמר לנו אבא ולא מצינו בין שטרותיו של אבא ששטר זה פרוע ואפילו היה היורש קטן המוטל בעריסה כשמת מורישו ה"ז נשבע ונוטל, ואם צוה המלוה בשעת מיתתו ששטר זה אינו פרוע יפרע היורש בלא שבועה אפילו מן היורש. 3 If, however, the borrower died first and then the lender died, the lender's heirs may not collect anything from the borrower's heirs. The rationale is that when the borrower died, the lender became obligated to take an oath before collecting, as we have explained in the previous halachah. He has already died, and a person does not bequeath an oath to his sons. For they are unable to take an oath that their father was not paid anything. Nevertheless, if a judge transgressed and required the lender's heirs to take an oath and enabled them to collect their debt, the money that they collected should not be expropriated from their possession. Therefore, a promissory note that is used as the basis for a claim by the heirs of a lender who seek to collect from the heirs of a borrower when the borrower died first, should not be torn, nor should it be used to expropriate money. It should not be used to expropriate money, because a person does not bequeath an oath to his sons, as explained. It should not, however, be torn, lest there be a judge who will expropriate money because of it.גמת הלוה תחלה ואחר כך מת המלוה אין יורשי מלוה נוטלין מיורשי לוה כלום שבשעה שמת הלוה נתחייב המלוה להשבע ואח"כ יטול כמו שביארנו וכבר מת ואין אדם מוריש שבועה לבניו שאינן יכולין להשבע שלא נפרע אביהם כלום, ואם עבר הדיין והשביע יורשי מלוה וגבו את חובן אין מוציאין מידם לפיכך שטר חוב של יתומים הבאים להפרע מן היתומים שמת אביהן הלוה תחלה אין קורעין אותו ואין מגבין בו, אין גובין בו שאין אדם מוריש שבועה לבניו כמו שביארנו ואין קורעין אותו שמא יבא דיין שידון ויוציא בו. 4 In the situation described above, even if the debt was secured by a guarantor, the lender's heirs should not expropriate the debt from the guarantor. The rationale is that if they are told to collect the debt from the guarantor, the guarantor will go and seek payment from the borrower's heirs.דאפילו היה שם ערב ומת הלוה תחלה לא יפרעו יורשי המלוה מן הערב, שאם תאמר יפרעו מן הערב הרי הערב חוזר ונפרע מיורשי לוה. 5 Extrapolation is not made from this law to a similar instance. Instead, when a person who impairs the legal power of a promissory note then dies -although he is not entitled to collect the debt unless he takes an oath - his children may take an oath that their father did not instruct them..., their father did not tell them..., they did not find a note saying that this promissory note was paid in its entirety among his father's legal documents. They may then collect the remainder of the sum stated in the promissory note from the lender or from his heirs.האין דנין מדין זה לכל הדומה לו אלא הרי הפוגם את שטרו ומת אע"פ שאינו גובה אלא בשבועה הרי בניו נשבעין שלא פקדנו אבא ולא צונו אבא ולא מצינו בין שטרותיו של אבא שכל השטר הזה פרוע וגובין את שאר השטר בין מן המלוה בין מיורשיו. 6 When a lender's heir comes to collect payment of a promissory note from the borrower's heirs and the latter say: "Our father told us: 'I did not borrow the money mentioned in this debt,'" the lender's heirs may collect the debt without taking an oath. The rationale is that whenever a person says "I did not borrow," it is as if he says: "I did not pay." Similarly, when the lender himself comes to collect payment from the heirs of a borrower, and they say: "Our father told us: 'I did not borrow the money mentioned in this debt,'" the lender may collect the debt without taking an oath. This applies even if in the promissory note the lender stated that he would accept the borrower's word whenever he claims to have paid the debt. For in this instance as well, we follow the rationale that whenever a person says "I did not borrow," it is as if he says: "I did not pay."ויורש שבא לגבות מן היורש ואמרו יורשי לוה אמר לנו אבא לא לויתי חוב זה הרי יורשי המלוה גובין שלא בשבועה שכל האומר לא לויתי כאומר לא פרעתי דמי, וכן מלוה שבא להפרע מיורשי לוה ואמרו אמר לנו אבא לא לויתי חוב זה ה"ז גובהו בלא שבועה אפילו האמינו בשטר כל זמן שאמר פרעתי שכל האומר לא לויתי כאומר לא פרעתי. 7 The following laws apply when the lender's heir comes and demands payment from a borrower on the basis of a promissory note that contains a stipulation that the borrower's word will be accepted, whenever the borrower says: "I paid the debt." He is required to take a sh'vuat hesset that he paid this debt and is freed of liability. This applies even if the stipulation does not state: "Your word will be accepted against a claim issued by my heirs." The rationale is that the very basis of the promissory note depends on this stipulation. If the stipulation states that the borrower's word would be accepted without an oath, he is not required to take an oath, even to the lender's heirs.זיורש שבא להפרע מן הלוה בשטר שיש בו נאמנות ללוה כל זמן שיאמר פרעתי הרי הלוה נשבע היסת שפרע לשטר זה ונפטר אע"פ שלא כתב לו והרי אתה נאמן על יורשי שעיקר השטר על תנאי זה היה, אם התנה עליו שיהא נאמן בלא שום שבועה אינו נשבע אפילו ליורשי מלוה. 8 The following laws apply when the lender's heir is below majority, he possesses a promissory noted owed to his father, but a receipt for this note was produced after the father's death. We do not rip up the promissory note, nor do we allow payment to be expropriated on its basis until the heir reaches majority. The rationale is that it is possible that the receipt is a forgery. That possibility is reinforced by the fact that the borrower did not produce it during the lender's lifetime.חיורש קטן שהיה שט"ח לאביו ויצא עליו שובר אחר מיתת אביו אין קורעין את השטר ואין מגבין בו עד שיגדלו היתומים שמא שובר זה מזוייף הוא ולפיכך לא הוציאו הלוה בחיי אביו. 9 When a person produces a promissory note against a colleague, stating that it was composed in Babylonia, he collects the debt in the coinage of Babylonia. If the promissory note was written in Eretz Yisrael, he should collect the debt in the coinage of Eretz Yisrael. This is not the case with regard to a ketubah The following rules apply when the promissory note did not state the place where it was composed. If the lender produced it in Babylonia, he should collect the debt in the coinage of Babylonia. If he produced it in Eretz Yisrael, he should collect the debt in the coinage of Eretz Yisrael. If the lender sought to collect the debt in the coinage of the place where he produced the promissory note, and the borrower protested, claiming that he is obligated to pay in a coinage that is worth less than the local coinage, the lender should support his claim with an oath. He may then collect the debt. If the promissory note states that money is owed without any more specifics, the lender may collect only what the borrower agrees to pay. From these laws, we can derive the following principles: A legal document that does not mention the place where it was composed is acceptable for all matters. Similarly, a legal document that is not dated is acceptable, even though it is testimony that cannot be nullified through hazamah. The rationale is that in financial laws, we are not stringent and do not subject the witnesses to precise cross-examination and interrogation, as will be explained. This leniency was adopted so as not to prevent loans from being granted. For this reason, post-dated promissory notes are acceptable, although the testimony of the witnesses who signed cannot be nullified through hazamah as will be explained in the appropriate place.טהמוציא שטר חוב על חבירו והיה כתוב בבבל מגבהו ממעות בבל, היה כתוב בארץ ישראל מגבהו ממעות ארץ ישראל מה שאין כן בכתובה, לא היה בשטר שם מקום והוציאו בבבל מגבהו ממעות בבל הוציאו בארץ ישראל מגבהו ממעות א"י, בא לגבות ממעות המקום שיצא בו השטר וטען הלוה שהמעות שאני חייב לו מכסף שהוא פחות מזה המטבע ישבע המלוה ויטול, היה בו כסף סתם מה שירצה לוה מגבהו, מכאן אתה למד ששטר שאין בו שם מקום שנכתב בו כשר לכל דבר, והוא הדין לשטר שאין בו זמן כלל שהוא כשר אע"פ שעדות זו אי אתה יכול להזימה שאין מדקדקין בדיני ממונות בדרישה וחקירה כמו שיתבאר כדי שלא תנעול דלת בפני לווין, ולפיכך שטרי חוב המאוחרין כשרין אע"פ שאין אתה יכול להזימן כמו שיתבאר במקומו. • 3 Chapters A Day: She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 12, She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 13, She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 14 English Text | Hebrew Text Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 12 1 Our Sages established eleven stringencies applying to consecrated foods that do not apply to terumah. They are the following: A person may immerse keilim inside other keilim to use for terumah, but not those to be used for consecrated foods. This is a decree lest the opening of the container be narrow and not be as wide as the mouthpiece of a drinking pouch. Thus the keilim inside of it would be considered as if they were immersed in the waters of the k'li and not in the waters of the mikveh. When does the above apply? When the large container in which the small impure keilim were placed was pure. If, however, it was impure, since the immersion is valid for it, it is also valid for the keilim inside of it, even though they were to be used for consecrated foods.אאחת עשרה מעלות עשו חכמים לקדש על התרומה ואלו הן: יש לאדם להטביל כלים בתוך כלים לתרומה אבל לא לקדש גזירה שמא יהיה פי הכלי צר ולא יהיה בו כשפופרת הנוד ונמצאו הכלים שבתוכו כאלו טבלו במים שבכלי לא במקוה במה דברים אמורים כשהיה הכלי הגדול שיש בתוכו הכלים הטמאין טהור אבל אם היה טמא מתוך שעלתה לו טבילה עלתה טבילה לכלים שבתוכו אפילו להשתמש בהן בקדש: 2 When the outer surface of a container contracted impurity because it touched liquids, its inner space does not become impure, nor does the fingerhold on its rim. Any liquids in its inner space or on its fingerhold are pure. One may drink from it. There is no need to worry that the liquids in his mouth will touch the outer surface of the container and then flow back in, causing its inner space to become impure. With regard to what does the above apply? To containers used for terumah. If, by contrast, they are used for consecrated foods, when the outer surface becomes impure, the k'li becomes impure in its totality.בכלי שנטמאו אחוריו במשקין לא נטמא תוכו ולא בית אצבע שבעובי שפתו והמשקין שבתוכו או שבבית צביעתו טהורין ושותה בו ואינו חושש שמא יגעו משקין שבפיו באחורי הכלי ויחזרו ויטמאו תוכו בד"א לתרומה אבל לקדש נטמאו אחוריו נטמאו כולן: 3 When a person carries an article on which a zav had been supported, he is permitted to carry terumah together with it. Since the person carrying the support is not touching the terumah and the terumah is not touching the support, the terumah is pure. This leniency does not apply to consecrated foods. An incident occurred with a person who was carrying a jug of consecrated wine and he caused it to contract impurity because of an impure support he was carrying with it. At that time, the Sages decreed that one who carries such a support should not carry consecrated food. The decree was only instituted with regard to carrying such a support with consecrated food, as in the incident that occurred. If the person transgressed and carried the two together, since the support did not touch the consecrated food, the consecrated food is pure.גהנושא את המדרס מותר לו לישא עמו תרומה כאחד והואיל ואין הנושא נוגע בתרומה ולא תרומה נוגעת במדרס הרי היא טהורה אבל לא הקדש אף ע"פ שלא נגע בו מעשה היה באחד שנשא חבית של קדש טמאה במדרס שנשא עמה באותה שעה גזרו שהנושא את המדרס לא ישא את הקדש ולא נזרו אלא במדרס עם הקדש כמעשה שהיה ואם עבר ונשא הואיל ולא נגע בקדש הרי הקדש טהור: 4 The clothes of people who partake of terumah, even though they are pure and they are careful not to contract impurity, are considered as the support of a zav with regard to consecrated foods.דבגדי אוכלי תרומה אף על פי שהן טהורין ונזהרין מן הטומאות הרי בגדיהן מדרס לקדש: 5 When a k'li is made up of several component parts and its surfaces and beams are tied together, e.g., a bed or the like, if it contracts impurity and must be immersed for terumah, it may be immersed in its entirety, as one entity, while tied together. If it must be immersed for consecrated foods, he must untie all the component parts, wipe each of them down, lest there be an intervening substance upon them and immerse them one by one. Afterwards, he may retie them.הכלי שהוא מפוצל ולוחותיו וקורותיו מקושרות כגון מטה וכיוצא בה אם נטמא וצריך להטבילו לתרומה יש לו להטבילו כולו כאחד כשהוא מקושר אבל לקדש מתיר ומנגב שמא יש שם דבר החוצץ ומטביל ואחר כך קושר: 6 When the fashioning of utensils is completed in a state of purity, even if the one fashioning them is a Torah scholar who was scrupulous in keeping them pure, they must be immersed before they are used for consecrated food. It is not, however, necessary to wait until nightfall. For terumah, however, they may be used without being immersed, because they were fashioned in a state of purity. Why did the Sages require that such a k'li be immersed before being used for consecrated food? This is a decree, lest the spittle of an unlearned person have touched it while it was being fashioned and was still moist when it was completed.וכלים הנגמרין בטהרה אפילו היה העושה אותן ת"ח ונזהר בהן הרי אלו צריכין טבילה לקדש ואינן צריכין הערב שמש אבל לתרומה משתמש בהן בלא טבילה שהרי נעשו בטהרה ומפני מה הצריכום טבילה לקדש גזירה משום רוק ע"ה שיגע בהן בשעת מלאכה ועדיין הוא לח: 7 Everything inside of a container is considered as joined with regard to consecrated food, but not with regard to terumah. What is implied? When there is a container filled with fruits that are separate from each other, e.g., raisins and dried figs, if a source of impurity touches one of them, everything that is in the container is impure with regard to consecrated foods, but not with regard to terumah. All of these stringencies are Rabbinic in origin. There is, however, an allusion to this stringency in the Torah. Numbers 7:14 states: "One golden ladle, weighing ten shekalim, filled with incense." Our Sages said: Everything that is in the ladle is considered as one entity. Even if a k'li does not have a hollow space, everything that is upon it is considered as joined together with regard to consecrated foods. For example, figs were collected on a board or on a hide; even though they are not touching each other, they are considered as a single entity.זאחר שנגמר הכלי מצרף מה שבתוכו לקדש אבל לא לתרומה כיצד כלי שהוא מלא פירות פרודין זה מזה כגון צימוקין וגרוגרות ונגעה טומאה באחד מהן נטמא כל מה שבכלי לקדש אבל לא לתרומה וכל המעלות של דבריהם הם ורמז יש למעלה זו בתורה כף אחת עשרה זהב מלאה קטרת אמרו חכמים כל מה שבכף הרי הוא כגוף אחד אפילו שאין לו תוך מצרף מה שעליו לקדש כגון שהיו צבורין ע"ג הלוח או ע"ג העור אע"פ שאין הפירות נוגעין זה בזה: 8 The following rules apply when there were two masses within a container, another entity separating them from each other, and one of the masses becomes impure. If the entity between them is required by the container, everything is joined together and it all becomes impure. If it is not required by the container, only the mass that was touched by the impurity contracts impurity.חהיו שני הציבורין בתוך הכלי ודבר אחר ביניהן ונטמא אחד משניהן אם היה הדבר שביניהן צריך לכלי הכלי מצרפן ונטמא הכל ואם אינו צריך לכלי לא נטמא אלא זה שנגעה בו הטומאה בלבד: 9 If there were two masses in a container and one mass was connected to water that was behind the container, should an impure person touch the second mass, they both contract impurity, because they are joined by the container. Moreover, even though it is behind the container, the water that is behind the container becomes impure, because of the food that is connected to it. If an impure person touched the water that is behind the container, the food that is connected to it contracts impurity. There is an unresolved question whether the other mass of food becomes impure because it is considered joined by the container or it is not considered as impure although it is joined.טהיו שני ציבורין בכלי והציבור האחד מחובר למים שאחורי הכלי ונגע טמא בציבור השני נטמאו שניהן בצירוף הכלי ונטמאו המים שאחורי הכלי מחמת זה האוכל המחובר להן אף על פי שהן אחורי הכלי נגע הטמא במים שאחורי הכלי נטמא האוכל המחובר להן והדבר ספק אם נטמא האוכל השני בצירוף הכלי או לא נטמא מחמת הצירוף: 10 When consecrated food that became impure was placed in a container which also held other consecrated food that was pure, as long as they do not touch each other, the one that is pure remains pure and the one that is impure remains impure. If a person who immersed that day comes and touches the impure food, an unresolved doubt arises: Does the principle that a container joins the masses it holds cause the pure food to become disqualified because the impure food was touched by the person who immersed or is it not disqualified, because the person who immersed only touched food that had already been saturated with impurity and he did not add anything else to it.יאוכל קדש שנטמא והניחו בכלי ובתוך הכלי אוכל קדש אחר טהור ואין נוגעין זה בזה הטהור בטהרתו והטמא בטומאתו בא טבול יום ונגע באוכל הטמא יש בדבר זה ספק אם נפסל הטהור מחמת מגע טבול יום מפני צירוף הכלי או לא נפסל שלא נגע טבול יום אלא באוכל ששבע מן הטומאה ולא הוסיף לו כלום: 11 Consecrated food that is a fourth degree derivative of impurity is disqualified, but if it were terumah it would be pure. Similarly, if terumah that was a tertiary derivative touched a consecrated liquid, it contracts impurity, as we explained. When, by contrast, terumah or consecrated food that is a tertiary derivative touched a liquid that is terumah, it is not disqualified.יאהרביעי בקדש פסול אבל בתרומה טהור וכן שלישי בתרומה אם נגע במשקה קדש הרי זה נטמא כמו שביארנו והשלישי שבתרומה או שבקדש אם נגע במשקה תרומה לא פסלו: 12 When one of a person's hands contracted impurity and he then touched his other hand or the hand of another person, he disqualified the other hand and it is considered as a tertiary derivative. If his hand was moist with liquid, the other hand contracts impurity even if it was not touched. He must immerse both of them in a mikveh. Only afterwards may he touch consecrated food. With regard to terumah, by contrast, if one of his hands contracts impurity, the other does not, even if he touched it, provided the first was dry. He need not immerse the hand that contracted impurity. It is sufficient to wash it in the ritual manner. He may then touch terumah.יבמי שנטמאת ידו אחת ונגע בה בידו שנייה או ביד חבירו פסל את השנייה והרי היא כשלישי ואם היה ידו בלולה במשקה אע"פ שלא נגע נטמאת חבירתה וצריך להטביל את שתיהן ואחר כך יגע בקדש אבל בתרומה אם נטמאת ידו האחת לא נטמאת חבירתה ואפילו נגע בה כשהיא נגובה ואין צריך להטביל ידו שנטמאת אלא נוטלה ונוגע בתרומה: 13 Dry foods that have not become susceptible to contract impurity may be eaten with impure hands. With regard to what does the above apply? To terumah. With regard to consecrated food, by contrast, the cherished quality of consecrated food causes it to be considered as susceptible to impurity and it is forbidden for someone whose hands are impure to eat consecrated food even if it was not made susceptible to impurity by contact with liquids. Even if the person with impure hands did not actually touch the consecrated food with his hands, only with a weaving needle or his friend inserted it into his mouth, this is forbidden. Needless to say, if a source of impurity touched consecrated food that was not made susceptible to impurity by contact with liquids, it becomes impure, because the cherished quality of consecrated food causes it to be considered as susceptible to impurity.יגאוכלין נגובין שלא הוכשרו אוכלין אותם בידים מסואבות במה ד"א בתרומה אבל בקדש חיבת הקדש מכשרתן ואסור למי שידיו טמאות לאכול קדש שלא הוכשר ואפילו לא נגע בו אלא בכוש או שתחב לו חבירו לתוך פיו הרי זה אסור ואצ"ל שאם נגעה טומאה באוכלין של קדש שלא הוכשרו שנטמאו מפני שחיבת הקדש מכשרתן: 14 In which instances does the above principle apply? With regard to disqualifying the food itself and to cause it to become forbidden to be eaten. There is, however, an unresolved question with regard to counting primary or secondary derivatives if other entities come in contact with such consecrated food. What is implied? If consecrated food contracted impurity without being made susceptible to impurity by contact with liquids with other food that was made susceptible to impurity by contact with liquids, there is an unresolved doubt, because the first food had not become susceptible to impurity because of contact with liquids.ידבמה דברים אמורים לפסול האוכל עצמו ולאסרו באכילה אבל למנות בו ראשון ושני ה"ז ספק כיצד נגע אוכל שנטמא בלא הכשר באוכל שני שהוכשר הרי זה השני ספק מפני שהראשון לא הוכשר: 15 Even after a mourner's period of acute mourning ends or after a person who was lacking atonement brings the sacrifices that bring him atonement, he must immerse in a mikveh before partaking of consecrated food, but not before partaking of terumah. For a person in a state of acute mourning and one who is lacking atonement may partake of terumah. Why did the Sages require immersion before partaking of consecrated food? Because until this time, such individuals were forbidden to partake of consecrated food. Hence it is possible that they diverted their attention from their bodies and contracted impurity without knowing of it. This stringency was imposed only with regard to eating, but not with regard to touching. Such individuals may touch consecrated foods before immersion.טוהאונן אחר שתם זמן אנינותו ומחוסר כפורים אחר שהביא כפרתו צריכין טבילה לאכילת הקדש אבל לא לתרומה שהאונן ומחוסר כיפורים מותרין לאכול את התרומה ומפני מה הצריכום טבילה לקדש שהרי עד עתה היו אסורין לאכול את הקדש והסיחו דעתן ושמא נטמאו והם לא ידעו ולא עשו מעלה זו אלא לאכילה אבל לנגיעה נוגעים בקדשים קודם טבילה: 16 The first six stringencies were imposed both with regard to consecrated foods and with regard to ordinary foods prepared with the stringencies of consecrated foods. The last five stringencies, beginning with "everything inside a utensil is considered as joined" applies only to consecrated food alone, but not to ordinary foods prepared with the stringencies of consecrated foods. With regard to these five matters, such food is considered as ordinary food. Therefore, with regard to ordinary foods prepared with the stringencies of consecrated foods, a primary derivative is impure, a secondary derivative disqualified, and a tertiary derivative is pure with regard to ordinary foods, as we explained.טזשש מעלות הראשונות עשאום בין לקדש בין לחולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש וחמש אחרונות שהן מן הכלי מצרף מה שבתוכו והלאה עשאום בקדש בלבד אבל לא בחולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש אלא הרי הן בחמש אלו כחולין לפיכך חולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש הראשון טמא בהן והשני פסול והשלישי טהור בחולין כמו שביארנו: She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 13 1 Our Sages established five categories with regard to the ritual purity of clothes. They are the following: a) The clothes of an unlearned person are considered as a midras, an article on which a zav had been supported, for people who partake of ordinary food in a state of purity. Similarly, the unlearned people themselves are considered as zavvim with regard to pure substances, as we explained. b) The clothes of people who partake of ordinary food in a state of purity are considered as a midras for those who partake of the second tithe. The people who partake of ordinary food in a state of purity themselves - they are called perushim - are not considered as zavvim. Even with regard to terumah, a perush is considered pure, even if he touches terumah with his hands. c) The clothes of people who partake of the second tithe are considered as a midras for those who partake of terumah. d) The clothes of people who partake of terumah are considered as a midras for those who partake of consecrated food. The people who partake of terumah themselves are, however, not considered as zavvim with regard to consecrated articles. e) The clothes of those who partake of consecrated foods are considered as a midras with regard to the offering of the red heifer, as explained in Hilchot Parah Adumah. A person who is pure with regard to consecrated foods is not considered as a zav with regard to the offering of the red heifer.אחמש מעלות עשו חכמים בבגדים ואלו הן: בגדי ע"ה מדרס לאוכלי חוליהן בטהרה וכן עמי הארץ עצמן כזבין לטהרות כמו שביארנו ובגדי אוכלי חוליהן בטהרה מדרס לאוכלי מעשר שני אבל אוכלי חוליהן בטהרה והן הנקראים פרושים אינם כזבים אפילו לתרומה ה"ז הפרוש טהור אפילו אם נגע בה בגופו ובגדי אוכלי מעשר שני מדרס לאוכלי תרומה ובגדי אוכלי תרומה מדרס לקדש אבל אוכלי תרומה עצמן אינן כזבין בקדש ובגדי אוכלי קדש מדרס לחטאת כמו שביארנו בהלכות פרה אדומה אבל הטהור לקדש אינו כזב לחטאת: 2 Similarly, our Sages established categories with regard to ritual immersion: What is implied? If someone immersed himself without any intent, he is pure with regard to ordinary food, but he is forbidden to partake of the second tithe until he had the intent to immerse for the sake of the second tithe. If he immersed for the second tithe, he is assumed to be pure for the second tithe, but forbidden to partake of terumah. If he immersed for terumah, he is assumed to be pure for terumah, but forbidden to partake of consecrated foods. If he immersed for consecrated food, he is assumed to be pure for consecrated food, but forbidden to participate in the offering of the red heifer. If he immersed with the intent of participating in the offering of the red heifer, he is assumed to be pure for everything, for one who immerses for the sake of a more stringent circumstance is considered acceptable for a more lenient one. If a person immersed without any intent, i.e., without thinking of any of these situations, he is pure only with regard to ordinary food and is considered impure as he was previously, even for the second tithe. Similarly, when a person washes his hands or immerses them, he must focus his attention, even if he desires only to partake of the second tithe. From that tithe and any level of sanctity higher, one must focus his intent. For ordinary food, however, it is not necessary for him to focus his intent. All of these stringencies originate in Rabbinic Law. According to Scriptural Law, since the person immersed himself, he is pure with regard to all matters.בוכן עשו חכמים מעלות בטבילה כיצד מי שטבל בלא כוונה ה"ז טהור לחולין ואסור במעשר שני עד שיתכוון לטבול למעשר טבל למעשר הרי זה בחזקת טהרה למעשר ואסור בתרומה טבל לתרומה הוחזק לתרומה ואסור בקדש טבל לקודש הוחזק לקדש ואסור לחטאת טבל לחטאת הוחזק לכל שהטובל לחמור הוחזק לקל טבל סתם ולא נתכוון לאחד מכל אלו הרי זה טהור לחולין בלבד וטמא כשהיה אפילו למעשר וכן הטובל ידיו או הטבילן צריך כוונה אפילו למעשר ומן המעשר ומעלה צריך כוונה אבל לחולין אינו צריך כוונה וכל המעלות האלו מד"ס אבל דין תורה הואיל וטבל מ"מ הרי הוא טהור לכל: 3 When a person who was pure with regard to terumah diverted his attention from partaking of it, the diversion of attention causes him to contract impurity. He is forbidden to partake of terumah until he immerses himself a second time. He need not, however, wait until nightfall. If his hands were pure for terumah, but he diverted his attention from eating, even though he says: "I know that my hands did not contract impurity," his hands are impure because of his diversion of attention, for hands are busy. If this applies with regard to terumah, it can be inferred that the same principles apply with regard to consecrated food. Anyone who diverts his attention must immerse himself. When a person did not guard himself from the impurity associated with a human corpse, if he is not certain that he did not contract impurity, he must have the ashes of the red heifer sprinkled on him on the third and seventh days after the doubt arouse, because of his diversion of attention. If he is certain that he did not contract the impurity associated with a corpse, but diverted his attention from other forms of impurity, he must immerse himself and wait until nightfall even for terumah. It is clear that all these immersions are Rabbinic safeguards.גמי שהיה טהור לתרומה והסיח את לבו מלאכול נטמא בהיסח הדעת ואסור לאכול תרומה עד שיטבול פעם שנייה ואינו צריך הערב שמש היו ידיו טהורות לתרומה והסיח לבו מלאכול אף על פי שאומר יודע אני שלא נטמאו ידי הרי ידיו טמאות בהיסח הדעת שהידים עסקניות אם לתרומה כן ק"ו לקדש שכל המסיח דעתו צריך טבילה ואם לא שמר עצמו מטומאת מת ולא ידע בודאי שלא נטמא ה"ז צריך הזאה שלישי ושביעי מפני היסח הדעת ואם ידע שלא נטמא במת והסיח דעתו משאר טומאות ה"ז צריך טבילה והערב שמש אף לתרומה ודבר ברור הוא שכל אלו הטבילות מדבריהן: 4 Similarly, our Sages decreed that keilim that are discovered in marketplaces and streets - even in deserts - should be assumed to be impure, lest they have contracted impurity from a corpse or a zav. Similarly, saliva found in such places is considered to be impure, lest it be the saliva of a zav or the like.דוכן גזרו חכמים על הכלים הנמצאים בשווקים וברחובות אפילו במדברות שיהיו בחזקת טומאה שמא בזב או במת נטמאו וכן הרוקין הנמצאין שם בחזקת טומאה שמא רוק זב וכיוצא בו הוא הרוק הזה: 5 All of the keilim found in Jerusalem are pure even if they were found on the way descending to a place of immersion. For the Sages did not institute a decree concerning keilim found in Jerusalem with the exception of knives for the slaughter of sacrificial animals. This was instituted because of the severity involving sacrificial animals. When does the above stringency apply? To knives found in Jerusalem throughout the year. If, however, one finds a knife in Jerusalem on the fourteenth of Nisan, one may slaughter sacrificial animals with it immediately. This applies even if the fourteenth of Nisan fell on the Sabbath, for no decree was made with regard to knives found on that day. Similarly, if a knife was found on a festival, one may slaughter with it immediately. For it is assumed that all keilim are pure on the festivals.הכל הכלים הנמצאין בירושלים טהורין אפילו נמצאו דרך ירידה לבית הטבילה שלא גזרו טומאה על הכלים הנמצאים בירושלים חוץ מן הסכינים לשחיטת הקדשים מפני חומרת הקדשים בד"א בסכין הנמצאת בירושלים בשאר ימות השנה אבל אם מצא סכין בירושלים בי"ד בניסן שוחט בה הקדשים מיד ואפילו חל י"ד להיות בשבת שלא גזרו על הסכינין הנמצאים ביום הזה וכן אם מצאה ביו"ט שוחט בה מיד שחזקת כל הכלים ביו"ט טהורין: 6 If one found a knife on the thirteenth of Nisan, the ashes of the red heifer should be sprinkled on it, it should be immersed, and one may slaughter with it on the following day. For, on this day, our Sages considered it as if the thirteenth of Nisan was the seventh day of its purification with the ashes of the red heifer.ומצא הסכין בי"ג מזה עליה ומטבילה ושוחט בה למחר מפני שעשאוהו ביום זה כאילו יום י"ג שביעי שלה: 7 If one finds a knife tied to a knife whose status he knows, whether on a festival or on other days, its status is the same as that knife. If the one is pure, it is pure; if it is impure, it is impure.זמצא סכין קשורה לסכין הידועה אצלו בין ביו"ט בין בשאר הימים הרי היא כמוה אם טהורה טהורה ואם טמאה טמאה: 8 Our Sages decreed that any saliva of unknown origin found in the middle of the road in Jerusalem is impure like saliva of unknown origin found anywhere. Any saliva found on the side of the road in Jerusalem is pure, for the perushim walk on the sides so that they will not contract impurity through contact with unlearned people. During the festivals, the converse is true. Saliva in the middle of the road is pure, for all Israel are pure during the festivals. At the side of the road, it is impure. For there are few individuals who are impure during the festivals, and they move to the sides.חכל הרוקין הנמצאים בירושלים באמצע הדרך גזרו עליהן טומאה כשאר הרוקין הנמצאים בכל מקום וכל הרוקין הנמצאים בצדדין בירושלים טהורים שהפרושים הן שמהלכין בצדדין כדי שלא יתטמאו במגע עמי הארץ ובשעת הרגל שבאמצע הדרך טהורים שכל ישראל טהורים ברגל ושבצדדין טמאים שהטמאים ברגל מעטים והן פורשים לצידי הדרכים: 9 Just like a primary derivative of impurity creates a secondary derivative and a secondary derivative creates a tertiary derivative, when there is an unresolved doubt that an entity is a primary derivative it creates a secondary derivative of doubtful status, and a secondary derivative of doubtful status creates a tertiary derivative of doubtful status.טכשם שהראשון עושה שני והשני עושה שלישי כן ספק ראשון עושה ספק שני וספק שני עושה ספק שלישי: 10 When there is a question whether terumah or consecrated food contracted impurity from a primary source of impurity of Scriptural origin - there is a question if the foods touched the impurity or not - they should be burnt because of this impurity.יתרומה וקדשים שנטמאו בספק אב מאבות הטומאות של תורה הרי אלו נשרפין בטומאה זו כגון שנסתפק לו אם נגע באב זה או לא נגע: 11 There are situations where there is a question about a food's status for which the ruling is held in abeyance; they are not eaten, nor are they burnt. And there are other questionable situations that warrant the burning of terumah and, needless to say, consecrated foods.יאויש שם ספיקות שאין שורפין עליהן ואין אוכלין אותן אוכלין שנסתפק לו בהן אלא תולין לא אוכלין ולא שורפין ויש שם ספיקות ששורפין עליהן את התרומה ואצ"ל קדשים: 12 If, however, there is a compounded doubt concerning the impurity of terumah - and needless to say, of consecrated food - they should not be burnt. Instead, the ruling concerning them is held in abeyance. They are not eaten, nor are they burnt.יבאבל על ספק ספק הטומאה אין שורפין עליו תרומה לעולם ואצ"ל קדשים אלא תולין לא אוכלין ולא שורפין: 13 There are six doubtful situations for which terumah is burnt. These are all Rabbinic decrees: a) a beit hapras, b) earth from the Diaspora, c) the clothes of unlearned people, d) keilim that are discovered, e) saliva of unknown origin that is discovered, and f) the urine of an impure person that became mixed with an equal amount of urine from an animal and it is not known whether the appearance of the mixture was that of a person's urine was nullified or whether that appearance was nullified. What is implied? If terumah contracted impurity due to contact with one of these entities, even though the fundamental dimension of their impurity is doubtful, the terumah should be burnt. The rationale is that were one certain that any of these impurities were present, the impurity would be Scriptural in nature, for a corpse and a zav are Scriptural sources of impurity. Whether terumah touched one of these six entities or contracted impurity due to one of these entities and thus it is a tertiary derivative from them, the terumah should be burnt. If, however, there is a question whether or not the entity touched the beit hapras, the earth of the nations, or if it touched the garments, the saliva, the keilim, or the urine, the ruling concerning the terumah is held in abeyance. The rationale is that a) the fundamental dimension of their impurity is doubtful, perhaps it is impure, perhaps it is pure; and b) even if you say they are impure, it is possible that there was contact with the terumah, but it is possible that there was no contact. Thus two unresolved questions are involved. When there are two unresolved questions, terumah is not burnt, the ruling concerning it is held in abeyance, as explained.יגעל ששה ספיקות שורפין את התרומה וכולם גזירה מדבריהם ואלו הן: על בית הפרס ועל עפר הבא מארץ העמים ועל בגדי ע"ה ועל הכלים הנמצאים ועל הרוקים הנמצאים ועל מי רגלי אדם טמא שנתערב במי רגלי בהמה מחצה למחצה ואין ידוע אם בטלו מראיתן אם לא כיצד אם נטמאת תרומה מחמת אחד מששה אלו אע"פ שעיקר טומאתן בספק הרי זו תשרף הואיל וודאי ספיקות אלו טומאתן מן התורה שהמת והזב טמאין מן התורה ואחת תרומה שנגעה באחת משש טומאות האלו או שנטמאת מחמת אחת מהן והרי היא שלישי לאחת מהן הרי זו תשרף אבל אם נסתפק לו בכ"מ אם נגע בבית הפרס ובארץ העמים או לא נגע אם נגע בבגדים ורוקין וכלים ומי רגלים או לא נגע הרי אלו תולין מפני שהעיקר טומאתן מפני הספק שמא טמאין הן או טהורים וא"ת טמאין שמא נגע שמא לא נגע ונמצאו שני ספיקות ואין שורפין על שני ספיקות אלא תולין כמו שביארנו: She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 14 1 Our Sages deemed that twelve questionable situations are deemed as pure: They are: a) A doubt concerning drawn water in a mikveh, b) a doubt concerning impurity floating on water, c) a doubt whether liquids imparted impurity to other entities; with regard to their own status, however, they are considered impure when a doubt arises, d) a doubt concerning the impurity of hands whether regarding the impurity of the hands themselves, such hands imparting impurity to other substances, or a doubt regarding the purification of such hands from this impurity, e) a doubt concerning impurity of Rabbinic origin, f) a doubt concerning ordinary food prepared with the stringencies of consecrated food, g) a doubt concerning sacrifices that are required to be brought, h) a doubt concerning tzara'at blemishes, i) a doubt when a person afflicted with tzara'at stood still or passed, j) a doubt concerning the carcass of a creeping animal, k) a doubt that arose in the public domain, l) a doubt concerning two domains.אשנים עשר ספיקות טהרו חכמים ואלו הן: ספק מים שאובים למקוה ספק טומאה צפה על פני המים ספק משקין לטמא אחרים אבל לטומאת עצמן טמאים מספק ספק הידים בין לטומאת עצמן בין לטמא אחרים בין לטהרות ידים מטומאתן ספק דברי סופרים ספק החולין ספק קרבנות ספק נגעים ספק עובר ועומד ספק שרצים ספק ר"ה ספק שתי רשויות: 2 What is meant by the principle: a doubt concerning drawn water in a mikveh? Three lugim of drawn water that fall into a mikveh disqualify it. If there is a doubt whether or not such water fell into a mikveh or even if it is certain that the water fell, but there is a question whether the minimum measure was present or not, we consider an article immersed in the mikveh as pure and the mikveh as acceptable. Nevertheless, a person should not be instructed to immerse in such a mikveh and to be involved with pure substances as an initial preference. If he immersed and was involved with pure substances, they are considered to be pure.בספק מים שאובין למקוה כיצד שלשה לוגין מים שאובין שנפלו למקוה פסלוהו ספק נפלו ספק לא נפלו ואפילו נפלו ספק יש בהן שיעור או אין בהן ספיקו טהור והרי המקוה בכשרותו ואין מורין לו לטבול במקוה זה ולעשות טהרות לכתחילה ואם טבל ועשה טהרותיו טהורות: 3 What is meant by the principle: a doubt concerning impurity floating on water? There was a carcass of a creeping animal floating on water, whether the water was in a container or in a pool in the earth and a person descended into the water, unless he is certain that he touched the carcass, he is considered as pure. This applies even if there is no space for anything in the container or the pool but the person and the impurity. The principle, a doubt concerning impurity floating on water is pure, was stated only concerning a carcass of creeping animal. If the carcass of a creeping animal is suspended from above and floating on water or is being dragged over water, it is considered as being placed down and not as floating.גספק טומאה צפה על פני המים כיצד שרץ שהיה צף על פני המים בין שהיו המים בכלים או בקרקעות וירד למים אפילו אין שם אלא מלא אדם וטומאה ה"ז טהור עד שידע ודאי שנגע ולא אמרו ספק טומאה צפה טהור אלא לשרץ בלבד וכל הנתלים והנגררין הרי הן כמונחין: 4 When the carcass of a creeping animal is placed in a container and the container is floating on the surface of water or it was placed on a human corpse, an animal carcass - even if the carcass or the corpse below it has decomposed - or semen that is floating on the water, it is considered as if it was placed on the earth, in which instance, a doubtful situation that arises in a private domain is considered as impure, as will be explained. If the carcass of one creeping animal was lying on that of another creeping animal that was floating on water, it is considered as thick impurity and a doubtful situation that arises is considered as pure. There is an unresolved doubt whether the carcass of a creeping animal that was floating on water on which the ashes of the red heifer had been sprinkled which in turn was floating on other water is considered as placed down on the earth or not. Therefore it appears to me that the doubtful situation is considered as pure.דשרץ שהיה מונח בכלי וכלי צף על פני המים או שהיה מונח על המת או על הנבילה ואפילו נימוח הנבילה או בשר מת שתחתיו או שהיה מונח על שכבת זרע הצפה על פני המים ה"ז כמונח על הארץ שספקו ברה"י טמא כמו שיתבאר היה שרץ על גבי שרץ צף על פני המים ה"ז כטומאה עבה שצפה ע"פ המים וספיקו טהור היה מונח על גבי מי חטאת ומי חטאת צפין על פני המים ה"ז ספק אם הוא כמונח או אינו כמונח לפיכך יראה לי שספיקו טהור: 5 Just as our Sages deemed a doubtful situation concerning impurity that was floating on water, whether in a container or on the earth, as pure, so too, they deemed as pure a situation involving something pure that was floating on water, whether in a container or on the earth. What is implied? There was a kneading trough that was impure due to contact with a human corpse and there was a loaf of bread that was terumah wrapped in tree-bast or in paper placed inside of it. Water descended into the kneading trough and filled it. The paper spread out and thus the loaf was floating on the water with the paper separating between it and the water. If there is a question whether or not the loaf touched the side of the kneading trough, it is considered as pure, because it is floating.הכדרך שטהרו ספק טומאה צפה על פני המים בין בכלים בין בקרקעות כך טהרו ספק טהרה הצפה על פני המים בין בכלים בין בקרקעות כיצד עריבה שהיא טמא מת וככר תרומה כרוך בסיב או בנייר ונתון בתוכה וירדו לתוכה מי גשמים ונתמלאת ונפשט הנייר והרי הככר צף על פני המים והנייר מבדיל בינו לבין המים וספק נגע צדו בעריבה ספק לא נגע הרי הוא בטהרתו מפני שהוא צף: 6 The following laws apply when the carcass of a creeping animal was floating on a cistern in a winepress. With regard to terumah, when there is a doubt, it is deemed impure. With regard to the workers, when there is a doubt, it is deemed pure, because the impurity is floating.ושרץ שנמצא צף ע"ג בור בתוך הגת לתרומה ספיקו טמא ולפועלין ספיקן טהור מפני שהיא טומאה צפה: 7 When a doubt arises whether liquids imparted impurity to other entities, they are considered as pure. With regard to their own status, however, they are considered impure. What is implied? A person was holding a staff that contained impure liquids on its top and he threw it among pure loaves of bread. If there is a doubt whether the liquids touched the loaves or not, they are deemed pure. Similarly, if a doubt arose whether impure liquids touched a given container or not, the container is pure. Similarly, if a doubt arose if these impure liquids touched other liquids or not, the other liquids are pure. If, however, an impure person extended his hand or his foot into a place where there are pure liquids and there is a doubt whether or not he touched the liquids, they are impure because of the doubt. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.זספק משקין לטמא אחרים טהור לטומאת עצמן טמא כיצד היה מקל בידו ובראשו משקין טמאים וזרקן לתוך ככרות טהורות ספק נגעו המשקין בככרות ספק לא נגעו טהורות וכן אם נסתפק לו אם נגעו משקין טמאין בכלי זה או לא נגעו הרי הכלי טהור וכן אם נסתפק לו אם נגעו משקין אלו הטמאין במשקין אחרים או לא נגעו הרי המשקין האחרים טהורין אבל טמא שפשט ידו או רגלו לבין משקין טהורין או שזרק ככר טמא לבין משקין טהורין ספק נגע במשקין ספק לא נגע הרי אלו טמאין בספק וכן כל כיוצא בזה: 8 The following rule applies when there was a jug that was filled with liquids and an impure person extended his hand into its inner space. If there is a doubt whether or not he touched the liquids, the liquids are impure, but the jug is pure, for liquids whose purity is of a doubtful status do not impart impurity. Similarly, if liquids which are questionably impure enter into the inner space of a jug, the jug is pure and the liquids in it are pure, for they contract impurity only from the jug. If the liquids that were questionably impure became mixed with the liquids in the jug, all of the liquids are questionably impure, but the jug is pure. Similarly, if these liquids fall into an oven, any bread that is in the oven and the oven itself are pure.חחבית שהיא מליאה משקין ופשט הטמא את ידו לאוירה ספק נגע במשקין ספק לא נגע בהן המשקין טמאין והחבית טהורה שאין ספק המשקין מטמא וכן אם נכנסו משקין שהן טמאין מספק לאויר החבית הרי החבית טהורה והמשקין שבתוכה טהורין שאינן מתטמאין אלא מן החבית ואם נתערבו משקין אלו הספק במשקין שבחבית הרי כל המשקין טמאין בספק והחבית טהורה וכן אם נפלו משקין אלו לתוך התנור הרי הפת והתנור טהורין: 9 When a person poured or sprinkled impure liquids in his house and there were ritually pure objects there, if there is a question whether some of the liquid sprayed on them or not, they are considered pure despite the doubt.טהמרבץ ביתו במים טמאים או שזלפן והיו שם טהרות ספק נתזו עליהן ספק לא נתזו ספיקו טהור: 10 If one sprinkled both pure and impure liquids in a house and, afterwards, liquids were found on a loaf of bread that was terumah, should one take it and inquire about its status, it is deemed pure, for when there is a question whether liquids imparted impurity, the object is deemed pure. If, however, one left the bread until the water dried, it contracts impurity because of the doubt. For when there is a question concerning impurity in a private domain, the object is deemed impure, as will be explained. At the time the inquiry is being made, no liquids are present, only the loaf and there is a question whether it is pure or impure.יזלף משקין טהורין וטמאים בתוך הבית ונמצאו אח"כ משקין על ככר של תרומה נטלה ונשאל עליה הרי זו טהורה שספק המשקין לטמא טהור הניח הככר עד שינגבו המים שעליה הרי זו טמאה בספק שספק טומאה ברה"י טמא כמו שיתבאר והרי אין כאן משקין אלא ככר שהיא ספק טמאה ספק טהורה: 11 When there is a doubt concerning the impurity of hands whether regarding the impurity of the hands themselves, such hands imparting impurity to other substances, or a doubt regarding the purification of such hands from this impurity, the object in question is deemed pure. What is implied? If a person's hands where pure and there were two impure loaves before him, should a question arise whether he touched the loaves or not, the status of his hands and the loaves is the same as it was previously. This same ruling applies if: a) a person's hands were impure and there were two pure loaves before him and there is a question whether he touched the loaves or not; b) one of the person's hands was pure, the other was impure; there were two pure loaves before him, he touched one of them and it was unknown whether he touched it with the impure hand or the pure hand; c) both his hands were pure; there were two loaves before him, one pure and one impure; he touched one of them and he did not know whether he touched the one that was impure or the one that was pure; d) one of his hands was pure and one was impure and there was both an impure and a pure loaf before him; he touched both of them and he is unsure whether the impure hand touched the impure loaf and the pure hand, the pure loaf or whether the impure hand touched the pure loaf and the pure hand, the impure loaf. Similar concepts apply if a person's hands were impure and he immersed them in a mikveh or washed them in the ritual manner. If there is a doubt whether or not the water with which he purified them is acceptable for hands or unacceptable, whether or not the required measure of water was present, whether or not there was an intervening substance on his hands, his hands are considered as pure.יאספק ידים בין להתטמא בין לטמא אחרים בין לטהרתן טהור כיצד היו ידיו טהורות ולפניו שני ככרים טמאין ספק נגע ספק לא נגע או שהיו ידיו טמאות ולפניו שני ככרים טהורים ספק נגע ספק לא נגע או שהיו ידיו אחת טהורה ואחת טמאה ולפניו שני ככרים טהורים ונגע באחד מהן וספק בטמאה נגע ספק בטהורה או שהיו ידיו טהורות ולפניו שני ככרים אחד טהור ואחד טמא ונגע באחד מהם ספק בטמא נגע ספק בטהור נגע או שהיו ידיו אחת טהורה ואחת טמאה ולפניו ככר טמא וככר טהור ונגע בשניהן ספק טמאה בטמא והטהורה בטהור או טמאה בטהור והטהורה בטמא הידים כמו שהיו והככרים כמות שהיו וכן אם היו ידיו טמאות והטבילן או נטלן ספק שהמים שטהרו בהן כשרים לידים ספק שהן פסולין ספק יש בהן כשיעור ספק אין בהן ספק שהיה דבר חוצץ על ידו ספק שלא היה הרי ידיו טהורות: Hayom Yom: • English Text | Video Class

Wednesday, Sivan 6, 5777 · 31 May 2017

"Today's Day"

Wednesday Sivan 6, 1st Day of Shavuot 5703 During The Torah-reading of the Ten Commandments, stand and face the sefer Torah. Akdamut (p. 400) is not said. Torah lessons: Chumash: Nasso, Revi'i with Rashi. Tehillim: 35-38. Tanya: Likutei Amarim (p. 283)...blessed and exalted. (p. 285).

The Baal Shem Tov passed away on Wednesday, the first day of Shavuot, 5520 (1760) and is interred in Mezibuz. The Alter Rebbe Commented (on Wednesday, the 20th of Kislev 5559 (1798) in Petersburg): "On the fourth day the luminaries were taken away."1

FOOTNOTES
1.	On the fourth day of Creation (Wednesday), the luminaries (sun, moon and stars) were hung (nitlu with a tav) in the expanse of the heaven. The Rebbe's comment is based on reading nitlu with a tet ("taken away") instead of a tav.

Daily Thought:

Begin with Alef

At Sinai, He said, “Let us bond together. Let us embrace in these mitzvahs, commune in this Torah, and in them we will be one.”
But He is an infinite, unknowable G‑d. If we cannot know Him, how can we bond with Him?
And so, when He came to us in His Torah at Mount Sinai, He began with an alef. And when we begin to learn, we begin with an alef.
In that first, infinitesimal point of not knowing, in that is contained all wisdom.

[Leil Simchat Torah 5736:16.]

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