Missionary Renegade: TODAY IN JUDAISM: Menachem Av 2, 5777 - Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Tuesday, Av 2, 5777

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Menachem Av 2, 5777 - Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Tuesday, Av 2, 5777 · July 25, 2017

ב"ה

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Menachem Av 2, 5777 - Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Tuesday, Av 2, 5777 · July 25, 2017
Today's Laws & Customs:
• "Nine Days'
During the “Nine Days" from Av 1st to the Ninth of Av, we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple. We abstain from meat and wine, music, haircutting, bathing for pleasure, and other joyous (and dangerous) activities. (The particular mourning customs vary from community to community, so consult a competent halachic authority for details.)
Consumption of meat and wine is permitted on Shabbat, or at a seudat mitzvah (obligatory festive meal celebrating the fulfillment of certain mitzvot) such as a brit (circumcision), or a siyum celebrating the completion of a course of Torah study (i.e., a complete Talmudic tractate). The Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory initiated the custom of conducting or participating in a siyum on each of the Nine Days (even if one does not avail oneself of the dispensation to eat meat).
Citing the verse "Zion shall be redeemed with mishpat [Torah] and its returnees with tzedakah," (Isaiah 1:27) the Rebbe urged that we increase in Torah study (particularly the study of the laws of the Holy Temple) and charityduring this period.
Links:
Nine Days laws and customs
Daily live siyum broadcasts
Learn about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
Today in Jewish History:
• Vel' d'Hiv Roundup (1942)
On the 2nd and 3rd of Av in the year 5702 from creation (1942 CE), more than 1,300 Jews were rounded up by French police and interred in the Vel' d'Hiv, an indoor bicycle stadium in the center of Paris. They were later transported to Auschwitz to be killed. Within days, the Vel' d'Hiv was cleaned up and ready for recreation.
Daily Quote:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations... [Jeremiah 1:5]
Daily Torah Study:

Chumash: Devarim, 3rd Portion Deuteronomy 1:22-1:38 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)

Deuteronomy Chapter 1

22And all of you approached me and said, "Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come." כבוַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְיָשִׁבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָּבָר אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר נַעֲלֶה בָּהּ וְאֵת הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָבֹא אֲלֵיהֶן:

And you approached me-all of you:: in a state of disorder. But further on (Deut. 5:20-21) it says, “You approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders, and you said, Behold [the Lord, our God] has shown us [His glory and His greatness].” That approach to me was proper-young people respecting their elders, sending these before them. Here, however, you approached me all of you, in a state of disorder, the young pushing aside their elders, the elders pushing aside their heads.

ותקרבון אלי כלכם: בערבוביא, ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים ה, כ - כא) ותקרבון אלי כל ראשי שבטיכם וזקניכם ותאמרו הן הראנו וגו', אותה קריבה היתה הוגנת. ילדים מכבדים את הזקנים ושלחום לפניהם, וזקנים מכבדים את הראשים ללכת לפניהם, אבל כאן, ותקרבון אלי כולכם, בערבוביא. ילדים דוחפין את הזקנים וזקנים דוחפין את הראשים:

and bring us back word: [meaning that they will report] which language they [the Canaanites] speak.

וישבו אתנו דבר: באיזה לשון הם מדברים:

by which route we shall go up: There is no road without a crooked portion.

את הדרך אשר נעלה בה: אין דרך שאין בה עקמימות:

and to which cities we shall come: first, to capture (Sifrei).

ואת הערים אשר נבא אליהן: תחלה לכבוש:

23And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe. כגוַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר וָאֶקַּח מִכֶּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים אִישׁ אֶחָד לַשָּׁבֶט:

And the matter pleased me: “It pleased me, but it did not please the Omnipresent.” But if it pleased Moses, why does he mention it in his rebukes? This may be compared to a man who says to his friend, “Sell me this donkey of yours.” He replies to him, “Yes.” “Will you give it to me to test it?” He replies, “Yes.” “May I test it on mountains and hills?” Again he replies, “Yes.” When he sees that his friend does not withhold anything from him, the purchaser thinks to himself, “This man is certain that I shall not find any defect in the donkey,” and he immediately says to him,“Take your money; I need not test it now.” I too, consented to your words, thinking that you would perhaps reconsider when you saw that I do not withhold it from you, but you did not reconsider (Sifrei).

וייטב בעיני הדבר: בעיני ולא בעיני המקום. ואם בעיני משה היה טוב למה אמרה בתוכחות, משל לאדם שאומר לחבירו מכור לי חמורך זה, אמר לו הן. נותנו אתה לי לנסיון, אמר לו הן. בהרים וגבעות, אמר לו הן. כיון שראה שאין מעכבו כלום, אמר הלוקח בלבו, בטוח הוא זה שלא אמצא בו מום. מיד אמר לו טול מעותיך ואיני מנסהו. מעתה אף אני הודיתי לדבריכם, שמא תחזרו בכם כשתראו שאיני מעכב, ואתם לא חזרתם בכם:

so I took… from you: from the select that were among you, of the finest that were among you (Sifrei).

ואקח מכם: מן הברורים שבכם מן המסולתים שבכם:

twelve men… one man for each tribe: [This] tells [us] that the tribe of Levi was not with them. (Sifrei).

שנים עשר אנשים איש אחד לשבט: מגיד שלא היה שבט לוי עמהם:

24And they turned and went up to the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and spied it out. כדוַיִּפְנוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ הָהָרָה וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל וַיְרַגְּלוּ אֹתָהּ:

[And they came] to the valley of Eshkol: [This] tells us that it [here it was so called] on account of a future event [that the spies took from there a cluster (אֶשְׁכֹּל) of grapes]. (Sifrei).

עד נחל אשכל: מגיד שנקרא על שם סופו:

and [they] spied it out: This teaches us that they traversed through it along four lines, along the length and the breadth (Sifrei.).

וירגלו אותה: מלמד שהלכו בה ארבעה אומנין שתי וערב:

25And they took some of the fruit of the land in their hand[s] and brought it down to us, brought us back word, and said, "The land the Lord, our God, is giving us is good." כהוַיִּקְחוּ בְיָדָם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ וַיּוֹרִדוּ אֵלֵינוּ וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָבָר וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נֹתֵן לָנוּ:

and brought it down to us: This tells us that the land of Israel is higher than all other lands (Sifrei).

ויורדו אלינו: מגיד שארץ ישראל גבוהה מכל הארצות:

And they said, The land… is good: Who were the ones who spoke about its goodness? Joshua and Caleb (Sifrei.).

ויאמרו טובה הארץ: מי הם שאמרו טובתה, יהושע וכלב:

26But you did not want to go up, and you rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, your God. כווְלֹא אֲבִיתֶם לַעֲלֹת וַתַּמְרוּ אֶת פִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

and you rebelled: Heb. וַתַּמְרוּ. This is an expression denoting confrontation; you confronted His words.

ותמרו: לשון התרסה, התרסתם כנגד מאמרו:

27You murmured in your tents and said, '"Because the Lord hates us, He took us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand[s] of the Amorites to exterminate us." כזוַתֵּרָגְנוּ בְאָהֳלֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ בְּשִׂנְאַת יְהֹוָה אֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לָתֵת אֹתָנוּ בְּיַד הָאֱמֹרִי לְהַשְׁמִידֵנוּ:

You murmured: Heb. וַתֵּרָגְנוּ. This is an expression denoting slander. It is similar to (Prov. 18:8)“The words of a נִרְגָּן ” i.e., of a slanderer.

ותרגנו: לשון הרע, וכן (משלי יח, ח) דברי נרגן, אדם המוציא דבה:

Because the Lord hates us: Really, however, He loves you, but you hate Him. A common parable says: What is in your own heart about your friend, [you imagine] is in his heart about you (Sifrei).

בשנאת ה' אתנו: והוא היה אוהב אתכם, אבל אתם שונאים אותו. משל הדיוט אומר, מה דבלבך על רחמך מה דבלביה עלך:

Because the Lord hates us, He took us out of the land of Egypt: His taking us out was due to hatred [they claimed]. This may be compared to a mortal king who had two sons and two fields, one well irrigated, the other dependent upon rain only. To the son he loved, he gave the well irrigated field, and to the one he hated, he gave the one dependent upon rain only. The land of Egypt is a well irrigated country, for the Nile rises and irrigates it, while the land of Canaan is dependent upon rain only. He took us out of [the irrigated] Egypt to give us the arid land of Canaan (Num. Rabbah 17).

בשנאת ה' אתנו הוציאנו מארץ מצרים: הוצאתו לשנאה היתה. משל למלך בשר ודם, שהיו לו שני בנים ויש לו שתי שדות אחת של שקיא ואחת של בעל, למי שהוא אוהב נותן של שקיא, ולמי שהוא שונא נותן לו של בעל. ארץ מצרים של שקיא היא, שנילוס עולה ומשקה אותה, וארץ כנען של בעל, והוציאנו ממצרים לתת לנו את ארץ כנען:

28Where shall we go up? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying, "A people greater and taller than we; cities great and fortified up to the heavens, and we have even seen the sons of Anakim there." כחאָנָה | אֲנַחְנוּ עֹלִים אַחֵינוּ הֵמַסּוּ אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ לֵאמֹר עַם גָּדוֹל וָרָם מִמֶּנּוּ עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצוּרֹת בַּשָּׁמָיִם וְגַם בְּנֵי עֲנָקִים רָאִינוּ שָׁם:

The cities are great and fortified up to the heavens: The Scriptural text here is talking in exaggerated terms (Sifrei; Chullin 90b).

ערים גדולות ובצורות בשמים: דברו הכתובים לשון הבאי:

29And I said to you, "Do not be broken or afraid of them. כטוָאֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם לֹא תַעַרְצוּן וְלֹא תִירְאוּן מֵהֶם:

Do not be broken: Heb. לֹא תַעַרְצוּן. This is an expression denoting breaking, as the Targum renders it: [Do not be broken], and similar to it (Job 30:6), “To dwell in the cleft of the valleys (בערוץ נחלים),” i.e., to break through the valleys.

לא תערצון: לשון שבירה כתרגומו, ודומה לו (איוב ל, ו) בערוץ נחלים לשכון, לשבור נחלים:

30The Lord, your God, Who goes before you He will fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your very eyes, ליְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם הוּא יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיכֶם:

will fight for you: Heb. יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם - [לָכֶם means] on your behalf.

ילחם לכם: בשבילכם:

31and in the desert, where you have seen how the Lord, your God, has carried you as a man carries his son, all the way that you have gone, until you have come to this place. לאוּבַמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאֲךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ בְּכָל הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הֲלַכְתֶּם עַד בֹּאֲכֶם עַד הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה:

and in the desert, where you have seen: This refers to the preceding verse: “just as He did for you in Egypt,” and also what He did “in the desert, where you have seen how the Lord, your God, has carried you, etc.”

ובמדבר אשר ראית: מוסב על מקרא שלמעלה הימנו (פסוק ל), ככל אשר עשה אתכם במצרים, ועשה אף במדבר אשר ראית אשר נשאך וגו':

as a man carries his son: As I explained regarding [the verses]:“And the angel of God who went before the camp of the Israelites traveled and went behind, etc.” (Exod. 14:19-20). This may be compared to one who is traveling on a road, with his son in front of him. If bandits come to kidnap [the son, he removes him from in front of him and places him behind him].

כאשר ישא איש את בנו: כמו שפירשתי אצל (שמות יד, יט) ויסע מלאך האלהים ההולך לפני מחנה ישראל וגו'. משל למהלך בדרך ובנו לפניו באו לסטים לשבותו וכו':

32But regarding this matter, you do not believe the Lord, your God, לבוּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵינְכֶם מַאֲמִינִם בַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Yet regarding this matter: that He promises you to bring you to the Land, you do not believe Him.

ובדבר הזה: שהוא מבטיחכם להביאכם אל הארץ, אינכם מאמינים בו:

33Who goes before you on the way, to search out a place for you, in which to encamp, in fire at night, to enable you to see on the way you should go, and in a cloud by day." לגהַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ לָתוּר לָכֶם מָקוֹם לַחֲנֹתְכֶם בָּאֵשׁ | לַיְלָה לַרְאֹתְכֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ בָהּ וּבֶעָנָן יוֹמָם:

to enable you to see: Heb. לַרְאוֹתְכֶם, like לְהַרְאוֹתְכֶם, and similarly,“to cause it to lead them (לַנְחֹתָם) on the way” (Exod. 13:21) [like (לְהַנְחֹתָם)] and also,“To proclaim (לַשְׁמִעַ)) thanksgiving with a loud voice” (Ps. 26:7), [like לְהַשְׁמִיעַ], and so,“to go to tell (לַגִּיד) in Jezreel” (II Kings 9:15), [like לְהַגִּיד].

לראותכם: כמו להראותכם. וכן (שמות יג, כא) לנחותם הדרך, וכן (תהלים כו, ז) לשמיע בקול תודה, וכן (מלכים ב' ט, טו) ללכת לגיד ביזרעאל:

34And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He became angry and swore, saying, לדוַיִּשְׁמַע יְהֹוָה אֶת קוֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶם וַיִּקְצֹף וַיִּשָּׁבַע לֵאמֹר:

35'If any of these men of this evil generation sees the good land, which I swore to give your forefathers, להאִם יִרְאֶה אִישׁ בָּאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה הַדּוֹר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֵת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָתֵת לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם:

36except Caleb the son of Jephunneh he will see it, and I will give him the land he trod upon, and to his children, because he has completely followed the Lord." לוזוּלָתִי כָּלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה הוּא יִרְאֶנָּה וְלוֹ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר דָּרַךְ בָּהּ וּלְבָנָיו יַעַן אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה:

[And to him will I give the land] that he trod upon: [i.e.] Hebron, as it says,,“And he [Caleb] came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22).

אשר דרך בה: חברון, שנאמר (במדבר יג, כב) ויבא עד חברון:

37The Lord was also angry with me because of you, saying, "Neither will you go there. לזגַּם בִּי הִתְאַנַּף יְהֹוָה בִּגְלַלְכֶם לֵאמֹר גַּם אַתָּה לֹא תָבֹא שָׁם:

Was angry: Heb. הִתְאַנַּף, became filled with anger.

התאנף: נתמלא רוגז:

38But Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you he will go there; strengthen him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. לחיְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן הָעֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ הוּא יָבֹא שָׁמָּה אֹתוֹ חַזֵּק כִּי הוּא יַנְחִלֶנָּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 10 - 17
• Hebrew text
• English text

Chapter 10

This psalm tells of the wicked one’s prosperity and his boasting of it, until he says: “There is neither law nor judge. God pays no attention to the actions of mere mortals.”

1. Why, O Lord, do You stand afar, do You hide Yourself in times of distress?

2. The wicked man in his arrogance pursues the poor; they are caught by the schemes they have contrived.

3. For the wicked man glories in the desire of his heart, and the robber boasts that he has scorned the Lord.

4. The wicked one in his insolence [thinks], “He does not avenge”; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

5. His ways always succeed; Your retribution is far removed from before him; he puffs at all his foes.

6. He says in his heart, “I shall not falter; for all generations no evil will befall me.”

7. His mouth is full of oaths, deceit and malice; mischief and iniquity are under his tongue.

8. He sits in ambush near open cities; in hidden places he murders the innocent; his eyes stealthily watch for the helpless.

9. He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair; he lurks to seize the poor, then seizes the poor when he draws his net.

10. He crouches and stoops, then the helpless fall prey to his might.

11. He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, He conceals His countenance, He will never see.”

12. Arise, O Lord! O God, lift Your hand! Do not forget the lowly.

13. Why does the wicked man scorn God? Because he says in his heart, “You do not avenge.”

14. Indeed, You do see! For You behold the mischief and vexation. To recompense is in Your power; the helpless place their trust in You; You have [always] helped the orphan.

15. Break the strength of the wicked; then search for the wickedness of the evil one and You will not find it.

16. The Lord reigns for all eternity; the nations have vanished from His land.

17. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; direct their hearts, let Your ear listen,

18. to bring justice to the orphan and the downtrodden, so that [the wicked] shall no longer crush the frail of the earth.

Chapter 11

This psalm declares that the suffering of the righteous one is for his own benefit, to cleanse him of his sins; whereas the wicked one is granted prosperity in this world-similar to the verse, "Wealth remains with its owner, to his detriment."

1. For the Conductor, by David. I have placed my trust in the Lord; [thus] how can you say of my soul, your mountain,1 that it flees like a bird?2

2. For behold, the wicked bend the bow, they have readied their arrow upon the bowstring, to shoot in darkness at the upright of heart.

3. They destroyed the foundations; 3 what [wrong] has the righteous man done?

4. The Lord is in His holy Sanctuary, the Lord's throne is in heaven, [yet] His eyes behold, His pupils probe [the deeds of] mankind.

5. The Lord tests the righteous, but He hates the wicked and the lover of violence.

6. He will rain down upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone; a scorching wind will be their allotted portion.

7. For the Lord is righteous, He loves [the man of] righteous deeds; the upright will behold His countenance.

FOOTNOTES

1.Your king (Metzudot).

2.And will eventually be captured by Saul (Metzudot).

3.Reffering to the murder of the priests in the city of Nob.

Chapter 12

This psalm admonishes informers, slanderers, and flatterers.

1. For the Conductor, upon the eight-stringed instrument, a psalm by David.

2. Help us, Lord, for the pious are no more; for the faithful have vanished from among men.

3. Men speak falsehood to one another; with flattering lips, with a duplicitous heart do they speak.

4. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks boastfully-

5. those who have said, "With our tongues we shall prevail, our lips are with us, who is master over us!”

6. Because of the plundering of the poor, because of the moaning of the needy, the Lord says, "Now I will arise!" "I will grant deliverance," He says to him.

7. The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in the finest earthen crucible, purified seven times.

8. May You, O Lord, watch over them; may You forever guard them from this generation,

9. [in which] the wicked walk on every side; when they are exalted it is a disgrace to mankind.

Chapter 13

A prayer for an end to the long exile. One in distress should offer this prayer for his troubles and for the length of the exile.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. How long, O Lord, will You forget me, forever? How long will You hide Your countenance from me?

3. How long must I seek counsel within my soul, [to escape] the grief in my heart all day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

4. Look! Answer me, O Lord, my God; give light to my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.

5. Lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him," [and] my oppressors rejoice when I falter.

6. I have placed my trust in Your kindness, my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord, for He has dealt kindly with me.

Chapter 14

This psalm speaks of the destruction of the two Holy Temples-the first by Nebuchadnezzar, and the second by Titus.

1. For the Conductor, by David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God!" [Man's] deeds have become corrupt and abominable, no one does good.

2. The Lord looked down from heaven upon mankind, to see if there was any wise man who searches for God.

3. They have all gone astray together, they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

4. Indeed, all the evildoers, who devour My people as they devour bread, who do not call upon the Lord, will [ultimately] come to know [the consequences of their actions].

5. There they will be seized with fright, for God is with the righteous generation.

6. You scorn the counsel of the lowly, that he puts his trust in the Lord.

7. O that out of Zion would come Israel's deliverance! When the Lord returns the captivity of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice.

Chapter 15

This psalm speaks of several virtues and attributes with which one should conduct oneself. He is then assured that his soul will rest in Gan Eden.

1. A psalm by David. Who may abide in Your tent, O Lord? Who may dwell on Your holy Mountain?

2. He who walks blamelessly, acts justly, and speaks truth in his heart;

3. who has no slander on his tongue, who has done his fellowman no evil, and who has brought no disgrace upon his relative;

4. in whose eyes a despicable person is abhorrent, but who honors those who are God-fearing; who does not change his oath even if it is to his own detriment;

5. who does not lend his money at interest, nor accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never falter.

Chapter 16

When one is in need, he should not implore God in his own merit, for he must leave his merits for his children.

1. A michtam,1 by David. Watch over me, O God, for I have put my trust in You.

2. You, [my soul,] have said to God, "You are my Master; You are not obligated to benefit me.”

3. For the sake of the holy ones who lie in the earth, and for the mighty-all my desires are fulfilled in their merit.

4. Those who hasten after other [gods], their sorrows shall increase; I will not offer their libations of blood, nor take their names upon my lips.

5. The Lord is my allotted portion and my share; You guide my destiny.

6. Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, a beautiful inheritance is mine.

7. I bless the Lord Who has advised me; even in the nights my intellect admonishes me.2

8. I have set the Lord before me at all times; because He is at my right hand, I shall not falter.

9. Therefore my heart rejoices and my soul exults; my flesh, too, rests secure.

10. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, You will not allow Your pious one to see purgatory.

11. Make known to me the path of life, that I may be satiated with the joy of Your presence, with the bliss of Your right hand forever.

FOOTNOTES

1.A psalm that was especially precious to David

2.To fear and love God (Rashi)

Chapter 17

A loftily person should not ask God to test him with some sinful matter, or other things. If one has sinned, he should see to reform himself, and to save many others from sin.

1. A prayer by David. Hear my sincere [plea], O Lord; listen to my cry; give ear to my prayer, expressed by guileless lips.

2. Let my verdict come forth from before You; let Your eyes behold uprightness.

3. You have probed my heart, examined it in the night, tested me and found nothing; no evil thought crossed my mind; as are my words so are my thoughts.

4. So that [my] human deeds conform with the words of Your lips, I guard myself from the paths of the lawbreakers.

5. Support my steps in Your paths, so that my feet shall not falter.

6. I have called upon You, for You, O Lord, will answer me; incline Your ear to me, hear what I say.

7. Withhold Your kindness-O You who delivers with Your right hand those who put their trust in You-from those who rise up against [You].

8. Guard me like the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings

9. from the wicked who despoil me, [from] my mortal enemies who surround me.

10. Their fat has closed [their hearts]; their mouths speak arrogantly.

11. They encircle our footsteps; they set their eyes to make us stray from the earth.

12. His appearance is like a lion longing to devour, like a young lion lurking in hiding.

13. Arise, O Lord! Confront him, bring him to his knees; rescue my soul from the wicked [who serves as] Your sword.

14. Let me be among those whose death is by Your hand, O Lord, among those who die of old age, whose portion is eternal life and whose innards are filled with Your concealed goodness; who are sated with sons and leave their abundance to their offspring.

15. Because of my righteousness, I shall behold Your countenance; in the time of resurrection, I will be sated by Your image.

Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva, Chapter 12
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Tuesday, Menachem Av 2, 5777 · July 25, 2017

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Igeret HaTeshuva , Chapter 12

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The Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapter that although a penitent should always remember his past sins, his recollection should not lead to a state of ongoing depression or shame; such an attitude would cripple the cardinal principle of serving G‑d with joy. Rather, he should recall his past misdeeds “from afar” — only insofar as they will teach him to be humble before all men.

Moreover, these memories will actually enhance the joy of his Divine service, for they will cause him to accept with happy equanimity all manner of pain and suffering, be it verbal or physical, whether visited upon him from Above or through mortal agents.

In this, the concluding chapter of Iggeret HaTeshuvah, the Alter Rebbe explains why these afflictions cause the penitent joy.

וטעם השמחה ביסורי הגוף

The reason for joy1 in the suffering of the body

לפי שהיא טובה גדולה ועצומה לנפש החוטאת

is that it is a great and potent2 favor for the sinning soul,

למרקה בעולם הזה

to cleanse it in This World,3

ולהצילה מהמירוק בגיהנם

and to spare it from being scoured in Gehinnom.4

(בפרט בדורותינו אלה

(5This is particularly true in these generations of ours,

שאין ביכולת להתענות כפי מספר כל הצומות שבתיקוני תשובה מהאריז"ל

when one cannot undertake all the fasts prescribed in the penances of the AriZal, as mentioned earlier on in chapter 3,

הצריכות למירוק הנפש, להצילה ממירוק בגיהנם)

fasts imperative for the cleansing of the soul, to rescue it from the cleansing of Gehinnom.)

וכמו שכתוב הרמב"ן ז"ל בהקדמה לפירוש לאיוב, שאפילו יסורים של איוב ע' שנה, אין להן ערך כלל ליסורי הנפש שעה אחת בגיהנם

As Nachmanides writes, in the Introduction to his Commentary on Job, that even the sufferings of Job for seventy years bear absolutely no comparison to the suffering of a soul for even one hour in Gehinnom,

כי אש אחד מששים וכו'

for6 “[physical] fire is but one sixtieth [of the fire of Gehinnom].”

אלא לפי שעולם הזה חסד יבנה

It is only that this7 “world is built by kindness,”

וביסורין קלין בעולם הזה, ניצול מדינים קשים של עולם הבא

for which reason through mild suffering in This World one is saved from severe judgments in the Coming World.

כמשל הילוך והעתקת הצל בארץ טפח

This is analogous to the movement of a shadow on earth of a handsbreadth,

לפי הילוך גלגל השמש ברקיע אלפים מילין וכו'

which equals the sun's movement in the heaven of thousands of miles…

I.e., the sun's movement of thousands of miles causes a corresponding movement of but a few inches of shadow].

ויתר על כן לאין קץ הוא בנמשל

Infinitely more so is this true in the parallel,

בבחינת השתלשלות העולמות מרום המעלות עד עולם הזה הגשמי

in the descent of the worlds from level to level, from the most exalted heights until this physical world.

The analogy may be understood as follows. Any event that transpires in this world results from a parallel but far more ethereal event that “previously” took place in the spiritually exalted worlds. Thus, the effect of an event in this physical world is much greater in those lofty worlds.

וכנודע ממה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש, מענין עליות עולמות העליונים

We see this in the teachings of the Zohar on the elevation of the higher worlds

באתערותא דלתתא, בהקרבת עוף אחד בן יונה או תור על גבי המזבח, או קומץ מנחה

as a result of the spiritual arousal initiated by man below through his offering of one fowl, a dove or pigeon, or a handful of meal, on the altar.

The Zohar teaches that offering but one such representative creature from the animal world or but one such representative item from the vegetative world, elevates all the spiritual realms.

וכן הוא בכל המצות מעשיות, כנודע מהאריז"ל

Such are the effects of all the commandments requiring practical performance, as is known from the AriZal.

Mitzvot performed in this world with physical objects, such as tzitzit made of wool or the passages of the tefillin written on parchment, set up far-reaching reverberations in the exalted spiritual worlds.

וזה שאמרו רז"ל על פסוק: והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים

This too is our Sages' comment8 on the verse,9 “Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy” —

אדם מקדש עצמו מעט מלמטה, מקדשין אותו הרבה מלמעלה וכו'

“Man sanctifies himself [only] a little i.e.,” comments the Rebbe, ‘in quantity’ below i.e.,“ comments the Rebbe, ‘in quality’, and he becomes sanctified in great measure from Above…”

(וכמו שכתוב לעיל בענין אשר קדשנו במצותיו וכו' בחינת סובב כל עלמין וכו')

(10It was thus noted above11 in reference to the phrase, “Who sanctified us with His commandments…,” [that Israel's sanctification through mitzvot is bound up with the Infinite life- force that] encompasses and transcends all worlds…)

Thus, the physical performance of a Divine commandment in this world, draws down upon the individual holiness not only from the most lofty spiritual worlds, but also from the degree of G‑dliness that transcends worlds.

וככה ממש הוא בענין שכר ועונש

Precisely so is it in reference to reward and punishment.

The reward for the performance of a mitzvah infinitely surpasses the physical deed itself; the punishment as well, suffered by an individual in this world for his sins, substitutes for a far greater measure of punishment that the person would have undergone had it been meted out in the Coming World.

כמאמר רז"ל: שכר מצוה מצוה וכו'

As our Sages say,12 “The reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah…”;

[I.e., the reward is the spiritual illumination that is drawn down through the fulfillment of the mitzvah itself],

וכמו שכתוב במקום אחר

as discussed elsewhere.

Since it has just been explained that the performance of a mitzvah draws down as a reward Divine illumination that utterly transcends all worlds, it follows that the reward for the mitzvah in the loftier spiritual worlds is infinitely higher than the physical action performed here below.

ודעת לנבון נקל

This knowledge is elementary to the discerning,

ומשכיל על דבר ימצא טוב

and those with intelligence in this matter will discover good.

FOOTNOTES

1.Note of the Rebbe: “The focus of this entire explanation is that the difference [between physical and spiritual suffering] and the benefit [of physical suffering] are twofold, quantitative and qualitative. Afflictions of the body, as opposed to afflictions of the soul; physical fire is only one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehinnom; a shadow's movement of a handsbreadth on earth is equivalent to thousands of miles.”

2.Note of the Rebbe: “The two terms [‘great’ and ‘potent’] quite possibly allude to [the] extent and quality [of the favor].”

3.Note of the Rebbe: “Thus enabling the soul to leave this world in the same [pure] state as when it entered it.”

4.Note of the Rebbe: “This seems to imply yet another matter.”

5.Parentheses are in the original text.

6.Berachot 57b.

7.Tehillim 89:3.

8.Yoma 39a.

9.Vayikra 20:7.

10.Parentheses are in the original text.

11.Part I, chapter 46; chapter 10, above.

12.Avot 4:2.

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Tuesday, Menachem Av 2, 5777 · July 25, 2017
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Positive Commandment 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »

Transactions

Positive Commandment 245

Translated by Berel Bell

The 245th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the laws of buying and selling, i.e. the ways in which purchases and sales between the buyers and the sellers become legally binding.

The Torah taught about one method in G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, [or buy something from your neighbor's hand...]" Our Sages said,2 "[The word 'hand' teaches that the sale] refers to something which can pass from one hand to another," i.e. meshichah [physically moving the object].

It is explained that in Biblical law, transfer of money is sufficient to complete the transaction, and meshichah is necessary only by Rabbinic decree, as is mesirah [giving the vehicle of control, e.g. the reins of a horse, to the buyer] and hagba'ah [lifting the object].

The Gemara3 explicitly says, "Just as our Sages enacted a requirement of meshichah in order for a sale to be valid, so too they required meshichah in order for a watchman relationship to become valid." It is therefore clear that the requirement of meshichah in buying and selling is of Rabbinic origin, as explained in the relevant place.

However, other methods of acquiring land, etc., i.e. by means of a document or chazakah4 are traced5 to Biblical verses [and are therefore of Biblical, not Rabbinic, origin].

The details of this mitzvah — i.e. the manners of finalizing a sale in each category — are explained in the 1st chapter of tractate Kiddushin, the 4th and 8th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Bava Basra.

FOOTNOTES

1.Lev. 25:14.

2.Bava Metzia 47b.

3.Ibid., 99a.

4.Such as building something on the land.

5.See Kiddushin 26a.

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• 1 Chapter A Day: Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 18
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Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 18

These are the individuals who receive lashes:

a) anyone who transgresses a negative commandment punishable by kerait, but which is not punishable by execution by the court, e.g., a person who eats either fats, blood, or chametz on Passover,

b) anyone who transgresses a negative commandment punishable by death at the hand of heaven, e.g., a person who eats tevel, or a priest who eats terumah that is ritually pure, while he is in a state of ritual impurity,

c) anyone who involves a negative prohibition that involves a deed, e.g., a person who eats milk and meat or who wears sha'atnez.

When, however, a prohibition does not involve a deed, i.e., a gossiper, a person who takes revenge, or who bears a grudge, and a judge who hears a false report, a violator does not receive lashes.

אלו הן הלוקין כל העובר על לא תעשה שחייבין עליו כרת ואין בו מיתת בית דין כגון אוכל חלב ודם וחמץ בפסח וכן כל העובר על לא תעשה שחייבין עליו מיתה בידי שמים כגון אוכל טבל וכהן טמא שאכל תרומה טהורה וכן כל העובר על לאו שיש בו מעשה כגון אוכל בשר בחלב או לובש שעטנז אבל לאו שאין בו מעשה כגון הולך רכיל ונוקם ונוטר ונושא שמא שוא אינו לוקה:

Whenever a prohibition does not involve a deed, it is not punishable by lashes except for a person who takes a false oath, a person who transfers the sanctity of one sacrificial animal to another, and one who curses a colleague using God's name. Similarly, any prohibition punishable by execution by the court, e.g., "Do not commit adultery," or do not perform labor on the Sabbath is not punishable by lashes.

Whenever a prohibition requires financial recompense, e.g., "Do not rob," or "Do not steal," it is not punishable by lashes. Whenever a prohibition can be corrected by the performance of a positive commandment, e.g., "Do not take the mother together with the offspring," or "Do not complete the reaping of the corners of your field," it is not punishable by lashes, unless one does not perform the positive commandment.

Similarly, a prohibition of a general nature is not punishable by lashes. All other Scriptural prohibitions are punishable by lashes.

כל לאו שאין בו מעשה אין לוקין עליו חוץ מנשבע ומימר ומקלל את חבירו בשם וכל לאו שניתן לאזהרת מיתת בית דין כגון לא תנאף לא תעשה מלאכה בשבת אין לוקין עליו וכל לאו שניתן לתשלומין כגון לא תגזול ולא תגנוב אין לוקין עליו וכל לאו שניתק לעשה כגון לא תקח האם על הבנים לא תכלה פאת שדך אין לוקין עליו אלא אם לא קיים עשה שבהן ועל לאו שבכללות אין לוקין עליו ושאר כל הלאוין שבתורה לוקין עליהן:

What is meant by a prohibition of a general nature? A prohibition that includes many matters, e.g., Leviticus 19:26,: "Do not eat over the blood." Similarly, if the Torah states: "Do not do this and this," since a prohibition was not explicitly stated with regard to each deed, these prohibitions are not punishable by lashes unless the Torah divides them into separate prohibitions or it is conveyed via the Oral Tradition that they have been divided.

What is implied? Exodus 12:9 states: "Do not partake of it partially roasted or cooked." If a person partakes of a portion of the Paschal sacrifice while it is partially roasted and another portion that has been cooked at the same time, he does not receive two sets of lashes, only one.

With regard to chadash, Leviticus 22:14 states: "You shall not partake of bread, roasted grain, or fresh grain...." A violator is liable for three sets of lashes for these three transgressions. According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that a distinction is to be made.

It is also written: "There shall not be found among you one passes his son or daughter through the fire, one who divines...." Even though all the matters are included in one prohibition, in other places, the Torah distinguishes them as separate prohibitions, as Leviticus 19:26 states: "Do not augur and do not read omens." This teaches that each one is a separate prohibition. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.

אי זהו לאו שבכללות זה לאו אחד שכולל עניינים הרבה כגון לא תאכלו על הדם וכן אם נאמר לא תעשה דבר פלוני ופלוני הואיל ולא ייחד לו לאו לכל אחד ואחד מהן אין לוקין על כל אחד ואחד אלא אם כן חלק אותה בלאוין אחרים או נאמר מפי השמועה שנחלקו כיצד כגון זה שנאמר אל תאכלו ממנו נא ובשל מבושל אינו לוקה על הנא והמבושל שתים אלא אחת ובחדש הוא אומר ולחם וקלי וכרמל לא תאכלו וחייב על שלשתן שלש מלקיות מפי השמועה למדו שזה לחלק הרי נאמר לא ימצא בך מעביר בנו ובתו באש קוסם קסמים ואף על פי שכלל כל העניינים בלאו אחד הרי חלק אותם בלאוין אחרים ואמר לא תנחשו ולא תעוננו מלמד שכל אחד מהן בלאו בפני עצמו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:

The following rules apply when a person receives lashes in a court because of the violation of a prohibition punishable by kerait, and then received lashes a second time for the violation of that same prohibition - e.g., he ate forbidden fat, received lashes for it, and then ate forbidden fat again and received lashes for it. If he eats such fat a third time, he is not given lashes. Instead, he is compelled to enter a kipah, a narrow place that is his height where he cannot lie down. He is given meager portions of bread and water until his digestive tract contracts and he becomes ill. Afterwards, we feed him barley until his stomach bursts.

מי שלקה בבית דין על איסור כרת ולקה פעם שנייה על אותו כרת עצמו כגון שאכל חלב ולקה עליו ואכל חלב פעם שנייה ולקה עליו אם אכל פעם שלישית אין מלקין אותו אלא מכניסין אותו לכיפה והוא מקום צר כפי קומתו ואינו יכול לשכב בו ונותנין לו לחם צר ומים לחץ עד שיצרו מעיו ויכלה ואח"כ מאכילין אותו שעורים עד שכריסו נבקעת:

When a person violates a prohibition punishable by kerait or by execution by the court and received a warning beforehand, if he nodded his head, or remained silent and did not acknowledge the warning, we do not execute him, as explained above, nor do we give him lashes. If he repeats this transgression, receives a warning, nods his head, or remains silent, we neither execute him or give him lashes. If he repeats this transgression a third time, receives a warning, even though he merely nodded his head or remained silent, he is placed in a kipah until he dies.

All these individuals who did not acknowledge the warning they received are given "stripes for rebellious behavior" for they did at least commit a sin. Even a person who violates a Rabbinic prohibition is given "stripes for rebellious behavior."

מי שעבר על איסור כרת או מיתת בית דין והתרו בו והרכין בראשו או שתק ולא קבל עליו התראה אין הורגין אותו כמו שביארנו ואין מלקין אותו חזר ועשה כך והתרו בו והרכין בראשו או שתק אין ממיתין אותו ואין מלקין אותו חזר פעם שלישית ועבר והתרו בו אע"פ שהרכין בראשו או שתק כונסין אותו לכיפה עד שימות וכל אלו שלא קבלו עליהן ההתראה מכין אותן מכת מרדות הואיל וחטאו מכל מקום אפילו על איסור של דברי סופרים מכין אותו מכת מרדות:

When a person steals one of the sacrificial vessels from the Temple, curses God's name using the name of a false divinity, or has relations with an idolatrous gentile woman, the court does not deal with this matter. Instead, the zealous strike them. Whoever slays them merits. Similarly, when a priest served in the Temple while ritually impure, his priestly brethren would not bring him to court. Instead, the young priests take him out of the Temple Courtyard and crack his head open with logs.

It is a Scriptural decree that the court does not execute a person or have him lashed because of his own admission. Instead, the punishments are given on the basis of the testimony of two witnesses. Joshua's execution of Achan and David's execution of the Amalekite convert because of their own statements was a directive of immediate relevance only or was by royal fiat. The Sanhedrin, however, may not execute or lash a person who admits committing a transgression, lest he become crazed concerning this matter. Perhaps he is one of those embittered people who are anxious to die and pierce their reins with swords or throw themselves from the rooftops. Similarly, we fear that such a person may come and admit committing an act that he did not perform, so that he will be executed. The general principle is the disqualification of a person's own testimony is a decree of the king.

הגונב כלי שרת מן המקדש והמקלל בקוסם והבועל ארמית אין בית דין נזקקין להן אלא הקנאין פוגעין בהן וכל שהורגן זכה וכן כהן ששמש בטומאה לא היו אחיו הכהנים מביאין אותו לבית דין אלא פרחי כהונה היו מוציאין אותו חוץ לעזרה ופוצעין את מוחו בגזירין גזירת הכתוב היא שאין ממיתין בית דין ולא מלקין את האדם בהודאת פיו אלא על פי שנים עדים וזה שהרג יהושע עכן ודוד לגר עמלקי בהודאת פיהם הוראת שעה היתה או דין מלכות היה אבל הסנהדרין אין ממיתין ולא מלקין המודה בעבירה שמא נטרפה דעתו בדבר זה שמא מן העמלין מרי נפש הוא המחכים למות שתוקעין החרבות בבטנם ומשליכין עצמן מעל הגגות שמא כך זה יבא ויאמר דבר שלא עשה כדי שיהרג וכללו של דבר גזירת מלך היא:

Rambam:

• 3 Chapters A Day: Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Ten, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Eleven, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Twelve
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Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Ten

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give a maneh to so and so," the maneh should be given after the dying man's death. The rationale is that the words of a sh'chiv me'ra are considered as if they have been recorded in a legal document, and that the property concerned has already been transferred. We do not suspect that the sh'chiv me'ra was referring to a buried maneh.

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מנה לפלוני ומת יתנו לאחר מיתה שדברי שכיב מרע ככתובין וכמסורין דמו ואין חוששין שמא על מנה קבור הוא אומר:

Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra states: "I have loaned money..." or "...entrusted an object to so and so; give it to this and this person," his words are binding, and a ma'amad sh'loshtam is not required.

Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give so and so this particular promissory note," the recipients acquire the debt mentioned in the promissory note, as if the sh'chiv me'ra wrote the transfer on the promissory note and gave it to the intended recipient, even though the promissory note was not actually transferred. An heir does not have the right to waive payment of a promissory note that was given as a matnat sh'chiv me'ra.

Why is that when a person sells or gives a promissory note to a colleague, and an heir waives payment, the waiver is binding, while when a sh'chiv me'ra apportions a promissory note as a matnat sh'chiv me'ra, an heir cannot waive payment.

The rationale is that the transfer of a promissory note is a Rabbinical ordinance. Therefore, according to Scriptural Law, the promissory note still belongs to the heir. Thus, his waiver of it is of consequence. The transfer of a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra is also a Rabbinic ordinance. Nevertheless in this instance, our Sages reinforced their decision and conveyed upon it the power of Scriptural Law. Thus, it is as if the recipient acquired the money mentioned in the promissory note according to Scriptural Law, and the money already reached his possession. Thus, the heir no longer possesses any right to it. Therefore, he cannot waive its payment.

וכן שכיב מרע שאמר הלואה או פקדון שיש לי ביד פלוני תנו אותה לפלוני דבריו קיימין ואין צריך למעמד שלשתן וכן אם אמר תנו שטר פלוני לפלוני זכה במה שיש בשטר וכאילו כתב ומסר אף על פי שלא משך השטר ואין היורש יכול למחול שטר זה שנתן במתנת שכיב מרע ומפני מה המוכר או נותן שטר חוב לחבירו וחזר ומחלו היורש מחול ושכיב מרע שנתן שטר חוב אין היורש יכול למחול מפני שקנין הראיה בשטר מדבריהם לפיכך היורש עדיין זה השטר שלו הוא מן התורה ומוחלו ומתנת שכיב מרע אע"פ שהיא מדבריהם עשו אותה כשל תורה וכאילו קנה ממון שבשטר מן התורה והגיע לידו ולא נשאר ליורש בו קנין ולפיכך אינו מוחל:

The following rules apply when a sh'chiv me'ra states: "There is a maneh belonging to so and so in my possession." If he says: "Give it to him," it should be given to him. If he does not make such a statement, it should not be given to him. We suspect that perhaps he made his original statement only so that it would not be said that his heirs are wealthy.

שכיב מרע שאמר מנה לפלוני בידי אם אמר תנו נותנין לא אמר תנו אין נותנין שמא לא אמר מנה יש לפלוני בידי אלא כדי שלא יאמרו על יורשיו שיש להן ממון:

Therefore, if the sh'chiv me'ra made the statement as a sincere acknowledgement, and there was no suspicion of subterfuge, the money should be given to the person mentioned, even though the sh'chiv me'ra did not explicitly say that it should be given to him.

לפיכך אם אמר זה דרך הודאה ולא היה שם חשש הערמה נותנין אע"פ שלא אמר תנו:

Similarly, the following rules apply if witnesses observe a father hiding money in a drawer, a chest or a tower, and he says: "They belong to so and so," or "They are ma'aser sheni." If it appears that he is conveying his desires for the use of the money, his words are upheld. If it appears that he is being deceptive, his statements are of no consequence.

כיוצא בו ראו את אביהם שהטמין מעות בשידה תיבה ומגדל ואמר של פלוני הן של מעשר שני הן אם כמוסר דבריו קיימין אם כמערים לא אמר כלום:

The Rabbis also discussed a similar situation. If a person came and told sons: "I saw your father hide money in a drawer, a chest or a tower, and he says: "It belongs to so and so," or "It is ma'aser." If the money is hidden in the sons' house, his statements are of no consequence. If it is in a field, his words should be upheld.

The general principle is that whenever the witness could have taken the money if he had wanted to, his words are upheld. If he could not have, his statements are of no consequence.

וכן אם בא אחד ואמר להם אני ראיתי את אביכן שהטמין מעות בשידה תיבה ומגדל ואמר של פלוני הם של מעשר הן אם היו טמונין בבית לא אמר כלום בשדה דבריו קיימין כללו של דבר כל שאילו יכול ליטול דבריו קיימין ואם לאו לא אמר כלום:

An incident occurred when a person was upset because of money that he knew that his father had left him, but he did not know where his father had hid it. He was told in a dream: "There was so and so much money. They are in this and this place, but they belong to so and so," or "...but they are ma'aser sheni." He found the exact sum of money in the place that was told him. The question was brought before the Sages and they said: "Words from dreams neither avail nor impair."

הרי שהיה מצטער על מעות שהניח לו אביו ולא ידע היכן החביאם ואמרו לו בחלום כך וכך הם במקום פלוני הן ושל פלוני הן ושל מעשר שני הן ומצאו במקום פלוני שנאמר לו ובמנין שנאמר לו זה היה מעשה ואמרו חכמים דברי חלומות לא מעלין ולא מורידין:

When a sh'chiv me'ra acknowledged that he owes so and so a maneh, and afterwards, the orphans state: "At a later date, our father told us that he paid the debt," their word is accepted. They must, however, take a sh'vuat hessefi to confirm their claim.

שכיב מרע שהודה שיש לפלוני בידו מנה ואמרו יתומים חזר ואמר לנו אבינו פרעתיו נאמנין ונשבעין על זה שבועת היסת:

If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said "Give the maneh to so and so" when making the acknowledgement his statements cannot be retracted. Even if the orphans state: "At a later date, our father told us that he paid the debt," their word is not accepted.

אמר תנו ואמרו יתומים חזר ואמר לנו אבינו פרעתיו אין נאמנין:

If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "I owe so and so a maneh" and after his death the heirs say: "We gave it to him," their statements are not accepted. Since the sh'chiv me'ra did not say: "Give it," how would they know that they were obligated to give it?

אמר מנה לפלוני (בידי) ואמרו יתומין נתננו אין נאמנין שהרי לא אמר תנו ומנין ידעו שחייבין ליתן:

If the dying man said: "Give so and so the money owed him," and the heirs claim to have paid the debt, the heirs are believed. They must, however, take a sh'vuat hesset.

יא

אמר תנו ואמרו יתומים נתננו נאמנין ונשבעין שבועת היסת שנתנו:

The following rules apply when a sh'chiv me'ra gives a maneh to a third party and tells him: "Bring this maneh to so and so," and the third party goes to the designated recipient, but finds that he has died. If the recipient was alive at the time the sh'chiv me'ra gave the money to the third party, he should give it to the heirs of the intended recipient. The rationale is that the words of a sh'chiv me'ra are considered as if they have been recorded in a legal document, and the object concerned already transferred.

If the intended recipient was not alive at that time, the third party should return the money to the heirs of the principal, for a deceased person cannot acquire property.

יב

שכיב מרע שנתן מנה לאחד ואמר לו הולך מנה זו לפלוני והלך ומצאו שמת אם קיים היה בשעה שנתן לו השכיב מרע ינתנו ליורשי מי שנשתלחו לו שדברי שכיב מרע ככתובין וכמסורין הן ואם לא היה קיים יחזרו ליורשי משלח שאין קנין למת:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, 300 zuz to so and so, and 400 zuz to so and so," we do not say that the first person mentioned in the legal record of his statements receives his portion first. Instead, if the estate does not contain 900 zuz, it is divided proportionately. And if a promissory note is issued against the estate, the creditor expropriates from all recipients proportionately.

What is implied? If the debt was for 450 zuz, the person granted 200 gives 100, the person granted 300 gives 150, and the person granted 400 gives 200.

יג

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני ושלש מאות זוז לפלוני וארבע מאות זוז לפלוני אין אומרין הקודם בשטר זכה לפיכך אם לא הניח תשע מאות חולקין הנמצא לפי מה שכתב להן ואם יצא עליו שטר חוב גובה מכולן מכל אחד ואחד כפי מה שכתוב להן כיצד היה החוב ארבע מאות וחמשים בעל המאתים נותן מאה ובעל השלש מאות מאה וחמשים ובעל הארבע מאות נותן מאתים:

If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so. Afterwards, give 300 to so and so, and then 400 to so and so," whoever is mentioned first in the legal record is granted priority.

Therefore, if a promissory note against the estate is brought up, the creditor should expropriate the money from the last recipient. If his holdings are not sufficient to satisfy the debt, the creditor should expropriate the money from the one mentioned before him. If his holdings are also not sufficient, the creditor should expropriate the money from the one mentioned before the second to last recipient.

יד

אבל אם אמר תנו מאתים זו לפלוני ואחריו שלש מאות לפלוני ואחריו ארבע מאות לפלוני כל הקודם בשטר זכה לפיכך אם יצא עליו שטר חוב גובה מן האחרון אין לו גובה משלפניו אין לו גובה משלפני פניו:

If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Let so and so live in this house," or "Let so and so partake of the fruits of this palm tree," his words are of no significance. The rationale is that he did not transfer an object of substance. For living and eating are like speech and sleep, which cannot be transferred.

If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give this house to so and so, so that he may live in it," or "Give so and so this tree, so that he may partake of its fruits," his statements are effective. The rationale is that he transferred the entity itself mentioned in the gift with the intent that benefit be derived. This entity is an object of substance. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.

טו

שכיב מרע שאמר ידור פלוני בבית זה יאכל פלוני פירות דקל זה לא אמר כלום שלא הקנה להם דבר שיש בו ממש שהדירה והאכילה וכיוצא בהן הרי הן כדבור וכשינה שאין נקנין אבל אם אמר תנו בית זה לפלוני כדי שידור בו עד זמן פלוני או תנו דקל זה לפלוני כדי שיאכל פירותיו דבריו קיימין שהרי הקנה להם הגוף לפירות והגוף דבר שיש בו ממש וכן כל כיוצא בזה:

Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Eleven

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "This property of mine should be given to banai," his daughters are not included among the recipients.

Even when the descendants of the sh'chiv me'ra include only one son and a daughter, or one son and the son of another son, and he used the expression banai - which is a plural term - the estate should be given to his son alone. For one son can be referred to as "my sons."

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסים אלו לבניי אין הבנות בכללם היה לו בן אחד ובת או בן ובן הבן אע"פ שהוא אמר לבניי שהוא לשון רבים אין נותנין אלא לבנו שהבן האחד נקרא בנים:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to Tovia," and then dies, and a person named Tovia comes and claims the estate, it should be given to him.

If, however, it is established that the claimant is referred to as "Rav Tovia,"

the estate should not be given to him. Nevertheless, should the sh'chiv me'ra be familiar with the claimant and be on first name basis with him, the estate should be given to him although he is generally referred to as Rav Tovia.

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לטוביה ומת ובא אחד ששמו טוביה ואמר אני הוא נוטלן ואם הוחזק שמו רב טוביה אינו נוטלן ואם היה שכיב מרע גס בו וקורא אותו בשמו נוטלן:

The following principles apply when two claimants come, and it is established that they are both called Tovia. If one of them is a Torah scholar and the other is not, the Torah scholar receives precedence. If neither of them is a Torah scholar, but one is a neighbor or a relative, the neighbor or relative receives precedence. If one is a neighbor and the other is a relative, the neighbor is given precedence.

If both of the claimants are relatives, neighbors or Torah scholars, the judges should act on their own assessment of the circumstances; the estate should be given to the claimant whom they think the deceased intended.13

Similar principles apply if there are several intended recipients.

באו שנים לתבוע וכל אחד מהן מוחזק שמו טוביה אם היה אחד מהם תלמיד חכם תלמיד חכם קודם אין בהן תלמיד חכם והיה אחד מהן שכן או קרוב הוא קודם היה אחד שכן ואחד קרוב שכן קודם שניהם קרובים או שניהם שכנים או שניהם תלמידי חכמים יעשו הדיינין כמו שיראה להם כל מי שדעתן נוטה שעל זה אמר נותנין לו וכן אם היו רבים:

If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so, to so and so, and to so and so," the intended recipients should divide the estate equally. This applies even if 100 people are mentioned.

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני ופלוני ופלוני חולקין בשוה אפילו הן מאה:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so and to my sons," the estate should be divided between them. The person named receives half, and all his sons together receive the other half.

An incident occurred concerning a person who told his wife: "My property should be given to you and my sons." Our Sages said: She should receive half of the estate, and all the sons should divide the other half.

אמר נכסי לפלוני ולבני חולקין פלוני נוטל מחצה וכל בניו מחצה ומעשה באחד שאמר לאשתו נכסי ליך ולבניך ואמרו חכמים תטול היא מחצה וכל הבנים מחצה:

If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so, to so and so, and to the sons of so and so," the sons of so and so receive half of the estate, and the other two people mentioned receive the other half.

אמר לפלוני ופלוני ולבני פלוני נוטלין בני פלוני מחצה והשנים הראשונים מחצה:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "So and so should receive a portion of my property," he should receive half. When he says: "Give a portion of my property to so and so," he should be given one sixteenth. There are, however, those who maintain that he should be given one fourth of the estate.

שכיב מרע שאמר יחלוק פלוני בנכסי יטול מחצה תנו חלק לפלוני בנכסי יטול אחד מששה עשר ויש מי שהורה יטול רביע הנכסים:

If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give so and so a portion of the wine that I possess," the person named should be given one fourth of the wine. If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine to pour into jugs," he has diminished that person's share, and the person named should be given one eighth of the wine.

If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine for cooking, the person named should be given one twelfth of the wine. If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine for a small cup, the person named should be given one sixteenth of the wine. For he revealed that his intent was to give him merely a small portion.

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו חלק לפלוני בבור היין שיש לי יטול רביע היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לחבית הרי מעוט ויטול שמינית היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לקדרה נוטל חלק משנים עשר מן היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לטפיח נוטל חלק מששה עשר מן היין שבבור שהרי גילה דעתו שלחלק מועט נתכוון:

One should not extrapolate from the measures mentioned with regard to any other matters.

ואין גומרין מן השיעורין האלו לדין אחר:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Let my wife receive a portion like one of the sons," she should be given a portion the size of that given to each of the sons. If sons are born to the deceased after he has made this deposition of his property, they are added to the sons who existed at the time the will was made, and she receives a portion equal to that given to each of them.

What is implied? If the sh'chiv me'ra had three sons at the time he made his will, and two more sons were born to him afterwards, she should receive a portion equal to that given the five sons - i.e., one sixth of the estate.

שכיב מרע שאמר תטול אשתי כאחד מן הבנים נוטלת כאחד מבניו ואם נולדו לו בנים אחר הצוואה מצטרפין עם אלו שהיו בשעת הצוואה ונוטלת חלק עם כלן כיצד היו שלשה בנים בשעת הצוואה ולאחר זמן נולדו לו שנים נוטלת כאחד מן החמשה שהוא שתות כל הממון:

The widow receives a portion only from the property that the deceased owned at the time he made his will. She does not receive a portion of any property he acquires after the will was made. The rationale is that a person cannot transfer ownership of an entity that is not in his possession.

יא

ואינה נוטלת עמהם אלא בנכסים שהיו לו בשעת הצוואה אבל נכסים שבאו לו אחר זמן הצוואה אין לה בהן חלק שאין אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא ברשותו:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "So and so should receive movable property that I own," the person named should receive his personal utensils. He is not, however, given wheat, barley or other similar entities that the deceased owned. If, however, he says: "...all the movable property that I own," the person named receives everything.

יב

שכיב מרע שאמר מטלטלין שיש לי לפלוני נוטל כלי תשמישו אבל לא חטים ושעורים וכיוצא בהן אמר כל מטלטלין שלי נוטל הכל:

Servants are included in the category of movable property, but not a lower millstone or the like. For the lower millstone is attached to the earth.

יג

והעבדים בכלל המטלטלין אבל לא רחיים התחתונה וכיוצא בה שהרי היא מחוברת לארץ:

If the sh'chiv me'ra said: "...everything that can be carried," the intended recipient acquires even a lower millstone and similar objects.

יד

אמר כל המטלטל נוטל אף רחיים התחתונה וכיוצא בהן:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give my property to so and so," that person receives all his movable property, all his landed property, the garments, the servants, the livestock, the fowl, the tefillin and the other sacred texts; for these are all considered to be property.

There is, however, an unresolved question of whether or not a Torah scroll is considered to be "property." Therefore, if the recipient takes possession of it, it should not be expropriated from him.

טו

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני נוטל כל המטלטלין וכל הקרקעות והבגדים והעבדים והבהמה והעופות והתפילין עם שאר ספרים הכל בכלל הנכסים אבל ספר תורה יש בו ספק אם הוא בכלל נכסים או אינו לפיכך אם תפסו אין מוציאין מידו:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, my firstborn, as is appropriate for him," he should be given that sum as well as his portion as a firstborn.

טז

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני בכורי כראוי לו נוטלן ונוטל בכורתו:

In the above situation, if the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give him 200 zuz as his firstborn portion," the firstborn is given the option: He may take his firstborn portion, or he may take the 200 zuz.

יז

אמר בבכורתו ידו על העליונה רצה חלק בכורה נוטל רצה מאתים זוז נוטל:

Similarly, if the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 200 zuz to my wife so and so, as is fitting for her, she receives that sum and the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. lf he said: "Give her 200 zuz for her ketubah" the option is hers.

יח

וכן אם אמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלונית אשתי כראוי לה נוטלתן ונוטלת כתובתה ואם אמר בכתובתה ידה על העליונה:

If the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, my creditor, as is fitting for him, he receives that sum and the money due him because of the debt. If he said: "Give him 200 zuz for his debt, he may collect only his debt.38

יט

אמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני בעל חובי כראוי לו נוטלן ונוטל את חובו אמר בחובו אין לו אלא חובו:

If a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 400 zuz to so and so and let him marry my daughter," it is as if he gave him two gifts. Whichever he desires, he may take. Therefore, if he desires to take the money but not to marry the daughter, he may do so.

If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Let him take my daughter and give him 400zuz" he is making the gift conditional. Theperson mentioned does not acquire the gift unless he marries the daughter.

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז לפלוני וישא בתי הרי זה כמי שנתן לו שתי מתנות כל איזה מהן שירצה יקח לפיכך אם רצה ליקח המעות ולא ישא הבת יקח אבל אם אמר יקח בתי ותנו לו ארבע מאות זוז הרי זה תנאי ולא יזכה במעות עד שיקח הבת:

The following principle applies if a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 400 zuz to my daughter as her ketubah" or "...for her ketubah." If it is the custom of the people of that city to add to the appraisal of the dowry and to write a maneh's worth as 200 zuz, the daughter should be given only 200 zuz. For the sh'chiv me'ra did not say "400 zuz" without any modifier, but rather "400 zuz as her ketubah." It is as if he said: "Give her what is necessary so that her ketubah will be appraised at 400 zuz."

כא

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז לבתי בכתובתה או לכתובתה אם דרך אנשי העיר להוסיף בשומת הנדוניא ולכתוב שוה מנה במאתים אינה נוטלת אלא מאתים זוז שהרי לא אמר ארבע מאות זוז סתם אלא בכתובתה כלומר תנו לה מה שתהיה שומתו בכתובתה ארבע מאות זוז:

If a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give such and such clothing and such and such articles to my daughter for her dowry," and the price of the garments and the articles decreases afterwards, the heirs profit, and they are required to give her only what she was promised according to the lesser price.

Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give my daughter the 400 zuz, the money from this wine," and the price of wine increases, the heirs profit, and the daughter is given only 400 zuz.

An incident occurred concerning a person who was being led off in fetters. He said: "Give so and so 400 zuz from the wine in this and this place." Our sages said: "He should receive 400 zuz from the price of that wine." The condemned man did not intend to give the person named an amount of wine equal in weight to 400 zuz. He intended to give him the monetary amount. He specified the place from which he could collect the money to strengthen the legal power of the recipient.

Another incident occurred concerning a man who said: "Give my daughter the date palm," but he left only two halves of a date palm. Our Sages said: "She should receive the two halves of the date palm, for that was his intent. He called them a date palm."

And another incident occurred concerning a person who said: "Give so and no a building that contains 100 korim" It was discovered that the building owned by the person who apportioned his property could contain 120 korim. Our Sages said: "He acquires that house, because it appears that this was his intent." For everyone who gives a gift gives generously. The same applies in all analogous situations.

כב

אמר תנו נדוניא לבתי כך וכך בגדים כך וכך כלים הוזלו הבגדים והכלים אחר כן הריוח ליתומים ונותנין לה כשער הזול וכן אם אמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז דמי היין לבתי והוקר היין הריוח ליתומים ונותנין לה ארבע מאות זוז מעשה באחד שהיה יוצא בקולר ואמר תנו לפלוני ארבע מאות זוז מהיין של מקום פלוני ואמרו חכמים יטול ארבע מאות זוז מדמי אותו היין שלא נתכוון זה ליתן לו מן היין משקל ארבע מאות זוז ולא נתכוון אלא לדמים וזה שייחדן כדי ליפות את כחו ושוב מעשה באחד שאמר הדקל לבתי והניח שני חצאי דקל אמרו חכמים תטול השני חצאים שלזה נתכוון והם שקרא דקל ושוב מעשה באחד שאמר תנו לפלוני בית המחזיק מאה כורין ונמצא הבית שיש לזה המצוה מחזיק מאה ועשרים ואמרו חכמים זכה בבית זה שהדברים מראין שכוונתו לזה היתה שכל הנותן בעין יפה נותן וכן כל כיוצא בדברים אלו:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give my sons a shekel each week," or even if he said: "Do not give them anything but a shekel each week," and it is discovered that a sela a week is necessary to meet their needs, they are given whatever they need. We assume that his intent was not to starve his children, but to encourage them not to live on a very lavish budget.

כג

שכיב מרע שאמר תנו לבני שקל בכל שבת או שאמר אל תתנו להם אלא שקל ונמצא שאינו מספיק להם אלא סלע בכל שבת נותנים להם כל צרכן שלא נתכוון זה להרעיב את בניו אלא לזרז אותם שמא ירויחו בהוצאה יותר מדאי:

When a sh'chiv me'ra orders: "Do not eulogize me," he should not be eulogized. If he says: "Do not use funds from my estate to bury me," his words are not heeded. We do not enable him to secure the funds of his children and make himself a burden on the community. For it is forbidden to leave him without a burial. Instead, we compel his heirs to bury him from the funds in his estate.

כד

שכיב מרע שצוה ואמר אל תספדוהו אין סופדין אותו אל תקברוהו מנכסיו אין שומעין לו שיחוס על ממון בניו ויפיל עצמו על הצבור שאסור להניחו בלא קבורה אלא כופין את היורשין לקוברו מנכסיו:

Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Twelve

When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My son, so and so, should inherit my estate," that son alone should inherit the estate, and not the man's other sons. Similarly, if he makes such statements about one daughter with regard to his other daughters, one brother with regard to his other brothers, or similarly, with regard to other heirs, his words are binding.

שכיב מרע שאמר בני פלוני יירשני הרי זה יורש אותו לבדו ולא יירשוהו שאר הבנים וכן אם אמר על בת בין הבנות או אח בין האחין או שאר יורשין דבריו קיימין:

If a healthy person makes such statements, his words are of no consequence.

אבל הבריא אין דבריו קיימין:

When a sh'chiv me'ra states: "My property should be given to so and so, and after him, to so and so," the second person receives only what the first person leaves over.

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני ואחריו לפלוני אין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון:

If, however, the first person was fit to inherit the estate of the sh'chiv me'ra - e.g., he was one of his sons - the second person does not receive anything. For regardless of the expression used to give a gift to an heir, it is considered as if he were given an inheritance. And an inheritance never ends. This applies even though the giver said: "After him, it should be given to so and so."

ואם היה הראשון ראוי ליורשו כגון שהיה בן מכלל הבנים אין לשני כלום שכל לשון מתנה ליורש הרי הוא כלשון ירושה וירושה אין לה הפסק ואף על פי שאמר ואחריו לפלוני:

If, however, a healthy person gave a gift in this manner and had a deed composed saying: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," the second person receives only what the first person leaves over. This applies whether or not the first person was fit to inherit the estate of the giver.

אבל הבריא שנתן מתנת בריא על דרך זה וכתב לזה נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני אין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון בין שהיה הראשון ראוי ליורשו בין שלא היה ראוי ליורשו:

There is an exception to the principle stated above with regard to a sh'chiv me'ra who says: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," and the first recipient is fit to inherit the giver's estate. If the giver explicitly states: "I am not giving you this property as an inheritance that never ceases, but as a gift, and I have set a limit to it," the second person acquires what the first leaves over.

For this reason, if the giver entrusted the money to a third party, or he said: "Give my sons a shekel every week. I am not giving them this money as an inheritance. Afterwards, what remains of the estate after their death should be given to so and so," they should be given only a shekel a week, even though it does not suffice for them.

שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני והיה ראשון ראוי ליורשו ופירש ואמר לא משום ירושה אני נותן לך שאין לה הפסק אלא במתנה והרי הפסקתיה השני קונה מה שמשייר הראשון לפיכך אם נתן המעות על יד שליש או שאמר תנו לבניי שקל בכל שבת ולא משום ירושה אני נותנם להם והנשאר מן הנכסים אחר מותם יהיה לפלוני אין נותנין להם אלא שקל אע"פ שאינו מספיק להם:

If a sh'chiv me'ra states: "My property should be given to so and so, and after him to so and so," and the first person named dies, the property is acquired by the second. If the second person named also dies, the property is given to the heirs of the second person.

If, however, the second person dies during the lifetime of the first, and the first dies before the sh'chiv me'ra, the property should be given to the heirs of the first person.

נכסי לפלוני ואחריו לפלוני מת ראשון קנה שני מת שני הרי אלו של יורשי השני מת שני בחיי ראשון יהיו הנכסים של יורשי ראשון:

Although the second person named receives only what the first person leaves over, it is forbidden for the first person to sell or give as a gift the body of the property that he has been given. Instead, he is entitled to reap the benefits from the property until he dies, at which time the second person acquires the property.

ואף על פי שאין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון אסור לראשון למכור וליתן גופו אלא אוכל הפירות עד שימות ויזכה השני:

If, however, the first person transgresses and sells or gives as a gift the property, the second person cannot expropriate the property from the recipient. For the second person does not have any right to the body of the property or the benefits from it, but only what remains after the first person dies.

Any person who advises the first person named to sell the property is called "wicked."

Even if the estate contained servants and the first person granted them their freedom or garments and he made them shrouds for a corpse, his deeds are binding.

ואם עבר הראשון ומכר ונתן במתנה אין השני מוציא מיד הלקוחות שאין לשני לא מן הגוף ולא מן הפירות אלא הנשאר וכל המשיא עצה לראשון למכור נקרא רשע ואפילו היה בהן עבדים והוציאן הראשון לחירות או כלים ועשאן תכריכין למת מעשיו קיימין:

When does the above apply? When the first person sold or gave as a gift the property to an outside party. If, however, the first person sold or gave them as a gift to his son or to another heir, his deeds are of no consequence.

Similarly, if he gave the property as a gift of a sh'chiv me'ra to an outside party, his deeds are of no consequence. The rationale is that the recipient of a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra does not acquire it until after the sh'chiv me'ra dies, and when the first recipient dies, the property has already been acquired by the second person named by the original giver.

במה דברים אמורים בשמכר הראשון או נתן מתנה לאחרים אבך אם מכרן הראשון או נתנן לבנו מתנה או לאחד מיורשיו לא עשה כלום וכן אם נתנו מתנת שכיב מרע אפילו לאחרים לא עשה כלום שאין מתנת שכיב מרע קונה אלא לאחר מיתה וכשימות יקנה השני:

In the above situation, if the first recipient owes a debt or must pay his wife the money due her by virtue of her ketubah, and the court seeks to collect the debt from this property, even if the first recipient is still alive, the court does not collect the debt from the body of the property itself. Instead, only the proceeds from it are indentured.

If the first person dies and his creditor or his wife seeks to expropriate this property, nothing at all is expropriated for them. This applies even when he made them an ipotikfi or designated them for his wife so that she could collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah from them. Nothing is expropriated from this property, because it belongs to the second person.

יא

היה חוב על הראשון או כתובת אשה ובאו לבית דין להפרע מנכסים אלו אע"פ שהראשון קיים אין בית דין מגבין אותם מגוף הנכסים אלא מן הפירות בלבד שמין להם מת הראשון ובא בעל חובו ואשתו לגבות מנכסים אלו אין מגבין להם כלום אפילו עשאן אפותיקי או שייחדן לאשתו בכתובתה אינן גובין מנכסים אלו כלום אלא הרי הן של שני:

When a sh'chiv me'ra says to an unmarried woman: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," and then the woman marries, her husband is considered to be a purchaser, and the second person may not expropriate the property from him.

If the woman was already married when the sh'chiv me'ra said: "...and after you to so and so," the second person may expropriate the property from the husband. The rationale is that since she acquired the property on this condition when she was married, it is as though the sh'chiv me'ra told her explicitly: "After your death, so and so will acquire the property, and not your husband."

Therefore, if she sold this property while she was married to her husband, and then died while married to her husband, the property should remain in the possession of the purchaser. For if the husband expropriated the property from the purchaser because his wife sold it while she was married, the second person mentioned by the original giver may expropriate the property from the husband, and then the man who purchased it from the woman may expropriate it from the second person, for she sold the property to him, and the second person is entitled only to property that the woman left over. And the cycle could continue endlessly. Nevertheless, since the only one who spent money for the property is the purchaser, the property is allowed to remain in his possession.

An incident occurred with regard to a person who said: "Let my property be given to my mother, and after her to my heirs." He had a married daughter. That daughter died during her husband's lifetime, and also in the lifetime of her father's mother. After she died, the elder woman also died.

Our Sages said: The daughter's husband does not inherit that property, for it was only fitting for his wife to inherit, and she did not actually have a right to acquire the property until she had died.

If the daughter had left a son or a daughter, they would have inherited the estate, for the expression "heirs" used by the deceased includes even the heirs' heirs. And if the dying man had said: "When the elder woman dies, the estate becomes my daughter's retroactive to the present time," the daughter's husband would inherit it after his wife's death.

יב

שכיב מרע שאמר לאשה פנויה נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני ועמדה ונשאת בעל לוקח הוא ואין השני מוציא מיד הבעל ואם אמר לה כשהיא נשואה נכסי ליך ואחריך לפלוני ומתה השני מוציא מיד הבעל שכיון שזכתה בנכסים על תנאי זה כשהיא נשואה נמצא כאילו אמר לה בפירוש אחריך יקנה פלוני לא הבעל לפיכך אם מכרה נכסים אלו כשהיא תחת בעלה ומתה תחת בעלה יעמדו נכסים ביד הלוקח שאם יוציא הבעל מיד הלוקח מפני שמכרה כשהיא נשואה הרי השני מוציא מיד הבעל והלוקח חוזר ומוציא מיד השני שהרי מכרה לו ואין לו אלא מה ששייר ראשון ואין בשלשתן מי שהוציא ממון אלא הלוקח ולפיכך תעמוד בידו מעשה באחד שאמר נכסי לאמי ואחריה ליורשי והיתה לו בת נשואה ומתה הבת בחיי בעלה ובחיי אם אביה ואח"כ מתה הזקנה ואמרו חכמים אין הבעל יורש אותן נכסים מפני שהן ראויין לאשתו ולא זכתה בהן האשה אלא אחר שמתה אבל אם הניח הבת בן או בת היו יורשין הנכסים שמשמע יורשין ואפילו יורשי יורשין ואילו אמר וכשתמות הזקנה הרי הן לבתי מעכשיו היה הבעל יורש אותן אחר מיתת אשתו:

When a person has a legal record composed giving property to his son after his death, the body of the property becomes the son's from the time this legal record is composed. The benefit from the property is retained by the father until he dies.

Accordingly, the father cannot sell this property, because it has already been given to his son. Nor can the son sell the property, because it is under the father's control.

If the father dies and there is produce attached to the ground on this property, it belongs to the son. The rationale is that a person feels a closeness to his son. If the produce has already become detached or it is ready to be harvested, it belongs to the other heirs.

If the father transgresses and sells the property, the sale is binding until he dies. When he dies, the son expropriates the property from the purchaser. If there was produce attached to the property, its worth should be evaluated and credited to the purchaser, and the son must pay him for it. If the produce was detached or ready to be harvested, it belongs to the purchaser.

If the son transgresses and sells the property, the purchaser does not receive anything until the father dies. If the son sold the property during the father's lifetime, the son died, and then the father dies, the purchaser takes possession of the property when the father dies. The sale of the property by the son is not nullified, because the father possesses only the right to benefit from the property, and possession of the right to benefit from a property is not the same as possession of the property itself.

יג

הכותב נכסיו לבנו ולאחר מותו הרי הגוף של בן מזמן השטר והפירות לאב עד שימות לפיכך האב אינו יכול למכור מפני שהן נתונין לבן והבן אינו יכול למכור מפני שהן ברשות האב מת האב והניח פירות מחוברין לקרקע הרי הן של בן מפני שדעתו של אדם קרובה אצל בנו היו תלושין או שהגיעו להבצר הרי הן של יורשין עבר האב ומכר מכורין עד שימות וכשימות האב מוציא הבן מיד הלקוחות ואם היו שם פירות מחוברין שמין אותם ללוקח ונותן הבן דמיהם היו תלושין או שהגיעו להבצר הרי הן של לוקח עבר הבן ומכר אין ללוקח כלום עד שימות האב מכר הבן בחיי האב ומת הבן ואחר כך מת האב כשימות האב קנה הלוקח שאין לאב אלא פירות וקניין פירות אינו כקניין הגוף:

When the deed recording a gift given by a healthy person states that the gift takes effect "from today and after the person's death," it is considered to be a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra. The implication is that although he acquires the body of the property from the day of the gift, he may not take possession of it and partake of its fruits until after the giver's death.

יד

מתנת בריא שכתוב בה מהיום ולאחר מיתה הרי היא כמתנת שכיב מרע שאינו קונה אלא לאחר מיתה שמשמע דברים אלו שאף על פי שקנה הגוף מהיום אינו זוכה בו ואוכל פירות אלא לאחר מיתה:

The following laws apply with regard to a deed recording a gift , which states that so and so should acquire a particular field after the death of the giver.

Whether or not the legal document records a kinyan since it mentions a date and the giver was alive on that date, the date indicates that he transferred ownership of the property during his lifetime. The recipient may not take possession of it until after the giver's death.

This is certainly the intent. For if the giver's intent had been to transfer the property with this document after his death, he would not have dated it.

Therefore, even though the document does not state that the gift takes effect "from today and after the person's death," the recipient acquires the property after the giver's death.

The reason we write "from the present time" in a legal document although it is dated, is to clarify the matter, even though it is unnecessary.

טו

שטר מתנה שכתוב בה שיקנה פלוני שדה פלונית לאחר מיתה בין שהיה בשטר קניין בין שלא היה בו קניין כיון שכתוב בו זמן ובזמן זה חי היה הזמן מוכיח שמחיים הקנה לו ואינו זוכה אלא לאחר מיתה שאילו היה בדעתו להקנות לו בשטר זה לאחר מיתה לא היה כותב בו זמן לפיכך אע"פ שאין כתוב בו מהיום ולאחר מיתה קונה לאחר מיתה וזה שכותבין בכל המתנות והממכרות מעכשיו ואף על פי שיש בשטר הזמן להרויח הדבר כותבין בו אע"פ שאינו צריך:

When a healthy person gives a gift and composes the deed recording it saying: "During my lifetime and in my death," it is a completely binding gift, taking effect during the person's lifetime, for it states: "During my lifetime." The fact that it also states: "And in my death," is if it states: "from now until eternity." It is an embellishment of the document.

טז

בריא שנתן מתנה וכתב בשטר מחיים ובמות הרי זו מתנה גמורה מחיים שהרי כתוב בו מחיים וזה שכתוב בו ובמות כמי שאומר מעתה ועד עולם וכמו נויי השטר הוא זה:

Perfectly righteous men and men of spiritual stature would not receive gifts from other men. Instead, they would trust in God, blessed be His name, and not in generous men. And Proverbs 15:27 states: "One who hates gifts will live."

יז

הצדיקים הגמורים ואנשי מעשה לא יקבלו מתנה מאדם אלא בוטחים בה' ברוך שמו לא בנדיבים והרי נאמר ושונא מתנות יחיה:

Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class

Tuesday, Menachem Av 2, 5777 · 25 July 2017

"Today's Day"

Tuesday Menachem Av 2 5703

Torah lessons: Chumash: Devarim, Shlishi with Rashi.

Tehillim: 10-17.

Tanya: Since the tefilla (p. 379) ...teshuvah ila'a.) (p. 379).

A directive for all: A boy begins putting on tefillin two months before his Bar Mitzva; at first without the b'racha, then a few weeks later with the b'racha.1

FOOTNOTES

1.It is critical to note that the Rebbe of righteous memory has instructed and requested all of Bar-mitzva age and older to regularly put on Rabeinu Tam tefillin. Viz. sichot of Purim 5736, Motza'ei Va'eira 5739, Pekudei 5741.

Daily Thought:

Fierce & Humble

To achieve wonders takes a heart both humble and fearless.

Yes, two opposites. But also from two opposite directions:

The mind awakens the heart to its nothingness. And by this, the soul G‑d gave you is bared in all its brazen power. [Maamarei Admor Hazaken Hak’tzarim pg. 370.]

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Missionary Renegade

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Menachem Av 2, 5777 - Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Tuesday, Av 2, 5777 · July 25, 2017

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