Missionary Renegade: TODAY IN JUDAISM: Tammuz 29, 5777 - Sunday, July 23, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777

Saturday, July 22, 2017

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Tammuz 29, 5777 - Sunday, July 23, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · July 23, 2017

ב"ה

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Tammuz 29, 5777 - Sunday, July 23, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States -

- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · July 23, 2017
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Omit Tachanun in the AfternoonStarting in the afternoon, Tachanun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.
• "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 Rashi (1105)
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as "Rashi", passed away on the 29th of Tammuz of the year 4865 from creation (1105 CE).
Rashi was born in Troyes, France, in 1040. His commentaries on the Torah, Prophets and Talmud are universally accepted as the most basic tool for the understanding of these texts for schoolchild and scholar alike. Numerous commentaries have been authored on his commentary. In his famed "Rashi talks", the Lubavitcher Rebbe repeatedly demonstrated how Rashi's "simple meaning of the text" style enfolds many layers of meaning, often resolving profound difficulties in the text and presenting new, innovative interpretations with a simple word choice or rephrasing of a Midrashic passage.
Links:
A brief biography (from "Gallery of Our Great")
Text of Rashi's commentary on this week's Torah reading (English translation)
An analysis of a section of Rashi's commentary by the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Daily Quote:

When a rooster has wallowed in the dust, a thousand people with a thousand combs cannot clean it; but with a single vigorous shake, the rooster can free himself of every last speck of dust [The Chassidic masters]
Daily Torah Study:Chumash: Devarim, 1st Portion Deuteronomy 1:1-1:11 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)

Deuteronomy Chapter 1

1These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on that side of the Jordan in the desert, in the plain opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel and Lavan and Hazeroth and Di Zahav. אאֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַֽחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב:

These are the words: Since these are words of rebuke and he [Moses] enumerates here all the places where they angered the Omnipresent, therefore it makes no explicit mention of the incidents [in which they transgressed], but rather merely alludes to them, [by mentioning the names of the places] out of respect for Israel (cf. Sifrei).

אלה הדברים: לפי שהן דברי תוכחות ומנה כאן כל המקומות שהכעיסו לפני המקום בהן, לפיכך סתם את הדברים והזכירם ברמז מפני כבודן של ישראל:

to all Israel: If he had rebuked only some of them, those who were in the marketplace [i.e., absent] might have said, “You heard from [Moses] the son of Amram, and did not answer a single word regarding this and that; had we been there, we would have answered him!” Therefore, he assembled all of them, and said to them, “See, you are all here; if anyone has an answer, let him answer!” - [from Sifrei]

אל כל ישראל: אילו הוכיח מקצתן, היו אלו שבשוק אומרים, אתם הייתם שומעים מבן עמרם ולא השיבותם דבר מכך וכך, אילו היינו שם היינו משיבים אותו, לכך כנסם כולם ואמר להם הרי כולכם כאן כל מי שיש לו תשובה ישיב:

in the desert: [At that time]they were not in the desert, but in the plains of Moab. [Accordingly,] what is [the meaning of] בַּמִּדְבָּר, in the desert? It means that he rebuked them for their having angered Him in the desert by saying, “If only we had died [by the hand of God]” (Exod. 16:3).

במדבר: לא במדבר היו אלא בערבות מואב, ומהו במדבר, אלא בשביל מה שהכעיסוהו במדבר שאמרו (שמות טז ג) מי יתן מותנו וגו':

in the plain: in the plain [He rebuked them] regarding the plain, for they had sinned with [the worship of] Baal-Peor at Shittim in the plains of Moab (Num. 25:1-9). [from Sifrei]

בערבה: בשביל הערבה שחטאו בבעל פעור בשטים בערבות מואב:

opposite the Red Sea: [He rebuked] them regarding their rebellion at the Red Sea. When they arrived at the Red Sea, they said, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt [that you have taken us to die in the desert?]” (Exod. 14:11) Likewise, [they sinned] when they traveled from the midst of the sea, as it is said,“and they were rebellious by the sea, by the Red Sea” (Ps. 106:7), as is found in Arachin (15a).

מול סוף: על מה שהמרו בים סוף בבואם לים סוף שאמרו (שם יד יא) המבלי אין קברים במצרים, וכן בנסעם מתוך הים, שנאמר (תהלים קו ז) וימרו על ים בים סוף, כדאיתא בערכין (טו א):

Between Paran and Tofel and Lavan: Rabbi Yochanan said: We have reviewed the entire Bible, but we have found no place named Tofel or Lavan! However, [the explanation is that] he rebuked them because of the foolish things they had said (תָּפְלוּ) about the manna, which was white (לָבָן) , saying “And our soul loathes this light bread” (Num. 21:5), and because of what they had done in the desert of Paran through the spies. [from Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman]

בין פארן ובין תפל ולבן: אמר רבי יוחנן [רשב"י] חזרנו על כל המקרא ולא מצינו מקום ששמו תופל ולבן, אלא הוכיחן על הדברים שתפלו על המן שהוא לבן, שאמרו (במדבר כא ה) ונפשנו קצה בלחם הקלוקל ועל מה שעשו במדבר פארן על ידי המרגלים:

and Hazeroth: Concerning the insurrection of Korach [which took place in Hazeroth] (Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman). Another explanation: He said to them, “You should have learned from what I did to Miriam at Hazeroth because of slander; [nevertheless,] you spoke against the Omnipresent” (Sifrei).

וחצרות: במחלוקתו של קרח. דבר אחר אמר להם, היה לכם ללמוד ממה שעשיתי למרים בחצרות בשביל לשון הרע, ואתם נדברתם במקום:

and Di-Zahav: (lit., enough gold). He rebuked them for the calf they had made as a result of their abundance of gold, as it is said: “and I gave her much silver and gold, but they made it for Baal” (Hosea 2:10). (cf. Sifrei ; Ber. 32a, Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman).

ודי זהב: הוכיחן על העגל שעשו בשביל רוב זהב שהיה להם, שנאמר (הושע ב י) וכסף הרביתי לה וזהב עשו לבעל:

2"It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea." באַחַ֨ד עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ מֵֽחֹרֵ֔ב דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַר־שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ:

It is eleven days journey from Horeb: Moses said to them: “See what you caused! There is no shorter route from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea than the way through Mount Seir, and even that is a journey of eleven days. But you traversed it in three days!” For they traveled from Horeb on the twentieth of lyar, as it is said, “And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month [… the children of Israel traveled…]” (Num. 10:11-12). And on the twenty-ninth of Sivan, they sent out the spies from Kadesh Barnea, (an interval of 40 days; cf. Ta’anith 29a). Subtract from them the thirty days they spent at Kivroth Hataavah (Num. 11:34), where they ate the meat a “month of days,” and the seven days they spent at Hazeroth for Miriam to be confined [as a mezora’ath] (Num. 12:15); we find therefore, that this entire journey [from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea] took [only] three days. And to such an extent did the Shechinah exert itself to hasten your arrival to the land of Canaan, but because you sinned, He made you travel around Mount Seir for forty years. [from Sifrei]

אחד עשר יום מחורב: אמר להם משה ראו מה גרמתם, אין לכם דרך קצרה מחורב לקדש ברנע כדרך הר שעיר ואף הוא מהלך אחד עשר יום, ואתם הלכתם אותו בשלשה ימים, שהרי בעשרים באייר נסעו מחורב שנאמר (במדבר י יא) ויהי בשנה השנית בחדש השני בעשרים בחדש וגו' ובכ"ט בסיון שלחו את המרגלים מקדש ברנע, צא מהם שלושים יום שעשו בקברות התאוה, שאכלו הבשר חדש ימים, ושבעה ימים שעשו בחצרות להסגר שם מרים, נמצא בשלשה ימים הלכו כל אותו הדרך, וכל כך היתה שכינה מתלבטת בשבילכם למהר ביאתכם לארץ, ובשביל שקלקלתם הסב אתכם סביבות הר שעיר ארבעים שנה:

3It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had commanded him regarding them; גוַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ דִּבֶּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵהֶֽם:

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month [… Moses spoke]: This teaches us that he rebuked them only a short while before his death. From whom did he learn [to do] this? From Jacob, who rebuked his sons only a short while before his death. He said, “Reuben, my son, I will tell you why I have not reproved you [for your shortcomings] during all these years: So that you would not leave me and join my brother, Esau.” And for four reasons, one should not reprimand a person except shortly before one’s death: So that one should not rebuke and again have to rebuke him, so as not to cause his friend to feel ashamed when he sees him; etc. These appear in Sifrei . And similarly, Joshua rebuked Israel only shortly before his death (cf. Joshua 24:1-29), and so, Samuel, as it is said, “Behold, testify against me” (I Sam. 12:3) and so, also, David rebuked his son Solomon only shortly before his death (see I Kings 2:1-10).

ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חדש באחד לחדש: מלמד שלא הוכיחן אלא סמוך למיתה. ממי למד, מיעקב שלא הוכיח את בניו אלא סמוך למיתה. אמר, ראובן בני, אני אומר לך מפני מה לא הוכחתיך כל השנים הללו, כדי שלא תניחני ותלך ותדבק בעשו אחי. ומפני ארבעה דברים אין מוכיחין את האדם אלא סמוך למיתה, כדי שלא יהא מוכיחו וחוזר ומוכיחו, ושלא יהא חבירו רואהו ומתבייש ממנו וכו' כדאיתא בספרי. וכן יהושע לא הוכיח את ישראל אלא סמוך למיתה, וכן שמואל, שנאמר (ש"א יב, ג) הנני ענו בי. וכן דוד את שלמה בנו:

4After he had smitten Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og, king of the Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth in Edrei. דאַֽחֲרֵ֣י הַכֹּת֗וֹ אֵ֚ת סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וְאֵ֗ת ע֚וֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁר־יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹ֖ת בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי:

After He had smitten [Sihon]: Moses said: If I rebuke them before they enter [at least] part of the land, they will say, “What [claim] has this [man] on us? What good has he ever done for us? He has come only to vex us and to find some pretext, for he does not have the power to bring us into the land.” Therefore he [Moses]waited until he had defeated Sihon and Og before them and had given them possession of their land, and [only] afterwards did he rebuke them. [Sifrei]

אחרי הכותו: אמר משה אם אני מוכיחם קודם שיכנסו לקצת הארץ, יאמרו מה לזה עלינו, מה היטיב לנו, אינו בא אלא לקנתר ולמצוא עילה שאין בו כח להכניסנו לארץ, לפיכך המתין עד שהפיל סיחון ועוג לפניהם והורישם את ארצם ואחר כך הוכיחן:

Sihon… who dwelt in Heshbon: “Even if Sihon himself had not been powerful, but had dwelt in Heshbon, he would have [nevertheless] been powerful because the city was a powerful one; and even had it been another city, and Sihon had dwelt in it, it would have [also] been powerful because the king was powerful. How much more so now, since both the king and the city were powerful!” [Sifrei]

סיחון וגו' אשר יושב וגו': אילו לא היה סיחון קשה והיה שרוי בחשבון, היה קשה, שהמדינה קשה, ואילו היתה עיר אחרת וסיחון שרוי בתוכה היתה קשה, שהמלך קשה, על אחת כמה וכמה שהמלך קשה והמדינה קשה:

[And Og…] who dwelt in Ashtaroth: [Here, too,] the king was powerful, and the city was powerful. [Sifrei]

אשר יושב בעשתרות: המלך קשה והמדינה קשה:

Ashtaroth: This is an expression denoting sharp cliffs and strength, just as “Ashteroth-karnaim” (Gen. 14:5) [the hard rocks of Karnaim]. And the Ashtaroth [referred to here] is indeed that same Ashteroth-karnaim where the Rephaim [the giants] were, whom Amraphel smote, as it is said, “And they smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim ” (Gen. 14:5). And Og escaped from them, and that is the meaning of that which is stated, “And the fugitive came” (Gen. 14:13), and Scripture states (further, 3:11)“For only Og, king of the Bashan, remained from the remnant of the Rephaim.”

עשתרות: הוא לשון צוקין וקושי כמו (בראשית יד, ה) עשתרות קרנים, ועשתרות זה הוא עשתרות קרנים שהיו שם רפאים שהכה אמרפל, שנאמר (בראשית יד ה) ויכו את רפאים בעשתרות קרנים, ועוג נמלט מהם והוא שנאמר (שם יד יג) ויבא הפליט, ואומר (דברים ג יא) כי רק עוג מלך הבשן נשאר מיתר הרפאים:

in Edrei: the name of the kingdom. [Sifrei]

באדרעי: שם המלכות:

5On that side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses commenced [and] explained this Law, saying, הבְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב הוֹאִ֣יל משֶׁ֔ה בֵּאֵ֛ר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לֵאמֹֽר:

commenced: , Heb. הוֹאִיל, he commenced, just as“Behold, now I have commenced (הוֹאַלְתִּי)” (Gen. 18:27). [based on Sifrei]

הואיל: התחיל כמו (בראשית יח, כז) הנה נא הואלתי:

explained this Law: He explained it to them in seventy languages. [from Midrash Tanchuma 2; Gen. Rabbah 49; see Sotah 32a). Hakethav Vehakabbalah explains this to mean that Moses gave them seventy interpretations to every passage.

באר את התורה: בשבעים לשון פירשה להם:

6"The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, 'You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. ויְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֵ֖ינוּ בְּחֹרֵ֣ב לֵאמֹ֑ר רַב־לָכֶ֥ם שֶׁ֖בֶת בָּהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:

You have dwelt long enough [at this mountain]: [This is to be interpreted] according to its simple meaning. But there also is an Aggadic explanation: I have given you much greatness and reward for your having dwelt at this mountain: you made the Mishkan , the menorah, and the [other] furnishings; you received the Torah; you appointed a Sanhedrin for yourselves, and captains over thousands and captains over hundreds. [Sifrei]

רב לכם שבת: כפשוטו. ויש מדרש אגדה הרבה לכם גדולה ושכר על ישיבתכם בהר הזה, עשיתם משכן מנורה וכלים, קבלתם תורה, מניתם לכם סנהדרין, שרי אלפים ושרי מאות:

7Turn and journey, and come to the mountain of the Amorites and to all its neighboring places, in the plain, on the mountain, and in the lowland, and in the south and by the seashore, the land of the Canaanites, and the Lebanon, until the great river, the Euphrates River. זפְּנ֣וּ | וּסְע֣וּ לָכֶ֗ם וּבֹ֨אוּ הַ֥ר הָֽאֱמֹרִי֘ וְאֶל־כָּל־שְׁכֵנָיו֒ בָּֽעֲרָבָ֥ה בָהָ֛ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֥ה וּבַנֶּ֖גֶב וּבְח֣וֹף הַיָּ֑ם אֶ֤רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַלְּבָנ֔וֹן עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת:

Turn and journey: This is the way to Arad and Hormah.

פנו וסעו לכם: זו דרך ערד וחרמה:

and come to the mountain of the Amorites: This is to be understood literally.

ובאו הר האמרי: כמשמעו:

and to all its neighboring places: Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.

ואל כל שכניו: עמון ומואב והר שעיר:

in the plain: This refers to the forested plain.

בערבה: זה מישור של יער:

on the mountain: This is the king’s mountain.

בהר: זה הר המלך:

and in the lowland: This is the southern lowland.

ובשפלה: זו שפלת דרום:

and in the south, and by the seashore: [This refers to] Ashkelon, Gaza and Caesarea, etc., as is stated in Sifrei .

ובנגב ובחוף הים: אשקלון ועזה וקסרי וכו' כדאיתא בספרי:

until the great river [the Euphrates]: Since it [the Euphrates] is mentioned [in association] with the Land of Israel it is referred to as “great.” A popular parable says: A king’s servant is a king. Associate yourself with the ruler, and [people] will bow down to you; attach yourself to an person anointed [with oil] and you will become anointed [with oil yourself] (Shevuoth 47b).

עד הנהר הגדול: מפני שנזכר עם ארץ ישראל, קראו גדול. משל הדיוט אומר עבד מלך מלך, הדבק לשחוור וישתחוו לך, קרב לגבי דהינא ואידהן:

8See, I have set the land before you; come and possess the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them and their descendants after them. חרְאֵ֛ה נָתַ֥תִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ בֹּ֚אוּ וּרְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֣ע יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה לַֽאֲבֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֔ם וּלְזַרְעָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם:

Behold! I have set [the land before you]: With your own eyes you can see [this]: I do not tell you this from guessing or hearsay (Sifrei).

ראה נתתי: בעיניכם אתם רואים. איני אומר לכם מאומד ומשמועה:

Go in and possess [the land]: No one will contest the matter, and you will not need to go to war. If they [the Israelites] had not sent the spies, [but had trusted God] they would not have needed weapons of war (Sifrei).

באו ורשו: אין מערער בדבר ואינכם צריכים למלחמה, אלו לא שלחו מרגלים לא היו צריכים לכלי זיין:

to your forefathers: Why does he [Moses] further mention Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [when the reference“your forefathers” clearly indicates them]? [Their names are mentioned to show that] Abraham is worthy [of God’s oath] by himself, Isaac is worthy by himself, [and] Jacob is worthy by himself (Sifrei).

לאבתיכם: למה הזכיר שוב לאברהם ליצחק וליעקב, אלא אברהם כדאי לעצמו, יצחק כדאי לעצמו, יעקב כדאי לעצמו:

9And I said to you at that time, saying, 'I cannot carry you alone. טוָֽאֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵכֶ֔ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־אוּכַ֥ל לְבַדִּ֖י שְׂאֵ֥ת אֶתְכֶֽם:

And I said to you at that time, saying: Heb. לֵאמֹר. What is the meaning of לֵאמֹר ? Moses said to them, "Not by my own accord do I speak to you [and tell you that I cannot carry you alone] but by the command of the Holy One, blessed is He (Sifrei).

ואמר אליכם בעת ההוא לאמר: מהו לאמר, אמר להם משה, לא מעצמי אני אומר לכם, אלא מפי הקב"ה:

I cannot alone: Is it possible that Moses could not judge Israel? The man who brought them out of Egypt, split the sea for them, brought down the manna, and caused the quails to fly, could not judge them? Rather, he said to them: “The Lord, your God, has multiplied you”- [i.e.,] He has made you superior and elevated you higher than your judges. He took the punishment away from you and imposed it upon the judges [in cases where they could have prevented your wrongdoing and did not]. Solomon made a similar statement: “For who is able to judge Your great people?” (I Kings 3:9) Is it possible that he [i. e., Solomon] of whom it is said (I Kings 5:11), “He was wiser than all men,” could say, “Who is able to judge?” But this is what Solomon meant: The judges of this people are not like the judges of other peoples, for if [one of the judges of other nations] gives judgment and sentences a person to death, to lashes, or to strangulation, or perverts judgment and robs him, it means nothing; if, however, I cause a person to pay unjustly, I am liable with my life, as it is said (Proverbs 22:23), “And He robs the life of those who rob them” (Sifrei , San. 7a).

לא אוכל לבדי וגו': אפשר שלא היה משה יכול לדון את ישראל, אדם שהוציאם ממצרים וקרע להם את הים והוריד את המן והגיז את השליו לא היה יכול לדונם, אלא כך אמר להם, ה' אלהיכם הרבה אתכם, הגדיל והרים אתכם על דייניכם נטל את העונש מכם ונתנו על הדיינין. וכן אמר שלמה (מלכים א' ג, ט) כי מי יוכל לשפוט את עמך הכבד הזה, אפשר מי שכתוב בו (שם ה, יא) ויחכם מכל האדם, אומר מי יוכל לשפוט, אלא כך אמר שלמה אין דייני אומה זו כדייני שאר האומות, שאם דן והורג ומכה וחונק ומטה את דינו וגוזל אין בכך כלום, אני אם חייבתי ממון שלא כדין נפשות אני נתבע, שנאמר (משלי כב, כג) וקבע את קובעיהם נפש:

10The Lord, your God, has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance. ייְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם הִרְבָּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב:

And, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens: But were they [the Israelites] on that day as [many as] the stars of the heavens? Were they not only six hundred thousand? What, then, is [the meaning of] “And, behold, you are today…?” [It means]-Behold, you are compared to the sun, [signifying that you will] exist forever as do the sun, the moon, and the stars (cf. Sifrei).

והנכם היום ככוכבי השמים: וכי ככוכבי השמים היו באותו היום, והלא לא היו אלא שישים רבוא, מהו והנכם היום, הנכם משולים כיום, קיימים כחמה וכלבנה וככוכבים:

11May the Lord God of your forefathers add to you a thousandfold as many as you are, and may He bless you, as He spoke concerning you! יאיְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֽוֹתֵכֶ֗ם יֹסֵ֧ף עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם כָּכֶ֖ם אֶ֣לֶף פְּעָמִ֑ים וִֽיבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר לָכֶֽם:

May… add to you a thousandfold as many as you are: What is [the purpose of] repeating further [in the verse]: “And He will bless you, as He has spoken concerning you?” They [the Israelites] said to him, “Moses, you are limiting our blessings [i.e., our numbers being multiplied only a thousandfold]. The Holy One, blessed is He, already promised to Abraham (Gen. 13:16), 'so that if a man will be able to count [the dust of the earth, so will your seed be counted]!’” [Moses] replied to them: “This [blessing of a thousandfold] is mine, but He will bless you as He spoke concerning you!” (Sifrei)

יוסף עליכם ככם אלף פעמים: מהו שוב ויברך אתכם כאשר דבר לכם, אלא אמרו לו משה אתה נותן קצבה לברכתינו, כבר הבטיח הקב"ה את אברהם (בראשית יג, טז) אשר אם יוכל איש למנות וגו', אמר להם זו משלי היא, אבל הוא יברך אתכם כאשר דבר לכם:

Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 140 - 150
• Hebrew text
• English text

Chapter 140

David composed this psalm against his slanderers, especially the chief conspirator Doeg. Anyone confronted by slanderers should recite this psalm.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. Rescue me from the evil man, protect me from the man of violence,

3. who devise evil schemes in their heart; every day they gather for wars.

4. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the spider's venom is forever under their lips.

5. Guard me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked, protect me from the man of violence-those who plot to cause my steps to slip.

6. Arrogant ones have hidden a snare for me, and ropes; they spread a net by my path, they set traps for me continually.

7. I said to the Lord, "You are my God!" Listen, O Lord, to the voice of my pleas.

8. God, my Lord, the strength of my deliverance, You sheltered my head on the day of armed battle.

9. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; fulfill not his scheme, make it unattainable forever.

10. As for the head of my besiegers, let the deceit of their own lips bury them.

11. Let burning coals fall upon them; let it cast them down into the fire, into deep pits, never to rise again.

12. Let not the slanderous man be established in the land; let the evil of the man of violence trap him until he is overthrown.

13. I know that the Lord will execute judgement for the poor, justice for the needy.

14. Indeed, the righteous will extol Your Name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.

Chapter 141

This psalm teaches an important lesson: One should pray for Divine assistance that his mouth not speak that which is not in his heart. The gatekeeper only allows the gate to be opened for a purpose; let it be the same with one's lips.

1. A psalm by David. O Lord, I have called You, hasten to me; listen to my voice when I call to You.

2. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the raising of my hands as an afternoon offering.

3. O Lord, place a guard for my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips.

4. Do not incline my heart to a bad thing-to perform deeds in wickedness, with men, doers of evil; let me not partake of their delicacies.

5. Let the righteous one strike me with kindness and let him rebuke me; like the finest oil, let my head not refuse it. For as long [as I live], my prayer is [to preserve me] from their harm.

6. For their judges have slipped because of their [hearts of] rock, though they heard my words and they were pleasant.

7. As one who chops and splinters [wood] on the ground, so have our bones been scattered to the mouth of the grave.

8. For to You, God, my Lord, are my eyes; in You I take shelter; do not pour out my soul.

9. Protect me from the hands of the snare they laid for me, and from the traps of the evildoers.

10. Let the wicked fall into their own nets together, until I pass over.

Chapter 142

David composed this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, at which time he had cut off the corner of Saul's garment (to prove that he was able to kill him but did not wish to do so). He declared, "Where can I turn, and where can I run? All I have is to cry out to You!"

1. A maskil1 by David, when he was in the cave, a prayer.

2. With my voice I will cry out to the Lord; with my voice I will call to the Lord in supplication.

3. I will pour out my plea before Him; I will declare my distress in His presence.

4. When my spirit is faint within me, You know my path. In the way in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

5. Look to my right and see, there is none that will know me; every escape is lost to me. No man cares for my soul.

6. I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

7. Listen to my song of prayer, for I have been brought very low. Deliver me from my pursuers, for they are too mighty for me.

8. Release my soul from confinement, so that it may acknowledge Your Name. Because of me, the righteous will crown [You] when You will deal graciously with me.

FOOTNOTES

1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).

Chapter 143

1. A psalm by David. O Lord, hear my prayer, lend Your ear to my supplications. With Your faithfulness answer me, and with Your righteousness.

2. Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no living being would be vindicated before You.

3. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has set me down in dark places, like those who are eternally dead.

4. Then my spirit became faint within me; my heart was dismayed within me.

5. I remembered the days of old; I meditated on all Your deeds; I spoke of Your handiwork.

6. I spread out my hands to You; like a languishing land my soul yearns after You, Selah.

7. Answer me soon, O Lord, my spirit is spent; hide not Your face from me, lest I become like those who descend into the pit.

8. Let me hear Your kindness in the morning, for have I trusted in You. Let me know the way in which I should walk, for to You I have lifted my soul.

9. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord. I have concealed [my troubles from all, save] You.

10. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Let Your good spirit lead me in an even path.

11. For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, give me life; in Your righteousness, take my soul out of distress.

12. And in Your kindness, cut off my enemies and obliterate all those who oppress my soul, for I am Your servant.

Chapter 144

After triumphing in all his wars, David composed this psalm in praise of God.

1. By David. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, Who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for war.

2. My source of kindness and my fortress, my high tower and my rescuer, my shield, in Whom I take refuge; it is He Who makes my people submit to me.

3. O Lord, what is man that You have recognized him; the son of a mortal, that You are mindful of him?

4. Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

5. O Lord, incline Your heavens and descend; touch the mountains and they will become vapor.

6. Flash one bolt of lightning and You will scatter them; send out Your arrows and You will confound them.

7. Stretch forth Your hands from on high, rescue me and deliver me out of many waters, from the hand of strangers,

8. whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9. God, I will sing a new song to You, I will play to You upon a harp of ten strings.

10. He who gives victory to kings, He will rescue David, His servant, from the evil sword.

11. Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12. For our sons are like plants, brought up to manliness in their youth; our daughters are like cornerstones, fashioned after the fashion of a palace.

13. Our storehouses are full, overflowing with all manner of food; our sheep increase by the thousands, growing by the tens of thousands in our open fields.

14. Our leaders bear the heaviest burden; there is none who break through, nor is there bad report, nor outcry in our streets.

15. Happy is the nation for whom this is so. Happy is that nation whose God is the Lord.

Chapter 145

One who recites this psalm three times daily with absolute concentration is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come. Because of its prominence, this psalm was composed in alphabetical sequence.

1. A psalm of praise by David: I will exalt You, my God the King, and bless Your Name forever.

2. Every day I will bless You, and extol Your Name forever.

3. The Lord is great and exceedingly exalted; there is no limit to His greatness.

4. One generation to another will laud Your works, and tell of Your mighty acts.

5. I will speak of the splendor of Your glorious majesty and of Your wondrous deeds.

6. They will proclaim the might of Your awesome acts, and I will recount Your greatness.

7. They will express the remembrance of Your abounding goodness, and sing of Your righteousness.

8. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness.

9. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies extend over all His works.

10. Lord, all Your works will give thanks to You, and Your pious ones will bless You.

11. They will declare the glory of Your kingdom, and tell of Your strength,

12. to make known to men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

13. Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds, and Your dominion is throughout all generations.

14. The Lord supports all who fall, and straightens all who are bent.

15. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.

16. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and benevolent in all His deeds.

18. The Lord is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.

19. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, hears their cry and delivers them.

20. The Lord watches over all who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked.

21. My mouth will utter the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy Name forever.

Chapter 146

This psalm inspires man to repent and perform good deeds while still alive. Let him not rely on mortals who are unable to help themselves, and who may suddenly pass on. Rather, one should put his trust in God, Who is capable of carrying out all He desires.

1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul.

2. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praises to my God while I yet exist.

3. Do not place your trust in nobles, nor in mortal man who has not the ability to bring deliverance.

4. When his spirit departs, he returns to his earth; on that very day, his plans come to naught.

5. Fortunate is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope rests upon the Lord his God.

6. He makes the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; He keeps His promise faithfully forever.

7. He renders justice to the oppressed; He gives food to the hungry; the Lord releases those who are bound.

8. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord straightens those who are bowed; the Lord loves the righteous.

9. The Lord watches over the strangers; He gives strength to orphan and widow; He thwarts the way of the wicked.

10. The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Praise the Lord!

Chapter 147

This psalm recounts God's greatness, and His kindness and goodness to His creations.

1. Praise the Lord! Sing to our God for He is good; praise befits Him for He is pleasant.

2. The Lord is the rebuilder of Jerusalem; He will gather the banished of Israel.

3. He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages their wounds.

4. He counts the number of the stars; He gives a name to each of them.

5. Great is our Master and abounding in might; His understanding is beyond reckoning.

6. The Lord strengthens the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.

7. Lift your voices to the Lord in gratitude; sing to our God with the harp.

8. He covers the heaven with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow upon the mountains.

9. He gives the animal its food, to the young ravens which cry to Him.

10. He does not desire [those who place their trust in] the strength of the horse, nor does He want those who rely upon the thighs [swiftness] of man.

11. He desires those who fear Him, those who long for His kindness.

12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; Zion, extol your God.

13. For He has strengthened the bolts of your gates; He has blessed your children in your midst.

14. He has made peace within your borders; He satiates you with the finest of wheat.

15. He issues His command to the earth; swiftly does His word run.

16. He dispenses snow like fleece; He scatters frost like ashes.

17. He hurls His ice like morsels; who can withstand His cold?

18. He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19. He tells His words [Torah] to Jacob, His statutes and ordinances to Israel.

20. He has not done so for other nations, and they do not know [His] ordinances. Praise the Lord!

Chapter 148

The psalmist inspires one to praise God for His creations-above and below-all of which exist by God's might alone.

1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the celestial heights.

2. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts.

3. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all the shining stars.

4. Praise Him, hea-ven of heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens.

5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for He comman-ded and they were created.

6. He has established them forever, for all time; He issued a decree, and it shall not be transgressed.

7. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-monsters and all [that dwell in] the depths;

8. fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind carrying out His command;

9. the mountains and all hills, fruit-bearing trees and all cedars;

10. the beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged fowl;

11. kings of the earth and all nations, rulers and all judges of the land;

12. young men as well as maidens, elders with young lads.

13. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for His Name is sublime, to Himself; its radiance [alone] is upon earth and heaven.

14. He shall raise the glory of His people, [increase] the praise of all His pious ones, the Children of Israel, the people close to Him. Praise the Lord!

Chapter 149

1. Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, [recount] His praise in the assembly of the pious.

2. Israel will rejoice in its Maker; the children of Zion will delight in their King.

3. They will praise His Name with dancing; they will sing to Him with the drum and harp.

4. For the Lord desires His people; He will adorn the humble with salvation.

5. The pious will exult in glory; they will sing upon their beds.

6. The exaltation of God is in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand,

7. to bring retribution upon the nations, punishment upon the peoples;

8. to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with iron fetters;

9. to execute upon them the prescribed judgment; it shall be a glory for all His pious ones. Praise the Lord!

Chapter 150

This psalm contains thirteen praises, alluding to the Thirteen Attributes (of Mercy) with which God conducts the world.

1. Praise the Lord! Praise God in His holiness; praise Him in the firmament of His strength.

2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His abundant greatness.

3. Praise Him with the call of the shofar; praise Him with harp and lyre.

4. Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.

5. Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clanging cymbals.

6. Let every soul praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva, middle of Chapter 11
• English Text (Lessons in Tanya)
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Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · July 23, 2017

Today's Tanya Lesson

Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 11

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ומה שמשבחים ומברכים את ה': חנון המרבה לסלוח, המרבה דייקא

As to the fact that we praise and bless G‑d as being “the gracious One Who abounds in forgiveness,” — the verb chosen is marbeh “abounds”, implying a quality unique to G‑d.

וכמו שכתוב בעזרא: ורב לסלוח

In Ezra1 [too] we find that G‑d “pardons abundantly.”

היינו

This means:

שבמדת בשר ודם, אם יחטא איש לאיש וביקש ממנו מחילה ומחל לו

In the mortal world, if one person harms another and asks his pardon which is granted,

ואחר כך חזר לסורו

and then repeats the misdeed,

קשה מאד שימחול לו שנית

it becomes more difficult to grant pardon again,

ומכל שכן בשלישית ורביעית

and certainly a third and fourth time.

אבל במדת הקב"ה אין הפרש בין פעם אחת לאלף פעמים

By the standard of G‑d, however, there is no difference between once and a thousand times.

כי המחילה היא ממדת הרחמים

For pardon is a manifestation of the attribute of mercy,

ומדותיו הקדושות אינן בבחינת גבול ותכלית, אלא בבחינת אין סוף

and Divine attributes are not bounded and finite; they are infinite,

כמו שכתוב: כי לא כלו רחמיו

as in the verse,2 “For His mercies have not ended.”

ולגבי בחינת אין סוף, אין הפרש כלל בין מספר קטן לגדול

Relative to infinity there is no difference whatsoever between a small number and a large one.

דכולא קמיה כלא ממש חשיב, ומשוה קטן וגדול וכו'

For3 “before Him all are considered as naught,” and 4 “He makes equal the small and the great…..”

ולכן: מעביר אשמותינו בכל שנה ושנה

Therefore5 “He removes our sins every year.”

וכל החטאים שמתוודים בעל חטא מדי שנה, אף שחזר ועבר עליהם

As to all the sins for which we confess in the Al Chet annually, though repeatedly violated,

חוזר ומתודה עליהם ביום הכפורים בשנה הבאה, וכן לעולם

we again confess for them on Yom Kippur in the coming year, and so on always.

ובכל שנה ושנה לאו דוקא, אלא כמו כן בכל יום ויום, ג' פעמים מברכים ברוך אתה ה' חנון המרבה לסלוח

“Every year” does not necessarily imply a yearly pardon; rather, three times every day we likewise say, “Blessed are You, O G‑d, Who is gracious and abounds in forgiveness.”

וכמאמר רז"ל: תפלה, כנגד תמידין תקנוה

As our Sages teach,6 the prayers were instituted in place of the daily sacrificial offerings.

ותמיד של שחר היה מכפר על עבירות הלילה, ותמיד של בין הערביים על של יום

The daily morning sacrifice would atone for the sins of the previous night, and the daily evening sacrifice atoned for the sins of the past day,

וכן מדי יום ביום לעולם

and so on, day by day, constantly.

Just as in former times atonement was secured by the regular altar offerings, so too nowadays, our prayers and repentance bring about forgiveness.

What, however, is the difference between the forgiveness granted on Yom Kippur and that granted daily?

אלא שיום הכפורים מכפר על עבירות חמורות, והתמיד שהוא קרבן עולה מכפר על מצוות עשה בלבד

[“Every year” means only that] Yom Kippur atones for the grave sins, while the regular offering of the olah sacrifice atoned only for the violation of positive commands.

וכן התפלה בזמן הזה, עם התשובה כנ"ל

In our time, worship with repentance substitutes for offerings, atoning only for violations of positive commands, as noted above.

ואין זה אחטא ואשוב

However, this thrice-daily recitation of G‑d's assurance of forgiveness is not [the attitude of one who says,] “I will sin and [later] repent,” concerning whom our Sages say,7 “He is not granted an opportunity to repent.”

כי היינו דוקא שבשעת החטא היה יכול לכבוש יצרו, אלא שסומך בלבו על התשובה

For that is relevant only if while committing the sin he could have overcome his evil impulse, but depended in his heart on repenting [later].

ולכן, הואיל והתשובה גורמת לו לחטוא, אין מספיקין וכו'

Since it was [the opportunity for] repentance that caused him to sin, “He is not granted an opportunity [to repent].”

ואף גם זאת אין מספיקין דייקא

And even then, he is not granted an opportunity.

אבל אם דחק ונתחזק ונתגבר על יצרו ועשה תשובה

But if he pressed forcefully and overpowered his evil impulse and did repent,

מקבלין תשובתו

then his repentance is accepted.

This all applies to a situation where a person indeed says, “I shall sin and [later] repent.”

אבל אנו, שמבקשים בכל יום: סלח לנו

But we, who plead daily, “Forgive us,”

אנו מקדימין לבקש: והחזירנו בתשובה שלימה לפניך

preface that prayer by saying, “Bring us back with a perfect repentance before you,”

דהיינו: שלא נשוב עוד לכסלה

so that we revert no more to folly, and sin no more.

וכן ביום הכפורים מבקשים: יהי רצון מלפניך שלא אחטא עוד

On Yom Kippur too we ask, “May it be Your will that I sin no more.”

Hence, since one does not rely on one's ability to repent later:

מספיקין ומספיקין

Opportunity is abundantly granted for repentance.

כמאמר רז"ל: הבא לטהר מסייעין אותו

As our Sages teach:8 “Whoever comes to purify himself [of his sin] is given assistance.”

הבא דייקא, מיד שבא

The expression “whoever comes” [indicates that he is granted assistance] as soon as he comes,

ואי לזאת, גם הסליחה והמחילה היא מיד

and the pardon and forgiveness are thus also granted forthwith.

FOOTNOTES

1.The reference is not to the term but to the concept; see explanation of the Rebbe in the Yiddish original of the present work (Shiurim BeSefer HaTanya), p. 1212 ff.

2.Eichah 3:22.

3.Cf. Zohar I, 11b; cf. Daniel 4:32.

4.Vechol Maaminim, in liturgy of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

5.Machzor of Yom Kippur.

6.Berachot 26a.

7.Yoma 85b.

8.Shabbat 104a; Yoma 38b.

Rambam:

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Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · July 23, 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.

Rambam:

• 1 Chapter A Day: Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 16
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Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 16

Just as it is a mitzvah to execute a person who is obligated to be executed; so, too, it is a positive commandment to give lashes to a person who is obligated to receive lashes, as Deuteronomy 25:2 states: 'And the judge should cause him to fall and will have him beaten in his presence.' Although transgressions punishable by lashes are adjudicated by three judges, lashes are equivalent to execution.

כשם שמצוה להמית את המחוייב מיתה כך מצות עשה להלקות את המחוייב מלקות שנאמר והפילו השופט והכהו לפניו ואף על פי שמלקות בשלשה במקום מיתה היא עומדת:

Lashes are administered in the present age in any place, according to Scriptural Law in the presence of three judges who were given semichah. This punishment is not, however, administered in the presence of three ordinary people.

מלקין בזמן הזה בכ"מ מן התורה בפני שלשה סמוכין אבל לא בפני הדיוטות:

All the lashes that are administered by the judges of the diaspora in every place are 'stripes for rebellious conduct.'

וכל מלקיות שמלקין דייני חוצה לארץ בכל מקום אינה אלא מכת מרדות:

A person is not punished by lashes unless his transgression was observed by witnesses and they administered a warning to him. The witnesses are questioned and cross-examined in the same manner as they are in cases involving capital punishment.

The following laws apply when a person transgresses a negative commandment that can be corrected by a positive commandment. Before the transgressor violates the negative commandment, witnesses must administer a warning, telling him: 'Do not perform this activity. If you perform it and do not fulfill the positive commandment associated with it, you will receive lashes.' If, after receiving such a warning, the transgressor violates the commandment and does not fulfill the positive commandment, he receives lashes. Although the warning involved uncertainty, - for if he fulfills the positive commandment, he will be released unpunished - an uncertain warning is considered as a warning.

אין אדם לוקה אלא בעדים והתראה ובודקין העדים בדרישה ובחקירה כדרך שעושים בדיני נפשות עבר על לאו שניתק לעשה והתרו בו ואמרו לו אל תעשה דבר זה שאם תעשנו ולא תקיים עשה שבו תלקה ועבר ולא קיים העשה הרי זה לוקה אף על פי שהתראה בספק היא שאם יקיים יפטר התראת ספק התראה היא:

The following rules apply when a person performs a prohibited act that is punishable both by lashes and execution by the court, e.g., he slaughtered an animal and its offspring on the same day as a sacrifice to a false divinity. If he was warned that his act is punishable by execution, he is stoned to death and is not given lashes, for he is obligated for a more severe judgment. If he was given a warning only for lashes, he receives lashes.

עבר עבירה שיש בה מלקות ומיתת בית דין כאחת כגון ששחט אותו ואת בנו לעבודה זרה אם התרו בו למיתה סוקלין אותו ואינו לוקה שהרי נתחייב בדין גדול מזה ואם התרו בו למלקות בלבד לוקה:

There is no need for the two witnesses who obligate a person for lashes, to observe other than at the time the transgression is committed. The prohibition itself, by contrast, can be established on the basis of one witness.

What is implied? One witness said: 'This substance is fat from the kidneys, 'These grapes were grown together with grain in a vineyard, 'This woman is a divorcee or a zonah." If a person partook of this food or had relations with these women after he was warned, he receives lashes, despite the fact that the essence of the prohibition was established by one witness.

When does the above apply? When he did not contradict the witness when he established the prohibition. If, however, he said: "This is not fat," "She is not a divorcee," and then he partook of the food or had relations with the woman after his denial, he does not receive lashes until the prohibition was established through the testimony of two witnesses.

אינו צריך שני עדים למלקות אלא בשעת מעשה אבל האיסור עצמו בעד אחד יוחזק כיצד אמר עד אחד חלב כליות הוא זה כלאי הכרם הם פירות אלו גרושה או זונה אשה זו ואכל או בעל בעדים אחר שהתרה בו הרי זה לוקה אע"פ שעיקר האיסור בעד אחד במה דברים אמורים שלא הכחיש העד בעת שקבע האיסור אבל אם אמר אינו חלב זה וזו אינה גרושה ואכל או בעל אחר שהכחיש אינו לוקה עד שיקבעו האיסור שני עדים:

If the person remained silent when the one witness testifies to establish the prohibition, and after he violated the transgression and was warned, he issued a claim to contradict the witness, his words are not accepted. Instead, he receives lashes.

שתק בעת שהעיד העד האחד בקביעות האיסור ואחר שעבר והתרו בו טען להכחיש העד אין שומעין לו אלא לוקה:

How are lashes administered? The transgressor's two hands are bound to a pillar on either side. The community attendant takes hold of his clothes and pulls downward. If they tear at the front, that is satisfactory; if the tear at the sides, that is satisfactory. He continues until he uncovers his heart. The rationale is that he should not administer lashes on his garment, as indicated by Deuteronomy 25:2: "And he shall strike him," i.e., "him," and not his garment.

A stone is placed behind him. The attendant who administers the lashes stands on it. He holds a strap of calf's leather that is folded into two, and a second one, making four, and two straps of donkey leather attached to it that rise and descend with it.

The strap is a handbreadth wide and it is long enough to reach the transgressor's belly. The handle of the strap is a handbreadth wide.

כיצד מלקין אותו כופת שתי ידיו על העמוד אילך ואילך וחזן הכנסת אוחז בבגדיו אם נקרעו נקרעו ואם נפרמו נפרמו עד שהוא מגלה את לבו שאינו מכהו על כסותו שנאמר והכהו ולא לכסותו והאבן נתונה מאחוריו שהחזן המכה עומד עליה ורצועה של עגל בידו כפולה לשנים ושנים לארבעה ושתי רצועות של חמור עולות ויורדות בו ורוחב הרצועה טפח וארכה כדי שתהא מגעת עד פי כריסו ויד של רצועות שאוחז בה ארכה טפח:

The man administering the lashes should be heavily endowed with knowledge and minimally endowed with physical power. He should lift up the strap with both his hands and strike him with one hand, with all his power.

He should strike him with a third of the lashes on his front, i.e., on his breast, between his nipples, and two thirds of the lashes on his back, one third on one shoulder and the other third on the other shoulder.

האיש המכה צריך להיות יתר בדעה וחסר בכח ומגביה את הרצועות בשתי ידיו ומכה בידו אחת בכל כחו ומלקהו שליש מלפניו [על חזהו] בין דדיו ושני שלישים מאחוריו שליש על כתף זה ושליש על כתף זה:

The person receiving the lashes should not stand, nor should he sit. Instead, he should bend over as Deuteronomy 25:2 states: "The judge shall cast him down." The verse continues: "And he shall strike him before him." This implies that the attention of the judge should be focused upon him. He should not look at other matters while having him lashed. From this, we learn that two people are never lashed at the same time.

המוכה אינו עומד ולא יושב אלא מוטה שנאמר והפילו השופט והכהו לפניו שיהו עיניו של שופט בו לא שיהיה מביט בדבר אחר ומכהו מכאן שאין מכים שנים כאחד:

Through the time the person is being lashed, the judge of the highest stature reads the passage Deuteronomy 28:58ff: "If you are not careful to heed and to perform... in an extraordinary way, God will increase the blows against you and your offspring...." He should have the intent to complete the passage with the lashes. If the lashes are not completed, he should return to the beginning of the passage and read it again - and again if necessary until all the lashes are administered.

The judge of intermediate stature counts the lashes and the third judge tells the attendant before each blow: "Strike him." Throughout the entire time he administers the lashes, he does so following the judge's instruction.

יא

הגדול שבדיינים קורא כל זמן שזה לוקה אם לא תשמור לעשות והפלא ה' את מכותך ומתכוין שיגמור הפסוקים עם המלקיות ואם לא גמר חוזר לתחילת המקרא וקורא וחוזר וקורא עד שתגמר כל ההכאה והשני שבדיינים מונה והשלישי אומר לחזן הכה כל זמן שמכה על פיו הוא מכה:

If the person receiving the lashes dies while receiving them, the attendant administering them is not liable. If he added another blow to the estimate arrived at by the judges and the person receiving the lashes dies, the attendant is exiled. If he does not die, the attendant is held liable for transgressing a negative commandment, as Deuteronomy 25:3 states: "Do not add."

Similarly, any other person who strikes a colleague violates a negative commandment. If a person who was given permission by the Torah to strike a colleague is warned not to strike him more than is required to punish his wickedness, certainly, this applies with regard to other people. For this reason, whenever a person strikes a colleague - even a servant - with a blow for which the victim would not receive a p'rutah in damages, the offender should be lashed. If, however, the blow is worth a p'rutah in damages, the offender is not lashed. The rationale is that he is obligated to make financial restitution, and a person never both receives lashes and is required to make financial restitution, as explained previously in several places.

יב

מת תחת ידו פטור ואם הוסיף רצועה אחת על האומד ומת הרי החזן גולה ואם לא מת הרי החזן עבר על מצות לא תעשה שנאמר לא יוסיף והוא הדין לכל מכה את חבירו שהוא בלא תעשה ומה אם זה שנתנה תורה רשות להכותו צוה הכתוב שלא להכותו על רשעו קל וחומר לשאר כל האדם לפיכך כל המכה את חבירו אפילו הכה עבד הכאה שאין בה שוה פרוטה לוקה אבל אם יש בה שוה פרוטה הואיל והוא חייב לשלם ממון אין אדם משלם ולוקה כמו שביארנו בכמה מקומות:

Rambam:

• 3 Chapters A Day: Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Four, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Five, Zechiyah uMattanah Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Six
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Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Four

Once a person acquires a gift, he cannot nullify his acquisition. To cite an example: A person received a gift and acquired it. After it entered his domain while he remained silent, he retracted and said: "I do not desire it," "It is nullified," or "I see this blemish in it," his statements are of no consequence. Just as the giver cannot retract, so too, the recipient cannot retract once he has acquired it.

The gift that the recipient stated that he did not desire after it entered his possession becomes ownerless. The first person to take possession of it acquires it. For the recipient declared it ownerless after he acquired it. If, however, the recipient protested from the very outset, he does not acquire it , and it should be returned to its original owners.

המקבל את המתנה וזכה בה ואחר שבאה לידו והוא שותק חזר בו ואמר איני רוצה בה או איני מקבלה או הרי היא בטילה או שאמר מום זה נראה לי בה לא אמר כלום וכשם שאין הנותן יכול לחזור בו כך המקבל אינו יכול לחזור בו אחר שזכה מתנה זו שאמר המקבל איני רוצה בה אחר שבאת לידו הרי היא הפקר וכל הקודם בה זכה בה שהרי הפקירה המקבל אחר שזכה בה אבל אם היה צווח מעיקרו לא קנה המקבל וחוזרת לבעלים הראשונים:

The following rules apply when a person transfers ownership over an article to a colleague through the agency of a third party. Once the third party takes possession of it - e.g., he performs meshichah on movable property, a deed of transfer of landed property reaches his hand, or he manifests ownership over the land - his colleague acquires the gift, even though it does not reach his hand. The giver can no longer retract.

The recipient by contrast has the option in his hand. If he desires, he may accept it. If he does not desire, he need not accept it. For a positive acquisition may be made for his person without his consent, and an obligation cannot be undertaken on his behalf without his consent. If a person desires that a gift be given to him, it is considered to be a positive acquisition. If, however, he does not desire it, a person cannot be forced to accept a gift that is given to him.

המזכה לחבירו במתנה ע"י אחר כיון שהחזיק בה אחר כגון שמשך המטלטלין או הגיע שטר הקרקע לידו או החזיק בקרקע זכה חבירו אף על פי שלא הגיע המתנה לידו ואין הנותן יכול לחזור בו אבל המקבל ידו על העליונה אם רצה מקבל אם לא רצה אינו מקבל שזכין לאדם שלא בפניו ואין חבין לו אלא בפניו וזכות הוא שתנתן לו מתנה אם ירצה אבל אם לא ירצה אין נותנין מתנה לאדם בעל כרחו:

There is an unresolved question among our Sages when another person accepts a gift on behalf of the recipient, when the recipient hears about the gift and remains silent, and afterwards he protests and states that he does not desire to receive it. We do not know whether the reason he remained silent at first is that he desired to accept it, and the reason he protested was that he retracted. Or perhaps he remained silent at the outset because nothing had reached his hand at that time. When the article did reach his hand, he protested, and his ultimate statements reveal his original intent.

Therefore," if another person comes first and acquires the article himself, it should not be expropriated from his possession. For perhaps the recipient originally acquired the article, and when he said: "I do not desire it," he declared it ownerless, as explained above. Thus, the person who came and took possession of it while it was ownerless acquires it.

If, however, the original owner comes and takes the article out of the possession of the person who took it, it should not be expropriated from his possession. The rationale is that perhaps the recipient did not acquire it, for when he said: "I do not desire it," his ultimate statements reveal his original intent. Thus, the person who took possession of it did not acquire it, and it remained in the possession of its original owner.

זיכה לו על ידי אחר וכששמע המקבל שתק ואחר כך צווח ואמר איני מקבלה הרי זה ספק אם זה ששתק כבר רצה וזה שחזר וצווח חזר בו או ששתק מפני שעדיין לא הגיע לידו כלום וזה שצווח הוכיח סופו על תחלתו לפיכך אם קדם אחר וזכה בה לעצמו אין מוציאין מידו שמא המקבל זכה וכיון שאמר איני רוצה בה הרי הפקירה כמו שביארנו וזה שקדם ולקחה מן ההפקר זכה ואם חזרו הבעלים הראשונים ותפשוה מיד זה שקדם וזכה בה אין מוציאין אותה מידם שמא המקבל לא זכה וכיון שאמר איני רוצה הוכיח סופו על תחלתו ולא קנה אותה וברשות בעלים הראשונים היא קיימת עדיין:

The above principles can be applied in the following situation: Reuven desired to give 100 dinarim to Shimon. He sent him the 100 dinarim with Levi. If Reuven told Levi: "Acquire these 100 zwz on behalf of Shimon," or "Give these 100 zuz to Shimon," Reuven cannot retract his gift.

If, however, he tells him: "Bring these 100 zuz to Shimon," he has the option of retracting until the 100 zuz reach Shimon.

ראובן שרצה ליתן מאה דינרין לשמעון ושלח לו המאה ע"י לוי אם אמר לו זכה במאה זוז לשמעון או תן מאה זוז לשמעון אינו יכול לחזור בו אבל אם אמר לו הולך מאה זוז לשמעון יכול לחזור בו עד שיגיע המאה ליד שמעון:

In the above instance, if Levi took the 100 zuz that he was sent to bring to Shimon and looked for Shimon, but could not find him, he should return the money to Reuven.

If Shimon died during Reuven's lifetime, Levi should return the money to Reuven or to his heirs. But if Reuven died in Shimon's lifetime, the 100 zuz should be given to Shimon or his heirs.

The rationale is that it is a mitzvah to carry out the instructions of a deceased person, even though he gave those instructions while he was healthy. And in this instance, the 100 zuz are still in the possession of the agent.

הלך לוי במאה זוז שנשתלחו עמו להוליכן לשמעון ובקש שמעון ולא מצאהו יחזיר לראובן מת שמעון בחיי ראובן יחזיר לראובן או ליורשיו מת ראובן בחיי שמעון יתן המאה לשמעון או ליורשיו שמצוה לקיים דברי המת ואע"פ שאמר הדברים והוא בריא שהרי המאה בידו של שליח עדיין:

A person cannot acquire a gift on behalf of a colleague unless the person acquiring the gift is past majority and mentally competent. Both a man and a woman - indeed, even a married woman or a servant or maidservant can acquire property on behalf of another person.

A gentile, by contrast, cannot acquire property for a Jew. Since he is not fit to serve as an agent, he can never acquire property on behalf of a Jew. Similarly, just as a Jew cannot serve as an agent for a gentile, he cannot acquire property for a gentile.

אין אדם זוכה במתנה לחבירו עד שיהיה הזוכה גדול ובן דעת ואחד איש ואחד אשה ואפילו אשת איש ועבד ושפחה אבל העכו"ם אינו זוכה הואיל ואין ראוי לשליחות לעולם כך אינו זוכה לישראל וכשם שאין ישראל נעשה שליח לעכו"ם כך אינו זוכה לעכו"ם:

When a child reaches the state of understanding that when he is given a stone he throws it away, but when he is given a nut he keeps it, he can acquire property on his own behalf, but he cannot acquire on behalf of others. If he is less mature than this, he cannot even acquire property on his own behalf.

Similarly, a mentally or emotionally incompetent person cannot acquire property, neither on his own behalf nor on behalf of others. When a person gives property to a mentally or emotionally incompetent person through the agency of a mentally competent person, the incompetent acquires it.

A deaf mute can acquire property on his own behalf, as explained in Hilchot Gezelah.

קטן שנותנין לו צרור וזורקו אגוז ונוטלו זוכה לעצמו ואינו זוכה לאחרים פחות מזה לא זכה לעצמו ולא לאחרים וכן השוטה אינו זוכה לא לו ולא לאחרים והמזכה לשוטה על ידי בן דעת זכה אבל החרש זוכה לעצמו כמו שביארנו בהלכות גזילה:

One may acquire property for a minor - even a newborn child - or an adult, in his presence or outside his presence.

A person's courtyard can acquire property on his behalf even though he is not standing there. The rationale is that since the gift reached the person's courtyard, it is as if another person acquired it on his behalf.

זכין לקטן אפילו בן יום אחד ולגדול בין בפניו בין שלא בפניו וחצירו של אדם קונה לו שלא מדעתו אף על פי שאינו עומד שם כיון שהגיע המתנה לחצירו כאילו זכה בה אחר:

When does the above apply? With regard to a courtyard that is safeguarded. Different rules apply with regard to a courtyard that is not safeguarded - e.g., a field or a ruin. In such an instance, a person does not acquire an article unless he is standing next to the courtyard and says: "Let my field acquire the article for me."

Similarly, the area within a radius of the four cubits next to where a person is standing can acquire property on his behalf, if he is standing in an alleyway, at the sides of the public domain, which are not crowded with many people or in a field that is ownerless. However, when a person stands in the public domain or in a field belonging to a colleague, he does not acquire the article until it reaches his hand.

A female minor may acquire an article by virtue of its presence in her courtyard or within the area within a radius of four cubits of her. A male minor, by contrast, cannot acquire a gift unless it reaches his hand or is acquired on his behalf by another person.

בד"א בחצר המשתמרת אבל בחצר שאינה משתמרת כגון שדהו וחורבתו עד שיהיה עומד בצדה ויאמר זכתה לי שדי וכן ארבע אמות של אדם שהוא עומד בצדן קונין לו בסימטא או בצדי רשות הרבים או בחצר שאין לה בעלים אבל ברשות הרבים או בשדה חבירו אינו זוכה עד שיגיע מתנה לידו וקטנה תזכה לה חצרה וארבע אמות שלה אבל הקטן אינו זוכה עד שתגיע מתנה לידו או עד שיזכה לו אחר:

A gift is like a bill of divorce, in that a person cannot transfer words alone to an agent.

What is implied? If a person tells three people: "Tell so and so and so and so to compose and sign a deed recording a gift and give it to so and so," his statement is of no consequence. If these people convey these instructions to those witnesses and the witnesses write the deed and give it to the intended recipient, the recipient does not acquire anything.

Similarly, if a person tells two people, "Compose and sign a deed recording a gift and give it to so and so," they cannot tell a scribe to compose such a deed. Instead, they must compose it themselves, as applies with regard to a bill of divorce.

המתנה כגט שאין אדם יכול למסור דברים לשליח כיצד אמר לשלשה אמרו לפלוני ופלוני שיכתבו ויחתמו בשטר מתנה ויתנוה לפלוני אין זה כלום ואם אמרו לאותן העדים וכתבו ונתנו למקבל לא קנה וכן אם אמר לשנים כתבו וחתמו בשטר מתנה ותנוהו לפלוני אינן יכולין לומר לסופר לכתוב אלא הן עצמן כותבין כמו בגט:

When a person writes a deed saying: "I gave such and such a field to so and so," "I gave it to him," or "Behold, it is his," the person named acquires the field when the deed reaches his hand.

When, by contrast, the prospective donor writes in a deed: "I will give it to him," the intended recipient does not acquire the property even if witnesses testify with regard to the document.

The intended recipient does not acquire the property until the giver tells the witnesses: "Compose a deed recording a gift, and give it to him." Then they should compose the deed and give it. The rationale is that a recipient does not acquire the property given to him until a deed recording the gift reaches his hand or until the giver transfers ownership of the property to him via a third party, as explained.

יא

הכותב בשטר נתתי שדה פלונית לפלוני או שכתב נתתיה לו או הרי היא שלו הרי זוכה בה כשיגיע השטר לידו אבל אם כתב בשטר אתננה לו אע"פ שהעידו עליו העדים לא זכה המקבל עד שיאמר לעדים כתבו שטר מתנה ותנו לו וכותבין ונותנין לו שאין המקבל זוכה עד שיגיע שטר המתנה לידו או עד שיזכה לו בו ע"י אחרים כמו שביארנו:

When a person says: "I gave this and this field to so and so," but the recipient says: "He did not give it to me," we suspect that perhaps the giver had another person acquire it for him.

Different rules apply if the giver states: "I composed a deed and gave it to him," and the recipient states: "He did not compose such a deed, nor did he give it to me." If the recipient of the gift himself makes such a statement, the admission of the principal himself is equivalent to the testimony of 100 witnesses. Therefore the giver is entitled to receive the produce of the field.

If the son of the recipient is the one who states: "You did not give this field to my father," while the giver maintains: "I wrote a deed and gave it to him," the produce should be entrusted to a third party until the status of the field becomes known.

יב

האומר נתתי שדה פלונית לפלוני והוא אומר לא נתן לי חוששין שמא זיכה לו על ידי אחר אבל אם אמר כתבתי ונתתי לו והוא אומר לא כתב ולא נתן לי אם המקבל מתנה הוא שאמר כן הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים הוא והנותן אוכל פירות שדהו ואם בן המקבל הוא שאמר לא נתת לאבי שדה זו והוא אומר כתבתי ונתתי לו מניחין את הפירות על ידי שליש עד שיודע הדבר היאך הוא:

When a person thought to have received a gift claims: "The object in my possession was not given to me as a gift; instead, I am a watchman for it," or the like, or he says: "The gift was nullified from the outset, because I did not accept it," "I was forced to accept it against my will," "I accepted it by mistake," or the like, his claim is accepted. He is required to take a sh'vuat hesset, and the gift is returned to its original owners.

יג

מקבל מתנה שטען ואמר זו שתחת ידי אינה מתנה בידי אלא שומר אני עליה וכיוצא בו או שאמר בטילה היתה מתחלתה לפי שלא קבלתיה או בעל כרחי באונס או בטעות וכיוצא בדברים אלו דבריו קיימין ונשבע על זה שבועת היסת ותחזור לבעליה:

If the alleged giver of a gift denies giving it, and instead, claims: "You are a watchman over it," "I gave it to you unwillingly," or "It is stolen property that you have," and the person in possession of the disputed article states: "You gave it to me as a gift," the alleged recipient must support his claim with a Rabbinic oath. Afterwards, he is under no obligation.

יד

טען הנותן ואמר שומר אתה עליה או שאמר שלא מדעתי נתתיה או גזולה היא בידך וזה אומר אתה נתת לי נשבע המקבל שבועת היסת ונפטר:

Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Five

Whenever a person - whether healthy or sick - gives a gift, the gift must be made publicly and conspicuously.

If a person tells witnesses: "Write a deed recording a gift in hiding and give it to the intended recipient," his statement is of no consequence. For he is acting subtly in order to take money belonging to others, for he will sell the property after giving the gift.

הנותן מתנה בין בריא בין חולה צריך שתהיה גלויה ומפורסמת אמר לעדים כתבו בסתר ותנו לו אינה כלום שזה מערים כדי לאבד ממון אחרים שיחזור וימכור אחר שיתן:

Therefore, whenever a deed recording a gift of land does not state: "So and so, the giver, said to us: 'Sit down in the market place and the streets and write a deed recording a gift in a public and conspicuous manner,' " or does not use a similar expression, we suspect that perhaps the gift was given in a hidden manner. Therefore, the recipient does not acquire it.

לפיכך כל שטר מתנת קרקע שאין כתוב בו ואמר לנו פלוני הנותן שבו בשווקים וברחובות וכתבו לו מתנה גלויה ומפורסמת וכיוצא בענינים אלו חוששין לה שמא מתנה מסותרת היא ולא זכה המקבל:

When a person writes two deeds recording a gift for the same field, the first one hidden, and the second public and conspicuous, the person to whom the latter deed was given acquires it. This applies even if the deed recording the first gift does not mention that the gift should be hidden or that it be conspicuous, but just states that a gift should be given, the recipient of the latter document acquires the property,

הכותב שתי מתנות על שדה אחת הראשונה מסותרת והאחרונה גלויה ומפורסמת אחרון קנה ואפילו היתה הראשונה סתם ואין בה לא ענין סתירה ולא ענין גילוי אלא מתנה סתם האחרון קנה:

As explained, when a person issues a protest and then gives a gift, the gift is nullified, even though the person is not being forced to give the gift against his will.

The rationale is that with regard to a gift, we follow solely the intent of the giver. Since the giver revealed his intent that he did not desire to give the gift, his gift is nullified.

Accordingly, when it is evident that a person did not desire to give a gift, even when he gave the gift in a conspicuous manner, but it was discovered that he had previously given a hidden gift, both gifts he gave are nullified: the first because it was given in a hidden manner, and the second because it is obvious that he did not want to give the gift. For the hidden gift that was discovered is considered like a protest for the second gift.

כבר ביארנו שהמוסר מודעה ואח"כ נתן המתנה בטילה אע"פ שאין זה אונס שאין הולכין במתנה אלא אחר דעת הנותן הואיל וגילה דעתו שאינו רוצה בה מתנתו בטילה לפיכך מי שהיו הדברים מוכיחין שאין דעתו ליתן מתנה זו אפילו שנתנה מתנה גלויה ונמצאת שנתנה מקודם מתנה מסותרת הרי שתי המתנות בטלות הראשונה מפני שהיא מסותרת והשניה מפני שהדבר מוכיח שאינו רוצה והרי קדמה זו המתנה שנמצאה כמו מודעה לה:

An incident occurred with regard to a person who desired to marry a woman. She told him: "I will not marry you unless you write me a deed giving me all your property." The man's elder son heard this and objected at being left empty handed.

The man said to witnesses: "Go and hide and write a document, granting him all my property as a gift." Afterwards, he wrote a document granting all his property to his prospective bride and married her.

The incident was brought before the Sages. They ruled: "The son did not acquire the property, nor did the woman acquire the property. The woman did not acquire the property because the man did not willingly compose the document granting her his property. It is as if he had been acting under duress. For by giving the first gift, even though it was nullified - because it was hidden, he revealed his intent. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.

מעשה באחד שרצה לישא אשה אמרה לו איני נשאת לך עד שתכתוב לי כל נכסיך שמע בנו הגדול וצווח על שמניחו ריקן אמר לעדים לכו והחבאו וכתבו לו כל נכסי במתנה ואחר כך כתב לה כל נכסיו ונשאה ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו הבן לא קנה והאשה לא קנתה שהרי לא ברצונו כתב לה וכאנוס בדבר הוא שהרי גילה דעתו במתנה הראשונה אף על פי שהיא בטילה מפני שהיא מסותרת וכן כל כיוצא בענינים אלו:

The following rules apply when there are two legal documents with the same date, either deeds of sale or deeds recording a gift, applying to one field. If it is customary for the people of that locale to record the hour of the day when the document was signed in the document, the person with the document dated earlier acquires it. If it is not customary for the people of that locale to record the hour in the document, the matter is left to the discretion of the judges. The field is granted to the person whom they feel it is proper to recognize as the owner.

שני שטרות שזמנן ביום אחד והן כתובין על שדה אחת בין במכר בין במתנה אם דרך אנשי המקום לכתוב שעות כל הקודם זכה ואם אין דרך המקום לכתוב שעות הרי הדבר מסור לדיינים כל שדעתם נוטה להעמיד שדה זו בידו יעמידו:

When does the above apply? With regard to a legal document that does not mention a kinyan, but rather the recipient desired to acquire the field through the transfer of this legal document. In such an instance, we do not know who received the legal document first. If, however, both of the legal documents mention a kinyan, the one with whom a kinyan was made first acquires the property. The witnesses should be asked about the matter.

Similarly, if there were witnesses who know who received the deed recording the gift first, that person acquires the field.

במה דברים אמורים בשטר שאין בו קנין אלא קנה שדה זו בשטר זה שאין אנו יודעין מי הוא משניהם שהגיע שטרו לידו תחלה אבל אם היה בכל שטר מהן קנין כל שקדם לו הקנין זכה וישאלו העדים וכן אם היו שם עדים שזה הגיע לידו שטר מתנתו תחלה קנה הראשון:

The following laws apply when there are two legal documents concerning the transfer of one field to one buyer, and they are dated differently.

If one legal document records a sale and the other a gift, we do as follows: When the earlier dated document records a gift and the later document a sale, the later document does not nullify the former one. For we assume that the giver wrote the document recording a sale to add his acceptance of responsibility for the field, if expropriated by a creditor. This applies even when the document does not mention this responsibility. For the omission of such responsibility is considered to be a scribal error.

Similarly, if the earlier document records a sale and the later document a gift, the recipient acquires the field from the date of the first document. We assume that the seller had the document regarding a gift composed to strengthen the purchaser's position, and to protect him against a possible claim of a neighbor.

שני שטרות היוצאים על שדה אחת בשם קונה אחד ואין זמנם שוה אם היה שטר אחד מכר ואחד מתנה אם היה השטר הראשון מתנה והשני שאחריו מכר לא בטל האחרון את הראשון שיש לומר להוסיף לו אחריות חזר וכתב בשם מכר אע"פ שלא היה כותב שם אחריות שאחריות טעות סופר הוא וכן אם הראשון מכר והשני מתנה קנה השדה מזמן ראשון שלא כתב לו שטר מתנה אלא ליפות כחו ומשום דין בן המצר:

Different rules apply if both legal documents mention a sale, or both mention a gift. If the second document adds any fact enhancing the position of the recipient or the purchaser, the first document is valid. We assume that the second was composed only because of the additional points.

If no additional points were made in the second document, the second document nullifies the first, and the first owner's responsibility does not begin until the date mentioned in the second document.

For this reason, the purchaser must return all the produce that he consumed until the date mentioned in the second document. If there is an annual levy from the king on that field, the giver or the seller is required to pay that levy until the date mentioned in the second document.

היו שני השטרות במכר או שניהם במתנה אם הוסיף בשני כלום הרי הראשון קיים שלא כתב השני אלא מפני התוספת ואם לא הוסיף ביטל שטר שני את הראשון ואין לו אחריות אלא מזמן השני לפיכך כל הפירות שאכל הלוקח מזמן ראשון עד לזמן שני מחזיר אותם ואם היה על אותה שדה חוק למלך בכל שנה הנותן או המוכר נותן אותו החוק עד זמן השטר השני:

Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Six

Whenever a gift is given, we assess the intent of the giver. If the situation indicates his ultimate intent, we act according to that intent, even if it is not stated explicitly.

What is implied? A person's son traveled overseas and the father heard a report that his son had died. The father then signed over all his property as a public and binding gift to a third party, and afterwards his son returned. The gift is not binding, for the situation indicates that if the father had known that his son was alive, he would not have signed over all of his property to the third party. Therefore, if he retained ownership over any of his property -whether landed property or movable property - the gift is binding.

לעולם אומדין דעת הנותן אם היו הדברים מראין סוף דעתו עושין על פי האומד אף על פי שלא פירש כיצד מי שהלך בנו למדינת הים ושמע שמת וכתב כל נכסיו לאחר מתנה גלויה גמורה ואח"כ בא בנו אין מתנתו קיימת שהדברים מוכיחין שאילו ידע שבנו קיים לא היה נותן כל נכסיו לפיכך אם שייר מנכסיו כל שהוא בין קרקע בין במטלטלין מתנתו קיימת:

Similarly, when a person assigns all his property to one of his sons, whether the giver is healthy or on his death bed, we assume that he merely made that son the executor of the estate. He receives the same share as the other sons in his estate. It can be presumed that the father's intent was merely that the other brothers should listen to this son. This assumption is followed even if the son in question is an infant, lying in a cradle.

If, however, he retained any of his property - whether landed property or movable property - the son acquires the gift given him.

וכן הכותב כל נכסיו מתנה לאחד מבניו בין שהיה בריא בין שהיה שכיב מרע אפילו היה בן קטן המוטל בעריסה לא עשהו אלא אפוטרופוס והרי הוא בכל הנכסים כאחד מאחיו אומדן דעת הוא שלא נתכוון אלא להיות אחיו נשמעין לו ואם שייר כל שהוא בין קרקע בין במטלטלין זכה הבן במתנה:

When does the above apply? When he mentioned one son among many sons. If, however, he mentioned one son among many daughters, one daughter among many daughters, or one or another heir among many others, the gift is binding even though he did not retain any property.

במה דברים אמורים שכתב לבן בין הבנים אבל אם כתב כל נכסיו לבן בין הבנות או לבת בין הבנות או לאחד מן היורשין בין שאר היורשין אע"פ שלא שייר כלום מתנתו קיימת:

Similarly, when a person assigns all his property to his wife - whether the husband is healthy or on his death bed - we assume that he merely made his wife the executor for the heirs. This applies even when he confirmed this with a kinyan.

Moreover, this applies regardless of whether the husband's heirs are her descendants, those of another wife or other relatives. If, however, he retained ownership of any property - either landed property or movable property - his wife acquires everything he assigned to her.

וכן הכותב כל נכסיו לאשתו בין בריא בין שכיב מרע אף על פי שקנו מידו לא עשאה אלא אפוטרופא על יורשיו בין שהיו יורשי בניו ממנה או מאשה אחרת או אחיו או שאר יורשיו ואם שייר כל שהוא בין קרקע בין מטלטלין קנתה כל שכתב לה:

To whom does the above apply? To a woman who has already been married. If, however, a person assigns all his property to his wife whom he has merely consecrated or to his divorcee, even if he did not retain any property, she is considered as any other person, and the gift is binding.

בד"א בנשואה אבל אם כתב כל נכסיו לאשתו ארוסה או לגרושה אע"פ שלא שייר כלום הרי היא כשאר בני אדם ומתנתו קיימת:

When a person assigns all his property to one of his sons and another person, that other person acquires half of the property, and the other half is given to all his sons. The son who is assigned the property is appointed an executor for the other sons.

הכותב כל נכסיו לאחד מבניו ולאחר זה האחר קנה חצי הנכסים במתנה ונשאר החצי לבניו והבן שנתנו לו אפוטרופוס מינהו על שאר אחיו:

Similarly, if a person assigns all his property to his wife and to another person, the other person acquires half, and his wife is appointed as an executor for the other half.

וכן אם כתב כל נכסיו לאשתו ולאחר זה האחר קנה מחצה ואשתו אפוטרופא על מחצה:

Whenever a woman acquires all her husband's property as a gift, o she forfeits her right to the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Therefore, the ketubah should be torn.

Accordingly, if a promissory note is claimed against her deceased husband's estate, and the entire estate is expropriated to pay the debt that predated the gift, she is left without anything. She does not collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah.

The rationale is that we presume that the satisfaction she receives upon hearing that her husband assigned all his property to her is sufficient to cause her to forfeit any other claim she has to his property with the exception of this gift.

כל אשה שקנתה כל נכסי בעלה במתנה אבדה כתובתה ותקרע לפיכך אם יצא שטר חוב עליו והלכו כל הנכסים בחובו שקדם המתנה תשאר היא בלא כלום ולא תקח בכתובתה שקדמה החוב שאומדן דעת הוא שבהנאה שבאה לה בשמועה זו שכתב לה כל נכסיו אבדה כל זכות שיש לה בנכסים חוץ ממתנה זו:

Similarly, when a man assigns property to his children - either his sons or his daughters, whether he does so while healthy or on his death bed - and assigns even the slightest amount of landed property to his wife together with them, if she does not protest she forfeits her right to the money due her by virtue of her ketubah.

The rationale is that the satisfaction she receives from being made a partner together with his children is great enough to cause her to forfeit her rights to this property. She may not expropriate anything from the property in the estate at the time of her husband's death. She may, however, collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah from money accrued by his estate afterwards.

וכן הכותב נכסיו לבניו בין זכרים בין נקבות בין בריא בין שכיב מרע וכתב לאשתו עמהן קרקע כל שהוא הואיל ועשה אותה שותף בין הבנים ולא מחתה אבדה כתובתה ואינה טורפת מנכסים אלו כלום אבל מנכסיו שיבואו לו אחר אלו נוטלת מהן כתובתה:

If, however, the husband merely assigned movable property to her, or he retained a certain portion of his landed property for himself, her ketubah is still valid.

It is an enactment of the Geonimw that even if he retained some movable property, she is given the right to collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah . The rationale is that she will say: "I will collect the money due me from what he retained." Since she is allowed to expropriate from what he retained, she is also given the privilege of expropriating from the remainder of the estate.

כתב לה עמהן מטלטלין בלבד או ששייר לעצמו קרקע כל שהוא כתובתה קיימת ותקנת הגאונים היא שאפילו שייר מטלטלים כל שהוא שהרי היא אומרת ממה ששייר אני גובה ומתוך שתרד למה ששייר תרד לשאר נכסים ותטרוף:

When a person assigns all his property to his children and assigns a portion of his property to his wife together with them, and then one of the children dies during his father's life, the woman is allowed to collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah from the share of the child who died. For she forfeited only her right to collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah from the property inherited by her husband's heirs at the time of his death.

יא

הכותב כל נכסיו לבניו וכתב לאשתו חלק עמהן ומת אחד מן הבנים בחיי אביו הרי זו תגבה כתובתה מחלק זה שמת שלא אבדה כתובתה אלא מלטרוף מהן:

When a woman desires to marry, she may assign all her property to her son or to another person. If afterwards she marries and becomes divorced or her husband dies, the gift she gave is nullified. For she was merely attempting to circumvent the laws of inheritance. She assigned her property to the other person solely so that her husband would not inherit it. Implicit in the agreement was that if she needed it at any time, it would be returned to her. Therefore, if she died during her husband's lifetime, the recipient of the gift inherits it in its entirety. If she retained anything for herself, even movable property, her gift is binding. Even if she is divorced, the property does not revert to her ownership.

יב

הרוצה להנשא וכתבה כל נכסיה בין לבנה בין לאחר ואחר כך נשאת ונתגרשה או שמת בעלה מתנתה בטילה שזו מברחת היא ולא כתבה כל נכסיה אלא להבריח מבעלה שלא יירשנה וכשתהיה צריכה להן יחזרו לה לפיכך אם מתה היא בחיי בעלה קנה המקבל מתנה את הכל ואם שיירה כלום אפילו מטלטלין מתנתה קיימת ואף על פי שנתגרשה אינה חוזרת:

Whenever a person gives away all his property, when the gift is nullified and the property reverts to the original owner, the recipient of the gift is not required to return the produce that he ate. For even if a person explicitly states that he is giving a gift with the intent that it be returned after the duration of so and so's life, the recipient is entitled to derive benefit from the fruits produced by the gift, as we have explained.

יג

כל הנותנין כל נכסיהם משתבטל המתנה ויחזרו כל הנכסין לבעלים הראשונים אין המקבל מתנה מחזיר פירות שאפילו נתן האדם מתנה בפירוש על מנת להחזיר כל ימי חיי פלוני הרי זה אוכל פירות כל זמן המתנה כמו שביארנו:

The following rules apply when a person sends articles from overseas to his household and instructs: "Give these to my children." They should be given to both his sons and his daughters. The gifts that are appropriate for the sons - e.g., books or weapons - should be given to the sons. Those that are appropriate for the daughters - e.g., colored silk garments and golden bracelets - should be given to the daughters. If they are appropriate both for sons and daughters, they are taken by the sons.

Similar laws apply when a person sends articles to his home without any instructions. If there are utensils that are appropriate for his daughters, they should be taken by his daughters. It is logical to assume that he sent the gifts for them. If he does not have daughters, or his daughters are married, they may be taken by the wives of his sons, for it is logical to assume that he sent them for them.

יד

מי ששלח כלים ממדינת הים ואמר ינתנו אלו לבני הרי אלו ינתנו לבנים ולבנות הראוי לבנים כגון ספרים וכלי מלחמה לבנים והראוי לבנות כגון כלי משי הצבועים וחלי זהב יטלום הבנות היו ראויין לזכרים ולנקבות יטלו אותן הזכרים וכן המשלח כלים לביתו סתם והיו בהן כלים הראויין לבנות יטלו אותן בנותיו אומדן דעת הוא שלהן שלח ואם אין לו בנות או שהיו בנותיו נשואות יטלו אותן נשי בניו שהדעת נוטה שלהן שלח:

When a person celebrates the marriage of his eldest son to a virgin maiden in a home, the son acquires the home. This applies when this is the first time this son is marrying, the father did not marry off another son before him, and the father did not leave any property of his own in the home designated for the son.

This ruling resembles a halachah instituted without a reason. Our Sages came to this decision put of their assessment of the person's attitude, feeling that because of his great happiness and love, he decided to transfer the house to him. This is indicated by the fact that he did not leave any of his own property in the home. For this reason, if he left anything of his own, even a small cruse, the son does not acquire the home.

If the father designated for the wedding a house and household utensils, although he left a utensil in the home belonging to himself or he kept a storeroom or the like in that home, the son acquires the household utensils he designated. He does not, however, acquire the house.

טו

המשיא בנו גדול לבתולה בבית קנה הבית והוא שיהיו נשואין ראשונים לזה הבן ולא השיא האב בן אחר קודם לו ולא שייר האב בזה הבית שייחד לו כלום ודברים אלו כהלכה שאין להם טעם הם ונגעו חכמים בדבר הזה מאומדן הדעת שמרוב שמחתו ואהבתו גמר והקנהו הבית שהרי לא שייר בה לעצמו כלום לפיכך אם שייר שם אפילו פך אחד לא קנה הבית ייחד לו בית וכלי בית אף על פי ששייר בבית כלי אחד לעצמו או היה לו שם אוצר וכיוצא בו קנה כלי הבית אבל הבית לא קנה:

If he designated both a house and a loft for his son, he acquires the house, but he does not acquire the loft.

Similarly, if he designated both a house and a porch, he acquires the house, but not the porch. If the house contained two apartments, one behind the other, the son acquires only the one in which he was married.

טז

ייחד לו בית ועלייה בית קנה עלייה לא קנה וכן אם ייחד לו בית ואכסדרה בית קנה אכסדרה לא קנה שני בתים זה לפנים מזה לא קנה אלא האחד שנשא בו:

With regard to marriages, we have already explained that a special indulgence is granted when a couple is engaged, and the father 1 of the son and father of the bride make commitments, saying: "How much will you give to your son?", "So and so much. And how much will you give for your daughter?", "So and so much." If, afterwards, the groom consecrates the bride, the couple acquire what the parents promised by virtue of their statements alone.

Nevertheless, the transfer of property brought about by this consecration does not take effect until the time of the couple's marriage. For the intent of the promise was that the property be given to the couple when married.

Also, for the transfer to be effective, the articles that the person promised must exist within his domain, for a person may not transfer an article that does not as yet exist, as we have explained.

These promises may not be written down so that the commitment would have the power of a legal document. Therefore, if such a record is made, it is not considered to be a legal document that would give the couple the power to expropriate the property if sold to others.

יז

כבר ביארנו בנשואין ששנים שהיה ביניהם שדוכין ופסק זה ע"י בנו וזה על ידי בתו ואמרו כמה אתה נותן לבנך כך וכך וכמה אתה נותן לבתך כך וכך ועמדו וקדשו קנו באמירה ואין קונין באמירה זו עד שעת נשואין שכל הפוסק דעתו לכנוס וצריכין שיהיו הדברים שהן פוסקין מצויין ברשותו שאין אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא לעולם כמו שביארנו ודברים אלו לא ניתנו להכתב לפיכך אינן כשטר עד שיטרוף בהן:

When a man consecrates a woman, even if he consecrates her by giving her 1000 dinarim, whether she retracts, he retracts, he dies or she dies, the money or article given to effect the consecration never needs to be returned. Instead, it is considered to be an outright gift, which need not be returned.

יח

המקדש את האשה אפילו קדשה באלף דינר בין שחזרה היא בין שחזר הוא בין שמת הוא בין שמתה היא אין הקדושין חוזרין לעולם אלא הרי הן מתנה גמורה שאין להם חזרה:

If the consecration was made erroneously, the money given for that purpose must be returned.

יט

ואם היו קדושי טעות חוזרין המעות:

When a man consecrates his sister, the money he gives her is a gift. The rationale is that every man knows that the consecration of one's close relatives is not valid; the person is not making an error. We therefore assume that he made up his mind to give her the money as a gift.

והמקדש אחותו המעות מתנה אדם יודע שאין קדושין תופסין בעריות ואין זה טועה אלא גמר ונתן לשם מתנה:

When a person sends betrothal gifts to his intended bride while she is in his father-in-law's home, whether significant or insignificant in size, whether he partook of a betrothal feast there or not, whether he died, she died, or he retracted, all the engagement gifts should be returned with the exception of food and drink.

כא

השולח סבלונות לבית חמיו בין מרובין בין מועטין בין שאכל שם סעודת אירוסין בין שלא אכל בין שמת הוא בין שמתה היא או שחזר בו האיש יחזרו הסבלונות כלן חוץ מן המאכל והמשקה:

Similar principles apply with regard to garments of minor value that the prospective groom sent his prospective bride to wear while she was living in her father's home. If she used them and they became worn or lost, they need not be returned. If, however, they are still intact, everything should be returned. They may be expropriated in court. For it is well known that he sent them only as a complimentary gesture.

כב

וכן כלים מועטים ששלח לה להשתמש שם בבית אביה אם נשתמשה בהן ובלו או אבדו אינן משתלמין אבל אם היו קיימין חוזר הכל וגובה אותם בבית דין שהדבר ידוע שלא שלחם אלא דרך נוי בלבד:

If, by contrast, the woman retracts, everything must be returned, even the food and drink. For the latter, however, she is required only to pay a lesser amount. The Geonim have agreed that if the food and the drink were worth six zuz, she should pay four if she retracts. For he gave her these gifts only with the understanding that she would not retract.

כג

חזרה היא בה חוזר הכל ואפילו המאכל והמשקה נותנת דמיו בזול וכבר הסכימו הגאונים שאם היו דמי מאכל ומשקה [שוה] ששה משתלמת ארבעה אם חזרה בה שלא נתן לה מתנה זו אלא לדעת שלא תחזור בה:

My masters ruled that when the local custom is that when an engagement is announced every prospective groom makes a feast and hosts all his friends or distributes funds to his helpers, attendants and the like, if he follows the popular custom and she retracts, she should pay the entire amount. For she caused him a financial loss, and whoever causes money belonging to a colleague to be lost must reimburse him.

This applies provided he has witnesses to how much he spent. For we do not allow him the option of taking an oath and collecting the sum he claims.

כד

הורו רבותי שאם היה מנהג המדינה שיעשה כל אדם סעודה ויאכיל לריעיו או יחלק מעות לשמשין ולחזנין וכיוצא בהן ועשה כדרך שעושין כל העם וחזרה בה משלמת הכל שהרי גרמה לו לאבד ממון וכל הגורם לאבד ממון חבירו משלם והוא שיהיו לו עדים כמה הוציא שאין זה נשבע ונוטל:

Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class

Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · 23 July 2017

"Today's Day"

Sunday, Tamuz 29, 5703

Torah lessons: Chumash: Devarim, first parsha with Rashi.

Tehillim: 140-150.

Tanya: Ch. 9. The explanation (p. 375) ...Ch. 1. (p. 377).

A handwritten note of the Tzemach Tzedek was discovered. Its contents: He had determined to study Talmudic and Halachic texts six hours every night, standing. He had, thank G-d, fulfilled this and completed the study of the entire Talmud (Babylonian and Jerusalemite) and the four divisions of the Shulchan Aruch - all studied in depth.

Daily Thought:

Grabbing Opportunities

Loosen your grasp. Stop trying to micromanage your world. The One who made it is already doing that.

What does He leave for you? Opportunities. Another chance and another chance to do good.

And if you should fail, yet another chance.

Grab the opportunities. Let Him decide where they lead.

[Hayom Yom 21 Iyar, 14 Iyar.]

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Missionary Renegade

Saturday, July 22, 2017

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Tammuz 29, 5777 - Sunday, July 23, 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - - ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Sunday, Tammuz 29, 5777 · July 23, 2017

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