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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Wednesday, Av 3, 5777 · July 26, 2017Today'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
Daily Quote:
Every Jew, both righteous and wicked, has two souls; the first.. clothes itself in the blood to animate the body... and the second soul is literally a part of G-d Above. [Tanya]
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Devarim, 4th Portion Deuteronomy 1:39-2:1 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 1
39[Moreover] your little ones, whom you said will be prey, and your children, who on that day did not know good and evil they will go there and I will give it to them, and they will possess it. לטוְטַפְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לָבַז יִהְיֶה וּבְנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ הַיּוֹם טוֹב וָרָע הֵמָּה יָבֹאוּ שָׁמָּה וְלָהֶם אֶתְּנֶנָּה וְהֵם יִירָשׁוּהָ:
40But as for you, turn yourselves around and journey into the desert by way of the Red Sea." מוְאַתֶּם פְּנוּ לָכֶם וּסְעוּ הַמִּדְבָּרָה דֶּרֶךְ יַם סוּף:
turn yourselves: I thought [previously] to let you pass through the breadth of the land of Edom northward, to enter the Land, but you sinned and caused delay for yourselves.
פנו לכם: אמרתי להעביר אתכם דרך רוחב ארץ אדום לצד צפון ליכנס לארץ, קלקלתם וגרמתם לכם עכוב:
turn yourselves: Backwards, and proceed through the desert towards the Red Sea, for the desert in which they were traveling was south of Mount Seir, separating the Red Sea from Mount Seir. Now turn in the direction of the Sea and go around Mount Seir, along its entire southern side from west to east.
פנו לכם: לאחוריכם ותלכו במדבר לצד ים סוף. שהמדבר שהיו הולכים בו לדרומו של הר שעיר, היה מפסיק בין ים סוף להר שעיר, עתה המשכו לצד הים ותסבבו את הר שעיר כל דרומו מן המערב למזרח:
41Then you answered and said to me, "We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord, our God, has commanded us." So every one of you girded his weapons, and you prepared yourselves to go up to the mountain. מאוַתַּעֲנוּ | וַתֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי חָטָאנוּ לַיהֹוָה אֲנַחְנוּ נַעֲלֶה וְנִלְחַמְנוּ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַתַּחְגְּרוּ אִישׁ אֶת כְּלֵי מִלְחַמְתּוֹ וַתָּהִינוּ לַעֲלֹת הָהָרָה:
and you prepared yourselves: Heb. וַתָּהִינוּ, an expression of“Here we are (הִנֶּנּוּ) and we will go up to the place” (Num. 14:40). This expression which you used, denotes,“Yes” (הֵן) , as if to say: You prepared [to go up to the mountain].
ותהינו: לשון (במדבר יד, מ) הננו ועלינו אל המקום, זה הלשון שאמרתם, לשון הן, כלומר נזדמנתם:
42And the Lord said to me, "Say to them, 'Neither go up nor fight, for I am not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.' " מבוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי אֱמֹר לָהֶם לֹא תַעֲלוּ וְלֹא תִלָּחֲמוּ כִּי אֵינֶנִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם:
Neither go up: There will be no ascent [victory] for you, but only a descent [defeat].
לא תעלו: לא עלייה תהא לכם, אלא ירידה:
43So I spoke to you, but you did not listen, and you rebelled against the command of the Lord, and you acted wickedly and went up to the mountain. מגוָאֲדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וַתַּמְרוּ אֶת פִּי יְהֹוָה וַתָּזִדוּ וַתַּעֲלוּ הָהָרָה:
44And the Amorites, dwelling in that mountain, came out towards you and pursued you as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, as far as Hormah. מדוַיֵּצֵא הָאֱמֹרִי הַיּשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא לִקְרַאתְכֶם וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂינָה הַדְּבֹרִים וַיַּכְּתוּ אֶתְכֶם בְּשֵׂעִיר עַד חָרְמָה:
As bees do: Just as a bee dies instantly after stinging a person, they too [the Amorites], upon touching you, died immediately.
כאשר תעשינה הדבורים: מה הדבורה הזאת כשהיא מכה את האדם מיד מתה, אף הם כשהיו נוגעים בכם מיד מתים:
45So you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not hear your voice, nor would he listen to you. מהוַתָּשֻׁבוּ וַתִּבְכּוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וְלֹא שָׁמַע יְהֹוָה בְּקֹלְכֶם וְלֹא הֶאֱזִין אֲלֵיכֶם:
But the Lord would not hear your voice: As if possible [to say of God], you made His attribute of mercy as though it were cruel.
ולא שמע ה' בקלכם: כביכול עשיתם מדת רחמיו, כאלו אכזרי:
46And you dwelled in Kadesh many days, as the days that you dwelled. מווַתֵּשְׁבוּ בְקָדֵשׁ יָמִים רַבִּים כַּיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם:
And you dwelled in Kadesh many days: Nineteen years, as it says,“as the days that you dwelled” in the other stations. They totaled thirty-eight years; nineteen of them were spent at Kadesh, and for nineteen years they were continually wandering about, and they returned to Kadesh, as it says, (Num. 32:13),“And He made them wander about in the desert”-thus I have found in Seder Olam (ch. 8).
ותשבו בקדש ימים רבים: י"ט שנה, שנאמר כימים אשר ישבתם בשאר המסעות והם היו ל"ח שנה, י"ט מהם עשו בקדש וי"ט שנה הולכים ומטורפים וחזרו לקדש, כמו שנאמר (במדבר לב, יג) ויניעם במדבר. כך מצאתי בסדר עולם:
Deuteronomy Chapter 2
1Then we turned and journeyed into the desert by way of the Red Sea, as the Lord had spoken to me, and we circled Mount Seir for many days. אוַנֵּפֶן וַנִּסַּע הַמִּדְבָּרָה דֶּרֶךְ יַם סוּף כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֵלָי וַנָּסָב אֶת הַר שֵׂעִיר יָמִים רַבִּים:
Then we turned and journeyed into the desert: Had they not sinned, they would have passed by way of Mount Seir to enter the Land from its south[ern end] to its north[ern end], but because they sinned, [it was decreed upon them that they remain in the desert; so] they turned towards the desert, which is between the Red Sea and the southern side of Mount Seir, and they traveled along its south side from the west to the east, by way of the Red Sea by the route they used when they went out of Egypt, which is at the southwest corner. From there they traveled towards the east.
ונפן ונסע המדברה: אילו לא חטאו היו עוברים דרך הר שעיר ליכנס לארץ מן דרומו לצפונו, ובשביל שקלקלו הפכו לצד המדבר שהוא בין ים סוף לדרומו של הר שעיר, והלכו אצל דרומו מן המערב למזרח דרך ים סוף - דרך יציאתן ממצרים שהוא במקצוע דרומית מערבית, משם היו הולכים לצד המזרח:
and we circled Mount Seir: the whole south side as far as the land of Moab.
ונסב את הר שעיר: כל דרומו עד ארץ מואב:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 18 - 22
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 18
If one merits a public miracle, he should offer a song to God, including in his song all the miracles that have occurred since the day the world was created, as well as the good that God wrought for Israel at the giving of the Torah. And he should say: "He Who has performed these miracles, may He do with me likewise."
1. For the Conductor. By the servant of the Lord, by David, who chanted the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
2. He said, "I love You, Lord, my strength.
3. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my rescuer. My God is my strength in Whom I take shelter, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
4. With praises I call upon the Lord, and I am saved from my enemies.
5. For the pangs of death surrounded me, and torrents of evil people terrified me.
6. Pangs of the grave encompassed me; snares of death confronted me.
7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, I cried out to my God; and from His Sanctuary He heard my voice, and my supplication before Him reached His ears.
8. The earth trembled and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook-they trembled when His wrath flared.
9. Smoke rose in His nostrils, devouring fire blazed from His mouth, and burning coals flamed forth from Him.
10. He inclined the heavens and descended, a thick cloud was beneath His feet.
11. He rode on a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
12. He made darkness His concealment, His surroundings His shelter-of the dense clouds with their dark waters.
13. Out of the brightness before Him, His clouds passed over, with hailstones and fiery coals.
14. The Lord thundered in heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice-hailstones and fiery coals.
15. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them; many lightnings, and confounded them.
16. The channels of water became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed-at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
17. He sent from heaven and took me; He brought me out of surging waters.
18. He rescued me from my fierce enemy, and from my foes when they had become too strong for me.
19. They confronted me on the day of my misfortune, but the Lord was my support.
20. He brought me into spaciousness; He delivered me because He desires me.
21. The Lord rewar-ded me in accordance with my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanliness of my hands.
22. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not transgressed against my God;
23. for all His laws are before me, I have not removed His statutes from me.
24. I was perfect with Him, and have guarded myself from sin.
25. The Lord repaid me in accordance with my righteousness, according to the cleanliness of my hands before His eyes.
26. With the kindhearted You act kindly, with the upright man You act uprightly.
27. With the pure You act purely, but with the crooked You act cun- ningly.
28. For the destitute nation You save, but haughty eyes You humble.
29. Indeed, You light my lamp; the Lord, my God, illuminates my darkness.
30. For with You I run against a troop; with my God I scale a wall.
31. The way of God is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32. For who is God except the Lord, and who is a rock except our God!
33. The God Who girds me with strength, and makes my path perfect.
34. He makes my feet like deers', and stands me firmly on my high places.
35. He trains my hands for battle, my arms to bend a bow of bronze.
36. You have given me the shield of Your deliverance, Your right hand upheld me; Your humility made me great.
37. You have widened my steps beneath me, and my knees have not faltered.
38. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until I destroyed them.
39. I crushed them so that they were unable to rise; they are fallen beneath my feet.
40. You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued my adversaries beneath me.
41. You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and my foes I cut down.
42. They cried out, but there was none to deliver them; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43. I ground them as the dust before the wind, I poured them out like the mud in the streets.
44. You have rescued me from the quarrelsome ones of the people, You have made me the head of nations; a nation I did not know became subservient to me.
45. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; strangers deny to me [their disloyalty].
46. Strangers wither away, they are terrified in their strongholds.
47. The Lord lives; blessed is my Rock; exalted is the God of my deliverance.
48. You are the God Who executes retribution for me, and subjugates nations under me.
49. Who rescues me from my enemies, Who exalts me above my adversaries, Who delivers me from the man of violence.
50. Therefore I will laud You, Lord, among the nations, and sing to Your Name.
51. He grants His king great salvations, and bestows kindness upon His anointed, to David and his descendants forever."
Chapter 19
To behold God's might one should look to the heavens, to the sun, and to the Torah, from which awesome miracles and wonders can be perceived--wonders that lead the creations to tell of God's glory.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The heavens recount the glory of the Almighty; the sky proclaims His handiwork.
3. Day to day speech streams forth; night to night expresses knowledge.
4. There is no utterance, there are no words; their voice is inaudible.
5. Their arc extends throughout the world; their message to the end of the earth. He set in them [the heavens] a tent for the sun,
6. which is like a groom coming forth from his bridal canopy, like a strong man rejoicing to run the course.
7. Its rising is at one end of the heavens, and its orbit encompasses the other ends; nothing is hidden from its heat.
8. The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton.
9. The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.
10. The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are all righteous together.
11. They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or the drippings of honeycomb.
12. Indeed, Your servant is scrupulous with them; in observing them there is abundant reward.
13. Yet who can discern inadvertent wrongs? Purge me of hidden sins.
14. Also hold back Your servant from willful sins; let them not prevail over me; then I will be unblemished and keep myself clean of gross transgression.
15. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
Chapter 20
If a loved one or relative is suffering-even in a distant place, where one is unable to help-offer this prayer on their behalf.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. May the Lord answer you on the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob fortify you.
3. May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and support you from Zion.
4. May He remember all your offerings, and always accept favorably your sacrifices.
5. May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill your every counsel.
6. We will rejoice in your deliverance, and raise our banners in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your wishes.
7. Now I know that the Lord has delivered His anointed one, answering him from His holy heavens with the mighty saving power of His right hand.
8. Some [rely] upon chariots and some upon horses, but we [rely upon and] invoke the Name of the Lord our God.
9. They bend and fall, but we rise and stand firm.
10. Lord, deliver us; may the King answer us on the day we call.
Chapter 21
One who is endowed with prosperity, and whose every desire is granted, ought not be ungrateful. He should praise and thank God, recognize Him as the cause of his prosperity, and trust in Him. For everything comes from the kindness of the One Above.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The king rejoices in Your strength, Lord; how greatly he exults in Your deliverance!
3. You have given him his heart's desire, and You have never withheld the utterance of his lips.
4. You preceded him with blessings of good; You placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
5. He asked of You life, You gave it to him-long life, forever and ever.
6. His glory is great in Your deliverance; You have placed majesty and splendor upon him.
7. For You make him a blessing forever; You gladden him with the joy of Your countenance.
8. For the king trusts in the Lord, and in the kindness of the Most High-that he will not falter.
9. Your hand will suffice for all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.
10. You will make them as a fiery furnace at the time of Your anger. May the Lord consume them in His wrath; let a fire devour them.
11. Destroy their offspring from the earth, their descendants from mankind.
12. For they intended evil against You, they devised evil plans which they cannot execute.
13. For You will set them as a portion apart; with Your bowstring You will aim at their faces.
14. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and chant the praise of Your might.
Chapter 22
Every person should pray in agony over the length of the exile, and our fall from prestige to lowliness. One should also take vows (for self-improvement) in his distress.
1. For the Conductor, on the ayelet hashachar, a psalm by David.
2. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me! So far from saving me, from the words of my outcry?
3. My God, I call out by day, and You do not answer; at night-but there is no respite for me.
4. Yet You, Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
5. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You saved them.
6. They cried to You and were rescued; they trusted in You and were not shamed.
7. And I am a worm and not a man; scorn of men, contempt of nations.
8. All who see me mock me; they open their lips, they shake their heads.
9. But one that casts [his burden] upon the Lord-He will save him; He will rescue him, for He desires him.
10. For You took me out of the womb, and made me secure on my mother's breasts.
11. I have been thrown upon You from birth; from my mother's womb You have been my God.
12. Be not distant from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.
13. Many bulls surround me, the mighty bulls of Bashan encircle me.
14. They open their mouths against me, like a lion that ravages and roars.
15. I am poured out like water, all my bones are disjointed; my heart has become like wax, melted within my innards.
16. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; You set me in the dust of death.
17. For dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers enclose me; my hands and feet are like a lion's prey.
18. I count all my limbs, while they watch and gloat over me.
19. They divide my garments amongst them; they cast lots upon my clothing.
20. But You, Lord, do not be distant; my Strength, hurry to my aid!
21. Save my life from the sword, my soul from the grip of dogs.
22. Save me from the lion's mouth, as You have answered me from the horns of wild beasts.
23. I will recount [the praises of] Your Name to my brothers; I will extol You amidst the congregation.
24. You that fear the Lord, praise Him! Glorify Him, all you progeny of Jacob! Stand in awe of Him, all you progeny of Israel!
25. For He has not despised nor abhorred the entreaty of the poor, nor has He concealed His face from him; rather He heard when he cried to Him.
26. My praise comes from You, in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those that fear Him.
27. Let the humble eat and be satisfied; let those who seek the Lord praise Him-may your hearts live forever!
28. All the ends of the earth will remember and return to the Lord; all families of nations will bow down before You.
29. For sovereignty is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations.
30. All the fat ones of the earth will eat and bow down, all who descend to the dust shall kneel before Him, but He will not revive their soul.
31. The progeny of those who serve Him will tell of the Lord to the latter generations.
32. They will come and relate His righteousness-all that He has done-to a newborn nation.
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 18
If one merits a public miracle, he should offer a song to God, including in his song all the miracles that have occurred since the day the world was created, as well as the good that God wrought for Israel at the giving of the Torah. And he should say: "He Who has performed these miracles, may He do with me likewise."
1. For the Conductor. By the servant of the Lord, by David, who chanted the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
2. He said, "I love You, Lord, my strength.
3. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my rescuer. My God is my strength in Whom I take shelter, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
4. With praises I call upon the Lord, and I am saved from my enemies.
5. For the pangs of death surrounded me, and torrents of evil people terrified me.
6. Pangs of the grave encompassed me; snares of death confronted me.
7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, I cried out to my God; and from His Sanctuary He heard my voice, and my supplication before Him reached His ears.
8. The earth trembled and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook-they trembled when His wrath flared.
9. Smoke rose in His nostrils, devouring fire blazed from His mouth, and burning coals flamed forth from Him.
10. He inclined the heavens and descended, a thick cloud was beneath His feet.
11. He rode on a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
12. He made darkness His concealment, His surroundings His shelter-of the dense clouds with their dark waters.
13. Out of the brightness before Him, His clouds passed over, with hailstones and fiery coals.
14. The Lord thundered in heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice-hailstones and fiery coals.
15. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them; many lightnings, and confounded them.
16. The channels of water became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed-at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
17. He sent from heaven and took me; He brought me out of surging waters.
18. He rescued me from my fierce enemy, and from my foes when they had become too strong for me.
19. They confronted me on the day of my misfortune, but the Lord was my support.
20. He brought me into spaciousness; He delivered me because He desires me.
21. The Lord rewar-ded me in accordance with my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanliness of my hands.
22. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not transgressed against my God;
23. for all His laws are before me, I have not removed His statutes from me.
24. I was perfect with Him, and have guarded myself from sin.
25. The Lord repaid me in accordance with my righteousness, according to the cleanliness of my hands before His eyes.
26. With the kindhearted You act kindly, with the upright man You act uprightly.
27. With the pure You act purely, but with the crooked You act cun- ningly.
28. For the destitute nation You save, but haughty eyes You humble.
29. Indeed, You light my lamp; the Lord, my God, illuminates my darkness.
30. For with You I run against a troop; with my God I scale a wall.
31. The way of God is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32. For who is God except the Lord, and who is a rock except our God!
33. The God Who girds me with strength, and makes my path perfect.
34. He makes my feet like deers', and stands me firmly on my high places.
35. He trains my hands for battle, my arms to bend a bow of bronze.
36. You have given me the shield of Your deliverance, Your right hand upheld me; Your humility made me great.
37. You have widened my steps beneath me, and my knees have not faltered.
38. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until I destroyed them.
39. I crushed them so that they were unable to rise; they are fallen beneath my feet.
40. You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued my adversaries beneath me.
41. You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and my foes I cut down.
42. They cried out, but there was none to deliver them; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43. I ground them as the dust before the wind, I poured them out like the mud in the streets.
44. You have rescued me from the quarrelsome ones of the people, You have made me the head of nations; a nation I did not know became subservient to me.
45. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; strangers deny to me [their disloyalty].
46. Strangers wither away, they are terrified in their strongholds.
47. The Lord lives; blessed is my Rock; exalted is the God of my deliverance.
48. You are the God Who executes retribution for me, and subjugates nations under me.
49. Who rescues me from my enemies, Who exalts me above my adversaries, Who delivers me from the man of violence.
50. Therefore I will laud You, Lord, among the nations, and sing to Your Name.
51. He grants His king great salvations, and bestows kindness upon His anointed, to David and his descendants forever."
Chapter 19
To behold God's might one should look to the heavens, to the sun, and to the Torah, from which awesome miracles and wonders can be perceived--wonders that lead the creations to tell of God's glory.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The heavens recount the glory of the Almighty; the sky proclaims His handiwork.
3. Day to day speech streams forth; night to night expresses knowledge.
4. There is no utterance, there are no words; their voice is inaudible.
5. Their arc extends throughout the world; their message to the end of the earth. He set in them [the heavens] a tent for the sun,
6. which is like a groom coming forth from his bridal canopy, like a strong man rejoicing to run the course.
7. Its rising is at one end of the heavens, and its orbit encompasses the other ends; nothing is hidden from its heat.
8. The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton.
9. The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.
10. The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are all righteous together.
11. They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or the drippings of honeycomb.
12. Indeed, Your servant is scrupulous with them; in observing them there is abundant reward.
13. Yet who can discern inadvertent wrongs? Purge me of hidden sins.
14. Also hold back Your servant from willful sins; let them not prevail over me; then I will be unblemished and keep myself clean of gross transgression.
15. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
Chapter 20
If a loved one or relative is suffering-even in a distant place, where one is unable to help-offer this prayer on their behalf.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. May the Lord answer you on the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob fortify you.
3. May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and support you from Zion.
4. May He remember all your offerings, and always accept favorably your sacrifices.
5. May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill your every counsel.
6. We will rejoice in your deliverance, and raise our banners in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your wishes.
7. Now I know that the Lord has delivered His anointed one, answering him from His holy heavens with the mighty saving power of His right hand.
8. Some [rely] upon chariots and some upon horses, but we [rely upon and] invoke the Name of the Lord our God.
9. They bend and fall, but we rise and stand firm.
10. Lord, deliver us; may the King answer us on the day we call.
One who is endowed with prosperity, and whose every desire is granted, ought not be ungrateful. He should praise and thank God, recognize Him as the cause of his prosperity, and trust in Him. For everything comes from the kindness of the One Above.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The king rejoices in Your strength, Lord; how greatly he exults in Your deliverance!
3. You have given him his heart's desire, and You have never withheld the utterance of his lips.
4. You preceded him with blessings of good; You placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
5. He asked of You life, You gave it to him-long life, forever and ever.
6. His glory is great in Your deliverance; You have placed majesty and splendor upon him.
7. For You make him a blessing forever; You gladden him with the joy of Your countenance.
8. For the king trusts in the Lord, and in the kindness of the Most High-that he will not falter.
9. Your hand will suffice for all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.
10. You will make them as a fiery furnace at the time of Your anger. May the Lord consume them in His wrath; let a fire devour them.
11. Destroy their offspring from the earth, their descendants from mankind.
12. For they intended evil against You, they devised evil plans which they cannot execute.
13. For You will set them as a portion apart; with Your bowstring You will aim at their faces.
14. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and chant the praise of Your might.
Chapter 22
Every person should pray in agony over the length of the exile, and our fall from prestige to lowliness. One should also take vows (for self-improvement) in his distress.
1. For the Conductor, on the ayelet hashachar, a psalm by David.
2. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me! So far from saving me, from the words of my outcry?
3. My God, I call out by day, and You do not answer; at night-but there is no respite for me.
4. Yet You, Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
5. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You saved them.
6. They cried to You and were rescued; they trusted in You and were not shamed.
7. And I am a worm and not a man; scorn of men, contempt of nations.
8. All who see me mock me; they open their lips, they shake their heads.
9. But one that casts [his burden] upon the Lord-He will save him; He will rescue him, for He desires him.
10. For You took me out of the womb, and made me secure on my mother's breasts.
11. I have been thrown upon You from birth; from my mother's womb You have been my God.
12. Be not distant from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.
13. Many bulls surround me, the mighty bulls of Bashan encircle me.
14. They open their mouths against me, like a lion that ravages and roars.
15. I am poured out like water, all my bones are disjointed; my heart has become like wax, melted within my innards.
16. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; You set me in the dust of death.
17. For dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers enclose me; my hands and feet are like a lion's prey.
18. I count all my limbs, while they watch and gloat over me.
19. They divide my garments amongst them; they cast lots upon my clothing.
20. But You, Lord, do not be distant; my Strength, hurry to my aid!
21. Save my life from the sword, my soul from the grip of dogs.
22. Save me from the lion's mouth, as You have answered me from the horns of wild beasts.
23. I will recount [the praises of] Your Name to my brothers; I will extol You amidst the congregation.
24. You that fear the Lord, praise Him! Glorify Him, all you progeny of Jacob! Stand in awe of Him, all you progeny of Israel!
25. For He has not despised nor abhorred the entreaty of the poor, nor has He concealed His face from him; rather He heard when he cried to Him.
26. My praise comes from You, in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those that fear Him.
27. Let the humble eat and be satisfied; let those who seek the Lord praise Him-may your hearts live forever!
28. All the ends of the earth will remember and return to the Lord; all families of nations will bow down before You.
29. For sovereignty is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations.
30. All the fat ones of the earth will eat and bow down, all who descend to the dust shall kneel before Him, but He will not revive their soul.
31. The progeny of those who serve Him will tell of the Lord to the latter generations.
32. They will come and relate His righteousness-all that He has done-to a newborn nation.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 1
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Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5777 · July 26, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 1
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In their Approbation to Tanya,1 the author’s sons write that the discourses and open letters together entitled Iggeret HaKodesh2 (“The Holy Epistle”), as well as the further discourses entitled Kuntres Acharon (“Later Pamphlet”), were all “recorded personally by [the Alter Rebbe’s] own holy hand in his own saintly expression. These discourses are [collectively] entitled Iggeret HaKodesh, being mostly epistles sent by his holy emi-nence to teach the people of G‑d the way by which they should walk and the deed which they should do.”
Accordingly, the author’s learned sons saw fit to publish them together with the preceding sections of the Tanya.
The Rebbe has noted on a number of occasions that the collective completion of the Talmud by a number of individuals is considered as if each one of the group had completed the entire Talmudhimself. He explains that this is similar to the law with regard to performing a prohibited labor on Shabbat: If doing the labor requires the efforts of two individuals, each of them is considered to have performed the entire labor.3 So, too, since the various individuals partake in the collective study of the Talmud for they cannot complete it single-handed in the course of a year, it is considered as if each one of them had studied the entire Talmud.
On the circumstances of its composition, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of blessed memory, has conveyed to us the following:4 “During a Simchat Beit HaShoevah gathering in the year 5648 (תרמ״ח; 1887), my revered father related that the epistle opening with ‘We begin with a benediction’ was written by the Alter Rebbe in three stages in three different years.
“The first stage: When the Alter Rebbe decided to make the journey to study at the feet of the Maggid of Mezritch, he presented his disciples with a ‘note of arousal.’ It opened with ‘We begin with a benediction,’ and concluded, ‘And these [faculties] are the arms and the body of the soul.’
“The second stage was when the Alter Rebbe returned from Mezritch, having had revealed to him by the Maggid — at the behest of his mentor, the Baal Shem Tov, and with the blessing of his mentor, Achiyah HaShiloni — his spiritual identity, the purpose of his holy soul’s descent into this world, and the great responsibility and danger that his mission entailed. At that time the Alter Rebbe wrote the second part of this epistle, beginning with ‘But what gives the power,’ and concluding, ‘To the extent of pressing out the soul.’
“Speaking to his son, the Mitteler Rebbe, and to his grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Alter Rebbe once described his inner feelings during the first few years after his mentor, the Maggid of Mezritch, had revealed to him the message of the Baal Shem Tov [regarding his soul’s mission].
“These were the Alter Rebbe’s words: ‘The simple faith that we, the disciples of the Maggid, had in him, and our self-sacrificing devotion to him, provided us with the potent strength to obey all his directives with extreme precision, with inner and essential self-sacrifice. In the course of several years, when my young married students settled in various towns and villages, I added three paragraphs to this epistle — from “And now” until “there is no goodness but Torah.” This I did in view of the burden placed upon me by my master, the Maggid, and in order to be able to realize, with G‑d’s help, the inner intent of my soul’s descent into this world.’ ”
פותחין בברכה, לברך ולהודות לה׳ כי טוב
We begin with a benediction, to bless and to give thanks to G‑d, for He is good.5
שמועה טובה שמעה ותחי נפשי
My soul has heard and been revived by good tidings —
אין טוב אלא תורה
and “good” signifies Torah, as our Sages state in Tractate Avot.6
תורת ה׳ תמימה
More specifically, it signifies7 “G‑d’s Torah [which] is a perfect whole,” for it is the Torah in this state that the same verse describes as “reviving the soul.”
זו השלמת כל הש״ס כולו ברוב עיירות ומנינים מאנ״ש
[The above remarks] refer to the completion of the whole8 Talmud,9 in its entirety,10 in most towns and congregations of Anash, the men of our [chassidic] brotherhood.
הודאה על העבר ובקשה על העתיד
[So much for] gratitude in respect of past accomplishments. And [now,] a request for the future:
כה יתן וכה יוסיף ה׳ לאמץ לבם בגבורים מדי שנה בשנה בגבורה של תורה
May G‑d thus continue from year to year to grant added strength to your hearts among the mighty,11 with the might of the Torah,
I.e., may G‑d increase that which He has previously granted — His increase being even greater than the original blessing12 — so that the hearts of those who study Torah be strengthened to such a degree that they will be considered mighty even among the mighty, with their strength deriving from the Torah.
ולהודיע לבני אדם גבורתה של תורה שבעל פה וכחה עוז
and make known to mankind the might of the Oral Torah13 and its power which is great.
The might (Gevurah) of Torah relates specifically to the Oral Law. For with regard to the source of the Torah in the Supernal Sefirot, the Written Torah derives from the Sefirah of Chochmah, which is aligned with the “right side” of the universe — the attribute of Chesed, kindness and benevolence; the Oral Torah derives from the Sefirah of Binah,14 which is aligned with the “left side” of the universe — the attribute of Gevurah, stern judgment and severity.15 (This relationship between Binah and Gevurahis alluded to in the verse,16 “I am Binah, Gevurah is mine.”)
פירש שלמה המלך, עליו השלום: חגרה בעוז מתניה גו׳
On the strength that the Oral Law gives the soul of a Jew, King Solomon (peace be to him) explained:17 “She girds her loins with strength.”
The “woman of valor” lauded by King Solomon at the opening of the relevant chapter is an allegorical allusion to Knesset Yisrael — the Congregation of Israel, which comprises all Jewish souls. In the verse quoted, she “girds her loins with strength.” “Strength” refers to the Torah,18 as in the teaching,19 “There is no strength other than the Torah.” Thus, the Torah strengthens the loins of the soul, just as a warrior girds his loins to gather maximal strength. But what is meant by “girding the loins of the soul”?
מתנים הם בחינת דבר המעמיד כל הגוף, עם הראש הנצב ועומד עליהם
The loins are the underframe that supports the whole body, including the head that is positioned over them;
והם המוליכים ומביאים אותו למחוז חפצו
it is they that lead and bring [the body] to its desired destination.
וכמו שהוא בגשמיות הגוף, כך הוא בבחינת רוחניות הנפש האלקית
And just as it is with the corporeality of the body, so it is with the spirituality of the Divine soul.
Just as the loins support the corporeal body and head, so do the soul’s loins support and lead the “body” and “head” of the soul to its desired spiritual destination.
האמונה האמיתית בה׳ אחד, אין סוף ברוך הוא
[The soul’s loins are] the true belief in the One G‑d, the blessed Ein Sof,
דאיהו ממלא כל עלמין וסובב כל עלמין
Who permeates all worlds with a vitality which is indwelling (pnimi), a vitality which is contracted and tailored to the capacity of each individual creature, and Who encompasses all worlds with a vitality that is transcendent (makkif), and which cannot therefore clothe itself within created beings in an indwelling manner,
ולית אתר פנוי מיניה
there being no place or level of existence void of Him,
למעלה עד אין קץ
above to no end, for there is no end to the degree of His exalted transcendence beyond all worlds,
ולמטה עד אין תכלית
and below to no limit, for there is no limit to His ability to descend to the very lowest levels of creation and clothe Himself within the world even to the point that the world conceals the G‑dliness that is within it,
וכן לד׳ סטרין, בבחינת אין סוף ממש
and likewise in all four directions — east, west, north and south — truly in a state of infinitude.
All the above refers to the dimension of space.
וכן בבחינת שנה ונפש, כנודע
The same applies to the dimensions of “year” and “soul”, as is known.
Creation embraces the three dimensions known as “world”, “year” and “soul”, as is explained in Sefer Yetzirah.20 “World” alludes to space, “year” refers to time, and “soul” denotes life. Just as G‑d is one and infinite within the realm of space, so too is He one and infinite within the realms of time and life.
הנה אמונה זו נקראת בשם בחינת מתנים, דבר המעמיד ומקיים את הראש
Now this faith, this belief in G‑d as outlined above, is referred to as the “loins” which uphold and sustain the “head”,
הוא השכל המתבונן ומעמיק דעת בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, בבחינת עולם שנה נפש
meaning the intellect that contemplates and concentrates on the greatness of the blessed Ein Sof in the dimensions of “world”, “year” and “soul”,
Thus, this faith sustains the “head”, for the foundation of one’s comprehension of G‑d’s greatness is one’s belief in His unity.
וברוב חסדו ונפלאותיו עמנו
and [that meditates] on the magnitude of His loving-kindness and His wonders with us,
להיות עם קרובו, ולדבקה בו ממש
making of us21 “a people near unto Him” who can truly22 “cleave unto Him.”
וכנודע ממאמר: יפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים בעולם הזה מכל חיי עולם הבא
Thus it is known from the teaching,23 “One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world surpasses all the life of the World to Come.”
שהוא רק זיו והארה מבחינה הנקראת שכינה
For [the World to Come] is a mere gleam and reflection of the level [of Divinity] called Shechinah,
השוכן כו׳
which is so called because it is the Shechinah (שכינה) “Who dwells”(השוכן) within created beings,and so on,
Since the Shechinah bears a certain relationship to created beings, it is therefore this level of Divinity that is revealed in Gan Eden — the World to Come, which is but a pale reflection of the Shechinah.
ונברא ביו״ד אחד משמו יתברך כו׳
and [the World to Come] was created by the single letter yud of [G‑d’s] blessed Name, and so on, as explained by the Sages24 in their exposition of the verse,25 ביה ה׳ צור עולמים.
אבל תשובה ומעשים טובים מקרבין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ממש
Repentance and good deeds, however, truly bring Israel near to their Father in Heaven,
למהותו ועצמותו כביכול, בחינת אין סוף ממש
unto (as it were) the very Being and Essence of Him Who is absolute infinitude.
וכמו שכתוב: הודו על ארץ ושמים, וירם קרן לעמו גו׳
As it is written,26 “His radiance is upon earth and heaven”: heaven and earth derive their life-force from a mere glimmer or gleam of G‑d’s Essence; not so the Jewish people, of whom the following verse27 continues: “He raises glory upon His nation.”
The word קרן, here translated “glory”, signifies a thing’s essence.28 The verse thus implies that the Jewish people derive their life-force from G‑d’s infinite Essence.
אשר קדשנו במצותיו וציונו כו׳
Similarly, before fulfilling many of the mitzvot, we say:29 “Who has sanctified us [unto Himself] through His commandments, and commanded us [to perform the mitzvah at hand].”
By granting us the ability to perform His commandments, G‑d elevates us to His level — to the encompassing level of holiness that utterly transcends the degree of holiness that permeates the worlds.
וכמים הפנים גו׳
And reflecting upon G‑d’s infinite kindness to us, in that He chose us to be “His nation, the people close to Him,” will result in a reaction of “waters reflecting the face.”30
להוליד מתבונה זו דחילו ורחימו שכליים או טבעיים
From this contemplation are born the intellectually-generated or the natural awe and love — the awe and love of G‑d that are naturally found within the heart of all Jews and need but be revealed through contemplation,31
להיות בחינת צעק לבם אל ה׳
giving rise [either] to (a) a mode of love in which32 “their heart cried out unto G‑d” in its yearning to cleave to Him,
או בחינת רשפי אש ושלהבת עזה
or to (b) a mode of love characterized by33 “flashes of fire, a mighty flame.”
בבחינת רצוא
The latter mode of love is the first stage of a dual dynamic34 — ratzo (“advance”), loving G‑d so fiercely and rapturously that the soul almost flees the body;
ואחר כך בבחינת שוב
this longing to expire, to lose one’s independent identity in G‑d’s all-encompassing unity, [must be] followed by the second stage — shov (“retreat”), a sober and self-effacing return to the Divinely-ordained reality of living as a soul enclothed in a body,
להיות פחד ה׳ בלבו
so that there be the fear of G‑d in one’s heart,
וליבוש מגדולתו כו׳
specifically, the superior order of fear whereby [the individual] is abashed by His greatness.
This abashedness restrains him from doing anything that G‑d finds displeasing.
והוא בחינת שמאל דוחה
This level of awe, fear and shame [results from]35 “the left hand that parries,”
The Divine “left hand” represents Gevurah, the Supernal attribute of severity. It holds the worshiper at arm’s length, so to speak, curbing the intense love that would result from his sensation of G‑d’s nearness as represented in the phrase,36 viyemino techabkeini — “His right hand embraces me.”
כמו שכתוב במתן תורה: וירא העם וינועו, ויעמדו מרחוק
as it is written concerning the Giving of the Torah:37 “The people saw and they trembled, and they stood from afar.”
The Divine revelation at the Giving of the Torah produced a feeling of awe and self-nullification which found expression in the Jews’ “standing from afar,” fearing as they did to draw close to G‑d.
והן בחינת הזרועות והגוף שבנפש
And these [faculties] — love and fear — are the arms and the body of the soul; love and kindness are the “right arm,” fear and severity are the “left arm.”38
1. See Vol. I of the present series, p. 10.
2. The Rebbe remarks that one would have expected this anthology to be entitled Igrot Kodesh (“Holy Epistles”), in the plural. The Rebbe goes on to suggest that a possible (and not entirely satisfactory) explanation might be an intended parallel to the preceding component of Tanya, which is entitled Iggeret HaTeshuvah (“Epistle on Repentance”), in the singular.
3. Shabbat 93a; see Likkutei Sichot, Vol. XVIII, p. 267.
4. In a talk on 2 Nissan 5708, recorded in Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 170.
5. “The occasion was the receipt of good news, which is a reason for expressing gratitude (Rashi on Bereishit 24:52, based on Bereishit Rabbah 58:6).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
6. 6:3.
7. Tehillim 19:8.
8. “This indicates that the tractates apportioned should include those that [consist only of Mishnah and] are lacking Gemara.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
9. “The intent [of the seemingly superfluous word כולו, here translated ‘in its entirety’] is to negate the possibility of covering the Talmud nearly enough to have it considered completely covered, in the spirit of the principle of רובו ככולו (cf. Taz and Acharonim, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 582:7). I.e., the apportioning of the Shas is to include those tractates in the Orders of Zeraim and Taharot(as mentioned above [that consist only of Mishnah and are lacking Gemara]), as well as [the tractates] Tamid and Middot (which do no more than describe [the Beit HaMikdash and related subjects]; cf. the Commentary [of the Rambam] on the Mishnah, cited in Tosafot Yom Tov, ad loc.).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
10. “It is then ‘whole’ in this [literal] sense as well.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
11. “Perhaps this phrase is intended to point out that this public study intensifies the learning of each individual participant, insofar as he is part of a multitude, and intensifies its effect upon him, by fortifying his heart.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
12. Bereishit Rabbah 61:4.
13. “This being the subject at hand — the [study of the] Talmud.” ( —Note of the Rebbe.)
14. “In accordance with the conclusion of Epistle 29 of Iggeret HaKodesh.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
15. “The following interpretation appears to be preferable: The Written Torah and the Oral Torah correspond respectively to the Six Middot and to the attribute of Malchut. The former Sefirot are predominantly Chassadim; the latter Sefirah is dominated by Gevurot.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
16. Mishlei 3:2.
17. Ibid. 31:17.
18. “See Torah Or (and Or HaTorah) at the conclusion of Parshat Yitro.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
19. Sifri, Haazinu 32:2 et al.
20. 3:3 et al.
21. Tehillim 148:14.
22. Devarim 11:22.
23. Avot 4:17.
24. Menachot 29b.
25. Yeshayahu 26:4.
26. Tehillim 148:13.
27. Ibid., v. 14.
28. “As in the [Talmudic] phrase keren vachomesh.” [Here keren signifies the principal, the capital value of an object, as opposed to an added payment; cf. Kerisos 26b.] ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
29. Cf. Siddur, p. 6.
30. “As explained above, in Part I, ch. 49.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) Cf. Mishlei 27:19.
31. “As explained above, in Part I, ch. 44.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
32. Cf. Eichah 2:18.
33. Cf. Shir HaShirim 8:6.
34. Cf. Yechezkel 1:14.
35. Cf. Sotah 47a.
36. Shir HaShirim 8:3.
37. Shmot 20:15.
38. Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction II.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Today's Mitzvah
Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5777 · July 26, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 236
Personal Injury
"If men quarrel, and one strikes the other..."—Exodus 21:18.
The courts are commanded to adjudicate cases that involve personal injury cause by one person to another. [Monetary penalties are assessed to compensate for devaluation of the injured individual, pain sustained, medical bills, unemployment due to the injury, and shame incurred.]
Only an ordained court in the Land of Israel can adjudicate such cases [with the exception of medical bills and unemployment, that can be adjudicated by all rabbinical courts no matter the location].
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Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5777 · July 26, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 1
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In their Approbation to Tanya,1 the author’s sons write that the discourses and open letters together entitled Iggeret HaKodesh2 (“The Holy Epistle”), as well as the further discourses entitled Kuntres Acharon (“Later Pamphlet”), were all “recorded personally by [the Alter Rebbe’s] own holy hand in his own saintly expression. These discourses are [collectively] entitled Iggeret HaKodesh, being mostly epistles sent by his holy emi-nence to teach the people of G‑d the way by which they should walk and the deed which they should do.”
Accordingly, the author’s learned sons saw fit to publish them together with the preceding sections of the Tanya.
* * *
The first epistle opens with a reference to the chassidic custom (a custom that thrives to this day) of apportioning the tractates of the Talmud for study among the members of each congregation or community, so that the entire work is completed in the course of a year. The conclusion of the year’s study and the reallocation of tractates are traditionally celebrated on Yud-Tes Kislev, the anniversary of the Alter Rebbe’s liberation from imprisonment and capital sentence in S. Petersburg in 1798.The Rebbe has noted on a number of occasions that the collective completion of the Talmud by a number of individuals is considered as if each one of the group had completed the entire Talmudhimself. He explains that this is similar to the law with regard to performing a prohibited labor on Shabbat: If doing the labor requires the efforts of two individuals, each of them is considered to have performed the entire labor.3 So, too, since the various individuals partake in the collective study of the Talmud for they cannot complete it single-handed in the course of a year, it is considered as if each one of them had studied the entire Talmud.
* * *
To return to the central theme of this opening epistle. The Alter Rebbe explains here that the study of the laws set out in the Oral Torah elevates a Jew’s soul and assists him in his spiritual service — of meditating upon G‑d’s greatness, and arousing within himself a love and awe of Him.On the circumstances of its composition, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of blessed memory, has conveyed to us the following:4 “During a Simchat Beit HaShoevah gathering in the year 5648 (תרמ״ח; 1887), my revered father related that the epistle opening with ‘We begin with a benediction’ was written by the Alter Rebbe in three stages in three different years.
“The first stage: When the Alter Rebbe decided to make the journey to study at the feet of the Maggid of Mezritch, he presented his disciples with a ‘note of arousal.’ It opened with ‘We begin with a benediction,’ and concluded, ‘And these [faculties] are the arms and the body of the soul.’
“The second stage was when the Alter Rebbe returned from Mezritch, having had revealed to him by the Maggid — at the behest of his mentor, the Baal Shem Tov, and with the blessing of his mentor, Achiyah HaShiloni — his spiritual identity, the purpose of his holy soul’s descent into this world, and the great responsibility and danger that his mission entailed. At that time the Alter Rebbe wrote the second part of this epistle, beginning with ‘But what gives the power,’ and concluding, ‘To the extent of pressing out the soul.’
“Speaking to his son, the Mitteler Rebbe, and to his grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Alter Rebbe once described his inner feelings during the first few years after his mentor, the Maggid of Mezritch, had revealed to him the message of the Baal Shem Tov [regarding his soul’s mission].
“These were the Alter Rebbe’s words: ‘The simple faith that we, the disciples of the Maggid, had in him, and our self-sacrificing devotion to him, provided us with the potent strength to obey all his directives with extreme precision, with inner and essential self-sacrifice. In the course of several years, when my young married students settled in various towns and villages, I added three paragraphs to this epistle — from “And now” until “there is no goodness but Torah.” This I did in view of the burden placed upon me by my master, the Maggid, and in order to be able to realize, with G‑d’s help, the inner intent of my soul’s descent into this world.’ ”
פותחין בברכה, לברך ולהודות לה׳ כי טוב
We begin with a benediction, to bless and to give thanks to G‑d, for He is good.5
שמועה טובה שמעה ותחי נפשי
My soul has heard and been revived by good tidings —
אין טוב אלא תורה
and “good” signifies Torah, as our Sages state in Tractate Avot.6
תורת ה׳ תמימה
More specifically, it signifies7 “G‑d’s Torah [which] is a perfect whole,” for it is the Torah in this state that the same verse describes as “reviving the soul.”
זו השלמת כל הש״ס כולו ברוב עיירות ומנינים מאנ״ש
[The above remarks] refer to the completion of the whole8 Talmud,9 in its entirety,10 in most towns and congregations of Anash, the men of our [chassidic] brotherhood.
הודאה על העבר ובקשה על העתיד
[So much for] gratitude in respect of past accomplishments. And [now,] a request for the future:
כה יתן וכה יוסיף ה׳ לאמץ לבם בגבורים מדי שנה בשנה בגבורה של תורה
May G‑d thus continue from year to year to grant added strength to your hearts among the mighty,11 with the might of the Torah,
I.e., may G‑d increase that which He has previously granted — His increase being even greater than the original blessing12 — so that the hearts of those who study Torah be strengthened to such a degree that they will be considered mighty even among the mighty, with their strength deriving from the Torah.
ולהודיע לבני אדם גבורתה של תורה שבעל פה וכחה עוז
and make known to mankind the might of the Oral Torah13 and its power which is great.
The might (Gevurah) of Torah relates specifically to the Oral Law. For with regard to the source of the Torah in the Supernal Sefirot, the Written Torah derives from the Sefirah of Chochmah, which is aligned with the “right side” of the universe — the attribute of Chesed, kindness and benevolence; the Oral Torah derives from the Sefirah of Binah,14 which is aligned with the “left side” of the universe — the attribute of Gevurah, stern judgment and severity.15 (This relationship between Binah and Gevurahis alluded to in the verse,16 “I am Binah, Gevurah is mine.”)
פירש שלמה המלך, עליו השלום: חגרה בעוז מתניה גו׳
On the strength that the Oral Law gives the soul of a Jew, King Solomon (peace be to him) explained:17 “She girds her loins with strength.”
The “woman of valor” lauded by King Solomon at the opening of the relevant chapter is an allegorical allusion to Knesset Yisrael — the Congregation of Israel, which comprises all Jewish souls. In the verse quoted, she “girds her loins with strength.” “Strength” refers to the Torah,18 as in the teaching,19 “There is no strength other than the Torah.” Thus, the Torah strengthens the loins of the soul, just as a warrior girds his loins to gather maximal strength. But what is meant by “girding the loins of the soul”?
מתנים הם בחינת דבר המעמיד כל הגוף, עם הראש הנצב ועומד עליהם
The loins are the underframe that supports the whole body, including the head that is positioned over them;
והם המוליכים ומביאים אותו למחוז חפצו
it is they that lead and bring [the body] to its desired destination.
וכמו שהוא בגשמיות הגוף, כך הוא בבחינת רוחניות הנפש האלקית
And just as it is with the corporeality of the body, so it is with the spirituality of the Divine soul.
Just as the loins support the corporeal body and head, so do the soul’s loins support and lead the “body” and “head” of the soul to its desired spiritual destination.
האמונה האמיתית בה׳ אחד, אין סוף ברוך הוא
[The soul’s loins are] the true belief in the One G‑d, the blessed Ein Sof,
דאיהו ממלא כל עלמין וסובב כל עלמין
Who permeates all worlds with a vitality which is indwelling (pnimi), a vitality which is contracted and tailored to the capacity of each individual creature, and Who encompasses all worlds with a vitality that is transcendent (makkif), and which cannot therefore clothe itself within created beings in an indwelling manner,
ולית אתר פנוי מיניה
there being no place or level of existence void of Him,
למעלה עד אין קץ
above to no end, for there is no end to the degree of His exalted transcendence beyond all worlds,
ולמטה עד אין תכלית
and below to no limit, for there is no limit to His ability to descend to the very lowest levels of creation and clothe Himself within the world even to the point that the world conceals the G‑dliness that is within it,
וכן לד׳ סטרין, בבחינת אין סוף ממש
and likewise in all four directions — east, west, north and south — truly in a state of infinitude.
All the above refers to the dimension of space.
וכן בבחינת שנה ונפש, כנודע
The same applies to the dimensions of “year” and “soul”, as is known.
Creation embraces the three dimensions known as “world”, “year” and “soul”, as is explained in Sefer Yetzirah.20 “World” alludes to space, “year” refers to time, and “soul” denotes life. Just as G‑d is one and infinite within the realm of space, so too is He one and infinite within the realms of time and life.
הנה אמונה זו נקראת בשם בחינת מתנים, דבר המעמיד ומקיים את הראש
Now this faith, this belief in G‑d as outlined above, is referred to as the “loins” which uphold and sustain the “head”,
הוא השכל המתבונן ומעמיק דעת בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, בבחינת עולם שנה נפש
meaning the intellect that contemplates and concentrates on the greatness of the blessed Ein Sof in the dimensions of “world”, “year” and “soul”,
Thus, this faith sustains the “head”, for the foundation of one’s comprehension of G‑d’s greatness is one’s belief in His unity.
וברוב חסדו ונפלאותיו עמנו
and [that meditates] on the magnitude of His loving-kindness and His wonders with us,
להיות עם קרובו, ולדבקה בו ממש
making of us21 “a people near unto Him” who can truly22 “cleave unto Him.”
וכנודע ממאמר: יפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים בעולם הזה מכל חיי עולם הבא
Thus it is known from the teaching,23 “One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world surpasses all the life of the World to Come.”
שהוא רק זיו והארה מבחינה הנקראת שכינה
For [the World to Come] is a mere gleam and reflection of the level [of Divinity] called Shechinah,
השוכן כו׳
which is so called because it is the Shechinah (שכינה) “Who dwells”(השוכן) within created beings,and so on,
Since the Shechinah bears a certain relationship to created beings, it is therefore this level of Divinity that is revealed in Gan Eden — the World to Come, which is but a pale reflection of the Shechinah.
ונברא ביו״ד אחד משמו יתברך כו׳
and [the World to Come] was created by the single letter yud of [G‑d’s] blessed Name, and so on, as explained by the Sages24 in their exposition of the verse,25 ביה ה׳ צור עולמים.
אבל תשובה ומעשים טובים מקרבין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ממש
Repentance and good deeds, however, truly bring Israel near to their Father in Heaven,
למהותו ועצמותו כביכול, בחינת אין סוף ממש
unto (as it were) the very Being and Essence of Him Who is absolute infinitude.
וכמו שכתוב: הודו על ארץ ושמים, וירם קרן לעמו גו׳
As it is written,26 “His radiance is upon earth and heaven”: heaven and earth derive their life-force from a mere glimmer or gleam of G‑d’s Essence; not so the Jewish people, of whom the following verse27 continues: “He raises glory upon His nation.”
The word קרן, here translated “glory”, signifies a thing’s essence.28 The verse thus implies that the Jewish people derive their life-force from G‑d’s infinite Essence.
אשר קדשנו במצותיו וציונו כו׳
Similarly, before fulfilling many of the mitzvot, we say:29 “Who has sanctified us [unto Himself] through His commandments, and commanded us [to perform the mitzvah at hand].”
By granting us the ability to perform His commandments, G‑d elevates us to His level — to the encompassing level of holiness that utterly transcends the degree of holiness that permeates the worlds.
וכמים הפנים גו׳
And reflecting upon G‑d’s infinite kindness to us, in that He chose us to be “His nation, the people close to Him,” will result in a reaction of “waters reflecting the face.”30
להוליד מתבונה זו דחילו ורחימו שכליים או טבעיים
From this contemplation are born the intellectually-generated or the natural awe and love — the awe and love of G‑d that are naturally found within the heart of all Jews and need but be revealed through contemplation,31
להיות בחינת צעק לבם אל ה׳
giving rise [either] to (a) a mode of love in which32 “their heart cried out unto G‑d” in its yearning to cleave to Him,
או בחינת רשפי אש ושלהבת עזה
or to (b) a mode of love characterized by33 “flashes of fire, a mighty flame.”
בבחינת רצוא
The latter mode of love is the first stage of a dual dynamic34 — ratzo (“advance”), loving G‑d so fiercely and rapturously that the soul almost flees the body;
ואחר כך בבחינת שוב
this longing to expire, to lose one’s independent identity in G‑d’s all-encompassing unity, [must be] followed by the second stage — shov (“retreat”), a sober and self-effacing return to the Divinely-ordained reality of living as a soul enclothed in a body,
להיות פחד ה׳ בלבו
so that there be the fear of G‑d in one’s heart,
וליבוש מגדולתו כו׳
specifically, the superior order of fear whereby [the individual] is abashed by His greatness.
This abashedness restrains him from doing anything that G‑d finds displeasing.
והוא בחינת שמאל דוחה
This level of awe, fear and shame [results from]35 “the left hand that parries,”
The Divine “left hand” represents Gevurah, the Supernal attribute of severity. It holds the worshiper at arm’s length, so to speak, curbing the intense love that would result from his sensation of G‑d’s nearness as represented in the phrase,36 viyemino techabkeini — “His right hand embraces me.”
כמו שכתוב במתן תורה: וירא העם וינועו, ויעמדו מרחוק
as it is written concerning the Giving of the Torah:37 “The people saw and they trembled, and they stood from afar.”
The Divine revelation at the Giving of the Torah produced a feeling of awe and self-nullification which found expression in the Jews’ “standing from afar,” fearing as they did to draw close to G‑d.
והן בחינת הזרועות והגוף שבנפש
And these [faculties] — love and fear — are the arms and the body of the soul; love and kindness are the “right arm,” fear and severity are the “left arm.”38
* * *
FOOTNOTES1. See Vol. I of the present series, p. 10.
2. The Rebbe remarks that one would have expected this anthology to be entitled Igrot Kodesh (“Holy Epistles”), in the plural. The Rebbe goes on to suggest that a possible (and not entirely satisfactory) explanation might be an intended parallel to the preceding component of Tanya, which is entitled Iggeret HaTeshuvah (“Epistle on Repentance”), in the singular.
3. Shabbat 93a; see Likkutei Sichot, Vol. XVIII, p. 267.
4. In a talk on 2 Nissan 5708, recorded in Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 170.
5. “The occasion was the receipt of good news, which is a reason for expressing gratitude (Rashi on Bereishit 24:52, based on Bereishit Rabbah 58:6).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
6. 6:3.
7. Tehillim 19:8.
8. “This indicates that the tractates apportioned should include those that [consist only of Mishnah and] are lacking Gemara.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
9. “The intent [of the seemingly superfluous word כולו, here translated ‘in its entirety’] is to negate the possibility of covering the Talmud nearly enough to have it considered completely covered, in the spirit of the principle of רובו ככולו (cf. Taz and Acharonim, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 582:7). I.e., the apportioning of the Shas is to include those tractates in the Orders of Zeraim and Taharot(as mentioned above [that consist only of Mishnah and are lacking Gemara]), as well as [the tractates] Tamid and Middot (which do no more than describe [the Beit HaMikdash and related subjects]; cf. the Commentary [of the Rambam] on the Mishnah, cited in Tosafot Yom Tov, ad loc.).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
10. “It is then ‘whole’ in this [literal] sense as well.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
11. “Perhaps this phrase is intended to point out that this public study intensifies the learning of each individual participant, insofar as he is part of a multitude, and intensifies its effect upon him, by fortifying his heart.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
12. Bereishit Rabbah 61:4.
13. “This being the subject at hand — the [study of the] Talmud.” ( —Note of the Rebbe.)
14. “In accordance with the conclusion of Epistle 29 of Iggeret HaKodesh.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
15. “The following interpretation appears to be preferable: The Written Torah and the Oral Torah correspond respectively to the Six Middot and to the attribute of Malchut. The former Sefirot are predominantly Chassadim; the latter Sefirah is dominated by Gevurot.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
16. Mishlei 3:2.
17. Ibid. 31:17.
18. “See Torah Or (and Or HaTorah) at the conclusion of Parshat Yitro.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
19. Sifri, Haazinu 32:2 et al.
20. 3:3 et al.
21. Tehillim 148:14.
22. Devarim 11:22.
23. Avot 4:17.
24. Menachot 29b.
25. Yeshayahu 26:4.
26. Tehillim 148:13.
27. Ibid., v. 14.
28. “As in the [Talmudic] phrase keren vachomesh.” [Here keren signifies the principal, the capital value of an object, as opposed to an added payment; cf. Kerisos 26b.] ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
29. Cf. Siddur, p. 6.
30. “As explained above, in Part I, ch. 49.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) Cf. Mishlei 27:19.
31. “As explained above, in Part I, ch. 44.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
32. Cf. Eichah 2:18.
33. Cf. Shir HaShirim 8:6.
34. Cf. Yechezkel 1:14.
35. Cf. Sotah 47a.
36. Shir HaShirim 8:3.
37. Shmot 20:15.
38. Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction II.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5777 · July 26, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 236
Personal Injury
"If men quarrel, and one strikes the other..."—Exodus 21:18.
The courts are commanded to adjudicate cases that involve personal injury cause by one person to another. [Monetary penalties are assessed to compensate for devaluation of the injured individual, pain sustained, medical bills, unemployment due to the injury, and shame incurred.]
Only an ordained court in the Land of Israel can adjudicate such cases [with the exception of medical bills and unemployment, that can be adjudicated by all rabbinical courts no matter the location].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Personal Injury
Positive Commandment 236
Translated by Berel Bell
The 236th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding someone who wounds another person.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[This is the law] when two men fight, and one hits the other..." These laws are called dinei k'nasos ["the laws of fines"].
There is one general verse which includes all these laws, namely G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "[If one maims his neighbor,] whatever he did must be done to him in return." The Oral Tradition explains that [it does not mean that he is literally to be harmed in return, but that] he must pay the monetary equivalent of the damage he has caused to the other person. Even if he merely shamed him, he must pay appropriate damages.
should be aware that all these laws involve damage that one person causes to another. They may be judged and determined only by a High Court which was ordained in Israel. The same applies for cases when an animal damages a person or another animal.
details of this mitzvah are explained in the 8th chapter of tractate Bava Kama.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 21:18.
2.Lev. 24:19.
• 1 Chapter A Day: Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 19
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veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 19
1
are a total of 21 negative commandments that are punishable by kerait, but which are not punishable by execution by the court, for which lashes are administered. They are:
) a person who has relations with his sister;
) ...with his father's sister;
iii) ...with his mother's sister;
iv) ...with the sister of his wife;
v) ...with his brother's wife;
vi) ...with the wife of the brother of his father;
vii) ...with a woman in the niddah state;
viii) a person who eats forbidden fat;
ix) ...blood;
x) ...leaven on Passover;
xi) ...on Yom Kippur;
xii) a person who performs forbidden labor on Yom Kippur;
xii) a person who partakes of sacrificial meat after the designated time;
xiv) ...of sacrificial meat disqualified as piggul;
xv) ...of sacrificial meat while ritually impure;
xvi) a person who enters the Temple Courtyard while ritually impure;
xvii) a person who slaughters a consecrated animal outside the Temple;
xviii) a person who burns a consecrated animal as a sacrifice outside the Temple;
xix) a person who prepares the anointing oil for personal use;
xx) a person who anoints himself with the anointing oil for his own benefit
xi) a person who prepares the incense offering for his personal use;א
כל לא תעשה שיש בו כרת ואין בו מיתת בית דין שלוקין עליהן אחד ועשרים ואלו הן: (א) הבא על אחותו ג (ב) הבא על אחות אביו ד (ג) הבא על אחות אמו ה (ד) הבא על אחות אשתו ו (ה) הבא על אשת אחיו ז (ו) הבא על אשת אחי אביו ח (ז) הבא על הנדה ט (ח) האוכל חלב י (ט) האוכל דם יא (י) האוכל חמץ בפסח יב (יא) האוכל ביום הכפורים יג (יב) העושה מלאכה ביוה"כ יד (יג) האוכל הנותר טו (יד) האוכל פיגול טז (טו) הטמא שאכל בשר קודש יז (טז) הטמא שנכנס לעזרה יח (יז) השוחט קדשים בחוץ יט (יח) המעלה קדשים בחוץ כ (יט) המפטם את השמן כא (כ) הדך בשמן המשחה כב (כא) המפטם את הקטרת:
2
There are a total of 18 negative commandments that are punishable by death by the hand of heaven, whose transgression involve a deed, for which lashes are administered. They are:
i) a person other than a priest who partakes of primary terumahwhether it was ritually pure or ritually impure;
ii) a person other than a priest who partakes of terumat ma'aser;
iii) a person other than a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they entered Jerusalem;
iv) a person other than a priest who partakes of challah;
v) a person who partakes of tevel before the primary terumah and terumat ma'aser were separated from it;
vi) a person who partakes of the product of dough from which challah was not separated;
vii) a priest who partakes of terumah that was ritually pure while he was in a state of ritual impurity;
viii) a priest who entered the Holy of Holies for a purpose other than sacrificial worship;
ix) a priest who departed from the Temple in the midst of the sacrificial worship;
x) a Levite who performed the service of the priests;
xi) a person other than a priest who performs service in the Temple;
xii) a person who does not wear all the priestly garments; he is considered as if he is not a priest and receives lashes if he serves in the Temple;
xiii) a priest who serves in the Temple while in a state of ritual impurity;
xiv) a person who was intoxicated from wine who served in the Temple;
xv) a person who immersed himself to emerge from a state of ritual impurity but must still wait until the end of the day to attain a state of purity who served in the Temple;
xvi) a priest who served in the Temple although he did not yet bring the required sacrifices to attain atonement;
xvii) a person who let his hair grow long who served in the Temple;
xviii) a person whose clothes are ripped who served in the Temple;ב
כל מחוייבין מיתה בידי שמים שהן בלא תעשה ויש בהן מעשה שלוקין עליהן שמונה עשר ואלו הן: (א) זר שאכל תרומה גדולה בין טהורה בין טמאה כה (ב) זר שאכל תרומת מעשר כו (ג) זר שאכל בכורים אחר שנכנסו לירושלים כז (ד) זר שאכל חלה כח (ה) האוכל טבל שלא הורם ממנו תרומה גדולה ותרומת מעשר כט (ו) האוכל עיסה שלא הורמה חלתה ל (ז) כהן טמא שאכל תרומה טהורה לא (ח) כהן שנכנס לקדש הקדשים שלא לעבודה לב (ט) כהן שיצא מן המקדש בשעת עבודה לג (י) לוי שעבד בעבודת כהנים לד (יא) זר ששמש במקדש לה (יב) מחוסר בגדים הרי הוא כזר ולוקה אם עבד לו (יג) כהן טמא ששמש לז (יד) שתוי יין ששמש לח (טו) טבול יום ששמש לט (טז) מחוסר כפורים ששמש מ (יז) פרוע ראש ששמש מא (יח) קרוע בגדים ששמש:
3
When, however, a person serves in the Temple without sanctifying his hands and feet, although he is worthy of death, he does not receive lashes, because he has violated only a positive commandment. Similarly, the following three - a prophet who withheld his prophecy or transgressed his own prophecy and a person who violated the words of a prophet - although they all are worthy of death - they do not receive lashes. For their transgression stems from a positive commandment, as Deuteronomy 18:15 states: "And you shall listen to him." In all contexts, a prohibition that stems from a positive commandment has the status of a positive commandment and lashes are not administered because of it.ג
אבל המשמש בלא קדוש ידים ורגלים אף על פי שהוא חייב מיתה אינו לוקה מפני שהיא מצות עשה וכן נביא שכבש נבואתו או שעבר על דברי עצמו והעובר על דברי נביא אע"פ ששלשתן במיתה אינו לוקה שהן באין מכלל עשה שנאמר אליו תשמעון ולאו הבא מכלל עשה הרי הוא כעשה ואין לוקין עליו:
4
13There are a total of 168 negative commandments that are neither punishable by kerait, nor by execution by the court, for which lashes are administered. They are:
i) a person who fashions an idol;
ii) a person who makes an image for artistic purposes;
iii) a person who turns to idolatry with any deed;
iv) a person who erects a monument;
v) a person who plants a tree in the Temple;
vi) a person who places down an engraved stone on which to prostrate oneself;
vii) a person who takes a vow in the name of a false divinity;
viii) a person who takes an oath in the name of a false divinitiy;
ix) a person who derives benefit from a false divinity;
x) a person who rebuilds a city destroyed because it was swayed to idolatry;
xi) a person who benefits from the property of such a city;
xii) a person who follows the statutes of the gentiles;
xiii) a diviner;
xiv) an augurer;
xv) a reader of omens;
xvi) a person who casts spells;
xvii) a necromancer;
xviii) a person who erases God's name, or the like, e.g., he destroys a stone from the altar or destroys wood consecrated to the Sanctuary;
xix) a person who extinguishes fire from the altar;
xx) a person who ascends the altar with steps;
xxi) a person who enters the Temple Courtyard with impure garments;
xxii) a zav and the like who enters the Temple Mount;
xxiii) a person who removes the staves of the ark;
xxiv) a person who removes the High Priest's breastplate from his ephod;
xxv) a person who tears the collar of the High Priest's cloak;
xxvi) a person who offers anything else than the commanded offerings on the golden altar;
xxvii) a priest who enters the Sanctuary while not in the midst of sacrificial worship;
xxviii) a priest with a physical deformity who enters the Sanctuary;
xxix) a priest with who enters the Sanctuary while intoxicated;
xxx) a priest with a physical deformity who performs sacrificial worship;
xxxi) an uncircumcised priest who performs sacrificial worship;
xxxii) a priest who performs the tasks of the Levites;
xxxiii) a priest who enters the Sanctuary with uncut hair;
xxxiv) a priest who enters the Sanctuary with torn clothes;
xxxv) a person who consecrates an animal with a physical deformity;
xxxvi) a person who slaughters such an animal as an offering;
xxxvii) a person who sprinkles the blood of such animals on the altar;
xxxviii) a person who burns the fats of such animals on the altar;
xxxix) a person who offers an animal with a physical deformity on behalf of gentile;
xxxx) a person who produces a blemish in a consecrated animal at the time the Temple is standing;
xxxxi) a person who performs labor with consecrated animals;
xxxxii) a person who shears consecrated animals
xxxxiii) a person who makes a fire-offering of yeast or honey;
xxxxiv) a person who allows the remainder of the meal-offerings to leaven;
xxxxv) a person who offers a sacrifice without salt;
xxxxvi) a person who offers a present given to a prostitute or an animal given in exchange for a dog;
xxxxvii) a person who adds oil to the meal-offering of a sinner;
xxxxviii) a person who adds frankincense to such an offering;
il) a person who adds oil to the meal-offering of a sotah;
l) a person who adds frankincense to such an offering;
li) a person who separates the head of a bird brought as a sin offering from its trunk;
lii) a person who transfers the holiness of one animal to another;
liii) a person who partakes of sacrificial meat after it became ritually impure;
liv) a person who partakes of sacrifices that have been disqualified;
lv) a priest who partakes of the meat of sacrifices of the most sacred order outside the Temple courtyard;
lvi) a non-priest who partakes of the meat of sacrifices of the most sacred order after their blood has been sprinkled on the altar;
lvii) a non-priest who partakes of the meat of a firstborn animal;
lviii) a daughter of a priest who married a non-priest who partakes of the breast and the foreleg given to the priests; this applies even after the death of her husband; lix) a chalalah who partakes of terumah;
lx) a person who partakes of sacrifices of lesser sanctity outside of Jerusalem;
lxi) a person who partakes of sacrifices of lesser sanctity before their blood is sprinkled on the altar
lxii) a person who partakes of an unblemished firstborn animal outside of Jerusalem;
lxiii) a person who partakes of the second tithe after it had entered Jerusalem once it had been taken outside Jerusalem again;
lxiv) a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they entered Jerusalem, but before they were placed down in the Temple Courtyard;
lxv) a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they were placed down in the Temple Courtyard and were then taken outside Jerusalem again;
lxvi) a person who partakes of ma'aser sheni in Jerusalem after it became impure, before it was redeemed;
lxvii) a person who is ritually impure who partakes of ma'aser sheniwhich was pure in Jerusalem;
lxviii) a person who partakes of ma'aser sheni - and similarly, any other consecrated food - while in a state of acute mourning;
lxix) an uncircumcised person who partakes of sacrificial meal or terumot;
lxx) a person who partakes of a meal offering brought by a priest or any other sacrifice that should be totally consumed by the fire of the altar;
lxxi) a person who partakes of the meat of the sin-offerings that are burned and any other sacrifices that must be burnt;
lxxii) a person who slaughters the Paschal sacrifice while he possesses chametz;
lxxiii) a person who breaks a bone from the Paschal sacrifice; this applies with regard to the first sacrifice or the second sacrifice;
lxxiv) a person who removes meat from the Paschal sacrifice outside the company of people partaking of it;
lxxv) a person who partakes of meat from the Paschal sacrifice outside of that company;
lxxvi) a person who partakes of meat from the Paschal sacrifice partially roasted or cooked; lxxvii) a person who purposely derives benefit from consecrated property;
lxxviii) a person who partakes of tevel from which the tithes, even the tithe for the poor, has not been separated, even though the terumot have been separated;
lxxix) a person who partakes of the meat of an animal that was condemned to be stoned to death, even if the condemned animal was slaughtered correctly;
lxxx) a person who eats meat from a non-kosher animal;
lxxxi) ... a non-kosher fowl;
lxxxii) ... a non-kosher fish;
lxxxiii) a person who partakes of a flying teeming animal;
lxxxiv) ... an earthbound teeming animal;
lxxxv) ... an aquatic teeming animal;
lxxxvi) ... an animal that crawls on the earth even though it does not reproduce;
lxxxvii) ... worms from fruit after they emerged from the fruit;
lxxxviii) a person who eats carrion;
lxxxix) ... an animal that was critically injured;
xc) ... a limb from a living animal;
xci) ... the sciatic nerve;
xcii) ... meat cooked with milk;
xciii) a person who cooks meat with milk;
xciv) a person who partakes of fresh grain before the bringing of the omer;
xcv) a person who partakes of orlah;
xcvi) a person who partakes of kilai hakerem;
xcvii) a person who partakes of chametz in a mixture on Pesach;
xcviii) ...after midday on the fourteenth of Nissan;
ic) a person who maintains possession of chametz on Pesach, e.g., he causes his dough to leaven;
c) a person who drinks wine used as a libation for false deities;
ci) a nazarite who partakes of the products of the vine;
cii) ... cuts his hair,
ciii) ...who contracts impurity imparted by a corpse;
civ) a person who shaves the hair next to a blemish of tzara'at
cv) a person who cuts off signs of tzara'at or removes them with fire;
cvi) a person who tills a wadi where the neck of a calf was broken to atone for an unsolved murder;
cvii) a person who sows in Eretz Yisrael in the Sabbatical year;
cviii) a person who trims a tree in the Sabbatical year;
cix) a person who reaps freely growing produce in the Sabbatical year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cx) a person who harvests fruit in the Sabbatical year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxi) a person who sows in the Jubilee year;
cxii) a person who reaps in the Jubilee year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxiii) a person who harvests fruit in the Jubilee year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxiv) a person who destroys the produce from the corners of his harvest without giving it to a poor person;
cxv) a person who collects the grapes that grow individually in his vineyard and does not give them to a poor person;
cxvi) a person who collects the grain that falls from the reapers and does not give it to a poor person;
cxvii) a person who collects the grapes that grow in underdeveloped clusters in his vineyard and does not give them to a poor person;
cxviii) a person who takes a forgotten sheaf and does not give it to a poor person;
cxix) a person who takes a mother bird together with her young and does not send away the mother bird;
cxx) a person who sows mixed species of seeds together while sowing in Eretz Yisrael;
cxxi) a person who sows mixed species in a vineyard in Eretz Yisrael;
cxxii) a person who grafts mixed species of trees; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxiii) a person who mates mixed species of animals; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxiv) a person who leads mixed species of animals; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxv) a person who muzzles an animal while it is working; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxvi) a person who slaughters an animal and its offspring on the same day; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxvii) a person who takes security from a colleague and does not return it to him when he requires it;
cxxviii) a person who takes security from a widow and does not return it to her;
cxxix) a person who takes utensils used in the preparation of food as security;
cxxx) a lying witness who is not penalized financially;
cxxxi) a person who strikes a colleague with a blow that does not require a p'rutah to be paid as compensation;
cxxxii) a wayward and rebellious son after the first testimony was delivered against him;
cxxxiii) a person who spreads a libelous report about his wife who is discovered to have lied;
cxxxiv) a person who curses a colleague using God's name;
cxxxv) a person who takes a false oath
cxxxvi) a person who takes an unnecessary oath
cxxxvii) a person who abrogates his vow;
cxxxiii) a person who goes beyond the Sabbath limits on the Sabbath;
cxxxix) a person who performs a forbidden labor on a festival;
cxl) a person who removes the hair at the corner of his head;
cxli) a person who removes the hair at the corner of his head;
cxlii) a person who gouges his flesh because of a person's death;
cxliii) a person who shaves his head because of a person's death;
cxliv) a person who tatoos himself;
cxlv) a person who wears shaatnez;
cxlvi) a person who chops down a fruit tree for a destructive purpose;
cxlvii) a man who wears the garments of a woman;
cxlviii) a woman who wears the garments of a man;
cil) a priest who contracts impurity because of contact with a corpse;
cl) a priest who consecrates a woman classified as a zonah and has relations with her;
cli) a priest who consecrates a divorcee and has relations with her;
clii) a priest who consecrates a woman classified as a challalahand has relations with her;
cliii) a High Priest who had relations with a widow even though he did not consecrate her;
cliv) a person who remarries his divorcee after she has been consecrated by another man;
clv) a person who marries a woman who is obligated to perform yibbum;
clvi) a man who has relations with a woman outside the context of marriage;
clvii) a mamzer who marries a native-born Jewess and has relations with her;
clviii) a person with crushed testicles who marries a native-born Jewess and has relations with her;
clix) a person who castrates another man, or a male animal, beast, or fowl;
clx) a rapist who divorces his victim and does not remarry her;
clxi) a person who spreads a libelous report about his wife, divorces her without remarrying her;
clxii) a person who enjoys intimacy with a woman forbidden him even though he did not engage in sexual relations; such a person is suspect of forbidden sexual activity;
clxiii) a person who marries out of the faith;
clxiv) an Ammonite convert who marries a native-born Jewess and had relations with her;
clxv) a Moabite convert who marries a native-born Jewess and had relations with her;
clxvi) a king who takes more wives than allowed by the Torah;
clxvii) a king who acquires more horses than allowed by the Torah;
clxviii) a king who acquires more wealth than necessary;
Thus there are a total of 207 violations which are punishable by lashes. An acronym for them is yilaku zerim The strangers will be lashed.ד
כל לא תעשה שבתורה שאין בהן לא כרת ולא מיתת בית דין שלוקין עליהן קס"ח ואלו הן: (א) העושה אליל מה (ב) העושה אליל לנוי מו (ג) הפונה אל אלילים באחד מן המעשים מז (ד) המקים מצבה מח (ה) הנוטע אילן במקדש מט (ו) הנותן אבן משכית נ (ז) הנודר בשם ע"ז נא (ח) הנשבע בשמה נב (ט) הנהנה בה נג (י) הבונה עיר הנדחת נד (יא) הנהנה ממנה נה (יב) העושה כחקות העכו"ם נו (יג) הקוסם נז (יד) המעונן נח (טו) המנחש נט (טז) החובר ס (יז) הדורש אל המתים סא (יח) המוחק שם וכיוצא בו כגון הורס אבן מן המזבח או שורף עץ מן המקדש סב (יט) המכבה אש מן המזבח סג (כ) העולה עליו במעלות סד (כא) הנכנס לעזרה בבגדים טמאים סה (כב) זב וכיוצא בו שנכנס להר הבית סו (כג) המסיר בדי ארון סז (כד) המזיח חשן מעל האפוד סח (כה) הקורע פי המעיל סט (כו) המקריב על מזבח הזהב ע (כז) כהן שנכנס להיכל שלא בשעת העבודה עא (כח) בעל מום שנכנס לשם עב (כט) שתוי שנכנס לשם עג (ל) בעל מום ששמש עד (לא) ערל ששמש עה (לב) כהן שעבד בעבודת הלוים עו (לג) כהן שנכנס למקדש פרוע ראש עז (לד) כהן שנכנס למקדש קרוע בגדים עח (לה) המקדיש בעלי מומין עט (לו) השוחטן פ (לז) הזורק דמיהן פא (לח) המקטיר אימוריהן פב (לט) המקריב קרבנות עכו"ם בעלי מומין פג (מ) המטיל מום בקדשים בזמן המקדש פד (מא) העובד בקדשים פה (מב) הגוזז אותן פו (מג) המקטיר שאור או דבש פז (מד) העושה שירי מנחות מחמץ פח (מה) המקריב בלא מלח פט (מו) המקריב אתנן או מחיר כלב צ (מז) הנותן שמן על מנחת חוטא צא (מח) הנותן עליה לבונה צב (מט) הנותן שמן בקרבן סוטה צג (נ) הנותן עליו לבונה: (נא) המבדיל בחטאת העוף צה (נב) המימר בקדשי מזבח צו (נג) האוכל בשר קודש שנטמא צז (נד) האוכל מפסולי המוקדשין צח (נה) כהן שאכל בשר קדשי קדשים חוץ לעזרה צט (נו) זר שאכל בשר קדשי קדשים אחר מתן דמים ק (נז) זר שאכל בשר בכור קא (נח) כהנת שנשאת לזר שאוכלת חזה ושוק אפילו לאחר מיתת בעלה קב (נט) חללה שאכלה תרומה קג (ס) האוכל קדשים קלים חוץ לירושלים קד (סא) האוכל קדשים קלים קודם זריקת דמים קה (סב) האוכל בכור חוץ לירושלים קו (סג) האוכל מעשר שני אחר שראה פני הבית חוץ לירושלים קז (סד) כהן שאכל בכורים משנכנסו לירושלים קודם הנחה בעזרה קח (סה) כהן שאכל בכורים חוץ לירושלים אחר שהניחו בעזרה קט (סו) האוכל מעשר שני שנטמא בירושלים קודם שיפדה קי (סז) טמא שאכל מעשר שני הטהור בירושלים קיא (סח) האוכל מעשר שני באנינות וכן כל הקדשים קיב (סט) ערל שאכל בשר קודש או תרומות קיג (ע) האוכל ממנחת כהן וכן מכל דבר שהוא כליל לאשים קיד (עא) האוכל מבשר חטאות הנשרפות וכן מכל הטעון שריפה קטו (עב) השוחט פסח על החמץ קטז (עג) השובר בו עצם בין בראשון בין בשני קיז (עד) המוציא מבשרו חוץ לחבורתו קיח (עה) האוכל מבשרו חוץ מחבורתו קיט (עו) האוכל מבשרו נא או מבושל קכ (עז) הנהנה מן ההקדש במזיד קכא (עח) האוכל טבל שעדיין לא הופרש ממנו מעשר אפילו מעשר עני אף על פי שהורמו תרומותיו קכב (עט) האוכל מבשר נפש חיה שנגמר דינה לסקילה אף על פי שנשחטה קכג (פ) האוכל בהמה טמאה קכד (פא) האוכל עוף טמא קכה (פב) האוכל דג טמא קכו (פג) האוכל שרץ העוף קכז (פד) האוכל שרץ הארץ קכח (פה) האוכל שרץ המים קכט (פו) האוכל רמש האדמה אע"פ שאינו רבה קל (פז) האוכל תולעים שבפירות אחר שפירשו: (פח) האוכל נבילה קלב (פט) האוכל טריפה קלג (צ) האוכל אבר מן החי קלד (צא) האוכל גיד הנשה קלה (צב) האוכל בשר בחלב קלו (צג) המבשל בשר בחלב קלז (צד) האוכל מתבואה חדשה קודם הבאת העומר [המקריב מנחה מתבואה חדשה קודם הבאת שתי הלחם] קלח (צה) האוכל ערלה קלט (צו) האוכל כלאי הכרם קמ (צז) האוכל תערובת חמץ בפסח קמא (צח) האוכל חמץ אחר חצות קמב (צט) המקיים חמץ ברשותו וכגון שחימץ עיסתו קמג (ק) השותה יין נסך קמד (קא) נזיר שאכל מגפן היין קמה (קב) נזיר שגילח קמו (קג) נזיר שנטמא למת קמז (קד) המגלח את הנתק קמח (קה) החותך סימני צרעת או שכוואן באש קמט (קו) העובד בנחל שנתערפה בו העגלה קנ (קז) הזורע ארץ ישראל בשביעית קנא (קח) הזומר את האילן בשביעית קנב (קט) הקוצר ספיח בלא שינוי קנג (קי) הבוצר בלא שינוי קנד (קיא) הזורע בשנת היובל קנה (קיב) הקוצר בה בלא שינוי קנו (קיג) הבוצר בה בלא שינוי קנז (קיד) המכלה פאת שדה ולא נתנה לעני קנח (קטו) המעולל כרמו ולא נתנה לעני קנט (קטז) המלקט לקט ולא נתנו לעני קס (קיז) פרט כרמו ולא נתנו לעני קסא (קיח) הלוקח עומר השכחה ולא נתנו לעני קסב (קיט) הלוקח אם על בנים ולא שלח האם קסג (קכ) הזורע כלאים בארץ בזרעים קסד (קכא) הזורע כלאי הכרם בארץ קסה (קכב) המרכיב אילנות כלאים בכ"מ קסו (קכג) המרביע בהמה כלאים בכל מקום קסז (קכד) המנהיג בכלאים בכ"מ קסח (קכה) החוסם בהמה בעת מלאכה בכל מקום קסט (קכו) השוחט אותו ואת בנו בכ"מ: (קכז) הממשכן חבירו בידו ולא החזיר לוה עבוט קעא (קכח) החובל אלמנה ולא החזיר המשכון קעב (קכט) החובל כלים שעושין בהן אוכל נפש קעג (קל) עד זומם שאין בו תשלומין קעד (קלא) המכה חבירו הכאה שאין בה שוה פרוטה קעה (קלב) בן סורר ומורה בעדות ראשונה קעו (קלג) המוציא שם רע שנמצא דברו שקר קעז (קלד) המקלל את חבירו בשם קעח (קלה) הנשבע לשקר קעט (קלו) הנשבע לשוא קפ (קלז) המחלל נדרו קפא (קלח) היוצא חוץ לתחום בשבת קפב (קלט) העושה מלאכה ביום טוב קפג (קמ) המקיף פאת הראש קפד (קמא) המקיף פאת זקן קפה (קמב) השורט על מת קפו (קמג) הקורח ראשו על המת קפז (קמד) הכותב כתובת קעקע קפח (קמה) הלובש שעטנז קפט (קמו) הקוצץ אילני מאכל דרך השחתה: (קמז) איש שלבש מלבוש אשה קצא (קמח) אשה שלבשה מלבוש איש קצב (קמט) כהן שנטמא למת קצג (קנ) כהן שקדש אשה זונה ובעלה קצד (קנא) כהן שקדש גרושה ובעלה קצה (קנב) כהן שקדש חללה ובעלה קצו (קנג) כהן גדול שבעל אלמנה אף על פי שלא קדשה קצז (קנד) המחזיר גרושתו אחר שנתקדשה קצח (קנה) הנושא זקוקה ליבם קצט (קנו) הבא על הקדשה ר (קנז) ממזר שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רא (קנח) פצוע דכא שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רב (קנט) המסרס איש וכן שאר זכרי בהמה חיה ועוף רג (קס) אונס שגירש אנוסתו ולא החזירה רד (קסא) המוציא שם רע שגירש אשתו ולא החזירה רה (קסב) הקרב אל העריות בדרך מדרכי הזנות אע"פ שלא גילה ערוה וזהו החשוד על העריות רו (קסג) המתחתן בעכו"ם רז (קסד) גר עמוני שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רח (קסה) גר מואבי שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רט (קסו) מלך שהרבה נשים רי (קסז) מלך שהרבה סוסים ריא (קסח) מלך שהרבה כסף וזהב: נמצאו כל הלוקים ר"ז וסימן להם ילקו זרים:
Rambam:English Text | Hebrew Text
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are a total of 21 negative commandments that are punishable by kerait, but which are not punishable by execution by the court, for which lashes are administered. They are:
) a person who has relations with his sister;
) ...with his father's sister;
iii) ...with his mother's sister;
iv) ...with the sister of his wife;
v) ...with his brother's wife;
vi) ...with the wife of the brother of his father;
vii) ...with a woman in the niddah state;
viii) a person who eats forbidden fat;
ix) ...blood;
x) ...leaven on Passover;
xi) ...on Yom Kippur;
xii) a person who performs forbidden labor on Yom Kippur;
xii) a person who partakes of sacrificial meat after the designated time;
xiv) ...of sacrificial meat disqualified as piggul;
xv) ...of sacrificial meat while ritually impure;
xvi) a person who enters the Temple Courtyard while ritually impure;
xvii) a person who slaughters a consecrated animal outside the Temple;
xviii) a person who burns a consecrated animal as a sacrifice outside the Temple;
xix) a person who prepares the anointing oil for personal use;
xx) a person who anoints himself with the anointing oil for his own benefit
xi) a person who prepares the incense offering for his personal use;א
כל לא תעשה שיש בו כרת ואין בו מיתת בית דין שלוקין עליהן אחד ועשרים ואלו הן: (א) הבא על אחותו ג (ב) הבא על אחות אביו ד (ג) הבא על אחות אמו ה (ד) הבא על אחות אשתו ו (ה) הבא על אשת אחיו ז (ו) הבא על אשת אחי אביו ח (ז) הבא על הנדה ט (ח) האוכל חלב י (ט) האוכל דם יא (י) האוכל חמץ בפסח יב (יא) האוכל ביום הכפורים יג (יב) העושה מלאכה ביוה"כ יד (יג) האוכל הנותר טו (יד) האוכל פיגול טז (טו) הטמא שאכל בשר קודש יז (טז) הטמא שנכנס לעזרה יח (יז) השוחט קדשים בחוץ יט (יח) המעלה קדשים בחוץ כ (יט) המפטם את השמן כא (כ) הדך בשמן המשחה כב (כא) המפטם את הקטרת:
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There are a total of 18 negative commandments that are punishable by death by the hand of heaven, whose transgression involve a deed, for which lashes are administered. They are:
i) a person other than a priest who partakes of primary terumahwhether it was ritually pure or ritually impure;
ii) a person other than a priest who partakes of terumat ma'aser;
iii) a person other than a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they entered Jerusalem;
iv) a person other than a priest who partakes of challah;
v) a person who partakes of tevel before the primary terumah and terumat ma'aser were separated from it;
vi) a person who partakes of the product of dough from which challah was not separated;
vii) a priest who partakes of terumah that was ritually pure while he was in a state of ritual impurity;
viii) a priest who entered the Holy of Holies for a purpose other than sacrificial worship;
ix) a priest who departed from the Temple in the midst of the sacrificial worship;
x) a Levite who performed the service of the priests;
xi) a person other than a priest who performs service in the Temple;
xii) a person who does not wear all the priestly garments; he is considered as if he is not a priest and receives lashes if he serves in the Temple;
xiii) a priest who serves in the Temple while in a state of ritual impurity;
xiv) a person who was intoxicated from wine who served in the Temple;
xv) a person who immersed himself to emerge from a state of ritual impurity but must still wait until the end of the day to attain a state of purity who served in the Temple;
xvi) a priest who served in the Temple although he did not yet bring the required sacrifices to attain atonement;
xvii) a person who let his hair grow long who served in the Temple;
xviii) a person whose clothes are ripped who served in the Temple;ב
כל מחוייבין מיתה בידי שמים שהן בלא תעשה ויש בהן מעשה שלוקין עליהן שמונה עשר ואלו הן: (א) זר שאכל תרומה גדולה בין טהורה בין טמאה כה (ב) זר שאכל תרומת מעשר כו (ג) זר שאכל בכורים אחר שנכנסו לירושלים כז (ד) זר שאכל חלה כח (ה) האוכל טבל שלא הורם ממנו תרומה גדולה ותרומת מעשר כט (ו) האוכל עיסה שלא הורמה חלתה ל (ז) כהן טמא שאכל תרומה טהורה לא (ח) כהן שנכנס לקדש הקדשים שלא לעבודה לב (ט) כהן שיצא מן המקדש בשעת עבודה לג (י) לוי שעבד בעבודת כהנים לד (יא) זר ששמש במקדש לה (יב) מחוסר בגדים הרי הוא כזר ולוקה אם עבד לו (יג) כהן טמא ששמש לז (יד) שתוי יין ששמש לח (טו) טבול יום ששמש לט (טז) מחוסר כפורים ששמש מ (יז) פרוע ראש ששמש מא (יח) קרוע בגדים ששמש:
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When, however, a person serves in the Temple without sanctifying his hands and feet, although he is worthy of death, he does not receive lashes, because he has violated only a positive commandment. Similarly, the following three - a prophet who withheld his prophecy or transgressed his own prophecy and a person who violated the words of a prophet - although they all are worthy of death - they do not receive lashes. For their transgression stems from a positive commandment, as Deuteronomy 18:15 states: "And you shall listen to him." In all contexts, a prohibition that stems from a positive commandment has the status of a positive commandment and lashes are not administered because of it.ג
אבל המשמש בלא קדוש ידים ורגלים אף על פי שהוא חייב מיתה אינו לוקה מפני שהיא מצות עשה וכן נביא שכבש נבואתו או שעבר על דברי עצמו והעובר על דברי נביא אע"פ ששלשתן במיתה אינו לוקה שהן באין מכלל עשה שנאמר אליו תשמעון ולאו הבא מכלל עשה הרי הוא כעשה ואין לוקין עליו:
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13There are a total of 168 negative commandments that are neither punishable by kerait, nor by execution by the court, for which lashes are administered. They are:
i) a person who fashions an idol;
ii) a person who makes an image for artistic purposes;
iii) a person who turns to idolatry with any deed;
iv) a person who erects a monument;
v) a person who plants a tree in the Temple;
vi) a person who places down an engraved stone on which to prostrate oneself;
vii) a person who takes a vow in the name of a false divinity;
viii) a person who takes an oath in the name of a false divinitiy;
ix) a person who derives benefit from a false divinity;
x) a person who rebuilds a city destroyed because it was swayed to idolatry;
xi) a person who benefits from the property of such a city;
xii) a person who follows the statutes of the gentiles;
xiii) a diviner;
xiv) an augurer;
xv) a reader of omens;
xvi) a person who casts spells;
xvii) a necromancer;
xviii) a person who erases God's name, or the like, e.g., he destroys a stone from the altar or destroys wood consecrated to the Sanctuary;
xix) a person who extinguishes fire from the altar;
xx) a person who ascends the altar with steps;
xxi) a person who enters the Temple Courtyard with impure garments;
xxii) a zav and the like who enters the Temple Mount;
xxiii) a person who removes the staves of the ark;
xxiv) a person who removes the High Priest's breastplate from his ephod;
xxv) a person who tears the collar of the High Priest's cloak;
xxvi) a person who offers anything else than the commanded offerings on the golden altar;
xxvii) a priest who enters the Sanctuary while not in the midst of sacrificial worship;
xxviii) a priest with a physical deformity who enters the Sanctuary;
xxix) a priest with who enters the Sanctuary while intoxicated;
xxx) a priest with a physical deformity who performs sacrificial worship;
xxxi) an uncircumcised priest who performs sacrificial worship;
xxxii) a priest who performs the tasks of the Levites;
xxxiii) a priest who enters the Sanctuary with uncut hair;
xxxiv) a priest who enters the Sanctuary with torn clothes;
xxxv) a person who consecrates an animal with a physical deformity;
xxxvi) a person who slaughters such an animal as an offering;
xxxvii) a person who sprinkles the blood of such animals on the altar;
xxxviii) a person who burns the fats of such animals on the altar;
xxxix) a person who offers an animal with a physical deformity on behalf of gentile;
xxxx) a person who produces a blemish in a consecrated animal at the time the Temple is standing;
xxxxi) a person who performs labor with consecrated animals;
xxxxii) a person who shears consecrated animals
xxxxiii) a person who makes a fire-offering of yeast or honey;
xxxxiv) a person who allows the remainder of the meal-offerings to leaven;
xxxxv) a person who offers a sacrifice without salt;
xxxxvi) a person who offers a present given to a prostitute or an animal given in exchange for a dog;
xxxxvii) a person who adds oil to the meal-offering of a sinner;
xxxxviii) a person who adds frankincense to such an offering;
il) a person who adds oil to the meal-offering of a sotah;
l) a person who adds frankincense to such an offering;
li) a person who separates the head of a bird brought as a sin offering from its trunk;
lii) a person who transfers the holiness of one animal to another;
liii) a person who partakes of sacrificial meat after it became ritually impure;
liv) a person who partakes of sacrifices that have been disqualified;
lv) a priest who partakes of the meat of sacrifices of the most sacred order outside the Temple courtyard;
lvi) a non-priest who partakes of the meat of sacrifices of the most sacred order after their blood has been sprinkled on the altar;
lvii) a non-priest who partakes of the meat of a firstborn animal;
lviii) a daughter of a priest who married a non-priest who partakes of the breast and the foreleg given to the priests; this applies even after the death of her husband; lix) a chalalah who partakes of terumah;
lx) a person who partakes of sacrifices of lesser sanctity outside of Jerusalem;
lxi) a person who partakes of sacrifices of lesser sanctity before their blood is sprinkled on the altar
lxii) a person who partakes of an unblemished firstborn animal outside of Jerusalem;
lxiii) a person who partakes of the second tithe after it had entered Jerusalem once it had been taken outside Jerusalem again;
lxiv) a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they entered Jerusalem, but before they were placed down in the Temple Courtyard;
lxv) a priest who partakes of the first fruits after they were placed down in the Temple Courtyard and were then taken outside Jerusalem again;
lxvi) a person who partakes of ma'aser sheni in Jerusalem after it became impure, before it was redeemed;
lxvii) a person who is ritually impure who partakes of ma'aser sheniwhich was pure in Jerusalem;
lxviii) a person who partakes of ma'aser sheni - and similarly, any other consecrated food - while in a state of acute mourning;
lxix) an uncircumcised person who partakes of sacrificial meal or terumot;
lxx) a person who partakes of a meal offering brought by a priest or any other sacrifice that should be totally consumed by the fire of the altar;
lxxi) a person who partakes of the meat of the sin-offerings that are burned and any other sacrifices that must be burnt;
lxxii) a person who slaughters the Paschal sacrifice while he possesses chametz;
lxxiii) a person who breaks a bone from the Paschal sacrifice; this applies with regard to the first sacrifice or the second sacrifice;
lxxiv) a person who removes meat from the Paschal sacrifice outside the company of people partaking of it;
lxxv) a person who partakes of meat from the Paschal sacrifice outside of that company;
lxxvi) a person who partakes of meat from the Paschal sacrifice partially roasted or cooked; lxxvii) a person who purposely derives benefit from consecrated property;
lxxviii) a person who partakes of tevel from which the tithes, even the tithe for the poor, has not been separated, even though the terumot have been separated;
lxxix) a person who partakes of the meat of an animal that was condemned to be stoned to death, even if the condemned animal was slaughtered correctly;
lxxx) a person who eats meat from a non-kosher animal;
lxxxi) ... a non-kosher fowl;
lxxxii) ... a non-kosher fish;
lxxxiii) a person who partakes of a flying teeming animal;
lxxxiv) ... an earthbound teeming animal;
lxxxv) ... an aquatic teeming animal;
lxxxvi) ... an animal that crawls on the earth even though it does not reproduce;
lxxxvii) ... worms from fruit after they emerged from the fruit;
lxxxviii) a person who eats carrion;
lxxxix) ... an animal that was critically injured;
xc) ... a limb from a living animal;
xci) ... the sciatic nerve;
xcii) ... meat cooked with milk;
xciii) a person who cooks meat with milk;
xciv) a person who partakes of fresh grain before the bringing of the omer;
xcv) a person who partakes of orlah;
xcvi) a person who partakes of kilai hakerem;
xcvii) a person who partakes of chametz in a mixture on Pesach;
xcviii) ...after midday on the fourteenth of Nissan;
ic) a person who maintains possession of chametz on Pesach, e.g., he causes his dough to leaven;
c) a person who drinks wine used as a libation for false deities;
ci) a nazarite who partakes of the products of the vine;
cii) ... cuts his hair,
ciii) ...who contracts impurity imparted by a corpse;
civ) a person who shaves the hair next to a blemish of tzara'at
cv) a person who cuts off signs of tzara'at or removes them with fire;
cvi) a person who tills a wadi where the neck of a calf was broken to atone for an unsolved murder;
cvii) a person who sows in Eretz Yisrael in the Sabbatical year;
cviii) a person who trims a tree in the Sabbatical year;
cix) a person who reaps freely growing produce in the Sabbatical year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cx) a person who harvests fruit in the Sabbatical year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxi) a person who sows in the Jubilee year;
cxii) a person who reaps in the Jubilee year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxiii) a person who harvests fruit in the Jubilee year without deviating from his ordinary pattern;
cxiv) a person who destroys the produce from the corners of his harvest without giving it to a poor person;
cxv) a person who collects the grapes that grow individually in his vineyard and does not give them to a poor person;
cxvi) a person who collects the grain that falls from the reapers and does not give it to a poor person;
cxvii) a person who collects the grapes that grow in underdeveloped clusters in his vineyard and does not give them to a poor person;
cxviii) a person who takes a forgotten sheaf and does not give it to a poor person;
cxix) a person who takes a mother bird together with her young and does not send away the mother bird;
cxx) a person who sows mixed species of seeds together while sowing in Eretz Yisrael;
cxxi) a person who sows mixed species in a vineyard in Eretz Yisrael;
cxxii) a person who grafts mixed species of trees; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxiii) a person who mates mixed species of animals; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxiv) a person who leads mixed species of animals; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxv) a person who muzzles an animal while it is working; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxvi) a person who slaughters an animal and its offspring on the same day; this prohibition applies in every place;
cxxvii) a person who takes security from a colleague and does not return it to him when he requires it;
cxxviii) a person who takes security from a widow and does not return it to her;
cxxix) a person who takes utensils used in the preparation of food as security;
cxxx) a lying witness who is not penalized financially;
cxxxi) a person who strikes a colleague with a blow that does not require a p'rutah to be paid as compensation;
cxxxii) a wayward and rebellious son after the first testimony was delivered against him;
cxxxiii) a person who spreads a libelous report about his wife who is discovered to have lied;
cxxxiv) a person who curses a colleague using God's name;
cxxxv) a person who takes a false oath
cxxxvi) a person who takes an unnecessary oath
cxxxvii) a person who abrogates his vow;
cxxxiii) a person who goes beyond the Sabbath limits on the Sabbath;
cxxxix) a person who performs a forbidden labor on a festival;
cxl) a person who removes the hair at the corner of his head;
cxli) a person who removes the hair at the corner of his head;
cxlii) a person who gouges his flesh because of a person's death;
cxliii) a person who shaves his head because of a person's death;
cxliv) a person who tatoos himself;
cxlv) a person who wears shaatnez;
cxlvi) a person who chops down a fruit tree for a destructive purpose;
cxlvii) a man who wears the garments of a woman;
cxlviii) a woman who wears the garments of a man;
cil) a priest who contracts impurity because of contact with a corpse;
cl) a priest who consecrates a woman classified as a zonah and has relations with her;
cli) a priest who consecrates a divorcee and has relations with her;
clii) a priest who consecrates a woman classified as a challalahand has relations with her;
cliii) a High Priest who had relations with a widow even though he did not consecrate her;
cliv) a person who remarries his divorcee after she has been consecrated by another man;
clv) a person who marries a woman who is obligated to perform yibbum;
clvi) a man who has relations with a woman outside the context of marriage;
clvii) a mamzer who marries a native-born Jewess and has relations with her;
clviii) a person with crushed testicles who marries a native-born Jewess and has relations with her;
clix) a person who castrates another man, or a male animal, beast, or fowl;
clx) a rapist who divorces his victim and does not remarry her;
clxi) a person who spreads a libelous report about his wife, divorces her without remarrying her;
clxii) a person who enjoys intimacy with a woman forbidden him even though he did not engage in sexual relations; such a person is suspect of forbidden sexual activity;
clxiii) a person who marries out of the faith;
clxiv) an Ammonite convert who marries a native-born Jewess and had relations with her;
clxv) a Moabite convert who marries a native-born Jewess and had relations with her;
clxvi) a king who takes more wives than allowed by the Torah;
clxvii) a king who acquires more horses than allowed by the Torah;
clxviii) a king who acquires more wealth than necessary;
Thus there are a total of 207 violations which are punishable by lashes. An acronym for them is yilaku zerim The strangers will be lashed.ד
כל לא תעשה שבתורה שאין בהן לא כרת ולא מיתת בית דין שלוקין עליהן קס"ח ואלו הן: (א) העושה אליל מה (ב) העושה אליל לנוי מו (ג) הפונה אל אלילים באחד מן המעשים מז (ד) המקים מצבה מח (ה) הנוטע אילן במקדש מט (ו) הנותן אבן משכית נ (ז) הנודר בשם ע"ז נא (ח) הנשבע בשמה נב (ט) הנהנה בה נג (י) הבונה עיר הנדחת נד (יא) הנהנה ממנה נה (יב) העושה כחקות העכו"ם נו (יג) הקוסם נז (יד) המעונן נח (טו) המנחש נט (טז) החובר ס (יז) הדורש אל המתים סא (יח) המוחק שם וכיוצא בו כגון הורס אבן מן המזבח או שורף עץ מן המקדש סב (יט) המכבה אש מן המזבח סג (כ) העולה עליו במעלות סד (כא) הנכנס לעזרה בבגדים טמאים סה (כב) זב וכיוצא בו שנכנס להר הבית סו (כג) המסיר בדי ארון סז (כד) המזיח חשן מעל האפוד סח (כה) הקורע פי המעיל סט (כו) המקריב על מזבח הזהב ע (כז) כהן שנכנס להיכל שלא בשעת העבודה עא (כח) בעל מום שנכנס לשם עב (כט) שתוי שנכנס לשם עג (ל) בעל מום ששמש עד (לא) ערל ששמש עה (לב) כהן שעבד בעבודת הלוים עו (לג) כהן שנכנס למקדש פרוע ראש עז (לד) כהן שנכנס למקדש קרוע בגדים עח (לה) המקדיש בעלי מומין עט (לו) השוחטן פ (לז) הזורק דמיהן פא (לח) המקטיר אימוריהן פב (לט) המקריב קרבנות עכו"ם בעלי מומין פג (מ) המטיל מום בקדשים בזמן המקדש פד (מא) העובד בקדשים פה (מב) הגוזז אותן פו (מג) המקטיר שאור או דבש פז (מד) העושה שירי מנחות מחמץ פח (מה) המקריב בלא מלח פט (מו) המקריב אתנן או מחיר כלב צ (מז) הנותן שמן על מנחת חוטא צא (מח) הנותן עליה לבונה צב (מט) הנותן שמן בקרבן סוטה צג (נ) הנותן עליו לבונה: (נא) המבדיל בחטאת העוף צה (נב) המימר בקדשי מזבח צו (נג) האוכל בשר קודש שנטמא צז (נד) האוכל מפסולי המוקדשין צח (נה) כהן שאכל בשר קדשי קדשים חוץ לעזרה צט (נו) זר שאכל בשר קדשי קדשים אחר מתן דמים ק (נז) זר שאכל בשר בכור קא (נח) כהנת שנשאת לזר שאוכלת חזה ושוק אפילו לאחר מיתת בעלה קב (נט) חללה שאכלה תרומה קג (ס) האוכל קדשים קלים חוץ לירושלים קד (סא) האוכל קדשים קלים קודם זריקת דמים קה (סב) האוכל בכור חוץ לירושלים קו (סג) האוכל מעשר שני אחר שראה פני הבית חוץ לירושלים קז (סד) כהן שאכל בכורים משנכנסו לירושלים קודם הנחה בעזרה קח (סה) כהן שאכל בכורים חוץ לירושלים אחר שהניחו בעזרה קט (סו) האוכל מעשר שני שנטמא בירושלים קודם שיפדה קי (סז) טמא שאכל מעשר שני הטהור בירושלים קיא (סח) האוכל מעשר שני באנינות וכן כל הקדשים קיב (סט) ערל שאכל בשר קודש או תרומות קיג (ע) האוכל ממנחת כהן וכן מכל דבר שהוא כליל לאשים קיד (עא) האוכל מבשר חטאות הנשרפות וכן מכל הטעון שריפה קטו (עב) השוחט פסח על החמץ קטז (עג) השובר בו עצם בין בראשון בין בשני קיז (עד) המוציא מבשרו חוץ לחבורתו קיח (עה) האוכל מבשרו חוץ מחבורתו קיט (עו) האוכל מבשרו נא או מבושל קכ (עז) הנהנה מן ההקדש במזיד קכא (עח) האוכל טבל שעדיין לא הופרש ממנו מעשר אפילו מעשר עני אף על פי שהורמו תרומותיו קכב (עט) האוכל מבשר נפש חיה שנגמר דינה לסקילה אף על פי שנשחטה קכג (פ) האוכל בהמה טמאה קכד (פא) האוכל עוף טמא קכה (פב) האוכל דג טמא קכו (פג) האוכל שרץ העוף קכז (פד) האוכל שרץ הארץ קכח (פה) האוכל שרץ המים קכט (פו) האוכל רמש האדמה אע"פ שאינו רבה קל (פז) האוכל תולעים שבפירות אחר שפירשו: (פח) האוכל נבילה קלב (פט) האוכל טריפה קלג (צ) האוכל אבר מן החי קלד (צא) האוכל גיד הנשה קלה (צב) האוכל בשר בחלב קלו (צג) המבשל בשר בחלב קלז (צד) האוכל מתבואה חדשה קודם הבאת העומר [המקריב מנחה מתבואה חדשה קודם הבאת שתי הלחם] קלח (צה) האוכל ערלה קלט (צו) האוכל כלאי הכרם קמ (צז) האוכל תערובת חמץ בפסח קמא (צח) האוכל חמץ אחר חצות קמב (צט) המקיים חמץ ברשותו וכגון שחימץ עיסתו קמג (ק) השותה יין נסך קמד (קא) נזיר שאכל מגפן היין קמה (קב) נזיר שגילח קמו (קג) נזיר שנטמא למת קמז (קד) המגלח את הנתק קמח (קה) החותך סימני צרעת או שכוואן באש קמט (קו) העובד בנחל שנתערפה בו העגלה קנ (קז) הזורע ארץ ישראל בשביעית קנא (קח) הזומר את האילן בשביעית קנב (קט) הקוצר ספיח בלא שינוי קנג (קי) הבוצר בלא שינוי קנד (קיא) הזורע בשנת היובל קנה (קיב) הקוצר בה בלא שינוי קנו (קיג) הבוצר בה בלא שינוי קנז (קיד) המכלה פאת שדה ולא נתנה לעני קנח (קטו) המעולל כרמו ולא נתנה לעני קנט (קטז) המלקט לקט ולא נתנו לעני קס (קיז) פרט כרמו ולא נתנו לעני קסא (קיח) הלוקח עומר השכחה ולא נתנו לעני קסב (קיט) הלוקח אם על בנים ולא שלח האם קסג (קכ) הזורע כלאים בארץ בזרעים קסד (קכא) הזורע כלאי הכרם בארץ קסה (קכב) המרכיב אילנות כלאים בכ"מ קסו (קכג) המרביע בהמה כלאים בכל מקום קסז (קכד) המנהיג בכלאים בכ"מ קסח (קכה) החוסם בהמה בעת מלאכה בכל מקום קסט (קכו) השוחט אותו ואת בנו בכ"מ: (קכז) הממשכן חבירו בידו ולא החזיר לוה עבוט קעא (קכח) החובל אלמנה ולא החזיר המשכון קעב (קכט) החובל כלים שעושין בהן אוכל נפש קעג (קל) עד זומם שאין בו תשלומין קעד (קלא) המכה חבירו הכאה שאין בה שוה פרוטה קעה (קלב) בן סורר ומורה בעדות ראשונה קעו (קלג) המוציא שם רע שנמצא דברו שקר קעז (קלד) המקלל את חבירו בשם קעח (קלה) הנשבע לשקר קעט (קלו) הנשבע לשוא קפ (קלז) המחלל נדרו קפא (קלח) היוצא חוץ לתחום בשבת קפב (קלט) העושה מלאכה ביום טוב קפג (קמ) המקיף פאת הראש קפד (קמא) המקיף פאת זקן קפה (קמב) השורט על מת קפו (קמג) הקורח ראשו על המת קפז (קמד) הכותב כתובת קעקע קפח (קמה) הלובש שעטנז קפט (קמו) הקוצץ אילני מאכל דרך השחתה: (קמז) איש שלבש מלבוש אשה קצא (קמח) אשה שלבשה מלבוש איש קצב (קמט) כהן שנטמא למת קצג (קנ) כהן שקדש אשה זונה ובעלה קצד (קנא) כהן שקדש גרושה ובעלה קצה (קנב) כהן שקדש חללה ובעלה קצו (קנג) כהן גדול שבעל אלמנה אף על פי שלא קדשה קצז (קנד) המחזיר גרושתו אחר שנתקדשה קצח (קנה) הנושא זקוקה ליבם קצט (קנו) הבא על הקדשה ר (קנז) ממזר שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רא (קנח) פצוע דכא שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רב (קנט) המסרס איש וכן שאר זכרי בהמה חיה ועוף רג (קס) אונס שגירש אנוסתו ולא החזירה רד (קסא) המוציא שם רע שגירש אשתו ולא החזירה רה (קסב) הקרב אל העריות בדרך מדרכי הזנות אע"פ שלא גילה ערוה וזהו החשוד על העריות רו (קסג) המתחתן בעכו"ם רז (קסד) גר עמוני שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רח (קסה) גר מואבי שנשא בת ישראל ובעל רט (קסו) מלך שהרבה נשים רי (קסז) מלך שהרבה סוסים ריא (קסח) מלך שהרבה כסף וזהב: נמצאו כל הלוקים ר"ז וסימן להם ילקו זרים:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter One, Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Two, Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Three
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Shechenim - Chapter One
Introduction to Hilchos ShechenimThe purpose of the these laws is to know the proper way to divide land among partners, how one should remove factors that may cause danger to one's neighbor and those upon whom one's property borders, and the laws concerning the privileges granted to a person upon whose land one's property borders. These laws are explained in the chapters that follow.
הלכות שכנים - הקדמה
הלכות שכנים ענין אלו ההלכות לידע דין חלוק הקרקעות בין השותפין והרחקת נזק כל אחד מהם משכנו ומבעל המצר שלו ודין בעל המצר וביאור כל הדינין האלו בפרקים אלו:
1
The following rules apply when a person purchases half of a field from a colleague, two people together purchase a field from a colleague, they both inherited a field,a field was given them as a gift, or they took possession of ownerless land or property belonging to a convert who died without leaving Jewish heirs - i.e., any situation in which two people own land in partnership.
If one of the partners asks to divide the property and take his portion alone, and the property is large enough to be divided, we compel the other partners to divide the property with him. If the property is not large enough to be divided, neither partner can require the other one to divide the property. Similar laws apply with regard to movable property.
When does the above apply? When neither of the parties recognizes a specific portion of the property they share as his own, but rather both use the entire property equally. If, however, one of the partners recognizes a portion of the property as his own, each one has the right to compel the other partner to make a divider between his portion and his colleague's portion, although the property is not large enough to be divided.א
אחד הקונה מחבירו חצי שדהו או שנים שקנו מאחד שדה או שירשו או שנתנה להן במתנה או שהחזיקו בה מן ההפקר או נכסי גר כללו של דבר כל שיש ביניהם שותפות בקרקע וביקש אחד מן השותפין לחלק וליטול חלקו לבדו אם יש באותה קרקע דין חלוקה כופה את שאר השותפין וחולקין עמו ואם אין בה דין חלוקה אין אחד מהן יכול לכוף את חבירו לחלוק וכן הדין במטלטלין בד"א בשאין אחד מהן מכיר את חלקו במקום שהן שותפין בו אלא יד כולן משתמש בכל המקום אבל אם היה אחד מהן מכיר חלקו אף על פי שאין בה דין חלוקה כופה כל אחד מהן את חבירו להבדיל בין חלקו לחלק חבירו:
2
In a situation where the property is not large enough to be divided or with regard to an entity that cannot be divided - e.g., a maidservant or a utensil - if one of the partners tells the other: "Sell me your portion for this and this much, or buy my portion for the same price," his request is supported by the law. We compel the other partner either to sell his share to his colleague or to purchase his colleague's share from him.
If, however, the other partner does not desire to purchase his partner's share or does not have the means to do so, he cannot compel his colleague to purchase his share from him even at the low market price. For his colleague may tell him: "I do not want to buy; I want to sell."
Therefore, the following laws apply if two brothers, one rich and one poor, inherited from their father a bathhouse or an olive press. If the father made these premises for the purpose of hire, the two share the rental equally for as long as they desire to remain partners.
If the father made these structures for his personal use, the poor brother cannot force the rich brother to hire them out. Instead, they should use them as their father used them. The rich brother can tell the poor brother: "Purchase olives and crush them in the olive press; purchase servants and have them come and wash in the bathhouse."
The poor brother cannot compel the rich brother to purchase his portion unless the poor brother tells him: "Purchase my portion from me or sell me your portion. For I will borrow from others and purchase it or sell it to others, and they will purchase it." If he makes such statements, his claim is supported by law.
If each of the brothers says: "I don't want to purchase your portion; I want to sell my portion," the property should be sold to others.
The following rules apply if both of them say: "I will not sell," but instead each of them wishes to purchase his colleague's portion, or neither of them desires to purchase his colleague's portion, nor to sell his own portion, but instead to remain partners in the property.
What should they do? If the place was fit to rent, they should hire it out and divide the rent. If the place was not fit to rent they should alternate. If the property is a courtyard, they should dwell in it, each for a year at a time. The rationale for this ruling is that it is impossible for them to dwell in it together, because of the lack of privacy, and it is not large enough to divide. A more frequent rotation is not employed, because a person would not trouble himself to move from one courtyard to another every 30 days. Hence, the rotation is carried out from year to year.
If the shared property is a bathhouse, both of them are allowed to enter at all times during the day. The same principle applies to any object that is fit to be used at all times and is not usually hired out - e.g., a bathhouse, a mattress or a Torah scroll. One cannot tell the other: "You use it one day, and I will use it the next day." For the other can claim: "I want to use it every day."ב
אחד מן השותפין שאמר לחבירו במקום שאין בו דין חלוקה או בדבר שאי אפשר שיחלקו כגון שפחה או כלי מכור לי חלקך בכך וכך או קנה ממני כשער הזה הדין עמו וכופין את הנתבע למכור לחבירו או לקנות ממנו אבל אם אין התובע רוצה לקנות או לא ימצא במה יקנה אינו יכול לכוף את חבירו לקנות ממנו אפילו כשער הזול שהרי חבירו יכול לומר לו אין רצוני שאקנה אלא שאמכור לפיכך שני אחין אחד עני ואחד עשיר שהניח להם אביהם מרחץ או בית הבד אם עשאן האב לשכר השכר לאמצע כל זמן שירצו לעמוד בשותפות עשאן האב לעצמו אינו יכול לכוף אחיו להשכיר אותם אלא משתמשין בהם כדרך שהשתמש אביהם והרי עשיר אומר לעני קח לך זיתים ובוא ועשה אותם בבית הבד קנה לך עבדים ויבאו וירחצו במרחץ ואין העני כופה את העשיר לקנות חלקו אא"כ אמר לו קנה ממני או מכור לי והריני לוה וקונה או מוכר לאחרים וקונין הדין עמו אמר כל אחד מהן איני קונה אלא הריני מוכר חלקי מוכרין אותה לאחרים אמר כל אחד מהם איני מוכר אלא כל אחד מהן רוצה שיקנה חלק חבירו או שאין אחד מהן רוצה לא לקנות חלק חבירו ולא למכור חלקו אלא ישארו שותפין בגוף היאך הן עושין אם היה המקום עשוי לשכר משכירין אותו וחולקין שכרו ואם אינו עשוי לשכר אם חצר הוא שוכנין בה שנה שנה שאי אפשר שישכנו שניהם כאחת מפני היזק ראייה שהרי אין בה דין חלוקה ואין אדם עשוי לטרוח כל שלשים יום לפנות מחצר לחצר אלא משנה לשנה ואם מרחץ הוא נכנסין לה שניהם תמיד בכל יום:
וכן כל דבר שראוי להשתמש בו תמיד ואינו עשוי לשכר כגון מרחץ או מצע או ספר תורה אינו יכול לומר לו השתמש אתה יום ואני יום שהרי אומר לו בכל יום אני רוצה להשתמש בו:
3
When one person rents from a colleague a portion of a courtyard or a field that is not large enough to divide or two people rent such a property in partnership, each one can compel his colleague and tell him: "Either rent my portion from me or rent me your portion." If the property is large enough to divide, it should be divided.ג
אחד השוכר מחבירו מקצת חצר או שדה שאין בה דין חלוקה או שנים ששכרו מקום אחד בשותפות כל אחד מהן יכול לכוף את חבירו ולומר לו או שכור ממני חלקי או השכיר לי חלקך ואם יש בה דין חלוקה חולקין:
4
What is meant by a property being large enough to divide? That if it were divided among the partners, even the partner with the smallest share would receive a portion of the property large enough to be referred to by the same name that is used to refer to the entire entity. If, however, the name that is used to refer to the entire entity would not be used for this portion, it is not large enough to divide.
What is implied? Whenever a courtyard does not contain four cubits by four cubits, it cannot be called a courtyard. Whenever a field is not large enough to sow nine kabbim of grain, it is not considered to be a field. Whenever a garden is not large enough to sow a half a kav, it is not considered to be a garden. Whenever an orchard is not large enough to sow three kabbim, it is not considered to be an orchard.
Therefore, a courtyard is not divided among partners unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least four cubits by four cubits. A field is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow nine kabbim. A garden is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow half a kav. And an orchard is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow three kabbim.
Where does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael and lands like it. In Babylonia and lands like it, by contrast each partner must receive a larger measure. A field is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to require a day of plowing. An orchard is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least 36 trees - this is the number that requires one person to tend to them for a day. A field that is watered with a utensil is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough that a workman will spend a day watering it.ד
אי זהו דין חלוקה כל שאילו יחלק לפי השותפין יגיע לפחות שבהם חלק ששם הכל קרוי עליו אבל אם אין שם הכל נקרא על החלק אין בה דין חלוקה כיצד כל חצר שאין בה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אינה קרויה חצר וכל שדה שאין בה כדי זריעת תשעה קבין אינה קרויה שדה וכל גינה שאין בה כדי זריעת חצי קב אינה קרויה גינה וכל פרדס שאין בו כדי זריעת שלשה קבין אינו קרוי פרדס לפיכך אין חולקין את החצר עד שיהיה ארבע אמות לכל אחד ואחד מן השותפין ולא את השדה עד שיהיה בה כדי זריעת תשעה קבין [לכל אחד ואחד] ולא את הגינה עד שיהא בה חצי קב לכל אחד ואחד ולא את הפרדס עד שיהא בו בית שלשה קבין לכל אחד ואחד במה דברים אמורים בארץ ישראל וכיוצא בה אבל בבבל וכיוצא בה אין חולקין את השדה עד שיהיה בה כדי חרישת יום לזה וחרישת יום לזה ולא את הפרדס עד שהיה בו ל"ו אילנות לזה [ול"ו אילנות לזה] כדי עבודת אדם אחד ביום אחד ושדה שמשקין אותה בכלי עד שיהא בה כדי שימלא הפועל יום אחד לזה ויום אחד לזה:
5
One should not divide a hall, a large building, a dovecote, an olive press, a bathhouse or a garment unless each of the recipients will receive a portion sufficient for himself. If one is dividing a bathhouse, each portion must be useful as a bathhouse. If one is dividing a dovecote, each portion must be useful as a dovecote. The same principles apply with regard to a garment or other objects.
If the entity is not large enough to divide, its value is assessed. One can tell one's fellow partner: "Either sell it to me or buy it from me."
If the entity is not large enough to divide, but one partner says to the other: "Let us divide this even though the portions are not equal. I will take the smaller portion and you take the larger portion," we are not required to accept his proposition. For the other partner will tell him: "I do not desire to receive a gift." Instead, since the entity is not large enough for an equal division, we assess its financial value.ה
אין חולקין את הטרקלין ולא את המורן ולא את השובך ולא את בית הבד ולא את המרחץ ולא את הטלית עד שיהא בכל חלק מהן כדי לזה וכדי לזה אם מרחץ חלקו עד שיהא בכל חלק מהן כדי מרחץ ואם שובך עד שיהא כל חלק שובך בפני עצמו וכן בטלית ובשאר כל הדברים אין בהן כדי לזה וכדי לזה מעלין אותו בדמים ויש [לו] לומר לחבירו או מכור לי או קנה ממני אמר אחד מהן חלוק זה אע"פ שאין החלקין שוים אנו אטול את הפחות וטול אתה את היתר אין שומעין לו שהרי אומר לו אין רצוני ליקח מתנה אלא הואיל ואין בה דין חלוקה בשוה הרי אנו מעלין בדמים:
Shechenim - Chapter Two
1
The following laws apply with regard to courtyards in villages where every person builds a house for himself, and thus the courtyard in between the two houses is used jointly by all the members of the two households. Every opening is granted four cubits in front of it for the entire length of the opening. With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if there is enough to provide every partner with four cubits by four cubits, it is divided. If not, it is not divided. For any courtyard that is not four cubits by four cubits cannot be called a courtyard, as we have explained.
What is implied? If there were two partners, one owned two houses in the courtyard and the other owned one. For the one who owns two houses, we grant him four cubits from the courtyard in front of the entire width of the entrances to each of his homes, even if the entrances of each are ten cubits wide. And we give the partner who owns one house four cubits in front of the entire width of the entrance to his home.
With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if it is at least eight cubits by four cubits, so that each one will receive a portion at least four cubits by four cubits in addition to the area in front of the entrances, it is considered large enough to divide, and it should be divided. If it is smaller than this, it is not large enough to divide.א
חצרות הכפרים שכל אחד ואחד בונה לו בית ונמצאת החצר שבין שני הבתים משותפת לכל בני הבתים הרי יש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות לפניו ברוחב כל הפתח והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות לכל שותף ושותף חולקין אותה ואם לאו אין חולקין אותה שכל חצר שאין לה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אינה קרויה חצר כמו שביארנו כיצד היו שני שותפין לזה שני בתים ולזה בית אחד זה שיש לו שני בתים מודדין לו מן החצר ארבע אמות לכל בית ובית על כל רוחב הפתח אפילו היה עשר אמות וזה שיש לו בית אחד נותנין לו ארבע אמות ברוחב פתחו לפני פתחו והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בה שמנה אמות כדי שיהא לזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות ולזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות חוץ מן הפתחים יש בה דין חלוקה וחולקין פחות מזה אין בה דין חלוקה:
2
When a house in a courtyard has many entrances on all sides, it is granted four cubits on every side. If the owner designates one entrance as the entrance to the house, he is granted four cubits only opposite this entrance.ב
בית שיש לו פתחים רבים מכל רוחותיו יש לו ארבע אמות לכל רוח ואם ייחד לו פתח אין לו אלא ארבע אמות כנגד פתחו:
3
When a person can enter an excedra carrying his load, he is not granted these four cubits. If not, he is granted these four cubits. For the sole reason our Sages said that a person is granted four cubits for every entrance is so that he can unload his burden there.ג
אכסדרה אם אפשר לו להכנס לתוכה במשאו אין לה ארבע אמות ואם לאו יש לה ארבע אמות שלא אמרו שיש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות אלא לפרק שם משאו:
4
A person is granted four cubits in front of a guard's room or a porch.
If there are five structures that open up to a porch, and the porch opens up to a courtyard, only four cubits are granted.ד
בית שער או מרפסת יש להם ארבע אמות היו חמשה בתים פתוחים למרפסת והמרפסת פתוחה לחצר אין לה אלא ארבע אמות:
5
A chicken coop is not granted four cubits.ה
לול של תרנגולים אין לו ארבע אמות:
6
When a house has a roof over half of it, but not over the second half, regardless of whether the roofed portion is on the inside or toward the outside, it is not granted four cubits.ו
בית חציו מקורה וחציו שאינו מקורה בין שקרויו כלפי פנים בין שקרויו כלפי חוץ אין לו ארבע אמות:
7
Although the entrance to a house is closed off, the owner is granted four cubits. If, however, the owner destroyed the doorway and closed it entirely, it is not granted four cubits.ז
בית סתום יש לו ארבע אמות פרץ את פצימיו אין לו ארבע אמות:
8
When a house is smaller than four cubits by four cubits, its owner is not granted four cubits in the courtyard.
Thus, the following rule applies if there is a courtyard with two structures, and at least one of them is smaller than this minimal size. If the courtyard contains four cubits for one owner and four cubits for the other, even though this measure reaches the entrance of the structure, the courtyard is divided.
The manure in the courtyard should be divided according to the entrances. The levy of the king for the keep of his legions is divided according to the number of people living in the courtyard.ח
בית שאין בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אין לו ארבע אמות בחצר אלא אם יש בחצר ארבע אמות לזה וארבע אמות לזה עד פתח הבית הזה חולקין והזבל של חצר מתחלק לפי הפתחים אבל אכסניא של מלך לפי בני אדם:
9
When partners desire to divide an entity that is not fit to be divided, they may divide it, although because of their actions it will no longer be called by the same name.
With regard to holy scrolls, by contrast, even though the partners desire, a scroll should not be divided.
When does the above apply? When all the sacred writings are contained in one scroll, but if the sacred writings are contained in two scrolls, they may be divided.ט
השותפין שרצו לחלוק דבר שאין בו דין חלוקה אף על פי שהן מפסידין את שמו חולקין ובכתבי הקדש אף על פי שרצו לא יחלוקו בד"א בכרך אחד אבל בשתי כריכות חולקין:
10
When partners desire to divide a place that is not large enough to be divided, each one has the right to retract until the actual division is made. This applies even when the decision was confirmed with a kinyan, for this is merely a kinyan concerning words, as we have explained.
If, however, the partners made a kinyan, stating that this one desired the portion of the property in one direction, and the other desired the portion of the property in the other direction, they cannot retract. Similarly, if each one went and manifested ownership over his portion, neither can retract, even though they did not confirm their commitment with a kinyan.י
מקום שאין בו דין חלוקה שרצו שותפין לחלקו אע"פשקנו מידם כל אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו שזה קניין דברים הוא כמו שביארנו אבל אם קנו מידם שזה רצה ברוח פלוני וזה רצה ברוח פלוני אינן יכולים לחזור בהם וכן אם הלך זה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו וזה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו אע"פ שלא קנו מידם אין אחד מהם יכול לחזור בחבירו:
11
When brothers divide an estate by lottery, once one of them receives his lot, they all acquire the remainder of the property. The rationale is that with the satisfaction that they receive from the fact that they carried out the agreement that they arranged between themselves, each one concluded the matter and transferred the appropriate share to his fellow.יא
האחין שחלקו ועשו ביניהם גורל כיון שעלה גורל לאחד מהן קנו כולן בהנייה שנעשית להם ששמעו זה מזה לדבר שהסכימו עליו גמר כל אחד מהן ומקנה לחבירו:
12
When brothers divide an estate, they are considered as having purchased their shares from each other. Thus, none of them is entitled to claim from any of the others the right of passage, the right to erect a ladder, the right to maintain a window, or the right to the passage of an irrigation channel. For once they have divided the property, none of them has any right with regard to the property belonging to any of the other brothers.
Therefore, one brother may tell another: "When the field was owned by one person, he would cause this irrigation ditch to pass from one place to another. Now, however, that this field has become my portion, I have the right to close the irrigation ditch." Similarly, he may block off a window that looks over his portion and build next to a ladder, even though it nullifies its usefulness.
The same laws apply when two people buy a field in partnership from one person and then decide to divide the property. Neither has any rights with regard to the portion of his colleague. The owner of either portion may dam the irrigation ditch or block off the windows.יב
האחין שחלקו הרי הן כלקוחות זה מזה ואין להם דרך זה על זה ולא סולמות זה על זה ולא חלונות זה על זה ולא אמת המים זה על זה שכיון שחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהן זכות בחלק חבירו לפיכך יש לומר לאחין כשהיתה השדה כולה לאחד היה מעביר בה אמת המים הזאת ממקום למקום אבל עתה שנעשית זה חלקי יש לי להסיר אמת המים מעלי וכן סותם החלון המשקיף על חלקו ובונה בצד הסולם אף על פי שהוא מבטל תשמישו והוא הדין בשנים שקנו שדה מאחד וחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהם זכות בחלק חבירו ומפסיק אמת המים מחלקו וסותם החלונות:
13
When, by contrast, two people buy a field from two other people, or from two brothers, neither has the right to dam the irrigation ditch or to change any other of the privileges that one of the sellers had established as his own, even though it is damaging to his colleague.יג
אבל שנים שקנו שדה משני אנשים או משני אחין אין לאחד מהן להפסיק אמת המים ולא לשנות דבר מן הנזקים שהחזיקו בהן המוכרין:
14
The following rule applies with regard to a courtyard owned in partnership that is large enough to divide or one that was divided by consent, even though it is not large enough to divide. Each of the partners may compel the other to join in the building of a wall in the middle of the courtyard, so that one will not see the other when using the courtyard.
The rationale is that damage caused by an invasion of privacy is considered to be damage.
Neither partner can claim that it is an established fact that the courtyard has remained without a wall. Instead, even though the courtyard stood many years without a divider, one partner can compel the other to join in the building of a divider whenever he desires.יד
חצר השותפין שיש בה דין חלוקה או שחלקוה ברצונם אע"פ שאין בה חלוקה יש לכל אחד מהן לכוף את חבירו לבנות הכותל באמצע כדי שלא יראהו חבירו בשעה שמשתמש בחלקו שהיזק ראייה היזק הוא ואין לו חזקה בחצר אלא אף על פי שעמדו כך שנים רבות בלא מחיצה כופהו לעשות מחיצה בכל עת שירצה:
15
The space where the wall will be built comes from both partners.
How wide must the partition be? Everything depends on local custom. Even if the local custom is to make a partition from reeds or palm leaves, such a partition is made, provided it does not leave open space for one neighbor to look and see his colleague.טו
רוחב מקום הכותל משל שניהם וכמה יהיה רחבו הכל כמנהג המדינה ואפילו נהגו לעשות מחיצה ביניהם בקנים ובהוצין ובלבד שלא יהיה אויר שיסתכל בו ויראה את חבירו:
16
How high must the wall be? No smaller than four cubits. Similarly, in a garden, a person may compel his neighbor to separate their two gardens with a divider ten handbreadths high. But in a stretch of fields, there is no need to separate one person's stretch of fields from another unless this is the local custom.
If a person desires to make a distinction between his stretch of fields and that belonging to his colleague, he must build the barrier within his own property. Therefore, he should make a sign of approximately a cubit by a cubit of mortar on the outside to indicate that the wall belongs to him. Therefore, if the wall falls, both the land and the stones belong to him.
If the wall is built by the two of them in partnership, they should build a projection on both sides. Therefore, if the wall falls, they both share the space and the stones.טז
כמה גובה הכותל אין פחות מארבע אמות וכן בגינה כופהו להבדיל גינתו מגינת חבירו במחיצה גבוהה עשרה טפחים אבל בבקעה אין צריך להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו אלא במקום שנהגו רצה להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ועושה חזית כמו אמה בסיד מבחוץ כדי להודיע שהכותל שלו לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים שלו ואם עשו מדעת שניהם בונים הכותל באמצע ועושין חזית מכאן ומכאן לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים של שניהן:
17
The following rule applies when a person sells a garden to a colleague without any specifications. If it is attached with other gardens, we compel the purchaser to construct a fence between them. This applies even when the custom is not to erect fences in gardens. If, however, he sells a field without any specifications, we do not require him to erect a fence unless this is the local custom.יז
המוכר גינה לחבירו סתם והיתה מעורבת עם גנות אחרות כופין את הלוקח לבנות את הכותל ביניהם ואפילו במקום שנהגו שלא לגדור בגנות אבל אם מכר בקעה סתם אין מחייבים אותו לגדור אלא במקום שנהגו:
18
In a place where it is customary to use stones that are not hewn to build the walls that divide courtyards or gardens, each of the partners should give three handbreadths. If they use hewn stones, each of the partners should give two and a half handbreadths. If they use broken bricks, each of the partners should give two handbreadths. If they use bricks, each of the partners should give a handbreadth and a half. All these measures include the thickness of the wall and the mortar.
Since the space of the wall belongs equally to both of them, should the wall fall, the space and the stones are shared equally between them. Even if the wall fell into the property of one of them, or one cleared all the stones into his property and claimed that his colleague sold him his portion or gave it to him as a gift, his word is not accepted. Instead, they are considered to belong to both of them unless one of them proves his claim.יח
מקום שנהגו לבנות כותלים המבדילין בחצירות או בגנות באבנים שאינן גזית זה נותן שלשה טפחים וזה נותן שלשה טפחים בגזית זה נותן טפחיים ומחצה וזה נותן טפחיים ומחצה בכפיסין זה נותן טפחיים וזה נותן טפחיים בלבנים זה נותן טפח ומחצה וזה נותן טפח ומחצה וכל השיעורין האלו עובי הכותל עם הסיד והואיל ומקום הכותל משל שניהם אם נפל הכותל הרי המקום והאבנים של שניהם ואפילו נפל לרשות אחד מהן או שפינה אחד מהן את כל האבנים לרשותו וטען שמכר לו חבירו חלקו או נתנו לו במתנה אינו נאמן אלא הרי הן ברשות של שניהם עד שיביא ראיה:
Shechenim - Chapter Three1
When a wall that separates between two partners falls, each of the partners may compel the other to share in its construction until it reaches the height of four cubits, so that they will not see each other. We do not, however, compel a partner to build it any higher than four cubits.
The following rule applies if one of the partners takes the initiative and builds the wall higher than four cubits. If the other colleague comes and builds another wall of his as high as the wall between them, we obligate that partner to pay his share in the additional height that is opposite his wall.
What is implied? One person built a wall between himself and another partner and elevated it to a height of ten cubits. Afterwards, the other partner came and built another wall opposite it or at its side for the sake of making a room, and built that wall six cubits high. We obligate him to pay his share in the two cubits that were added to the minimum of four cubits. For it is obvious that he desired them.
Similarly, if he hewed out a place on the top of the wall between them to place beams or affixed permanently there a large beam on which the others rest, we obligate him to pay his share in the entire six cubits that his colleague added to the minimum of four cubits, although he did not build the entire wall. For he revealed his intent, that he desired the entire height of the wall.א
כותל חצר המבדיל בין שני שותפין שנפל יש לכל אחד משניהם לכוף על חבירו לבנותו עד גובה ד"א כדי שלא יראו זה את זה אבל יתר על ארבע אמות אין מחייבין אותו רצה האחד והגביה הכותל יותר על ארבע אמות אם בא חבירו ובנה כותל אחד גבוה כנגד הכותל שביניהן מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בגובה שכנגד כתלו כיצד בנה אחד כותל שביניהן והגביהו עשר אמות ובא חבירו ובנה כותל אחד כנגדו או בצדו לעשות לו בית והגביה הכותל האחר שש אמות מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בשתי אמות שמוסיף על ארבע אמות שהרי נראה ממעשיו שהוא רוצה בהן וכן אם חקק בראש הכותל שביניהן מקום להניח בו הקורות או שבנה עליו קורה גדולה שהקורות נשענין עליה מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בשש האמות כולן שהוסיף חבירו על הארבע אמות אע"פ שלא בנה כל הכותל שהרי גילה דעתו שהוא רוצה בכל הגובה הזה:
2
The following rule applies when one of the partners builds a wall four cubits high that separates between his property and his colleague's property and demands that his colleague pay his share of the costs. If the other colleague claims to have paid his share, we assume that he paid. He is required to take a sh'vuat hesset that he paid, and he is then under no further obligation unless the plaintiff brings proof that he did not pay.
If, however, one partner demands of the other that he pay his share in the portion of the wall that he added above the minimum four cubits, because he built next to it or opposite it, and that partner claims to have paid, his statements are not believed. Instead, the plaintiff is given the option of taking an oath while holding a sacred article, that the defendant did not pay him. He may then expropriate the money, as is the case with regard to all those who take oaths and collect, unless the defendant brings proof that he paid him.ב
אחד מן השותפין שבנה הכותל שמבדיל בינו ובין חבירו עד ארבע אמות ותבע חבירו ליתן חלקו בהוצאה ואמר נתתי חלקי ה"ז בחזקת שנתן ונשבע היסת שנתן ונפטר עד שיביא ראיה התובע שלא נתן אבל אם בא לתבוע אותו ליתן חלקו בהוצאת שאר הגובה שהוסיף על ארבע אמות מפני שסמך לו או כנגדו ואמר נתתי אינו נאמן אלא חבירו נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שלא נתן לו ונוטל ממנו כדין כל הנשבעין ונוטלין עד שיביא ראיה זה שנתן לו:
3
The following rules apply when a person owns one ruin in the midst of several ruins belonging to a colleague. Although the colleague builds a divider on one side of the owner's ruin, and then on a second side, and then on a third side, and thus the ruin is enclosed from three sides, we do not obligate the owner to pay any of the costs. For the construction is of no benefit to him, since his ruin is still open to the public domain as it was before.
Therefore, if the builder also encloses the fourth side for him, and thus the owner's ruin is totally enclosed by a partition, we require him to pay his share in the entire amount. He must pay half the costs that his colleague undertook in building the divider four cubits high around all four sides. This applies provided the place of the wall belongs to both of them.ג
מי שהיה לו חורבה בין חורבות חבירו ועמד חבירו וגדר רוח ראשונה ושנייה ושלישית עד שנמצאת חורבה זו משלש רוחותיה גדורה אין מחייבין אותו ליתן לו ההוצאה כלום שהרי לא הועיל לו והרי חורבתו פתוחה לר"ה כשהיתה לפיכך אם גדר לו רוח רביעית עד שנמצאת חורבתו מוקפת גדר מגלגלין עליו את הכל ונותן חצי ההוצאה שהוציא זה בארבע רוחות עד ארבע אמות ובלבד שיהיה מקום הכותל של שניהם:
4
If, however, the builder constructs the wall on his own property, it appears to me that the owner is charged only a small amount, as the judges see fit, because he does not have the right to use the walls.
If the person whose property was enclosed himself encloses the fourth side, he has revealed his consent and he must pay half the cost of the other three sides if the wall belongs to both of them. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.ד
אבל אם היה הכותל של זה שבנה ובחלקו בנה יראה לי שאין מגלגלין עליו אלא דבר מועט כמו שיראו הדיינין שהרי אינו יכול להשתמש בכתלים וכן אם הניקף עצמו הוא שגדר רוח רביעית הרי גילה דעתו ונותן חצי ההוצאה של שלש רוחות אם היה הכותלים של שניהם וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
5
Principles similar to those that govern walls dividing courtyards apply to the construction of guard rails on roofs. If there are two houses situated next to each other, and their roofs are fit for use, one owner should make a guard rail for the half of the roof where he dwells, and the other should make a guard rail for the half of the roof where he dwells. They should extend the partitions beyond the midpoint, so that they will not see each other.
This applies even if the houses are built on two sides of the public domain. Although the people from the public domain can see the person on his roof, each one can tell his colleague: "The people in the public domain see me only during the day, when I stand on my roof. You, by contrast, see me at all times."ה
וכן שני בתים זה בצד זה והיו גניהן עשויין לדירה אפילו היו בשני צדי רשות הרבים זה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו שהוא דר בו וזה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו וזה שלא כנגד זה ומעדיף כדי שלא יראו זה את זה ואף על פי שבני ר"ה רואין אותו יכול כל אחד לומר לחבירו אלו אין רואין אותי אלא ביום בעת שאעמוד על גגי ואתה רואה אותי תמיד:
6
When a person's roof is close to a courtyard belonging to a neighbor, he should build a guard rail four cubits high.
Between one roof and another, however, four cubits are not necessary. For people do not live on the roofs, and there is no concept of invasion of privacy. One must, nevertheless, make a divider ten handbreadths high between one roof and another to make a distinction, so that if one enters the other's property, it will be obvious that he is like a thiefו
גג הסמוך לחצר חבירו עושה לו מעקה גבוה ארבע אמות אבל בין גג לגג משאר הגגין אינו זקוק לארבע אמות שאין בני אדם דרין בגגות לפיכך אין בגגות היזק ראייה אבל צריך לעשות מחיצה בין שני הגגין גבוהה עשרה טפחים כדי שיתפוס אותו כגנב אם נכנס לרשותו:
7
When there are two courtyards, and one is situated above the other, the owner of the upper courtyard may not say: "I will build from my level and higher." Instead, both of them must share in the building from below upward, and the owner of the upper courtyard must build from his level and higher alone.
If a person's courtyard was higher than the roof belonging to a colleague, the owner of the higher property need not be concerned with the lower property at all.ז
שתי חצרות זו למעלה מזו לא יאמר העליון הריני בונה מכנגדי ועולה אלא בונים שניהם מלמטה ועולה ובונה העליון לבדו מכנגדו ומעלה ואם היתה חצרו למעלה מגגו של חבירו אין העליון זקוק לתחתון כלל:
8
When a wall belonging to a person that was located next to a garden belonging to a colleague falls, we compel the owner of the wall to remove his stones. If the owner of the wall tells the owner of the garden: "See, it came to you; they are yours," we do not heed him.
If, however, the owner of the garden desired the stones and agreed, saying "yes, " when he removes them, he acquires them. The owner of the wall may not retract. Even if he tells the owner of the garden: "Here is the money for your costs; let me take my stones, " we do not heed him. If, however, the owner of the garden did not remove the stones, he does not acquire them. We assume that the owner of the wall made the statement only to procrastinate.ח
מי שהיה כותלו סמוך לגינת חבירו ונפל כופין אותו לפנות אבניו אמר לו הגיעוך והרי הן שלך אין שומעין לו ואם רצה בהן בעל הגינה ואמר לו הן אם פינה אותם קנה ואינו יכול לחזור בו ואפילו אמר הילך יציאותיך ואטול אבני אין שומעין לו אבל אם לא פינה לא קנה שלא אמר לו אלא לדחותו:
9
The following laws apply when there are five gardens that derive water from one spring, and the spring becomes impaired. All the owners of the gardens must share in the repairs made by the owner of the first garden.Thus the owner of the lowest garden must share in the repairs undertaken by all the others, but must make any repairs necessary in his own domain by himself. The owner of the first garden, by contrast, does not share in the repairs of the second, nor in any of those that are below him.
Similar laws apply when the inhabitants of five courtyards pour water into one drain, and the drain becomes damaged. All the inhabitants of the courtyards share in the repairs of the lower one. Thus, the inhabitants of the highest courtyard must share in the repairs undertaken by all the others, but must make any repairs necessary in his own domain by himself. The inhabitants of the lowest courtyard, by contrast, do not share in the repairs of the second, nor in any of those that are above it.ט
חמש גנות המספקות מים ממעיין אחד ונתקלקל המעיין כולן מתקנות עם העליונה נמצאת התחתונה מתקנת עם כולן ומתקנת לעצמה והראשונה אינה מתקנת עם השניה ולא מהשניה ולמטה וכן חמש חצרות ששופכין מים לביב אחד ונתקלקל הביב כולן מתקנות עם התחתונה נמצאת העליונה מתקנת עם כולן ומתקנת לעצמה והתחתונה אינה מתקנת עם השניה ולא משניה ולמעלה:
10
with properties adjacent to a river irrigate their fields with water from the river should do so in the sequence in which their properties are situated.
one of the owners desired to dam up the river so that the water would flow through his property first, and only afterwards would he open it, and another owner wants the river to remain open so that his property will be irrigated first, whoever overcomes the other prevails.
a cistern is close to an irrigation ditch, it can be filled first as an expression of "the ways of peace."י
הנהר משקין על הסדר רצה אחד מהן לסכור כדי שיחזור לו המים וישקה תחלה ואח"כ יפתח ואחר רוצה להשקות תחלה כל המתגבר זכה ובור הקרוב לאמה מתמלא ראשון מפני דרכי שלום:
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassShechenim - Chapter One
Introduction to Hilchos ShechenimThe purpose of the these laws is to know the proper way to divide land among partners, how one should remove factors that may cause danger to one's neighbor and those upon whom one's property borders, and the laws concerning the privileges granted to a person upon whose land one's property borders. These laws are explained in the chapters that follow.
הלכות שכנים - הקדמה
הלכות שכנים ענין אלו ההלכות לידע דין חלוק הקרקעות בין השותפין והרחקת נזק כל אחד מהם משכנו ומבעל המצר שלו ודין בעל המצר וביאור כל הדינין האלו בפרקים אלו:
1
The following rules apply when a person purchases half of a field from a colleague, two people together purchase a field from a colleague, they both inherited a field,a field was given them as a gift, or they took possession of ownerless land or property belonging to a convert who died without leaving Jewish heirs - i.e., any situation in which two people own land in partnership.
If one of the partners asks to divide the property and take his portion alone, and the property is large enough to be divided, we compel the other partners to divide the property with him. If the property is not large enough to be divided, neither partner can require the other one to divide the property. Similar laws apply with regard to movable property.
When does the above apply? When neither of the parties recognizes a specific portion of the property they share as his own, but rather both use the entire property equally. If, however, one of the partners recognizes a portion of the property as his own, each one has the right to compel the other partner to make a divider between his portion and his colleague's portion, although the property is not large enough to be divided.א
אחד הקונה מחבירו חצי שדהו או שנים שקנו מאחד שדה או שירשו או שנתנה להן במתנה או שהחזיקו בה מן ההפקר או נכסי גר כללו של דבר כל שיש ביניהם שותפות בקרקע וביקש אחד מן השותפין לחלק וליטול חלקו לבדו אם יש באותה קרקע דין חלוקה כופה את שאר השותפין וחולקין עמו ואם אין בה דין חלוקה אין אחד מהן יכול לכוף את חבירו לחלוק וכן הדין במטלטלין בד"א בשאין אחד מהן מכיר את חלקו במקום שהן שותפין בו אלא יד כולן משתמש בכל המקום אבל אם היה אחד מהן מכיר חלקו אף על פי שאין בה דין חלוקה כופה כל אחד מהן את חבירו להבדיל בין חלקו לחלק חבירו:
2
In a situation where the property is not large enough to be divided or with regard to an entity that cannot be divided - e.g., a maidservant or a utensil - if one of the partners tells the other: "Sell me your portion for this and this much, or buy my portion for the same price," his request is supported by the law. We compel the other partner either to sell his share to his colleague or to purchase his colleague's share from him.
If, however, the other partner does not desire to purchase his partner's share or does not have the means to do so, he cannot compel his colleague to purchase his share from him even at the low market price. For his colleague may tell him: "I do not want to buy; I want to sell."
Therefore, the following laws apply if two brothers, one rich and one poor, inherited from their father a bathhouse or an olive press. If the father made these premises for the purpose of hire, the two share the rental equally for as long as they desire to remain partners.
If the father made these structures for his personal use, the poor brother cannot force the rich brother to hire them out. Instead, they should use them as their father used them. The rich brother can tell the poor brother: "Purchase olives and crush them in the olive press; purchase servants and have them come and wash in the bathhouse."
The poor brother cannot compel the rich brother to purchase his portion unless the poor brother tells him: "Purchase my portion from me or sell me your portion. For I will borrow from others and purchase it or sell it to others, and they will purchase it." If he makes such statements, his claim is supported by law.
If each of the brothers says: "I don't want to purchase your portion; I want to sell my portion," the property should be sold to others.
The following rules apply if both of them say: "I will not sell," but instead each of them wishes to purchase his colleague's portion, or neither of them desires to purchase his colleague's portion, nor to sell his own portion, but instead to remain partners in the property.
What should they do? If the place was fit to rent, they should hire it out and divide the rent. If the place was not fit to rent they should alternate. If the property is a courtyard, they should dwell in it, each for a year at a time. The rationale for this ruling is that it is impossible for them to dwell in it together, because of the lack of privacy, and it is not large enough to divide. A more frequent rotation is not employed, because a person would not trouble himself to move from one courtyard to another every 30 days. Hence, the rotation is carried out from year to year.
If the shared property is a bathhouse, both of them are allowed to enter at all times during the day. The same principle applies to any object that is fit to be used at all times and is not usually hired out - e.g., a bathhouse, a mattress or a Torah scroll. One cannot tell the other: "You use it one day, and I will use it the next day." For the other can claim: "I want to use it every day."ב
אחד מן השותפין שאמר לחבירו במקום שאין בו דין חלוקה או בדבר שאי אפשר שיחלקו כגון שפחה או כלי מכור לי חלקך בכך וכך או קנה ממני כשער הזה הדין עמו וכופין את הנתבע למכור לחבירו או לקנות ממנו אבל אם אין התובע רוצה לקנות או לא ימצא במה יקנה אינו יכול לכוף את חבירו לקנות ממנו אפילו כשער הזול שהרי חבירו יכול לומר לו אין רצוני שאקנה אלא שאמכור לפיכך שני אחין אחד עני ואחד עשיר שהניח להם אביהם מרחץ או בית הבד אם עשאן האב לשכר השכר לאמצע כל זמן שירצו לעמוד בשותפות עשאן האב לעצמו אינו יכול לכוף אחיו להשכיר אותם אלא משתמשין בהם כדרך שהשתמש אביהם והרי עשיר אומר לעני קח לך זיתים ובוא ועשה אותם בבית הבד קנה לך עבדים ויבאו וירחצו במרחץ ואין העני כופה את העשיר לקנות חלקו אא"כ אמר לו קנה ממני או מכור לי והריני לוה וקונה או מוכר לאחרים וקונין הדין עמו אמר כל אחד מהן איני קונה אלא הריני מוכר חלקי מוכרין אותה לאחרים אמר כל אחד מהם איני מוכר אלא כל אחד מהן רוצה שיקנה חלק חבירו או שאין אחד מהן רוצה לא לקנות חלק חבירו ולא למכור חלקו אלא ישארו שותפין בגוף היאך הן עושין אם היה המקום עשוי לשכר משכירין אותו וחולקין שכרו ואם אינו עשוי לשכר אם חצר הוא שוכנין בה שנה שנה שאי אפשר שישכנו שניהם כאחת מפני היזק ראייה שהרי אין בה דין חלוקה ואין אדם עשוי לטרוח כל שלשים יום לפנות מחצר לחצר אלא משנה לשנה ואם מרחץ הוא נכנסין לה שניהם תמיד בכל יום:
וכן כל דבר שראוי להשתמש בו תמיד ואינו עשוי לשכר כגון מרחץ או מצע או ספר תורה אינו יכול לומר לו השתמש אתה יום ואני יום שהרי אומר לו בכל יום אני רוצה להשתמש בו:
3
When one person rents from a colleague a portion of a courtyard or a field that is not large enough to divide or two people rent such a property in partnership, each one can compel his colleague and tell him: "Either rent my portion from me or rent me your portion." If the property is large enough to divide, it should be divided.ג
אחד השוכר מחבירו מקצת חצר או שדה שאין בה דין חלוקה או שנים ששכרו מקום אחד בשותפות כל אחד מהן יכול לכוף את חבירו ולומר לו או שכור ממני חלקי או השכיר לי חלקך ואם יש בה דין חלוקה חולקין:
4
What is meant by a property being large enough to divide? That if it were divided among the partners, even the partner with the smallest share would receive a portion of the property large enough to be referred to by the same name that is used to refer to the entire entity. If, however, the name that is used to refer to the entire entity would not be used for this portion, it is not large enough to divide.
What is implied? Whenever a courtyard does not contain four cubits by four cubits, it cannot be called a courtyard. Whenever a field is not large enough to sow nine kabbim of grain, it is not considered to be a field. Whenever a garden is not large enough to sow a half a kav, it is not considered to be a garden. Whenever an orchard is not large enough to sow three kabbim, it is not considered to be an orchard.
Therefore, a courtyard is not divided among partners unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least four cubits by four cubits. A field is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow nine kabbim. A garden is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow half a kav. And an orchard is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to sow three kabbim.
Where does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael and lands like it. In Babylonia and lands like it, by contrast each partner must receive a larger measure. A field is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough to require a day of plowing. An orchard is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least 36 trees - this is the number that requires one person to tend to them for a day. A field that is watered with a utensil is not divided unless it is large enough for each of the partners to receive at least enough that a workman will spend a day watering it.ד
אי זהו דין חלוקה כל שאילו יחלק לפי השותפין יגיע לפחות שבהם חלק ששם הכל קרוי עליו אבל אם אין שם הכל נקרא על החלק אין בה דין חלוקה כיצד כל חצר שאין בה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אינה קרויה חצר וכל שדה שאין בה כדי זריעת תשעה קבין אינה קרויה שדה וכל גינה שאין בה כדי זריעת חצי קב אינה קרויה גינה וכל פרדס שאין בו כדי זריעת שלשה קבין אינו קרוי פרדס לפיכך אין חולקין את החצר עד שיהיה ארבע אמות לכל אחד ואחד מן השותפין ולא את השדה עד שיהיה בה כדי זריעת תשעה קבין [לכל אחד ואחד] ולא את הגינה עד שיהא בה חצי קב לכל אחד ואחד ולא את הפרדס עד שיהא בו בית שלשה קבין לכל אחד ואחד במה דברים אמורים בארץ ישראל וכיוצא בה אבל בבבל וכיוצא בה אין חולקין את השדה עד שיהיה בה כדי חרישת יום לזה וחרישת יום לזה ולא את הפרדס עד שהיה בו ל"ו אילנות לזה [ול"ו אילנות לזה] כדי עבודת אדם אחד ביום אחד ושדה שמשקין אותה בכלי עד שיהא בה כדי שימלא הפועל יום אחד לזה ויום אחד לזה:
5
One should not divide a hall, a large building, a dovecote, an olive press, a bathhouse or a garment unless each of the recipients will receive a portion sufficient for himself. If one is dividing a bathhouse, each portion must be useful as a bathhouse. If one is dividing a dovecote, each portion must be useful as a dovecote. The same principles apply with regard to a garment or other objects.
If the entity is not large enough to divide, its value is assessed. One can tell one's fellow partner: "Either sell it to me or buy it from me."
If the entity is not large enough to divide, but one partner says to the other: "Let us divide this even though the portions are not equal. I will take the smaller portion and you take the larger portion," we are not required to accept his proposition. For the other partner will tell him: "I do not desire to receive a gift." Instead, since the entity is not large enough for an equal division, we assess its financial value.ה
אין חולקין את הטרקלין ולא את המורן ולא את השובך ולא את בית הבד ולא את המרחץ ולא את הטלית עד שיהא בכל חלק מהן כדי לזה וכדי לזה אם מרחץ חלקו עד שיהא בכל חלק מהן כדי מרחץ ואם שובך עד שיהא כל חלק שובך בפני עצמו וכן בטלית ובשאר כל הדברים אין בהן כדי לזה וכדי לזה מעלין אותו בדמים ויש [לו] לומר לחבירו או מכור לי או קנה ממני אמר אחד מהן חלוק זה אע"פ שאין החלקין שוים אנו אטול את הפחות וטול אתה את היתר אין שומעין לו שהרי אומר לו אין רצוני ליקח מתנה אלא הואיל ואין בה דין חלוקה בשוה הרי אנו מעלין בדמים:
Shechenim - Chapter Two
1
The following laws apply with regard to courtyards in villages where every person builds a house for himself, and thus the courtyard in between the two houses is used jointly by all the members of the two households. Every opening is granted four cubits in front of it for the entire length of the opening. With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if there is enough to provide every partner with four cubits by four cubits, it is divided. If not, it is not divided. For any courtyard that is not four cubits by four cubits cannot be called a courtyard, as we have explained.
What is implied? If there were two partners, one owned two houses in the courtyard and the other owned one. For the one who owns two houses, we grant him four cubits from the courtyard in front of the entire width of the entrances to each of his homes, even if the entrances of each are ten cubits wide. And we give the partner who owns one house four cubits in front of the entire width of the entrance to his home.
With regard to the remainder of the courtyard, if it is at least eight cubits by four cubits, so that each one will receive a portion at least four cubits by four cubits in addition to the area in front of the entrances, it is considered large enough to divide, and it should be divided. If it is smaller than this, it is not large enough to divide.א
חצרות הכפרים שכל אחד ואחד בונה לו בית ונמצאת החצר שבין שני הבתים משותפת לכל בני הבתים הרי יש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות לפניו ברוחב כל הפתח והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות לכל שותף ושותף חולקין אותה ואם לאו אין חולקין אותה שכל חצר שאין לה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אינה קרויה חצר כמו שביארנו כיצד היו שני שותפין לזה שני בתים ולזה בית אחד זה שיש לו שני בתים מודדין לו מן החצר ארבע אמות לכל בית ובית על כל רוחב הפתח אפילו היה עשר אמות וזה שיש לו בית אחד נותנין לו ארבע אמות ברוחב פתחו לפני פתחו והנשאר מן החצר אם יש בה שמנה אמות כדי שיהא לזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות ולזה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות חוץ מן הפתחים יש בה דין חלוקה וחולקין פחות מזה אין בה דין חלוקה:
2
When a house in a courtyard has many entrances on all sides, it is granted four cubits on every side. If the owner designates one entrance as the entrance to the house, he is granted four cubits only opposite this entrance.ב
בית שיש לו פתחים רבים מכל רוחותיו יש לו ארבע אמות לכל רוח ואם ייחד לו פתח אין לו אלא ארבע אמות כנגד פתחו:
3
When a person can enter an excedra carrying his load, he is not granted these four cubits. If not, he is granted these four cubits. For the sole reason our Sages said that a person is granted four cubits for every entrance is so that he can unload his burden there.ג
אכסדרה אם אפשר לו להכנס לתוכה במשאו אין לה ארבע אמות ואם לאו יש לה ארבע אמות שלא אמרו שיש לכל פתח ופתח ארבע אמות אלא לפרק שם משאו:
4
A person is granted four cubits in front of a guard's room or a porch.
If there are five structures that open up to a porch, and the porch opens up to a courtyard, only four cubits are granted.ד
בית שער או מרפסת יש להם ארבע אמות היו חמשה בתים פתוחים למרפסת והמרפסת פתוחה לחצר אין לה אלא ארבע אמות:
5
A chicken coop is not granted four cubits.ה
לול של תרנגולים אין לו ארבע אמות:
6
When a house has a roof over half of it, but not over the second half, regardless of whether the roofed portion is on the inside or toward the outside, it is not granted four cubits.ו
בית חציו מקורה וחציו שאינו מקורה בין שקרויו כלפי פנים בין שקרויו כלפי חוץ אין לו ארבע אמות:
7
Although the entrance to a house is closed off, the owner is granted four cubits. If, however, the owner destroyed the doorway and closed it entirely, it is not granted four cubits.ז
בית סתום יש לו ארבע אמות פרץ את פצימיו אין לו ארבע אמות:
8
When a house is smaller than four cubits by four cubits, its owner is not granted four cubits in the courtyard.
Thus, the following rule applies if there is a courtyard with two structures, and at least one of them is smaller than this minimal size. If the courtyard contains four cubits for one owner and four cubits for the other, even though this measure reaches the entrance of the structure, the courtyard is divided.
The manure in the courtyard should be divided according to the entrances. The levy of the king for the keep of his legions is divided according to the number of people living in the courtyard.ח
בית שאין בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות אין לו ארבע אמות בחצר אלא אם יש בחצר ארבע אמות לזה וארבע אמות לזה עד פתח הבית הזה חולקין והזבל של חצר מתחלק לפי הפתחים אבל אכסניא של מלך לפי בני אדם:
9
When partners desire to divide an entity that is not fit to be divided, they may divide it, although because of their actions it will no longer be called by the same name.
With regard to holy scrolls, by contrast, even though the partners desire, a scroll should not be divided.
When does the above apply? When all the sacred writings are contained in one scroll, but if the sacred writings are contained in two scrolls, they may be divided.ט
השותפין שרצו לחלוק דבר שאין בו דין חלוקה אף על פי שהן מפסידין את שמו חולקין ובכתבי הקדש אף על פי שרצו לא יחלוקו בד"א בכרך אחד אבל בשתי כריכות חולקין:
10
When partners desire to divide a place that is not large enough to be divided, each one has the right to retract until the actual division is made. This applies even when the decision was confirmed with a kinyan, for this is merely a kinyan concerning words, as we have explained.
If, however, the partners made a kinyan, stating that this one desired the portion of the property in one direction, and the other desired the portion of the property in the other direction, they cannot retract. Similarly, if each one went and manifested ownership over his portion, neither can retract, even though they did not confirm their commitment with a kinyan.י
מקום שאין בו דין חלוקה שרצו שותפין לחלקו אע"פשקנו מידם כל אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו שזה קניין דברים הוא כמו שביארנו אבל אם קנו מידם שזה רצה ברוח פלוני וזה רצה ברוח פלוני אינן יכולים לחזור בהם וכן אם הלך זה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו וזה בעצמו והחזיק בחלקו אע"פ שלא קנו מידם אין אחד מהם יכול לחזור בחבירו:
11
When brothers divide an estate by lottery, once one of them receives his lot, they all acquire the remainder of the property. The rationale is that with the satisfaction that they receive from the fact that they carried out the agreement that they arranged between themselves, each one concluded the matter and transferred the appropriate share to his fellow.יא
האחין שחלקו ועשו ביניהם גורל כיון שעלה גורל לאחד מהן קנו כולן בהנייה שנעשית להם ששמעו זה מזה לדבר שהסכימו עליו גמר כל אחד מהן ומקנה לחבירו:
12
When brothers divide an estate, they are considered as having purchased their shares from each other. Thus, none of them is entitled to claim from any of the others the right of passage, the right to erect a ladder, the right to maintain a window, or the right to the passage of an irrigation channel. For once they have divided the property, none of them has any right with regard to the property belonging to any of the other brothers.
Therefore, one brother may tell another: "When the field was owned by one person, he would cause this irrigation ditch to pass from one place to another. Now, however, that this field has become my portion, I have the right to close the irrigation ditch." Similarly, he may block off a window that looks over his portion and build next to a ladder, even though it nullifies its usefulness.
The same laws apply when two people buy a field in partnership from one person and then decide to divide the property. Neither has any rights with regard to the portion of his colleague. The owner of either portion may dam the irrigation ditch or block off the windows.יב
האחין שחלקו הרי הן כלקוחות זה מזה ואין להם דרך זה על זה ולא סולמות זה על זה ולא חלונות זה על זה ולא אמת המים זה על זה שכיון שחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהן זכות בחלק חבירו לפיכך יש לומר לאחין כשהיתה השדה כולה לאחד היה מעביר בה אמת המים הזאת ממקום למקום אבל עתה שנעשית זה חלקי יש לי להסיר אמת המים מעלי וכן סותם החלון המשקיף על חלקו ובונה בצד הסולם אף על פי שהוא מבטל תשמישו והוא הדין בשנים שקנו שדה מאחד וחלקו לא נשאר לאחד מהם זכות בחלק חבירו ומפסיק אמת המים מחלקו וסותם החלונות:
13
When, by contrast, two people buy a field from two other people, or from two brothers, neither has the right to dam the irrigation ditch or to change any other of the privileges that one of the sellers had established as his own, even though it is damaging to his colleague.יג
אבל שנים שקנו שדה משני אנשים או משני אחין אין לאחד מהן להפסיק אמת המים ולא לשנות דבר מן הנזקים שהחזיקו בהן המוכרין:
14
The following rule applies with regard to a courtyard owned in partnership that is large enough to divide or one that was divided by consent, even though it is not large enough to divide. Each of the partners may compel the other to join in the building of a wall in the middle of the courtyard, so that one will not see the other when using the courtyard.
The rationale is that damage caused by an invasion of privacy is considered to be damage.
Neither partner can claim that it is an established fact that the courtyard has remained without a wall. Instead, even though the courtyard stood many years without a divider, one partner can compel the other to join in the building of a divider whenever he desires.יד
חצר השותפין שיש בה דין חלוקה או שחלקוה ברצונם אע"פ שאין בה חלוקה יש לכל אחד מהן לכוף את חבירו לבנות הכותל באמצע כדי שלא יראהו חבירו בשעה שמשתמש בחלקו שהיזק ראייה היזק הוא ואין לו חזקה בחצר אלא אף על פי שעמדו כך שנים רבות בלא מחיצה כופהו לעשות מחיצה בכל עת שירצה:
15
The space where the wall will be built comes from both partners.
How wide must the partition be? Everything depends on local custom. Even if the local custom is to make a partition from reeds or palm leaves, such a partition is made, provided it does not leave open space for one neighbor to look and see his colleague.טו
רוחב מקום הכותל משל שניהם וכמה יהיה רחבו הכל כמנהג המדינה ואפילו נהגו לעשות מחיצה ביניהם בקנים ובהוצין ובלבד שלא יהיה אויר שיסתכל בו ויראה את חבירו:
16
How high must the wall be? No smaller than four cubits. Similarly, in a garden, a person may compel his neighbor to separate their two gardens with a divider ten handbreadths high. But in a stretch of fields, there is no need to separate one person's stretch of fields from another unless this is the local custom.
If a person desires to make a distinction between his stretch of fields and that belonging to his colleague, he must build the barrier within his own property. Therefore, he should make a sign of approximately a cubit by a cubit of mortar on the outside to indicate that the wall belongs to him. Therefore, if the wall falls, both the land and the stones belong to him.
If the wall is built by the two of them in partnership, they should build a projection on both sides. Therefore, if the wall falls, they both share the space and the stones.טז
כמה גובה הכותל אין פחות מארבע אמות וכן בגינה כופהו להבדיל גינתו מגינת חבירו במחיצה גבוהה עשרה טפחים אבל בבקעה אין צריך להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו אלא במקום שנהגו רצה להבדיל בקעתו מבקעת חבירו כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ועושה חזית כמו אמה בסיד מבחוץ כדי להודיע שהכותל שלו לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים שלו ואם עשו מדעת שניהם בונים הכותל באמצע ועושין חזית מכאן ומכאן לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים של שניהן:
17
The following rule applies when a person sells a garden to a colleague without any specifications. If it is attached with other gardens, we compel the purchaser to construct a fence between them. This applies even when the custom is not to erect fences in gardens. If, however, he sells a field without any specifications, we do not require him to erect a fence unless this is the local custom.יז
המוכר גינה לחבירו סתם והיתה מעורבת עם גנות אחרות כופין את הלוקח לבנות את הכותל ביניהם ואפילו במקום שנהגו שלא לגדור בגנות אבל אם מכר בקעה סתם אין מחייבים אותו לגדור אלא במקום שנהגו:
18
In a place where it is customary to use stones that are not hewn to build the walls that divide courtyards or gardens, each of the partners should give three handbreadths. If they use hewn stones, each of the partners should give two and a half handbreadths. If they use broken bricks, each of the partners should give two handbreadths. If they use bricks, each of the partners should give a handbreadth and a half. All these measures include the thickness of the wall and the mortar.
Since the space of the wall belongs equally to both of them, should the wall fall, the space and the stones are shared equally between them. Even if the wall fell into the property of one of them, or one cleared all the stones into his property and claimed that his colleague sold him his portion or gave it to him as a gift, his word is not accepted. Instead, they are considered to belong to both of them unless one of them proves his claim.יח
מקום שנהגו לבנות כותלים המבדילין בחצירות או בגנות באבנים שאינן גזית זה נותן שלשה טפחים וזה נותן שלשה טפחים בגזית זה נותן טפחיים ומחצה וזה נותן טפחיים ומחצה בכפיסין זה נותן טפחיים וזה נותן טפחיים בלבנים זה נותן טפח ומחצה וזה נותן טפח ומחצה וכל השיעורין האלו עובי הכותל עם הסיד והואיל ומקום הכותל משל שניהם אם נפל הכותל הרי המקום והאבנים של שניהם ואפילו נפל לרשות אחד מהן או שפינה אחד מהן את כל האבנים לרשותו וטען שמכר לו חבירו חלקו או נתנו לו במתנה אינו נאמן אלא הרי הן ברשות של שניהם עד שיביא ראיה:
Shechenim - Chapter Three1
When a wall that separates between two partners falls, each of the partners may compel the other to share in its construction until it reaches the height of four cubits, so that they will not see each other. We do not, however, compel a partner to build it any higher than four cubits.
The following rule applies if one of the partners takes the initiative and builds the wall higher than four cubits. If the other colleague comes and builds another wall of his as high as the wall between them, we obligate that partner to pay his share in the additional height that is opposite his wall.
What is implied? One person built a wall between himself and another partner and elevated it to a height of ten cubits. Afterwards, the other partner came and built another wall opposite it or at its side for the sake of making a room, and built that wall six cubits high. We obligate him to pay his share in the two cubits that were added to the minimum of four cubits. For it is obvious that he desired them.
Similarly, if he hewed out a place on the top of the wall between them to place beams or affixed permanently there a large beam on which the others rest, we obligate him to pay his share in the entire six cubits that his colleague added to the minimum of four cubits, although he did not build the entire wall. For he revealed his intent, that he desired the entire height of the wall.א
כותל חצר המבדיל בין שני שותפין שנפל יש לכל אחד משניהם לכוף על חבירו לבנותו עד גובה ד"א כדי שלא יראו זה את זה אבל יתר על ארבע אמות אין מחייבין אותו רצה האחד והגביה הכותל יותר על ארבע אמות אם בא חבירו ובנה כותל אחד גבוה כנגד הכותל שביניהן מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בגובה שכנגד כתלו כיצד בנה אחד כותל שביניהן והגביהו עשר אמות ובא חבירו ובנה כותל אחד כנגדו או בצדו לעשות לו בית והגביה הכותל האחר שש אמות מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בשתי אמות שמוסיף על ארבע אמות שהרי נראה ממעשיו שהוא רוצה בהן וכן אם חקק בראש הכותל שביניהן מקום להניח בו הקורות או שבנה עליו קורה גדולה שהקורות נשענין עליה מחייבין אותו ליתן חלקו בשש האמות כולן שהוסיף חבירו על הארבע אמות אע"פ שלא בנה כל הכותל שהרי גילה דעתו שהוא רוצה בכל הגובה הזה:
2
The following rule applies when one of the partners builds a wall four cubits high that separates between his property and his colleague's property and demands that his colleague pay his share of the costs. If the other colleague claims to have paid his share, we assume that he paid. He is required to take a sh'vuat hesset that he paid, and he is then under no further obligation unless the plaintiff brings proof that he did not pay.
If, however, one partner demands of the other that he pay his share in the portion of the wall that he added above the minimum four cubits, because he built next to it or opposite it, and that partner claims to have paid, his statements are not believed. Instead, the plaintiff is given the option of taking an oath while holding a sacred article, that the defendant did not pay him. He may then expropriate the money, as is the case with regard to all those who take oaths and collect, unless the defendant brings proof that he paid him.ב
אחד מן השותפין שבנה הכותל שמבדיל בינו ובין חבירו עד ארבע אמות ותבע חבירו ליתן חלקו בהוצאה ואמר נתתי חלקי ה"ז בחזקת שנתן ונשבע היסת שנתן ונפטר עד שיביא ראיה התובע שלא נתן אבל אם בא לתבוע אותו ליתן חלקו בהוצאת שאר הגובה שהוסיף על ארבע אמות מפני שסמך לו או כנגדו ואמר נתתי אינו נאמן אלא חבירו נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שלא נתן לו ונוטל ממנו כדין כל הנשבעין ונוטלין עד שיביא ראיה זה שנתן לו:
3
The following rules apply when a person owns one ruin in the midst of several ruins belonging to a colleague. Although the colleague builds a divider on one side of the owner's ruin, and then on a second side, and then on a third side, and thus the ruin is enclosed from three sides, we do not obligate the owner to pay any of the costs. For the construction is of no benefit to him, since his ruin is still open to the public domain as it was before.
Therefore, if the builder also encloses the fourth side for him, and thus the owner's ruin is totally enclosed by a partition, we require him to pay his share in the entire amount. He must pay half the costs that his colleague undertook in building the divider four cubits high around all four sides. This applies provided the place of the wall belongs to both of them.ג
מי שהיה לו חורבה בין חורבות חבירו ועמד חבירו וגדר רוח ראשונה ושנייה ושלישית עד שנמצאת חורבה זו משלש רוחותיה גדורה אין מחייבין אותו ליתן לו ההוצאה כלום שהרי לא הועיל לו והרי חורבתו פתוחה לר"ה כשהיתה לפיכך אם גדר לו רוח רביעית עד שנמצאת חורבתו מוקפת גדר מגלגלין עליו את הכל ונותן חצי ההוצאה שהוציא זה בארבע רוחות עד ארבע אמות ובלבד שיהיה מקום הכותל של שניהם:
4
If, however, the builder constructs the wall on his own property, it appears to me that the owner is charged only a small amount, as the judges see fit, because he does not have the right to use the walls.
If the person whose property was enclosed himself encloses the fourth side, he has revealed his consent and he must pay half the cost of the other three sides if the wall belongs to both of them. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.ד
אבל אם היה הכותל של זה שבנה ובחלקו בנה יראה לי שאין מגלגלין עליו אלא דבר מועט כמו שיראו הדיינין שהרי אינו יכול להשתמש בכתלים וכן אם הניקף עצמו הוא שגדר רוח רביעית הרי גילה דעתו ונותן חצי ההוצאה של שלש רוחות אם היה הכותלים של שניהם וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
5
Principles similar to those that govern walls dividing courtyards apply to the construction of guard rails on roofs. If there are two houses situated next to each other, and their roofs are fit for use, one owner should make a guard rail for the half of the roof where he dwells, and the other should make a guard rail for the half of the roof where he dwells. They should extend the partitions beyond the midpoint, so that they will not see each other.
This applies even if the houses are built on two sides of the public domain. Although the people from the public domain can see the person on his roof, each one can tell his colleague: "The people in the public domain see me only during the day, when I stand on my roof. You, by contrast, see me at all times."ה
וכן שני בתים זה בצד זה והיו גניהן עשויין לדירה אפילו היו בשני צדי רשות הרבים זה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו שהוא דר בו וזה עושה מעקה לחצי גגו וזה שלא כנגד זה ומעדיף כדי שלא יראו זה את זה ואף על פי שבני ר"ה רואין אותו יכול כל אחד לומר לחבירו אלו אין רואין אותי אלא ביום בעת שאעמוד על גגי ואתה רואה אותי תמיד:
6
When a person's roof is close to a courtyard belonging to a neighbor, he should build a guard rail four cubits high.
Between one roof and another, however, four cubits are not necessary. For people do not live on the roofs, and there is no concept of invasion of privacy. One must, nevertheless, make a divider ten handbreadths high between one roof and another to make a distinction, so that if one enters the other's property, it will be obvious that he is like a thiefו
גג הסמוך לחצר חבירו עושה לו מעקה גבוה ארבע אמות אבל בין גג לגג משאר הגגין אינו זקוק לארבע אמות שאין בני אדם דרין בגגות לפיכך אין בגגות היזק ראייה אבל צריך לעשות מחיצה בין שני הגגין גבוהה עשרה טפחים כדי שיתפוס אותו כגנב אם נכנס לרשותו:
7
When there are two courtyards, and one is situated above the other, the owner of the upper courtyard may not say: "I will build from my level and higher." Instead, both of them must share in the building from below upward, and the owner of the upper courtyard must build from his level and higher alone.
If a person's courtyard was higher than the roof belonging to a colleague, the owner of the higher property need not be concerned with the lower property at all.ז
שתי חצרות זו למעלה מזו לא יאמר העליון הריני בונה מכנגדי ועולה אלא בונים שניהם מלמטה ועולה ובונה העליון לבדו מכנגדו ומעלה ואם היתה חצרו למעלה מגגו של חבירו אין העליון זקוק לתחתון כלל:
8
When a wall belonging to a person that was located next to a garden belonging to a colleague falls, we compel the owner of the wall to remove his stones. If the owner of the wall tells the owner of the garden: "See, it came to you; they are yours," we do not heed him.
If, however, the owner of the garden desired the stones and agreed, saying "yes, " when he removes them, he acquires them. The owner of the wall may not retract. Even if he tells the owner of the garden: "Here is the money for your costs; let me take my stones, " we do not heed him. If, however, the owner of the garden did not remove the stones, he does not acquire them. We assume that the owner of the wall made the statement only to procrastinate.ח
מי שהיה כותלו סמוך לגינת חבירו ונפל כופין אותו לפנות אבניו אמר לו הגיעוך והרי הן שלך אין שומעין לו ואם רצה בהן בעל הגינה ואמר לו הן אם פינה אותם קנה ואינו יכול לחזור בו ואפילו אמר הילך יציאותיך ואטול אבני אין שומעין לו אבל אם לא פינה לא קנה שלא אמר לו אלא לדחותו:
9
The following laws apply when there are five gardens that derive water from one spring, and the spring becomes impaired. All the owners of the gardens must share in the repairs made by the owner of the first garden.Thus the owner of the lowest garden must share in the repairs undertaken by all the others, but must make any repairs necessary in his own domain by himself. The owner of the first garden, by contrast, does not share in the repairs of the second, nor in any of those that are below him.
Similar laws apply when the inhabitants of five courtyards pour water into one drain, and the drain becomes damaged. All the inhabitants of the courtyards share in the repairs of the lower one. Thus, the inhabitants of the highest courtyard must share in the repairs undertaken by all the others, but must make any repairs necessary in his own domain by himself. The inhabitants of the lowest courtyard, by contrast, do not share in the repairs of the second, nor in any of those that are above it.ט
חמש גנות המספקות מים ממעיין אחד ונתקלקל המעיין כולן מתקנות עם העליונה נמצאת התחתונה מתקנת עם כולן ומתקנת לעצמה והראשונה אינה מתקנת עם השניה ולא מהשניה ולמטה וכן חמש חצרות ששופכין מים לביב אחד ונתקלקל הביב כולן מתקנות עם התחתונה נמצאת העליונה מתקנת עם כולן ומתקנת לעצמה והתחתונה אינה מתקנת עם השניה ולא משניה ולמעלה:
10
with properties adjacent to a river irrigate their fields with water from the river should do so in the sequence in which their properties are situated.
one of the owners desired to dam up the river so that the water would flow through his property first, and only afterwards would he open it, and another owner wants the river to remain open so that his property will be irrigated first, whoever overcomes the other prevails.
a cistern is close to an irrigation ditch, it can be filled first as an expression of "the ways of peace."י
הנהר משקין על הסדר רצה אחד מהן לסכור כדי שיחזור לו המים וישקה תחלה ואח"כ יפתח ואחר רוצה להשקות תחלה כל המתגבר זכה ובור הקרוב לאמה מתמלא ראשון מפני דרכי שלום:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
To fill yourself with wisdom, you must proceed with wisdom.
To fill yourself with wisdom, you must empty yourself of all wise thoughts.
To receive blessings from Above, you must do all those things that draw blessings.
To receive anything from Above, you must be still and quiet. [Likkutei Sichot, vol. 34, pp. 24–31.]
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• English Text | Video Class
Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5777 · 26 July 2017
"Today's Day"
Wednesday, Menachem Av 3, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Devarim, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 18-22.
Tanya: Ch. 11. This subject (p. 379) ...infinitely more so. (p. 381).
From my father's sichot: When Mashiach will come (speedily in our time, amein), then we shall really long for the days of the exile. Then we will truly feel distress at our having neglected working at avoda; then will we indeed feel the deep pain caused by our lack of avoda. These days of exile are the days of avoda, to prepare ourselves for the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our time, amein.
Daily Thought:
Empty and FullTo fill yourself with wisdom, you must proceed with wisdom.
To fill yourself with wisdom, you must empty yourself of all wise thoughts.
To receive blessings from Above, you must do all those things that draw blessings.
To receive anything from Above, you must be still and quiet. [Likkutei Sichot, vol. 34, pp. 24–31.]
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