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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Shabbat, Tammuz 28, 5777 · July 22, 2017Torah Reading
Matot-Massei: Numbers 30:2 - 36:13
Jeremiah 2:4-28; Jeremiah 4:1-2
Numbers 30:2 (1) Then Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Isra’el. He said, “Here is what Adonai has ordered: 3 (2) when a man makes a vow to Adonai or formally obligates himself by swearing an oath, he is not to break his word but is to do everything he said he would do.
4 (3) “When a woman makes a vow to Adonai, formally obligating herself, while she is a minor living in her father’s house; 5 (4) then, if her father has heard what she vowed or obligated herself to do and holds his peace, then all her vows remain binding — every obligation she has bound herself to will stand. 6 (5) But if on the day her father hears it, he expresses his disapproval, then none of her vows or obligations she has bound herself to will stand; and Adonai will forgive her, because her father expressed his disapproval.
7 (6) “If, having made vows or rashly committed herself to an obligation, she gets married; 8 (7) and her husband hears but holds his peace with her on the day he learns of it, then her vows and obligations she has bound herself to will stand. 9 (8) But if her husband expresses his disapproval on the day he hears it, he will void the vow which is on her and the obligation to which she has bound herself; and Adonai will forgive her.
10 (9) “The vow of a widow, however, or of a divorcee, including everything to which she has obligated herself, will stand against her.
11 (10) “If a woman vowed in her husband’s house or obligated herself with an oath; 12 (11) and her husband heard it but held his peace with her and did not express disapproval, then all her vows and obligations will stand. 13 (12) But if her husband makes them null and void on the day he hears them, then whatever she said, vows or binding obligation, will not stand; her husband has voided them; and Adonai will forgive her. 14 (13) Her husband may let every vow and every binding obligation stand, or he may void it. 15 (14) But if her husband entirely holds his peace with her day after day, then he confirms all her vows and obligations; he must let them stand, because he held his peace with her on the day he heard them. 16 (15) If he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he will bear the consequent guilt.”
17 (16) These are the laws which Adonai ordered Moshe between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, if she is a minor living in her father’s house.
31:1 (LY: ii) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “On behalf of the people of Isra’el, take vengeance on the Midyanim. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”
3 Moshe said to the people, “Equip men from among yourselves for war. They are to go and fight Midyan, in order to carry out Adonai’s vengeance on Midyan. 4 You are to send to the war a thousand men from every one of Isra’el’s tribes.” 5 So out of the thousands of people in Isra’el, a thousand armed men from each tribe, 12,000 altogether, were mustered for war. 6 Moshe sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war; he sent them and Pinchas the son of El‘azar the cohen to the war, with the holy utensils and the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his care.
7 They fought against Midyan, as Adonai had ordered Moshe, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midyan along with the others who were slain — Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Hur and Reva, the five kings of Midyan. They also killed Bil‘am the son of B‘or with the sword. 9 The people of Isra’el took captive the women of Midyan and their little ones, and they took as booty all their cattle, flocks and other goods. 10 They set fire to all their cities in the areas where they lived and all their camps. 11 They took all the booty, all the people and animals they had captured, 12 and brought the captives, booty and spoil to Moshe, El‘azar the cohen and the community of Isra’el in the camp on the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho.
(RY: ii, LY: iii) 13 Moshe, El‘azar the cohen and all the community leaders went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moshe was angry with the army officers, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds coming in from the battlefield. 15 Moshe asked them, “You let the women live? 16 Why, these are the ones who — because of Bil‘am’s advice — caused the people of Isra’el to rebel, breaking faith with Adonai in the P‘or incident, so that the plague broke out among Adonai’s community! 17 Now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has ever slept with a man. 18 But the young girls who have never slept with a man, keep alive for yourselves. 19 Pitch your tents outside the camp for seven days. Whoever has killed a person or touched the corpse of someone slain, purify yourselves on the third and seventh days, you and your captives. 20 Also purify every garment, whether of skin or goat’s hair, and everything made of wood.”
21 El‘azar the cohen said to the soldiers who had gone to the front, “This is the regulation from the Torah which Adonai has ordered Moshe. 22 Even though gold, silver, brass, iron, tin and lead 23 can all withstand fire, so that you are indeed to purify everything made of these materials by having them pass through fire; nevertheless they must also be purified with the water for purification. Everything that can’t withstand fire you are to have go through the water. 24 On the seventh day you are to wash your clothes, and you will be clean; after that you may enter the camp.”
(LY: iv) 25 Adonai said to Moshe, 26 “Take all the booty, both people and animals, you, El‘azar the cohen and the leaders of clans in the community; 27 and divide the booty into two parts: half for the experienced soldiers who went out to battle, and half for the rest of the community. 28 From the portion of the soldiers who went out to battle, levy a tax for Adonai consisting of one-five-hundredth of the persons, cattle, donkeys and sheep; 29 take it from their half and give it to El‘azar the cohen as a portion set apart for Adonai. 30 From the half that goes to the people of Isra’el, you are to take one-fiftieth of the persons, and of the cattle, donkeys and sheep, that is, of all the livestock; and give them to the L’vi’im taking care of the tabernacle of Adonai.” 31 Moshe and El‘azar the cohen did as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
32 The booty, over and above the portion which the soldiers took, came to 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 persons in all, consisting of the women who had never slept with a man.
36 The half which was the portion of the soldiers who went out to fight, numbered 337,500 sheep, 37 of which Adonai’s tribute was 675; 38 36,000 cattle, of which Adonai’s tribute was seventy-two; 39 30,500 donkeys, of which Adonai’s tribute was sixty-one; 40 and 16,000 persons, of whom Adonai’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 Moshe gave the tribute set apart for Adonai to El‘azar the cohen, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: v) 42 From the half that went to people of Isra’el, which Moshe separated from that of the men who had gone to fight — 43 now the community’s half consisted of 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys 46 and 16,000 persons — 47 from the people of Isra’el’s half, Moshe took one-fiftieth of the persons and animals and gave them to the L’vi’im taking care of the tabernacle of Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
48 The officers in charge of the thousands who fought, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, approached Moshe 49 and said to him, “Your servants have counted all the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing. 50 We have brought an offering for Adonai, what every man has obtained in the way of gold jewelry — armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and belts — to make atonement for ourselves before Adonai.”
51 Moshe and El‘azar the cohen accepted their gold, all the jewelry. 52 All the gold in this gift which the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds set apart for Adonai weighed 420 pounds. 53 For the soldiers had taken booty, every man for himself. 54 Moshe and El‘azar the cohen took the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a reminder for the people of Isra’el before Adonai.
32:1 (RY: iii; LY: vi) The descendants of Re’uven and the descendants of Gad had vast quantities of livestock. When they saw that the land of Ya‘zer and the land of Gil‘ad were good for livestock, 2 the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven came and spoke to Moshe, El‘azar the cohen and the community leaders. They said, 3 “‘Atarot, Divon, Ya‘zer, Nimrah, Heshbon, El‘aleh, S’vam, N’vo and Be‘on, 4 the country that Adonai conquered before the community of Isra’el, is livestock country; and your servants have livestock. 5 If you regard us favorably,” they went on, “let this land be given to your servants as their possession; and don’t have us cross the Yarden.”
6 Moshe answered the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven: “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? 7 Besides, why are you trying to discourage the people of Isra’el from crossing into the land Adonai gave them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Eshkol Valley and saw the land, they disheartened the people of Isra’el, so that they wouldn’t enter the land Adonai had given them. 10 Adonai’s anger blazed up on that day; and he swore, 11 ‘None of the people aged twenty or more who came out of Egypt will see the land I swore to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov; because they haven’t followed me unreservedly — 12 except Kalev the son of Y’funeh the K’nizi and Y’hoshua the son of Nun, because they have followed Adonai unreservedly.’ 13 Thus Adonai’s anger blazed against Isra’el, so that he made them wander here and there in the desert forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of Adonai had died out. 14 Now you, another brood of sinners, have arisen in your fathers’ place to increase still more the fierce anger of Adonai toward Isra’el! 15 For if you turn away from him, he will leave them in the desert again, and thus you will cause the destruction of all these people!”
16 But they came up to him and said, “Here we will build enclosures for our livestock and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will be armed and ready for action to march at the head of the people of Isra’el, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will stay in the fortified cities here because of the people now living in the land. 18 However, we will not return to our own homes until every man in Isra’el has taken possession of his land for inheritance. 19 We will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Yarden, westward; because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Yarden, eastward.”
(RY: iv, LY: vii) 20 Moshe said to them, “If you will do this — if you will arm yourselves to go before Adonai to the war, 21 and if every one of your soldiers will cross the Yarden before Adonai, until he has driven out his enemies ahead of him, 22 and if the land has been conquered before Adonai, and only after that do you return — then you will be clear before Adonai and before Isra’el, and this land here will be yours to possess before Adonai. 23 But if you will not do this, then you have sinned against Adonai, and you must understand that your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep; then do what you said you would do.”
25 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Re’uven said to Moshe, “Your servants will do as my lord orders. 26 Our little ones, wives, flocks and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gil‘ad; 27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before Adonai to do battle, as my lord says.”
28 So Moshe gave orders concerning them to El‘azar the cohen, Y’hoshua the son of Nun and the clan leaders of the tribes of the people of Isra’el. 29 Moshe said to them, “If the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven cross over the Yarden with you, every man armed for battle, before Adonai; and if the land is conquered before you, then you are to give them the land of Gil‘ad as theirs to possess. 30 But if they do not cross with you armed, they are to possess land along with you in Kena‘an.”
31 The descendants of Gad and of Re’uven answered, “We will do as Adonai has said to your servants. 32 We will cross over into the land of Kena‘an armed before Adonai, and the land we will possess for inheritance will be on this side of the Yarden.”
33 So Moshe gave the descendants of Gad and of Re’uven, and also to the half-tribe of M’nasheh the son of Yosef, the kingdom of Sichon king of the Emori and the kingdom of ‘Og king of Bashan — the country and its cities within its borders, along with their surrounding towns.
34 The descendants of Gad built Divon, ‘Atarot, ‘Aro‘er, 35 ‘Atrot-Shofan, Ya‘zer, Yogbehah, 36 Beit-Nimrah and Beit-Haran — fortified cities; and also enclosures for sheep.
37 The descendants of Re’uven built Heshbon, El‘aleh, Kiryatayim, 38 N’vo, Ba‘al-M‘on (these names have been changed) and Sivmah; they renamed the cities they built.
(LY: Maftir) 39 The descendants of Machir the son of M’nasheh went to Gil‘ad and conquered it, dispossessing the Emori who were there. 40 Moshe gave Gil‘ad to Machir the son of M’nasheh, and he lived in it. 41 Ya’ir the son of M’nasheh went and captured its villages and called them Havot-Ya’ir [villages of Ya’ir]. 42 Novach went and captured K’nat with its villages and named it Novach after himself.
33:1 These are the stages in the journey of the people of Isra’el as they left the land of Egypt divided into groups under the leadership of Moshe and Aharon. 2 Moshe recorded each of the stages of their journey by order of Adonai ; here are the starting-points of each stage:
3 They began their journey from Ram’ses in the first month. On the fifteenth day of the first month, the morning after the Pesach, the people of Isra’el left proudly in view of all the Egyptians; 4 while the Egyptians were burying those among them whom Adonai had killed, all their firstborn; Adonai had also executed judgment on their gods. 5 The people of Isra’el moved on from Ram’ses and camped at Sukkot.
6 They moved on from Sukkot and camped at Etam, by the edge of the desert. 7 They moved on from Etam and turned back to Pi-Hachirot, in front of Ba‘al-Tz’fon, and camped before Migdol. 8 They moved on from P’nei-Hachirot, passed through the sea to the desert, continued three days’ journey into the Etam Desert and camped at Marah. 9 They moved on from Marah and came to Eilim; in Eilim were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, so they camped there. 10 They moved on from Eilim and camped by the Sea of Suf.
(LY: ii) 11 They moved on from the Sea of Suf and camped in the Seen Desert. 12 They moved on from the Seen Desert and camped at Dofkah. 13 They moved on from Dofkah and camped at Alush. 14 They moved on from Alush and camped at Refidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15 They moved on from Refidim and camped in the Sinai Desert. 16 They moved on from the Sinai Desert and camped at Kivrot-HaTa’avah. 17 They moved on from Kivrot-HaTa’avah and camped in Hatzerot. 18 They moved on from Hatzerot and camped at Ritmah. 19 They moved on from Ritmah and camped at Rimmon-Peretz. 20 They moved on from Rimmon-Peretz and camped at Livnah. 21 They moved on from Livnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They moved on from Rissah and camped at K’helah. 23 They moved on from K’helah and camped at Mount Shefer. 24 They moved on from Mount Shefer and camped at Haradah. 25 They moved on from Haradah and camped at Mak’helot. 26 They moved on from Mak’helot and camped at Tachat. 27 They moved on from Tachat and camped at Terach. 28 They moved on from Terach and camped at Mitkah. 29 They moved on from Mitkah and camped at HaShmonah. 30 They moved on from HaShmonah and camped at Moserot. 31 They moved on from Moserot and camped at B’nei-Ya‘akan. 32 They moved on from B’nei-Ya‘akan and camped at Hor-HaGidgad. 33 They moved on from Hor-HaGidgad and camped at Yotvatah. 34 They moved on from Yotvatah and camped at Avronah. 35 They moved on from Avronah and camped at ‘Etzyon-Gever. 36 They moved on from ‘Etzyon-Gever and camped in the Tzin Desert, that is, Kadesh.
37 They moved on from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the border of the land of Edom. 38 At Adonai’s order Aharon the cohen went up on Mount Hor, and he died there on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the people of Isra’el had left the land of Egypt. 39 Aharon was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor. 40 The Kena‘ani king of ‘Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Kena‘an, had heard that the people of Isra’el were coming; 41 so they moved on from Mount Hor and camped at Tzalmonah.
42 They moved on from Tzalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 They moved on from Punon and camped at Ovot. 44 They moved on from Ovot and camped ‘Iyei-Ha‘Avarim, at the border of Mo’av. 45 They moved on from ‘Iyim and camped at Divon-Gad. 46 They moved on from Divon-Gad and camped at ‘Almon-Divlatayim. 47 They moved on from Almon-Divlatayim and camped in the ‘Avarim Range, in front of N’vo. 48 They moved on from the ‘Avarim Range and camped in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden, across from Yericho. 49 Their camp by the Yarden extended from Beit-HaYeshimot all the way to Avel-HaSheetim in the plains of Mo’av.
(RY: v; LY: iii) 50 Adonai spoke to Moshe in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden, across from Yericho. He said 51 to tell the people of Isra’el, “When you cross the Yarden into the land of Kena‘an, 52 you are to expel all the people living in the land from in front of you. Destroy all their stone figures, destroy all their metal statues and demolish all their high places. 53 Drive out the inhabitants of the land, and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess. 54 You will inherit the land by lot according to your families. You are to give more land to the larger families and less to the smaller ones. Wherever the lot falls to any particular person, that will be his property. You will inherit according to the tribes of your ancestors. 55 But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land from in front of you, then those you allow to remain will become like thorns in your eyes and stings in your sides — they will harass you in the land where you are living. 56 And in this event, I will do to you what I intended to do to them.”
34:1 Adonai told Moshe 2 to give this order to the people of Isra’el: “When you enter the land of Kena‘an, it will become your land to pass on as an inheritance, the land of Kena‘an as defined by these borders.
3 “Your southern portion will extend from the Tzin Desert close to the border of Edom. The eastern terminus of your southern border is at the end of the Dead Sea. 4 From there your border turns, goes south of the ‘Akrabbim Ascent and passes on to Tzin. From there it goes south of Kadesh-Barnea, on to Hatzar-Adar, and on to ‘Atzmon. 5 Then the border turns and goes from ‘Atzmon to the Vadi of Egypt and along it to the Sea.
6 “Your western border will be the Great Sea.
7 “Your northern border will be as follows: from the Great Sea mark a line to Mount Hor, 8 and from Mount Hor mark a line to the entrance of Hamat. The border goes out to Tz’dad. 9 Then the border goes to Zifron and finally to Hatzar-‘Einan; this is your northern border.
10 “For the eastern border mark your line from Hatzar-‘Enan to Sh’fam. 11 Then the border goes down from Sh’fam to Rivlah, on the east side of ‘Ayin, then down until it hits the slope east of Lake Kinneret. 12 From there it goes down the Yarden River till it flows into the Dead Sea. These will be the borders of your land.”
13 Moshe gave this order to the people of Isra’el: “This is the land in which you will receive inheritances by lot, which Adonai has ordered to give to the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 14 The tribe of the descendants of Re’uven have already received their land for inheritance according to their clans, and so have the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe of M’nasheh. 15 These two-and-a-half tribes have received their inheritance on this side of the Yarden, across from Yericho and eastward, toward the sunrise.”
(RY: vi; LY: iv) 16 Adonai said to Moshe, 17 “These are the names of the men who will take possession of the land for you: El‘azar the cohen and Y’hoshua the son of Nun. 18 Also appoint one leader from each tribe to take possession of the land. 19 The names of these men are:
from the tribe of Y’hudah, Kalev the son of Y’funeh;
20 from the tribe of the descendants of Shim‘on, Sh’mu’el the son of ‘Ammihud;
21 from the tribe of Binyamin, Elidad the son of Kislon;
22 from the tribe of the descendants of Dan, a leader, Buki the son of Yogli;
23 from the descendants of Yosef:
from the tribe of the descendants of M’nasheh, a leader, Hani’el the son of Efod;
24 from the tribe of the descendants of Efrayim, a leader, K’mu’el the son of Shiftan;
25 from the tribe of the descendants of Z’vulun, a leader, Elitzafan the son of Parnakh;
26 from the tribe of the descendants of Yissakhar, a leader, Palti’el the son of ‘Azan;
27 from the tribe of the descendants of Asher, a leader, Achihud the son of Shlomi;
28 from the tribe of the descendants of Naftali, a leader, P’dah’el the son of ‘Ammihud.”
29 These are the ones whom Adonai ordered to divide the inheritance among the people of Isra’el in the land of Kena‘an.
35:1 (LY: v) In the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden, across from Yericho, Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Order the people of Isra’el to give to the L’vi’im cities to live in from the heritage they will possess, and you are also to give the L’vi’im some of the open land surrounding the cities. 3 They are to have the cities to live in, while their open land will be for their livestock, for growing crops and for all their animals. 4 The open land around the cities you give to the L’vi’im is to commence at a line drawn around the city wall 1,500 feet outside it and is to extend outward from there. 5 Measure 3,000 feet outward from the city wall to the east, south, west and north, with the city in the center. The space between the 1,500-foot line and the 3,000-foot line will be their open land around the cities. 6 The cities you give to the L’vi’im are to be the six cities of refuge to which you permit the person who kills someone to flee to; plus an additional forty-two cities. 7 Thus you will give the L’vi’im forty-eight cities, with their surrounding open land. 8 As to the cities you will give from those the people of Isra’el possess, from the many you will take many, and from the few you will take few — each tribe will contribute from its cities to the L’vi’im in accordance with the size of its inheritance.”
(RY: vii, LY: vi) 9 Adonai said to Moshe, 10 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When you cross the Yarden into the land of Kena‘an, 11 you are to designate for yourselves cities that will be cities of refuge for you, to which anyone who kills someone by mistake can flee. 12 These cities are to be a refuge for you from the dead person’s next-of-kin, who might otherwise avenge his kinsman’s death by slaying the killer prior to his standing trial before the community. 13 In regard to the cities you are to give, there are to be six cities of refuge for you. 14 You are to give three cities east of the Yarden and three cities in the land of Kena‘an; they will be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities will serve as refuge for the people of Isra’el, as well as for the foreigner and resident alien with them; so that anyone who kills someone by mistake may flee there.
16 “‘However, if he hits him with an iron implement and thus causes his death, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 17 Or if he hits him with a stone in his hand big enough to kill someone, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 18 Or if he hits him with a wood utensil in his hand capable of killing someone, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 19 The next-of-kin avenger is to put the murderer to death himself — upon meeting him, he is to put him to death. 20 Likewise, if he shoves him out of hatred; or intentionally throws something at him, causing his death; 21 or out of hostility strikes him with his hand, so that he dies; then the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer; and the next-of-kin avenger is to put the murderer to death upon meeting him.
22 “‘But suppose he shoves him suddenly, but without hostility; or he throws something at him unintentionally; 23 or, without seeing him, being his enemy or seeking to harm him, he throws a stone big enough to cause death; and the person dies. 24 Then the community is to judge between the one who struck him and the next-of-kin avenger in accordance with these rules; 25 and the community is to save the killer from the next-of-kin avenger. The community is to return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he is to live there until the cohen hagadol, who was anointed with the holy oil, dies. 26 But if the killer ever goes beyond the limits of the city of refuge he fled to, 27 and the next-of-kin avenger finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger kills the killer, he will not be guilty of the man’s blood; 28 because he must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the cohen hagadol. But after the death of the cohen hagadol the killer may return to the land he owns. 29 These things shall constitute your standard for judgment through all your generations, wherever you live.
30 “‘If anyone kills someone, the murderer is to be put to death upon the testimony of witnesses; but the testimony of only one witness will not suffice to cause a person to be put to death. 31 Also, you are not to accept a ransom in lieu of the life of a murderer condemned to death; rather, he must be put to death. 32 Likewise, you are not to accept for someone who has fled to his city of refuge a ransom that would allow him to return to his land before the death of the cohen. 33 In this way you will not defile the land in which you are living. For blood defiles the land, and in this land no atonement can be made for the blood shed in it except the blood of him who shed it. 34 No, you are not to defile the land in which you live and in which I live; for I, Adonai, live among the people of Isra’el.’”
36:1 (LY: vii) The leaders of the clans of the family of the descendants of Gil‘ad, the son of Machir, the son of M’nasheh, of the families of the descendants of Yosef, approached and addressed Moshe and the leaders, the heads of the clans of the people of Isra’el. 2 They said, “Adonai ordered my lord to give by lot the land to be inherited by the people of Isra’el, and my lord was ordered by Adonai to give the inheritance of our kinsman Tz’lof’chad to his daughters. 3 But if they get married to anyone belonging to another of the tribes of the people of Isra’el, then their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our ancestors and be added to the inheritance of the tribe they will then belong to; thus it will be taken away from the sum total of our inheritance. 4 And when the yovel of the people of Isra’el comes, their inheritance will be added to the land possessed by the tribe they will then belong to and be subtracted from the inheritance belonging to the tribe of our ancestors.”
5 Moshe gave this order to the people of Isra’el, in keeping with the word of Adonai : “The tribe of the descendants of Yosef is right in what it says. 6 Here is what Adonai has ordered concerning the daughters of Tz’lof’chad: ‘Let them be married to whomever they think best, but they must marry only into a family from their father’s tribe. 7 In this way no inheritance of the people of Isra’el will move from one tribe to another; for each of the people of Isra’el is to hold on to the land for inheritance belonging to his father’s tribe. 8 Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the people of Isra’el is to become the wife of someone from the family of her father’s tribe, so that every one of the people of Isra’el will stay in possession of his ancestors’ inheritance. 9 Thus no inheritance will move from one tribe to another, for each of the tribes of the people of Isra’el will hold on to its own inheritance.”
(Maftir) 10 The daughters of Tz’lof’chad did as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 11 Machlah, Tirtzah, Hoglah, Milkah and No‘ah all got married to sons of their father’s brothers. 12 They were married into the families of the descendants of M’nasheh the son of Yosef, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father’s family.
13 These are the mitzvot and rulings which Adonai gave through Moshe to the people of Isra’el in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden, across from Yericho.
Jeremiah 2:4 Hear the word of Adonai, house of Ya‘akov
and all families in the house of Isra’el;
5 here is what Adonai says:
“What did your ancestors find wrong with me
to make them go so far away from me,
to make them go after nothings
and become themselves nothings?
6 They didn’t ask, ‘Where is Adonai,
who brought us out of the land of Egypt,
who led us through the desert,
through a land of wastes and ravines,
through a land of drought and death-dark shadows,
through a land where no one travels
and where no one ever lived?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land
to enjoy its fruit and all its good things;
but when you entered, you defiled my land
and made my heritage loathsome.
8 The cohanim didn’t ask, ‘Where is Adonai?’
Those who deal with the Torah did not know me,
the people’s shepherds rebelled against me;
the prophets prophesied by Ba‘al
and went after things of no value.
9 “So again I state my case against you,” says Adonai,
“and state it against your grandchildren too.
10 Cross to the coasts of the Kitti’im and look;
send to Kedar and observe closely;
see if anything like this has happened before:
11 has a nation ever exchanged its gods
(and theirs are not gods at all!)?
Yet my people have exchanged their Glory
for something without value.
12 Be aghast at this, you heavens!
Shudder in absolute horror!” says Adonai.
13 “For my people have committed two evils:
they have abandoned me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns,
that can hold no water!
14 “Is Isra’el a slave, born into serfdom?
If not, why has he become plunder?
15 The young lions are roaring at him —
how loudly they are roaring!
They desolate his country,
demolishing and depopulating his cities.
16 The people of Nof and Tachpanches
feed on the crown of your head.
17 “Haven’t you brought this on yourself
by abandoning Adonai your God
when he led you along the way?
18 If you go to Egypt, what’s in it for you?
Drinking water from the Nile?
If you go to Ashur, what’s in it for you?
Drinking water from the [Euphrates] River?
19 Your own wickedness will correct you,
your own backslidings will convict you;
you will know and see how bad and bitter
it was to abandon Adonai your God,
and how fear of me is not in you,”
says Adonai Elohim-Tzva’ot.
20 “For long ago I broke your yoke;
when I snapped your chains, you said, ‘I won’t sin.’
Yet on every high hill, under every green tree,
you sprawled and prostituted yourself.
21 But I planted you as a choice vine
of seed fully tested and true.
How did you degenerate
into a wild vine for me?
22 Even if you scrub yourself
with soda and plenty of soap,
the stain of your guilt is still there before me,”
says Adonai Elohim.
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled,
I have not pursued the ba‘alim’?
Look at your conduct in the valley,
understand what you have done.
You are a restive young female camel,
running here and there,
24 wild, accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her lust —
who can control her when she’s in heat?
Males seeking her need not weary themselves,
for at mating season they will find her.
25 “Stop before your shoes wear out,
and your throat is dry from thirst!
But you say, ‘No, it’s hopeless!
I love these strangers, and I’m going after them.’
26 Just as a thief is ashamed when caught,
so is the house of Isra’el ashamed —
they, their kings, their leaders,
their cohanim and their prophets,
27 who say to a log, ‘You are my father,’
and to a stone, ‘You gave us birth.’
For they have turned their backs to me
instead of their faces.
But when trouble comes, they will plead,
‘Rouse yourself and save us!’
28 Where are your gods that you made for yourselves?
Let them rouse themselves,
if they can save you when trouble comes.
Y’hudah, you have as many gods
as you have cities!; Jeremiah 4:1 “Isra’el, if you will return,” says Adonai,
“yes, return to me; and if you will banish
your abominations from my presence
without wandering astray again;
2 and if you will swear, ‘As Adonai lives,’
in truth, justice and righteousness;
then the nations will bless themselves by him,
and in him will they glory.”
Today's Laws & Customs
• Blessing the New Month
This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim ("the Shabbat that blesses" the new month): a special prayer is recited blessing the Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") of upcoming month of Av (also called "Menachem Av") which falls on Monday of next week.
Prior to the blessing, we announce the precise time of the molad, the "birth" of the new moon. Click here for molad times.
It is a Chabad custom to recite the entire book of Psalms before morning prayers, and to conduct farbrengens (chassidic gatherings) in the course of the Shabbat.
Links:
On the Significance of Shabbat Mevarchim
Tehillim (the Book of Psalms)
The Farbrengen
• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 2
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter Two.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 2
• "The Three Weeks"
During the Three Weeks, from 17th of Tamuz to the 9th of Av, we commemorate the conquest of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people.
Weddings and other joyful events are not held during this period; like mourners, we do not cut our hair, and various pleasurable activities are limited or proscribed. (The particular mourning customs vary from community to community, so consult a competent halachic authority for details.)
Citing the verse (Isaiah 1:27) "Zion shall be redeemed with mishpat [Torah] and its returnees with tzedakah," the Rebbe urged that we increase in Torah study(particularly the study of the laws of the Holy Temple) and charity during this period.
Links:
The Three Weeks
Today in Jewish History
• Passing of "Yismach Moshe" (1841)
Tammuz 28 is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum (1759-1841) of Uhely, Hungary, author of Yismach Moshe and patriarch of the Hungarian Chassidic dynasties.
• Passing of Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried (1886)
Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried (1804-1886) was born in Uzhhorod (Ungvar) in the Carpathian region of the Habsburg Empire (now Ukraine). When he was eight years old, Shlomo's father, Rabbi Yosef, passed way, and Ungvar's chief rabbi, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Heller, assumed legal guardianship of Shlomo. In 1830, he abandoned his work as a wine merchant and accepted the position of Rabbi of Brezovica (Brezevitz). In 1849, he returned to Ungvar to serve as a rabbinical judge. Realizing that the average Jew required a basic knowledge of practical halachah, Rabbi Ganzfried compiled the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, an abbreviated digest of Jewish law. To this day, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch remains a classic halachic work, and it has been translated into many languages.
In addition to the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, he authored many works including Kesset HaSofer, a halachic primer for scribes, and Pnei Shlomo, a commentary on the Talmud.
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Matot-Massei, 7th Portion Numbers 35:9-36:13 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Numbers Chapter 35
9The Lord spoke to Moses saying: טוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
10Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan, ידַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כִּ֥י אַתֶּ֛ם עֹֽבְרִ֥ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן:
11you shall designate cities for yourselves; they shall be cities of refuge for you, and a murderer who killed a person unintentionally shall flee there. יאוְהִקְרִיתֶ֤ם לָכֶם֙ עָרִ֔ים עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּֽהְיֶ֣ינָה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָ֥ס שָׁ֨מָּה֙ רֹצֵ֔חַ מַכֵּה־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָֽה:
you shall designate: [The expression] הַקְרָיָה can mean only preparation, as it says,“Because the Lord, your God, prepared it (הִקְרָה) before me” (Gen. 27:20) - [Sifrei Massei 3, Targum Onkelos].
והקריתם: אין הקרייה אלא לשון הזמנה וכן הוא אומר (בראשית כז, כ) כי הקרה ה' אלהיך לפני:
12These cities shall serve you as a refuge from an avenger, so that the murderer shall not die until he stands in judgment before the congregation. יבוְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֧ם הֶֽעָרִ֛ים לְמִקְלָ֖ט מִגֹּאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א יָמוּת֙ הָֽרֹצֵ֔חַ עַד־עָמְד֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט:
from an avenger: From the avenger of the blood, a kinsman of the murder victim. — [Mak. 12a]
מגאל: מפני גואל הדם שהוא קרוב לנרצח:
13The cities that you provide shall serve as six cities of refuge for you. יגוְהֶֽעָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֵּ֑נוּ שֵֽׁשׁ־עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּֽהְיֶ֥ינָה לָכֶֽם:
six cities of refuge: [This] informs [us] that even though Moses designated three cities across the Jordan during his lifetime, they did not provide refuge until the three provided by Joshua in the land of Canaan were designated. — [Sifrei Massei 8, Mak. 9a]
שש ערי מקלט: מגיד שאע"פ שהבדיל משה בחייו שלש ערים בעבר הירדן, לא היו קולטות עד שנבחרו שלש שנתן יהושע בארץ כנען:
14You shall provide the three cities in trans Jordan and the three cities in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. ידאֵ֣ת | שְׁל֣שׁ הֶֽעָרִ֗ים תִּתְּנוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וְאֵת֙ שְׁל֣שׁ הֶֽעָרִ֔ים תִּתְּנ֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה:
the three cities: Although there were nine tribes in the land of Canaan, and here [across the Jordan] there were only two-and-a-half, He equalized the number of their refuge cities, because Gilead had many murderers, as it says,“Gilead, a city of workers of violence, who lurk to shed blood” (Hos. 6: 8). - [Mak. 10a, Sifrei Massei 6]
את שלש הערים וגו': אף על פי שבארץ כנען תשעה שבטים וכאן אינן אלא שנים וחצי, השוה מנין ערי מקלט שלהם משום דבגלעד נפישי רוצחים, דכתיב (הושע ו, ח) גלעד קרית פועלי און עקובה מדם:
15These six cities shall be a refuge for the children of Israel and for the proselyte and resident among them, so that anyone who unintentionally kills a person can flee there. טולִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְלַגֵּ֤ר וְלַתּוֹשָׁב֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔ם תִּֽהְיֶ֛ינָה שֵֽׁשׁ־הֶֽעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לְמִקְלָ֑ט לָנ֣וּס שָׁ֔מָּה כָּל־מַכֵּה־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָֽה:
16If he struck him with an iron instrument and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. טזוְאִם־בִּכְלִ֨י בַרְזֶ֧ל | הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת רֹצֵ֣חַ ה֑וּא מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ:
If he struck him with an iron instrument: This does not refer to accidental manslaughter discussed nearby, but to premeditated murder, and it teaches us that the implement of murder has to be big enough to cause death, for regarding all the [other] cases it says, אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בָּה, “which is deadly,” and the Targum [Onkelos] renders, “of a size capable of causing death,” except in the case of iron, since it is evident and known to the Holy One, blessed is He, that a small piece of iron can kill, even a needle (Sifrei Massei 6, Sanh. 76b). That is why [in the case of iron] the Torah did not specify a size and write “which is deadly.” If you say that Scripture refers to one who murders unintentionally, [this cannot be because], below it says, “or, with any stone which is deadly, and without seeing [his victim]…” (verse 23). This shows that in the cases mentioned before it, Scripture speaks of one who murders with intent.
ואם בכלי ברזל הכהו: אין זה מדבר בהורג בשוגג הסמוך לו, אלא בהורג במזיד. ובא ללמד, שההורג בכל דבר צריך שיהא בו שיעור כדי להמית, שנאמר בכולם אשר ימות בו, דמתרגמינן דהיא כמסת דימות ביה, חוץ מן הברזל, שגלוי וידוע לפני הקב"ה שהברזל ממית בכל שהוא אפילו מחט, לפיכך לא נתנה בו תורה שיעור לכתוב בו אשר ימות בו. ואם תאמר בהורג בשוגג הכתוב מדבר, הרי הוא אומר למטה או בכל אבן אשר ימות בה בלא ראות וגו', למד על האמורים למעלה שבהורג במזיד הכתוב מדבר:
17If he struck him with a fist sized stone which is deadly, and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. יזוְאִ֡ם בְּאֶ֣בֶן יָד֩ אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֨וּת בָּ֥הּ הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת רֹצֵ֣חַ ה֑וּא מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ:
with a fist-sized stone: [A stone] large enough to fill a hand. — [Onkelos]
באבן יד: שיש בה מלא יד:
which is deadly: Which is large enough to cause death, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders. Since it [Scripture] says, “If one of them strikes the other with a stone” (Exod. 21:18), but it does not specify a size, I might think any size? Therefore it says, “which is deadly” - [Sifrei Massei 10]
אשר ימות בה: שיש בה שיעור להמית, כתרגומו. לפי שנאמר (שמות כא, יח) והכה איש את רעהו באבן, ולא נתן בה שיעור, יכול כל שהוא, לכך נאמר אשר ימות בה:
18Or with a fist sized wooden instrument which is deadly,and he dies, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death. יחא֡וֹ בִּכְלִ֣י עֵץ־יָד֩ אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֨וּת בּ֥וֹ הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת רֹצֵ֣חַ ה֑וּא מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ:
or with a fist-sized wooden instrument: Since it says, “If a man strikes his manservant or his maidservant with a rod” (Exod. 21:20), I might think any size? That is why with regard to wood it says,“which is deadly”-it must be a size capable of causing death. — [Sifrei Massei 11]
או בכלי עץ יד: לפי שנאמר (שמות כא, כ) וכי יכה איש את עבדו או את אמתו בשבט, יכול כל שהוא, לכך נאמר בעץ אשר ימות בו, שיהא בו כדי להמית:
19The blood avenger shall kill the murderer; he may kill him when he meets him. יטגֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֔ם ה֥וּא יָמִ֖ית אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֑חַ בְּפִגְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ ה֥וּא יְמִתֶֽנּוּ:
when he meets him: Even in the cities of refuge.
בפגעו בו: אפילו בתוך ערי מקלט:
20If, out of hatred, he pushed him, or threw something at him with premeditation, and he died, כוְאִם־בְּשִׂנְאָ֖ה יֶהְדֳּפֶ֑נּוּ אֽוֹ־הִשְׁלִ֥יךְ עָלָ֛יו בִּצְדִיָּ֖ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
with premeditation: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders, בְּכַמְנָא, with ambush.
בצדיה: כתרגומו בכמנא במארב:
21or if he maliciously struck him with his hand and he died, the assailant shall be put to death; he is a murderer; the blood avenger may kill the murderer when he meets him. כאא֣וֹ בְאֵיבָ֞ה הִכָּ֤הוּ בְיָדוֹ֙ וַיָּמֹ֔ת מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַמַּכֶּ֖ה רֹצֵ֣חַ ה֑וּא גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֗ם יָמִ֛ית אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֖חַ בְּפִגְעוֹ־בֽוֹ:
22But if he pushed him accidentally, without malice, or threw an object at him without premeditation, כבוְאִם־בְּפֶ֥תַע בְּלֹֽא־אֵיבָ֖ה הֲדָפ֑וֹ אֽוֹ־הִשְׁלִ֥יךְ עָלָ֛יו כָּל־כְּלִ֖י בְּלֹ֥א צְדִיָּֽה:
accidentally: Heb. בְּפֶתַע, by accident, but the Targum renders בִּתְכֵף, “suddenly,” [meaning] that he was next to him and he had no time to take precautions against [killing] him.
בפתע: באונס. ותרגומו בתכיף שהיה סמוך לו, ולא היה לו שהות להזהר עליו:
23or, with any stone which is deadly, and without seeing [his victim] he threw it down at him and it killed him, but he was not his enemy and bore him no malice כגא֣וֹ בְכָל־אֶ֜בֶן אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֥וּת בָּהּ֙ בְּלֹ֣א רְא֔וֹת וַיַּפֵּ֥ל עָלָ֖יו וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְהוּא֙ לֹֽא־אוֹיֵ֣ב ל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ רָֽעָתֽוֹ:
or, with any stone which is deadly: he struck him.
או בכל אבן אשר ימות בה: הכהו:
without seeing: He did not see him [while striking him].
בלא ראות: שלא ראהו:
he threw it down at him: From here they said that the one who kills by way of a falling action is exiled, but if [he kills] by means of an upward action is not exiled. — [Mak. 7b]
ויפל עליו: מכאן אמרו ההורג דרך ירידה גולה, דרך עלייה אינו גולה:
24Then the congregation shall judge between the assailant and the blood avenger, on the basis of these judgments. כדוְשָֽׁפְטוּ֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה בֵּ֚ין הַמַּכֶּ֔ה וּבֵ֖ין גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֑ם עַ֥ל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
25The congregation shall protect the murderer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall remain there until the Kohen Gadol, who anointed him with the sacred oil, dies. כהוְהִצִּ֨ילוּ הָֽעֵדָ֜ה אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֗חַ מִיַּד֘ גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּם֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יבוּ אֹתוֹ֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה אֶל־עִ֥יר מִקְלָט֖וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָ֣ס שָׁ֑מָּה וְיָ֣שַׁב בָּ֗הּ עַד־מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־מָשַׁ֥ח אֹת֖וֹ בְּשֶׁ֥מֶן הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ:
until the kohen gadol… dies: For he causes the Divine Presence to rest upon Israel and thus prolong their lives, whereas the murderer causes the Divine Presence to withdraw from Israel and thus shorten their lives. He is not worthy of standing before the Kohen Gadol [Sifrei Massei 20]. Another interpretation: Because the Kohen Gadol should have prayed that such a misfortune should not befall Israel during his lifetime [Mak. 11a].
עד מות הכהן הגדול: שהוא בא להשרות שכינה בישראל ולהאריך ימיהם, והרוצח בא לסלק את השכינה מישראל ומקצר את ימי החיים. אינו כדאי שיהא לפני כהן גדול. דבר אחר לפי שהיה לו לכהן גדול להתפלל שלא תארע תקלה זו לישראל בחייו:
who anointed him with the sacred oil: According to the literal meaning, this is one of the elliptical verses [in Scripture], as it does not reveal who anointed him; thus, it is like saying, “who was anointed by the one who anointed him with the sacred oil.” Our Rabbis expounded it in Tractate Makkoth (11b) as a verification of the law, to teach that if before sentence was passed, the Kohen Gadol died and they appointed another one in his stead, and afterwards sentence was passed, he [the murderer] can return home only after the second one has died, as it says, “who anointed him.” Did he anoint the kohen, or did the kohen anoint him? However, this includes the [case of a high kohen who was] anointed in his days [and thus, it is as if he had anointed the Kohen Gadol, so to speak], that he frees him through his death.
אשר משח אותו בשמן הקדש: לפי פשוטו מן המקראות הקצרים הוא, שלא פירש מי משחו, אלא כמו אשר משחו המושח אותו בשמן הקדש. ורבותינו דרשוהו במסכת מכות (יא ב) לראיית דבר, ללמד שאם עד שלא נגמר דינו מת כהן גדול ומנו אחר תחתיו ולאחר מכאן נגמר דינו, חוזר במיתתו של שני, שנאמר אשר משח אותו, וכי הוא משחו לכהן או הכהן משח אותו, אלא להביא את הנמשח בימיו שמחזירו במיתתו:
26But if the murderer goes beyond the border of the city of refuge to which he had fled, כווְאִם־יָצֹ֥א יֵצֵ֖א הָֽרֹצֵ֑חַ אֶת־גְּבוּל֙ עִ֣יר מִקְלָט֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה:
27and the blood avenger finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger slays the murderer, he has no blood. כזוּמָצָ֤א אֹתוֹ֙ גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֔ם מִח֕וּץ לִגְב֖וּל עִ֣יר מִקְלָט֑וֹ וְרָצַ֞ח גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ אֶת־הָ֣רֹצֵ֔חַ אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ דָּֽם:
he has no blood: He is like one who kills a dead person, who has no blood.
אין לו דם: הרי הוא כהורג את המת שאין לו דם:
28For he shall remain in his city of refuge until the Kohen Gadol dies, and only after the Kohen Gadol has died, may the murderer return to the land which is his possession. כחכִּ֣י בְעִ֤יר מִקְלָטוֹ֙ יֵשֵׁ֔ב עַד־מ֖וֹת הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֑ל וְאַֽחֲרֵי־מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֔ל יָשׁוּב֙ הָֽרֹצֵ֔חַ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ:
29These shall be for you a statute of justice for all your generations, in all your dwelling places. כטוְהָי֨וּ אֵ֧לֶּה לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּ֖ט לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּכֹ֖ל מֽוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
in all your dwelling places: This teaches that the minor Sanhedrin functions outside the Land as long as there is one functioning in the Land of Israel [namely, while the Temple stood]. — [Mak. 7a, Sifrei Massei 25]
בכל מושבתיכם: למד שתהא סנהדרין קטנה נוהגת בחוצה לארץ כל זמן שנוהגת בארץ ישראל:
30Whoever [namely the blood avenger] kills a person, based on the testimony of witnesses, he shall slay the murderer. A single witness may not testify against a person so that he should die. לכָּל־מַ֨כֵּה־נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְפִ֣י עֵדִ֔ים יִרְצַ֖ח אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֑חַ וְעֵ֣ד אֶחָ֔ד לֹא־יַֽעֲנֶ֥ה בְנֶ֖פֶשׁ לָמֽוּת:
Whoever kills a person…: The one who comes to kill him because he murdered someone.
כל מכה נפש וגו': הבא להרגו על שהכה את הנפש:
based on the testimony of witnesses: who testify that he murdered him intentionally, after he had been forewarned. [I.e., the blood avenger may not slay the murderer unless there are witnesses that he committed the murder.]- [Sifrei Massei 26]
לפי עדים ירצח: שיעידו שבמזיד ובהתראה הרגו:
31You shall not accept ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, for he shall be put to death. לאוְלֹֽא־תִקְח֥וּ כֹ֨פֶר֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ רֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא רָשָׁ֖ע לָמ֑וּת כִּי־מ֖וֹת יוּמָֽת:
You shall not accept ransom: He cannot be acquitted in exchange for payment. — [Keth. 37b]
ולא תקחו כפר: לא יפטר בממון:
32You shall not accept ransom for one who has fled to his city of refuge, to allow him to return to live in the Land, before the kohen has died. לבוְלֹֽא־תִקְח֣וּ כֹ֔פֶר לָנ֖וּס אֶל־עִ֣יר מִקְלָט֑וֹ לָשׁוּב֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַד־מ֖וֹת הַכֹּהֵֽן:
You shall not accept ransom for the one who has fled to his city of refuge: One who has fled to a city of refuge after he killed someone unintentionally cannot absolve himself from exile through payment by giving a ransom so that he can return to dwell in the Land before the kohen dies. — [Keth. 37b]
ולא תקחו כפר לנוס אל עיר מקלטו: למי שנס אל עיר מקלטו שהרג בשוגג אינו נפטר מגלות בממון ליתן כופר לשוב לשבת בארץ בטרם ימות הכהן:
has fled: Heb. לָנוּס, is equivalent to לְנָס, “for the one who has fled.” Similarly,“those who returned (שׁוּבֵי) from the war” (Mich. 2:8). Similarly,“Those who are removed (נוּגֵי) from the appointed season” (Zeph. 3:18);“for [all the people…] were circumcised (מֻלִים)” (Josh. 5:5). Just as you say שׁוּב in reference to one who has already returned, and מוּל regarding one who is already circumcised, so will you say לָנוּס for one who has already fled. He is called נוּס, that is to say, ‘an escapee.’ If you say that לָנוּס means ‘to flee,’ and explain it thus: You shall not accept ransom for who must flee, in order to absolve him from exile, then I do not know how it can say,“to return to live in the Land” for if he has not yet fled, from where should he return?
לנוס: כמו לנס, כמו (מיכה ב, ח) שובי מלחמה, ששבו מן המלחמה, וכן (צפניה ג, יח) נוגי ממועד, וכן (יהושע ה, ה) כי מולים היו, כאשר תאמר שוב על מי ששב כבר, ומול על מי שמל כבר, כן תאמר לנוס על מי שנס כבר, וקורהו נוס כלומר מוברח. ואם תאמר לנוס לברוח, ותפרשהו לא תקחו כופר למי שיש לו לברוח לפטרו מן הגלות, לא ידעתי היאך יאמר לשוב לשבת בארץ, הרי עדיין לא נס ומהיכן ישוב:
33And you shall not corrupt the land in which you live, for the blood corrupts the land, and the blood which is shed in the land cannot be atoned for except through the blood of the one who shed it. לגוְלֹא־תַֽחֲנִ֣יפוּ אֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ בָּ֔הּ כִּ֣י הַדָּ֔ם ה֥וּא יַֽחֲנִ֖יף אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלָאָ֣רֶץ לֹֽא־יְכֻפַּ֗ר לַדָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שֻׁפַּךְ־בָּ֔הּ כִּי־אִ֖ם בְּדַ֥ם שֹֽׁפְכֽוֹ:
And you shall not corrupt: Heb. ולֹא-תַחֲנִיפוּ, you shall not cause it to be wicked, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders, לֹא תְחַיְבוּן, you shall not make sinful."
ולא תחניפו: ולא תרשיעו, כתרגומו ולא תחייבון:
34And you shall not defile the land where you reside, in which I dwell, for I am the Lord Who dwells among the children of Israel. לדוְלֹ֧א תְטַמֵּ֣א אֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ יֽשְׁבִ֣ים בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ן בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה שֹׁכֵ֕ן בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
in which I dwell: You should not cause me to dwell amidst its uncleanness.
אשר אני שכן בתוכה: שלא תשכינו אותי בטומאתה:
for I am the Lord who dwells among the children of Israel: Even when they are unclean, the Divine Presence resides with them. — [Sifrei Massei 32]
כי אני ה' שוכן בתוך בני ישראל: אף בזמן שהם טמאים שכינה ביניהם:
Numbers Chapter 36
1The paternal heads of the family of the sons of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh of the families of the sons of Joseph approached and spoke before Moses and before the chieftains, the paternal heads of the children of Israel. אוַיִּקְרְב֞וּ רָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֗וֹת לְמִשְׁפַּ֤חַת בְּנֵֽי־גִלְעָד֙ בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְדַבְּר֞וּ לִפְנֵ֤י משֶׁה֙ וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַנְּשִׂאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י אָב֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
2They said, "The Lord commanded my master to give the Land as an inheritance through lot to the children of Israel, and our master was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. בוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ אֶת־אֲדֹנִי֙ צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה לָתֵ֨ת אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ בְּנַֽחֲלָ֛ה בְּגוֹרָ֖ל לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽאדֹנִי֙ צֻוָּ֣ה בַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לָתֵ֗ת אֶת־נַֽחֲלַ֛ת צְלָפְחָ֥ד אָחִ֖ינוּ לִבְנֹתָֽיו:
3Now, if they marry a member of another tribe of the children of Israel, their inheritance will be diminished from the inheritance of our father, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and thus, it will be diminished from the lot of our inheritance. גוְהָי֠וּ לְאֶחָ֞ד מִבְּנֵ֨י שִׁבְטֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לְנָשִׁים֒ וְנִגְרְעָ֤ה נַֽחֲלָתָן֙ מִנַּֽחֲלַ֣ת אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ וְנוֹסַ֕ף עַ֚ל נַֽחֲלַ֣ת הַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽהְיֶ֖ינָה לָהֶ֑ם וּמִגֹּרַ֥ל נַֽחֲלָתֵ֖נוּ יִגָּרֵֽעַ:
and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe: For her son inherits her, and the son’s pedigree follows his father’s tribe.
ונוסף על נחלת המטה: שהרי בנה יורשה והבן מתיחס על שבט אביו:
4Even if the children of Israel will have a Jubilee, their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and their inheritance will be diminished from the inheritance of our father's tribe." דוְאִם־יִֽהְיֶ֣ה הַיֹּבֵל֘ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְנֽוֹסְפָה֙ נַֽחֲלָתָ֔ן עַ֚ל נַֽחֲלַ֣ת הַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽהְיֶ֖ינָה לָהֶ֑ם וּמִנַּֽחֲלַת֙ מַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ יִגָּרַ֖ע נַֽחֲלָתָֽן:
Even if the children of Israel will have a Jubilee: From here R. Judah said: The Jubilee is destined to cease. — [Torath Kohanim 13:1]
ואם יהיה היובל: מכאן היה רבי יהודה אומר עתיד היובל שיפסוק:
will have a Jubilee: That is to say, this is not a form of sale, which returns [to the original owner] in the Jubilee [year], for inheritance does not return at the Jubilee. Even if the Jubilee occurs, the inheritance will not return to its tribe; hence, it is “added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry.”
ואם יהיה היובל: כלומר אין זו מכירה שחוזרת ביובל, שהירושה אינה חוזרת, ואפילו אם יהיה היובל לא תחזור הנחלה לשבטו, ונמצא שנוספה על נחלת המטה אשר תהיינה להם:
5Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, "The tribe of Joseph's descendants speak justly. הוַיְצַ֤ו משֶׁה֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר כֵּ֛ן מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף דֹּֽבְרִֽים:
6This is the word that the Lord has commanded regarding Zelophehad's daughters. Let them marry whomever they please, but they shall marry only to the family of their father's tribe. וזֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה לִבְנ֤וֹת צְלָפְחָד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם תִּֽהְיֶ֣ינָה לְנָשִׁ֑ים אַ֗ךְ לְמִשְׁפַּ֛חַת מַטֵּ֥ה אֲבִיהֶ֖ם תִּֽהְיֶ֥ינָה לְנָשִֽׁים:
7Thus, the inheritance of the children of Israel will not be transferred from tribe to tribe, for each person from the children of Israel will remain attached to the inheritance of his father's tribe. זוְלֹֽא־תִסֹּ֤ב נַֽחֲלָה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִמַּטֶּ֖ה אֶל־מַטֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י אִ֗ישׁ בְּנַֽחֲלַת֙ מַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֔יו יִדְבְּק֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
8Every daughter from the tribes of the children of Israel who inherits property, shall marry a member of her father's tribe, so each one of the children of Israel shall inherit the property of his forefathers. חוְכָל־בַּ֞ת יֹרֶ֣שֶׁת נַֽחֲלָ֗ה מִמַּטּוֹת֘ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לְאֶחָ֗ד מִמִּשְׁפַּ֛חַת מַטֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יהָ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לְאִשָּׁ֑ה לְמַ֗עַן יִֽירְשׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַֽחֲלַ֥ת אֲבֹתָֽיו:
Every daughter…who inherits property: Because her father had no son.
וכל בת ירשת נחלה: שלא היה בן לאביה:
9And no inheritance will be transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for each person of the tribes of the children of Israel shall remain attached to his own inheritance." טוְלֹֽא־תִסֹּ֧ב נַֽחֲלָ֛ה מִמַּטֶּ֖ה לְמַטֵּ֣ה אַחֵ֑ר כִּי־אִישׁ֙ בְּנַ֣חֲלָת֔וֹ יִדְבְּק֕וּ מַטּ֖וֹת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
10As the Lord had commanded Moses, so did Zelophehad's daughters do. יכַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנ֥וֹת צְלָפְחָֽד:
11Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah married their cousins. יאוַתִּֽהְיֶ֜ינָה מַחְלָ֣ה תִרְצָ֗ה וְחָגְלָ֧ה וּמִלְכָּ֛ה וְנֹעָ֖ה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֑ד לִבְנֵ֥י דֹֽדֵיהֶ֖ן לְנָשִֽׁים:
Mahlah, Tirzah…: Here it enumerates them according to seniority over each other in age, and they were married in the order they were born. But throughout Scripture (26:33, 17:1, Josh. 17:3), it lists them in order of their intelligence and informs us that they were all equal. — [B.B. 120a]
מחלה תרצה וגו': כאן מנאן לפי גדולתן זו מזו בשנים ונשאו כסדר תולדותן, ובכל המקרא מנאן לפי חכמתן ומגיד ששקולות זו כזו:
12They married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained with the tribe of their father's family. יבמִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת בְּנֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה בֶן־יוֹסֵ֖ף הָי֣וּ לְנָשִׁ֑ים וַתְּהִי֙ נַֽחֲלָתָ֔ן עַל־מַטֵּ֖ה מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת אֲבִיהֶֽן:
13These are the commandments and the ordinances that the Lord commanded the children of Israel through Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan at Jericho. יגאֵ֣לֶּה הַמִּצְוֹ֞ת וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּיַד־משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּעַרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב עַ֖ל יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 135 - 139
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 135
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Name of the Lord; offer praise, you servants of the Lord-
2. who stand in the House of the Lord, in the courtyards of the House of our God.
3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to His Name, for He is pleasant.
4. For God has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His beloved treasure.
5. For I know that the Lord is great, our Master is greater than all supernal beings.
6. All that the Lord desired He has done, in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and the depths.
7. He causes mists to rise from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings forth the wind from His vaults.
8. It was He who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of man and beast.
9. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of Egypt, on Pharaoh and on all his servants.
10. It was He who struck down many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11. Sichon, king of the Amorites; Og, king of Bashan; and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12. And He gave their lands as a heritage, a heritage to His people Israel.
13. Lord, Your Name is forever; Lord, Your remembrance is throughout all generations.
14. Indeed, the Lord will judge on behalf of His people, and have compassion on His servants.
15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the product of human hands.
16. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
17. they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouth.
18. Like them will their makers become-all who trust in them.
19. House of Israel, bless the Lord; House of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20. House of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21. Blessed is the Lord from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 136
This psalm contains twenty-six verses, corresponding to the twenty-six generations between the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah.
1. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is forever.
2. Praise the God of the supernal beings, for His kindness is forever.
3. Praise the Master of the heavenly hosts, for His kindness is forever.
4. Who alone performs great wonders, for His kindness is forever.
5. Who makes the heavens with understanding, for His kindness is forever.
6. Who spreads forth the earth above the waters, for His kindness is forever.
7. Who makes the great lights, for His kindness is forever.
8. The sun to rule by day, for His kindness is forever.
9. The moon and stars to rule by night, for His kindness is forever.
10. Who struck Egypt through its firstborn, for His kindness is forever.
11. And brought Israel out of their midst, for His kindness is forever.
12. With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His kindness is forever.
13. Who split the Sea of Reeds into sections, for His kindness is forever.
14. And brought Israel across it, for His kindness is forever.
15. And cast Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds, for His kindness is forever.
16. Who led His people through the desert, for His kindness is forever;
17. Who struck down great kings, for His kindness is forever.
18. And slew mighty kings, for His kindness is forever.
19. Sichon, king of the Amorites, for His kindness is forever.
20. And Og, king of Bashan, for His kindness is forever.
21. And gave their land as a heritage, for His kindness is forever.
22. A heritage to Israel His servant, for His kindness is forever.
23. Who remembered us in our humiliation, for His kindness is forever.
24. And redeemed us from our oppressors, for His kindness is forever.
25. Who gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.
26. Praise the God of heaven, for His kindness is forever.
Chapter 137
Referring to the time of the destruction of the Temple, this psalm tells of when Nebuchadnezzar would ask the Levites to sing in captivity as they had in the Temple, to which they would reply, "How can we sing the song of God upon alien soil?" They were then comforted by Divine inspiration.
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion.
2. There, upon the willows, we hung our harps.
3. For there our captors demanded of us songs, and those who scorned us-rejoicing, [saying,] "Sing to us of the songs of Zion.”
4. How can we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil?
5. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its dexterity].
6. Let my tongue cleave to my palate if I will not remember you, if I will not bring to mind Jerusalem during my greatest joy!
7. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of [the destruction of] Jerusalem, when they said, "Raze it, raze it to its very foundation!”
8. O Babylon, who is destined to be laid waste, happy is he who will repay you in retribution for what you have inflicted on us.
9. Happy is he who will seize and crush your infants against the rock!
Chapter 138
David offers awesome praises to God for His kindness to him, and for fulfilling His promise to grant him kingship.
1. By David. I will thank You with all my heart, in the presence of princes I shall praise You.
2. I will bow toward Your Holy Sanctuary, and praise Your Name for Your kindness and for Your truth; for You have exalted Your word above all Your Names.
3. On the day that I called out You answered me, You emboldened me, [You put] strength in my soul.
4. Lord, all the kings of the land will give thanks to You when they hear the words of Your mouth.
5. And they will sing of the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is great.
6. For though the Lord is exalted, He sees the lowly; the High One castigates from afar.
7. If I walk in the midst of distress, keep me alive; against the wrath of my enemies stretch out Your hand, and let Your right hand deliver me.
8. Lord, complete [Your kindness] on my behalf. Lord, Your kindness is forever, do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Chapter 139
A most prominent psalm that guides man in the ways of God as no other in all of the five books of Tehillim. Fortunate is he who recites it daily.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O Lord, You have probed me, and You know.
2. You know my sitting down and my standing up; You perceive my thought from afar.
3. You encircle my going about and my lying down; You are familiar with all my paths.
4. For there was not yet a word on my tongue-and behold, Lord, You knew it all.
5. You have besieged me front and back, You have laid Your hand upon me.
6. Knowledge [to escape You] is beyond me; it is exalted, I cannot know it.
7. Where can I go [to escape] Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your presence?
8. If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold, You are there.
9. Were I to take up wings as the dawn and dwell in the furthest part of the sea,
10. there, too, Your hand would guide me; Your right hand would hold me.
11. Were I to say, "Surely the darkness will shadow me," then the night would be as light around me.
12. Even the darkness obscures nothing from You; and the night shines like the day-the darkness is as light.
13. For You created my mind; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14. I will thank You, for I was formed in an awesome and wondrous way; unfathomable are Your works, though my soul perceives much.
15. My essence was not hidden from You even while I was born in concealment, formed in the depths of the earth.
16. Your eyes beheld my raw form; all [happenings] are inscribed in Your book, even those to be formed in future days-to Him they are the same.
17. How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How overwhelming, [even] their beginnings!
18. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand, even if I were to remain awake and always with You.
19. O that You would slay the wicked, O God, and men of blood [to whom I say], "Depart from me!”
20. They exalt You for wicked schemes, Your enemies raise [You] for falsehood.
21. Indeed, I hate those who hate You, Lord; I contend with those who rise up against You.
22. I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies.
23. Search me, Lord, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24. See if there is a vexing way in me, then lead me in the way of the world.
Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva, beginning of Chapter 11
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Shabbat Tammuz 28, 5777 · July 22, 2017
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Igeret HaTeshuva , beginning of Chapter 11
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The Alter Rebbe stated in the previous chapter that since prayer is an expression of teshuvah ila'ah, the higher level of return, it must be preceded by the humility and contrition of teshuvah tata'ah, the lower level of return. This is attained by spiritual stocktaking and by arousing Divine compassion upon one's soul, in keeping with the Mishnaic dictum that “one should embark on worship only in an earnest frame of mind,” which is explained by Rashi to mean “humility”.
At the same time, the Alter Rebbe continued, we are also taught that “one should embark on worship only with joy.” Since nowadays most people are incapable of instantly turning their hearts from one extreme to the other, the Alter Rebbe advised that the time for the humbled heart of teshuvah tata'ah be advanced to the Tikkun Chatzot of the preceding midnight, so that when the time for prayer arrives the worshiper will be in a state of joy.
In the present chapter the Alter Rebbe goes on to say that difficulties notwithstanding, it is possible for the heart to simultaneously harbor two opposite emotions — the anguished soul of teshuvah tata'ah and the joy that immediately precedes and accompanies prayer.
ואמנם להיות בלבו ההכנעה, היא בחינת תשובה תתאה הנ"ל וגם השמחה בה' שתיהן ביחד
This subject, simultaneously harboring contrite humility in the heart — the state of teshuvah tata'ah, as explained — and the above — mentioned [contrary emotion of] joy in G‑d, that is also necessary for the service of prayer,
כבר מילתא אמורה בלקוטי אמרים, סוף פרק ל"ד
has already been discussed in Likutei Amarim, at the end of chapter 34.
The Alter Rebbe explained there that these two emotions are not mutually exclusive, since one's contriteness is occasioned by his body and animal soul, while his joy stems from his Divine soul and the G‑dly spark that it houses. Having two distinct causes, the two emotions can lodge together.
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to quote the Zohar to this effect:
כמו שכתוב בזוהר הקדוש: חדוה תקיעא בלבאי מסטרא דא וכו'
This is as stated in the Zohar:1 “Weeping is lodged in one side of my heart [and joy is lodged in the other side of my heart].”
This statement was made by R. Elazar ben R. Shimon. Hearing from his father Kabbalistic insights into the Destruction of the Holy Temple, he was at one and the same time heartbroken from his renewed recognition of the enormity of the Destruction — and joyful to be inducted into the mysteries of the Torah. We thus see from the Zohar that two opposite emotions can coexist when they result from two different causes.
ובצירוף עוד האמונה והבטחון, להיות נכון לבו בטוח בה' כי חפץ חסד הוא
Joined to this is faith and confidence, the heart being firm and certain in G‑d — that2 “He delights in kindness,”
וחנון ורחום ורב לסלוח, תיכף ומיד שמבקש מחילה וסליחה מאתו יתברך
and is3 “gracious and merciful” and abundantly forgiving the instant one entreats Him for forgiveness and atonement.
(כרוב רחמיך מחה פשעי
(4As it is written,5 “In accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions”;
כבסני, טהרני
or:6 “Cleanse me, purify me”;
וכל עוונותי מחה וכו')
or:7 “Erase all my sins……”)
בלי שום ספק וספק ספיקא בעולם
[The worshiper offers supplications such as the above] without the faintest vestige of doubt.
וכמו שאנו מברכין בכל תפלת שמונה עשרה: תיכף שמבקשים סלח לנו כו', ברוך אתה ה' חנון המרבה לסלוח
For this reason, in every Shemoneh Esreh, the moment we plead, “Pardon us ……,” [we conclude,] “Blessed are You, O G‑d, gracious One Who pardons abundantly.”
והרי ספק ברכות להקל, משום חשש ברכה לבטלה
Now we are forbidden to recite a blessing of doubtful obligation, for fear that it be pronounced in vain.8
Thus, were there even the slightest doubt as to whether G‑d forgives the sinner, we would never have been commanded to recite the above blessing.
אלא אין כאן שום ספק כלל
But there is no doubt here whatsoever,
מאחר שבקשנו: סלח לנו, מחל לנו
for we have asked, “Pardon us, forgive us.”
ואילו לא היינו חוזרים וחוטאים, היינו נגאלין מיד
Furthermore, were we not to repeat our transgressions we would be immediately redeemed,
כמו שאנו מברכין: ברוך אתה ה' גואל ישראל
in accordance with the blessing we recite immediately afterwards, “Blessed are You, O G‑d, Who redeems Israel.”
As the order of the blessings indicates, forgiveness leads to redemption — if not for our relapses.
והרי אפילו במדת בשר ודם כן, שצריך האדם למחול תיכף ומיד שמבקשים ממנו מחילה
Even by human standards [this certainty of pardon is legitimate, for] one must forgive as soon as he is asked for pardon.
ולא יהא אכזרי מלמחול
He must not cruelly withhold his forgiveness
ואפילו בקוטע יד חבירו
even if one were to cut off his hand,
כדאיתא בגמרא, בסוף פרק ח' דבבא קמא
as we find in the Gemara, at the end of chapter 8 of Bava Kama.9
ואם ביקש ממנו ג פעמים ולא מחל לו, שוב אינו צריך לבקש ממנו
So, too, if one has asked his fellow for forgiveness three times and has been rebuffed, he need not apologize further.
והגבעונים, שביקש דוד המלך עליו השלום מהם מחילה בעד שאול, שהמית את הגבעונים, ולא רצו למחול
When King David asked the Gibeonites10 to forgive King Saul who had killed their people and they refused to do so,
גזר דוד עליהם שלא יבאו בקהל ה', שהם רחמנים וכו'
David decreed that they should not enter the congregation of G‑d, i.e., they would never be allowed to convert and thereby join the Jewish people, who are merciful ……,
כדאיתא בפרק ח' דיבמות
as we have learned in Yevamot, end of chapter 8. 11
ובמדת הקב"ה על אחת כמה וכמה לאין קץ
As a Divine trait, how much more certain is it — nay, infinitely more certain — [that forgiveness is swift].
Now if mere mortals are also expected to forgive instantly, what kind of praise is it that we offer the Infinite One in Shemoneh Esreh (the Amidah) by ascribing a like attribute to Him? This is the question that the Alter Rebbe now anticipates:
FOOTNOTES
1.III, 75a.
2.Micah 7:18.
3.Tehillim 145:8.
4.Parentheses are in the original text.
5.Tehillim 51:3
6.Cf. loc. cit., v. 4.
7.Loc. cit., v. 11.
8.Berachot 33a.
9.92a.
10.II Shmuel 21.
11.78b ff.
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• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Shabbat, Tammuz 28, 5777 · July 22, 2017
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Positive Commandment 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Transactions
Positive Commandment 245
Translated by Berel Bell
The 245th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the laws of buying and selling, i.e. the ways in which purchases and sales between the buyers and the sellers become legally binding.
The Torah taught about one method in G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, [or buy something from your neighbor's hand...]" Our Sages said,2 "[The word 'hand' teaches that the sale] refers to something which can pass from one hand to another," i.e. meshichah [physically moving the object].
It is explained that in Biblical law, transfer of money is sufficient to complete the transaction, and meshichah is necessary only by Rabbinic decree, as is mesirah [giving the vehicle of control, e.g. the reins of a horse, to the buyer] and hagba'ah [lifting the object].
The Gemara3 explicitly says, "Just as our Sages enacted a requirement of meshichah in order for a sale to be valid, so too they required meshichah in order for a watchman relationship to become valid." It is therefore clear that the requirement of meshichah in buying and selling is of Rabbinic origin, as explained in the relevant place.
However, other methods of acquiring land, etc., i.e. by means of a document or chazakah4 are traced5 to Biblical verses [and are therefore of Biblical, not Rabbinic, origin].
The details of this mitzvah — i.e. the manners of finalizing a sale in each category — are explained in the 1st chapter of tractate Kiddushin, the 4th and 8th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Bava Basra.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 25:14.
2.Bava Metzia 47b.
3.Ibid., 99a.
4.Such as building something on the land.
5.See Kiddushin 26a.
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• 1 Chapter A Day: Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 15
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1
How is the mitzvah of stoning carried out? Four cubits from the place of execution, we remove the clothes of the person to be stoned; we do, however, cover his sexual organ in front. A woman is not executed naked. Instead, she is allowed to wear one cloak.
The place of execution was two storeys high. The convicted person ascends there with his hands tied, together with his witnesses. One of the witnesses pushes him at his loins from behind, he falls over, landing on his heart on the ground. If he dies because of this, they have fulfilled their obligation, for Exodus 19:13 states: "Or he will be cast down or stoned," creating an equation between a person who has a stone fall upon him with one who himself falls on the earth.
If he does not die after this fall, the witnesses pick up a stone that is so large it requires two people to carry it. The second witness lets go and the first casts the stone on the convicted person's heart. If he dies because of this, they have fulfilled their obligation. If not, he should be stoned by the entire Jewish people, as Deuteronomy 17:7 states: "The hand of the witnesses shall be raised up against him first to execute him, and the hand of the entire nation afterwards."
א
כיצד מצות הנסלקין רחוק מבית הסקילה ארבע אמות מפשיטין את המחוייב סקילה בגדיו ומכסין ערותו מלפניו ואין האשה נסקלת ערומה אלא בחלוק אחד ובית הסקילה גבוה שתי קומות עולה לשם הוא ועדיו וידיו אסורות ואחד מן העדים דוחפו על מתניו מאחוריו והוא נהפך ונופל על לבו לארץ אם מת בה יצא שהרי נאמר סקול יסקל או ירה יירה הנה השוה הנסקל שנפל את האבן עליו עם הנדחף שנפל הוא בעצמו על הארץ ואם לא מת מדחיפה זו מגביהין העדים אבן שהיתה מונחת שם משא שני בני אדם והעד השני מרפה את ידו ומשליך האבן על לבו אם מת בו יצא ואם לאו רגימתו בכל ישראל שנאמר יד העדים תהיה בו בראשונה להמיתו ויד כל העם באחרונה:
2
An idolater should be stoned at the gateway to the place where he performed the transgression. If the majority of the population of a city are gentiles, he should be stoned at the entrance to the court. This concept has been conveyed by the Oral Tradition. The term "to your gates" where Deuteronomy 17:8 states that an idolater should be executed refers to the gate where he performed the transgression and not the gate where he was sentenced.
ב
עובד ע"ז אין סוקלין אותו אלא על שער שעבד בו ואם היתה עיר שרובה עכו"ם סוקלין אותו על פתח בית דין ודבר זה קבלה מפי השמועה אל שעריך זה שער שעבד בו ולא שנגמר דינו בו:
3
The mitzvah of executing a person by burning is performed as follows: The convicted is placed in fertilizer until his knees. A firm cloth is placed within a soft cloth and they are wound around his neck. The two witnesses are positioned on either side and each pull the cloths toward himself until the convicted opens his mouth. Tin, lead, and the like are melted down and then poured into his mouth. The molten metal descends and burns his innards.
ג
מצות הנשרפין היו משקעין אותו בזבל עד ארכובותיו ונותנים סודר קשה לתוך הרך וכורך על צוארו ושני עדיו זה מושך אצלו וזה מושך אצלו עד שהוא פותח את פיו ומתיכים את הבדיל ואת העופרת וכיוצא בהן והוא זורק לתוך פיו והיא יורדת ושורפת את בני מעיו:
4
The mitzvah of decapitation is performed as follows: We cut of his head with a sword as the kings do.
ד
מצות הנהרגין מתיזין את ראשו בסייף כדרך שהמלכים עושים:
5
The mitzvah of executing a person by strangulation is performed as follows: The convicted is placed in fertilizer until his knees. A firm cloth is placed within a soft cloth and they are wound around his neck. Each of the two witnesses pulls the cloths toward himself until the convicted expires.
ה
מצות הנחנקין משקעין את המחוייב בזבל עד ארכובותיו ונותנין סודר קשה לתוך הרך וכורכין על צוארו זה מושך אצלו וזה מושך אצלו עד שתצא נפשו:
6
It is a positive commandment to hang a blasphemer and an idolater after they have been executed, as implied by Deuteronomy 21:23: "A person who is hung is cursing God." This refers to the blasphemer. With regard to an idolater, Numbers 15:30 states: "He blasphemes God."
A man is hung, but a woman is not hung, as implied by Deuteronomy 21:22: "When a man has sinned and is condemned to die, after he is executed, you shall hang him...."
ו
מצות עשה לתלות את המגדף ועובד עכו"ם שנאמר כי קללת אלהים תלוי הרי מגדף אמור ובעובד עכו"ם נאמר את ה' הוא מגדף והאיש נתלה ואין האשה נתלית שנאמר כי יהיה באיש חטא משפט מות והומת ותלית אותו:
7
How is the mitzvah of hanging carried out? After the convicted is stoned, a beam is implanted in the ground with a rafter protruding from it. The two hands of the corpse are intercrossed and he is hung close to sunset.
He is released immediately. If not, a negative commandment is transgressed, as Ibid.:23 states: "Do not let his corpse tarry overnight on the beam."
ז
כיצד מצות הנתלין אחר שסוקלין אותן משקעין את הקורה בארץ ועץ יוצא ממנה ומקיפין שתי ידיו זו לזו ותולהו סמוך לשקיעת החמה ומתירין אותו מיד ואם לן עוברין עליו בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תלין נבלתו על העץ:
8
It is a positive mitzvah to bury the persons executed by the court on the day of their execution, as Ibid. states: "For you shall surely bury him on that day."
Not only those executed by the court, but anyone who leaves a deceased overnight without burying him transgresses a negative commandment. If, however, a burial is delayed overnight to honor the deceased, e.g., to bring a coffin or shrouds, there is no transgression.
ח
ומצות עשה לקבור את כל הרוגי בית דין ביום ההריגה שנאמר כי קבור תקברנו ביום ההוא ולא הרוגי בית דין בלבד אלא כל המלין את מתו עובר עליו בלא תעשה הלינו לכבודו להביא לו ארון ותכריכין אינו עובר עליו:
9
We do not hang a person on a tree that is still growing from the ground, only from one which has been detached. In this way, the tree will not have to be chopped down before the person's burial. For the tree on which the executed is hung is buried with him, so that it will not be an unfavorable remembrance, causing people to say: "This is the tree on which so-and-so was hung."
Similarly, the stone, the sword, and the cloths used for execution are all buried near the deceased, but not in his actual grave.
ט
אין תולין על אילן המחובר לקרקע אלא על התלוש כדי שלא יהא מחוסר קציצה שהעץ שנתלה עליו נקבר עמו שלא יהא לו זכרון רע ויאמרו זה העץ שנתלה עליו פלוני וכן האבן שנסקל בה והסייף שנהרג בו הנהרג והסודרין שחונקין בהן הכל נקברין בתפישת הנהרג אבל לא בקבר עצמו:
10
The Torah mentions18 people who are executed by stoning. They are: a) a person who engages in relations with his mother, b) with his father's wife, c) his daughter-in-law, d) a maiden who was consecrated, e) a man involved in homosexual relations, f) a man who sodomizes an animal, g) a woman who has relations with an animal, h) a blasphemer, i) an idolater, j) a person who gives his descendants to Molech, k) a person who divines with an ov, l) a person who divines with an yidoni, m) a person who entices others to worship idols, n) the people who lead a city to idol worship, o) a sorcerer, p) a person who desecrates the Sabbath, q) a person who curses his father or his mother, and r) a wayward and rebellious son.
י
כל הנסקלין שבתורה שמונה עשר ואלו הן: הבא על האם ועל אשת אב ועל כלתו ועל נערה המאורסה ועל הזכור והשוכב עם בהמה והאשה המביאה את הבהמה עליה והמגדף ועובד עכו"ם והנותן מזרעו למולך ובעל אוב ובעל ידעוני והמסית והמדיח והמכשף והמחלל את השבת ומקלל אביו או אמו ובן סורר ומורה:
11
There are 10 people who are executing by burning: a) a priest's daughter who commits adultery, b) a person who has relations with his daughter, c) with his daughter's daughter, d) with his son's daughter, e) with his wife's daughter, f) with the daughter of his wife's daughter, g) with the daughter of his wife's son, h) with his mother-in-law, i) with the mother of his mother-in-law, and j) with the mother of his father-in-law.
The latter prohibitions apply if the man has relations with them during his wife's lifetime. After his wife's death, these relations are punishable by kerait alone like other incestuous relationships.
יא
כל הנשרפין עשרה ואלו הן: בת כהן שזינתה תחת בעלה ובא על בתו ועל בת בתו ועל בת בנו ועל בת אשתו ועל בת בתה ועל בת בנה ועל חמותו ועל אם חמותו ועל אם חמיו והוא שבא עליהן בחיי אשתו אבל לאחר מיתת אשתו הרי הן בכרת בלבד בכלל העריות:
12
There are two who are decapitated: a murderer, and the inhabitants of a city enticed to idolatry.
יב
הנהרגין שנים: הרוצח והנדח:
13
There are six who are executed by strangulation: a) an adulterer, b) a person who wounds his father or mother, c) a person who kidnaps a fellow Jew, d) a rebellious elder, e) an a false prophet, and f) a person who prophecies in the name of a false deity.
Thus the court executes individuals for a totality of 36 prohibitions.
יג
הנחנקין ששה ואלו הן: הבא על אשת איש החובל באביו או באמו וגונב נפש מישראל וזקן ממרא ונביא השקר והמתנבא בשם ע"ז נמצאו כל הרוגי בית דין ששה ושלשים:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter One, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Two, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassZechiyah uMattanah - Chapter One
Introduction to Hilchos Zechiyah uMattanah
The purpose of these laws is to determine how a person acquires an ownerless article and the processes that he employs. They also explain the rules governing one who gives a gift and one who receives, and which gift is retracted and which is not. All these laws are explained in the chapters that follow.
הלכות זכיה ומתנה פרק ראשון - הקדמה
הלכות זכיה ומתנה ענין אלו ההלכות לידע דין זוכה מן ההפקר היאך יקנה ובמה יקנה ודין נותן מתנה ומקבל מתנה ואי זו מתנה חוזרת ואי זו אינה חוזרת וביאור כל הדינין אלו בפרקים אלו:
1
Whoever takes hold of ownerless property acquires it. Any objects found naturally in deserts, rivers and streams - e.g., grass, trees, wild fruit and the like - are ownerless. Whoever first takes hold of such an object acquires it.
א
ההפקר כל המחזיק בו זכה וכן המדברות והנהרות והנחלים כל שבהן הפקר וכל הקודם בהן זכה כגון העשבים והעצים והפירות של אילנות של יער וכיוצא בהן:
2
When a person catches fish in a sea or in a river, and similarly, when he catches fowl, or various wild beasts, since they are ownerless, he acquires them. He may not, however, hunt in a field belonging to a colleague. Nevertheless, if he snares an animal there, he acquires it.
If fish - or wild beasts or fowl - are in vivariums belonging to another person, they belong to the owner of the vivarium. A person who snares an animal there is considered to be a robber. This applies even if the vivarium is large and effort is required to snare the animal.
ב
הצד דגים מן הימים ומן הנהרות או שצד עופות או מיני חיות הואיל ואין להם בעלים זכה ובלבד שלא יצוד בשדה חבירו ואם צד שם קנה ואם היו הדגים בביברים של בעלים וכן חיה ועוף שבביברים אע"פ שהוא ביבר גדול והוא מחוסר צידה הרי זה של בעל הביברים והצד משם הרי זה גזלן:
3
However, when a person takes a fish from the net of a colleague at sea, or takes a beast from a snare of a colleague set in the desert, this is prohibited by virtue of Rabbinic decree. If the snare could be considered to be a container, and the person took the fish or the animal from the container, he is considered to be a robber.
ג
אבל הלוקח דגים מתוך מצודתו של חבירו כשהוא בתוך הים או שלקח חיה ממצודתו כשהיא פרוסה במדבר הרי זו אסור מדברי סופרים ואם היה המצודה כלי ולקח מתוך המצודה הרי זה גזלן:
4
When a person spreads out a snare in a field belonging to a colleague, and traps a beast or a fowl, he acquires it, even though he does not have permission to do this. If the owner of the field was standing in the field at the time the animal was trapped, and said: "My field acquires this on my behalf," the owner of the field acquires it, and the owner of the snare does not acquire anything.
ד
הפורס מצודה בשדה חבירו וצד בה חיה או עוף אף על פי שאין לו רשות לעשות דבר זה קנה ואם היה עומד בעל השדה בתוך שדהו ואמר זכתה לי שדי קנה בעל השדה ואין לבעל המצודה כלום:
5
When fish jump into a boat, they become acquired by the owner of the boat, for the boat is considered to be a protected courtyard. It is not considered to be a moving courtyard, because the boat does not move on its own. It is the water that moves it.
ה
דגים שקפצו לתוך הספינה קנה בעל הספינה שזו כחצר המשתמרת היא ואינה חצר המהלכת שהמים הן שמוליכין אותה ואינה הולכת מחמת עצמה:
6
When a convert dies without having fathered a Jew after his conversion, he has no heirs. Instead, the first person who takes hold of his property acquires it. A neighbor does not have the right to buy the property from the person who took hold of it, because this is considered to be a gift.
ו
גר שמת ולא הוליד ישראל אחר שנתגייר אין לו יורשין אלא כל הקודם והחזיק בנכסיו זכה ואין בעל המצר יכול לסלקו בדמים שזו כמתנה היא:
7
The following laws apply when there are two fields in an estate that belong to a convert, with one boundary marker between them. If a person manifests ownership over one of the fields with the intent of acquiring it, he acquires it. If he manifests ownership over it with the intent of acquiring both it and the other field, he acquires the field over which he manifested ownership, but he does not acquire the other field.
If he manifests ownership over one field with the intent of acquiring only the other field, he does not acquire either of them. He does not acquire the field over which he did not manifest ownership because he did not manifest ownership over it. He does not acquire the field over which he did manifest ownership because he did not manifest ownership with the intent of acquiring it.
If he manifests ownership over one field with the intent of acquiring it, the other field and the boundary marker between them, or if he manifests ownership over the boundary marker with the intent of acquiring both fields, there is an unresolved doubt with regard to the matter. If another person comes and manifests ownership over one of the fields itself with the intent of acquiring it, the latter person becomes the legal owner.
ז
שתי שדות בנכסי הגר ומצר אחד ביניהן החזיק באחת מהן לקנותה קנאה החזיק בה לקנות אותה ואת חברתה זו שהחזיק בה קנה אבל חברתה לא קנה החזיק בה כדי לקנות את חברתה לא קנה אחת מהן חברתה מפני שלא החזיק בה ואותה מפני שלא החזיק בה כדי לקנותה החזיק בה כדי לקנותה ולקנות את חברתה ואת המצר שביניהן או שהחזיק במצר לקנות שתיהן הרי זה ספק ואם בא אחד והחזיק בה כדי לקנותה זכה האחרון:
8
Similarly, when two houses are located one within the other, if a person manifests ownership over one of the houses with the intent of acquiring both it and the other house, he acquires only the house over which he manifested ownership. If he manifests ownership over one house with the intent of acquiring only the other one, he does not acquire even the house over which he did manifest ownership.
ח
וכן שני בתים זה לפנים מזה שהחזיק באחד מהן לקנותו ולקנות את השני לא קנה אלא זה שהחזיק בו בלבד החזיק באחד מהן כדי לקנות את השני אף זה שהחזיק בו לא קנה:
9
When a person takes hold over a deed of sale within the estate of a convert with the intent of acquiring the land mentioned in that deed, he acquires only the document itself. He may use it to wrap around the top of a bottle or the like.
ט
המחזיק בשטר מנכסי הגר כדי לקנות את הקרקע הכתובה באותו שטר לא קנה אלא השטר בלבד לצור על פי צלוחיתו וכיוצא בזה:
10
When the boundaries of a field belonging to a deceased convert are clearly marked, when a person plunges a spade into the field in one place, he acquires the entire field. If the boundaries of the field are not clearly marked, by plunging the spade into that one place, he acquires only a portion over which a team of oxen will pass when plowing, before the team returns.
A boundary marker and a chatzav used to designate boundaries serve as cut-off points with regard to the estate of a convert. Whoever manifests ownership over the field acquires only up to the boundary marker or the chatzav.
י
שדה המצויינת במצריה כיון שהכיש בה מכוש אחד קנה את כולה ואם אינה מצויינת במצריה קונה ממנה באותו מכוש כדי שילך הצמד בשעת חרישה ויחזור המצר והחצב שמתחמין בו תחומין מפסיקין בנכסי הגר וכל המחזיק בשדה לא קנה אלא עד המצר או עד החצב:
11
Whatever is considered significant to create a separation with regard to the distribution of pe'ah is also considered significant to create a separation with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert.
What is implied? If there was a stream, an irrigation ditch or the like, the person seeking to acquire the field acquires only up to the stream or up to the irrigation ditch.
Whatever creates a distinction with regard to the domains of the Sabbath, creates a distinction with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert - for example, a situation where a private domain or a carmelit is interposed between two fields. Indeed, a distinction is created, even if the two fields were separated by a domain that is considered a distinction with regard to the transfer of a bill of divorce.
יא
כל המפסיק לפאה מפסיק בנכסי הגר כיצד היה שם נחל או אמת המים וכיוצא בהן לא קנה אלא עד הנחל או עד האמה וכל המפסיק ברשות שבת מפסיק בנכסי הגר כגון שהיה בין שתי השדות רשות היחיד או כרמלית אפילו היה ביניהם רשות שחולקת לגיטין:
12
Whenever a distinction is created with regard to the laws of ritual impurity, it also applies with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert.
What is implied? A person enters a valley. There is an object that conveys ritual impurity on one side of the valley, and the person does not know whether or not he has reached the place that is ritually impure. Wherever the person would be considered to be ritually impure is considered to be a separate entity from the field as a whole.
יב
כל דבר המפסיק לטומאה מפסיק בנכסי הגר כיצד כגון שנכנס אדם לבקעה זו וטומאה בבקעה בצדה אחרת ואינו יודע אם הגיע למקום הטומאה אם לאו כל מקום שמחזיקין אותו לטומאה הרי הוא כמקום אחר מוחלק בפני עצמו:
13
The following law applies when there is a large valley containing many fields, all belonging to one convert, and there is no boundary marker, chatzav or any other entity that creates a distinction between them. If one person comes and manifests ownership over a portion of the valley with the intent of acquiring the entire valley, he acquires all the land that is known to be owned by that convert.
יג
בקעה גדולה שיש בה שדות רבות וכולן של גר אחד ולא היה ביניהן לא מצר ולא חצב ולא דבר מדברים המפסיקין ובא אחד והחזיק במקצת הבקעה לקנות את כולה כל הנקרא על שם אותו הגר קונה אותו:
14
When a gentile sells movable property to a Jew or buys movable property, he acquires and transfers the property through meshichah or through the transfer of funds.
Different rules apply with regard to landed property. A gentile does not acquire landed property from a Jew without a deed of sale, nor does he transfer property without a deed of sale. For he will not rely on anything but a deed of sale.
For this reason, if a Jew purchased a field from a gentile and paid the money for it, but before he could manifest his ownership over it, another Jew came and manifested ownership over it in a manner similar to that described above with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert, the latter person acquires the land. He must, however, repay the money to the purchaser.
The rationale for the decision is that the gentile abrogates his ownership over the property at the time he receives the money. And yet, the Jew [purchasing the land does not acquire it until the deed of sale reaches his hand. In the interim, the property is like property in the desert concerning which the rule is: Whoever manifests ownership over it acquires it.
יד
עכו"ם שמכר מטלטלין לישראל או קנה מטלטלין מישראל קונה במשיכה ומקנה במשיכה או בדמים אבל הקרקע אינו קונה אותו מישראל אלא בשטר ואינו מקנה אותו לישראל אלא בשטר שאין דעתו סומכת אלא על השטר לפיכך ישראל שלקח שדה מן העכו"ם ונתן הדמים וקודם שיחזיק בה בא ישראל אחר והחזיק בה כדרך שמחזיקין בנכסי הגר זכה אחרון ונותן לראשון את הדמים מפני שהעכו"ם מעת שלקח הדמים סלק רשותו וישראל לא קנה עד שיגיע השטר לידו ונמצאו נכסים אלו כנכסי מדבר שכל המחזיק בהן זכה:
15
When does the above apply? When there are no known laws enforced by the governing sovereign. If, however, the law of the governing sovereign and his judgment is that only a person whose name is mentioned in the deed of sale - who paid money for the property or the like - can acquire the land, we follow the law of the governing sovereign. For we rule according to all the financial laws of the governing sovereign.
טו
בד"א במקום שאין משפט ידוע למלך אבל אם דין אותו המלך ומשפטו שלא יזכה בקרקע אלא מי שכותב בשטר או הנותן דמים וכיוצא בדברים אלו עושין כפי משפט המלך שכל דיני המלך בממון על פיהן דנין:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Two
1
The property of a deceased convert who has no heirs, property that is ownerless, and a field that a gentile sold to a Jew who has not taken hold of it are all governed by the same laws. Whoever manifests ownership over them using a valid chazakah - to be described in Hilchot Mechirah - acquires them, with one exception: eating produce.
א
נכסי גר שאין לו יורשים ונכסי ההפקר ושדה שמכרה העכו"ם לישראל ועדיין לא החזיק בה כולם דינם שוה כל המחזיק בהם בדרך מדרכי החזקה כמו שביארנו בהלכות מכירה קנה חוץ מאכילת הפירות:
2
What is implied? When a person buys landed property from a colleague and manifests his ownership over it by eating produce, he acquires it, as we have explained. But with regard to the acquisition of ownerless property or property of a deceased convert, even if a person eats produce of a tree for several years, he does not acquire the tree itself or the land itself until he performs a deed involving the land itself or performs a task involving the tree.
An incident occurred when a woman ate the produce of a date palm for thirteen years, and then another person manifested ownership over the tree by performing a task involving the tree itself. The incident was brought before the Sages and they ruled that the latter person acquired it.
ב
כיצד הלוקח קרקע מחבירו והחזיק בה באכילת פירותיה קנה כמו שביארנו אבל בנכסי הפקר או נכסי הגר אפילו אכל פירות האילן כמה שנים לא קנה גוף האילן ולא גוף הקרקע עד שיעשה מעשה בגוף הארץ או יעבוד עבודה באילן ומעשה באשה אחת שאכלה פירות דקל שלש עשרה שנה ובא אחד והחזיק באילן בעבודה שעבד בגוף האילן ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו זה האחרון קנה:
3
There are many acts that if performed by a purchaser to prove ownership of property are not effective , but when performed to manifest ownership over ownerless property, property belonging to a deceased convert or the like, are effective in acquiring it.
What is implied? When a person finds large palaces constructed on property belonging to a deceased convert or on ownerless property, if he paints them slightly or plasters them slightly - e.g., for a cubit or more opposite the entrance - he acquires them.
ג
יש דברים רבים שאם החזיק בהן הלוקח לא קנה עדיין ואם החזיק באחד מהן בנכסי הגר או בנכסי הפקר קנה כיצד המוצא פלטרים גדולים בנויין בנכסי הגר או בנכסי הפקר וסייד בהן סיוד אחד או כייר בהן כיור אחד כגון אמה או יותר כנגד הפתח קנה:
4
When a person makes a design in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it. If he sets out mattresses in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it. If he plows a field with the intent of leaving it fallow in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it.
When a person cuts branches of a vine or of a tree, or fronds from a date palm in the property of a deceased convert, if his intent is to improve the tree, he acquires the property. If his intent is to feed the branches to his animal, he does not acquire the property.
ד
הצר צורה בנכסי הגר קנה והמציע מצעות בנכסי הגר קנה הנר את השדה בנכסי הגר קנה המפצל זמורות הגפן או שריגי אילנות וכפות תמרים בנכסי הגר אם דעתו לעבוד האילן קנה ואם דעתו להאכיל העצים לבהמה לא קנה:
5
What is implied? If the person prunes the branches of the tree from both sides, we can assume that he intends to improve the tree. If he cuts from only one side, it appears that his intent is only for the branches.
Similarly, when a person collects wood, grass and stones from a field, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to collect the wood, he does not acquire the field.
ה
כיצד היה כורת מכאן ומכאן הרי חזקתו שנתכוין לעבודת האילן היה כורת מרוח אחת אינו מתכוין אלא לעצים וכן המלקט עצים ועשבים ואבנים מן השדה אם דעתו לתקן הארץ קנה ואם לעצים לא קנה:
6
What is implied? If the person collected both large and small branches, we can assume that his intent was to improve the land. If, by contrast, he collected only large branches and not small ones, we can assume that his intent was to collect wood.
Similarly, when a person levels the surface of the land, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to level a place to use as a grain heap, he does not acquire the field.
ו
כיצד לקט הגס והדק הרי זו בחזקת שנתכוין לתקן את הארץ לקט הגס ולא הדק הרי זה בחזקת שנתכוין לעצים וכן המשוה פני הארץ אם דעתו לתקן הארץ קנה ואם דעתו להשוות מקום שיעמיד בו גורן לא קנה:
7
What is implied? If the person takes earth from a high place and brings it to a lower place, it appears that his intent is to improve the land. If we see that he is not concerned with this and instead throws earth and stones anywhere without concern, we can assume that his intent is merely to level one limited area to use as a grain heap.
Similarly, when a person opens a flow of water into a field, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to catch fish, he does not acquire the field.
ז
כיצד היה לוקח עפר ממקום גבוה ונותנו למקום הנמוך הרי זה מתקן הארץ ראינוהו שאינו מקפיד על זה אלא משליך העפר והצרורות בכל מקום בלא הקפדה הרי זה בחזקת שאינו מתכוין אלא להשוות מקום לדייש וכן הפותח מים לתוך הארץ אם לתקן הארץ קנה ואם לצוד הדגים לא קנה:
8
What is implied? If the person made only a place for water to enter, it appears that his intent is to improve the land. If he made two openings -one for the water to enter and one for the water to leave - it appears that his intent is to catch fish.
ח
כיצד עשה מקום שיכנסו בו המים בלבד הרי זה מתכוין לתקן הארץ עשה שני פתחים אחד להכניס ואחד להוציא הרי זה מתכוין לצוד דגים:
9
When a person builds large palaces on property belonging to a deceased convert, and another person comes and sets up the doors, the second person acquires the property.
The rationale is that the first person did not do anything with the land itself, is It is as if he piled up stones on the land, an act that does not bring about his acquisition of the property.
Nor is his acquisition effective because by constructing the building he made a fence around the land since this fence is not useful, because the entrance to the building is wide enough and one can pass through it. Setting up the structure of this building is not at all useful until one sets up the doors.
ט
הבונה פלטרין גדולים בנכסי הגר ובא אחר והעמיד להם דלתות קנה האחרון שהראשון לא עשה בגוף הארץ כלום והרי הוא כמי שעשה גל אבנים על הארץ שאינו קונה שהרי לא הועיל בגדר זה מפני שהוא רחב ביותר ומפולש ואין צורת אותו הבנין מועלת לו עד שיעמיד דלתות:
10
When a person spreads seeds in rows in a field, he does not acquire the field. The rationale is that at the time he sowed the seeds, he did not improve the field at all. And at the time the produce grew, the benefit came as a result of a natural course of events. This is not sufficient for an acquisition to be made.
י
המפיץ הזרע לתוך התלמים לא קנה שבעת שהשליך הזרע לא השביח כלום ובעת שצמח והשביח שבח הבא מאליו הוא ואינו קונה:
11
If a partition existed within the property of a deceased convert, and another person came and built another partition on top of the existing one, he does not acquire the field. This applies even when the first partition sinks into the ground, and the higher partition is still functional. The rationale is that at the time the partition was built, it was not beneficial. And when it became beneficial, the benefit came as a result of a natural course of events.
יא
היתה מחיצה בנכסי הגר ובא זה ועשה מחיצה אחרת על גבה לא קנה ואפילו נבלעה מחיצה התחתונה והרי העליונה קיימת שבעת שבנה לא הועיל ובעת שהועיל מאליו בה המעשה:
12
When a person manifests ownership over property belonging to a deceased convert or ownerless property, without the intent of acquiring it, he does not acquire it despite the fact that he built or erected a fence.
יב
המחזיק בנכסי הגר ובהפקר והוא אין דעתו לקנות אע"פ שבנה וגדר לא קנה:
13
When a person plows on property belonging to a deceased convert under the mistaken conception that it is his own property, he does not acquire it.
If he plows on property belonging to one deceased convert, while he thinks that it belongs to another, he does acquire it. For he intended that his deeds acquire ownerless property.
יג
העודר בנכסי הגר וכסבור שהן שלו לא קנה עדר בנכסי גר זה וכסבור של גר אחר הואיל ונתכוון במעשיו אלו לזכות מן ההפקר הרי זה קנה:
14
If a convert was holding security belonging to a Jew, and when the convert died another Jew came and took possession of this security, it should be expropriated from him and returned to its owner. The rationale is that when the convert died, his lien on the article was nullified.
יד
היה משכון ישראל ביד הגר וכשמת הגר בא ישראל אחר והחזיק במשכון זה מוציאין אותו מידו שכיון שמת הגר בטל שעבודו:
15
When a Jew was holding security belonging to a convert, the convert dies, and another Jew takes hold of the security, the creditor should receive payment for the money owed him from the security. If it is worth more, the second person acquires the remainder.
טו
היה משכון הגר ביד ישראל ובא ישראל אחר והחזיק בו לוקח ממנו הראשון כנגד מעותיו והאחרון קנה את השאר:
16
When does the above apply? When the security was not kept in a courtyard belonging to the first person. If it was kept in such a courtyard, his courtyard acquires it on his behalf, even without his knowledge, as we have explained with regard to an article that is discovered, and the person who takes hold of it afterwards does not acquire anything.
טז
במה דברים אמורים בשלא היה המשכון בחצר הראשון אבל אם היה בחצירו חצירו קונה לו שלא מדעתו כמו שביארנו בענין מציאה ואין לזה האחרון כלום:
17
The following rules apply when a convert dies and Jews take possession of his property. If the estate contains Canaanite servants above the age of majority, they acquire their freedom. Servants below the age of majority, by contrast, are regarded as are livestock. Whoever manifests ownership over them acquires them. We have already explained the manner in which a person manifests ownership over servants and acquires them.
יז
גר שמת ובזבזו ישראל את נכסיו והיו בהן עבדים גדולים קנו עצמן בני חורין אבל העבדים הקטנים הרי הן כבהמה וכל המחזיק בהן זכה בהם וכבר ביארנו דרכי החזקה שיקנו בהם את העבדים:
18
The following rules apply when it is rumored that a convert died and Jews take possession of his property, and then it is discovered that he did not die, that he has a child or that his wife is pregnant. They must all return the property.
If they all returned the property and then discovered that the first rumor had in fact been true and the convert had died at that time, that his son died before him, or that his wife miscarried, whoever takes possession at this time acquires the property. Those who originally took possession do not acquire it.
יח
גר שמת ובזבזו ישראל את נכסיו ושמעו שעדיין לא מת או שיש לו בן או שאשתו מעוברת כולן חייבין להחזיר החזירו כולן ואח"כ שמעו שמת ששמועה ראשונה אמת היתה ובראשונה מת או מת בנו מקודם או הפילה אשתו כל המחזיק בשניה קנה ובראשונה לא קנה:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
1
When a person gives a gift to a colleague, the recipient does not acquire it until he takes possession through one of the legal processes by which a purchaser takes possession of a purchase.
If the giver desires to give him movable property, the recipient must lift up the article, perform meshichah on an article that one would not ordinarily lift up, or acquire that article through one of the other means through which movable property is acquired.
If he is giving him landed property or servants, the recipient does not acquire them until he manifests ownership over them as a purchaser would, or until a legal document recording the gift reaches his hand.
A verbal statement is not sufficient. The recipient does not acquire the gift, and either one of them still has the option of retracting.
א
הנותן מתנה לחבירו אין המקבל זוכה בה אלא באחד מן הדרכים שהקונה זוכה בהן במקחו אם מטלטלין רוצה ליתן לו עד שיגביה או שימשוך דבר שאין דרכו להגביה או יקנה באחד משאר הדברים שהמטלטלין נקנין בהן ואם קרקע או עבדים נתן לו עד שיחזיק כדרך שמחזיק הלוקח או עד שיגיע שטר מתנה לידו אבל בדברים לא זכה המקבל אלא כל אחד מהן עדיין יכול לחזור בו:
2
When, by contrast, a creditor forgoes a debt to a colleague or gives him an object that previously had been entrusted to the recipient for safekeeping, such a gift is made final by a verbal statement alone. Nothing further is necessary, as we have explained.
ב
מחל לחבירו חוב שיש לו עליו או נתן לו הפקדון שהיה מופקד אצלו הרי זו מתנה הנקנית בדברים בלבד ואין צריך דבר אחר כמו שביארנו:
3
Similarly, if a person tells a colleague: "You owe me a maneh. Give it to this person," the intended recipient acquires it. Neither has the option of retracting. This applies whether he gave the recipient the maneh in payment for a debt he owed him, or whether he gave it to him as a gift. And it applies whether the maneh had been given to the person to whom the giver charged with making the gift as a loan or it had been entrusted to him for safekeeping, as we have explained.
ג
וכן האומר לחבירו מנה שיש לי בידך תנהו לזה קנה ואין אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו בין שנתן המנה בחוב שיש לו אצלו בין שנתנו לו מתנה בין שהיה חוב אצלו בין שהיה פקדון אצלו כמו שביארנו:
4
Just as with regard to buying and selling, witnesses are necessary only to reveal the truth of the situation when there are claims and denials, so too, with regard to the waiver of obligations and gifts, witnesses are necessary only because of liars.
ד
כשם שאין צריכים עדים לענין מקח וממכר אלא לגלות הדבר בלבד אם היתה שם טענה וכפירה כך במחילות ומתנות אין צריכין עדים אלא מפני המשקרים:
5
Just as a seller must define the property that he sells, as we have explained, so too, a person who gives a gift must define what he is giving.
What is implied? If a person writes a deed to a colleague which states: "Land from my property is given to you," or he writes: "All of my property is acquired by you with some exceptions," since he did not identify the property he was giving, and the recipient did not know what he was receiving, the recipient does not acquire anything. The recipient may not demand of the giver: "Give me the least valuable of your properties." Instead, he acquires nothing unless the giver defines the place that he is giving him.
Different rules apply, however, if the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving you a portion worth such and such in this and this field." Since he defined the field, even though he did not define the portion of the field, the recipient may collect a portion of that value from the least valuable portion of the field.
ה
כשם שמוכר צריך לסיים הממכר כמו שביארנו כך הנותן כיצד הכותב לחבירו קרקע מנכסי נתונה לך או שכתב לו כל נכסי קנויין לך חוץ ממקצתן הואיל ולא סיים הדבר שנתן לו ואינו ידוע לא קנה כלום ואינו יכול לומר לו תן לי פחות שבנכסיך עד שסיים לו המקום שנתן לו אבל אם אמר לו חלק כך וכך בשדה פלונית הואיל וסיים השדה אף על פי שלא סיים החלק נוטל אותו חלק מן הפחות שבאותה שדה:
6
The following rules apply whenever a person gives a gift within the context of a conditional agreement. Whether the condition was stipulated by the giver or by the recipient, should the recipient take possession of and acquire the gift, the gift becomes binding when the condition is fulfilled. If the condition is not fulfilled, the gift is nullified and the recipient must return the benefit that he derived. This applies provided that the condition was stated in the proper manner.
ו
כל הנותן מתנה על תנאי בין שהתנה נותן בין שהתנה המקבל והחזיק המקבל וזכה בה אם נתקיים התנאי נתקיים המתנה ואם לא נתקיים התנאי בטלה המתנה ויחזיר פירות שאכל והוא שיהיה התנאי כראוי:
7
We have already explained that with regard to all conditional agreements concerning gifts, purchases and sales, it is necessary that the condition be restated, that the positive dimension of the condition be stated before the negative, that the condition precede the deed, and that the condition is one that is possible to fulfill. If any one of these factors is lacking, the condition is nullified, and it is as if it had never been stated.
ז
כבר ביארנו שכל תנאין שיש במתנות או במקח וממכר צריך שיהיה תנאי כפול והן קודם ללאו ותנאי קודם למעשה ויהיה תנאי שאפשר לקיימו ואם חסר אחד מאלו התנאין בטל וכאילו אין שם תנאי:
8
Whenever a person uses the expression: "conditional on the following," it is as if he said that the transaction will take effect retroactive to the present time"; he does not have to restate the condition. Some of the geonim have ruled in this manner. And this is also my opinion.
My teachers ruled that there is no need to restate the condition or state the positive dimension of the condition first, except in cases of divorce and consecration. There is no proof to substantiate this approach.
ח
וכל האומר על מנת כאומר מעכשיו דמי ואינו צריך לכפול התנאי כך הורו מקצת הגאונים ולזה דעתי נוטה ורבותי הורו שאין צריך לכפול התנאי ולהקדים הן ללאו אלא בגיטין ובקידושין בלבד ואין לדבר זה ראיה:
9
Whenever a person gives a gift on the condition that it be returned, the gift is valid. The gift is valid whether the condition was made to return the article immediately, that it be returned after a specific time passes, that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of either the giver or the recipient, or that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of another person.
The above applies both with regard to movable property and landed property. The recipient may derive benefit from the gift for the entire time that it is his.
ט
הנותן מתנה על מנת להחזיר הרי זו מתנה בין שהתנה להחזיר מיד בין שהתנה להחזירה לזמן קצוב או כל ימי חייו של אחד מהם או כל ימי חייו של פלוני הרי זו מתנה בין במטלטלין בין בקרקע ואוכל פירות כל זמן המתנה:
10
When a person tells a colleague: "I am giving you this ox as a gift on the condition that you return it," if the recipient consecrates the ox and then returns it, it is consecrated, and he has fulfilled his obligation to return it.
If, however, the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving it to you on the condition that you return it to me," the ox is not consecrated. For implied in the condition stated by the owner is that he return to him an article that will be fitting for him to use. The same applies in all analogous situations.
י
האומר לחבירו שור זה אני נותן לך במתנה על מנת שתחזירהו הקדישו והחזירו הרי זה מוקדש ומוחזר אמר לו על מנת שתחזירהו לי אינו קדוש שלא התנה עליו אלא שיחזיר דבר הראוי לו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
11
It is forbidden for a Jew to give a gentile a gift without charge. He may, however, give such a gift to a resident alien, as implied by Deuteronomy 14:21: "Give it to the stranger in your gates to eat or sell it to a gentile."
To a gentile, it must be sold; it may not be given. To a resident alien, by contrast, it may be sold or given. The reason for the distinction is that we are obligated to sustain a resident alien, as implied by Leviticus 25:35: "A stranger or a resident, he shall live among you."
יא
אסור לישראל ליתן לעכו"ם מתנת חנם אבל נותן הוא לגר תושב שנאמר לגר אשר בשעריך תתננה ואכלה או מכור לנכרי במכירה ולא במתנה אבל לגר תושב בין במכירה בין בנתינה מפני שאתה מצווה להחיותו שנאמר גר ותושב וחי עמך:
12
When a person gives a gift to a Canaanite servant or a married woman, it is acquired by the husband or the owner. There is, however, a distinction between their powers of acquisition. The servant's master acquires the article itself, while the husband acquires merely the right to the benefit from the article.
יב
הנותן מתנה לעבד או לאשה קנה הבעל והאדון אלא שהאדון קונה לגוף והבעל קונה אותה לפירות:
13
Even if a person gives a gift to a married woman on the condition that her husband have no authority over it, or to a servant on the condition that his master have no authority over it, the master or the husband acquires it.
If, however, one gives a gift to a married woman or to a servant and the giver stipulates that the gift itself may be used for only this or this purpose, the master or the husband does not acquire it.
יג
נתן מתנה לאשה על מנת שאין לבעלה רשות בה ולעבד על מנת שאין לרבו רשות בו קנה האדון וקנה הבעל אבל הנותן מתנה לאשה או לעבד והתנה עמהן הנותן בגופה של מתנה שתהיה לכך וכך לא קנה האדון ולא קנה הבעל:
14
What is implied? When a person gives a gift to a married woman and tells her: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for clothing, that you use it for beverages or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your husband," the husband has no authority over it.
Similarly, if a person told a servant: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for food and drink, that you use it to obtain your freedom/1 or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your master," the master has no authority over it. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
יד
כיצד הנותן מתנה לאשה ואמר לה הרי המעות האלו נתונים לך במתנה על מנת שתלבשי בהן או על מנת שתשתי בהם ותעשי מה שתרצי בלא רשות הבעל לא קנה הבעל וכן אם אמר לעבד על מנת שתאכל בהן ותשתה בהן על מנת שתצא בהם לחירות או על מנת שתעשה בהם כל מה שתרצה בלא רשות אדון שלך לא קנה האדון וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
15
When a person gives all his possessions to a servant as a gift, the servant acquires himself, and he becomes a free man. He then acquires all the other property.
If, however, the master retains for himself even the slightest amount of property - even movable property, the servant does not acquire anything.
The rationale is that the deed is not a complete bill of freedom, for the master retains some connection to the bill of transfer. Therefore, the servant is not freed, and since he is not freed, he does not acquire anything.
טו
הנותן כל נכסיו לעבדו קנה עצמו ויצא בן חורין וקנה שאר הנכסים ואם שייר כל שהוא אפילו מטלטלין לא קנה כלום שאין זה גט חירות גמור שהרי שייר בו בגט ומתוך שלא נשתחרר לא קנה כלום:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Shabbat, Tammuz 28, 5777 · 22 July 2017
"Today's Day"
Shabbat, Tamuz 28, 5703
Bless Rosh Chodesh Menachem-Av. Say all the Tehillim in the early morning. Day of farbrengen.
Haftora: Shimu until elokecha Yehuda; then, Im tashuv until uvo yit'halalu.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Matot-Massai, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 135-139.
Tanya: Ch. 8. After deeply (p. 373) ...the King..." (p. 375).
Each of the Rebbe'im had maamarim designated especially for the purpose of purifying the atmosphere. Every two or three years they would review and recite them publicly. One of (these special) maamarim of the Alter Rebbe was Hechaltzu printed in Likutei Torah (without the glosses). One of the Mitteler Rebbe's was Yafa sha'a achat; (its subject was the first ten chapters of the maamar Hinei kol echad v'echad in Derech Hachayim). One of the Tzemach Tzedek's was Ma tovu, printed in Likutei Torah. One of my grandfather's (the Rebbe Maharash) was Mi chamocha. One of my father's was V'yadata hayom, Moscow - 5657.
Daily Thought:
Humble But Stubborn
The bravest heroes are also the most humble.
G‑d made the hearts of David and his soldiers strong and brave, so they would win in battle against Israel’s enemies.
He made the hearts of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva stubborn, so they could traverse the highway from ignorance to enlightenment in adulthood.
They were all sensitive, humble men, nothing in their own eyes.
But G‑d put a stubborn courage in their hearts—and that they would not surrender. [Maamarei Admor Hazaken Haketzarim, p. 370.]
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