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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Friday, Av 12, 5777 · August 4, 2017 -
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Today in Jewish History:
• Nachmanides' Disputation (1263)By order of King James I of Aragon (Spain), Nachmanides (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, 1194-1270) was compelled to participate in a public debate, held in the king's presence, against the Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. His brilliant defense of Judaism and refutations of Christianity's claims served as the basis of many such future disputations through the generations.
Because his victory was an insult to the king's religion, Nachmanides was forced to flee Spain. He came to Jerusalem, where he found just a handful of Jewish families living in abject poverty, and revived the Jewish community there. The synagogue he built in the Old City is in use today, and is perhaps the oldest standing synagogue in the world.
• 770 Acquired (1940)On this date in 1940, the building at 770 Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York was purchased by Agudas Chassidei Chabad (the Chabad-Lubavitch community) to house the living quarters, study and office, Yeshivah, and synagogue of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), who had arrived in New York (following his rescue from Nazi-occupied Warsaw) five months earlier. It also served as the headquarters of his son-in-law and successor, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, and continues to be the center of Chabad-Lubavitch's global network of institutions of Jewish education and outreach.
Daily Quote:
Just as the olive yields oil for light only when it is pounded, so are man's greatest potentials realized only under the pressure of adversity [The Talmud]
Daily Torah Study:
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Va'etchanan, 6th Portion Deuteronomy 6:4-6:25 with Rashi
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Chapter 66
This psalm describes the praises and awe-inspiring prayers that we will offer God upon the ingathering of the exiles.
1. For the Conductor, a song, a psalm. Raise your voices in jubilation to God, all the earth!
2. Sing the glory of His Name; make glorious His praise.
3. Say to God, "How awesome are Your deeds!" Because of Your great strength, Your enemies will [admit] their treachery to You.
4. All the earth will bow to You, and sing to You; they will sing praise to Your Name forever!
5. Go and see the works of God, awesome in His deeds toward mankind.
6. He turned the sea into dry land, and they passed through the river on foot; we rejoiced in Him there.
7. He rules the world with His might, and His eyes watch the nations; let the rebellious not exalt themselves, Selah.
8. Bless our God, O nations, and let the voice of His praise be heard.
9. He has kept us alive, and did not allow our feet to falter.
10. For You tested us, O God; You refined us as one refining silver.
11. You brought us into prison; You placed a chain upon our loins.
12. You mounted men over our head; we went through fire and water, and You brought us out to abundance.
13. I will enter Your House with burnt-offerings, I will pay to You my vows,
14. which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke in my distress.
15. I will offer up to You burnt-offerings of fat animals, with the smoke of rams; I will prepare cattle with he-goats, Selah.
16. Come listen, all you who fear God, and I will relate what He has done for my soul.
17. I called to Him with my mouth, with exaltation beneath my tongue.
18. Had I seen iniquity in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.
19. But in truth, God heard; He gave ear to the voice of my prayer.
20. Blessed is God Who has not turned away my prayer or His kindness from me.
Chapter 67
This psalm is known as an especially revered prayer. It, too, speaks of the era of the ingathering of the exiles, and the wars of Gog and Magog, a time when "the Lord will be One."
1. For the Conductor, a song with instrumental music, a psalm.
2. May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His countenance shine upon us forever,
3. that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
4. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You.
5. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever.
6. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You,
7. for the earth will have yielded its produce, and God, our God, will bless us.
8. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.
Chapter 68
An awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer, David composed this psalm referring to a future event, when Sennacherib would surround Jerusalem on Passover, during the reign of Hezekiah. He also prophesies about the good we will enjoy during the Messianic era.
1. For the Conductor; by David, a psalm, a song.
2. Let God rise, let His enemies be scattered, and let His enemies flee before Him.
3. As smoke is driven away, drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God.
4. And the righteous will rejoice, they will exult before God and delight with joy.
5. Sing to God, chant praises to His Name; extol Him Who rides upon the heavens with His Name, Yah, and exult before Him.
6. A father of orphans and judge of widows is God, in the abode of His holiness.
7. God settles the solitary into a home, and frees those bound in shackles; but the rebellious [are left to] dwell in an arid land.
8. O God, when You went out before Your nation, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah,
9. the earth trembled, even the heavens dripped before the presence of God; this mountain of Sinai [trembled] before the presence of God, the God of Israel.
10. You poured generous rain, O God; when Your heritage was weary, You secured it.
11. Your flock settled there; in Your goodness, O God, You prepare for the poor.
12. My Lord will fulfill the word of the heralds to a great legion:
13. Kings of armies will flee, they will flee; and she who inhabits the home will divide the loot.
14. Even if you lie upon the hearth,1 [you will be like] wings of a dove covered with silver, her pinions with brilliant gold.
15. When the Almighty scatters kings in her midst, those in the shadow of darkness will be made snow-white.
16. The mountain of God is a fertile mountain, the mountain of majestic peaks is a fertile mountain.
17. Why do you prance, O mountains of peaks? This is the mountain God has desired as His dwelling; the Lord will even dwell there forever.
18. The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, [with] thousands of angels; my Lord is in their midst, at Sinai, in holiness.
19. You ascended on high and took a captive,2 you seized gifts for man; and [now] even rebels dwell with Yah, God.
20. Blessed is my Lord, Who each day loads us [with beneficence], the God Who is our deliverance forever.
21. The Lord is a God of deliverances for us; and to God, my Lord, are the many avenues of death.
22. God alone crushes the heads of His enemies, the hairy skull of him who goes about in his guilt.
23. My Lord said, "I will bring back from Bashan,3 I will bring back from the depths of the sea,
24. that your foot may wade through [the enemy's] blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
25. They saw Your ways, O God, the ways of my God, my King, in holiness.
26. The singers began, then the musicians, in the midst of the maidens playing timbrels.
27. In assemblies bless God; [bless] my Lord, O you who stem from Israel.
28. There Benjamin, the youngest, rules them; the princes of Judah stone them, [as do] the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
29. Your God has decreed your strength. Show Your strength, O God, Who has wrought this for our sake.
30. Because of [the glory of] Your Sanctuary upon Jerusalem, kings will bring You tribute.
31. Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the assembly of mighty bulls among the calves of nations, [until] each submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the nations that desire wars.
32. Nobles will come from Egypt; Kush will hasten [to raise] its hands to God.
33. Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praise to my Lord forever!
34. To the One Who rides upon the loftiest of ancient heavens-behold He gives forth His voice, a voice of might.
35. Ascribe power to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His might is in the skies.
36. God, You are feared from Your Sanctuary; it is the God of Israel Who grants strength and power to His people; blessed is God.
FOOTNOTES
1.And dirty yourself in exile (Metzudot).
2.Israel ascended on high and seized the Torah from the Angels (Metzudot).
3.From amongst the nations who are compared to “bulls of Bashan” (Metzudot).
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 4
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Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5777 · August 4, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 4
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וזהו: צדק לפניו יהלך
In these terms, too, we can understand the meaning of [the above-quoted phrase], “Righteousness (or charity) shall go (yehaleich) before Him (lefanav).”
לפניו הוא מלשון פנימיות
The word lefanav shares a root with pnimiyut (“inwardness”),
ויהלך הוא מלשון הולכה
and yehaleich — the causative form of the verb, which appears in this verse in place of the expected form, yeilech (“shall go”) — shares a root with holachah (“leading”). It thus implies that charity does not itself “go before Him”: rather, it causes some other entity to “go before Him.”
שמוליך את פנימיות הלב לה׳
For [tzedakah] leads the innermost point of [a man’s] heart towards G‑d,
ואחר כך ישים לדרך ה׳ פעמיו
and then1 “he sets his steps2 towards the way of G‑d”׳—
כמו שכתוב: והלכת בדרכיו
as it is written,3 “And you shall walk in His ways,”
אחרי ה׳ אלקיכם תלכו
[and likewise,]4 “You shall go after the L‑rd your G‑d”׳—
בכל מעשה המצות, ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולן
with [his] entire performance of the commandments, and with [his]5 “study of Torah, which is equivalent to them all.”
שכולן עולין לה׳ על ידי פנימית הלב
For they all ascend to G‑d through the inwardness of the heart, which is revealed through the service of tzedakah,
ביתר שאת ומעלה מעלה מעלייתן לה׳ על ידי חיצוניות הלב
[and this ascent is] more intense and reaches far higher than their ascent to G‑d through the externality of the heart,
הנולד מהתבונה והדעת לבדן, בלי הארת פנים מלמעלה, אלא בבחינת הסתר פנים
[for this ascent] is born only of man’s contemplation and knowledge [of G‑dliness], without an illumination of the [Divine] “countenance” (i.e.,inwardness) from above, but in a state in which “the countenance is hidden.”
כי אין הפנים העליונים מאירים למטה אלא באתערותא דלתתא, במעשה הצדקה הנקרא שלום
For the Supernal “countenance” does not radiate downwards except through an arousal initiated from below, through an act of charity, charity being called “peace”.
וזה שכתוב: פדה בשלום נפשי
And this is the meaning of the verse that says,6 “He has redeemed my soul in peace”— or, “through peace.” This, as explained by our Sages,7 refers to tzedakah and acts of loving-kindness that are known as “peace”.
נפשי דייקא
[The verse speaks] expressly of “my soul,”8 inasmuch as it refers to the Shechinah found in the soul of each and every Jew, for the Divine spark that vitalizes the soul of every Jew is redeemed through “peace” — through tzedakah.
וזהו גם כן הטעם שנקרא הצדקה: שלום
This is also the reason for which charity is called “peace”,
לפי שנעשה שלום בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים, כמאמר רז״ל
because according to the teaching of our Sages,9 of blessed memory, by virtue of charity “peace is made between Israel and their Father in heaven,”
דהיינו על ידי פדיון נפשותיהן, הם חלק ה׳ ממש, מידי החיצונים
through the redemption of their souls, which are truly a part of G‑d, from the grip of the forces of evil.
The Alter Rebbe wrote this letter, like most of the letters that comprise Iggeret HaKodesh, in connection with the charitable fund of Kollel Chabad in the Land of Israel. This fund supported R. Mendele Horodoker and his colleagues, together with their disciples, who had settled there. Hence the Alter Rebbe concludes:
ובפרט צדקת ארץ ישראל
This is especially the case with charity for the Land of Israel,
שהיא צדקת ה׳ ממש
for it is truly the charity of G‑d, since it is directed to a place where the Divine Name is revealed,
כמו שכתוב: תמיד עיני ה׳ אלקיך בה
[to a Land of which] it is written,10 “The eyes — i.e., the most quintessential efflux and attention — of the L‑rd your G‑d are constantly upon it.”
והיו עיני ולבי שם כל הימים
[In this vein it is also written,]11 “And My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.”
והיא שעמדה לנו לפדות חיי נפשנו מעצת החושבים לדחות פעמינו
It is this [charity for the Holy Land] that has stood by us to redeem the life of our souls from the counsel of those who seek to repel our steps, i.e., those who desire to harm us.
ותעמוד לנו לעד, לשום נפשנו בחיים אמיתים מחיי החיים
And this [charity] will stand by us forever — to set our souls in the true life of the Fountainhead of Life,
לאור באור חיים, אשר יאר ה׳ פניו אתנו סלה
so that we will be12 “enlightened with the light of life” which G‑d13 “will make His Face radiate with us, Selah.”
אמן, כן יהי רצון
Amen, may this be His will.
1.Tehillim 85:14, continuing the verse which began, “Tzedek shall go before Him,.”
2.“Regarding the term פעמיו (‘his steps’) — and so too פעמינו (‘our steps’) later on — the Tzemach Tzedek (in his comment on this verse in Tehillim) refers the reader to the maamar entitled Paamon VeRimon (which appears in Or HaTorah, Parshat Tetzaveh).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
3.Devarim 28:9.
4.Ibid. 13:5.
5.Mishnah, beginning of Peah.
6.Tehillim 55:19.
7.Berachot 8a, and Rashi ad loc.
8.“One would have expected the verse to say, ‘[He has redeemed] me’ [rather than ‘my soul’], as in the verse, ‘You have redeemed me’ (Tehillim 31:6).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
9.Tosefta, Peah, ch. 1.
10.Devarim 11:12.
11.I Melachim 9:3.
12.Iyov 33:30.
13.Tehillim 67:2.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Today's Mitzvah
Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5777 · August 4, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 196
Gifts upon the Discharge of a Jewish Bondsperson
"You shall surely provide him from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your vat, you shall give him from what G‑d, your G‑d, has blessed you"—Deuteronomy 15:14.
Upon the discharge of a Jewish bondsperson, we are commanded to give him [or her] gifts, to assist him in his newfound freedom. We must not allow him to leave empty-handed.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Discharging a Jewish Bondsman Empty-Handed
"When you send him away free, you shall not let him go away empty-handed"—Deuteronomy 15:13.
When a bondsman is discharged after six years of service, his master is forbidden to let him leave empty-handed. Rather, he must give him gifts.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Redemption of a Jewish Maidservant
"He must let her be redeemed"—Exodus 21:8.
A person who acquires a Jewish maidservant must allow for her redemption through the various methods prescribed by the Torah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Marrying a Jewish Maidservant
"If he did not designate her [for himself], then he shall enable her to be redeemed"—Exodus 21:8.
It is a [non-binding] mitzvah for the master of a Jewish maidservant to marry her [if she consents], or to wed her to his son. This mitzvah takes precedence over the master's obligation to allow for the maidservants redemption.
This mitzvah, along with all the mitzvot that apply to Jewish bondspeople, only apply while the Jubilee is practiced in the Holy Land.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Reselling a Jewish Maidservant
"He shall have no power to sell her"—Exodus 21:8.
One who acquires a Jewish maidservant is not empowered to then sell her to another master.
Full text of this Mitzvah »Reselling a Jewish Maidservant
Negative Commandment 261
Translated by Berel Bell
The 261st prohibition is that one who has purchased a female Jewish servant is forbidden from selling her1 to another person.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), [By not marrying her] "he is considered to have broken faith with her, and he therefore does not have the right to sell her to anyone else."
The details of this mitzvah are fully explained in the beginning of tractate Kiddushin.3
FOOTNOTES
1.Or giving her as a gift. Hilchos Avodim 4:10.
2.Ex. 21:8.
3.17b ff.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Edut Edut - Chapter 2
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Edut - Chapter 2
1
What is the difference between the chakirot and the derishot and the bedikot? With regard to the chakirot and the derishot, if one witness gave specific testimony and the second said: "I do not know," their testimony is of no consequence. With regard to the bedikot, by contrast, even if both of them say: "I don't know," their testimony is allowed to stand. If, however, they contradict each other, even with regard to the bedikot, their testimony is nullified.
What is implied? The witnesses testified that one person killed another. One of the witnesses specified the year of the seven year cycle, the year, the month, the date, the day of the week, Wednesday, the time, 12 noon, and the place of the murder. Similarly, they asked him: "With what did he kill him?", and he answered: "With a sword." If the second witnesses outlined his testimony in the same manner except for the time, i.e., he said: "I do not know the time of day at which the murder took place," or he was able to specify the time, but said: "I don't know what he used to kill him. I did not take notice of the murder weapon," their testimony is nullified. If, however, they outlined all the above factors identically, but were asked: "Was he dressed in black or white?" their testimony is allowed to stand if they replied: "We don't know. We did not pay attention to factors like these which are of no consequence."
א
מה בין חקירות ודרישות לבדיקות בחקירות ודרישות אם כיון האחד את עדותו והשני אומר איני יודע עדותן בטלה אבל בבדיקות אפילו שניהן אומרין אין אנו יודעין עדותן קיימת ובזמן שהן מכחישין זה את זה אפילו בבדיקות עדותן בטלה כיצד העידו שהרג זה את זה ואמר האחד כשנחקר בשבוע פלוני בשנה פלונית בחדש פלוני בכך וכך בחדש ברביעי בשבת בשש שעות ביום במקום פלוני הרגו וכן כשדרשו במה הרגו אמר הרגו בסייף וכן העד השני כיון עדותו בכל חוץ מן השעות שאמר איני יודע בכמה שעות היה ביום או שכיון את השעות ואמר איני יודע במה הרגו ולא הבנתי בכלי שהיה בידו הרי עדותן בטלה אבל אם כיוונו הכל ואמרו להן הדיינים כליו היו שחורים או לבנים ואמרו אין אנו יודעים ולא שמנו לבנו לדברים אלו שאין להן ממש הרי עדותן קיימת:
2
If one of the witnesses said: "He was wearing black clothes," and the second one said: "That is not so," he was wearing white clothes, their testimony is nullified. It is as one said: "It took place on Wednesday," and the other said: "It took place on Thursday," in which instance, the testimony is of no consequence. Or it can be compared to a situation where one said: ""He killed him with a sword," and the other says: "He killed him with a lance." The need for corroboration of the witnesses' testimony is derived from Deuteronomy 13:15 which states: "And the matter is precise." If they contradicted each other in any matter, their testimony is not precise.
ב
אמר אחד כלים שחורים היה לבוש והשני אמר לא כן אלא לבנים היה לבוש הרי עדותן בטלה וכאילו אמר אחד ברביעי בשבת והשני בחמישי שאין כאן עדות או שאמר האחד בסייף הרגו והשני אמר ברומח שאין כאן עדות שנאמר נכון הדבר וכיון שהכחישו זה את זה באי זה מכל הדברים אין זה נכון:
3
The following rules apply if there were many witnesses. If two of them testified in a like manner with regard to the chakirot and the derishot, their testimony is allowed to stand and the defendant is executed, even though the third witness says: "I don't know." If, however, that witness contradicts the other two, even with regard to the bedikot, their testimony is nullified.
ג
היו העדים מרובים שנים מהן כיוונו עדותן בחקירות ובדרישות והשלישי אומר איני יודע תתקיים העדות בשנים ויהרג אבל אם הכחיש את שניהן אפילו בבדיקות עדותן בטלה:
4
If one witness says: "The murder took place on Wednesday, the second of the month," and another says: "It took place on Wednesday, the third of the month," their testimony is allowed to stand. Although there is a contradiction between them, we assume that one knew that an extra day was added to the month, and one did not know.
Until when does the above apply? Until the middle of the month. After the middle of the month, by contrast, e.g., one said: "It took place on the sixteenth of the month," and the second said: "It took place on the seventeenth of the month," their testimony is nullified even though both of them spoke about the same day of the week. The rationale is that by the middle of the month, every one knows when Rosh Chodesh was commemorated.
ד
עד אחד אומר ברביעי בשבת בשנים לחדש והשני אומר ברביעי בשבת בשלשה לחדש עדותן קיימת שזה יודע בעיבורו של חדש וזה אינו יודע בד"א עד חצות החדש אבל אחר חצות החדש כגון שאמר האחד בששה עשר בחדש והשני אומר בשבעה עשר בחדש אף על פי שכיוונו שניהם יום אחד מימי השבת עדותן בטלה שאין חצי החדש בא וכבר ידעו הכל אימתי היה ראש החדש:
5
If, however, one witness says: "It took place on the third of the month," and the other says: "It took place on the fifth of the month," their testimony is nullified.
If one witness says: "It took place during the second hour of the day," and the other says: "It took place during the third hour," their testimony is allowed to stand. The rationale is that it is common for people to err with regard to one hour. If, however, one says: "It took place during the third hour," and the other says: "It took place during the fifth hour," their testimony is nullified.
If one witness says: "It took place before sunrise," and the other says: "It took place at sunrise," their testimony is nullified. Even though the discrepancy between them is less than one hour, the matter is evident to all. Similar concepts apply with regard to sunset.
ה
אמר האחד בשלשה והשני אומר בחמשה עדותן בטלה אמר עד אחד בשתי שעות ביום והשני אומר בשלש שעות הרי עדותן קיימת שדרך העם לטעות בשעה אחת אבל אם אמר האחד בשלש שעות והשני אומר בחמש עדותן בטלה אמר עד אחד קודם הנץ החמה ואחד אומר בהנץ החמה עדותן בטלה אע"פ שהיא שעה אחת שהדבר ניכר לכל וכן אם נחלקו בשקיעתה:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Avadim Avadim - Chapter Four, Avadim Avadim - Chapter Five, Avadim Avadim - Chapter Six
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Avadim - Chapter Four
1
A Hebrew maid-servant is a girl below the age of majority sold by her father. When she manifests signs of physical maturity after reaching twelve years of age and becomes a na'arah, he does not have the right to sell her, even though he still has authority over her and may consecrate her to whomever he desires.
Even a girl who has already manifested physical signs that she is an aylonit, and thus is not fit to manifest physical signs of maturity, may be sold by her father as long as she is below majority. Neither a tumtumnor an androgynous may be sold as a Hebrew servant, nor as a Hebrew maid-servant.
א
אמה העבריה היא הקטנה שמכרה אביה ומשתביא שתי שערות אחר י"ב שנה ותיעשה נערה אינו יכול למכרה אף על פי שעדיין יש לו רשות בה ויש לו לקדשה לכל מי שירצה אף הקטנה שהיא איילונית בסימניה ואינה ראויה להבאת שתי שערות יש לאביה למכרה כל זמן שהיא קטנה אבל הטומטום והאנדרוגינוס אינו נמכר לא כעבד עברי ולא כדין האמה העבריה:
2
A father may not sell his daughter as a maid-servant unless he became impoverished to the extent that he owns nothing, neither landed property, movable property, not even the clothing that he is wearing. Nevertheless, we compel a father to redeem his daughter after he sold her, because this is a blemish to the family.
If the father fled, died or did not have the resources to redeem her, she must work until she is released.
ב
אין האב רשאי למכור את בתו אא"כ העני ולא נשאר לו כלום לא קרקע ולא מטלטלין ואפילו כסות שעליו ואעפ"כ כופין את האב לפדותה אחר שמכרה משום פגם משפחה ברח האב או שמת או שלא היה לו לפדותה הרי זו עובדת עד שתצא:
3
A Hebrew maid-servant is acquired through the payment of money or objects that are worth money, or through the transfer of a legal document. She may not be acquired for a p'rutah, because it is necessary to acquire her with a sum that will allow her to reduce her price according to the number of years she has worked, so that she can redeem herself and depart.
How is she acquired through the transfer of a legal document? Her father should write to her master on a piece of paper or on a shard: "My daughter is sold to you," or "My daughter is acquired by you," and give it to the master. The deed of transfer of a Hebrew maid-servant must be written by the father.
ג
אמה העבריה נקנית בכסף או בשוה כסף ובשטר ואינה נקנית בפרוטה מפני שצריך לקנותה בדמים שראויין לגרעון כדי שתגרע פדיונה ותצא כיצד בשטר כותב על הנייר או על החרס בתי מכורה לך בתי קנויה לך ונותן ביד האדון ושטר אמה העבריה האב כותבו:
4
A Hebrew maid-servant must work for six years, like a servant sold by the court, as reflected by Deuteronomy 15:12: "When your brother, a Jew or a Jewess, will be sold to you."
She receives her freedom at the beginning of the seventh year. If the Jubilee year falls in the middle of these six years, she is released as is a male servant. If her master dies, she is released without payment, even if he leaves a son, as is a servant whose ear is pierced, as reflected by Deuteronomy 15:17: "Even to your maid-servant shall you do this."
Similarly, she may be redeemed by paying a pro-rated figure that considers the time for which she served. If her master writes her a bill of release and waives her service for the remainder of the time, she is released without charge, like a Hebrew servant.
ד
אמה העבריה עובדת שש שנים כעבד שמכרוהו ב"ד שנאמר כי ימכר לך אחיך העברי או העבריה ויוצאת בתחלת שבע ואם פגע בה יובל בתוך שש יוצאה חנם כעבד מת האדון אע"פ שהניח בן יוצאה חנם כנרצע שנאמר ואף לאמתך תעשה כן וכן מגרעת מפדיונה ויוצאה ואם כתב לה שטר שחרור ומחל על השאר יוצאה חנם כעבד:
5
A Hebrew maid-servant has an advantage over a Hebrew servant in that she attains her freedom when she manifests signs of physical maturity.
What is implied? She manifested signs of physical maturity and became a na'arah - she is released and becomes free without charge, as Exodus 21:11 states: "She will depart without charge." With this verse, the Torah granted her another cause for release beyond those granted to servants. And according to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this refers to the manifestation of physical signs of maturity. This law applies even if she manifests signs of physical maturity on the day she was purchased.
When a maid-servant is released, she returns to her father's domain until she attains bagrut and leaves her father's domain. If the girl is an aylonit, who is not granted a period of na'arah but goes directly to bagrut, when she attains bagrut she is granted her freedom.
ה
יתירה אמה העבריה שהיא יוצאה בסימנין כיצד כגון שהביאה סימנין ונעשית נערה יוצאה לחירות בלא כסף אפילו הביאה סימנין מאחר יום שלקחה הרי זו יוצאת לחירות שנאמר ויצאה חנם ריבה לה הכתוב יציאה אחרת בחנם יתר על העבד מפי השמועה למדו שהיא הבאת סימני נערות ותחזור לרשות אביה עד שתבגור ותצא מרשות אביה היתה הבת אילונית שאין לה ימי נערות אלא יוצאת מקטנותה לבגר כיון שבגרה תצא לחירות:
6
A Hebrew maid-servant is not released if her prominent limbs are damaged, as implied by Exodus 21:7: "She shall not depart as the servants depart." Similarly, a Hebrew servant is not released for such a reason. Instead, if his master knocks out his tooth or blinds him in an eye, he should pay him as one must pay another colleague whom one injures as explained in Hilchot Chovel Umazik.
Thus, we have learned that a Hebrew maid-servant is acquired through two means - the payment of money or the transfer of a legal document - and obtains her freedom through six means: the passage of six years, the advent of the Jubilee, paying a pro-rated amount of the purchase price, the transfer of a bill of release, the death of her master and the manifestation of signs of physical maturity.
ו
אין אמה העבריה יוצאה בראשי איברים שנאמר לא תצא כצאת העבדים וכן עבד עברי אם הפיל לו שינו או סימא לו עינו משלם לו כדין החובל בחבירו כמו שביארנו בהלכות חובל נמצאת למד שאמה העבריה נקנית בשני דברים בכסף או בשטר וקונה עצמה בששה דברים בשנים וביובל ובגרעון כסף ובשטר שחרור ובמיתת האדון ובסימנין:
7
If the master of a Hebrew maid-servant designates her as a wife for himself or for his son, she is like any other consecrated woman. She is not released because of any of the reasons mentioned above - but only because of the death of her husband or through a bill of divorce. The mitzvah of designating a maid-servant as a wife takes precedence over the mitzvah of redeeming the maid-servant.
How is the mitzvah of designating a maid-servant as a wife performed? The master tells the maid-servant in the presence of two witnesses: "Behold, you are consecrated to me," "You are betrothed to me," or "Behold, you are my wife." This may be done even at the conclusion of the six years of her servitude before the setting of the sun. He need not give her anything, for the first moneyswere given with the intent that they could serve for the purpose of consecration.From this point onward, he must treat her as a wife, and not as a servant.
He may not designate two maid-servants as wives at the same time, for Exodus 21:8 states: "He will designate her."
How does a master designate a maid-servant as a wife for his son? If his son is past majority and gives his father permission to designate the maid-servant as his wife, the father tells the maid-servant in the presence of two witnesses: "Behold you are consecrated to my son."
ז
יעד אותה האדון לעצמו או לבנו הרי היא כשאר ארוסות ואינה יוצאה באחד מכל אלו אלא במיתת הבעל או בגט ומצות יעוד קודמת למצות פדייה כיצד מצות יעוד אומר לה בפני שנים הרי את מקודשת לי הרי את מאורסת לי הרי את לי לאשה אפילו בסוף שש סמוך לשקיעת החמה ואינו צריך ליתן לה כלום שמעות הראשונות לקידושין ניתנו ונוהג בה מנהג אישות ואינו נוהג בה מנהג שפחות ואינו מיעד שתים כאחת שנאמר יעדה וכיצד מיעדה לבנו אם היה בנו גדול ונתן רשות לאביו ליעדה לו הרי האב אומר לה בפני שנים הרי את מקודשת לבני:
8
A master may not designate a maid-servant as his wife or as his son's wife without her knowledge. Although her father already received money because of her, the Torah uses the term ya'adah, which implies with her knowledge.
If the master dies, his son cannot designate the maid-servant as a wife. For she obtained her freedom at her master's death.
ח
אין האדון מיעד אמה העבריה לא לו ולא לבנו אלא מדעתה אף על פי שכבר קיבל אביה מעותיה שהרי הוא אומר יעדה מדעתה ואם מת האדון אין בנו יוכל ליעדה לו שהרי יוצאה לחירות במיתת האדון:
9
Designating a maid-servant as a wife is equivalent to consecration, but not to marriage. Therefore, the husband may not become impure because of her, he does not inherit her estate, nor does he annul her vows until she enters the chuppah.
Exodus 21:11 states: "If he does not do any of these three for her" - i.e., designate her as a wife for himself or for his son, or enable her to be redeemed by paying a reduced amount - "she will be released without charge" - when she manifests signs of physical maturity, as we have explained, in addition to the ways she can obtain her freedom as a Hebrew servant obtains his.
ט
היעוד כאירוסין ואינו כנישואין לפיכך אינו מתטמא לה ולא יירשנה ולא מיפר נדריה עד שתכנס לחופה ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה לא יעדה לו ולא יעדה לבנו ולא נפדית בגרעון כסף ויצאה חנם בהבאת סימנין כמו שביארנו:
10
A master may not sell a Hebrew maid-servant, nor may he give her as a gift to another person, regardless of whether or not he shares a family connection with him. If he sells her or gives her away, his deeds are of no consequence, as Exodus 21:8 states: "He does not have the authority to sell her to a different man, when he betrays her."
Similarly, a master may not sell or give away a Hebrew servant to another person. It appears to me that the only reason the Torah had to state this explicitly with regard to a maid-servant is that the master is able to designate her as a wife for his son. Therefore, it is necessary to say that "He does not have the authority to sell her to a different man."
י
יתר על אותן הדרכים שקונה בהן עצמה כעבד עברי אין האדון יכול למכור אמה העבריה ולא ליתנה לאיש אחר בין רחוק בין קרוב ואם מכר או נתן לא עשה כלום שנאמר לעם נכרי לא ימשול למכרה בבגדו בה וכן עבד עברי לא יכול למכרו לאחר ולא ליתנו ויראה לי שלא הוצרך הכתוב לאסור דבר זה [באמה] אלא מפני שיש לו ליעדה לבנו לכך נאמר לעם נכרי לא ימשול למכרה:
11
A Hebrew maid-servant may be sold to a person only when a marriage between her and either him or his son would be binding, so that she is fit to be designated as a wife.
What is implied? A person may sell his daughter to his father. For although the master may not designate her as a wife, she is fit for his son to marry. For the maid-servant is his brother's daughter. A person may not, however, sell his daughter to his son, for she is not fit to marry the master, for she is his sister, nor is she fit to marry the master's son, for she is his father's sister.
יא
אין אמה העבריה נמכרת אלא למי שיש לה עליו או לבנו קידושין כדי שתהא ראויה ליעוד כיצד מוכר אדם את בתו לאביו שאע"פ שאין האדון יכול ליעדה לו ראויה היא לבנו שהרי האמה בת אחיו אבל אינו יכול למכור את בתו לבנו מפני שאינה ראויה לאדון שהרי היא אחותו ולא לבנו מפני שהיא אחות אביו:
12
A person may sell his daughter to certain individuals whom she is forbidden to marry - e.g., a widow to a High Priest, or a divorcee or a woman who underwent chalitzah to an ordinary priest. For although marriage between such individuals is forbidden, the marriage is binding.
יב
יש לאדם למכור בתו לפסולין כגון אלמנה לכהן גדול גרושה וחלוצה לכהן הדיוט שאף על פי שהן בלאו קידושין תופסין בהן:
13
When a person has consecrated his daughter when she was a minor and she becomes widowed or divorced, he cannot sell her as a maid-servant afterwards. For a man may not sell his daughter as a maid-servant after she has been married. He may, however, sell her as a maid-servant after she had served as a maid- servant.
What is implied? The father sold her as a maid-servant and then the master designated her as a wife. Afterwards, the master died or divorced her, and she returned to her father's domain because she is a minor. Her father may sell her a second time, even to a priest.
Similarly, if she was widowed after being designated as a wife, and her yavam performed chalitzah for her, the chalitzah is unacceptable, because she is a minor. She is nevertheless disqualified from marrying a priest. Even so, her father may sell her as a maid-servant to a priest, because if he consecrated her the marriage bond would be binding, as explained above.
יג
המקדש את בתו כשהיא קטנה ונתארמלה או נתגרשה אינו יכול למוכרה שאין אדם יכול למכור את בתו לשפחות אחר אישות אבל מוכרה לשפחה אחר שפחות כיצד מכרה לשפחות תחלה ויעד אותה האדון ומת האדון או גרשה וחזרה לרשות האב כשהיא קטנה הרי האב מוכרה פעם שנייה אפילו לכהן וכן אם נפלה לפני יבם מן היעוד וחלץ לה אע"פ שהיא חלוצה פסולה מפני שהיא קטנה הרי נפסלה מן הכהונה ויש לו למכרה לכהן הואיל וקידושין תופסין בה כמו שנתבאר:
14
When a person sells his daughter and she is released after serving six years, at the advent of the Jubilee year, or because he redeemed her by paying a prorated amount, he may sell her again if she is still a minor, as we have explained above.
יד
המוכר את בתו ויצאה בשנים או ביובל או בגרעון כסף ועדיין היא קטנה יש לו לחזור ולמוכרה פעם שנייה כמו שביארנו:
15
The following laws apply when a person sells his daughter as a maid-servant and then goes and consecrates her to another person: If the master desires to designate her as a wife, he may. If the master does not designate her as a wife - neither for himself nor for his son - when she leaves the master's domain her consecration to the other man is completed, and she becomes his wife.
טו
המוכר את בתו ואחר כך הלך וקדשה לאחר אם רצה האדון לייעד מייעד ואם לא ייעד האדון לא לו ולא לבנו כשתצא מרשות האדון יגמרו קידושיה ותיעשה אשת איש:
16
When a person sells his daughter as a maid-servant, but stipulates that the owner may not designate her as a wife - if the owner desires, he may designate her as a wife, for he has made a stipulation against what is written in the Torah. And whenever a person makes a stipulation against what is written in the Torah, his stipulation is nullified.
טז
המוכר את בתו ופסק על האדון על מנת שלא לייעד אותה אם רצה האדון לייעד מייעד שהתנה על מה שכתוב בתורה שתנאו בטל:
Avadim - Chapter Five
1
A Canaanite slave is acquired through five means and acquires his freedom through three. He may be acquired through the transfer of money, the transfer of a deed of purchase, the manifestation of one's ownership, a kinyan chalifin or by drawing him after oneself. He acquires his freedom through the transfer of money, the transfer of a legal document and because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
A Canaanite slave who is a minor is like an animal and is acquired by drawing him after oneself as one draws an animal. We have already explained in the beginning of this book all the means by which a slave is acquired.
א
עבד כנעני נקנה בחמשה דברים וקונה את עצמו בשלשה נקנה בכסף או בשטר או בחזקה או בחליפין או במשיכה וקונה את עצמו בכסף או בשטר או בראשי איברים ועבד קטן הרי הוא כבהמה ונקנה במשיכה כמשיכת הבהמה וכבר ביארנו בתחלת ספר זה כל הדרכים שהעבדים נקנין בהן:
2
How can a Canaanite slave acquire himself through the transfer of money? When another person gave the slave's master money, telling him: "This is yours with the intent that your slave be granted his freedom because of it." Once the master receives the money or merchandise worth money, the slave is granted his freedom.
There is no need for the slave to know of this matter, for it is to his advantage to be released. And something that is to a person's advantage can be acquired on his behalf outside his presence.
Similarly, the slave can be freed if a person gives the slave money, specifying that it is given to him "with the intent that he use it to obtain his freedom." Should the master desire to accept the money, the slave is granted his freedom. If the master does not desire to accept the money, it is not acquired by the slave, because it was given to him only with the intent that he purchase his freedom with it.
Both money or merchandise worth money are effective in acquiring the slave or in his acquiring his freedom.
ב
כיצד קונה את עצמו בכסף כגון שנתן אחד לרבו מעות ואמר לו על מנת שיצא עבדך בהם לחירות כיון שקיבל הרב את הכסף או שוה כסף יצא העבד לחירות ואין צריך דעת העבד שזכות היא לו וזכין לאדם שלא בפניו וכן אם נתן אחד לעבד מעות ואמר על מנת שתצא בהם לחירות אם רצה האדון לקבל המעות יצא העבד לחירות ואם לא רצה לא קנה העבד המעות שלא נתן לו אלא על מנת שיצא בהם לחירות ואחד הכסף או שוה כסף בין לקנותו בין להקנות עצמו לו:
3
How does a slave achieve his freedom through the transfer of a legal document? The master must write to him on a paper or on a shard: "Behold, you are a free man," "Behold, you are your own property," "I no longer have anything to do with you," or other statements that share this theme. For this is the primary content of a bill of release.
Afterwards, he gives him the document in the presence of two witnesses. Similarly, if witnesses have signed on the bill of release and he gives the slave the bill of release in private, he attains his freedom. For the bill of release and his capacity to receive it come at the same time.
Different rules apply if the master tells the slave "Behold, you are a free man," "Behold, you are your own property," but does not write it in a document: Even though witnesses testify in court that the master made such statements, and even if the master affirmed the statements with a kinyan, the slave has not yet been freed. For a slave is not granted freedom except through the transfer of money, the transfer of a legal document or because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
When a person writes in a legal document to his maid-servant: "Behold you are permitted to any man," his statement is of no consequence.
ג
כיצד בשטר כותב לו על הנייר או על החרס הרי את בן חורין או הרי את של עצמך או אין לי עסק בך וכן כל כיוצא בזה בענין זה שזה הוא גופו של גט שחרור ומוסר לו את השטר בפני שני עדים או שהיו העדים חתומים בו ומסרו לו בינו לבינו הרי זה יצא לחירות שהרי גיטו וידו באין כאחד אמר לו שלא בכתב הרי את בן חורין הרי את של עצמך אף על פי שהעידו עליו עדים בב"ד ואע"פ שקנו מידו עדיין לא נשתחרר שאין העבד יוצא לחירות אלא בכסף או בשטר או בראשי איברים והכותב לשפחתו הרי את מותרת לכל אדם לא אמר כלום:
4
How is a slave released because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs? A person intentionally struck his slave and caused him to lose one of the 24 tips of his limbs or organs that will not regenerate; he is granted his freedom. A bill of release is required.
If this applies to the 24 limbs, why does the Torah mention explicitly a tooth and an eye? To extrapolate from them. What characterizes the loss of an eye and a tooth an eye or a tooth? That they are obvious blemishes that will not be regenerated; so too, all obvious blemishes that will not be regenerated cause a slave to be granted his freedom. If, by contrast, a master castrates his slave or cuts out his tongue, the slave is not granted his freedom, for these are not revealed blemishes. Similarly, if a person knocks out one of a young slave's baby teeth, the slave is not released, for the tooth will grow back.
ד
כיצד בראשי איברים המכה את עבדו בכוונה וחסרו אחד מכ"ד ראשי איברים שאינן חוזרין יצא לחירות וצריך גט שחרור אם כן למה נאמר בתורה שן ועין לידון מהן מה שן ועין מומין שבגלוי ואינן חוזרין אף כל מומין שבגלוי ואינן חוזרין יצא העבד בו לחירות אבל המסרס עבדו בביצים או החותך לשונו אינו יוצא לחירות שאינן מומין שבגלוי וכן המפיל שן הקטן אינו יוצא לחירות שהרי סופו לחזור:
5
The only slaves released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs are slaves that have been circumcised and immersed in the mikveh, for they are obligated in the observance of some of the mitzvot. A slave who is an outright gentile is not released because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
These are the tips of the limbs and organs that will not regenerate: the 10 fingers and the ten toes, the tips of the ears, the tip of the nose, the tip of the male organ, the nipples of a woman's breasts. The eyes and the teeth are not included in this reckoning, because they are explicitly mentioned in the Torah.
ה
אין יוצא בראשי איברים אלא עבדים שמלו וטבלו שהרי ישנן במקצת מצות אבל העבד שהוא בגיותו אינו יוצא בראשי איברים אלו הן ראשי איברים שאינן חוזרין: אצבעות ידים ורגלים עשרים ראשי האזנים וראש החוטם וראש הגויה וראשי הדדין שבאשה אבל העינים והשינים הרי הן מפורשין בתורה:
6
Should a slave possess an extra finger, and the master cut it off, the slave is released because of its loss if the finger is counted on his hand together with his other fingers. If the slave's eye was blinded, and the master cut it out, the slave is released because of its loss. For the master caused him the loss of an organ.
The same law applies with regard to any other of the tips of the organs that are not functional and cannot be used for a task: if the master cuts it off, the master caused him the loss of an organ, and the slave is released because of its loss.
ו
היתה לו אצבע יתירה וחתכה אם נספרת על גב היד עבד יוצא בה לחירות היתה עינו סמויה וחטטה עבד יוצא בה לחירות שהרי חסרו אבר והוא הדין לאחד מראשי איברים שהוא בטל ואינו עושה בו מלאכה שאם חתכו הרי חסרו אבר ויצא לחירות:
7
If the master struck the servant on his eye and blinded him, or on his ear and made him deaf, the slave is released because of it. If, however, the master struck the slave near his eye and afterwards, he no longer saw, or near his ear, and he no longer heard, the servant is not released because of this.
ז
הכהו על עינו וסמאה על אזנו וחרשה עבד יוצא בהן לחירות הכהו כנגד עינו ואינו רואה כנגד אזנו ואינו שומע אין עבד יוצא בהן לחירות:
8
The following rules apply if the master struck the slave on his eye and reduced its sight, or struck him on his tooth and caused it to wobble. If the slave can use these organs, he is not released. If not, he is released.
ח
הכהו על עינו וחסרה מאורה על שנו ונדדה אם יכול להשתמש בהם אינו יוצא לחירות ואם לאו יצא לחירות:
9
The following rules apply if the slave's eye was not functioning well, and he saw with difficulty, or the slave's tooth was wobbly, and the master struck him and knocked out the wobbly tooth or blinded the weak eye. If the slave was able to use these organs beforehand at all, he is granted his freedom because of their loss. If not, he is not granted his freedom.
ט
היתה עינו כהה וחסר מאורה או שנו נודדת והכהו האדון והפיל השן הנודדת או סמא העין הכהה אם היה משתמש בהן כל שהוא יצא לחירות ואם לאו לא יצא לחירות:
10
If the master struck the slave on his hand and it became swollen, but it would ultimately return to its normal state, the slave is not released because of it. If the master pulled at the slave's beard and in doing so, dislocated his jaw bone, the slave is granted his freedom, because the master nullified the use of the teeth that are located in that bone.
י
הכהו על ידו וצבתה ידו וסופה לחזור אינו יוצא לחירות תלש בזקנו ודלדל בו עצם מן הלחי יצא לחירות שהרי בטל מעשה השינים הקבועות באותו העצם:
11
If the master knocked out the slave's tooth or blinded his eye unintentionally - e.g., he threw a stone at an animal and it hit the slave and knocked out his tooth or cut his finger - he is not released. This is alluded to by Exodus 21:27, which states: "If he will knock out his slave's or his maid-servant's tooth." The wording implies that he must do so intentionally.
יא
הפיל את שינו או סימא את עינו בלא כוונה כגון שזרק אבן לבהמה ונפלה בעבד והפילה את שינו וחתכה אצבעו לא יצא לחירות שנאמר אם שן עבדו או שן אמתו יפיל עד שיתכוין:
12
If the master inserted his hand into the womb of his maid-servant and blinded the eye of the fetus within, he is not granted his freedom. For he did not know anything of the entity so that he could intend to strike it.
יב
הושיט ידו למעי שפחתו וסמא עין העובר שבמעיה לא יצא לחירות שהרי לא ידע דבר שיתכוין לו:
13
If the slave's master was a physician and the slave told him: "Treat my eye for me," and he blinded it, "Hollow out my tooth for me," and he knocked it out, the slave tricked the master and is granted his freedom. For although he did not have the intent of injuring the slave, he did intend to touch the slave's limbs and became endangered because of them.
Needless to say, if the slave's eye was hurting, and his master was a blood-letter and removed it for him, the slave is granted his freedom.
יג
הרי שהיה רבו רופא ואמר לו כחול לי עיני וסמאה חתור לי שיני והפילה שחק באדון ויצא לחירות שאף על פי שלא נתכוין להזיק הרי נתכוון לנגוע באיברי העבד ונסתכן בהן ואין צריך לומר אם היתה עין העבד כואבת והיה רבו אומן ועקרה לו שהרי יצא לחירות:
14
When a person knocks out the tooth of a slave and then blinds his eye, he must grant the slave his freedom because of his tooth, and pay him damages for his eye. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
יד
המפיל שן עבדו וסימא את עינו הרי יצא לחירות בשינו ונותן לו דמי עינו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
15
When a person is half a slave and half a free man or he is jointly owned by two masters, he does not receive his freedom because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs. The rationale is that he is not the sole property of the master who injured him.
טו
מי שחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין ועבד של שני שותפין אינו יוצא בראשי איברים לפי שאינו מיוחד לרבו שחבל בו:
16
Slaves that belonged to a wife and are considered as tzon barzel are released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs if the husband injures them, but not if the wife injures them.47
Slaves that belong to a wife and are considered as nichsei m'log, are not released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs, neither if the husband injures them - for he owns merely the use of them, nor if the wife injures them - for they are not solely hers.
טז
עבדי צאן ברזל יוצאין בראשי איברים אם חסרן הבעל אבל לא האשה ועבדי מלוג אינן יוצאין בראשי איברים לא אם הפיל הבעל שהרי אין לו בהם אלא פירות ולא אם הפילה אותן האשה מפני שאינן מיוחדין לה:
17
The release of slaves because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs is practiced in every place, and in every time. This ruling may be delivered only by judges who possess semichah, for this is a fine.
For this reason, if a servant told his master: "You knocked out my tooth and blinded my eye," and the master admits doing this, the master is not liable. The rationale is that had he taken the initiative and admitted having caused this injury, he would not be liable to grant the slave his freedom unless witnesses testify. For a person who admits his guilt in a case requiring a fine is not liable. As Hilchot Geneivah states, anyone who admits his guilt in a case requiring a fine is not liable.
יז
יציאת העבד בראשי איברים נוהג בכל מקום ובכל זמן ואין דנין בו אלא בב"ד סמוכין מפני שהוא קנס לפיכך העבד שאמר לרבו הפלת את שיני וסמית את עיני והאדון אומר לו עשיתי זה פטור שאם יודה מעצמו אינו חייב להוציאו לחירות בלא עדים שהמודה בקנס פטור כמו שביארנו בהלכות גניבה שכל מודה בקנס פטור מלשלמו:
Avadim - Chapter Six
1
When a person composes a bill of release for his slave and gives it to another person to acquire on the slave's behalf, saying: "Take possession of this bill of release for so and so, my slave," the slave is granted his freedom even though the bill of release did not reach his hand. For it is possible to acquire something of benefit to a person outside his presence.
If, however, a person said: "Give this bill of release to my slave," he may not retract, but the slave does not attain his freedom until the bill of release reaches his hand. Therefore if a person says: "Give this bill of release to my slave" and dies, it should not be given to him after his master's death.
א
הכותב גט שחרור לעבדו וזיכה לו בו ע"י אחר ואמר זכה בגט זה לפלוני עבדי יצא לחירות אע"פ שלא הגיע גט לידו שזכין לאדם שלא בפניו אבל אם אמר תנו גט זה לעבדי אינו יכול לחזור בו ולא יצא העבד לחירות עד שיגיע הגט לידו לפיכך האומר תנו גט זה לעבדי ומת לא יתנו לאחר מיתה:
2
When a person composes a legal document saying: "I made my slave so and so a free man," "My servant so and so was made a free man," or "He is a free man," he is released. If, however, the document states: "I will make him a free man," he is not released.
ב
הכותב בשטר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין או נעשה פלוני עבדי בן חורין או הרי הוא בן חורין ה"ז יצא לחירות כתב בשטר אעשנו בן חורין לא יצא לחירות:
3
When a master states that he released his slave and the slave denies being released, we suspect that the master had another person acquire the bill of release on behalf of the slave.
If the master said: "I composed a deed of release and gave it to the slave," and the slave says: "You neither wrote it nor gave it to me," the statement of a principal is considered as equivalent to the testimony of 100 witnesses, and he is considered a slave until he is freed in the presence of witnesses.
ג
האומר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין והוא אומר לא עשאני חוששין שמא זיכה לו על ידי אחר אמר כתבתי גט שחרור ונתתי לו והוא אמר לא כתב ולא נתן הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים והרי זה עבד עד שישחררנו בפנינו:
4
When a person commands at the time of his death: "My heirs should not subjugate so and so, my maid-servant," she is still considered a maid-servant as before, but it is forbidden for his heir to subjugate her. For it is a mitzvah to fulfill the words of a deceased person.
Similarly, if a dying man says: "Generate satisfaction for so and so, my maid-servant," we compel the heirs not to make her perform any tasks other than the ones that she desires to perform. If he commanded them to free her, we compel them to free her.
ד
מי שצוה בשעת מיתתו פלונית שפחתי אל ישתעבדו בה יורשי הרי זו שפחה כשהיתה ואסור ליורשים להשתעבד בה מפני שמצוה לקיים דברי המת וכן אם אמר עשו לה קורת רוח כופין את היורשין ואין משתעבדין בה אלא במלאכה שהיא רוצה בה צוה ואמר שחררוה כופין את היורשין לשחרר אותה:
5
There are six matters in which a bill of release given to a servant is equivalent to a bill of divorce. With regard to other matters, a bill of release is equivalent to other legal documents. These are the six:
a) they are not acceptable if prepared by gentile legal authorities;
b) they are acceptable if one witness is a kuti,
c) they must be written for the sake of the slave who is being freed;
d) they may not be written on an article that is attached to the ground;
e) the witnesses may sign only in the presence of each other; and
f) the same laws apply to a bill of divorce and a bill of release with regard to bringing these legal documents from one place to another.
ה
בששה דברים שוין שחרורי עבדים לגיטי נשים ובשאר דברים הרי הן כשאר כל השטרות ואלו הן הששה: פסולים בערכאות של עכו"ם וכשרין בעד עכו"ם וצריכין כתיבה לשם המשחרר עצמו ואין נכתבין במחובר ואין חותמין עדיהם אלא זה בפני זה אחד גיטי נשים ואחד שחרורי עבדים שוין למוליך ולמביא כיצד כל השטרות העולים בערכאות של עכו"ם כשרים בכל התנאים שאנו מבארים בהלכות הלואה חוץ מגיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים:
6
What is implied? All legal documents that are composed by gentile legal authorities are acceptable provided they conform to all the conditions stated in Hilchot Halva'ah with the exception of bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves.
Any legal document that is signed by even one witness who is a kuti is not acceptable, with the exception of bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves, provided the kuti is known to be precise in his observance.
In the present age, when the kutim are considered as gentiles with regard to all matters, we apply the laws stated with regard to them to the Sadducees. For the Sadducees in the present era are considered like the kutim of the previous era, before it was decreed that they would be considered like gentiles.
With regard to a woman's bill of divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1 states: "And he shall write to her," which is interpreted by our Sages to mean: "for her sake." And with regard to a Canaanite maid servant's bill of release, Leviticus 19:2 states: "Nor was freedom given to her," teaching that the bill of release must be written for her sake.
With regard to a woman's bill of divorce, Ibid.:1,3 states: "And he shall write, and he shall give," which is interpreted by our Sages to mean that the bill of divorce should be written on a substance that is lacking only to be given. This excludes a bill of divorce that is written while the article on which it is written is attached and afterwards detached. For it is lacking both being detached and being given. Similarly, with regard to a bill of release, it is written: "given to her," teaching that the bill of release should be lacking only being given.
Witnesses may not sign bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves outside each other's presence. We have already explained that reason for this ruling in Hilchot Gerushin.
ו
כל שטר שיש עליו אפילו עד אחד כותי פסול חוץ מגיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים שהן כשרין בעד אחד ישראל ועד אחד כותי והוא שיהיה כותי חבר ובזמן הזה שהכותים כעכו"ם לכל דבריהם אנו למדין מהן לצדוקין שהצדוקין בזמן הזה כמו כותי באותו הזמן קודם שגזרו עליהם שיהיו כעכו"ם לכל דבריהם בגט אשה הוא אומר וכתב לה לשמה ובגט שחרור הוא אומר או חופשה לא נתן לה עד שיכתוב לשמה בגט אשה הוא אומר וכתב ונתן מי שאינו מחוסר אלא נתינה יצא הכותב במחובר ואח"כ קצץ שהרי מחוסר קציצה ונתינה ובגט שחרור הוא אומר (ונתן לה) לא יהיה מחוסר אלא נתינה אחד גיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים אינן חותמין עדיהם אלא זה בפני זה וכבר ביארנו טעם הדבר בהלכות גירושין:
7
What is meant by the statement that the same laws apply to bills of divorce and bills of release with regard to bringing these legal documents from one place to another? When an agent brings a bill of release from one place to another in Eretz Yisrael, he does not have to testify that it was written and signed in his presence. And in the diaspora, if there are no witnesses present to verify the authenticity of the bill of release, and the agent states that it was written and signed in his presence, its authenticity is considered as verified. Afterwards, if the master comes and protests, no attention is paid to him, as we have explained with regard to a bill of divorce.
Just as when a woman brings her bill of divorce, she does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified, because the bill of divorce is in her possession, so too, when a servant's bill of release is in his possession, he does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified.
Just as the woman must say: "It was written and signed in my presence," when it was stipulated that she do so, as we have explained in that context, so too, when a servant brings his bill of release and states: "It was written and signed in my presence," his word is accepted in the same way, and he does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified.
ז
וכיצד שוין במוליך ומביא שהמביא גט שחרור בא"י א"צ לומר בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם ובח"ל אם אין עדים מצויין לקיימו ואמר השליח בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם זהו קיומו ואם בא האדון וערער אחר כך אין משגיחין בו כמו שביארנו בגיטי נשים כשם שהאשה עצמה מביאה גיטה ואינה צריכה לקיימו הואיל והגט יוצא מתחת ידה כך העבד ששטר שחרור יוצא מתחת ידו אינו צריך לקיימו וכשם שהאשה אומרת בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם אם התנה עליה כמו שביארנו במקומו כך העבד שהביא גט ואמר בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם נאמן על אותו הדרך ואין צריך קיום:
8
Everyone who is acceptable to bring a bill of divorce to a woman as the husband's agent is also acceptable to bring a bill of release for a slave as the agent of the master.
A slave may receive a bill of release for another slave from that slave's master, but not from his own master.
When an owner writes a legal document with which he seeks to consecrate his Canaanite maid-servant, even though he tells her: "Attain your freedom by virtue of this document and become consecrated because of it," this expression is not one that conveys freedom, and she is neither consecrated nor freed.
ח
כל הכשר להביא גט האשה כשר להביא גט העבד והעבד מקבל גט לחבירו מיד רבו של חבירו אבל לא מיד רבו של מקבל הכותב שטר אירוסין לשפחתו אף על פי שאמר לה צאי בו לחירות והתקדשי בו אין בלשון הזה לשון שחרור ואינה מקודשת ולא משוחררת:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5777 · 04 August 2017
"Today's Day"
Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 66-68.
Tanya: But what causes (p. 399) ...who seeks it. (p. 401).
The Alter Rebbe repeated what the Mezritcher Maggid said quoting the Baal Shem Tov: "Love your fellow like yourself" is an interpretation of and commentary on "Love Hashem your G-d." He who loves his fellow-Jew loves G-d, because the Jew has with in himself a "part of G-d Above." Therefore, when one loves the Jew - i.e. his inner essence - one loves G-d.
Daily Thought:
Full Moon
What can we learn from the cycle of the moon, how she ever waxes and wanes and waxes again?
That a time of smallness is a time to become great;
And a time of greatness is a time to become small.
For in smallness lies the power to receive
and in receiving lies the power to become great.
And greatness endures only through its power to be small. [Vayakhel-Pekudei 5732:1. 5740:5. Torat Menachem 5742, vol. 3, p. 1372.]
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• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 6
4Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one. דשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהֹוָה | אֶחָד:
The Lord is our God; the Lord is one: The Lord, who is now our God and not the God of the other nations-He will be [declared] in the future “the one God,” as it is said: “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Lord” (Zeph. 3:9), and it is [also] said: “On that day will the Lord be one and His name one” (Zech. 14:9). (see Sifrei)
ה' אלהינו ה' אחד: ה' שהוא אלהינו עתה ולא אלהי האומות, הוא עתיד להיות ה' אחד, שנאמר (צפניה ג, ט) כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' ונאמר (זכריה יד, ט) ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד ושמו אחד:
5And you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means. הוְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ:
And you shall love [the Lord]: Perform His commandments out of love. The one who acts out of love cannot be compared to the one who acts out of fear. If one serves his master out of fear, when the master sets a great burden upon him, this servant will leave him and go away [whereas if out of love he will serve him even under great burden] (Sifrei 6:5).
ואהבת: עשה דבריו מאהבה אינו דומה עושה מאהבה לעושה מיראה. העושה אצל רבו מיראה כשהוא מטריח עליו מניחו והולך לו:
with all your heart: Heb. בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ [The double “veth” in לְבָבְךָ, instead of the usual form לִבְּךָ, suggests:] Love Him with your two inclinations [the good and the evil]. (Sifrei; Ber. 54a) Another explanation; “with all your heart,” is that your heart should not be divided [i.e., at variance] with the Omnipresent (Sifrei).
בכל לבבך: בשני יצריך. דבר אחר בכל לבבך, שלא יהיה לבך חלוק על המקום:
and with all your soul: Even if He takes your soul (Sifrei; Ber. 54a, 61a).
ובכל נפשך: אפילו הוא נוטל את נפשך:
and with all your means: Heb. וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ, with all your possessions. There are people whose possessions are more precious to them than their own bodies. Therefore, it says, “and with all your means.” (Sifrei) Another explanation of וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ is: You shall love God with whatever measure (מִדָּה) He metes out to you, whether it be the measure of good or the measure of retribution. Thus also did David say: “I will lift up the cup of salvations [and I will call upon the name of the Lord]” (Ps. 116:12-13); “I found trouble and grief [and I called out in the name of the Lord]” (Ps. 116:3-4).
ובכל מאדך: בכל ממונך יש לך אדם שממונו חביב עליו מגופו לכך נאמר ובכל מאדך. דבר אחר ובכל מאדך בכל מדה ומדה שמודד לך בין במדה טובה בין במדת פורענות וכן דוד הוא אומר (תהלים קטז, יג) כוס ישועות אשא וגו' (שם קטז, יג) צרה ויגון אמצא וגו':
6And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart. ווְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ:
And these words… shall be: What is this“love” [referred to in the previous verse]? It is that these words [the mitzvoth] shall be upon your heart, and through this, you will come to recognize the Holy One, blessed be He, and will [consequently] cling to His ways. (Sifrei 6:6)
והיו הדברים האלה: ומהו האהבה והיו הדברים האלה, שמתוך כך אתה מכיר בהקב"ה ומדבק בדרכיו:
which I command you this day: they should not appear to you as an antiquated edict (דְּיוּטַגְמָא) which no one cares about, but as a new one, which everyone hastens to read. The word דְּיוּטַגְמָא means: a royal edict which comes in writing.(Sifrei)
אשר אנכי מצוך היום: לא יהיו בעיניך כדיוטגמא ישנה שאין אדם סופנה, אלא כחדשה שהכל רצין לקראתה. דיוטגמא מצות המלך הבאה במכתב:
7And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. זוְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ:
And you will teach them: Heb. וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם. This is an expression of sharpness, meaning that these words should be sharply impressed in your mouth, so that if a person asks you something, you will not have to hesitate about it, but you will tell him immediately. (Sifrei ; Kidd. 30a)
ושננתם: לשון חדוד הוא, שיהיו מחודדים בפיך, שאם ישאלך אדם דבר לא תהא צריך לגמגם בו, אלא אמור לו מיד:
to your sons: These are your disciples. We find everywhere that disciples are termed “sons,” as it is said: “You are children to the Lord your God” (Deut. 14:1), and it says: “The disciples [lit. sons] of the prophets who were in Bethel” (II Kings 2:3). So too, we find that Hezekiah taught Torah to all Israel and called them children, as it is said: “My sons, now do not forget” (II Chron. 29:11). And just as disciples are called “children,” as it is said “You are children to the Lord your God” so too, the teacher is called “father,” as it is said [that Elisha referred to his teacher Elijah by the words] “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel…” (II Kings 2:12) (Sifrei 6:7).
לבניך: אלו התלמידים. מצינו בכל מקום שהתלמידים קרוים בנים, שנאמר (דברים יד, א) בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם, ואומר (מלכים ב' ב, ג) בני הנביאים אשר בבית אל, וכן בחזקיהו שלמד תורה לכל ישראל וקראם בנים שנאמר (ד"ה ב' כט, יא) בני עתה אל תשלו. וכשם שהתלמידים קרוים בנים, שנאמר בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם, כך הרב קרוי אב, שנאמר (מלכים ב' ב) אבי אבי רכב ישראל וגו':
and speak of them: That your principal topic of conversation should be only about them; make them the main topic, not the secondary one. (Sifrei)
ודברת בם: שלא יהא עיקר דבורך אלא בם. עשם עיקר ואל תעשם טפל:
and when you lie down: Now this [latter verse] might lead one to think [that the obligation to recite the “shema” is] even if one lies down in the middle of the day. Therefore it states; “and when you rise up” ; now this [latter verse] might lead one to think [that the obligation to recite the “shema” is] even if you arise in the middle of the night! It says therefore,“When you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way.” The Torah is thus speaking of the usual manner of conduct: The [usual] time of lying down and the [usual] time of rising up. (Sifrei)
ובשכבך: יכול אפילו שכב בחצי היום תלמוד לומר ובקומך. יכול אפילו עמד בחצי הלילה, תלמוד לומר בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך. דרך ארץ דברה תורה, זמן שכיבה וזמן קימה:
8And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes. חוּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ:
And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand: These are the tefillin of the arm.
וקשרתם לאות על ידך: אלו תפילין שבזרוע:
and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes: Heb. לְטֹטָפֹת. These are the tefillin of the head, and because of the number of the Scriptural sections contained in them [namely four], they are called טֹטָפֹת - totafoth, for טַט - tat in Coptic means “two,” פַּת - path in Afriki (Phrygian) [also] means “two.” (San. 4b)
והיו לטטפת בין עיניך: אלו תפילין שבראש ועל שם מנין פרשיותיהם נקראו טטפת. טט בכתפי שתים, פת באפריקי שתים:
9And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates. טוּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ:
the doorposts of your house: The word is מְזֻזוֹת [and not, מְזוּזוֹת, i.e., without the letter“vav”] to indicate that there is need for only one מְזוּזָה - mezuzah per door.
מזזות ביתך: מזזות כתיב, שאין צריך אלא אחת:
and upon your gates: This [“gates”] is to include the gates of courtyards, the gates of provinces, and the gates of cities [in that they also require a mezuzah]. (Yoma 11a)
ובשעריך: לרבות שערי חצרות ושערי מדינות ושערי עיירות:
10And it will be, when the Lord, your God, brings you to the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and good cities that you did not build, יוְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ | יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לָתֶת לָךְ עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וְטֹבֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא בָנִיתָ:
11and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, and you will eat and be satisfied. יאוּבָתִּים מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִלֵּאתָ וּבֹרֹת חֲצוּבִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא חָצַבְתָּ כְּרָמִים וְזֵיתִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא נָטָעְתָּ וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ:
hewn: Since it [the Land of Israel] was a stony and rocky place, the term“hewn” is appropriate [regarding the cisterns there].
חצובים: לפי שהיו מקום טרשין וסלעים נופל בו לשון חציבה:
12Beware, lest you forget the Lord, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. יבהִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים:
out of the house of bondage: Heb. מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, lit. out of the house of slaves. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: out of the house of slavery, i.e., out of the place where you were slaves [and “not the house that belonged to slaves.”]
מבית עבדים: כתרגומו מבית עבדותא, ממקום שהייתם שם עבדים:
13You shall fear the Lord, your God, worship Him, and swear by His name. יגאֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ:
and swear by His name: If you possess all the attributes mentioned here, that you fear His name and serve Him, then you may swear by His Name, for if you fear His name, you will be cautious with your oath, but if [you do] not, you must not swear [by His name].
ובשמו תשבע: אם יש בך כל המדות הללו, שאתה ירא את שמו ועובד אותו, אז בשמו תשבע, שמתוך שאתה ירא את שמו תהא זהיר בשבועתך, ואם לאו לא תשבע:
14Do not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you. ידלֹא תֵלְכוּן אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים מֵאֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם:
of the gods of the peoples who are around you: The same applies to the gods of those peoples who are distant [from you], but, because you see those who are around you erring after them, it was necessary to warn you especially about them [i.e., the gods of the people close to you].
מאלהי העמים אשר סביבותיכם: הוא הדין לרחוקים אלא לפי שאתה רואה את סביבותיך תועים אחריהם הוצרך להזהיר עליהם ביותר:
15For the Lord, your God, is a zealous God among you, lest the wrath of the Lord, your God, be kindled against you, and destroy you off the face of the earth. טוכִּי אֵל קַנָּא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ פֶּן יֶחֱרֶה אַף יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּךְ וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:
16You shall not try the Lord, your God, as you tried Him in Massah. טזלֹא תְנַסּוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתֶם בַּמַּסָּה:
In Massah: When they went out of Egypt, when they tested Him concerning water, as it is said [that they asked], “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) [Hence “Massah” means test.]
במסה: כשיצאו ממצרים שנסוהו במים, שנאמר (שמות יז, ז) היש ה' בקרבנו:
17Diligently keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, and His testimonies. and His statutes, which He has commanded you. יזשָׁמוֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת מִצְוֹת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְעֵדֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו אֲשֶׁר צִוָּךְ:
18And you shall do what is proper and good in the eyes of the Lord, in order that it may be well with you, and that you may come and possess the good land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, יחוְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר וְהַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וּבָאתָ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ:
what is proper and good: This refers to compromising, acting beyond the strict demands of the law.
הישר והטוב: זו פשרה, לפנים משורת הדין:
19to drive out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken. יטלַהֲדֹף אֶת כָּל אֹיְבֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה:
[To drive out all your enemies…] as [the Lord] has spoken: And where did He speak? When He said,“and I will confuse all the people….” (Exod. 23: 27)
אשר דבר: והיכן דבר (שמות כג כז) והמותי את כל העם וגו':
20If your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the Lord our God has commanded you?" ככִּי יִשְׁאָלְךָ בִנְךָ מָחָר לֵאמֹר מָה הָעֵדֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶתְכֶם:
If your son asks you in time to come: Heb. מָחָר. [The word] מָחָר [which usually means “tomorrow”] may [also] mean“at a later time.”
כי ישאלך בנך מחר: יש מחר שהוא אחר זמן:
21You shall say to your son, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord took us out of Egypt with a strong hand. כאוְאָמַרְתָּ לְבִנְךָ עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם וַיֹּצִיאֵנוּ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה:
22And the Lord gave signs and wonders, great and terrible, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes. כבוַיִּתֵּן יְהֹוָה אוֹתֹת וּמֹפְתִים גְּדֹלִים וְרָעִים | בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל בֵּיתוֹ לְעֵינֵינוּ:
23And he brought us out of there, in order that He might bring us and give us the land which He swore to our fathers. כגוְאוֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם לְמַעַן הָבִיא אֹתָנוּ לָתֶת לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ:
24And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord, our God, for our good all the days, to keep us alive, as of this day. כדוַיְצַוֵּנוּ יְהֹוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה לְיִרְאָה אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְטוֹב לָנוּ כָּל הַיָּמִים לְחַיֹּתֵנוּ כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה:
25And it will be for our merit that we keep to observe all these commandments before the Lord, our God, as He has commanded us." כהוּצְדָקָה תִּהְיֶה לָּנוּ כִּי נִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּנוּ:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 66 - 68• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 66
This psalm describes the praises and awe-inspiring prayers that we will offer God upon the ingathering of the exiles.
1. For the Conductor, a song, a psalm. Raise your voices in jubilation to God, all the earth!
2. Sing the glory of His Name; make glorious His praise.
3. Say to God, "How awesome are Your deeds!" Because of Your great strength, Your enemies will [admit] their treachery to You.
4. All the earth will bow to You, and sing to You; they will sing praise to Your Name forever!
5. Go and see the works of God, awesome in His deeds toward mankind.
6. He turned the sea into dry land, and they passed through the river on foot; we rejoiced in Him there.
7. He rules the world with His might, and His eyes watch the nations; let the rebellious not exalt themselves, Selah.
8. Bless our God, O nations, and let the voice of His praise be heard.
9. He has kept us alive, and did not allow our feet to falter.
10. For You tested us, O God; You refined us as one refining silver.
11. You brought us into prison; You placed a chain upon our loins.
12. You mounted men over our head; we went through fire and water, and You brought us out to abundance.
13. I will enter Your House with burnt-offerings, I will pay to You my vows,
14. which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke in my distress.
15. I will offer up to You burnt-offerings of fat animals, with the smoke of rams; I will prepare cattle with he-goats, Selah.
16. Come listen, all you who fear God, and I will relate what He has done for my soul.
17. I called to Him with my mouth, with exaltation beneath my tongue.
18. Had I seen iniquity in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.
19. But in truth, God heard; He gave ear to the voice of my prayer.
20. Blessed is God Who has not turned away my prayer or His kindness from me.
Chapter 67
This psalm is known as an especially revered prayer. It, too, speaks of the era of the ingathering of the exiles, and the wars of Gog and Magog, a time when "the Lord will be One."
1. For the Conductor, a song with instrumental music, a psalm.
2. May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His countenance shine upon us forever,
3. that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
4. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You.
5. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever.
6. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You,
7. for the earth will have yielded its produce, and God, our God, will bless us.
8. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.
Chapter 68
An awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer, David composed this psalm referring to a future event, when Sennacherib would surround Jerusalem on Passover, during the reign of Hezekiah. He also prophesies about the good we will enjoy during the Messianic era.
1. For the Conductor; by David, a psalm, a song.
2. Let God rise, let His enemies be scattered, and let His enemies flee before Him.
3. As smoke is driven away, drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God.
4. And the righteous will rejoice, they will exult before God and delight with joy.
5. Sing to God, chant praises to His Name; extol Him Who rides upon the heavens with His Name, Yah, and exult before Him.
6. A father of orphans and judge of widows is God, in the abode of His holiness.
7. God settles the solitary into a home, and frees those bound in shackles; but the rebellious [are left to] dwell in an arid land.
8. O God, when You went out before Your nation, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah,
9. the earth trembled, even the heavens dripped before the presence of God; this mountain of Sinai [trembled] before the presence of God, the God of Israel.
10. You poured generous rain, O God; when Your heritage was weary, You secured it.
11. Your flock settled there; in Your goodness, O God, You prepare for the poor.
12. My Lord will fulfill the word of the heralds to a great legion:
13. Kings of armies will flee, they will flee; and she who inhabits the home will divide the loot.
14. Even if you lie upon the hearth,1 [you will be like] wings of a dove covered with silver, her pinions with brilliant gold.
15. When the Almighty scatters kings in her midst, those in the shadow of darkness will be made snow-white.
16. The mountain of God is a fertile mountain, the mountain of majestic peaks is a fertile mountain.
17. Why do you prance, O mountains of peaks? This is the mountain God has desired as His dwelling; the Lord will even dwell there forever.
18. The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, [with] thousands of angels; my Lord is in their midst, at Sinai, in holiness.
19. You ascended on high and took a captive,2 you seized gifts for man; and [now] even rebels dwell with Yah, God.
20. Blessed is my Lord, Who each day loads us [with beneficence], the God Who is our deliverance forever.
21. The Lord is a God of deliverances for us; and to God, my Lord, are the many avenues of death.
22. God alone crushes the heads of His enemies, the hairy skull of him who goes about in his guilt.
23. My Lord said, "I will bring back from Bashan,3 I will bring back from the depths of the sea,
24. that your foot may wade through [the enemy's] blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
25. They saw Your ways, O God, the ways of my God, my King, in holiness.
26. The singers began, then the musicians, in the midst of the maidens playing timbrels.
27. In assemblies bless God; [bless] my Lord, O you who stem from Israel.
28. There Benjamin, the youngest, rules them; the princes of Judah stone them, [as do] the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
29. Your God has decreed your strength. Show Your strength, O God, Who has wrought this for our sake.
30. Because of [the glory of] Your Sanctuary upon Jerusalem, kings will bring You tribute.
31. Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the assembly of mighty bulls among the calves of nations, [until] each submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the nations that desire wars.
32. Nobles will come from Egypt; Kush will hasten [to raise] its hands to God.
33. Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praise to my Lord forever!
34. To the One Who rides upon the loftiest of ancient heavens-behold He gives forth His voice, a voice of might.
35. Ascribe power to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His might is in the skies.
36. God, You are feared from Your Sanctuary; it is the God of Israel Who grants strength and power to His people; blessed is God.
FOOTNOTES
1.And dirty yourself in exile (Metzudot).
2.Israel ascended on high and seized the Torah from the Angels (Metzudot).
3.From amongst the nations who are compared to “bulls of Bashan” (Metzudot).
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 4
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Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 4
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וזהו: צדק לפניו יהלך
In these terms, too, we can understand the meaning of [the above-quoted phrase], “Righteousness (or charity) shall go (yehaleich) before Him (lefanav).”
לפניו הוא מלשון פנימיות
The word lefanav shares a root with pnimiyut (“inwardness”),
ויהלך הוא מלשון הולכה
and yehaleich — the causative form of the verb, which appears in this verse in place of the expected form, yeilech (“shall go”) — shares a root with holachah (“leading”). It thus implies that charity does not itself “go before Him”: rather, it causes some other entity to “go before Him.”
שמוליך את פנימיות הלב לה׳
For [tzedakah] leads the innermost point of [a man’s] heart towards G‑d,
ואחר כך ישים לדרך ה׳ פעמיו
and then1 “he sets his steps2 towards the way of G‑d”׳—
כמו שכתוב: והלכת בדרכיו
as it is written,3 “And you shall walk in His ways,”
אחרי ה׳ אלקיכם תלכו
[and likewise,]4 “You shall go after the L‑rd your G‑d”׳—
בכל מעשה המצות, ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולן
with [his] entire performance of the commandments, and with [his]5 “study of Torah, which is equivalent to them all.”
שכולן עולין לה׳ על ידי פנימית הלב
For they all ascend to G‑d through the inwardness of the heart, which is revealed through the service of tzedakah,
ביתר שאת ומעלה מעלה מעלייתן לה׳ על ידי חיצוניות הלב
[and this ascent is] more intense and reaches far higher than their ascent to G‑d through the externality of the heart,
הנולד מהתבונה והדעת לבדן, בלי הארת פנים מלמעלה, אלא בבחינת הסתר פנים
[for this ascent] is born only of man’s contemplation and knowledge [of G‑dliness], without an illumination of the [Divine] “countenance” (i.e.,inwardness) from above, but in a state in which “the countenance is hidden.”
כי אין הפנים העליונים מאירים למטה אלא באתערותא דלתתא, במעשה הצדקה הנקרא שלום
For the Supernal “countenance” does not radiate downwards except through an arousal initiated from below, through an act of charity, charity being called “peace”.
וזה שכתוב: פדה בשלום נפשי
And this is the meaning of the verse that says,6 “He has redeemed my soul in peace”— or, “through peace.” This, as explained by our Sages,7 refers to tzedakah and acts of loving-kindness that are known as “peace”.
נפשי דייקא
[The verse speaks] expressly of “my soul,”8 inasmuch as it refers to the Shechinah found in the soul of each and every Jew, for the Divine spark that vitalizes the soul of every Jew is redeemed through “peace” — through tzedakah.
וזהו גם כן הטעם שנקרא הצדקה: שלום
This is also the reason for which charity is called “peace”,
לפי שנעשה שלום בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים, כמאמר רז״ל
because according to the teaching of our Sages,9 of blessed memory, by virtue of charity “peace is made between Israel and their Father in heaven,”
דהיינו על ידי פדיון נפשותיהן, הם חלק ה׳ ממש, מידי החיצונים
through the redemption of their souls, which are truly a part of G‑d, from the grip of the forces of evil.
The Alter Rebbe wrote this letter, like most of the letters that comprise Iggeret HaKodesh, in connection with the charitable fund of Kollel Chabad in the Land of Israel. This fund supported R. Mendele Horodoker and his colleagues, together with their disciples, who had settled there. Hence the Alter Rebbe concludes:
ובפרט צדקת ארץ ישראל
This is especially the case with charity for the Land of Israel,
שהיא צדקת ה׳ ממש
for it is truly the charity of G‑d, since it is directed to a place where the Divine Name is revealed,
כמו שכתוב: תמיד עיני ה׳ אלקיך בה
[to a Land of which] it is written,10 “The eyes — i.e., the most quintessential efflux and attention — of the L‑rd your G‑d are constantly upon it.”
והיו עיני ולבי שם כל הימים
[In this vein it is also written,]11 “And My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.”
והיא שעמדה לנו לפדות חיי נפשנו מעצת החושבים לדחות פעמינו
It is this [charity for the Holy Land] that has stood by us to redeem the life of our souls from the counsel of those who seek to repel our steps, i.e., those who desire to harm us.
ותעמוד לנו לעד, לשום נפשנו בחיים אמיתים מחיי החיים
And this [charity] will stand by us forever — to set our souls in the true life of the Fountainhead of Life,
לאור באור חיים, אשר יאר ה׳ פניו אתנו סלה
so that we will be12 “enlightened with the light of life” which G‑d13 “will make His Face radiate with us, Selah.”
אמן, כן יהי רצון
Amen, may this be His will.
——— ● ———
FOOTNOTES1.Tehillim 85:14, continuing the verse which began, “Tzedek shall go before Him,.”
2.“Regarding the term פעמיו (‘his steps’) — and so too פעמינו (‘our steps’) later on — the Tzemach Tzedek (in his comment on this verse in Tehillim) refers the reader to the maamar entitled Paamon VeRimon (which appears in Or HaTorah, Parshat Tetzaveh).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
3.Devarim 28:9.
4.Ibid. 13:5.
5.Mishnah, beginning of Peah.
6.Tehillim 55:19.
7.Berachot 8a, and Rashi ad loc.
8.“One would have expected the verse to say, ‘[He has redeemed] me’ [rather than ‘my soul’], as in the verse, ‘You have redeemed me’ (Tehillim 31:6).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
9.Tosefta, Peah, ch. 1.
10.Devarim 11:12.
11.I Melachim 9:3.
12.Iyov 33:30.
13.Tehillim 67:2.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5777 · August 4, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 196
Gifts upon the Discharge of a Jewish Bondsperson
"You shall surely provide him from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your vat, you shall give him from what G‑d, your G‑d, has blessed you"—Deuteronomy 15:14.
Upon the discharge of a Jewish bondsperson, we are commanded to give him [or her] gifts, to assist him in his newfound freedom. We must not allow him to leave empty-handed.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Gifts upon the Discharge of a Jewish Bondsperson
Positive Commandment 196
Translated by Berel Bell
The 196th mitzvah is that we are commanded to give a severance gift and assistance to a Jewish servant who leaves his master without giving payment.1 He should not go away empty-handed.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "Give him a severance gift from your flocks, from your threshing floor, and from your wine vat, so that he will have a share of all the things with which G‑d your L‑rd has blessed you."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the first chapter of tractate Kiddushin.3
FOOTNOTES
1.E.g. after serving six years or upon reaching the Jubilee Year. If, however, the servant paid money in order to be released, the master is not obligated in this mitzvah. This distinction is derived from the phrase (Deut. 15:13) "When you send him away free." Hilchos Avodim 3:14.
2.Deut. 15:14.
3.14b.
Negative Commandment 233Discharging a Jewish Bondsman Empty-Handed
"When you send him away free, you shall not let him go away empty-handed"—Deuteronomy 15:13.
When a bondsman is discharged after six years of service, his master is forbidden to let him leave empty-handed. Rather, he must give him gifts.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Discharging a Jewish Bondsman Empty-Handed
Negative Commandment 233
Translated by Berel Bell
The 233rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from sending away empty-handed a Jewish servant who has worked for us when he goes free at the end of six years. We are obligated to give him gifts from our possessions.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you send him away free, do not send him empty-handed."
The details of this mitzvah, which is called the mitzvah of ha'anakah, are explained in the beginning of tractate Kiddushin.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid. 15:13.
Positive Commandment 234Redemption of a Jewish Maidservant
"He must let her be redeemed"—Exodus 21:8.
A person who acquires a Jewish maidservant must allow for her redemption through the various methods prescribed by the Torah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Redemption of a Jewish Maidservant
Positive Commandment 234
Translated by Berel Bell
The 234th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the redemption of a female Jewish servant.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[If he does not perform yi'ud] he must let her be redeemed."
This redemption has many conditions, details and laws associated with it. They are all set forth in tractate Kiddushin, 2where all the laws associated with a female Jewish servant are completely explained.
G‑d's statement,3 "If none of the above three are done to the girl, [then she shall be released without payment]," is explained by the Mechilta [that the three things are,] "either her master must marry her, or his son must marry her, or he must let her be redeemed."
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 21:8.
2.19a.
3.Ex. 21:11.
Positive Commandment 233Marrying a Jewish Maidservant
"If he did not designate her [for himself], then he shall enable her to be redeemed"—Exodus 21:8.
It is a [non-binding] mitzvah for the master of a Jewish maidservant to marry her [if she consents], or to wed her to his son. This mitzvah takes precedence over the master's obligation to allow for the maidservants redemption.
This mitzvah, along with all the mitzvot that apply to Jewish bondspeople, only apply while the Jubilee is practiced in the Holy Land.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Marrying a Jewish Maidservant
Positive Commandment 233
Translated by Berel Bell
The 233rd mitzvah is that a person is commanded to marry his female Jewish servant.1 Either her master or his son is commanded to marry her; and this is known as the mitzvah of yi'ud.
Sages said explicitly2 that "the mitzvah of yi'ud3 is preferable to the mitzvah of redemption," as seen from G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), "if he does not perform yi'ud he must let her be redeemed."
should be aware that the laws regarding both male and female Jewish servants apply only when the laws of the Jubilee Year are in effect.
details of this mitzvah are explained in the first chapter of tractate Kiddushin.5
FOOTNOTES
1.If she wants. Hilchos Avodim 4:8.
2.Mechilta, Parshas Mishpatim.
3.From this phrase we see that yi'ud counts as one of the commandments.
4.Ibid. 21:8.
5.18a.
Negative Commandment 261Reselling a Jewish Maidservant
"He shall have no power to sell her"—Exodus 21:8.
One who acquires a Jewish maidservant is not empowered to then sell her to another master.
Full text of this Mitzvah »Reselling a Jewish Maidservant
Negative Commandment 261
Translated by Berel Bell
The 261st prohibition is that one who has purchased a female Jewish servant is forbidden from selling her1 to another person.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), [By not marrying her] "he is considered to have broken faith with her, and he therefore does not have the right to sell her to anyone else."
The details of this mitzvah are fully explained in the beginning of tractate Kiddushin.3
FOOTNOTES
1.Or giving her as a gift. Hilchos Avodim 4:10.
2.Ex. 21:8.
3.17b ff.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Edut Edut - Chapter 2
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1
What is the difference between the chakirot and the derishot and the bedikot? With regard to the chakirot and the derishot, if one witness gave specific testimony and the second said: "I do not know," their testimony is of no consequence. With regard to the bedikot, by contrast, even if both of them say: "I don't know," their testimony is allowed to stand. If, however, they contradict each other, even with regard to the bedikot, their testimony is nullified.
What is implied? The witnesses testified that one person killed another. One of the witnesses specified the year of the seven year cycle, the year, the month, the date, the day of the week, Wednesday, the time, 12 noon, and the place of the murder. Similarly, they asked him: "With what did he kill him?", and he answered: "With a sword." If the second witnesses outlined his testimony in the same manner except for the time, i.e., he said: "I do not know the time of day at which the murder took place," or he was able to specify the time, but said: "I don't know what he used to kill him. I did not take notice of the murder weapon," their testimony is nullified. If, however, they outlined all the above factors identically, but were asked: "Was he dressed in black or white?" their testimony is allowed to stand if they replied: "We don't know. We did not pay attention to factors like these which are of no consequence."
א
מה בין חקירות ודרישות לבדיקות בחקירות ודרישות אם כיון האחד את עדותו והשני אומר איני יודע עדותן בטלה אבל בבדיקות אפילו שניהן אומרין אין אנו יודעין עדותן קיימת ובזמן שהן מכחישין זה את זה אפילו בבדיקות עדותן בטלה כיצד העידו שהרג זה את זה ואמר האחד כשנחקר בשבוע פלוני בשנה פלונית בחדש פלוני בכך וכך בחדש ברביעי בשבת בשש שעות ביום במקום פלוני הרגו וכן כשדרשו במה הרגו אמר הרגו בסייף וכן העד השני כיון עדותו בכל חוץ מן השעות שאמר איני יודע בכמה שעות היה ביום או שכיון את השעות ואמר איני יודע במה הרגו ולא הבנתי בכלי שהיה בידו הרי עדותן בטלה אבל אם כיוונו הכל ואמרו להן הדיינים כליו היו שחורים או לבנים ואמרו אין אנו יודעים ולא שמנו לבנו לדברים אלו שאין להן ממש הרי עדותן קיימת:
2
If one of the witnesses said: "He was wearing black clothes," and the second one said: "That is not so," he was wearing white clothes, their testimony is nullified. It is as one said: "It took place on Wednesday," and the other said: "It took place on Thursday," in which instance, the testimony is of no consequence. Or it can be compared to a situation where one said: ""He killed him with a sword," and the other says: "He killed him with a lance." The need for corroboration of the witnesses' testimony is derived from Deuteronomy 13:15 which states: "And the matter is precise." If they contradicted each other in any matter, their testimony is not precise.
ב
אמר אחד כלים שחורים היה לבוש והשני אמר לא כן אלא לבנים היה לבוש הרי עדותן בטלה וכאילו אמר אחד ברביעי בשבת והשני בחמישי שאין כאן עדות או שאמר האחד בסייף הרגו והשני אמר ברומח שאין כאן עדות שנאמר נכון הדבר וכיון שהכחישו זה את זה באי זה מכל הדברים אין זה נכון:
3
The following rules apply if there were many witnesses. If two of them testified in a like manner with regard to the chakirot and the derishot, their testimony is allowed to stand and the defendant is executed, even though the third witness says: "I don't know." If, however, that witness contradicts the other two, even with regard to the bedikot, their testimony is nullified.
ג
היו העדים מרובים שנים מהן כיוונו עדותן בחקירות ובדרישות והשלישי אומר איני יודע תתקיים העדות בשנים ויהרג אבל אם הכחיש את שניהן אפילו בבדיקות עדותן בטלה:
4
If one witness says: "The murder took place on Wednesday, the second of the month," and another says: "It took place on Wednesday, the third of the month," their testimony is allowed to stand. Although there is a contradiction between them, we assume that one knew that an extra day was added to the month, and one did not know.
Until when does the above apply? Until the middle of the month. After the middle of the month, by contrast, e.g., one said: "It took place on the sixteenth of the month," and the second said: "It took place on the seventeenth of the month," their testimony is nullified even though both of them spoke about the same day of the week. The rationale is that by the middle of the month, every one knows when Rosh Chodesh was commemorated.
ד
עד אחד אומר ברביעי בשבת בשנים לחדש והשני אומר ברביעי בשבת בשלשה לחדש עדותן קיימת שזה יודע בעיבורו של חדש וזה אינו יודע בד"א עד חצות החדש אבל אחר חצות החדש כגון שאמר האחד בששה עשר בחדש והשני אומר בשבעה עשר בחדש אף על פי שכיוונו שניהם יום אחד מימי השבת עדותן בטלה שאין חצי החדש בא וכבר ידעו הכל אימתי היה ראש החדש:
5
If, however, one witness says: "It took place on the third of the month," and the other says: "It took place on the fifth of the month," their testimony is nullified.
If one witness says: "It took place during the second hour of the day," and the other says: "It took place during the third hour," their testimony is allowed to stand. The rationale is that it is common for people to err with regard to one hour. If, however, one says: "It took place during the third hour," and the other says: "It took place during the fifth hour," their testimony is nullified.
If one witness says: "It took place before sunrise," and the other says: "It took place at sunrise," their testimony is nullified. Even though the discrepancy between them is less than one hour, the matter is evident to all. Similar concepts apply with regard to sunset.
ה
אמר האחד בשלשה והשני אומר בחמשה עדותן בטלה אמר עד אחד בשתי שעות ביום והשני אומר בשלש שעות הרי עדותן קיימת שדרך העם לטעות בשעה אחת אבל אם אמר האחד בשלש שעות והשני אומר בחמש עדותן בטלה אמר עד אחד קודם הנץ החמה ואחד אומר בהנץ החמה עדותן בטלה אע"פ שהיא שעה אחת שהדבר ניכר לכל וכן אם נחלקו בשקיעתה:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Avadim Avadim - Chapter Four, Avadim Avadim - Chapter Five, Avadim Avadim - Chapter Six
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1
A Hebrew maid-servant is a girl below the age of majority sold by her father. When she manifests signs of physical maturity after reaching twelve years of age and becomes a na'arah, he does not have the right to sell her, even though he still has authority over her and may consecrate her to whomever he desires.
Even a girl who has already manifested physical signs that she is an aylonit, and thus is not fit to manifest physical signs of maturity, may be sold by her father as long as she is below majority. Neither a tumtumnor an androgynous may be sold as a Hebrew servant, nor as a Hebrew maid-servant.
א
אמה העבריה היא הקטנה שמכרה אביה ומשתביא שתי שערות אחר י"ב שנה ותיעשה נערה אינו יכול למכרה אף על פי שעדיין יש לו רשות בה ויש לו לקדשה לכל מי שירצה אף הקטנה שהיא איילונית בסימניה ואינה ראויה להבאת שתי שערות יש לאביה למכרה כל זמן שהיא קטנה אבל הטומטום והאנדרוגינוס אינו נמכר לא כעבד עברי ולא כדין האמה העבריה:
2
A father may not sell his daughter as a maid-servant unless he became impoverished to the extent that he owns nothing, neither landed property, movable property, not even the clothing that he is wearing. Nevertheless, we compel a father to redeem his daughter after he sold her, because this is a blemish to the family.
If the father fled, died or did not have the resources to redeem her, she must work until she is released.
ב
אין האב רשאי למכור את בתו אא"כ העני ולא נשאר לו כלום לא קרקע ולא מטלטלין ואפילו כסות שעליו ואעפ"כ כופין את האב לפדותה אחר שמכרה משום פגם משפחה ברח האב או שמת או שלא היה לו לפדותה הרי זו עובדת עד שתצא:
3
A Hebrew maid-servant is acquired through the payment of money or objects that are worth money, or through the transfer of a legal document. She may not be acquired for a p'rutah, because it is necessary to acquire her with a sum that will allow her to reduce her price according to the number of years she has worked, so that she can redeem herself and depart.
How is she acquired through the transfer of a legal document? Her father should write to her master on a piece of paper or on a shard: "My daughter is sold to you," or "My daughter is acquired by you," and give it to the master. The deed of transfer of a Hebrew maid-servant must be written by the father.
ג
אמה העבריה נקנית בכסף או בשוה כסף ובשטר ואינה נקנית בפרוטה מפני שצריך לקנותה בדמים שראויין לגרעון כדי שתגרע פדיונה ותצא כיצד בשטר כותב על הנייר או על החרס בתי מכורה לך בתי קנויה לך ונותן ביד האדון ושטר אמה העבריה האב כותבו:
4
A Hebrew maid-servant must work for six years, like a servant sold by the court, as reflected by Deuteronomy 15:12: "When your brother, a Jew or a Jewess, will be sold to you."
She receives her freedom at the beginning of the seventh year. If the Jubilee year falls in the middle of these six years, she is released as is a male servant. If her master dies, she is released without payment, even if he leaves a son, as is a servant whose ear is pierced, as reflected by Deuteronomy 15:17: "Even to your maid-servant shall you do this."
Similarly, she may be redeemed by paying a pro-rated figure that considers the time for which she served. If her master writes her a bill of release and waives her service for the remainder of the time, she is released without charge, like a Hebrew servant.
ד
אמה העבריה עובדת שש שנים כעבד שמכרוהו ב"ד שנאמר כי ימכר לך אחיך העברי או העבריה ויוצאת בתחלת שבע ואם פגע בה יובל בתוך שש יוצאה חנם כעבד מת האדון אע"פ שהניח בן יוצאה חנם כנרצע שנאמר ואף לאמתך תעשה כן וכן מגרעת מפדיונה ויוצאה ואם כתב לה שטר שחרור ומחל על השאר יוצאה חנם כעבד:
5
A Hebrew maid-servant has an advantage over a Hebrew servant in that she attains her freedom when she manifests signs of physical maturity.
What is implied? She manifested signs of physical maturity and became a na'arah - she is released and becomes free without charge, as Exodus 21:11 states: "She will depart without charge." With this verse, the Torah granted her another cause for release beyond those granted to servants. And according to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this refers to the manifestation of physical signs of maturity. This law applies even if she manifests signs of physical maturity on the day she was purchased.
When a maid-servant is released, she returns to her father's domain until she attains bagrut and leaves her father's domain. If the girl is an aylonit, who is not granted a period of na'arah but goes directly to bagrut, when she attains bagrut she is granted her freedom.
ה
יתירה אמה העבריה שהיא יוצאה בסימנין כיצד כגון שהביאה סימנין ונעשית נערה יוצאה לחירות בלא כסף אפילו הביאה סימנין מאחר יום שלקחה הרי זו יוצאת לחירות שנאמר ויצאה חנם ריבה לה הכתוב יציאה אחרת בחנם יתר על העבד מפי השמועה למדו שהיא הבאת סימני נערות ותחזור לרשות אביה עד שתבגור ותצא מרשות אביה היתה הבת אילונית שאין לה ימי נערות אלא יוצאת מקטנותה לבגר כיון שבגרה תצא לחירות:
6
A Hebrew maid-servant is not released if her prominent limbs are damaged, as implied by Exodus 21:7: "She shall not depart as the servants depart." Similarly, a Hebrew servant is not released for such a reason. Instead, if his master knocks out his tooth or blinds him in an eye, he should pay him as one must pay another colleague whom one injures as explained in Hilchot Chovel Umazik.
Thus, we have learned that a Hebrew maid-servant is acquired through two means - the payment of money or the transfer of a legal document - and obtains her freedom through six means: the passage of six years, the advent of the Jubilee, paying a pro-rated amount of the purchase price, the transfer of a bill of release, the death of her master and the manifestation of signs of physical maturity.
ו
אין אמה העבריה יוצאה בראשי איברים שנאמר לא תצא כצאת העבדים וכן עבד עברי אם הפיל לו שינו או סימא לו עינו משלם לו כדין החובל בחבירו כמו שביארנו בהלכות חובל נמצאת למד שאמה העבריה נקנית בשני דברים בכסף או בשטר וקונה עצמה בששה דברים בשנים וביובל ובגרעון כסף ובשטר שחרור ובמיתת האדון ובסימנין:
7
If the master of a Hebrew maid-servant designates her as a wife for himself or for his son, she is like any other consecrated woman. She is not released because of any of the reasons mentioned above - but only because of the death of her husband or through a bill of divorce. The mitzvah of designating a maid-servant as a wife takes precedence over the mitzvah of redeeming the maid-servant.
How is the mitzvah of designating a maid-servant as a wife performed? The master tells the maid-servant in the presence of two witnesses: "Behold, you are consecrated to me," "You are betrothed to me," or "Behold, you are my wife." This may be done even at the conclusion of the six years of her servitude before the setting of the sun. He need not give her anything, for the first moneyswere given with the intent that they could serve for the purpose of consecration.From this point onward, he must treat her as a wife, and not as a servant.
He may not designate two maid-servants as wives at the same time, for Exodus 21:8 states: "He will designate her."
How does a master designate a maid-servant as a wife for his son? If his son is past majority and gives his father permission to designate the maid-servant as his wife, the father tells the maid-servant in the presence of two witnesses: "Behold you are consecrated to my son."
ז
יעד אותה האדון לעצמו או לבנו הרי היא כשאר ארוסות ואינה יוצאה באחד מכל אלו אלא במיתת הבעל או בגט ומצות יעוד קודמת למצות פדייה כיצד מצות יעוד אומר לה בפני שנים הרי את מקודשת לי הרי את מאורסת לי הרי את לי לאשה אפילו בסוף שש סמוך לשקיעת החמה ואינו צריך ליתן לה כלום שמעות הראשונות לקידושין ניתנו ונוהג בה מנהג אישות ואינו נוהג בה מנהג שפחות ואינו מיעד שתים כאחת שנאמר יעדה וכיצד מיעדה לבנו אם היה בנו גדול ונתן רשות לאביו ליעדה לו הרי האב אומר לה בפני שנים הרי את מקודשת לבני:
8
A master may not designate a maid-servant as his wife or as his son's wife without her knowledge. Although her father already received money because of her, the Torah uses the term ya'adah, which implies with her knowledge.
If the master dies, his son cannot designate the maid-servant as a wife. For she obtained her freedom at her master's death.
ח
אין האדון מיעד אמה העבריה לא לו ולא לבנו אלא מדעתה אף על פי שכבר קיבל אביה מעותיה שהרי הוא אומר יעדה מדעתה ואם מת האדון אין בנו יוכל ליעדה לו שהרי יוצאה לחירות במיתת האדון:
9
Designating a maid-servant as a wife is equivalent to consecration, but not to marriage. Therefore, the husband may not become impure because of her, he does not inherit her estate, nor does he annul her vows until she enters the chuppah.
Exodus 21:11 states: "If he does not do any of these three for her" - i.e., designate her as a wife for himself or for his son, or enable her to be redeemed by paying a reduced amount - "she will be released without charge" - when she manifests signs of physical maturity, as we have explained, in addition to the ways she can obtain her freedom as a Hebrew servant obtains his.
ט
היעוד כאירוסין ואינו כנישואין לפיכך אינו מתטמא לה ולא יירשנה ולא מיפר נדריה עד שתכנס לחופה ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה לא יעדה לו ולא יעדה לבנו ולא נפדית בגרעון כסף ויצאה חנם בהבאת סימנין כמו שביארנו:
10
A master may not sell a Hebrew maid-servant, nor may he give her as a gift to another person, regardless of whether or not he shares a family connection with him. If he sells her or gives her away, his deeds are of no consequence, as Exodus 21:8 states: "He does not have the authority to sell her to a different man, when he betrays her."
Similarly, a master may not sell or give away a Hebrew servant to another person. It appears to me that the only reason the Torah had to state this explicitly with regard to a maid-servant is that the master is able to designate her as a wife for his son. Therefore, it is necessary to say that "He does not have the authority to sell her to a different man."
י
יתר על אותן הדרכים שקונה בהן עצמה כעבד עברי אין האדון יכול למכור אמה העבריה ולא ליתנה לאיש אחר בין רחוק בין קרוב ואם מכר או נתן לא עשה כלום שנאמר לעם נכרי לא ימשול למכרה בבגדו בה וכן עבד עברי לא יכול למכרו לאחר ולא ליתנו ויראה לי שלא הוצרך הכתוב לאסור דבר זה [באמה] אלא מפני שיש לו ליעדה לבנו לכך נאמר לעם נכרי לא ימשול למכרה:
11
A Hebrew maid-servant may be sold to a person only when a marriage between her and either him or his son would be binding, so that she is fit to be designated as a wife.
What is implied? A person may sell his daughter to his father. For although the master may not designate her as a wife, she is fit for his son to marry. For the maid-servant is his brother's daughter. A person may not, however, sell his daughter to his son, for she is not fit to marry the master, for she is his sister, nor is she fit to marry the master's son, for she is his father's sister.
יא
אין אמה העבריה נמכרת אלא למי שיש לה עליו או לבנו קידושין כדי שתהא ראויה ליעוד כיצד מוכר אדם את בתו לאביו שאע"פ שאין האדון יכול ליעדה לו ראויה היא לבנו שהרי האמה בת אחיו אבל אינו יכול למכור את בתו לבנו מפני שאינה ראויה לאדון שהרי היא אחותו ולא לבנו מפני שהיא אחות אביו:
12
A person may sell his daughter to certain individuals whom she is forbidden to marry - e.g., a widow to a High Priest, or a divorcee or a woman who underwent chalitzah to an ordinary priest. For although marriage between such individuals is forbidden, the marriage is binding.
יב
יש לאדם למכור בתו לפסולין כגון אלמנה לכהן גדול גרושה וחלוצה לכהן הדיוט שאף על פי שהן בלאו קידושין תופסין בהן:
13
When a person has consecrated his daughter when she was a minor and she becomes widowed or divorced, he cannot sell her as a maid-servant afterwards. For a man may not sell his daughter as a maid-servant after she has been married. He may, however, sell her as a maid-servant after she had served as a maid- servant.
What is implied? The father sold her as a maid-servant and then the master designated her as a wife. Afterwards, the master died or divorced her, and she returned to her father's domain because she is a minor. Her father may sell her a second time, even to a priest.
Similarly, if she was widowed after being designated as a wife, and her yavam performed chalitzah for her, the chalitzah is unacceptable, because she is a minor. She is nevertheless disqualified from marrying a priest. Even so, her father may sell her as a maid-servant to a priest, because if he consecrated her the marriage bond would be binding, as explained above.
יג
המקדש את בתו כשהיא קטנה ונתארמלה או נתגרשה אינו יכול למוכרה שאין אדם יכול למכור את בתו לשפחות אחר אישות אבל מוכרה לשפחה אחר שפחות כיצד מכרה לשפחות תחלה ויעד אותה האדון ומת האדון או גרשה וחזרה לרשות האב כשהיא קטנה הרי האב מוכרה פעם שנייה אפילו לכהן וכן אם נפלה לפני יבם מן היעוד וחלץ לה אע"פ שהיא חלוצה פסולה מפני שהיא קטנה הרי נפסלה מן הכהונה ויש לו למכרה לכהן הואיל וקידושין תופסין בה כמו שנתבאר:
14
When a person sells his daughter and she is released after serving six years, at the advent of the Jubilee year, or because he redeemed her by paying a prorated amount, he may sell her again if she is still a minor, as we have explained above.
יד
המוכר את בתו ויצאה בשנים או ביובל או בגרעון כסף ועדיין היא קטנה יש לו לחזור ולמוכרה פעם שנייה כמו שביארנו:
15
The following laws apply when a person sells his daughter as a maid-servant and then goes and consecrates her to another person: If the master desires to designate her as a wife, he may. If the master does not designate her as a wife - neither for himself nor for his son - when she leaves the master's domain her consecration to the other man is completed, and she becomes his wife.
טו
המוכר את בתו ואחר כך הלך וקדשה לאחר אם רצה האדון לייעד מייעד ואם לא ייעד האדון לא לו ולא לבנו כשתצא מרשות האדון יגמרו קידושיה ותיעשה אשת איש:
16
When a person sells his daughter as a maid-servant, but stipulates that the owner may not designate her as a wife - if the owner desires, he may designate her as a wife, for he has made a stipulation against what is written in the Torah. And whenever a person makes a stipulation against what is written in the Torah, his stipulation is nullified.
טז
המוכר את בתו ופסק על האדון על מנת שלא לייעד אותה אם רצה האדון לייעד מייעד שהתנה על מה שכתוב בתורה שתנאו בטל:
Avadim - Chapter Five
1
A Canaanite slave is acquired through five means and acquires his freedom through three. He may be acquired through the transfer of money, the transfer of a deed of purchase, the manifestation of one's ownership, a kinyan chalifin or by drawing him after oneself. He acquires his freedom through the transfer of money, the transfer of a legal document and because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
A Canaanite slave who is a minor is like an animal and is acquired by drawing him after oneself as one draws an animal. We have already explained in the beginning of this book all the means by which a slave is acquired.
א
עבד כנעני נקנה בחמשה דברים וקונה את עצמו בשלשה נקנה בכסף או בשטר או בחזקה או בחליפין או במשיכה וקונה את עצמו בכסף או בשטר או בראשי איברים ועבד קטן הרי הוא כבהמה ונקנה במשיכה כמשיכת הבהמה וכבר ביארנו בתחלת ספר זה כל הדרכים שהעבדים נקנין בהן:
2
How can a Canaanite slave acquire himself through the transfer of money? When another person gave the slave's master money, telling him: "This is yours with the intent that your slave be granted his freedom because of it." Once the master receives the money or merchandise worth money, the slave is granted his freedom.
There is no need for the slave to know of this matter, for it is to his advantage to be released. And something that is to a person's advantage can be acquired on his behalf outside his presence.
Similarly, the slave can be freed if a person gives the slave money, specifying that it is given to him "with the intent that he use it to obtain his freedom." Should the master desire to accept the money, the slave is granted his freedom. If the master does not desire to accept the money, it is not acquired by the slave, because it was given to him only with the intent that he purchase his freedom with it.
Both money or merchandise worth money are effective in acquiring the slave or in his acquiring his freedom.
ב
כיצד קונה את עצמו בכסף כגון שנתן אחד לרבו מעות ואמר לו על מנת שיצא עבדך בהם לחירות כיון שקיבל הרב את הכסף או שוה כסף יצא העבד לחירות ואין צריך דעת העבד שזכות היא לו וזכין לאדם שלא בפניו וכן אם נתן אחד לעבד מעות ואמר על מנת שתצא בהם לחירות אם רצה האדון לקבל המעות יצא העבד לחירות ואם לא רצה לא קנה העבד המעות שלא נתן לו אלא על מנת שיצא בהם לחירות ואחד הכסף או שוה כסף בין לקנותו בין להקנות עצמו לו:
3
How does a slave achieve his freedom through the transfer of a legal document? The master must write to him on a paper or on a shard: "Behold, you are a free man," "Behold, you are your own property," "I no longer have anything to do with you," or other statements that share this theme. For this is the primary content of a bill of release.
Afterwards, he gives him the document in the presence of two witnesses. Similarly, if witnesses have signed on the bill of release and he gives the slave the bill of release in private, he attains his freedom. For the bill of release and his capacity to receive it come at the same time.
Different rules apply if the master tells the slave "Behold, you are a free man," "Behold, you are your own property," but does not write it in a document: Even though witnesses testify in court that the master made such statements, and even if the master affirmed the statements with a kinyan, the slave has not yet been freed. For a slave is not granted freedom except through the transfer of money, the transfer of a legal document or because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
When a person writes in a legal document to his maid-servant: "Behold you are permitted to any man," his statement is of no consequence.
ג
כיצד בשטר כותב לו על הנייר או על החרס הרי את בן חורין או הרי את של עצמך או אין לי עסק בך וכן כל כיוצא בזה בענין זה שזה הוא גופו של גט שחרור ומוסר לו את השטר בפני שני עדים או שהיו העדים חתומים בו ומסרו לו בינו לבינו הרי זה יצא לחירות שהרי גיטו וידו באין כאחד אמר לו שלא בכתב הרי את בן חורין הרי את של עצמך אף על פי שהעידו עליו עדים בב"ד ואע"פ שקנו מידו עדיין לא נשתחרר שאין העבד יוצא לחירות אלא בכסף או בשטר או בראשי איברים והכותב לשפחתו הרי את מותרת לכל אדם לא אמר כלום:
4
How is a slave released because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs? A person intentionally struck his slave and caused him to lose one of the 24 tips of his limbs or organs that will not regenerate; he is granted his freedom. A bill of release is required.
If this applies to the 24 limbs, why does the Torah mention explicitly a tooth and an eye? To extrapolate from them. What characterizes the loss of an eye and a tooth an eye or a tooth? That they are obvious blemishes that will not be regenerated; so too, all obvious blemishes that will not be regenerated cause a slave to be granted his freedom. If, by contrast, a master castrates his slave or cuts out his tongue, the slave is not granted his freedom, for these are not revealed blemishes. Similarly, if a person knocks out one of a young slave's baby teeth, the slave is not released, for the tooth will grow back.
ד
כיצד בראשי איברים המכה את עבדו בכוונה וחסרו אחד מכ"ד ראשי איברים שאינן חוזרין יצא לחירות וצריך גט שחרור אם כן למה נאמר בתורה שן ועין לידון מהן מה שן ועין מומין שבגלוי ואינן חוזרין אף כל מומין שבגלוי ואינן חוזרין יצא העבד בו לחירות אבל המסרס עבדו בביצים או החותך לשונו אינו יוצא לחירות שאינן מומין שבגלוי וכן המפיל שן הקטן אינו יוצא לחירות שהרי סופו לחזור:
5
The only slaves released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs are slaves that have been circumcised and immersed in the mikveh, for they are obligated in the observance of some of the mitzvot. A slave who is an outright gentile is not released because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs.
These are the tips of the limbs and organs that will not regenerate: the 10 fingers and the ten toes, the tips of the ears, the tip of the nose, the tip of the male organ, the nipples of a woman's breasts. The eyes and the teeth are not included in this reckoning, because they are explicitly mentioned in the Torah.
ה
אין יוצא בראשי איברים אלא עבדים שמלו וטבלו שהרי ישנן במקצת מצות אבל העבד שהוא בגיותו אינו יוצא בראשי איברים אלו הן ראשי איברים שאינן חוזרין: אצבעות ידים ורגלים עשרים ראשי האזנים וראש החוטם וראש הגויה וראשי הדדין שבאשה אבל העינים והשינים הרי הן מפורשין בתורה:
6
Should a slave possess an extra finger, and the master cut it off, the slave is released because of its loss if the finger is counted on his hand together with his other fingers. If the slave's eye was blinded, and the master cut it out, the slave is released because of its loss. For the master caused him the loss of an organ.
The same law applies with regard to any other of the tips of the organs that are not functional and cannot be used for a task: if the master cuts it off, the master caused him the loss of an organ, and the slave is released because of its loss.
ו
היתה לו אצבע יתירה וחתכה אם נספרת על גב היד עבד יוצא בה לחירות היתה עינו סמויה וחטטה עבד יוצא בה לחירות שהרי חסרו אבר והוא הדין לאחד מראשי איברים שהוא בטל ואינו עושה בו מלאכה שאם חתכו הרי חסרו אבר ויצא לחירות:
7
If the master struck the servant on his eye and blinded him, or on his ear and made him deaf, the slave is released because of it. If, however, the master struck the slave near his eye and afterwards, he no longer saw, or near his ear, and he no longer heard, the servant is not released because of this.
ז
הכהו על עינו וסמאה על אזנו וחרשה עבד יוצא בהן לחירות הכהו כנגד עינו ואינו רואה כנגד אזנו ואינו שומע אין עבד יוצא בהן לחירות:
8
The following rules apply if the master struck the slave on his eye and reduced its sight, or struck him on his tooth and caused it to wobble. If the slave can use these organs, he is not released. If not, he is released.
ח
הכהו על עינו וחסרה מאורה על שנו ונדדה אם יכול להשתמש בהם אינו יוצא לחירות ואם לאו יצא לחירות:
9
The following rules apply if the slave's eye was not functioning well, and he saw with difficulty, or the slave's tooth was wobbly, and the master struck him and knocked out the wobbly tooth or blinded the weak eye. If the slave was able to use these organs beforehand at all, he is granted his freedom because of their loss. If not, he is not granted his freedom.
ט
היתה עינו כהה וחסר מאורה או שנו נודדת והכהו האדון והפיל השן הנודדת או סמא העין הכהה אם היה משתמש בהן כל שהוא יצא לחירות ואם לאו לא יצא לחירות:
10
If the master struck the slave on his hand and it became swollen, but it would ultimately return to its normal state, the slave is not released because of it. If the master pulled at the slave's beard and in doing so, dislocated his jaw bone, the slave is granted his freedom, because the master nullified the use of the teeth that are located in that bone.
י
הכהו על ידו וצבתה ידו וסופה לחזור אינו יוצא לחירות תלש בזקנו ודלדל בו עצם מן הלחי יצא לחירות שהרי בטל מעשה השינים הקבועות באותו העצם:
11
If the master knocked out the slave's tooth or blinded his eye unintentionally - e.g., he threw a stone at an animal and it hit the slave and knocked out his tooth or cut his finger - he is not released. This is alluded to by Exodus 21:27, which states: "If he will knock out his slave's or his maid-servant's tooth." The wording implies that he must do so intentionally.
יא
הפיל את שינו או סימא את עינו בלא כוונה כגון שזרק אבן לבהמה ונפלה בעבד והפילה את שינו וחתכה אצבעו לא יצא לחירות שנאמר אם שן עבדו או שן אמתו יפיל עד שיתכוין:
12
If the master inserted his hand into the womb of his maid-servant and blinded the eye of the fetus within, he is not granted his freedom. For he did not know anything of the entity so that he could intend to strike it.
יב
הושיט ידו למעי שפחתו וסמא עין העובר שבמעיה לא יצא לחירות שהרי לא ידע דבר שיתכוין לו:
13
If the slave's master was a physician and the slave told him: "Treat my eye for me," and he blinded it, "Hollow out my tooth for me," and he knocked it out, the slave tricked the master and is granted his freedom. For although he did not have the intent of injuring the slave, he did intend to touch the slave's limbs and became endangered because of them.
Needless to say, if the slave's eye was hurting, and his master was a blood-letter and removed it for him, the slave is granted his freedom.
יג
הרי שהיה רבו רופא ואמר לו כחול לי עיני וסמאה חתור לי שיני והפילה שחק באדון ויצא לחירות שאף על פי שלא נתכוין להזיק הרי נתכוון לנגוע באיברי העבד ונסתכן בהן ואין צריך לומר אם היתה עין העבד כואבת והיה רבו אומן ועקרה לו שהרי יצא לחירות:
14
When a person knocks out the tooth of a slave and then blinds his eye, he must grant the slave his freedom because of his tooth, and pay him damages for his eye. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
יד
המפיל שן עבדו וסימא את עינו הרי יצא לחירות בשינו ונותן לו דמי עינו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
15
When a person is half a slave and half a free man or he is jointly owned by two masters, he does not receive his freedom because of the loss of the tips of his limbs or organs. The rationale is that he is not the sole property of the master who injured him.
טו
מי שחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין ועבד של שני שותפין אינו יוצא בראשי איברים לפי שאינו מיוחד לרבו שחבל בו:
16
Slaves that belonged to a wife and are considered as tzon barzel are released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs if the husband injures them, but not if the wife injures them.47
Slaves that belong to a wife and are considered as nichsei m'log, are not released because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs, neither if the husband injures them - for he owns merely the use of them, nor if the wife injures them - for they are not solely hers.
טז
עבדי צאן ברזל יוצאין בראשי איברים אם חסרן הבעל אבל לא האשה ועבדי מלוג אינן יוצאין בראשי איברים לא אם הפיל הבעל שהרי אין לו בהם אלא פירות ולא אם הפילה אותן האשה מפני שאינן מיוחדין לה:
17
The release of slaves because of the loss of the tips of their limbs or organs is practiced in every place, and in every time. This ruling may be delivered only by judges who possess semichah, for this is a fine.
For this reason, if a servant told his master: "You knocked out my tooth and blinded my eye," and the master admits doing this, the master is not liable. The rationale is that had he taken the initiative and admitted having caused this injury, he would not be liable to grant the slave his freedom unless witnesses testify. For a person who admits his guilt in a case requiring a fine is not liable. As Hilchot Geneivah states, anyone who admits his guilt in a case requiring a fine is not liable.
יז
יציאת העבד בראשי איברים נוהג בכל מקום ובכל זמן ואין דנין בו אלא בב"ד סמוכין מפני שהוא קנס לפיכך העבד שאמר לרבו הפלת את שיני וסמית את עיני והאדון אומר לו עשיתי זה פטור שאם יודה מעצמו אינו חייב להוציאו לחירות בלא עדים שהמודה בקנס פטור כמו שביארנו בהלכות גניבה שכל מודה בקנס פטור מלשלמו:
Avadim - Chapter Six
1
When a person composes a bill of release for his slave and gives it to another person to acquire on the slave's behalf, saying: "Take possession of this bill of release for so and so, my slave," the slave is granted his freedom even though the bill of release did not reach his hand. For it is possible to acquire something of benefit to a person outside his presence.
If, however, a person said: "Give this bill of release to my slave," he may not retract, but the slave does not attain his freedom until the bill of release reaches his hand. Therefore if a person says: "Give this bill of release to my slave" and dies, it should not be given to him after his master's death.
א
הכותב גט שחרור לעבדו וזיכה לו בו ע"י אחר ואמר זכה בגט זה לפלוני עבדי יצא לחירות אע"פ שלא הגיע גט לידו שזכין לאדם שלא בפניו אבל אם אמר תנו גט זה לעבדי אינו יכול לחזור בו ולא יצא העבד לחירות עד שיגיע הגט לידו לפיכך האומר תנו גט זה לעבדי ומת לא יתנו לאחר מיתה:
2
When a person composes a legal document saying: "I made my slave so and so a free man," "My servant so and so was made a free man," or "He is a free man," he is released. If, however, the document states: "I will make him a free man," he is not released.
ב
הכותב בשטר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין או נעשה פלוני עבדי בן חורין או הרי הוא בן חורין ה"ז יצא לחירות כתב בשטר אעשנו בן חורין לא יצא לחירות:
3
When a master states that he released his slave and the slave denies being released, we suspect that the master had another person acquire the bill of release on behalf of the slave.
If the master said: "I composed a deed of release and gave it to the slave," and the slave says: "You neither wrote it nor gave it to me," the statement of a principal is considered as equivalent to the testimony of 100 witnesses, and he is considered a slave until he is freed in the presence of witnesses.
ג
האומר עשיתי פלוני עבדי בן חורין והוא אומר לא עשאני חוששין שמא זיכה לו על ידי אחר אמר כתבתי גט שחרור ונתתי לו והוא אמר לא כתב ולא נתן הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים והרי זה עבד עד שישחררנו בפנינו:
4
When a person commands at the time of his death: "My heirs should not subjugate so and so, my maid-servant," she is still considered a maid-servant as before, but it is forbidden for his heir to subjugate her. For it is a mitzvah to fulfill the words of a deceased person.
Similarly, if a dying man says: "Generate satisfaction for so and so, my maid-servant," we compel the heirs not to make her perform any tasks other than the ones that she desires to perform. If he commanded them to free her, we compel them to free her.
ד
מי שצוה בשעת מיתתו פלונית שפחתי אל ישתעבדו בה יורשי הרי זו שפחה כשהיתה ואסור ליורשים להשתעבד בה מפני שמצוה לקיים דברי המת וכן אם אמר עשו לה קורת רוח כופין את היורשין ואין משתעבדין בה אלא במלאכה שהיא רוצה בה צוה ואמר שחררוה כופין את היורשין לשחרר אותה:
5
There are six matters in which a bill of release given to a servant is equivalent to a bill of divorce. With regard to other matters, a bill of release is equivalent to other legal documents. These are the six:
a) they are not acceptable if prepared by gentile legal authorities;
b) they are acceptable if one witness is a kuti,
c) they must be written for the sake of the slave who is being freed;
d) they may not be written on an article that is attached to the ground;
e) the witnesses may sign only in the presence of each other; and
f) the same laws apply to a bill of divorce and a bill of release with regard to bringing these legal documents from one place to another.
ה
בששה דברים שוין שחרורי עבדים לגיטי נשים ובשאר דברים הרי הן כשאר כל השטרות ואלו הן הששה: פסולים בערכאות של עכו"ם וכשרין בעד עכו"ם וצריכין כתיבה לשם המשחרר עצמו ואין נכתבין במחובר ואין חותמין עדיהם אלא זה בפני זה אחד גיטי נשים ואחד שחרורי עבדים שוין למוליך ולמביא כיצד כל השטרות העולים בערכאות של עכו"ם כשרים בכל התנאים שאנו מבארים בהלכות הלואה חוץ מגיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים:
6
What is implied? All legal documents that are composed by gentile legal authorities are acceptable provided they conform to all the conditions stated in Hilchot Halva'ah with the exception of bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves.
Any legal document that is signed by even one witness who is a kuti is not acceptable, with the exception of bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves, provided the kuti is known to be precise in his observance.
In the present age, when the kutim are considered as gentiles with regard to all matters, we apply the laws stated with regard to them to the Sadducees. For the Sadducees in the present era are considered like the kutim of the previous era, before it was decreed that they would be considered like gentiles.
With regard to a woman's bill of divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1 states: "And he shall write to her," which is interpreted by our Sages to mean: "for her sake." And with regard to a Canaanite maid servant's bill of release, Leviticus 19:2 states: "Nor was freedom given to her," teaching that the bill of release must be written for her sake.
With regard to a woman's bill of divorce, Ibid.:1,3 states: "And he shall write, and he shall give," which is interpreted by our Sages to mean that the bill of divorce should be written on a substance that is lacking only to be given. This excludes a bill of divorce that is written while the article on which it is written is attached and afterwards detached. For it is lacking both being detached and being given. Similarly, with regard to a bill of release, it is written: "given to her," teaching that the bill of release should be lacking only being given.
Witnesses may not sign bills of divorce for women and bills of release for slaves outside each other's presence. We have already explained that reason for this ruling in Hilchot Gerushin.
ו
כל שטר שיש עליו אפילו עד אחד כותי פסול חוץ מגיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים שהן כשרין בעד אחד ישראל ועד אחד כותי והוא שיהיה כותי חבר ובזמן הזה שהכותים כעכו"ם לכל דבריהם אנו למדין מהן לצדוקין שהצדוקין בזמן הזה כמו כותי באותו הזמן קודם שגזרו עליהם שיהיו כעכו"ם לכל דבריהם בגט אשה הוא אומר וכתב לה לשמה ובגט שחרור הוא אומר או חופשה לא נתן לה עד שיכתוב לשמה בגט אשה הוא אומר וכתב ונתן מי שאינו מחוסר אלא נתינה יצא הכותב במחובר ואח"כ קצץ שהרי מחוסר קציצה ונתינה ובגט שחרור הוא אומר (ונתן לה) לא יהיה מחוסר אלא נתינה אחד גיטי נשים ושחרורי עבדים אינן חותמין עדיהם אלא זה בפני זה וכבר ביארנו טעם הדבר בהלכות גירושין:
7
What is meant by the statement that the same laws apply to bills of divorce and bills of release with regard to bringing these legal documents from one place to another? When an agent brings a bill of release from one place to another in Eretz Yisrael, he does not have to testify that it was written and signed in his presence. And in the diaspora, if there are no witnesses present to verify the authenticity of the bill of release, and the agent states that it was written and signed in his presence, its authenticity is considered as verified. Afterwards, if the master comes and protests, no attention is paid to him, as we have explained with regard to a bill of divorce.
Just as when a woman brings her bill of divorce, she does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified, because the bill of divorce is in her possession, so too, when a servant's bill of release is in his possession, he does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified.
Just as the woman must say: "It was written and signed in my presence," when it was stipulated that she do so, as we have explained in that context, so too, when a servant brings his bill of release and states: "It was written and signed in my presence," his word is accepted in the same way, and he does not have to have the authenticity of the document verified.
ז
וכיצד שוין במוליך ומביא שהמביא גט שחרור בא"י א"צ לומר בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם ובח"ל אם אין עדים מצויין לקיימו ואמר השליח בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם זהו קיומו ואם בא האדון וערער אחר כך אין משגיחין בו כמו שביארנו בגיטי נשים כשם שהאשה עצמה מביאה גיטה ואינה צריכה לקיימו הואיל והגט יוצא מתחת ידה כך העבד ששטר שחרור יוצא מתחת ידו אינו צריך לקיימו וכשם שהאשה אומרת בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם אם התנה עליה כמו שביארנו במקומו כך העבד שהביא גט ואמר בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם נאמן על אותו הדרך ואין צריך קיום:
8
Everyone who is acceptable to bring a bill of divorce to a woman as the husband's agent is also acceptable to bring a bill of release for a slave as the agent of the master.
A slave may receive a bill of release for another slave from that slave's master, but not from his own master.
When an owner writes a legal document with which he seeks to consecrate his Canaanite maid-servant, even though he tells her: "Attain your freedom by virtue of this document and become consecrated because of it," this expression is not one that conveys freedom, and she is neither consecrated nor freed.
ח
כל הכשר להביא גט האשה כשר להביא גט העבד והעבד מקבל גט לחבירו מיד רבו של חבירו אבל לא מיד רבו של מקבל הכותב שטר אירוסין לשפחתו אף על פי שאמר לה צאי בו לחירות והתקדשי בו אין בלשון הזה לשון שחרור ואינה מקודשת ולא משוחררת:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5777 · 04 August 2017
"Today's Day"
Friday, Menachem Av 12, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 66-68.
Tanya: But what causes (p. 399) ...who seeks it. (p. 401).
The Alter Rebbe repeated what the Mezritcher Maggid said quoting the Baal Shem Tov: "Love your fellow like yourself" is an interpretation of and commentary on "Love Hashem your G-d." He who loves his fellow-Jew loves G-d, because the Jew has with in himself a "part of G-d Above." Therefore, when one loves the Jew - i.e. his inner essence - one loves G-d.
Daily Thought:
Full Moon
What can we learn from the cycle of the moon, how she ever waxes and wanes and waxes again?
That a time of smallness is a time to become great;
And a time of greatness is a time to become small.
For in smallness lies the power to receive
and in receiving lies the power to become great.
And greatness endures only through its power to be small. [Vayakhel-Pekudei 5732:1. 5740:5. Torat Menachem 5742, vol. 3, p. 1372.]
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