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ב"ה Today in Judaism - Today is Shabbat, Sivan 5, 5778 · May 19, 2018 - Omer: Day 49 - Malchut sheb'Malchut
Candle Lighting
Light Holiday Candles after nightfall ––:––
Today's Laws & Customs• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 6
In preparation for the festival of Shavuot, we study one of the six chapters of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") on the afternoon of each of the six Shabbatot between Passover and Shavuot; this Shabbat being the Shabbat before Shhavuot, we study Chapter Six. (In many communities -- and such is the Chabad custom -- the study cycle is repeated through the summer, until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.)
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 6
• All-Night LearningThe Talmud relates that when G-d came to give the Torah to the People of Israel in the early morning of Sivan 6 (see "Today in Jewish History" for tomorrow), He found them sleeping. (The Chassidic masters explain that this was an attempt to connect to their subconscious, transcendent self in preparation for their reception of the divine wisdom.) To rectify this lapse, we spend the entire first night of Shavuot (which begins at nightfall tonight) studying Torah. The traditional Tikkun Leil Shavout ("Rectification for Shavuot Night") study program includes the opening and closing verses of each book of the Written Torah (Tanach), as well as of each Parshah; the entire Book of Ruth (see "Laws and Customs" for tomorrow); the opening and closing sections of each tractate of the Talmud; a list of the 613 mitzvot; and selected readings from the Zohar and other Kabbalistic works.
• More on Shavuot
Visit our Shavuot megasite
Today in Jewish History
• Reuben Finds Mandrakes (1568 BCE)
The incident involving the mandrakes (dudaim) which Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, found in the field "during the time of the wheat harvest"--recounted in Genesis 30:14-18--occurred on the fifth of Sivan of the year 2197 from creation (1568 BCE).
• Jews Accept Torah (1313 BCE)On this day, Moses made a covenant with the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai at which the people declared, "All that G-d has spoken, we shall do and hear" (Exodus 24:7) committing themselves to observe the Torah's commandments ("do") and strive to comprehend them ("hear"), while pledging to "do" also before they "hear."
Links:
A Jew in a Jeep
Reasoning the Stone
Spiritual Modality for Behavior Modification
An Easy Life
• Rabbis Burnt at Stake (1728)
On this day Rabbis Chayim and Yehoshua Reitzes were tortured and burned in Lvov, Poland after they were accused of having attempted to convince an apostate to return to Judaism.
Daily Torah Study
Chumash: Bamidbar, 7th Portion Numbers 4:1-4:20 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Numbers Chapter 4
1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָֹ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
2Make a count of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi by their families, according to their fathers' houses. בנָשׂ֗א אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ בְּנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
Make a count: Count those among them who are fit for the service of carrying, and are from the age of thirty until the age of fifty. One under thirty has not reached the peak of his strength; from this our Sages said, “At thirty for [full] strength” (Avoth 5:21). Over the age of fifty, one’s strength begins to wane. נשא את ראש וגו': מנה מהם את הראויין לעבודת משא, והם מבן שלשים ועד בן חמשים שנה, והפחות משלשים לא נתמלא כחו. מכאן אמרו בן שלשים לכח, והיותר על בן חמשים כחו מכחיש מעתה:
3From the age of thirty until the age of fifty, all who enter the service, to do work in the Tent of Meeting. גמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־בָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת מְלָאכָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
4The following is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting-the Holy of Holies. דזֹ֛את עֲבֹדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים:
The Holy of Holies: The holiest of all-the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, the dividing curtain, and the service utensils. קדש הקדשים: המקודש שבכולן הארון והשלחן והמנורה והמזבחות והפרוכת וכלי שרת:
5When the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons shall come and take down the dividing screen; with it, they shall cover the Ark of the Testimony. הוּבָ֨א אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְהוֹרִ֕דוּ אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָֽעֵדֻֽת:
Aaron and his sons shall come: They shall put each vessel into its holder specified for it in this section. The Levite sons of Kohath need only carry them. ובא אהרן ובניו וגו': יכניסו כל כלי וכלי לנרתקו המפורש לו בפרשה זו, ולא יצטרכו הלוים בני קהת אלא לשאת:
When the camp is about to travel: When the cloud withdraws, they know that they are to travel. בנסוע המחנה: כשהענן מסתלק הם יודעין שיסעו:
6They shall place upon it a covering of tachash skin and on top of that they shall spread a cloth of pure blue wool. Then they shall put its poles in place. ווְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּסוּי֙ ע֣וֹר תַּ֔חַשׁ וּפָֽרְשׂ֧וּ בֶֽגֶד־כְּלִ֛יל תְּכֵ֖לֶת מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂמ֖וּ בַּדָּֽיו:
7They shall spread a cloth of blue wool on the Show Table and they shall place on it the forms, spoons, supports, and covering frames; the continual bread can then be placed upon it. זוְעַ֣ל | שֻׁלְחַ֣ן הַפָּנִ֗ים יִפְרְשׂוּ֘ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֒לֶת֒ וְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָ֠לָ֠יו אֶת־הַקְּעָרֹ֤ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּת֙ וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִּיֹּ֔ת וְאֵ֖ת קְשׂ֣וֹת הַנָּ֑סֶךְ וְלֶ֥חֶם הַתָּמִ֖יד עָלָ֥יו יִֽהְיֶֽה:
forms, spoons, supports, and covering frames: I have already described [these] in [the chapter dealing with] the work of the Mishkan (Ex. 25). קערות וכפות קשות ומנקיות: כבר פירשתי במלאכת המשכן:
covering: Heb. הַנָּסֶךְ, from the term מָסָךְ [a screen] as it is written, with which they are covered (יֻסַּךְ)" (Ex. 25:29). הנסך: הכסוי לשון מסך, כדכתיב (שמות כה כט) אשר יוסך בהם:
8They shall spread upon them a cloth of crimson wool and cover that with a covering of tachash skin. Then they shall put its poles into place. חוּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם בֶּ֚גֶד תּוֹלַ֣עַת שָׁנִ֔י וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֖וּ אֶת־בַּדָּֽיו:
9They shall take a blue cloth and cover the menorah for lighting and its lamps, its tongs, and its scoops, and all its oil vessels used in performing its service. טוְלָֽקְח֣וּ | בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֗לֶת וְכִסּ֞וּ אֶת־מְנֹרַ֤ת הַמָּאוֹר֙ וְאֶת־נֵ֣רֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־מַלְקָחֶ֖יהָ וְאֶת־מַחְתֹּתֶ֑יהָ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י שַׁמְנָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־לָ֖הּ בָּהֶֽם:
its tongs: A type of tweezers with which the wick was drawn to the desired direction. מלקחיה: כמין צבת שמושך בה את הפתילה לכל צד שירצה:
its scoops: Heb. מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ, a sort of small spoon, with a level bottom, not rounded. It had no wall in the front, only at its sides, and he uses it to rake the ashes from the [menorah] lamps when he cleans them. מחתתיה: כמין כף קטנה ושוליה פשוטין ולא סגלגלים, ואין לה מחיצה לפניה אלא מצדיה, וחותה בה את דשן הנרות כשמטיבן:
its lamps: Heb. נֵרֹתֶיהָ, loces in Old French, in which the oil and wicks are placed. נרתיה: לוצי"ש בלע"ז [מנורות] שנותנים בהן השמן והפתילות:
10They shall put it and its vessels into a covering of tachash skin and place it on a pole. יוְנָֽתְנ֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלֶ֔יהָ אֶל־מִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָֽתְנ֖וּ עַל־הַמּֽוֹט:
into a covering of tachash skin: A type of [large] sack. אל מכסה עור תחש: כמין מרצוף:
11They shall spread a cloth of blue wool over the golden altar and cover it with a covering of tachash skin, and then set its poles in place. יאוְעַ֣ל | מִזְבַּ֣ח הַזָּהָ֗ב יִפְרְשׂוּ֙ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֖וּ אֶת־בַּדָּֽיו:
12They shall then take all the vessels used in the Holy, put them into a cloth of blue wool, cover them with a covering of tachash skin, and put them onto a pole. יבוְלָֽקְחוּ֩ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֨י הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־בָ֣ם בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶל־בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָֽתְנ֖וּ עַל־הַמּֽוֹט:
all the vessels used in the Holy: That is, within the Mishkan [as opposed to the courtyard], which is holy. These are the incense vessels with which they ministered on the inner altar. את כל כלי השרת אשר ישרתו בם בקדש: בתוך המשכן שהוא קדש, והן כלי הקטרת שמשרתין בהם במזבח הפנימי:
13They shall remove the ashes from the altar and spread a cloth of purple wool over it. יגוְדִשְּׁנ֖וּ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עָלָ֔יו בֶּ֖גֶד אַרְגָּמָֽן:
They shall remove the ashes from the altar: The copper altar. ודשנו את המזבח: מזבח הנחשת:
They shall remove: remove the ashes from upon [the altar]. ודשנו: יטלו את הדשן מעליו:
and spread a purple cloth over it: The fire that descended from heaven crouched under the cloth like a lion during their travels, but it did not burn it because they covered it with a large copper pot. ופרשו עליו בגד ארגמן: ואש שירדה מן השמים רבוצה תחת הבגד כארי בשעת המסעות, ואינה שורפתו, שהיו כופין עליה פסכתר של נחשת:
14They shall place on it all the utensils with which they minister upon it: the scoops, the forks, the shovels, and the basins-all the implements of the altar. Then they shall spread over it a covering of tachash skin and set its poles into place. ידוְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָ֠לָ֠יו אֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֞יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְשָֽׁרְת֧וּ עָלָ֣יו בָּהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּ֤ת אֶת־הַמִּזְלָגֹת֙ וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֔ת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּס֛וּי ע֥וֹר תַּ֖חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֥וּ בַדָּֽיו:
scoops: Heb. מַחְתֹּת, with which they raked (חוֹתִין) the coals during the separation of the ashes. It was shaped like a three-sided pan, and the coals were gathered up with its front end. מחתת: שבהן חותים גחלים לתרומת הדשן, שעשויה כמין מחבת שאין לה אלא שלש מחיצות, ומלפניה שואבת את הגחלים:
forks: Heb. מִזְלָגֹת, copper hooks used to prod the limbs on the altar and turn them over, so they would be consumed properly and quickly. מזלגות: צנוריות של נחשת שבהן מכין באברים שעל המזבח להפכן כדי שיתעכלו יפה ומהר:
shovels: Heb. יָעִים. These were shovels, in Old French, videl , which were made of copper and used to sweep the ashes off the altar. יעים: הם מגרפות ובלע"ז ודי"ל [מגרפה] והן של נחושת ובהן מכבדין את הדשן מעל המזבח:
15Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the Holy and all the vessels of the Holy when the camp is set to travel, and following that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry [them], but they shall not touch the sacred objects for [then] they will die. These are the burden of the sons of Kohath for the Tent of Meeting. טווְכִלָּ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹן־וּ֠בָנָ֠יו לְכַסֹּ֨ת אֶת־הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֘דֶשׁ֘ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַמַּֽחֲנֶה֒ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יָבֹ֤אוּ בְנֵֽי־קְהָת֙ לָשֵׂ֔את וְלֹֽא־יִגְּע֥וּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵ֑תוּ אֵ֛לֶּה מַשָּׂ֥א בְנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
the covering of the Holy: The ark and the altar. לכסת את הקדש: הארון והמזבח:
vessels of the Holy: The menorah and the service utensils. ואת כל כלי הקדש: המנורה וכלי שרת:
they will die: If they touch [the sacred objects] they are punishable by death at the hands of heaven. ומתו: שאם יגעו חייבין מיתה בידי שמים:
16The charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen: oil for lighting, the incense of spices, the continual [daily] meal offering, and the anointing oil; the charge for the entire Mishkan and all that is in it, of the Holy and its furnishings. טזוּפְקֻדַּ֞ת אֶלְעָזָ֣ר | בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן שֶׁ֤מֶן הַמָּאוֹר֙ וּקְטֹ֣רֶת הַסַּמִּ֔ים וּמִנְחַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֑ה פְּקֻדַּ֗ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ בְּקֹ֖דֶשׁ וּבְכֵלָֽיו:
The charge of Eleazar: who was assigned to carry them: the oil, the incense, and the anointing oil. ופקדת אלעזר: שהוא ממונה עליהם לשאת אותם, שמן וקטרת ושמן המשחה:
the continual [daily] meal offering: His duty was to issue orders, to urge [the other workers] so that it be sacrificed at the time of their encampment. ומנחת התמיד: עליו מוטל לצוות ולזרז ולהקריב בעת חנייתן:
the charge for the entire Mishkan: He was also appointed over the load [assigned to] the children of Kohath, to direct each man as to his task and burden, and this is [what the verse means when it says] “the… Mishkan and all that is in it” - all the items mentioned above, in this section. But the burden of the sons of Gershon and Merari, which did not consist of the Holy of Holies, was by order of Ithamar, as written in the portion of Naso. פקדת כל המשכן: ועוד היה ממונה על משא בני קהת לצוות איש איש על עבודתו ועל משאו, והוא המשכן וכל אשר בו, כל הסדורים למעלה בפרשה זו, אבל משא בני גרשון ומררי שאינן מקדש הקדשים, על פי איתמר היה, כמו שכתוב בפרשת נשא (פסוק כח):
17The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: יזוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָֹ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
18Do not cause the tribe of the families of Kohath to be cut off from among the Levites. יחאַל־תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֖בֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י מִתּ֖וֹךְ הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
Do not cause… to be cut off: Do not cause them to die. אל תכריתו: אל תגרמו להם שימותו:
19Do this for them, so they should live and not die, when they approach the Holy of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall first come and appoint each man individually to his task and his load. יטוְזֹ֣את | עֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם וְחָיוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֔תוּ בְּגִשְׁתָּ֖ם אֶת־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ יָבֹ֔אוּ וְשָׂמ֣וּ אוֹתָ֗ם אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ עַל־עֲבֹֽדָת֖וֹ וְאֶל־מַשָּׂאֽוֹ:
20They shall not come in to see when the holy [vessels] are being wrapped up, lest they die. כוְלֹֽא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ:
They shall not come in to see when the holy [vessels] are being wrapped up: In their covering, as I explained above in this section: They shall spread such and such a cloth over it, and cover it with such and such a cover. The wrapping up of it [mentioned here] is identical with the covering [mentioned above]. ולא יבאו לראות כבלע את הקדש: לתוך נרתק שלו, כמו שפירשתי למעלה (פסוק ה) בפרשה זו, ופרשו עליו בגד פלוני וכסו אותו במכסה פלוני, ובלוע שלו הוא כסויו:
Tehillim: Chapters 29 - 34
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
FOOTNOTES
1.All Philistine kings are referred to by the name Avimelech (Rashi).
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Numbers Chapter 4
1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָֹ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
2Make a count of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi by their families, according to their fathers' houses. בנָשׂ֗א אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ בְּנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
Make a count: Count those among them who are fit for the service of carrying, and are from the age of thirty until the age of fifty. One under thirty has not reached the peak of his strength; from this our Sages said, “At thirty for [full] strength” (Avoth 5:21). Over the age of fifty, one’s strength begins to wane. נשא את ראש וגו': מנה מהם את הראויין לעבודת משא, והם מבן שלשים ועד בן חמשים שנה, והפחות משלשים לא נתמלא כחו. מכאן אמרו בן שלשים לכח, והיותר על בן חמשים כחו מכחיש מעתה:
3From the age of thirty until the age of fifty, all who enter the service, to do work in the Tent of Meeting. גמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־בָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת מְלָאכָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
4The following is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting-the Holy of Holies. דזֹ֛את עֲבֹדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים:
The Holy of Holies: The holiest of all-the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, the dividing curtain, and the service utensils. קדש הקדשים: המקודש שבכולן הארון והשלחן והמנורה והמזבחות והפרוכת וכלי שרת:
5When the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons shall come and take down the dividing screen; with it, they shall cover the Ark of the Testimony. הוּבָ֨א אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְהוֹרִ֕דוּ אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָֽעֵדֻֽת:
Aaron and his sons shall come: They shall put each vessel into its holder specified for it in this section. The Levite sons of Kohath need only carry them. ובא אהרן ובניו וגו': יכניסו כל כלי וכלי לנרתקו המפורש לו בפרשה זו, ולא יצטרכו הלוים בני קהת אלא לשאת:
When the camp is about to travel: When the cloud withdraws, they know that they are to travel. בנסוע המחנה: כשהענן מסתלק הם יודעין שיסעו:
6They shall place upon it a covering of tachash skin and on top of that they shall spread a cloth of pure blue wool. Then they shall put its poles in place. ווְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּסוּי֙ ע֣וֹר תַּ֔חַשׁ וּפָֽרְשׂ֧וּ בֶֽגֶד־כְּלִ֛יל תְּכֵ֖לֶת מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂמ֖וּ בַּדָּֽיו:
7They shall spread a cloth of blue wool on the Show Table and they shall place on it the forms, spoons, supports, and covering frames; the continual bread can then be placed upon it. זוְעַ֣ל | שֻׁלְחַ֣ן הַפָּנִ֗ים יִפְרְשׂוּ֘ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֒לֶת֒ וְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָ֠לָ֠יו אֶת־הַקְּעָרֹ֤ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּת֙ וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִּיֹּ֔ת וְאֵ֖ת קְשׂ֣וֹת הַנָּ֑סֶךְ וְלֶ֥חֶם הַתָּמִ֖יד עָלָ֥יו יִֽהְיֶֽה:
forms, spoons, supports, and covering frames: I have already described [these] in [the chapter dealing with] the work of the Mishkan (Ex. 25). קערות וכפות קשות ומנקיות: כבר פירשתי במלאכת המשכן:
covering: Heb. הַנָּסֶךְ, from the term מָסָךְ [a screen] as it is written, with which they are covered (יֻסַּךְ)" (Ex. 25:29). הנסך: הכסוי לשון מסך, כדכתיב (שמות כה כט) אשר יוסך בהם:
8They shall spread upon them a cloth of crimson wool and cover that with a covering of tachash skin. Then they shall put its poles into place. חוּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם בֶּ֚גֶד תּוֹלַ֣עַת שָׁנִ֔י וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֖וּ אֶת־בַּדָּֽיו:
9They shall take a blue cloth and cover the menorah for lighting and its lamps, its tongs, and its scoops, and all its oil vessels used in performing its service. טוְלָֽקְח֣וּ | בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֗לֶת וְכִסּ֞וּ אֶת־מְנֹרַ֤ת הַמָּאוֹר֙ וְאֶת־נֵ֣רֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־מַלְקָחֶ֖יהָ וְאֶת־מַחְתֹּתֶ֑יהָ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י שַׁמְנָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־לָ֖הּ בָּהֶֽם:
its tongs: A type of tweezers with which the wick was drawn to the desired direction. מלקחיה: כמין צבת שמושך בה את הפתילה לכל צד שירצה:
its scoops: Heb. מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ, a sort of small spoon, with a level bottom, not rounded. It had no wall in the front, only at its sides, and he uses it to rake the ashes from the [menorah] lamps when he cleans them. מחתתיה: כמין כף קטנה ושוליה פשוטין ולא סגלגלים, ואין לה מחיצה לפניה אלא מצדיה, וחותה בה את דשן הנרות כשמטיבן:
its lamps: Heb. נֵרֹתֶיהָ, loces in Old French, in which the oil and wicks are placed. נרתיה: לוצי"ש בלע"ז [מנורות] שנותנים בהן השמן והפתילות:
10They shall put it and its vessels into a covering of tachash skin and place it on a pole. יוְנָֽתְנ֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלֶ֔יהָ אֶל־מִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָֽתְנ֖וּ עַל־הַמּֽוֹט:
into a covering of tachash skin: A type of [large] sack. אל מכסה עור תחש: כמין מרצוף:
11They shall spread a cloth of blue wool over the golden altar and cover it with a covering of tachash skin, and then set its poles in place. יאוְעַ֣ל | מִזְבַּ֣ח הַזָּהָ֗ב יִפְרְשׂוּ֙ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֖וּ אֶת־בַּדָּֽיו:
12They shall then take all the vessels used in the Holy, put them into a cloth of blue wool, cover them with a covering of tachash skin, and put them onto a pole. יבוְלָֽקְחוּ֩ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֨י הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־בָ֣ם בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶל־בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָֽתְנ֖וּ עַל־הַמּֽוֹט:
all the vessels used in the Holy: That is, within the Mishkan [as opposed to the courtyard], which is holy. These are the incense vessels with which they ministered on the inner altar. את כל כלי השרת אשר ישרתו בם בקדש: בתוך המשכן שהוא קדש, והן כלי הקטרת שמשרתין בהם במזבח הפנימי:
13They shall remove the ashes from the altar and spread a cloth of purple wool over it. יגוְדִשְּׁנ֖וּ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עָלָ֔יו בֶּ֖גֶד אַרְגָּמָֽן:
They shall remove the ashes from the altar: The copper altar. ודשנו את המזבח: מזבח הנחשת:
They shall remove: remove the ashes from upon [the altar]. ודשנו: יטלו את הדשן מעליו:
and spread a purple cloth over it: The fire that descended from heaven crouched under the cloth like a lion during their travels, but it did not burn it because they covered it with a large copper pot. ופרשו עליו בגד ארגמן: ואש שירדה מן השמים רבוצה תחת הבגד כארי בשעת המסעות, ואינה שורפתו, שהיו כופין עליה פסכתר של נחשת:
14They shall place on it all the utensils with which they minister upon it: the scoops, the forks, the shovels, and the basins-all the implements of the altar. Then they shall spread over it a covering of tachash skin and set its poles into place. ידוְנָֽתְנ֣וּ עָ֠לָ֠יו אֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֞יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְשָֽׁרְת֧וּ עָלָ֣יו בָּהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּ֤ת אֶת־הַמִּזְלָגֹת֙ וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֔ת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּפָֽרְשׂ֣וּ עָלָ֗יו כְּס֛וּי ע֥וֹר תַּ֖חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֥וּ בַדָּֽיו:
scoops: Heb. מַחְתֹּת, with which they raked (חוֹתִין) the coals during the separation of the ashes. It was shaped like a three-sided pan, and the coals were gathered up with its front end. מחתת: שבהן חותים גחלים לתרומת הדשן, שעשויה כמין מחבת שאין לה אלא שלש מחיצות, ומלפניה שואבת את הגחלים:
forks: Heb. מִזְלָגֹת, copper hooks used to prod the limbs on the altar and turn them over, so they would be consumed properly and quickly. מזלגות: צנוריות של נחשת שבהן מכין באברים שעל המזבח להפכן כדי שיתעכלו יפה ומהר:
shovels: Heb. יָעִים. These were shovels, in Old French, videl , which were made of copper and used to sweep the ashes off the altar. יעים: הם מגרפות ובלע"ז ודי"ל [מגרפה] והן של נחושת ובהן מכבדין את הדשן מעל המזבח:
15Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the Holy and all the vessels of the Holy when the camp is set to travel, and following that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry [them], but they shall not touch the sacred objects for [then] they will die. These are the burden of the sons of Kohath for the Tent of Meeting. טווְכִלָּ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹן־וּ֠בָנָ֠יו לְכַסֹּ֨ת אֶת־הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֘דֶשׁ֘ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַמַּֽחֲנֶה֒ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יָבֹ֤אוּ בְנֵֽי־קְהָת֙ לָשֵׂ֔את וְלֹֽא־יִגְּע֥וּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵ֑תוּ אֵ֛לֶּה מַשָּׂ֥א בְנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
the covering of the Holy: The ark and the altar. לכסת את הקדש: הארון והמזבח:
vessels of the Holy: The menorah and the service utensils. ואת כל כלי הקדש: המנורה וכלי שרת:
they will die: If they touch [the sacred objects] they are punishable by death at the hands of heaven. ומתו: שאם יגעו חייבין מיתה בידי שמים:
16The charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen: oil for lighting, the incense of spices, the continual [daily] meal offering, and the anointing oil; the charge for the entire Mishkan and all that is in it, of the Holy and its furnishings. טזוּפְקֻדַּ֞ת אֶלְעָזָ֣ר | בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן שֶׁ֤מֶן הַמָּאוֹר֙ וּקְטֹ֣רֶת הַסַּמִּ֔ים וּמִנְחַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֑ה פְּקֻדַּ֗ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ בְּקֹ֖דֶשׁ וּבְכֵלָֽיו:
The charge of Eleazar: who was assigned to carry them: the oil, the incense, and the anointing oil. ופקדת אלעזר: שהוא ממונה עליהם לשאת אותם, שמן וקטרת ושמן המשחה:
the continual [daily] meal offering: His duty was to issue orders, to urge [the other workers] so that it be sacrificed at the time of their encampment. ומנחת התמיד: עליו מוטל לצוות ולזרז ולהקריב בעת חנייתן:
the charge for the entire Mishkan: He was also appointed over the load [assigned to] the children of Kohath, to direct each man as to his task and burden, and this is [what the verse means when it says] “the… Mishkan and all that is in it” - all the items mentioned above, in this section. But the burden of the sons of Gershon and Merari, which did not consist of the Holy of Holies, was by order of Ithamar, as written in the portion of Naso. פקדת כל המשכן: ועוד היה ממונה על משא בני קהת לצוות איש איש על עבודתו ועל משאו, והוא המשכן וכל אשר בו, כל הסדורים למעלה בפרשה זו, אבל משא בני גרשון ומררי שאינן מקדש הקדשים, על פי איתמר היה, כמו שכתוב בפרשת נשא (פסוק כח):
17The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: יזוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָֹ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
18Do not cause the tribe of the families of Kohath to be cut off from among the Levites. יחאַל־תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֖בֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י מִתּ֖וֹךְ הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
Do not cause… to be cut off: Do not cause them to die. אל תכריתו: אל תגרמו להם שימותו:
19Do this for them, so they should live and not die, when they approach the Holy of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall first come and appoint each man individually to his task and his load. יטוְזֹ֣את | עֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם וְחָיוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֔תוּ בְּגִשְׁתָּ֖ם אֶת־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ יָבֹ֔אוּ וְשָׂמ֣וּ אוֹתָ֗ם אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ עַל־עֲבֹֽדָת֖וֹ וְאֶל־מַשָּׂאֽוֹ:
20They shall not come in to see when the holy [vessels] are being wrapped up, lest they die. כוְלֹֽא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ:
They shall not come in to see when the holy [vessels] are being wrapped up: In their covering, as I explained above in this section: They shall spread such and such a cloth over it, and cover it with such and such a cover. The wrapping up of it [mentioned here] is identical with the covering [mentioned above]. ולא יבאו לראות כבלע את הקדש: לתוך נרתק שלו, כמו שפירשתי למעלה (פסוק ה) בפרשה זו, ופרשו עליו בגד פלוני וכסו אותו במכסה פלוני, ובלוע שלו הוא כסויו:
Tehillim: Chapters 29 - 34
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Chapter 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
FOOTNOTES
1.All Philistine kings are referred to by the name Avimelech (Rashi).
Tanya: Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Introduction
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Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Introduction
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והנה ענין אהבה זו רצה משה רבנו עליו השלום ליטע בלב כל ישראל, בפרשה: ועתה ישראל וגו׳
It is this love — this latter manner of love, which may be generated by contemplation — that Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, wished to implant in the heart of every Jew, in the passage,1 “And now, Israel,...”
בפסוק: הן לה׳ אלקיך השמים וגו׳
in the verse that speaks of G‑d’s greatness, “Behold, the heavens belong to G‑d, your L‑rd...” and likewise in the following verses that speak of G‑d’s love for His people:
רק באבותיך חשק וגו׳, ומלתם וגו׳, בשבעים נפש וגו׳
“Only in your fathers did He delight... You shall circumcise.... With seventy souls [did your forefathers descend to Egypt, and now He has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven].”
All the above inevitably leads to the first verse in the following chapter, namely:
ואהבת וגו׳
2“You shall love [the L‑rd your G‑d...].”
ולכן סיים דבריו על אהבה זו: אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם לעשותה
Hence [Moshe Rabbeinu] concluded his words in the later verse quoted above concerning this love,3“... which I command you to do,”
Here, then, is the answer to the above query as to how it is possible to “do” or to create the spiritual emotion of love:
שהיא אהבה עשויה בלב, על ידי הבינה והדעת בדברים המעוררים את האהבה
for this is a love that is produced in the heart through the understanding and self-involving knowledge of matters that inspire love.
But if the verse is in fact referring to the kind of love that is created through contemplation, should it not first command one to contemplate? Indeed so, the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say:
ועל זה צוה כבר תחלה: והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך
And this he had commanded previously, in the first paragraph of Shema:4 “And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart,”
כדי שעל ידי זה תבא לאהבה את ה׳, כדאיתא בספרי על פסוק זה
so that through this [meditation] you will come to love G‑d, as is stated in the Sifri on this verse.5
והנה על אהבה זו השנית, שייך לשון מצוה וצווי
An expression of command (“which I command you to do — to love”) can thus be applied to this second type of intellectually-generated love,
It might seem that to command a person to experience love would be either fruitless or superfluous. Not so, however, with regard to the kind of love that is born of contemplation. Here, one can indeed be given a command:
דהיינו: לשום לבו ודעתו בדברים המעוררים את האהבה
namely, to focus one’s heart and mind on matters that arouse love.
אבל באהבה ראשונה, שהיא שלהבת העולה מאליה, לא שייך לשון צווי ומצוה כלל
But an expression of command is not at all applicable to the first kind of love, which is a flame that ascends of its own accord.
ולא עוד, אלא שהיא מתן שכרם של צדיקים, לטעום מעין עולם הבא בעולם הזה
Furthermore, it is the reward of the tzaddikim, to savor a foretaste of the World to Come in this world.
In the World to Come the righteous bask in the rays of the Divine Presence: they delight in their perception of G‑dliness. And it is this delight that tzaddikim enjoy in this world when they serve G‑d with love.
שעליה נאמר: עבודת מתנה אתן את כהונתכם, כמו שיתבאר במקומה
Concerning this [level of love] it is written,6 “I have granted [you] your priesthood as a Divine service which is a gift,” as will be explained in its proper place, namely, where the Divinely-bestowed gift of ahavah betaanugim is discussed.
* * *
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain what special quality lies in the lesser manner of service of “educating the child according to his way,” so that “even when he grows [spiritually] older he will not depart from it.” It is true that the lower level of love, that which is engendered by meditation, is a stage in one’s educational preparation, so to speak. Compared with the loftier level of essential and constant love that is revealed only withintzaddikim, it is a child’s service, within the reach of all. Yet there is something in it that must be retained even when one has graduated to the “adult” manner of love of G‑d.
For it is possible that the superior kind of love will not always be manifest even when one is on the level of atzaddik. Particularly so, since his mandatory advances from level to level demand that before reaching a higher rung he must first release his hold of the previous rung; otherwise, it will encumber his ascent.
When the tzaddik is bereft of his own level of love, he then nourishes his divine service with a resource that harks back to his spiritual childhood — with a love born of meditation, the lower level of love in which he was schooled before he attained the state of tzaddik.
FOOTNOTES
1. Devarim 10:12, 14, 15, 16, 22.
2. Ibid. 11:1.
3. Ibid., v. 22.
4. Ibid. 6:6.
5. The Rebbe notes that the above enables us to understand a related statement of the Sifri that is otherwise baffling. The Sifri states that the verse that teaches that “you shall love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart” does not explain how G‑d is to be loved; the verse therefore goes on to tell us that “these words...shall be upon your heart,” for “thereby you come to know G‑d and cleave to His ways.”
The question here is obvious: How does “upon your heart” give a better explanation of how G‑d is to be loved than “with all your heart”?
According to the above explanation of the Alter Rebbe, however, the Sifri is thoroughly understandable: “upon your heart” refers to the kind of meditation that inevitably leads to the fulfillment of the commandment to “love the L- rd your G‑d with all your heart.”
6. Bamidbar 18:7.
Rambam:
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Positive Commandment 106
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity of a zavah [a woman who experiences menses three consecutive days outside the normal menstrual period.
When contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity. E.g.,] how she contracts this ritual impurity and how, after she becomes a zavah, she can pass on this impurity to others.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
Positive Commandment 106
Translated by Berel Bell
The 106th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of a zavah. This mitzvah includes the laws of how she becomes a zavah1 and how, after becoming a zavah,she conveys tumah to others.2
FOOTNOTES
1.See Hilchos Issurei Bi'ah, Chapter 6.
2.See Hilchos M'tamei Mishkav U'Moshav.
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Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Introduction
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והנה ענין אהבה זו רצה משה רבנו עליו השלום ליטע בלב כל ישראל, בפרשה: ועתה ישראל וגו׳
It is this love — this latter manner of love, which may be generated by contemplation — that Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, wished to implant in the heart of every Jew, in the passage,1 “And now, Israel,...”
בפסוק: הן לה׳ אלקיך השמים וגו׳
in the verse that speaks of G‑d’s greatness, “Behold, the heavens belong to G‑d, your L‑rd...” and likewise in the following verses that speak of G‑d’s love for His people:
רק באבותיך חשק וגו׳, ומלתם וגו׳, בשבעים נפש וגו׳
“Only in your fathers did He delight... You shall circumcise.... With seventy souls [did your forefathers descend to Egypt, and now He has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven].”
All the above inevitably leads to the first verse in the following chapter, namely:
ואהבת וגו׳
2“You shall love [the L‑rd your G‑d...].”
ולכן סיים דבריו על אהבה זו: אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם לעשותה
Hence [Moshe Rabbeinu] concluded his words in the later verse quoted above concerning this love,3“... which I command you to do,”
Here, then, is the answer to the above query as to how it is possible to “do” or to create the spiritual emotion of love:
שהיא אהבה עשויה בלב, על ידי הבינה והדעת בדברים המעוררים את האהבה
for this is a love that is produced in the heart through the understanding and self-involving knowledge of matters that inspire love.
But if the verse is in fact referring to the kind of love that is created through contemplation, should it not first command one to contemplate? Indeed so, the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say:
ועל זה צוה כבר תחלה: והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך
And this he had commanded previously, in the first paragraph of Shema:4 “And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart,”
כדי שעל ידי זה תבא לאהבה את ה׳, כדאיתא בספרי על פסוק זה
so that through this [meditation] you will come to love G‑d, as is stated in the Sifri on this verse.5
והנה על אהבה זו השנית, שייך לשון מצוה וצווי
An expression of command (“which I command you to do — to love”) can thus be applied to this second type of intellectually-generated love,
It might seem that to command a person to experience love would be either fruitless or superfluous. Not so, however, with regard to the kind of love that is born of contemplation. Here, one can indeed be given a command:
דהיינו: לשום לבו ודעתו בדברים המעוררים את האהבה
namely, to focus one’s heart and mind on matters that arouse love.
אבל באהבה ראשונה, שהיא שלהבת העולה מאליה, לא שייך לשון צווי ומצוה כלל
But an expression of command is not at all applicable to the first kind of love, which is a flame that ascends of its own accord.
ולא עוד, אלא שהיא מתן שכרם של צדיקים, לטעום מעין עולם הבא בעולם הזה
Furthermore, it is the reward of the tzaddikim, to savor a foretaste of the World to Come in this world.
In the World to Come the righteous bask in the rays of the Divine Presence: they delight in their perception of G‑dliness. And it is this delight that tzaddikim enjoy in this world when they serve G‑d with love.
שעליה נאמר: עבודת מתנה אתן את כהונתכם, כמו שיתבאר במקומה
Concerning this [level of love] it is written,6 “I have granted [you] your priesthood as a Divine service which is a gift,” as will be explained in its proper place, namely, where the Divinely-bestowed gift of ahavah betaanugim is discussed.
* * *
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain what special quality lies in the lesser manner of service of “educating the child according to his way,” so that “even when he grows [spiritually] older he will not depart from it.” It is true that the lower level of love, that which is engendered by meditation, is a stage in one’s educational preparation, so to speak. Compared with the loftier level of essential and constant love that is revealed only withintzaddikim, it is a child’s service, within the reach of all. Yet there is something in it that must be retained even when one has graduated to the “adult” manner of love of G‑d.
For it is possible that the superior kind of love will not always be manifest even when one is on the level of atzaddik. Particularly so, since his mandatory advances from level to level demand that before reaching a higher rung he must first release his hold of the previous rung; otherwise, it will encumber his ascent.
When the tzaddik is bereft of his own level of love, he then nourishes his divine service with a resource that harks back to his spiritual childhood — with a love born of meditation, the lower level of love in which he was schooled before he attained the state of tzaddik.
FOOTNOTES
1. Devarim 10:12, 14, 15, 16, 22.
2. Ibid. 11:1.
3. Ibid., v. 22.
4. Ibid. 6:6.
5. The Rebbe notes that the above enables us to understand a related statement of the Sifri that is otherwise baffling. The Sifri states that the verse that teaches that “you shall love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart” does not explain how G‑d is to be loved; the verse therefore goes on to tell us that “these words...shall be upon your heart,” for “thereby you come to know G‑d and cleave to His ways.”
The question here is obvious: How does “upon your heart” give a better explanation of how G‑d is to be loved than “with all your heart”?
According to the above explanation of the Alter Rebbe, however, the Sifri is thoroughly understandable: “upon your heart” refers to the kind of meditation that inevitably leads to the fulfillment of the commandment to “love the L- rd your G‑d with all your heart.”
6. Bamidbar 18:7.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassShabbat, Sivan 5, 5778 · May 19, 2018
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 106
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity of a zavah [a woman who experiences menses three consecutive days outside the normal menstrual period.
When contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity. E.g.,] how she contracts this ritual impurity and how, after she becomes a zavah, she can pass on this impurity to others.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Ritual Impurity of a Zavah
Positive Commandment 106
Translated by Berel Bell
The 106th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of a zavah. This mitzvah includes the laws of how she becomes a zavah1 and how, after becoming a zavah,she conveys tumah to others.2
FOOTNOTES
1.See Hilchos Issurei Bi'ah, Chapter 6.
2.See Hilchos M'tamei Mishkav U'Moshav.
Rambam:• 1 Chapter A Day: Gerushin Gerushin - Chapter Four
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Gerushin - Chapter Four
1
A get may be written only with a substance that leaves a permanent impression - e.g., ink,1 sikra, kumus, kankantum2 or the like. If, however, [a get] is written with a substance that does not leave a permanent impression - e.g., beverages, fruit juices or the like - the get is void.
If [a get] is written with lead, a stylus or charcoal,3it is acceptable. At the outset, however, these substances should not be used.א
אין כותבין את הגט אלא בדבר שרישומו עומד כגון דיו וסקרא וקומוס וקנקנתום וכיוצא בהן. אבל אם כתבו בדבר שאינו עומד כגון משקין ומי פירות וכיוצא בהן אינו גט. כתבו באבר בשחור ובשיחור כשר ואין כותבין בהן לכתחלה:
2
A priori, we may write with gallnut juice on paper, on a hide or the like. We may not use it to write on parchment that has been treated with gallnut juice, for it will not be distinct. If such a get is written, it is void. The same applies in all similar situations.
A get may be written on any substance, even a substance from which one is forbidden to benefit.4 We may write [a get] on a substance on which an erasure would not be noticed, provided it is given [to the woman] in the presence of witnesses who observe the transfer.5ב
כותבין במי עפצא לכתחלה על גב הנייר והעור וכיוצא בהן אבל לא על גבי מגילה עפוצה מפני שאינו ניכר ואם כתב אינו גט וכן כל כיוצא בו. על הכל כותבין את הגט ואפילו על איסורי הנאה. וכותבין על דבר שיכול להזדייף והוא שיתנו לה בעדי מסירה:
3
What is implied? If a get is written on paper with erasures,6 on parchment that has not been fully processed, on a shard, on leaves, on the arm of a servant or on the horn of a cow,7 [it is acceptable, provided the husband] gives [his wife] the servant, the cow,8 the paper, the parchment or the like in the presence of witnesses.ג
כיצד כותב (אותו) על הנייר המחוק על הדפתרא ועל החרס ועל העלין ועל ידו של עבד ועל קרן של פרה ומוסר לה העבד והפרה או הנייר המחוק והדפתרא וכיוצא בו בפני עדים:
4
When the get is tattooed on the hand of a servant,9the signature of the witnesses is also tattooed there,10 and he is in the possession of [the wife], the divorce is effective, even though there are no witnesses to [the servant's] transfer,11 for [the tattoo] cannot be forged.
Even when it is known to us that the servant [previously] belonged to the husband, the get is tattooed on his hand, and he is in the possession of the woman, and she says: "He was given to me in the presence of witnesses," the status of the divorce is in doubt.12 For the possession of living beings that can move independently is not considered proof of their ownership.13ד
היה הגט חקוק על ידו של עבד בכתובת קעקע והיה יוצא מתחת ידה והיו העדים חקוקים על ידו הרי זו מגורשת אע"פ שאין לה עדי מסירה. שהרי אין יכול להזדייף. אפילו היו מוחזקין בעבד שהוא שלו וגט חקוק על ידו והוא יוצא מתחת ידה והיא אומרת בעדים נמסר לי הרי זו ספק מגורשת שמא מעצמו נכנס לה שהגודרות אין להן חזקה:
5
If a get is engraved on a tablet [with a stylus], and it is signed by witnesses, and [the tablet] is in [the woman's] possession, the divorce is effective. [This applies] even when it is known to us that the tablet [had previously] belonged to [the wife].14For a woman is allowed to write her get herself. The verification of a get is dependent on [the witnesses who] signed it, if there are no witnesses to its transfer.15ה
היה הגט חקוק על הטבלא והעדים עליו והוא יוצא מתחת ידה אע"פ שהן מוחזקין בטבלא שהוא שלה הרי זו מגורשת שהאשה עצמה כותבת את גיטה. שאין קיום הגט אלא בחותמיו אם אין שם עדי מסירה:
6
[The following laws apply when] a get is engraved on a board, on a stone or on a metal plate: If the scribe engraved the form of the letters,16 it is acceptable. This is considered writing, as [reflected by] the verse, [Jeremiah 17:1]: "Written with a pen of iron" - i.e., hewed out. Similarly, if one engraved the letters from the back of the plate until they projected from the front of the plate [the getis acceptable].
If, however, one hewed out the inside of the letter, [and the area around it,] until the form of the letter protruded on both sides, like the protruding writing on golden dinarim, the getis void, because this is not considered writing.17ו
חקק הגט על הלוח או על האבן או על טס של מתכת אם חפר ירכי האותיות כשר. שזה כתב הוא, הרי הוא אומר כתובה בעט ברזל כלומר שהוא חפרו. וכן אם חקק הירכות מאחורי הטס עד שבלטו בפני הטס אבל אם חפר תוך האות עד שיראו הירכות גבוהות מכאן ומכאן ככתב דינר זהב שהכתב בולט אינו גט שאין זה כתב:
7
If one etches out the shape of letters on a hide,18 or one sketches the form of letters on a hide19 [the get is acceptable].20
A get may be written with any letters21 and in any language.22 A get that is written with the letters of one language and whose witnesses sign with the letters of another language is acceptable, provided the witnesses comprehend the language and the letters used.23ז
המקרע על העור תבנית כתב או שרשם על העור תבנית כתב הרי זה כשר. כותבין את הגט בכל כתב ובכל לשון. גט שנכתב בכתב מן הלשונות ועדיו חתומין בכתב אחר כשר. והוא שיהו העדים מכירין לשון הכתב והכתיבה:
8
If one of the witnesses signed the get with letters [from one language], and the other signed with letters of another language, the get is acceptable.24
If, however, a portion of the get is written in one language, and another portion is written in another language, it is unacceptable.25ח
אחד מן העדים חתם בכתב (לשון אחת) והעד השני בכתב לשון אחרת כשר. אבל אם היה מקצת הגט כתוב בלשון אחת ומקצתו בלשון אחרת פסול:
9
Regardless of the language in which a get is written, the scribe must be careful that the wording of the getdoes not allow for two meanings. It should not [leave] the reader [in doubt, wondering]: "Perhaps this was his intention" - i.e., something other than divorce - "or perhaps this was his intention" - i.e., divorce.26 Instead, [whatever] the language [of the get], the wording should unequivocally state one concept: that so and so divorces so and so.ט
כל לשון שיכתב בה הגט צריך שיזהר הסופר בדברי הגט שלא יהא משמען שני ענינים עד שנמצא הקורא אומר שמא לכך ולכך נתכוון שאין משמעו לשון גירושין או שמא לענין זה נתכוון שמשמעו לשון גירושין. אלא יהיו הדברים שאין בהן ספק באותו הלשון אלא משמען ענין אחד שגירש ושלח פלוני את פלונית:
10
Similarly, regardless of the letters used, the penmanship [of the scribe] must be clear, so that children who know those letters would be able to read it. [The intent is] children who are not overly bright, nor those who are overly slow, but rather those of average intelligence.27
The writing should not be crooked, nor incoherent, lest one letter be confused with another, changing the meaning of the text.28י
וכן צריך שיהיה אותו הכתב מבואר היטב באותו הכתב שיכתוב בו עד שידעו הקטנים לקרותו שמכירים אותו כתב שאינן לא נבונים ולא סכלים (ולא בקטנים) אלא בינונים. ולא יהיה כתב מעוקם ומבולבל שמא תדמה אות לאות ונמצא הענין משתנה:
11
If [the wording of a get] has two implications, or its writing is crooked or incoherent to the extent that it is possible to understand a different concept from it, it is unacceptable. [It is not void,] because it may be read as referring to a divorce and its meaning involves divorce.
Although a priori it is permissible to write a get in any language, it has already become universal Jewish practice to write gittin in Aramaic, using the following text.29יא
היה בו משמעות שני ענינים או שהיה בכתבו עיקום או בלבול עד שאפשר שיקרא ממנו ענין אחר. הואיל ונקרא לענין הגירושין ויש בו משמע גירושין הרי זה פסול. כבר נהגו כל עם ישראל לכתוב הגט לשון ארמי ובנוסח זה אע"פ שמותר לכתבו בכל לשון לכתחלה:
12
This is the text of the get:
On this day of the week, on this day of the month, in this year from creation - or according to the chronology employed for legal documents30 - according to the reckoning that we keep here in [the name of the place where the get is being given], in the following way, I [the husband's name,] the son of [his father's name], from [the name of his city]31 or by whatever names or nicknames32 by which I, my father, my place or his place are called, desire out of independent will without anyone forcing me, to dismiss, to release, to divorce you, [the woman's name,] the daughter of [her father's name], from [the name of her city] or by whatever names or nicknames you, your father, your place or his place is known.33
[Although] previously, you were my wife, now I am dismissing, releasing and divorcing you, so that you have the license and the authority to go and marry any man whom you desire. No one will protest [your actions] from the present day onward. You are free [to marry] any man. This will serve you as a bill of divorce, a getdismissing you, and a letter releasing you, from me, according to the faith of Moses and Israel.
The witnesses sign below, as we explained:34 [The witness's name] the son of [his father's name], a witness, [the witness's name] the son of [his father's name], a witness.יב
וזה הוא נוסח הגט בכך בשבת בכך וכך לירח פלוני בשבת כך וכך ליצירה או לשטרות למניינא דרגילנא למימני בה הכא במקום פלוני (איך) אנא פלוני בר פלוני דממקום פלוני וכל שום אחרן וחניכה דאית לי ולאבהתי ולאתרי ולאתריהון דאבהתי צביתי ברעות נפשי בדלא אניסנא ופטרית ושבקית ותרוכית יתיכי ליכי אנת פלונית בת פלוני דממתא פלונית וכל שום אחרן וחניכה דאית ליכי ולאבהתיכי ולאתריכי ולאתריהון דאבהתיכי די הוית אנתתי מן קדמת דנא וכדו פטרית ושבקית ותרוכית יתיכי ליכי דיתהוייין רשאה ושלטאה בנפשיכי למהך להתנסבא לכל גבר דיתצבייין ואינש לא ימחה בידיכי (מן שמי) מן יומא דנן ולעלם והרי את מותרת לכל אדם ודן די יהוי ליכי מנאי ספר תרוכין וגט פטורין ואגרת שבוקין כדת משה וישראל. והעדים חותמים למטה כמו שביארנו. פלוני בן פלוני עד. פלוני בן פלוני עד:
13
When a get is written using the above text and wording, [the following rules should be adhered to:] The word ודן should not be written with a yud, so that it might be read as ודין, which might be interpreted as meaning: "There will be a judgment between me and you."
The word ואגרת should not be written with a yud, lest it be read as ואי גרת, meaning "If you commit adultery."
The word למהך should not be written with a yud, lest it be read as לי מהך - i.e., that it is a joke for me.35
The words תהוייין and תצבייין should not be written with only two yuddin, lest a reader get the impression that the man is speaking with two women, and rather than divorce the one, he is divorcing two others.
Similarly, he should elongate the [latter] vav in the word וכדו lest it resemble a yud, which would cause the word to be read as uch'dei, in which instance, it would mean that "I am divorcing you on this condition." By the same token, he should elongate the vav in the words תרוכין and שבוקין, lest they resemble yuddin, in which instance it would mean that he is telling her that she is releasing and divorcing him.
In a similar fashion, care must be taken in every language and with every form of lettering to make certain that [the wording of the get] does not leave the possibility for two implications.יג
כשיכתוב הגט בלשון הזה ובנוסח זה לא יכתוב ודין ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא ודין כלומר משפט יהיה ביני וביניך. ולא יכתוב ואיגרת ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא ואי גרת כלומר אם זנית. לא יכתוב לימהך ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא לי מהך [וכן ירחיק רגל הה"א מגגה שמא יקרא למחך] כלומר לשחוק. ולא יכתוב תהויין ותצביין בשני יודי"ן שמא יקרא הקורא תהויין ותצביין כלומר שהוא מדבר עם שתי נשים ונמצא שאינו מגרש לזו אלא לשתים אחרות. וכן יאריך לוי"ו דוכדן שמא תדמה ליו"ד ויהיה משמעו וכדי כלומר בתנאי זה אפטור אותך. וכן יאריך לוי"ו דתרוכין ושביקין שמא תדמה ליו"ד ויהיה משמע תריכין ושביקין כלומר שהוא אומר לה שהיא שבקה וגירשה אותו. ועל דרך זה צריך להזהר בכל לשון ובכל כתב שיכתוב שלא יהיה בו משמע שתי עניינות:
14
If [a scribe] wrote [a get] using this text and did not elongate the vavin mentioned, did not write the extra yuddin, or wrote the yuddin that we said should not be written, the get is unacceptable.36 Similarly, [if a get is written] in another language, and imprecise wording or writing is used, it is unacceptable.יד
הרי שכתב בנוסח זה ולא האריך ווי"ן אלו או לא כתב היודי"ן היתרות או שכתב היודי"ן שאמרנו שלא יכתבו הרי זה גט פסול וכן כל כיוצא בזה בכל לשון פסול:
15
[The following rules apply if] a letter or a word of a get was rubbed out or written between the lines. If it is from the standard portion of the get, it is acceptable. If it is from the portions of the get that are of fundamental importance, the get is void. If, however, at the conclusion of the get, it is stated that the particular letter has been written between the lines or has been rubbed out, the get is acceptable, as other legal documents would be,37 even if [the difficulty] concerns the portions of the get that are of fundamental importance.38
Similarly, if a get was discovered to be torn [both] horizontally and vertically, as is customary for a court [to tear a legal document], the get is void, as would be other legal documents.39 If, however, it is torn in a way other than the manner customary for a court [to tear a legal document], it is acceptable.טו
גט שמחק בו אות או תיבה או שתלה בין השטין. אם מטופס הגט הרי זה כשר. ואם מן התורף אינו גט. ואם חזר ופירש בסוף הגט שאות פלונית תלויה או על מחק אפילו מתורף הגט כשר כשאר שטרות. וכן גט שנמצא קרוע שתי וערב שהוא קרע של בית דין הרי זה גט בטל כשאר השטרות. אבל אם נקרע ואינו קרע של בית דין כשר:
16
If [the get] has faded, rotted or become [filled with holes like] a sieve, it is acceptable. [The following rules apply if] it has been rubbed out or the letters have become blurred, but their form remains. If it can be read, it is acceptable;40 if not, it is void.טז
נימוק או שהרקיב או שנעשה ככברה כשר. נמחק או נטשטש ובבואה שלו קיימת אם יכול לקרות כשר ואם לאו אינו גט:
17
When does the above41 apply? When the woman is in possession of a get that has been signed by witnesses, and there are no witnesses to its transfer. If, however, there are witnesses who testify that the get was transferred in their presence, and at that time it was acceptable, the divorce is binding.42
[This applies] even if the fundamental portions of the getwere written on erased parchment or between the lines, or [the get] was torn [both] horizontally and vertically when it was given to [the woman] in their presence.43יז
בד"א כשהיה הגט יוצא מתחת ידה בעדי חתימה ואין שם עדי מסירה אבל אם יש שם עדים שנמסר לה הגט בפניהם והיה כשר הרי זה כשר. אע"פ שהיה תורף הגט על המחק או בין השיטין או שהיה קרוע שתי וערב כשנתן לה בפניהם:
18
[The following rules apply when] five men write a single get to divorce their five wives. The get is acceptable if the wording they use is inclusive - i.e., they wrote "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so, and so and so divorced so and so..." - every husband making a statement to his wife. Similarly, each of them told his wife: "so that you have the license to...," including the entire standard portion of the get. Two witnesses must sign below.
[This get] must be given to each of the women in the presence of witnesses who observe its transfer. If no witnesses observe its transfer at all, the woman who is in possession of the get is considered to be divorced.44
[Different rules apply if,] by contrast, [the scribe] wrote: "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so...," completing the entire text of the get and then began writing a second get directly under it in the same scroll. [He continued] writing: "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so...," and so completed the entire text of the second get and similarly completed all the gittin in this manner [on the same scroll], and the witnesses signed below [the final get].
If this scroll was given to each of the women in the presence of witnesses who observed the transfer, all their divorces are effective.45 [More stringent rules apply] if there are no witnesses who observed the transfer, and the scroll is in the possession of one of the women: If hers was the last get written on the scroll and the signatures of the witnesses are read together with [that statement], her divorce is effective.46 If the scroll is in the possession of one of the women whose gittin precede the last one, the status of her divorce is in doubt.יח
חמשה שכתבו גט אחד לחמש נשותיהן. אם כתבוהו בכלל כגון שכתבו בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית ופלוני לפלונית וכן אמר כל אחד מהן לאשתו ליכי די תהויין וכל טופס הגט ושני עדים חותמין מלמטה הרי זה גט כשר וינתן לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה. ואם אין שם עדי מסירה כלל כל מי שתצא מגילה זו מתחת ידה מגורשת. אבל אם כתב בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית והשלים הגט והתחיל תחתיו גט אחר באותה מגילה וכתב וביום זה או בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית והשלים הגט השני. וכן עד שהשלים כל הגיטין והעדים מלמטה אם ניתנה מגילה זו לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה הרי כולן מגורשות. ואם אין שם עדי מסירה והיתה מגילה זו יוצאה מתחת יד אחת מהן אם היתה זו שגיטה באחרונה שהעדים נקראין עמו הרי זו מגורשת ואם היתה המגילה יוצאה מתחת יד אחת מן הראשונות הרי זו ספק מגורשת:
19
If [the scribe] writes: "We, so and so and so and so, divorce our wives, so and so and so and so,..." and then completes the get, the get is void, even though it was given to each one of them in the presence of witnesses who observed its transfer. [The rationale:] two women cannot be divorced with the same get, as [we can infer from Deuteronomy 24:1]: "And he shall write for her," [implied is:] for her and not for her and her colleague.
If after [writing the text as above], he continued and wrote individual statements for each one within the get, stating, "So and so is divorcing so and so, and so and so is divorcing so and so on this date,"47 the divorces are acceptable.יט
כתב אנו פלוני ופלוני גירשנו נשותינו פלונית ופלונית והשלים הגט אע"פ שנמסר לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה אינו גט שאין שתי נשים מתגרשות בגט אחד שנאמר וכתב לה ולא לה ולחברתה. חזר ופרטן בתוך הגט וכתב פלוני גירש פלונית ופלוני גירש פלונית בזמן פלוני הרי אלו כשרים:
20
[The following rules apply when a scribe] wrote two gittin in two columns on one scroll side by side. If there are two witnesses [whose signatures] are read [as a continuation of] one get, and two witnesses [whose signatures] are read [as a continuation of] the other get, the get is acceptable.48 Whichever woman is in possession of the get is divorced.49כ
כתב שני גיטין בשני דפין במגילה אחת זה בצד זה. אם יש שם שני עדים נקראים בסוף גט זה ושני עדים בסוף גט זה הרי זה כשר וכל שתצא מגילה זו מתחת ידה מגורשת:
21
[In the above instance, if the gittin] were signed by only two witnesses, who signed across the width of both gittin, the divorce is valid only when the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures appear.50
If the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures of the witnesses do not appear, the getis not acceptable unless it is given to her in the presence of witnesses [who observe the transfer].51כא
היו שם שני עדים בלבד באים מתחת גט זה לתחת גט זה. אם יצא מתחת יד זו שהעדים נקראים עם גיטה הרי זו מגורשת. ואם יצא מתחת יד שנייה שאין העדים נקראים עמו אינו גט עד שימסור לה בעדים:
22
[The following rules apply if a scribe] writes two gittin, one above the other, and the witnesses sign between the two gittin - their signatures thus being below the first get and above the second get. If the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures appear, her divorce is valid, and the woman above whose get the signatures appear is not divorced.52
If the witnesses signed at the top of a get, at its side or on its overside, it is not a get.53 If it was given to [the woman] in the presence of witnesses, it is acceptable.54כב
כתב שני גיטין בשני דפין זה למעלה מזה והעדים בין שני הגיטין שנמצאו בסוף הראשון ולמעלה מן השני. אם היה יוצא מתחת יד זו שהעדים נקראין בסוף גיטה הרי זו מגורשת. וזו שהעדים נקראין בראש גיטה מלמעלה אינה מגורשת. העדים שחתמו בראש הדף של גט או מצדו או מאחריו אינו גט ואם נמסר לה בעדים כשר:
23
If two gittin [were written in an arc,] with the beginning of one get facing the beginning of the other get, and the signature of the witnesses is located between the tops of both gittin, both are void. If they are transferred in the presence of witnesses, both are acceptable.כג
הקיף ראש הדף זה לראש דף זה והעדים באמצע שנמצאו העדים בראש שני הגיטין שניהם בטלין. ואם נמסרו להן בעדים שניהם כשרים:
24
[The following rules apply if the scribe did not complete the text of the get in one column,] left a portion unwritten and wrote it at the top of a second column. If the witnesses signed below, at the end of the second column, it is acceptable, provided it is obvious that the scroll was not cut off, and it was the scribe's intent to complete the get in the second column.
If, however, this is not apparent, the status of the divorce is in doubt, even if the get was given in the presence of witnesses. [The rationale is that] perhaps there were two gittin, and the portion below the get in the first column and a portion above the get in the second column were cut off.55כד
שייר מקצת הגט וכתבו בדף השני והעדים מלמטה בסוף הדף השני כשר. והוא שיהיה ניכר במגילה שלא נחתך ושלכך נתכוון הסופר שישלים בדף השני. אבל אם אינו ניכר אע"פ שנמסר בעדים הרי זו ספק מגורשת. שמא שני גיטין היו ונחתך מקצת זה מסוף הדף ומקצת השני מראש הדף:
25
If, after writing the get and completing it, [the scribe] wrote: "Give regards to so and so," "Greetings to you, so and so, my friend," or the like, and afterwards the witnesses signed beneath the greeting, the status of the divorce is doubtful,56 despite the fact that the woman is in possession of the get. [The rationale is] perhaps the witnesses signed only for the greeting [without paying attention to the get].
If, however, the scribe wrote: "And give regards to so and so," "And greetings to you, so and so, my friend," or the like, the get is acceptable. Since [the greeting] accompanies the get,57 [we presume that the witnesses] signed with both these thoughts in mind.
If [the get] was given to her in the presence of witnesses, it is acceptable in either instance.58כה
הרי שכתב הגט ואחר שגמר כתב שאלו בשלום פלוני או שלום עליך פלוני רעי וכיוצא בזה וחתמו העדים מלמטה והרי גט זה יוצא מתחת ידה הרי זו ספק מגורשת. שמא לא חתמו העדים אלא על שאילת שלום. אבל אם כתב ושאלו בשלום פלוני או ושלום עליך רעי וכיוצא בזה שהרי ליוה דברים אלו על דברי הגט ועל שניהם חתמו הרי זו מגורשת. ואם נמסר לה בעדים בין כך ובין כך הרי זה גט כשר:
FOOTNOTES
1.In Hilchot Tefillin 1:4, the Rambam describes the process by which ink is made as follows:
One collects the vapor of oils, of tar, of wax or the like, [causes it to condense,] and kneads it together with sap from a tree and a drop of honey. It is moistened extensively, crushed until it is formed into flat cakes, dried and then stored.
When one desires to write with it, one soaks [the cakes of ink] in gallnut juice or the like and writes with it. Thus, if one attempts to rub it out, he would be able to.
2.In his Commentary on the Mishnah, Gittin 2:3, the Rambam mentions three Arabic terms for these words. Rav Kapach explains the meaning as follows: sikra refers to red clay that is used for painting. Kumus and kankantum are two similar substances, yellow and green powders, which when mixed with gallnut juice produce a black substance. Other commentaries offer different interpretations.
3.Our translation of these terms is based on the Aruch, as quoted by the Ramah (Even HaEzer 125:2).
4.The Beit Shmuel 124:1 explains that, a priori, the Rambam allows a get to be written on a substance from which we are forbidden to benefit. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 124:1) differs and follows the opinion of Tosafot, which states that it is only after the fact that such a get is acceptable. The Ramah adds that if we are obligated to destroy the substance on which the get was written, the get is void.
5.The Rambam rules that a get signed by acceptable witnesses is valid even when it was given without witnesses' observing the transfer (Chapter 1, Halachah 16). In this instance, however, even he maintains that witnesses must observe the transfer, for it is possible that the signatures of the witnesses on the getcould be forged (Chelkat Mechokek 124:2).
6.The difficulty with a get written on a parchment with erasures is that the text can be erased again and additions or deletions made without making a noticeable difference in the final product. Thus, stipulations could be added to the get, or the signatures of the witnesses altered. Similarly, changes could be made to a getwritten on any of the other substances that follow.
Another type of legal document written on such parchment would not be acceptable. The laws pertaining to a get are different, for in this instance the purpose of the document is not to serve as proof of the divorce, but instead to effect the dissolution of the marriage bond. The purpose of other legal documents, by contrast, is to serve as an account of the transactions they record.
7.As stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 6, one may not detach the horn from the cow after the get was written on it, before giving the cow to the woman.
8.Normally mesirah, transferring the reigns of an animal, is not an acceptable means of acquiring a cow, as stated in Hilchot Mechirah 3:5. Nevertheless, an exception is made in this instance, because the fundamental purpose of this transaction is not to transfer the cow, but to transfer the get (Hafla'ah; see also the gloss of the Maggid Mishneh to Chapter 9, Halachah 3).
9.As reflected by a comparison to the second clause, this law applies when it is known that the servant belonged to the woman (Beit Shmuel 124:17). (See the notes on the following halachah.)
10.The commentaries question why the signature of the witnesses is significant, for by tattooing the servant they have committed a transgression that disqualifies them from serving as witnesses.
11.In this instance, the situation parallels the law described in Chapter 1, Halachah 16, which rules that a get signed by acceptable witnesses is acceptable, even when there are no witnesses to its transfer.
12.See the Chelkat Mechokek 124:19, which states that if there are witnesses to the transfer of the servant, or the husband admits that the servant was given to the woman, the divorce is effective.
13.See Hilchot To'en V'Nit'an 10:1.
14.Although the article on which the husband has the get written must belong to him, there is no difficulty in this instance, as will be explained.
15.We assume that the witnesses who signed the get would have signed it only after verifying that the woman gave the tablet to her husband for the purpose of the divorce.
16.I.e., he hewed out the lines that would normally be written.
17.I.e., the letter is formed by working around the letter, and not on the form of the letter itself. This law has a corollary that is applicable to contemporary halachah. If ink spills near a letter, the shape of the letter may not be formed by scratching out the ink blotch (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 125:8).
18.Without writing.
19.In this instance, the writing will not remain permanently, but instead will be rubbed out in a short time. For this reason, the Rambam rules in Hilchot Shabbat 11:16 that sketching on a hide is not considered writing. Nevertheless, in this instance, since there is nothing lacking in the writing itself, the Rambam deems the get acceptable.
20.See the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:5), which mentions that there are some authorities who rule that etching is acceptable and sketching unacceptable, and others who accept sketching and disqualify etching.
21.I.e., one may use Rashi script, rather than ordinary Hebrew writing (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 126:1). Indeed, in one of his responsa, the Rambam writes that his teacher, Rav Yosef Migash, preferred having a get written in Rashi script rather than using the letters used in writing a Torah scroll. The univeral custom at present, however, is to use the Assyrian script with which Torah scrolls are written [Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer126:1)].
22.I.e., there is no requirement to write it in Hebrew or Aramaic. Nevertheless, for centuries, it has been customary to use the standard Aramaic text quoted by the Rambam later on in this chapter.
23.In Chapter 1, Halachah 23, the Rambam allows a get to be read for the witnesses. Nevertheless, in this instance the Rambam requires the witnesses to read the get themselves. Since signing in another language is already a departure from the norm, no further leniency is granted (Ma'aseh Rokeach).
24.Gittin 9:7 gives an example of one witness signing in Greek and the other in Hebrew. Even though the two languages use different characters, and even require writing in different directions, the get is acceptable.
Each of the witnesses' signatures is a separate and independent statement. Therefore, there is no need for the two signatures to be in the same language. The get, by contrast, is a single unit and must be written in one language (Kessef Mishneh).
25.This ruling is accepted by all authorities. Although the standard text of the get that is universally employed uses both Aramaic and Hebrew, this does not represent a contradiction. Our Sages explain that since both these languages were used at Mount Sinai, they are considered to be a single tongue (Ramah, Even HaEzer 126:1).
26.See Halachah 13 for examples of wording that could create such doubt.
27.See Hilchot Tefillin 1:19, which states that when a question arises concerning the writing for the parchments of the tefillin, a determination may be made on the basis of the reading of such a child.
28.See Halachah 13 for examples of steps taken to prevent such confusion from arising.
29.This basic text was already employed during the Talmudic era. At present, the later authorities in both the Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities have suggested minor emendations to the text quoted by the Rambam. As such, there are two standard gittin employed in Eretz Yisrael today.
30.This refers to the years dating back to the beginning of Alexander the Great's kingdom, as mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 27.
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassGerushin - Chapter Four
1
A get may be written only with a substance that leaves a permanent impression - e.g., ink,1 sikra, kumus, kankantum2 or the like. If, however, [a get] is written with a substance that does not leave a permanent impression - e.g., beverages, fruit juices or the like - the get is void.
If [a get] is written with lead, a stylus or charcoal,3it is acceptable. At the outset, however, these substances should not be used.א
אין כותבין את הגט אלא בדבר שרישומו עומד כגון דיו וסקרא וקומוס וקנקנתום וכיוצא בהן. אבל אם כתבו בדבר שאינו עומד כגון משקין ומי פירות וכיוצא בהן אינו גט. כתבו באבר בשחור ובשיחור כשר ואין כותבין בהן לכתחלה:
2
A priori, we may write with gallnut juice on paper, on a hide or the like. We may not use it to write on parchment that has been treated with gallnut juice, for it will not be distinct. If such a get is written, it is void. The same applies in all similar situations.
A get may be written on any substance, even a substance from which one is forbidden to benefit.4 We may write [a get] on a substance on which an erasure would not be noticed, provided it is given [to the woman] in the presence of witnesses who observe the transfer.5ב
כותבין במי עפצא לכתחלה על גב הנייר והעור וכיוצא בהן אבל לא על גבי מגילה עפוצה מפני שאינו ניכר ואם כתב אינו גט וכן כל כיוצא בו. על הכל כותבין את הגט ואפילו על איסורי הנאה. וכותבין על דבר שיכול להזדייף והוא שיתנו לה בעדי מסירה:
3
What is implied? If a get is written on paper with erasures,6 on parchment that has not been fully processed, on a shard, on leaves, on the arm of a servant or on the horn of a cow,7 [it is acceptable, provided the husband] gives [his wife] the servant, the cow,8 the paper, the parchment or the like in the presence of witnesses.ג
כיצד כותב (אותו) על הנייר המחוק על הדפתרא ועל החרס ועל העלין ועל ידו של עבד ועל קרן של פרה ומוסר לה העבד והפרה או הנייר המחוק והדפתרא וכיוצא בו בפני עדים:
4
When the get is tattooed on the hand of a servant,9the signature of the witnesses is also tattooed there,10 and he is in the possession of [the wife], the divorce is effective, even though there are no witnesses to [the servant's] transfer,11 for [the tattoo] cannot be forged.
Even when it is known to us that the servant [previously] belonged to the husband, the get is tattooed on his hand, and he is in the possession of the woman, and she says: "He was given to me in the presence of witnesses," the status of the divorce is in doubt.12 For the possession of living beings that can move independently is not considered proof of their ownership.13ד
היה הגט חקוק על ידו של עבד בכתובת קעקע והיה יוצא מתחת ידה והיו העדים חקוקים על ידו הרי זו מגורשת אע"פ שאין לה עדי מסירה. שהרי אין יכול להזדייף. אפילו היו מוחזקין בעבד שהוא שלו וגט חקוק על ידו והוא יוצא מתחת ידה והיא אומרת בעדים נמסר לי הרי זו ספק מגורשת שמא מעצמו נכנס לה שהגודרות אין להן חזקה:
5
If a get is engraved on a tablet [with a stylus], and it is signed by witnesses, and [the tablet] is in [the woman's] possession, the divorce is effective. [This applies] even when it is known to us that the tablet [had previously] belonged to [the wife].14For a woman is allowed to write her get herself. The verification of a get is dependent on [the witnesses who] signed it, if there are no witnesses to its transfer.15ה
היה הגט חקוק על הטבלא והעדים עליו והוא יוצא מתחת ידה אע"פ שהן מוחזקין בטבלא שהוא שלה הרי זו מגורשת שהאשה עצמה כותבת את גיטה. שאין קיום הגט אלא בחותמיו אם אין שם עדי מסירה:
6
[The following laws apply when] a get is engraved on a board, on a stone or on a metal plate: If the scribe engraved the form of the letters,16 it is acceptable. This is considered writing, as [reflected by] the verse, [Jeremiah 17:1]: "Written with a pen of iron" - i.e., hewed out. Similarly, if one engraved the letters from the back of the plate until they projected from the front of the plate [the getis acceptable].
If, however, one hewed out the inside of the letter, [and the area around it,] until the form of the letter protruded on both sides, like the protruding writing on golden dinarim, the getis void, because this is not considered writing.17ו
חקק הגט על הלוח או על האבן או על טס של מתכת אם חפר ירכי האותיות כשר. שזה כתב הוא, הרי הוא אומר כתובה בעט ברזל כלומר שהוא חפרו. וכן אם חקק הירכות מאחורי הטס עד שבלטו בפני הטס אבל אם חפר תוך האות עד שיראו הירכות גבוהות מכאן ומכאן ככתב דינר זהב שהכתב בולט אינו גט שאין זה כתב:
7
If one etches out the shape of letters on a hide,18 or one sketches the form of letters on a hide19 [the get is acceptable].20
A get may be written with any letters21 and in any language.22 A get that is written with the letters of one language and whose witnesses sign with the letters of another language is acceptable, provided the witnesses comprehend the language and the letters used.23ז
המקרע על העור תבנית כתב או שרשם על העור תבנית כתב הרי זה כשר. כותבין את הגט בכל כתב ובכל לשון. גט שנכתב בכתב מן הלשונות ועדיו חתומין בכתב אחר כשר. והוא שיהו העדים מכירין לשון הכתב והכתיבה:
8
If one of the witnesses signed the get with letters [from one language], and the other signed with letters of another language, the get is acceptable.24
If, however, a portion of the get is written in one language, and another portion is written in another language, it is unacceptable.25ח
אחד מן העדים חתם בכתב (לשון אחת) והעד השני בכתב לשון אחרת כשר. אבל אם היה מקצת הגט כתוב בלשון אחת ומקצתו בלשון אחרת פסול:
9
Regardless of the language in which a get is written, the scribe must be careful that the wording of the getdoes not allow for two meanings. It should not [leave] the reader [in doubt, wondering]: "Perhaps this was his intention" - i.e., something other than divorce - "or perhaps this was his intention" - i.e., divorce.26 Instead, [whatever] the language [of the get], the wording should unequivocally state one concept: that so and so divorces so and so.ט
כל לשון שיכתב בה הגט צריך שיזהר הסופר בדברי הגט שלא יהא משמען שני ענינים עד שנמצא הקורא אומר שמא לכך ולכך נתכוון שאין משמעו לשון גירושין או שמא לענין זה נתכוון שמשמעו לשון גירושין. אלא יהיו הדברים שאין בהן ספק באותו הלשון אלא משמען ענין אחד שגירש ושלח פלוני את פלונית:
10
Similarly, regardless of the letters used, the penmanship [of the scribe] must be clear, so that children who know those letters would be able to read it. [The intent is] children who are not overly bright, nor those who are overly slow, but rather those of average intelligence.27
The writing should not be crooked, nor incoherent, lest one letter be confused with another, changing the meaning of the text.28י
וכן צריך שיהיה אותו הכתב מבואר היטב באותו הכתב שיכתוב בו עד שידעו הקטנים לקרותו שמכירים אותו כתב שאינן לא נבונים ולא סכלים (ולא בקטנים) אלא בינונים. ולא יהיה כתב מעוקם ומבולבל שמא תדמה אות לאות ונמצא הענין משתנה:
11
If [the wording of a get] has two implications, or its writing is crooked or incoherent to the extent that it is possible to understand a different concept from it, it is unacceptable. [It is not void,] because it may be read as referring to a divorce and its meaning involves divorce.
Although a priori it is permissible to write a get in any language, it has already become universal Jewish practice to write gittin in Aramaic, using the following text.29יא
היה בו משמעות שני ענינים או שהיה בכתבו עיקום או בלבול עד שאפשר שיקרא ממנו ענין אחר. הואיל ונקרא לענין הגירושין ויש בו משמע גירושין הרי זה פסול. כבר נהגו כל עם ישראל לכתוב הגט לשון ארמי ובנוסח זה אע"פ שמותר לכתבו בכל לשון לכתחלה:
12
This is the text of the get:
On this day of the week, on this day of the month, in this year from creation - or according to the chronology employed for legal documents30 - according to the reckoning that we keep here in [the name of the place where the get is being given], in the following way, I [the husband's name,] the son of [his father's name], from [the name of his city]31 or by whatever names or nicknames32 by which I, my father, my place or his place are called, desire out of independent will without anyone forcing me, to dismiss, to release, to divorce you, [the woman's name,] the daughter of [her father's name], from [the name of her city] or by whatever names or nicknames you, your father, your place or his place is known.33
[Although] previously, you were my wife, now I am dismissing, releasing and divorcing you, so that you have the license and the authority to go and marry any man whom you desire. No one will protest [your actions] from the present day onward. You are free [to marry] any man. This will serve you as a bill of divorce, a getdismissing you, and a letter releasing you, from me, according to the faith of Moses and Israel.
The witnesses sign below, as we explained:34 [The witness's name] the son of [his father's name], a witness, [the witness's name] the son of [his father's name], a witness.יב
וזה הוא נוסח הגט בכך בשבת בכך וכך לירח פלוני בשבת כך וכך ליצירה או לשטרות למניינא דרגילנא למימני בה הכא במקום פלוני (איך) אנא פלוני בר פלוני דממקום פלוני וכל שום אחרן וחניכה דאית לי ולאבהתי ולאתרי ולאתריהון דאבהתי צביתי ברעות נפשי בדלא אניסנא ופטרית ושבקית ותרוכית יתיכי ליכי אנת פלונית בת פלוני דממתא פלונית וכל שום אחרן וחניכה דאית ליכי ולאבהתיכי ולאתריכי ולאתריהון דאבהתיכי די הוית אנתתי מן קדמת דנא וכדו פטרית ושבקית ותרוכית יתיכי ליכי דיתהוייין רשאה ושלטאה בנפשיכי למהך להתנסבא לכל גבר דיתצבייין ואינש לא ימחה בידיכי (מן שמי) מן יומא דנן ולעלם והרי את מותרת לכל אדם ודן די יהוי ליכי מנאי ספר תרוכין וגט פטורין ואגרת שבוקין כדת משה וישראל. והעדים חותמים למטה כמו שביארנו. פלוני בן פלוני עד. פלוני בן פלוני עד:
13
When a get is written using the above text and wording, [the following rules should be adhered to:] The word ודן should not be written with a yud, so that it might be read as ודין, which might be interpreted as meaning: "There will be a judgment between me and you."
The word ואגרת should not be written with a yud, lest it be read as ואי גרת, meaning "If you commit adultery."
The word למהך should not be written with a yud, lest it be read as לי מהך - i.e., that it is a joke for me.35
The words תהוייין and תצבייין should not be written with only two yuddin, lest a reader get the impression that the man is speaking with two women, and rather than divorce the one, he is divorcing two others.
Similarly, he should elongate the [latter] vav in the word וכדו lest it resemble a yud, which would cause the word to be read as uch'dei, in which instance, it would mean that "I am divorcing you on this condition." By the same token, he should elongate the vav in the words תרוכין and שבוקין, lest they resemble yuddin, in which instance it would mean that he is telling her that she is releasing and divorcing him.
In a similar fashion, care must be taken in every language and with every form of lettering to make certain that [the wording of the get] does not leave the possibility for two implications.יג
כשיכתוב הגט בלשון הזה ובנוסח זה לא יכתוב ודין ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא ודין כלומר משפט יהיה ביני וביניך. ולא יכתוב ואיגרת ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא ואי גרת כלומר אם זנית. לא יכתוב לימהך ביו"ד שמא יקרא הקורא לי מהך [וכן ירחיק רגל הה"א מגגה שמא יקרא למחך] כלומר לשחוק. ולא יכתוב תהויין ותצביין בשני יודי"ן שמא יקרא הקורא תהויין ותצביין כלומר שהוא מדבר עם שתי נשים ונמצא שאינו מגרש לזו אלא לשתים אחרות. וכן יאריך לוי"ו דוכדן שמא תדמה ליו"ד ויהיה משמעו וכדי כלומר בתנאי זה אפטור אותך. וכן יאריך לוי"ו דתרוכין ושביקין שמא תדמה ליו"ד ויהיה משמע תריכין ושביקין כלומר שהוא אומר לה שהיא שבקה וגירשה אותו. ועל דרך זה צריך להזהר בכל לשון ובכל כתב שיכתוב שלא יהיה בו משמע שתי עניינות:
14
If [a scribe] wrote [a get] using this text and did not elongate the vavin mentioned, did not write the extra yuddin, or wrote the yuddin that we said should not be written, the get is unacceptable.36 Similarly, [if a get is written] in another language, and imprecise wording or writing is used, it is unacceptable.יד
הרי שכתב בנוסח זה ולא האריך ווי"ן אלו או לא כתב היודי"ן היתרות או שכתב היודי"ן שאמרנו שלא יכתבו הרי זה גט פסול וכן כל כיוצא בזה בכל לשון פסול:
15
[The following rules apply if] a letter or a word of a get was rubbed out or written between the lines. If it is from the standard portion of the get, it is acceptable. If it is from the portions of the get that are of fundamental importance, the get is void. If, however, at the conclusion of the get, it is stated that the particular letter has been written between the lines or has been rubbed out, the get is acceptable, as other legal documents would be,37 even if [the difficulty] concerns the portions of the get that are of fundamental importance.38
Similarly, if a get was discovered to be torn [both] horizontally and vertically, as is customary for a court [to tear a legal document], the get is void, as would be other legal documents.39 If, however, it is torn in a way other than the manner customary for a court [to tear a legal document], it is acceptable.טו
גט שמחק בו אות או תיבה או שתלה בין השטין. אם מטופס הגט הרי זה כשר. ואם מן התורף אינו גט. ואם חזר ופירש בסוף הגט שאות פלונית תלויה או על מחק אפילו מתורף הגט כשר כשאר שטרות. וכן גט שנמצא קרוע שתי וערב שהוא קרע של בית דין הרי זה גט בטל כשאר השטרות. אבל אם נקרע ואינו קרע של בית דין כשר:
16
If [the get] has faded, rotted or become [filled with holes like] a sieve, it is acceptable. [The following rules apply if] it has been rubbed out or the letters have become blurred, but their form remains. If it can be read, it is acceptable;40 if not, it is void.טז
נימוק או שהרקיב או שנעשה ככברה כשר. נמחק או נטשטש ובבואה שלו קיימת אם יכול לקרות כשר ואם לאו אינו גט:
17
When does the above41 apply? When the woman is in possession of a get that has been signed by witnesses, and there are no witnesses to its transfer. If, however, there are witnesses who testify that the get was transferred in their presence, and at that time it was acceptable, the divorce is binding.42
[This applies] even if the fundamental portions of the getwere written on erased parchment or between the lines, or [the get] was torn [both] horizontally and vertically when it was given to [the woman] in their presence.43יז
בד"א כשהיה הגט יוצא מתחת ידה בעדי חתימה ואין שם עדי מסירה אבל אם יש שם עדים שנמסר לה הגט בפניהם והיה כשר הרי זה כשר. אע"פ שהיה תורף הגט על המחק או בין השיטין או שהיה קרוע שתי וערב כשנתן לה בפניהם:
18
[The following rules apply when] five men write a single get to divorce their five wives. The get is acceptable if the wording they use is inclusive - i.e., they wrote "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so, and so and so divorced so and so..." - every husband making a statement to his wife. Similarly, each of them told his wife: "so that you have the license to...," including the entire standard portion of the get. Two witnesses must sign below.
[This get] must be given to each of the women in the presence of witnesses who observe its transfer. If no witnesses observe its transfer at all, the woman who is in possession of the get is considered to be divorced.44
[Different rules apply if,] by contrast, [the scribe] wrote: "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so...," completing the entire text of the get and then began writing a second get directly under it in the same scroll. [He continued] writing: "On the day of the week, so and so divorced so and so...," and so completed the entire text of the second get and similarly completed all the gittin in this manner [on the same scroll], and the witnesses signed below [the final get].
If this scroll was given to each of the women in the presence of witnesses who observed the transfer, all their divorces are effective.45 [More stringent rules apply] if there are no witnesses who observed the transfer, and the scroll is in the possession of one of the women: If hers was the last get written on the scroll and the signatures of the witnesses are read together with [that statement], her divorce is effective.46 If the scroll is in the possession of one of the women whose gittin precede the last one, the status of her divorce is in doubt.יח
חמשה שכתבו גט אחד לחמש נשותיהן. אם כתבוהו בכלל כגון שכתבו בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית ופלוני לפלונית וכן אמר כל אחד מהן לאשתו ליכי די תהויין וכל טופס הגט ושני עדים חותמין מלמטה הרי זה גט כשר וינתן לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה. ואם אין שם עדי מסירה כלל כל מי שתצא מגילה זו מתחת ידה מגורשת. אבל אם כתב בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית והשלים הגט והתחיל תחתיו גט אחר באותה מגילה וכתב וביום זה או בכך בשבת גירש פלוני לפלונית והשלים הגט השני. וכן עד שהשלים כל הגיטין והעדים מלמטה אם ניתנה מגילה זו לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה הרי כולן מגורשות. ואם אין שם עדי מסירה והיתה מגילה זו יוצאה מתחת יד אחת מהן אם היתה זו שגיטה באחרונה שהעדים נקראין עמו הרי זו מגורשת ואם היתה המגילה יוצאה מתחת יד אחת מן הראשונות הרי זו ספק מגורשת:
19
If [the scribe] writes: "We, so and so and so and so, divorce our wives, so and so and so and so,..." and then completes the get, the get is void, even though it was given to each one of them in the presence of witnesses who observed its transfer. [The rationale:] two women cannot be divorced with the same get, as [we can infer from Deuteronomy 24:1]: "And he shall write for her," [implied is:] for her and not for her and her colleague.
If after [writing the text as above], he continued and wrote individual statements for each one within the get, stating, "So and so is divorcing so and so, and so and so is divorcing so and so on this date,"47 the divorces are acceptable.יט
כתב אנו פלוני ופלוני גירשנו נשותינו פלונית ופלונית והשלים הגט אע"פ שנמסר לכל אחת מהן בעדי מסירה אינו גט שאין שתי נשים מתגרשות בגט אחד שנאמר וכתב לה ולא לה ולחברתה. חזר ופרטן בתוך הגט וכתב פלוני גירש פלונית ופלוני גירש פלונית בזמן פלוני הרי אלו כשרים:
20
[The following rules apply when a scribe] wrote two gittin in two columns on one scroll side by side. If there are two witnesses [whose signatures] are read [as a continuation of] one get, and two witnesses [whose signatures] are read [as a continuation of] the other get, the get is acceptable.48 Whichever woman is in possession of the get is divorced.49כ
כתב שני גיטין בשני דפין במגילה אחת זה בצד זה. אם יש שם שני עדים נקראים בסוף גט זה ושני עדים בסוף גט זה הרי זה כשר וכל שתצא מגילה זו מתחת ידה מגורשת:
21
[In the above instance, if the gittin] were signed by only two witnesses, who signed across the width of both gittin, the divorce is valid only when the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures appear.50
If the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures of the witnesses do not appear, the getis not acceptable unless it is given to her in the presence of witnesses [who observe the transfer].51כא
היו שם שני עדים בלבד באים מתחת גט זה לתחת גט זה. אם יצא מתחת יד זו שהעדים נקראים עם גיטה הרי זו מגורשת. ואם יצא מתחת יד שנייה שאין העדים נקראים עמו אינו גט עד שימסור לה בעדים:
22
[The following rules apply if a scribe] writes two gittin, one above the other, and the witnesses sign between the two gittin - their signatures thus being below the first get and above the second get. If the scroll is in the possession of the woman under whose get the signatures appear, her divorce is valid, and the woman above whose get the signatures appear is not divorced.52
If the witnesses signed at the top of a get, at its side or on its overside, it is not a get.53 If it was given to [the woman] in the presence of witnesses, it is acceptable.54כב
כתב שני גיטין בשני דפין זה למעלה מזה והעדים בין שני הגיטין שנמצאו בסוף הראשון ולמעלה מן השני. אם היה יוצא מתחת יד זו שהעדים נקראין בסוף גיטה הרי זו מגורשת. וזו שהעדים נקראין בראש גיטה מלמעלה אינה מגורשת. העדים שחתמו בראש הדף של גט או מצדו או מאחריו אינו גט ואם נמסר לה בעדים כשר:
23
If two gittin [were written in an arc,] with the beginning of one get facing the beginning of the other get, and the signature of the witnesses is located between the tops of both gittin, both are void. If they are transferred in the presence of witnesses, both are acceptable.כג
הקיף ראש הדף זה לראש דף זה והעדים באמצע שנמצאו העדים בראש שני הגיטין שניהם בטלין. ואם נמסרו להן בעדים שניהם כשרים:
24
[The following rules apply if the scribe did not complete the text of the get in one column,] left a portion unwritten and wrote it at the top of a second column. If the witnesses signed below, at the end of the second column, it is acceptable, provided it is obvious that the scroll was not cut off, and it was the scribe's intent to complete the get in the second column.
If, however, this is not apparent, the status of the divorce is in doubt, even if the get was given in the presence of witnesses. [The rationale is that] perhaps there were two gittin, and the portion below the get in the first column and a portion above the get in the second column were cut off.55כד
שייר מקצת הגט וכתבו בדף השני והעדים מלמטה בסוף הדף השני כשר. והוא שיהיה ניכר במגילה שלא נחתך ושלכך נתכוון הסופר שישלים בדף השני. אבל אם אינו ניכר אע"פ שנמסר בעדים הרי זו ספק מגורשת. שמא שני גיטין היו ונחתך מקצת זה מסוף הדף ומקצת השני מראש הדף:
25
If, after writing the get and completing it, [the scribe] wrote: "Give regards to so and so," "Greetings to you, so and so, my friend," or the like, and afterwards the witnesses signed beneath the greeting, the status of the divorce is doubtful,56 despite the fact that the woman is in possession of the get. [The rationale is] perhaps the witnesses signed only for the greeting [without paying attention to the get].
If, however, the scribe wrote: "And give regards to so and so," "And greetings to you, so and so, my friend," or the like, the get is acceptable. Since [the greeting] accompanies the get,57 [we presume that the witnesses] signed with both these thoughts in mind.
If [the get] was given to her in the presence of witnesses, it is acceptable in either instance.58כה
הרי שכתב הגט ואחר שגמר כתב שאלו בשלום פלוני או שלום עליך פלוני רעי וכיוצא בזה וחתמו העדים מלמטה והרי גט זה יוצא מתחת ידה הרי זו ספק מגורשת. שמא לא חתמו העדים אלא על שאילת שלום. אבל אם כתב ושאלו בשלום פלוני או ושלום עליך רעי וכיוצא בזה שהרי ליוה דברים אלו על דברי הגט ועל שניהם חתמו הרי זו מגורשת. ואם נמסר לה בעדים בין כך ובין כך הרי זה גט כשר:
FOOTNOTES
1.In Hilchot Tefillin 1:4, the Rambam describes the process by which ink is made as follows:
One collects the vapor of oils, of tar, of wax or the like, [causes it to condense,] and kneads it together with sap from a tree and a drop of honey. It is moistened extensively, crushed until it is formed into flat cakes, dried and then stored.
When one desires to write with it, one soaks [the cakes of ink] in gallnut juice or the like and writes with it. Thus, if one attempts to rub it out, he would be able to.
2.In his Commentary on the Mishnah, Gittin 2:3, the Rambam mentions three Arabic terms for these words. Rav Kapach explains the meaning as follows: sikra refers to red clay that is used for painting. Kumus and kankantum are two similar substances, yellow and green powders, which when mixed with gallnut juice produce a black substance. Other commentaries offer different interpretations.
3.Our translation of these terms is based on the Aruch, as quoted by the Ramah (Even HaEzer 125:2).
4.The Beit Shmuel 124:1 explains that, a priori, the Rambam allows a get to be written on a substance from which we are forbidden to benefit. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 124:1) differs and follows the opinion of Tosafot, which states that it is only after the fact that such a get is acceptable. The Ramah adds that if we are obligated to destroy the substance on which the get was written, the get is void.
5.The Rambam rules that a get signed by acceptable witnesses is valid even when it was given without witnesses' observing the transfer (Chapter 1, Halachah 16). In this instance, however, even he maintains that witnesses must observe the transfer, for it is possible that the signatures of the witnesses on the getcould be forged (Chelkat Mechokek 124:2).
6.The difficulty with a get written on a parchment with erasures is that the text can be erased again and additions or deletions made without making a noticeable difference in the final product. Thus, stipulations could be added to the get, or the signatures of the witnesses altered. Similarly, changes could be made to a getwritten on any of the other substances that follow.
Another type of legal document written on such parchment would not be acceptable. The laws pertaining to a get are different, for in this instance the purpose of the document is not to serve as proof of the divorce, but instead to effect the dissolution of the marriage bond. The purpose of other legal documents, by contrast, is to serve as an account of the transactions they record.
7.As stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 6, one may not detach the horn from the cow after the get was written on it, before giving the cow to the woman.
8.Normally mesirah, transferring the reigns of an animal, is not an acceptable means of acquiring a cow, as stated in Hilchot Mechirah 3:5. Nevertheless, an exception is made in this instance, because the fundamental purpose of this transaction is not to transfer the cow, but to transfer the get (Hafla'ah; see also the gloss of the Maggid Mishneh to Chapter 9, Halachah 3).
9.As reflected by a comparison to the second clause, this law applies when it is known that the servant belonged to the woman (Beit Shmuel 124:17). (See the notes on the following halachah.)
10.The commentaries question why the signature of the witnesses is significant, for by tattooing the servant they have committed a transgression that disqualifies them from serving as witnesses.
11.In this instance, the situation parallels the law described in Chapter 1, Halachah 16, which rules that a get signed by acceptable witnesses is acceptable, even when there are no witnesses to its transfer.
12.See the Chelkat Mechokek 124:19, which states that if there are witnesses to the transfer of the servant, or the husband admits that the servant was given to the woman, the divorce is effective.
13.See Hilchot To'en V'Nit'an 10:1.
14.Although the article on which the husband has the get written must belong to him, there is no difficulty in this instance, as will be explained.
15.We assume that the witnesses who signed the get would have signed it only after verifying that the woman gave the tablet to her husband for the purpose of the divorce.
16.I.e., he hewed out the lines that would normally be written.
17.I.e., the letter is formed by working around the letter, and not on the form of the letter itself. This law has a corollary that is applicable to contemporary halachah. If ink spills near a letter, the shape of the letter may not be formed by scratching out the ink blotch (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 125:8).
18.Without writing.
19.In this instance, the writing will not remain permanently, but instead will be rubbed out in a short time. For this reason, the Rambam rules in Hilchot Shabbat 11:16 that sketching on a hide is not considered writing. Nevertheless, in this instance, since there is nothing lacking in the writing itself, the Rambam deems the get acceptable.
20.See the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:5), which mentions that there are some authorities who rule that etching is acceptable and sketching unacceptable, and others who accept sketching and disqualify etching.
21.I.e., one may use Rashi script, rather than ordinary Hebrew writing (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 126:1). Indeed, in one of his responsa, the Rambam writes that his teacher, Rav Yosef Migash, preferred having a get written in Rashi script rather than using the letters used in writing a Torah scroll. The univeral custom at present, however, is to use the Assyrian script with which Torah scrolls are written [Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer126:1)].
22.I.e., there is no requirement to write it in Hebrew or Aramaic. Nevertheless, for centuries, it has been customary to use the standard Aramaic text quoted by the Rambam later on in this chapter.
23.In Chapter 1, Halachah 23, the Rambam allows a get to be read for the witnesses. Nevertheless, in this instance the Rambam requires the witnesses to read the get themselves. Since signing in another language is already a departure from the norm, no further leniency is granted (Ma'aseh Rokeach).
24.Gittin 9:7 gives an example of one witness signing in Greek and the other in Hebrew. Even though the two languages use different characters, and even require writing in different directions, the get is acceptable.
Each of the witnesses' signatures is a separate and independent statement. Therefore, there is no need for the two signatures to be in the same language. The get, by contrast, is a single unit and must be written in one language (Kessef Mishneh).
25.This ruling is accepted by all authorities. Although the standard text of the get that is universally employed uses both Aramaic and Hebrew, this does not represent a contradiction. Our Sages explain that since both these languages were used at Mount Sinai, they are considered to be a single tongue (Ramah, Even HaEzer 126:1).
26.See Halachah 13 for examples of wording that could create such doubt.
27.See Hilchot Tefillin 1:19, which states that when a question arises concerning the writing for the parchments of the tefillin, a determination may be made on the basis of the reading of such a child.
28.See Halachah 13 for examples of steps taken to prevent such confusion from arising.
29.This basic text was already employed during the Talmudic era. At present, the later authorities in both the Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities have suggested minor emendations to the text quoted by the Rambam. As such, there are two standard gittin employed in Eretz Yisrael today.
30.This refers to the years dating back to the beginning of Alexander the Great's kingdom, as mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 27.
31.I.e., the city in which he dwells, not the city in which he was born (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 128:2). The Shulchan Aruchcontinues, stating "At present, when we are constantly being exiled and must wander, our place of residence is not defined." Instead, if the man is present at the composition of the get, it is written "who is located at present in this and this place."
32.The Ashkenazi custom is not to employ this phrase and instead to specify all the names by which a person is called (Ramah, Even HaEzer 129:1).
33.The concepts mentioned in the notes above with regard to the husband's place and names also apply with regard to his wife's.
34.Chapter 1, Hilchot 15, 18, et al. In many manuscripts and early printings of the Mishneh Torah, the phrases that follow are omitted, leading some to consider them to be the additions of a printer.
35.Some texts of the Mishneh Torah also include the statement that space should be left between the leg of the heh and its roof. According to that text, לי מהך "for me, from now on."
36.The Ra'avad differs with the Rambam and maintains that the getis unacceptable only when the husband protests and maintains that he intentionally had the scribe make such a mistake. If he does not issue such a protest, the get is acceptable. The Maggid Mishneh also mentions that there is a difference if the woman subsequently married on the basis of the get or not, and the Turstates that the get may be disqualified on this basis only if the husband writes it himself, or the scribe writes it in response to his explicit instructions.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 126:22) quotes the Rambam's ruling, but also mentions that of the Ra'avad and the Tur. An exception, however, is made with regard to writing the three yuddin in the words תצבייין and תהוייין. If only two yuddinare written, the get is acceptable. (See also the Beit Shmuel126:32.)
37.See Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 27:8.
38.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:19) states that at present it is customary to discard a get with a portion that has been rubbed out, instead of adding this line at the conclusion of the get. If, however, there is no alternative, a get is acceptable with an erasure, even if there is no explanation at the end, for we rely on the witnesses who observe the transfer (Beit Shmuel125:35).
39.The Ra'avad states that if the get had been certified by the court, it is acceptable even if it is torn in the above manner. The rationale is that we assume that the get was torn so that the woman would not be able to use it to demand payment of her ketubah a second time. The Rambam's ruling is quoted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:20), and the Ra'avad's clarification is mentioned by the Chelkat Mechokek 125:41.
40.As reflected by the following halachah, this refers to an instance in which the get was given when it was acceptable, and its condition deteriorated afterwards.
41.I.e., the disqualifications mentioned in the previous two halachot.
42.This represents a difference between gittin and other legal documents, as reflected in Halachah 3 and notes (Maggid Mishneh).
43.The Maggid Mishneh emphasizes that if the get is faded to the point that it cannot be read at the time it is transferred, the fact that the transfer is observed by witnesses is to no avail, and the divorce is void.
He also mentions the opinion of the Rashba, who states that a get that is torn vertically and horizontally before it is given to the woman is not acceptable. He does not, however, accept that decision. His rulings are paralleled by those of the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:21), which mentions both the Rambam's and the Rashba's views, but appears to favor that of the Rambam.
44.The others, by contrast, are not considered to be divorced, for we have no proof that the woman's husband in fact gave her this get. (See Gittin 86b.)
45.I.e., no attention is paid to the witnesses who signed the get. Each of the women received a get that was written in acceptable manner, and whose transfer was observed by witnesses. This is sufficient for a divorce to be acceptable.
46.For hers is an acceptable get, signed by witnesses. We are not concerned with the fact that the scroll contains other gittin above it.
32.The Ashkenazi custom is not to employ this phrase and instead to specify all the names by which a person is called (Ramah, Even HaEzer 129:1).
33.The concepts mentioned in the notes above with regard to the husband's place and names also apply with regard to his wife's.
34.Chapter 1, Hilchot 15, 18, et al. In many manuscripts and early printings of the Mishneh Torah, the phrases that follow are omitted, leading some to consider them to be the additions of a printer.
35.Some texts of the Mishneh Torah also include the statement that space should be left between the leg of the heh and its roof. According to that text, לי מהך "for me, from now on."
36.The Ra'avad differs with the Rambam and maintains that the getis unacceptable only when the husband protests and maintains that he intentionally had the scribe make such a mistake. If he does not issue such a protest, the get is acceptable. The Maggid Mishneh also mentions that there is a difference if the woman subsequently married on the basis of the get or not, and the Turstates that the get may be disqualified on this basis only if the husband writes it himself, or the scribe writes it in response to his explicit instructions.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 126:22) quotes the Rambam's ruling, but also mentions that of the Ra'avad and the Tur. An exception, however, is made with regard to writing the three yuddin in the words תצבייין and תהוייין. If only two yuddinare written, the get is acceptable. (See also the Beit Shmuel126:32.)
37.See Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 27:8.
38.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:19) states that at present it is customary to discard a get with a portion that has been rubbed out, instead of adding this line at the conclusion of the get. If, however, there is no alternative, a get is acceptable with an erasure, even if there is no explanation at the end, for we rely on the witnesses who observe the transfer (Beit Shmuel125:35).
39.The Ra'avad states that if the get had been certified by the court, it is acceptable even if it is torn in the above manner. The rationale is that we assume that the get was torn so that the woman would not be able to use it to demand payment of her ketubah a second time. The Rambam's ruling is quoted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:20), and the Ra'avad's clarification is mentioned by the Chelkat Mechokek 125:41.
40.As reflected by the following halachah, this refers to an instance in which the get was given when it was acceptable, and its condition deteriorated afterwards.
41.I.e., the disqualifications mentioned in the previous two halachot.
42.This represents a difference between gittin and other legal documents, as reflected in Halachah 3 and notes (Maggid Mishneh).
43.The Maggid Mishneh emphasizes that if the get is faded to the point that it cannot be read at the time it is transferred, the fact that the transfer is observed by witnesses is to no avail, and the divorce is void.
He also mentions the opinion of the Rashba, who states that a get that is torn vertically and horizontally before it is given to the woman is not acceptable. He does not, however, accept that decision. His rulings are paralleled by those of the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 125:21), which mentions both the Rambam's and the Rashba's views, but appears to favor that of the Rambam.
44.The others, by contrast, are not considered to be divorced, for we have no proof that the woman's husband in fact gave her this get. (See Gittin 86b.)
45.I.e., no attention is paid to the witnesses who signed the get. Each of the women received a get that was written in acceptable manner, and whose transfer was observed by witnesses. This is sufficient for a divorce to be acceptable.
46.For hers is an acceptable get, signed by witnesses. We are not concerned with the fact that the scroll contains other gittin above it.
47.The get is acceptable only if the date that is stated in the beginning of the get is restated in the individual statement written for each woman. (See Beit Shmuel 130:13.)
48.If the get is given to both women in the presence of witnesses who observe the transfer, both are divorced (Maggid Mishneh).
49.Even when there are no witnesses who observe the transfer.
50.I.e., under the first column, the witness signed "Ya'akov, the son of," and in the second column he continued "Yitzchak, a witness." The second witness did the same. In this instance, the witnesses have signed under the first get. If the witnesses signed their first names under one column, and signed "the son of so and so" in the second column, both gittin would be acceptable. For "the son of Ya'akov" is an acceptable signature."
This interpretation is based on the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Gittin 9:6). The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer130:8) offers a slightly different interpretation.
51.I.e., the fact that the names of the fathers of the witnesses are located under the woman's get does not cause it to be considered a get with false signatures. (See Ramah, Even HaEzer 130:8.)
52.These laws apply even when there are no witnesses who observed the transfer of the scroll. If there are witnesses who observed the transfer of the scroll to the second woman, even the second get is acceptable.
If the scroll is in the possession of the woman above whose getthe witnesses sign, both the gittin are unacceptable unless there are witnesses who observed their transfer.
53.When quoting this law, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 130:4) states that the get is pasul, unacceptable. That term implies that it is the Rabbis who disqualified the use of such a get, while according to Scriptural law it is acceptable.
54.The fact that the witnesses did not sign in the proper place does not make the get invalid.
55.And thus a portion of the get that the woman receives would not have been written for her sake. For this reason, even if the get was given in the presence of witnesses who observed the transfer, it is not acceptable unless the witnesses testify that the get was originally written in two columns (Maggid Mishneh).
56.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 130:3) uses the term pasul, "unacceptable," meaning that the get was disqualified by Rabbinic decree alone. (See Beit Shmuel 130:4.)
57.The word "and" (in Hebrew, the letter vav) establishes a connection between the two, and the greeting is not considered to be a separate entity.
58.In the first instance, even if we were to assume that the intent of the witnesses was to sign on the greeting, that does not disqualify the get. It is acceptable when given in the presence of witnesses.
48.If the get is given to both women in the presence of witnesses who observe the transfer, both are divorced (Maggid Mishneh).
49.Even when there are no witnesses who observe the transfer.
50.I.e., under the first column, the witness signed "Ya'akov, the son of," and in the second column he continued "Yitzchak, a witness." The second witness did the same. In this instance, the witnesses have signed under the first get. If the witnesses signed their first names under one column, and signed "the son of so and so" in the second column, both gittin would be acceptable. For "the son of Ya'akov" is an acceptable signature."
This interpretation is based on the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Gittin 9:6). The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer130:8) offers a slightly different interpretation.
51.I.e., the fact that the names of the fathers of the witnesses are located under the woman's get does not cause it to be considered a get with false signatures. (See Ramah, Even HaEzer 130:8.)
52.These laws apply even when there are no witnesses who observed the transfer of the scroll. If there are witnesses who observed the transfer of the scroll to the second woman, even the second get is acceptable.
If the scroll is in the possession of the woman above whose getthe witnesses sign, both the gittin are unacceptable unless there are witnesses who observed their transfer.
53.When quoting this law, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 130:4) states that the get is pasul, unacceptable. That term implies that it is the Rabbis who disqualified the use of such a get, while according to Scriptural law it is acceptable.
54.The fact that the witnesses did not sign in the proper place does not make the get invalid.
55.And thus a portion of the get that the woman receives would not have been written for her sake. For this reason, even if the get was given in the presence of witnesses who observed the transfer, it is not acceptable unless the witnesses testify that the get was originally written in two columns (Maggid Mishneh).
56.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 130:3) uses the term pasul, "unacceptable," meaning that the get was disqualified by Rabbinic decree alone. (See Beit Shmuel 130:4.)
57.The word "and" (in Hebrew, the letter vav) establishes a connection between the two, and the greeting is not considered to be a separate entity.
58.In the first instance, even if we were to assume that the intent of the witnesses was to sign on the greeting, that does not disqualify the get. It is acceptable when given in the presence of witnesses.
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Kelim Kelim - Chapter 18, Kelim Kelim - Chapter 19, Kelim Kelim - Chapter 20
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Kelim - Chapter 18
1
An earthenware k'li is not susceptible to ritual impurity unless it has a receptacle and was made with the intent that it serve as a receptacle. If, by contrast it does not have a receptacle or even if it has a receptacle, but it was not made to serve that purpose, it is not susceptible to impurity at all, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor Rabbinic decree. Accordingly, a chair, a bed, a bench, a candelabra, or a table made of earthenware or any similar k'li that does not have a receptacle are not susceptible to impurity.
Similarly, a large pipe even though water passes though it, and even it is curved, and even when it holds water, is pure, because it was not intended to contain water, but rather that the water should pass through it. Similarly, a barrel used by swimmers is not susceptible to impurity. This ruling also applies to cask at the side of the base of a large barrel , because it was made to serve as a handle for those who carry the large barrel and was not intended to serve as a receptacle.א
כלי חרס אינו מקבל טומאה עד שיהיה מקבל ועשוי לקבלה אבל אם לא היה לו בית קיבול או שהיה מקבל ולא נעשה לקבלה אינו מקבל טומאה כלל לא מן התורה ולא מדברי סופרים לפיכך הכסא והמטה והספסל והמנורה והשלחן של חרס וכל כל כיוצא בהן מכלים שאין להם תוך אינן מקבלין טומאה וכן הסילונות שהמים מהלכין בהן אף ע"פ שהן כפופין ואף ע"פ שהן מקבלין הרי הן טהורין מפני שלא נעשו לקבלה אלא כדי שיצאו מהן המים וכן חבית של שייטים וחבית הדפונה בשולי המחץ הואיל ונעשית כמו בית יד שנושאין בה המחץ ולא נעשית לקבלה אינה מקבלת טומאה:
2
A lantern that has a receptacle for oil is susceptible to ritual impurity. If it lacks one, it is pure. Similarly, a potter's frame that has a receptacle is susceptible to impurity.ב
פנס שהיה בו בית קיבול שמן מקבל טומאה ושאין בו טהור וכן מגופת היוצרים שיש לה תוך טמאה:
3
A homeowner's funnel is pure. A perfumer's funnel is susceptible to impurity, because he turns it on its side so that his customers can smell the fragrance.ג
משפך של בעלי בתים טהור ושל רוכלין מתטמא מפני שמטהו על צדו ומריח בו ללוקח:
4
Covers for jugs of wine, jugs of oil, and barrels are pure, for they were not made to serve as receptacles. If a cover was altered so that it could be functional, it is susceptible to impurity.ד
כיסוי כדי יין וכדי שמן והחביות טהורות שלא נעשו לקבלה ואם התקינן לתשמיש מתטמאין:
5
When the cover of a frying pan has a hole or a protrusion on its top, it is pure. If it does not have a hole or a protrusion, it is susceptible to impurity, because a woman will use it to drain off the sauce in which vegetables were cooked. This is the general principle: Anything that serves an earthenware container while it is turned upside down is pure.ה
כיסוי האלפס בזמן שהוא נקוב ויש לו חדוד טהור ואם אינו נקוב ואין לו חדוד מתטמא מפני שהאשה מסננת לתוכו את הירק זה הכלל כל המשמש בכלי חרס כשהוא כפוי טהור:
6
A titrus, even though it has holes and water drips out from them, is nevertheless susceptible to impurity, because the water collects at its sides, and they are intended to serve as receptacles.ו
טיטרוס אף על פי שהוא נקוב ומוציא פרוטות מתטמא שהרי המים מתכנסין בצדדין והן עשויין לקבלה:
7
An earthenware torch into which patches of cloth and oil are placed to burn, is susceptible to impurity. Similarly, a receptacle that is placed under a lamp to collect drops of oil is susceptible to impurity.ז
הלפיד של חרס שמניחין מטליות הבגדים והשמן בתוכו והוא דולק מתטמא וכן כלי שמניחין תחת הנרות לקבל השמן מתטמא:
8
A base that is placed under containers to collect the liquids that flow from the container is susceptible to impurity.ח
גסטרא שמניחין תחת הכלים לקבל משקין הנוזלין מן הכלי מקבלין טומאה:
9
A boat made of earthenware, even though it serves as a receptacle, is not susceptible to impurity. The rationale is that a boat is not in the category of the keilimmentioned in the Torah. This applies whether it is made of earthenware or of wood and whether it is large or small.ט
ספינה של חרס אף ע"פ שהיא מקבלת אינה מקבלת טומאה שאין הספינה בכלל הכלים האמורין בתורה בין היא של חרס בין היא של עץ בין גדולה בין קטנה:
10
Whenever keilim have been broken and their form has been destroyed, their broken fragments are not susceptible to impurity even if those fragments are functional with the exception of the fragments of earthenware containers. With regard to them, we follow the principle: If there is an earthenware fragment that can serve as a receptacle, it is susceptible to impurity. This is derived from Leviticus 11:33 which states: "Any earthenware container." According to the Oral Tradition, it was understood that this phrase was mentioned only to include the broken shards of earthenware containers.
When does the above apply? When the earthenware shard has a receptacle that can hold liquids when the shard is resting on its base and not leaning. If, however, it is fit to hold liquids only when it is leaned against a support, it is not susceptible to impurity.י
כל הכלים שנשברו ונפסדה צורתן אין שבריהן מקבלין טומאה אע"פ שאותן השברים ראויין לתשמיש חוץ משברי כלי חרס שאם היה בהן חרס הראוי לקבל הרי הוא מקבל טומאה שנאמר וכל כלי חרס מפי השמועה למדו שזה לא בא לרבות אלא שברי כלי חרס בד"א כשהיה לחרס זה תוך לקבל בו המשקין כשהיה החרס יושב לא סמוך אבל אם אינו יכול לקבל אלא א"כ סומכין אותו אינו מקבל טומאה:
11
When an earthenware container cannot rest on its base because of a handle or it has a protrusion and the protrusion causes it to lean to one side, it is pure even though the handle was removed or the protrusion was broken. The rationale is that whenever an earthenware container is considered as pure for even one moment, it is never susceptible to impurity again.יא
החרס שאינו יכול לישב כדי שיקבל מפני אזנו או שהיה בו חדוד והחדוד מכריעו לצד אחר ה"ז טהור אף על פי שניטלה האוזן או נשבר החדוד שכל כלי חרס שטהר שעה אחת אין לו טומאה לעולם:
12
When there is an earthenware container that has a pointed base, e.g., a basin with a pointed base, that was broken and its base is still able to serve as a container, even though the base cannot hold liquids unless it is supported, e.g., the bases of containers used to draw water and the bases of goblets, they are susceptible to ritual impurity, for this is the way they were made at the outset, that their bases would contain liquids when they would be supported or held.יב
כלי חרס ששוליהן חדין כמזרקות שנשברו ושוליהן מקבלין אע"פ שאינן מקבלין אא"כ נסמכו כגון שולי הקרפיות והכוסות הרי אלו מקבלין טומאה שלכך נעשו מתחלתן שיהיו שוליהן מקבלין בסמיכה או באחיזה:
13
How much liquid must the broken pieces of an earthenware container be able to contain to be susceptible to impurity? When the container while intact was between the size that would enable it to contain enough liquid to rub on a small person and the size of a barrel that could container a se'ah or close to that and it was broken, if the shards - either from the base or the wall - were able to contain a revi'it, they are susceptible to impurity.יג
כמה יקבל החרס ויהיה מקבל טומאה אם היה הכלי כשהיה שלם ומכיל כדי סיכת אדם קטן עד חביות שהן מקבלות כסאה או קרוב ונשברו ונשאר בחרסים בין מקרקעיהן בין מדפניהן חרס שהוא מקבל כשהוא יושב רביעית ה"ז מקבל טומאה:
14
If the vessel was a large barrel that could contain between a se'ah and two se'ah or more, if the shard that remains is large enough to contain half a log, it is susceptible to impurity. If originally the vessel was extremely large - from a barrel that could contain two se'ahuntil a large vat - and it broke, if a shard that remained could contain a log, it is susceptible to impurity. If the shards would contain less than these measures, they are not susceptible to impurity.יד
היה הכלי מחבית המכילה כסאה עד חבית המכילה סאתים או יתר ונשברה אם היה בחרס הנשאר כדי לקבל חצי לוג ה"ז מקבל טומאה היה הכלי מחבית המכילה סאתים עד חצבים גדולים ונשברו אם נשאר מהן חרס המקבל לוג הרי זה מקבל טומאה היו החרסים מקבלין פחות משיעורין אלו אין מקבלין טומאה:
15
When a small earthenware container, e.g., a cruse or the like, breaks, but there remains from its bottom a shard that can hold even the slightest amount of liquid when resting on its base, even though it is very narrow, as thin as possible for a small container, it is susceptible to impurity. If a shard from its walls that could contain liquids remains, it is not susceptible to impurity. The rationale is that the walls of these containers and the like are fundamentally flat; they do not have a hollow that is apparent. Thus they are like flat earthenware implements.טו
כלי חרס קטן כגון הפך וכיוצא בו שנשבר ונשאר מקרקעיתו חרס המקבל כל שהוא כשהוא יושב והיה חד ביותר שנמצא ככלי קטן ה"ז מקבל טומאה ואם נשאר מדפנותיהן חרס המקבל אינו מקבל טומאה לפי שדפנות כלים אלו וכיוצא בהן כשוין הן ואין להן תוך הניכר ונמצאו כפשוטי כלי חרס:
16
The prevailing assumption is that wherever shards are found, they are pure except those found in a potter's workshop, because the majority of those are considered as bases for keilim. And a base for an implement is susceptible to impurity even if it is a broken vessel.טז
חזקת חרסים הנמצאים בכל מקום טהורים חוץ מהנמצאים בבית היוצר מפני שרובן גסטריות הן לכלים והגסטרא מקבלת טומאה אף על פי שהיא משברי כלים:
Kelim - Chapter 19
1
To what degree is it necessary for an earthenware utensil to be broken so that it can no longer serve as an effective container and, hence, have its impurity nullified if it was impure or no longer be considered as susceptible to impurity if it was pure?
For a container made for food - when it has a hole through which olives can fall. For a container made for liquids - when it has a hole through which liquids can seep in; i.e., when it is inserted into liquids, the liquids will seep into the container through the hole. If it was made for both foods and liquids, it is judged stringently and it is susceptible to impurity unless it has a hole large enough for olives to fall through.
The measure "enough for liquids to seep out" was stated only with regard to a base for containers, because it is made to collect liquids that flow from containers and if liquids seep from it, it no longer serves its function.א
כמה שיעור השבר שישבר כלי חרס ויטהר מטומאתו אם היה טמא או לא יקבל טומאה אם היה טהור העשוי לאוכלין משינקב במוציא זיתים והעשוי למשקין משינקב מכניס במשקין כשמניחין אותו על המשקה יכנס המשקה לכלי בנקב העשוי לכך ולכך מטילין אותו לחומרו והרי הוא מקבל טומאה עד שינקב במוציא זית ולא אמרו במוציא משקה אלא בגסטרא בלבד לפי שהיא עשויה לקבל המשקין הנוזלים מן הכלים ואם הוציאה משקין ה"ז בטל תשמישה:
2
There are five categories applicable with regard to an earthenware container:
a) if it has a hole through which liquids can seep out, it is pure with regard to contracting impurity as a base for containers, but it is still considered a container with regard to the consecration of water for the ashes of the red heifer;
b) if it has a hole that allows liquid to seep in, it is no longer considered as a container with regard to the consecration of water for the ashes of the red heifer, but it is still considered a container with regard to making produce subject to ritual impurity because of the liquids contained within it, as we explained;
c) if it has a hole large enough for a small root to emerge from it, the water it contains do not make produce subject to ritual impurity because the liquids contained within it are considered as if they are not in a container; nevertheless, it is still considered as a container with regard to holding olives and hence, it is susceptible to impurity;
d) if it has a hole large enough for olives to fall through, it is pure and it is regarded as a k'li made from animal turds or stone that is not susceptible to impurity, nevertheless, it is still considered as a container with regard to saving its contents when sealed closed in a building where a corpse is located unless its larger portion is broken, as we explained in Hilchot Tum'at Meit.ב
חמש מדות בכלי חרס ניקב במוציא משקה טהור מלהתטמא משום גסטרא ועדיין הוא חשוב כלי לקדש בו מי חטאת ניקב בכונס משקה אינו ראוי לקדש בו מי חטאת ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב להכשיר הזרעים במשקין התלושין בו כמו שביארנו ניקב כשורש קטן אין המים שבתוכו מכשירין את הזרעים והרי הן כמו שאינן בכלי ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב לקבל בו זיתים ומקבל טומאה ניקב במוציא זיתים טהור והרי הוא ככלי גללים ואבנים שאין מקבלין טומאה ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב להציל בצמיד פתיל עד שיפחת רובו כמו שביארנו בטומאת מת (בפרק שנים עשר) :
3
The size of a hole necessary for a barrel not to contract impurity is one through which nuts would fall. The size of a hole necessary for a frying pan or a pot not to contract impurity is one through which olives would fall. Similarly, even when an earthenware kneading trough is large and contains 40 se'ah of liquids, if it has holes large enough for olives to fall through, even though one turns it on its side and kneads with it, it is pure, for it was not made with this intent at the outset.ג
החבית שיעורה כאגוזים האלפס והקדירה שיעורן כזיתים וכן עריבה של חרס אפילו היתה גדולה ומחזקת ארבעים סאה בלח ונפחתה במוציא זיתים אע"פ שהוא מטה על צדה ולש בה טהורה שמתחילתה לא נעשית לכך:
4
The size of a hole necessary for a cruse and a container not to contract impurity is one through which oil can seep through. The size of a hole necessary for a pitcher not to contract impurity is one through which water can seep in.ד
הפך והטני שיעורן בשמן והצרצור שיעורו במים:
5
When the opening of a lamp is removed, it is pure. A lamp of earth whose mouth was fired by the wick is not susceptible to impurity and is not considered as an earthenware container until the entire lamp was fired in a kiln like an earthenware container.ה
נר שניטל פיו טהור ושל אדמה שהוסק פיו בפתילה אינו מקבל טומאה ואינו בכלל כלי חרס עד שיוסק כולו בכבשן ככלי חרס:
6
When a barrel is broken, but it can hold liquids when it is turned on its side or if it was split and it is like two kneading troughs, it is still susceptible to impurity. If it became cracked and cannot be carried while holding half a kab of dried figs, it is pure.ו
חבית שנפחתה וכשמטין אותה על דפנה מקבלת או שנחלקה כמין שתי עריבות עדיין היא מקבלת טומאה נתרעעה ואינה יכולה להטלטל בחצי קב גרוגרות טהורה:
7
When the handles of a barrel are removed, it is considered as a base placed under a container. This is true even if only one handle was removed. If it was cracked below its handles, even though its handles are intact, it is also considered only as a base. If initially it was made without handles, it is considered as a barrel.ז
חבית שניטלו אזניה הרי היא כגסטרא אפילו אוזן אחת נסדקה למטה מאזניה אף ע"פ שאזניה קיימות הרי זו כגסטרא ואם עשאה מתחלה שלא באזנים נדונית כחבית:
8
The following laws apply when a barrel became cracked in the oven and thus two bases for containers were produced. If it cracked after the work necessary to fashion it was completed, each of the bases is susceptible to ritual impurity. If it was cracked before the work necessary to complete it was finished and afterwards, it was fired in the kiln, it is pure.
How can this matter be determined? If the broken pieces were flat and the clay was red beneath the surface, it can be assumed that it was broken before the work necessary to fashion it was completed. If the broken pieces were not flat and the clay was not red beneath the surface, it can be assumed that it was broken after the work necessary to fashion it was completed. Hence it is susceptible to impurity like other broken earthenware containers that are fit to be used.ח
חבית שנסדקה בכבשן ונמצא שהיא כשתי גסטראות אם משנגמרה מלאכתה נסדקה כל גסטרא מהן מקבלת טומאה ואם נסדקה קודם שתגמר מלאכתה ואח"כ נשרפה בכבשן טהורה והיאך יודע דבר זה אם היו שבריה שוין ותוכה מאדים עד שלא נגמרה מלאכתה נסדקה אין שבריה שוין ואין תוכה מאדים בידוע שאחר שנגמרה מלאכתה נשברה ומקבלת טומאה כשאר שברי כלי חרס הראויין לתשמיש:
9
When a base to be placed under containers is cracked and it is not suitable to hold liquids, it is pure even though it is still suitable to hold food. The rationale is that it is made only to collect liquids that seep out as we explained. If it would leak, it would be useless, because a base is not placed under another base.
Similarly, a base that is broken or divided into two is pure, because it was not said that the remnants of remnants are susceptible to impurity. Instead, it is only the remnants of earthenware containers themselves that are susceptible to impurity.ט
גסטרא שנתרעעה ואינה מקבלת משקין אף על פי שמקבלת אוכלין הרי זו טהורה שאינה עשויה אלא לקבל משקין הדולפין כמו שביארנו ואם היתה דולפת אין עושין גסטרא לגסטרא וכן גסטרא שנפחתה או שנחלקה לשתים טהורה שלא אמרו שירים של שירים מתטמאין אלא שירי כלי חרס בלבד הן שמתטמאין:
10
If there are protrusions emerging from a base, whether it is resting upright or leaning on its side, whenever the protrusions can hold olives if the base is filled with olives, it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity and when impurity enters the inner space opposite it. If it cannot hold olives, it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity, but does not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it.י
גסטרא שחדודין יוצאין ממנה בין שהיתה יושבת בין שהיתה מוטה על צדה כל המקבל מן החדודין זיתים כשיתמלא הגסטרא זיתים מטמא במגע וכנגדו מתטמא באויר וכל שאין מקבל עמה בזיתים מתטמא במגע ואין כנגדו מתטמא באויר:
11
What is meant by the statement: it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity, but does not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it? If impurity touches the actual body of the inside of the base, the protrusion contracts impurity. If impurity enters the inner space of the base, even if it is directly opposite the protrusion, the protrusion does not contract impurity.יא
כיצד מתטמא במגע ואין כנגדו מתטמא באויר שאם נגעה הטומאה בגסטרא מתוכה מתטמא החדוד נכנסה הטומאה באויר הגסטרא אפילו היתה כנגד החדוד לא נטמא החדוד:
12
What is meant by the statement that a base contracts impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it? That if impurity enters the inner space of the base opposite the protrusion, the protrusion contracts impurity together with the base.
Similar concepts apply whenever it is stated that an earthenware container, an oven, or a range contract impurity if touched by impurity, they contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite them, or that they do not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite them. Similarly, whenever the concept of contracting impurity through contact is mentioned with regard to an earthenware container, an oven or a range, the intent is that the impurity will touch the inside of these entities. Contracting impurity via their inner space means that the impurity will not touch them at all, merely enter into their inner space.יב
וכיצד כנגדו מתטמא באויר שאם היתה הטומאה באויר הגסטרא כנגד החדוד נטמא החדוד עם הגסטרא ועל דרך זה הוא בכל מקום שנאמר בכלי חרס ובתנור וכירים מתטמא במגע וכנגדו באויר או אין מתטמא כנגדו באויר וכן כל טומאת מגע האמורה בענין כלי חרס או תנור וכירים הוא שתגע הטומאה בהן מתוכן וכל טומאת אויר הוא שלא תגע הטומאה כלל אלא תכנס לאויר בלבד:
13
When a barrel was cracked and one held it together by smearing animal turds upon it - even though the shards would fall if the turds were removed - it remains susceptible to impurity, because its classification as a k'liwas never nullified.
If it was broken and, after the shards fell apart, one stuck them together with turds or one brought shards from another place and stuck them together with turds - even though the shards would stand as a unit if the turds were removed - it is pure, because there was a time when it was no longer considered as a k'li. If one of the shards could hold a revi'it, that shard alone contracts impurity if impurity enters its inner space, because it is considered as a k'li in its own right. The remainder of the barrel does not contract impurity unless impurity touches it from the inside, because it is not a whole k'li.יג
חבית שנתרעעה וטפלה בגללים אע"פ שהוא נוטל את הגללים והחרסים נופלים ה"ז מקבלת טומאה מפני שלא בטל שם כלי מעליה נשברה ודבק חרסיה אחר שפרשו או שהביא חרסים ממקום אחר וטפלם בגללים אף על פי שנוטל את הגללים וחרסיה עומדין ה"ז טהורה מפני שבטל מעליה שם כלי היה בהן חרס מחזיק רביעית כנגד אותו החרס בלבד מתטמא באויר מפני שהוא כלי בפני עצמו ושאר החבית אינו מתטמא עד שתגע בה הטומאה מתוכה מפני שאינה כלי שלם:
14
The following laws apply if a barrel was perforated, one plugged the hole with tar, and then the barrel was broken. If the shard plugged with tar could hold a revi'it, it is susceptible to impurity, because it is considered as a broken portion of a barrel and its classification as a k'liwas never nullified.
If, however, one plugged a hole in a shard with tar after it was separated from the k'li, it is pure, even though it is now capable of holding a revi'it. The rationale is that when a shard is perforated, it is no longer considered as a k'li and it is pure. And once an earthenware container has been considered as pure for even one moment, it never becomes susceptible to impurity again.יד
חבית שניקבה וסתם הנקב בזפת ואח"כ נשברה אם יש בחרס הסתום בזפת כדי להחזיק רביעית ה"ז מקבל טומאה מפני שהוא משברי החבית ולא בטל שם כלי מעליה אבל חרס שניקב אחר שפירש מן הכלי וסתם הנקב בזפת אע"פ שהוא מחזיק רביעית טהור שהחרס שניקב בטל שם כלי מעליו וטהר וכל שטהר בכלי חרס שעה אחת אין לו טומאה לעולם:
15
When a kettle was perforated and it was patched with tar, it is pure, because it cannot hold hot liquids as it holds cold ones. Similarly, keilim made from tar, beeswax, or the like are pure and are not considered as keilim.טו
קומקומוס שניקב ועשאהו בזפת טהור שאינו יכול לקבל החמין כצונן וכן כלי הזפת והשעוה וכיוצא בהן טהורין ואינן בכלל הכלים:
16
When an earthenware funnel was plugged with tar, it is not susceptible to impurity, because the tar does not cause it to be considered as a container. If, however, a wooden funnel is plugged in this manner, it is considered as a container and it is susceptible to impurity.טז
משפך של חרס שפקקו בזפת אינו מקבל טומאה שאין הזפת משימו כלי קיבול אבל משפך של עץ שסתמו ה"ז ככלי קיבול ומתטמא:
Kelim - Chapter 20
1
We already explained that every accessory that is required by an implement when it is being used is considered as an integral element of the implement with regard to both contracting and imparting impurity. Therefore, when one coats an earthenware container which is intact and strong, if the container contracts impurity and foods and/or liquids touch the coating, they are pure. The rationale is that the container does not require this coating.
If, however, one coats an unsound earthenware container, the coating is considered as an integral element of the container. Similarly, when one reinforces an earthenware jug used to draw water by covering it with leather, parchment, or the like, if the jug was unsound, the coating is considered as an integral element of the container.א
כבר ביארנו שכל יד הכלים שהכלי צריך לה בשעת תשמישו הרי היא חשובה כגוף הכלי להתטמא ולטמא לפיכך הטופל כלי חרס הבריא אם נטמא הכלי הרי אוכלין ומשקין הנוגעין בטפילה טהורין שאין הכלי צריך לטפילה זו אבל הטופל את כלי חרס הרעוע הרי הטפילה חשובה כגוף הכלי וכן המהדק את הקירויה של חרס הדולין בה המים אם חיפה אותה בעור או בקלף וכיוצא בהן אם היתה רעועה הרי הן כגופה:
2
When one coats an earthenware container in order to cook with it, the coating is not considered as joined to it. If one coats implements in order to heat tar in them, the coating is considered as joined to them.ב
הטופל כלי חרס להיות מבשל בו אינו חיבור טפל כלים להיות זופת בהן חיבור:
3
When there was a hole in a barrel and one plugged it with tar, tin, sulfur, lime, or gypsum, the filling is not considered as joined to it. If one plugged it with other substances, the filling is considered as joined to it.ג
חבית שניקבה ועשאה בזפת בבעץ וגפרית בסיד ובגפסים אינן חיבור ושאר כל הדברים חיבור:
4
Moist substances that can be stretched that are used to coat casks of water so that water will not drip from the container are considered as integral elements of the container. Even if the container contracted impurity because of the presence of impurity within its inner space, food and/or liquids that touch the coating are impure.
Similarly, the coating of an oven is considered as the earthenware substance of the oven itself, provided the coating is no more than a handbreadth thick, because that it is what is necessary for an oven. Anything more than a handbreadth is not necessary for an oven and entities that touch a portion of the coating that is more than a handbreadth thick are pure. The coating necessary for a range is three fingerbreadths thick.ד
דברים הלחין המשוכין שטופלין בהן הפטסין של מים כדי שלא ידלוף הכלי הרי הן כגופו של כלי שאפילו נטמא הכלי מאוירו אוכלין ומשקין הנוגעין בטפילה טמאין וכן טפילו של תנור הרי הוא כחרס התנור והוא שיהיה בעובי הטפלה עד טפח שהוא צורכו של תנור אבל יתר על טפח אינו מצורך התנור והנוגעין ביתר על טפח מעוביו טהורים טפילת הכירה עוביו שלש אצבעות:
5
When there was a hole in a barrel and one plugged it with more tar than was necessary, an entity that touches the portion that is necessary to plug it is impure. If it touches the portion that is not necessary, it is pure. When tar dripped onto a barrel, an entity that touches it is pure.ה
חבית שניקבה וסתמה בזפת יותר מצורכה הנוגע בצורכה טמא וביתר מצורכה טהור זפת שנטפה על חבית הנוגע בה טהור:
6
When a samovar that was coated with both mortar and pieces of ground shards contracts impurity, one who touches the mortar contracts impurity. One who touches the ground shards does not contract impurity, because the ground shards do not attach themselves thoroughly to the container.ו
מיחם שטפלו בחמר ובחרסית ונטמא הנוגע בחמר טמא והנוגע בחרסית טהור שאין החרסית מתחבר לכלי:
7
When a coating was applied to the cover of a barrel and to the barrel, the covering is not considered as connected to it. If impure liquids touch the barrel, the cover does not contract impurity. If such liquids touch the cover, the outside of the barrel does not contract impurity.ז
מגופת החבית שטפל בטיט עליה ועל החבית אינה חיבור לה ואם נגעו משקין טמאין בחבית לא נטמאת המגופה ואם נגעו במגופה לא נטמאו אחורי החבית:
8
When a metal implement is covered with tar, the tar is not considered as joined to it. If it was designated for wine, the coating is considered an integral part of the container.ח
כלי נחושת שזפתן אין הזפת חיבור ואם ליין ה"ז כגוף הכלי:
9
The following laws apply when the carcass of a crawling animal comes in contact with dough that is in the cracks of a kneading trough. On Pesach, since there is a significant prohibition against the possession of dough, it is considered as an intervening substance and the contact of the carcass with it does not impart impurity to the kneading trough. Different laws apply throughout the year. If one is particular about it, the kneading trough does not contract impurity. If one desires that the dough remain, it is considered as part of the kneading trough and the kneading trough contracts impurity.ט
בצק שבסדקי העריבה שנגע בו שרץ אם בפסח הואיל ואיסורו חשוב חוצץ ולא נטמאת העריבה ואם בשאר ימות השנה אם היה מקפיד עליו העריבה טהורה ואם רוצה בקיומו הרי הוא כעריבה ונטמאת העריבה:
10
The following laws apply to the strands and the straps attached to covers for books or handkerchiefs for children. Those that are sewn are considered as attached, while those that are merely tied are not. Similar laws apply to the straps attached to a hoe, a sack, and a bushel. Those joined to the handles of an earthenware container, by contrast, are not considered as attached - even if they are sewn - because there is no way they can be attached to an earthenware container.י
המשיחות והרצועות שבמטפחות הספרים ושבמטפחות התינוקות תפורות חיבור וקשורות אינן חיבור וכן רצועות שבמעדר ושבשק ושבקופה אבל שבאזני כלי חרס אפילו תפורות אינן חיבור שאין חיבורין לכלי חרס:
11
The following rules apply with regard to the extension of the handle of a hatchet: Within three fingerbreadths of the head is considered as joined. Anything that touches beyond three fingerbreadths is pure.
With regard to the portion of the handle that is held, the handbreadth next to the head is considered as attached. Anything that touches beyond that measure is pure.יא
יד קורדום היוצא מאחריו שלש אצבעות חיבור והיתר על שלש הנוגע בו טהור יד קורדום מלפניו טפח הסמוך לברזל חיבור יתר ע"כ הנוגע בו טהור:
12
For the implement to be susceptible to impurity, the remnant of the shaft of a compass must be a handbreadth long. The handle of a jewelers' hammer must be a handbreadth. The handle of a goldsmith's hammer must be two handbreadths long, that of a carpenter, three handbreadths.
The remnant of a plow drawn by oxen is four handbreadths close to the metal peg implanted in its upper end. The handle of the hatchet with which one digs irrigation ditches is four handbreadths. The handle of a hatchet used to prune trees is five handbreadths. The handle of a small hammer is five handbreadths and that of an ordinary hammer is six. The handle of a hatchet used to chop firewood and that of one use to break up earth is six handbreadths. The handle of a hammer used by stonecutters is six handbreadths. The remnants of a plow that is close to the metal edge at the plow's end must be seven handbreadths. The handle of a ladle is eight handbreadths, that used by appliers of lime is ten handbreadths. With regard to any greater measure, if one desires to keep it, it is susceptible to impurity. The handles of any implements used when cooking over a fire, e.g., spits and skewers, are susceptible to impurity even if they are very long.יב
שירי הפרגל טפח ויד מקבת של מפתחי אבנים טפח יד קורנס של זהבים טפחיים ושל חרשים שלשה שירי מלמד הבקר ארבעה טפחים סמוך לדרבן יד קורדום שחופרין בו ביררין של מים ארבעה טפחים ויד קורדום של נכוש חמשה ויד בן פטיש חמשה ושל פטיש ששה וכן יד קורדום של בקוע ושל עדיר ששה יד מקבת של סתתין ששה שיירי המרדע הסמוך לחרחור של מתכת שבראש המרדע שבעה טפחים יד המגריפה של בעלי בתים שמונה טפחים ושל סיידין עשרה וכל היתר על זה אם רצה לקיימו טמא יד כל משמשי האור כגון השפודין והאסכלאות אפילו ארוכין כל שהן טמאין:
13
When a staff is temporarily used as a handle for a hatchet, it is considered as attached to it at the time one is working with it. If a source of impurity comes in contact with the staff while one is breaking up earth or chopping with it, the head of the hatchet contracts impurity. If impurity touches the head, the staff contracts impurity.
Similarly, a diyustar which is made up of two wooden implements held together by a peg with which one sets up a loom is considered as attached at the time one works with it. If one affixed the diyustar to a beam, it is still susceptible to impurity and the beam is not considered as attached to it. If one made part of the beam a diyustar, any part of the beam that is necessary for the diyustar is considered as part of the diyustar. However, a person who touches the remainder of the beam is pure because the entire beam is not considered as joined to the diyustar.יג
מקל שעשאהו יד לקורדום הרי הוא חיבור לטומאה בשעת מלאכה ואם נגעה טומאה במקל כשהוא חורש או מבקע בו נטמא הקורדום ואם נגעה בקורדום נטמא המקל וכן הדיוסטר שהן כשני כלים והמסמר מחברן להיות מסך עליהן הרי הן חיבור בשעת מלאכה קבעו בקורה הרי זה מקבל טומאה ואין הקורה חיבור לו עשה קצת הקורה דיוסטר כל שהוא מן הקורה לצורך הדיוסטר חיבור לדיוסטר והנוגע בשאר הקורה טהור שאין כל הקורה חיבור:
14
When a wagon contracts impurity, one who touches the metal bar, the wooden yoke, the eye, and the thick ropes - even at the time work is being performed - is pure.
One who touches the swordlike beam of wood, the kneelike piece of wood, the handle, a metal ring, the "cheeks" of the yoke, and the articles hanging from it. are impure.
Similarly, when a saw manned by two people becomes impure, one who touches either side contracts impurity. One who touches the strap or the band the shaft, and its supports remains pure, for these are not considered as attached to it. In contrast, one who touches the frame of a large saw is impure.יד
עגלה שנטמאת הנוגע בעול ובקטרב ובעץ ובעבות אפילו בשעת מלאכה טהורה והנוגע בחרב ובבורך ובביצול ובעין של מתכת ובלחיים ובעיראין טמא וכן מגירה שנטמאת הנוגע בידה מכאן ומכאן טמא והנוגע בחוט ובמשיחה ובאמה ובסניפין שלה טהור שאין אלו חיבור לה אבל הנוגע במלבן של מסר הגדול טמא:
15
When the lance in a carpenter's press becomes impure, one who touches the press itself is pure. When a drill becomes impure, one who touches the bow wound around it is pure, because it is not considered as attached to the drill.
When a bow was extended and the arrow extended within it, if the arrow contracts impurity, one who touches the bowstring or the bow does not contract impurity. This applies even when it is extended. Similarly, if the lance of a trap for field mice becomes impure, the trap does not contract impurity, even if it has been set.
Similarly, when a loom that is extended contracts impurity in the weaving process, one who touches all of the following: the upper beam and the lower beam, the heddles, the weaver's comb, the thread that is passed over purple thread when weaving a sheet of fabric, and a strand extending from the weave that will not be integrated within it is pure. The rationale is that all of these are not considered as joined to the garment. One, however, who touches the woof that has not yet been tightened, the woof that is standing, a thread that is woven as part of a purple fabric, and a strand extending from the weave that will be integrated with it is impure. The rationale is that all of these are considered as joined to the garment.טו
מכבש של חרש שנטמא הרומח שבו הנוגע במכבש טהור מגרה שנטמא הנוגע בקשטנית שהיא לפופה עליו טהור שאינה חיבור קשת שהיתה מתוחה והחץ משוך עמה ונטמא החץ הנוגע ביתר ובקשת טהור ואפי' כשהיא מתוחה וכן מצודת האישות שנטמא החץ שלה לא נטמאת המצודה אפילו כשהיא מתוחה וכן מסכת נסוכה שנטמאת בשעת האריג הנוגע בכובד העליון והתחתון ובנירים ובקירוס ובחוט שהעבירו על גבי ארגמן ובעירה שאינה עתיד להחזירה טהור שכל אלו אינן חיבור לבגד אבל הנוגע בנפש המסכת ובשתי העומד ובכפל שהעבירו על גבי ארגמן ובעירה שהוא להחזירה טמא שכל אלו חיבורין לבגד:
16
One who touches wool that is on the base of a spindle of a loom or on a rod is pure. One who touches a spool before it has been uncovered, is impure. After it has been uncovered, he is pure.טז
הנוגע בצמר שעל האימה ובאשויה טהור הנוגע בפיקה עד שלא פרעה טמא משפרעה טהור:
17
When a string is threaded through a needle, even if it is tied on both sides, it is not considered as joined to it. If it was inserted into a garment, the string is considered as connected to the garment, but the needle is not considered as connected to the garment. Moreover, not even the entire string is considered as connected to the garment, only what is necessary for sewing. What is not necessary is not considered as connected.
When a thread has unraveled from a garment, even if it is 100 cubits long, the entire thread is considered to be attached to the garment. When a rope is attached to an earthenware container, even if it is 100 cubits long, the entire rope is considered to be attached to it. If one tied another rope to the initial rope, the portion on the inside of the knot is considered as attached. The portion outside the knot is not considered as attached. When a rope is attached to a basket, it is not considered as attached unless one sewed one to the other.
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassKelim - Chapter 18
1
An earthenware k'li is not susceptible to ritual impurity unless it has a receptacle and was made with the intent that it serve as a receptacle. If, by contrast it does not have a receptacle or even if it has a receptacle, but it was not made to serve that purpose, it is not susceptible to impurity at all, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor Rabbinic decree. Accordingly, a chair, a bed, a bench, a candelabra, or a table made of earthenware or any similar k'li that does not have a receptacle are not susceptible to impurity.
Similarly, a large pipe even though water passes though it, and even it is curved, and even when it holds water, is pure, because it was not intended to contain water, but rather that the water should pass through it. Similarly, a barrel used by swimmers is not susceptible to impurity. This ruling also applies to cask at the side of the base of a large barrel , because it was made to serve as a handle for those who carry the large barrel and was not intended to serve as a receptacle.א
כלי חרס אינו מקבל טומאה עד שיהיה מקבל ועשוי לקבלה אבל אם לא היה לו בית קיבול או שהיה מקבל ולא נעשה לקבלה אינו מקבל טומאה כלל לא מן התורה ולא מדברי סופרים לפיכך הכסא והמטה והספסל והמנורה והשלחן של חרס וכל כל כיוצא בהן מכלים שאין להם תוך אינן מקבלין טומאה וכן הסילונות שהמים מהלכין בהן אף ע"פ שהן כפופין ואף ע"פ שהן מקבלין הרי הן טהורין מפני שלא נעשו לקבלה אלא כדי שיצאו מהן המים וכן חבית של שייטים וחבית הדפונה בשולי המחץ הואיל ונעשית כמו בית יד שנושאין בה המחץ ולא נעשית לקבלה אינה מקבלת טומאה:
2
A lantern that has a receptacle for oil is susceptible to ritual impurity. If it lacks one, it is pure. Similarly, a potter's frame that has a receptacle is susceptible to impurity.ב
פנס שהיה בו בית קיבול שמן מקבל טומאה ושאין בו טהור וכן מגופת היוצרים שיש לה תוך טמאה:
3
A homeowner's funnel is pure. A perfumer's funnel is susceptible to impurity, because he turns it on its side so that his customers can smell the fragrance.ג
משפך של בעלי בתים טהור ושל רוכלין מתטמא מפני שמטהו על צדו ומריח בו ללוקח:
4
Covers for jugs of wine, jugs of oil, and barrels are pure, for they were not made to serve as receptacles. If a cover was altered so that it could be functional, it is susceptible to impurity.ד
כיסוי כדי יין וכדי שמן והחביות טהורות שלא נעשו לקבלה ואם התקינן לתשמיש מתטמאין:
5
When the cover of a frying pan has a hole or a protrusion on its top, it is pure. If it does not have a hole or a protrusion, it is susceptible to impurity, because a woman will use it to drain off the sauce in which vegetables were cooked. This is the general principle: Anything that serves an earthenware container while it is turned upside down is pure.ה
כיסוי האלפס בזמן שהוא נקוב ויש לו חדוד טהור ואם אינו נקוב ואין לו חדוד מתטמא מפני שהאשה מסננת לתוכו את הירק זה הכלל כל המשמש בכלי חרס כשהוא כפוי טהור:
6
A titrus, even though it has holes and water drips out from them, is nevertheless susceptible to impurity, because the water collects at its sides, and they are intended to serve as receptacles.ו
טיטרוס אף על פי שהוא נקוב ומוציא פרוטות מתטמא שהרי המים מתכנסין בצדדין והן עשויין לקבלה:
7
An earthenware torch into which patches of cloth and oil are placed to burn, is susceptible to impurity. Similarly, a receptacle that is placed under a lamp to collect drops of oil is susceptible to impurity.ז
הלפיד של חרס שמניחין מטליות הבגדים והשמן בתוכו והוא דולק מתטמא וכן כלי שמניחין תחת הנרות לקבל השמן מתטמא:
8
A base that is placed under containers to collect the liquids that flow from the container is susceptible to impurity.ח
גסטרא שמניחין תחת הכלים לקבל משקין הנוזלין מן הכלי מקבלין טומאה:
9
A boat made of earthenware, even though it serves as a receptacle, is not susceptible to impurity. The rationale is that a boat is not in the category of the keilimmentioned in the Torah. This applies whether it is made of earthenware or of wood and whether it is large or small.ט
ספינה של חרס אף ע"פ שהיא מקבלת אינה מקבלת טומאה שאין הספינה בכלל הכלים האמורין בתורה בין היא של חרס בין היא של עץ בין גדולה בין קטנה:
10
Whenever keilim have been broken and their form has been destroyed, their broken fragments are not susceptible to impurity even if those fragments are functional with the exception of the fragments of earthenware containers. With regard to them, we follow the principle: If there is an earthenware fragment that can serve as a receptacle, it is susceptible to impurity. This is derived from Leviticus 11:33 which states: "Any earthenware container." According to the Oral Tradition, it was understood that this phrase was mentioned only to include the broken shards of earthenware containers.
When does the above apply? When the earthenware shard has a receptacle that can hold liquids when the shard is resting on its base and not leaning. If, however, it is fit to hold liquids only when it is leaned against a support, it is not susceptible to impurity.י
כל הכלים שנשברו ונפסדה צורתן אין שבריהן מקבלין טומאה אע"פ שאותן השברים ראויין לתשמיש חוץ משברי כלי חרס שאם היה בהן חרס הראוי לקבל הרי הוא מקבל טומאה שנאמר וכל כלי חרס מפי השמועה למדו שזה לא בא לרבות אלא שברי כלי חרס בד"א כשהיה לחרס זה תוך לקבל בו המשקין כשהיה החרס יושב לא סמוך אבל אם אינו יכול לקבל אלא א"כ סומכין אותו אינו מקבל טומאה:
11
When an earthenware container cannot rest on its base because of a handle or it has a protrusion and the protrusion causes it to lean to one side, it is pure even though the handle was removed or the protrusion was broken. The rationale is that whenever an earthenware container is considered as pure for even one moment, it is never susceptible to impurity again.יא
החרס שאינו יכול לישב כדי שיקבל מפני אזנו או שהיה בו חדוד והחדוד מכריעו לצד אחר ה"ז טהור אף על פי שניטלה האוזן או נשבר החדוד שכל כלי חרס שטהר שעה אחת אין לו טומאה לעולם:
12
When there is an earthenware container that has a pointed base, e.g., a basin with a pointed base, that was broken and its base is still able to serve as a container, even though the base cannot hold liquids unless it is supported, e.g., the bases of containers used to draw water and the bases of goblets, they are susceptible to ritual impurity, for this is the way they were made at the outset, that their bases would contain liquids when they would be supported or held.יב
כלי חרס ששוליהן חדין כמזרקות שנשברו ושוליהן מקבלין אע"פ שאינן מקבלין אא"כ נסמכו כגון שולי הקרפיות והכוסות הרי אלו מקבלין טומאה שלכך נעשו מתחלתן שיהיו שוליהן מקבלין בסמיכה או באחיזה:
13
How much liquid must the broken pieces of an earthenware container be able to contain to be susceptible to impurity? When the container while intact was between the size that would enable it to contain enough liquid to rub on a small person and the size of a barrel that could container a se'ah or close to that and it was broken, if the shards - either from the base or the wall - were able to contain a revi'it, they are susceptible to impurity.יג
כמה יקבל החרס ויהיה מקבל טומאה אם היה הכלי כשהיה שלם ומכיל כדי סיכת אדם קטן עד חביות שהן מקבלות כסאה או קרוב ונשברו ונשאר בחרסים בין מקרקעיהן בין מדפניהן חרס שהוא מקבל כשהוא יושב רביעית ה"ז מקבל טומאה:
14
If the vessel was a large barrel that could contain between a se'ah and two se'ah or more, if the shard that remains is large enough to contain half a log, it is susceptible to impurity. If originally the vessel was extremely large - from a barrel that could contain two se'ahuntil a large vat - and it broke, if a shard that remained could contain a log, it is susceptible to impurity. If the shards would contain less than these measures, they are not susceptible to impurity.יד
היה הכלי מחבית המכילה כסאה עד חבית המכילה סאתים או יתר ונשברה אם היה בחרס הנשאר כדי לקבל חצי לוג ה"ז מקבל טומאה היה הכלי מחבית המכילה סאתים עד חצבים גדולים ונשברו אם נשאר מהן חרס המקבל לוג הרי זה מקבל טומאה היו החרסים מקבלין פחות משיעורין אלו אין מקבלין טומאה:
15
When a small earthenware container, e.g., a cruse or the like, breaks, but there remains from its bottom a shard that can hold even the slightest amount of liquid when resting on its base, even though it is very narrow, as thin as possible for a small container, it is susceptible to impurity. If a shard from its walls that could contain liquids remains, it is not susceptible to impurity. The rationale is that the walls of these containers and the like are fundamentally flat; they do not have a hollow that is apparent. Thus they are like flat earthenware implements.טו
כלי חרס קטן כגון הפך וכיוצא בו שנשבר ונשאר מקרקעיתו חרס המקבל כל שהוא כשהוא יושב והיה חד ביותר שנמצא ככלי קטן ה"ז מקבל טומאה ואם נשאר מדפנותיהן חרס המקבל אינו מקבל טומאה לפי שדפנות כלים אלו וכיוצא בהן כשוין הן ואין להן תוך הניכר ונמצאו כפשוטי כלי חרס:
16
The prevailing assumption is that wherever shards are found, they are pure except those found in a potter's workshop, because the majority of those are considered as bases for keilim. And a base for an implement is susceptible to impurity even if it is a broken vessel.טז
חזקת חרסים הנמצאים בכל מקום טהורים חוץ מהנמצאים בבית היוצר מפני שרובן גסטריות הן לכלים והגסטרא מקבלת טומאה אף על פי שהיא משברי כלים:
Kelim - Chapter 19
1
To what degree is it necessary for an earthenware utensil to be broken so that it can no longer serve as an effective container and, hence, have its impurity nullified if it was impure or no longer be considered as susceptible to impurity if it was pure?
For a container made for food - when it has a hole through which olives can fall. For a container made for liquids - when it has a hole through which liquids can seep in; i.e., when it is inserted into liquids, the liquids will seep into the container through the hole. If it was made for both foods and liquids, it is judged stringently and it is susceptible to impurity unless it has a hole large enough for olives to fall through.
The measure "enough for liquids to seep out" was stated only with regard to a base for containers, because it is made to collect liquids that flow from containers and if liquids seep from it, it no longer serves its function.א
כמה שיעור השבר שישבר כלי חרס ויטהר מטומאתו אם היה טמא או לא יקבל טומאה אם היה טהור העשוי לאוכלין משינקב במוציא זיתים והעשוי למשקין משינקב מכניס במשקין כשמניחין אותו על המשקה יכנס המשקה לכלי בנקב העשוי לכך ולכך מטילין אותו לחומרו והרי הוא מקבל טומאה עד שינקב במוציא זית ולא אמרו במוציא משקה אלא בגסטרא בלבד לפי שהיא עשויה לקבל המשקין הנוזלים מן הכלים ואם הוציאה משקין ה"ז בטל תשמישה:
2
There are five categories applicable with regard to an earthenware container:
a) if it has a hole through which liquids can seep out, it is pure with regard to contracting impurity as a base for containers, but it is still considered a container with regard to the consecration of water for the ashes of the red heifer;
b) if it has a hole that allows liquid to seep in, it is no longer considered as a container with regard to the consecration of water for the ashes of the red heifer, but it is still considered a container with regard to making produce subject to ritual impurity because of the liquids contained within it, as we explained;
c) if it has a hole large enough for a small root to emerge from it, the water it contains do not make produce subject to ritual impurity because the liquids contained within it are considered as if they are not in a container; nevertheless, it is still considered as a container with regard to holding olives and hence, it is susceptible to impurity;
d) if it has a hole large enough for olives to fall through, it is pure and it is regarded as a k'li made from animal turds or stone that is not susceptible to impurity, nevertheless, it is still considered as a container with regard to saving its contents when sealed closed in a building where a corpse is located unless its larger portion is broken, as we explained in Hilchot Tum'at Meit.ב
חמש מדות בכלי חרס ניקב במוציא משקה טהור מלהתטמא משום גסטרא ועדיין הוא חשוב כלי לקדש בו מי חטאת ניקב בכונס משקה אינו ראוי לקדש בו מי חטאת ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב להכשיר הזרעים במשקין התלושין בו כמו שביארנו ניקב כשורש קטן אין המים שבתוכו מכשירין את הזרעים והרי הן כמו שאינן בכלי ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב לקבל בו זיתים ומקבל טומאה ניקב במוציא זיתים טהור והרי הוא ככלי גללים ואבנים שאין מקבלין טומאה ועדיין כלי הוא חשוב להציל בצמיד פתיל עד שיפחת רובו כמו שביארנו בטומאת מת (בפרק שנים עשר) :
3
The size of a hole necessary for a barrel not to contract impurity is one through which nuts would fall. The size of a hole necessary for a frying pan or a pot not to contract impurity is one through which olives would fall. Similarly, even when an earthenware kneading trough is large and contains 40 se'ah of liquids, if it has holes large enough for olives to fall through, even though one turns it on its side and kneads with it, it is pure, for it was not made with this intent at the outset.ג
החבית שיעורה כאגוזים האלפס והקדירה שיעורן כזיתים וכן עריבה של חרס אפילו היתה גדולה ומחזקת ארבעים סאה בלח ונפחתה במוציא זיתים אע"פ שהוא מטה על צדה ולש בה טהורה שמתחילתה לא נעשית לכך:
4
The size of a hole necessary for a cruse and a container not to contract impurity is one through which oil can seep through. The size of a hole necessary for a pitcher not to contract impurity is one through which water can seep in.ד
הפך והטני שיעורן בשמן והצרצור שיעורו במים:
5
When the opening of a lamp is removed, it is pure. A lamp of earth whose mouth was fired by the wick is not susceptible to impurity and is not considered as an earthenware container until the entire lamp was fired in a kiln like an earthenware container.ה
נר שניטל פיו טהור ושל אדמה שהוסק פיו בפתילה אינו מקבל טומאה ואינו בכלל כלי חרס עד שיוסק כולו בכבשן ככלי חרס:
6
When a barrel is broken, but it can hold liquids when it is turned on its side or if it was split and it is like two kneading troughs, it is still susceptible to impurity. If it became cracked and cannot be carried while holding half a kab of dried figs, it is pure.ו
חבית שנפחתה וכשמטין אותה על דפנה מקבלת או שנחלקה כמין שתי עריבות עדיין היא מקבלת טומאה נתרעעה ואינה יכולה להטלטל בחצי קב גרוגרות טהורה:
7
When the handles of a barrel are removed, it is considered as a base placed under a container. This is true even if only one handle was removed. If it was cracked below its handles, even though its handles are intact, it is also considered only as a base. If initially it was made without handles, it is considered as a barrel.ז
חבית שניטלו אזניה הרי היא כגסטרא אפילו אוזן אחת נסדקה למטה מאזניה אף ע"פ שאזניה קיימות הרי זו כגסטרא ואם עשאה מתחלה שלא באזנים נדונית כחבית:
8
The following laws apply when a barrel became cracked in the oven and thus two bases for containers were produced. If it cracked after the work necessary to fashion it was completed, each of the bases is susceptible to ritual impurity. If it was cracked before the work necessary to complete it was finished and afterwards, it was fired in the kiln, it is pure.
How can this matter be determined? If the broken pieces were flat and the clay was red beneath the surface, it can be assumed that it was broken before the work necessary to fashion it was completed. If the broken pieces were not flat and the clay was not red beneath the surface, it can be assumed that it was broken after the work necessary to fashion it was completed. Hence it is susceptible to impurity like other broken earthenware containers that are fit to be used.ח
חבית שנסדקה בכבשן ונמצא שהיא כשתי גסטראות אם משנגמרה מלאכתה נסדקה כל גסטרא מהן מקבלת טומאה ואם נסדקה קודם שתגמר מלאכתה ואח"כ נשרפה בכבשן טהורה והיאך יודע דבר זה אם היו שבריה שוין ותוכה מאדים עד שלא נגמרה מלאכתה נסדקה אין שבריה שוין ואין תוכה מאדים בידוע שאחר שנגמרה מלאכתה נשברה ומקבלת טומאה כשאר שברי כלי חרס הראויין לתשמיש:
9
When a base to be placed under containers is cracked and it is not suitable to hold liquids, it is pure even though it is still suitable to hold food. The rationale is that it is made only to collect liquids that seep out as we explained. If it would leak, it would be useless, because a base is not placed under another base.
Similarly, a base that is broken or divided into two is pure, because it was not said that the remnants of remnants are susceptible to impurity. Instead, it is only the remnants of earthenware containers themselves that are susceptible to impurity.ט
גסטרא שנתרעעה ואינה מקבלת משקין אף על פי שמקבלת אוכלין הרי זו טהורה שאינה עשויה אלא לקבל משקין הדולפין כמו שביארנו ואם היתה דולפת אין עושין גסטרא לגסטרא וכן גסטרא שנפחתה או שנחלקה לשתים טהורה שלא אמרו שירים של שירים מתטמאין אלא שירי כלי חרס בלבד הן שמתטמאין:
10
If there are protrusions emerging from a base, whether it is resting upright or leaning on its side, whenever the protrusions can hold olives if the base is filled with olives, it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity and when impurity enters the inner space opposite it. If it cannot hold olives, it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity, but does not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it.י
גסטרא שחדודין יוצאין ממנה בין שהיתה יושבת בין שהיתה מוטה על צדה כל המקבל מן החדודין זיתים כשיתמלא הגסטרא זיתים מטמא במגע וכנגדו מתטמא באויר וכל שאין מקבל עמה בזיתים מתטמא במגע ואין כנגדו מתטמא באויר:
11
What is meant by the statement: it contracts impurity when the base is touched by impurity, but does not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it? If impurity touches the actual body of the inside of the base, the protrusion contracts impurity. If impurity enters the inner space of the base, even if it is directly opposite the protrusion, the protrusion does not contract impurity.יא
כיצד מתטמא במגע ואין כנגדו מתטמא באויר שאם נגעה הטומאה בגסטרא מתוכה מתטמא החדוד נכנסה הטומאה באויר הגסטרא אפילו היתה כנגד החדוד לא נטמא החדוד:
12
What is meant by the statement that a base contracts impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite it? That if impurity enters the inner space of the base opposite the protrusion, the protrusion contracts impurity together with the base.
Similar concepts apply whenever it is stated that an earthenware container, an oven, or a range contract impurity if touched by impurity, they contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite them, or that they do not contract impurity when impurity enters the inner space opposite them. Similarly, whenever the concept of contracting impurity through contact is mentioned with regard to an earthenware container, an oven or a range, the intent is that the impurity will touch the inside of these entities. Contracting impurity via their inner space means that the impurity will not touch them at all, merely enter into their inner space.יב
וכיצד כנגדו מתטמא באויר שאם היתה הטומאה באויר הגסטרא כנגד החדוד נטמא החדוד עם הגסטרא ועל דרך זה הוא בכל מקום שנאמר בכלי חרס ובתנור וכירים מתטמא במגע וכנגדו באויר או אין מתטמא כנגדו באויר וכן כל טומאת מגע האמורה בענין כלי חרס או תנור וכירים הוא שתגע הטומאה בהן מתוכן וכל טומאת אויר הוא שלא תגע הטומאה כלל אלא תכנס לאויר בלבד:
13
When a barrel was cracked and one held it together by smearing animal turds upon it - even though the shards would fall if the turds were removed - it remains susceptible to impurity, because its classification as a k'liwas never nullified.
If it was broken and, after the shards fell apart, one stuck them together with turds or one brought shards from another place and stuck them together with turds - even though the shards would stand as a unit if the turds were removed - it is pure, because there was a time when it was no longer considered as a k'li. If one of the shards could hold a revi'it, that shard alone contracts impurity if impurity enters its inner space, because it is considered as a k'li in its own right. The remainder of the barrel does not contract impurity unless impurity touches it from the inside, because it is not a whole k'li.יג
חבית שנתרעעה וטפלה בגללים אע"פ שהוא נוטל את הגללים והחרסים נופלים ה"ז מקבלת טומאה מפני שלא בטל שם כלי מעליה נשברה ודבק חרסיה אחר שפרשו או שהביא חרסים ממקום אחר וטפלם בגללים אף על פי שנוטל את הגללים וחרסיה עומדין ה"ז טהורה מפני שבטל מעליה שם כלי היה בהן חרס מחזיק רביעית כנגד אותו החרס בלבד מתטמא באויר מפני שהוא כלי בפני עצמו ושאר החבית אינו מתטמא עד שתגע בה הטומאה מתוכה מפני שאינה כלי שלם:
14
The following laws apply if a barrel was perforated, one plugged the hole with tar, and then the barrel was broken. If the shard plugged with tar could hold a revi'it, it is susceptible to impurity, because it is considered as a broken portion of a barrel and its classification as a k'liwas never nullified.
If, however, one plugged a hole in a shard with tar after it was separated from the k'li, it is pure, even though it is now capable of holding a revi'it. The rationale is that when a shard is perforated, it is no longer considered as a k'li and it is pure. And once an earthenware container has been considered as pure for even one moment, it never becomes susceptible to impurity again.יד
חבית שניקבה וסתם הנקב בזפת ואח"כ נשברה אם יש בחרס הסתום בזפת כדי להחזיק רביעית ה"ז מקבל טומאה מפני שהוא משברי החבית ולא בטל שם כלי מעליה אבל חרס שניקב אחר שפירש מן הכלי וסתם הנקב בזפת אע"פ שהוא מחזיק רביעית טהור שהחרס שניקב בטל שם כלי מעליו וטהר וכל שטהר בכלי חרס שעה אחת אין לו טומאה לעולם:
15
When a kettle was perforated and it was patched with tar, it is pure, because it cannot hold hot liquids as it holds cold ones. Similarly, keilim made from tar, beeswax, or the like are pure and are not considered as keilim.טו
קומקומוס שניקב ועשאהו בזפת טהור שאינו יכול לקבל החמין כצונן וכן כלי הזפת והשעוה וכיוצא בהן טהורין ואינן בכלל הכלים:
16
When an earthenware funnel was plugged with tar, it is not susceptible to impurity, because the tar does not cause it to be considered as a container. If, however, a wooden funnel is plugged in this manner, it is considered as a container and it is susceptible to impurity.טז
משפך של חרס שפקקו בזפת אינו מקבל טומאה שאין הזפת משימו כלי קיבול אבל משפך של עץ שסתמו ה"ז ככלי קיבול ומתטמא:
Kelim - Chapter 20
1
We already explained that every accessory that is required by an implement when it is being used is considered as an integral element of the implement with regard to both contracting and imparting impurity. Therefore, when one coats an earthenware container which is intact and strong, if the container contracts impurity and foods and/or liquids touch the coating, they are pure. The rationale is that the container does not require this coating.
If, however, one coats an unsound earthenware container, the coating is considered as an integral element of the container. Similarly, when one reinforces an earthenware jug used to draw water by covering it with leather, parchment, or the like, if the jug was unsound, the coating is considered as an integral element of the container.א
כבר ביארנו שכל יד הכלים שהכלי צריך לה בשעת תשמישו הרי היא חשובה כגוף הכלי להתטמא ולטמא לפיכך הטופל כלי חרס הבריא אם נטמא הכלי הרי אוכלין ומשקין הנוגעין בטפילה טהורין שאין הכלי צריך לטפילה זו אבל הטופל את כלי חרס הרעוע הרי הטפילה חשובה כגוף הכלי וכן המהדק את הקירויה של חרס הדולין בה המים אם חיפה אותה בעור או בקלף וכיוצא בהן אם היתה רעועה הרי הן כגופה:
2
When one coats an earthenware container in order to cook with it, the coating is not considered as joined to it. If one coats implements in order to heat tar in them, the coating is considered as joined to them.ב
הטופל כלי חרס להיות מבשל בו אינו חיבור טפל כלים להיות זופת בהן חיבור:
3
When there was a hole in a barrel and one plugged it with tar, tin, sulfur, lime, or gypsum, the filling is not considered as joined to it. If one plugged it with other substances, the filling is considered as joined to it.ג
חבית שניקבה ועשאה בזפת בבעץ וגפרית בסיד ובגפסים אינן חיבור ושאר כל הדברים חיבור:
4
Moist substances that can be stretched that are used to coat casks of water so that water will not drip from the container are considered as integral elements of the container. Even if the container contracted impurity because of the presence of impurity within its inner space, food and/or liquids that touch the coating are impure.
Similarly, the coating of an oven is considered as the earthenware substance of the oven itself, provided the coating is no more than a handbreadth thick, because that it is what is necessary for an oven. Anything more than a handbreadth is not necessary for an oven and entities that touch a portion of the coating that is more than a handbreadth thick are pure. The coating necessary for a range is three fingerbreadths thick.ד
דברים הלחין המשוכין שטופלין בהן הפטסין של מים כדי שלא ידלוף הכלי הרי הן כגופו של כלי שאפילו נטמא הכלי מאוירו אוכלין ומשקין הנוגעין בטפילה טמאין וכן טפילו של תנור הרי הוא כחרס התנור והוא שיהיה בעובי הטפלה עד טפח שהוא צורכו של תנור אבל יתר על טפח אינו מצורך התנור והנוגעין ביתר על טפח מעוביו טהורים טפילת הכירה עוביו שלש אצבעות:
5
When there was a hole in a barrel and one plugged it with more tar than was necessary, an entity that touches the portion that is necessary to plug it is impure. If it touches the portion that is not necessary, it is pure. When tar dripped onto a barrel, an entity that touches it is pure.ה
חבית שניקבה וסתמה בזפת יותר מצורכה הנוגע בצורכה טמא וביתר מצורכה טהור זפת שנטפה על חבית הנוגע בה טהור:
6
When a samovar that was coated with both mortar and pieces of ground shards contracts impurity, one who touches the mortar contracts impurity. One who touches the ground shards does not contract impurity, because the ground shards do not attach themselves thoroughly to the container.ו
מיחם שטפלו בחמר ובחרסית ונטמא הנוגע בחמר טמא והנוגע בחרסית טהור שאין החרסית מתחבר לכלי:
7
When a coating was applied to the cover of a barrel and to the barrel, the covering is not considered as connected to it. If impure liquids touch the barrel, the cover does not contract impurity. If such liquids touch the cover, the outside of the barrel does not contract impurity.ז
מגופת החבית שטפל בטיט עליה ועל החבית אינה חיבור לה ואם נגעו משקין טמאין בחבית לא נטמאת המגופה ואם נגעו במגופה לא נטמאו אחורי החבית:
8
When a metal implement is covered with tar, the tar is not considered as joined to it. If it was designated for wine, the coating is considered an integral part of the container.ח
כלי נחושת שזפתן אין הזפת חיבור ואם ליין ה"ז כגוף הכלי:
9
The following laws apply when the carcass of a crawling animal comes in contact with dough that is in the cracks of a kneading trough. On Pesach, since there is a significant prohibition against the possession of dough, it is considered as an intervening substance and the contact of the carcass with it does not impart impurity to the kneading trough. Different laws apply throughout the year. If one is particular about it, the kneading trough does not contract impurity. If one desires that the dough remain, it is considered as part of the kneading trough and the kneading trough contracts impurity.ט
בצק שבסדקי העריבה שנגע בו שרץ אם בפסח הואיל ואיסורו חשוב חוצץ ולא נטמאת העריבה ואם בשאר ימות השנה אם היה מקפיד עליו העריבה טהורה ואם רוצה בקיומו הרי הוא כעריבה ונטמאת העריבה:
10
The following laws apply to the strands and the straps attached to covers for books or handkerchiefs for children. Those that are sewn are considered as attached, while those that are merely tied are not. Similar laws apply to the straps attached to a hoe, a sack, and a bushel. Those joined to the handles of an earthenware container, by contrast, are not considered as attached - even if they are sewn - because there is no way they can be attached to an earthenware container.י
המשיחות והרצועות שבמטפחות הספרים ושבמטפחות התינוקות תפורות חיבור וקשורות אינן חיבור וכן רצועות שבמעדר ושבשק ושבקופה אבל שבאזני כלי חרס אפילו תפורות אינן חיבור שאין חיבורין לכלי חרס:
11
The following rules apply with regard to the extension of the handle of a hatchet: Within three fingerbreadths of the head is considered as joined. Anything that touches beyond three fingerbreadths is pure.
With regard to the portion of the handle that is held, the handbreadth next to the head is considered as attached. Anything that touches beyond that measure is pure.יא
יד קורדום היוצא מאחריו שלש אצבעות חיבור והיתר על שלש הנוגע בו טהור יד קורדום מלפניו טפח הסמוך לברזל חיבור יתר ע"כ הנוגע בו טהור:
12
For the implement to be susceptible to impurity, the remnant of the shaft of a compass must be a handbreadth long. The handle of a jewelers' hammer must be a handbreadth. The handle of a goldsmith's hammer must be two handbreadths long, that of a carpenter, three handbreadths.
The remnant of a plow drawn by oxen is four handbreadths close to the metal peg implanted in its upper end. The handle of the hatchet with which one digs irrigation ditches is four handbreadths. The handle of a hatchet used to prune trees is five handbreadths. The handle of a small hammer is five handbreadths and that of an ordinary hammer is six. The handle of a hatchet used to chop firewood and that of one use to break up earth is six handbreadths. The handle of a hammer used by stonecutters is six handbreadths. The remnants of a plow that is close to the metal edge at the plow's end must be seven handbreadths. The handle of a ladle is eight handbreadths, that used by appliers of lime is ten handbreadths. With regard to any greater measure, if one desires to keep it, it is susceptible to impurity. The handles of any implements used when cooking over a fire, e.g., spits and skewers, are susceptible to impurity even if they are very long.יב
שירי הפרגל טפח ויד מקבת של מפתחי אבנים טפח יד קורנס של זהבים טפחיים ושל חרשים שלשה שירי מלמד הבקר ארבעה טפחים סמוך לדרבן יד קורדום שחופרין בו ביררין של מים ארבעה טפחים ויד קורדום של נכוש חמשה ויד בן פטיש חמשה ושל פטיש ששה וכן יד קורדום של בקוע ושל עדיר ששה יד מקבת של סתתין ששה שיירי המרדע הסמוך לחרחור של מתכת שבראש המרדע שבעה טפחים יד המגריפה של בעלי בתים שמונה טפחים ושל סיידין עשרה וכל היתר על זה אם רצה לקיימו טמא יד כל משמשי האור כגון השפודין והאסכלאות אפילו ארוכין כל שהן טמאין:
13
When a staff is temporarily used as a handle for a hatchet, it is considered as attached to it at the time one is working with it. If a source of impurity comes in contact with the staff while one is breaking up earth or chopping with it, the head of the hatchet contracts impurity. If impurity touches the head, the staff contracts impurity.
Similarly, a diyustar which is made up of two wooden implements held together by a peg with which one sets up a loom is considered as attached at the time one works with it. If one affixed the diyustar to a beam, it is still susceptible to impurity and the beam is not considered as attached to it. If one made part of the beam a diyustar, any part of the beam that is necessary for the diyustar is considered as part of the diyustar. However, a person who touches the remainder of the beam is pure because the entire beam is not considered as joined to the diyustar.יג
מקל שעשאהו יד לקורדום הרי הוא חיבור לטומאה בשעת מלאכה ואם נגעה טומאה במקל כשהוא חורש או מבקע בו נטמא הקורדום ואם נגעה בקורדום נטמא המקל וכן הדיוסטר שהן כשני כלים והמסמר מחברן להיות מסך עליהן הרי הן חיבור בשעת מלאכה קבעו בקורה הרי זה מקבל טומאה ואין הקורה חיבור לו עשה קצת הקורה דיוסטר כל שהוא מן הקורה לצורך הדיוסטר חיבור לדיוסטר והנוגע בשאר הקורה טהור שאין כל הקורה חיבור:
14
When a wagon contracts impurity, one who touches the metal bar, the wooden yoke, the eye, and the thick ropes - even at the time work is being performed - is pure.
One who touches the swordlike beam of wood, the kneelike piece of wood, the handle, a metal ring, the "cheeks" of the yoke, and the articles hanging from it. are impure.
Similarly, when a saw manned by two people becomes impure, one who touches either side contracts impurity. One who touches the strap or the band the shaft, and its supports remains pure, for these are not considered as attached to it. In contrast, one who touches the frame of a large saw is impure.יד
עגלה שנטמאת הנוגע בעול ובקטרב ובעץ ובעבות אפילו בשעת מלאכה טהורה והנוגע בחרב ובבורך ובביצול ובעין של מתכת ובלחיים ובעיראין טמא וכן מגירה שנטמאת הנוגע בידה מכאן ומכאן טמא והנוגע בחוט ובמשיחה ובאמה ובסניפין שלה טהור שאין אלו חיבור לה אבל הנוגע במלבן של מסר הגדול טמא:
15
When the lance in a carpenter's press becomes impure, one who touches the press itself is pure. When a drill becomes impure, one who touches the bow wound around it is pure, because it is not considered as attached to the drill.
When a bow was extended and the arrow extended within it, if the arrow contracts impurity, one who touches the bowstring or the bow does not contract impurity. This applies even when it is extended. Similarly, if the lance of a trap for field mice becomes impure, the trap does not contract impurity, even if it has been set.
Similarly, when a loom that is extended contracts impurity in the weaving process, one who touches all of the following: the upper beam and the lower beam, the heddles, the weaver's comb, the thread that is passed over purple thread when weaving a sheet of fabric, and a strand extending from the weave that will not be integrated within it is pure. The rationale is that all of these are not considered as joined to the garment. One, however, who touches the woof that has not yet been tightened, the woof that is standing, a thread that is woven as part of a purple fabric, and a strand extending from the weave that will be integrated with it is impure. The rationale is that all of these are considered as joined to the garment.טו
מכבש של חרש שנטמא הרומח שבו הנוגע במכבש טהור מגרה שנטמא הנוגע בקשטנית שהיא לפופה עליו טהור שאינה חיבור קשת שהיתה מתוחה והחץ משוך עמה ונטמא החץ הנוגע ביתר ובקשת טהור ואפי' כשהיא מתוחה וכן מצודת האישות שנטמא החץ שלה לא נטמאת המצודה אפילו כשהיא מתוחה וכן מסכת נסוכה שנטמאת בשעת האריג הנוגע בכובד העליון והתחתון ובנירים ובקירוס ובחוט שהעבירו על גבי ארגמן ובעירה שאינה עתיד להחזירה טהור שכל אלו אינן חיבור לבגד אבל הנוגע בנפש המסכת ובשתי העומד ובכפל שהעבירו על גבי ארגמן ובעירה שהוא להחזירה טמא שכל אלו חיבורין לבגד:
16
One who touches wool that is on the base of a spindle of a loom or on a rod is pure. One who touches a spool before it has been uncovered, is impure. After it has been uncovered, he is pure.טז
הנוגע בצמר שעל האימה ובאשויה טהור הנוגע בפיקה עד שלא פרעה טמא משפרעה טהור:
17
When a string is threaded through a needle, even if it is tied on both sides, it is not considered as joined to it. If it was inserted into a garment, the string is considered as connected to the garment, but the needle is not considered as connected to the garment. Moreover, not even the entire string is considered as connected to the garment, only what is necessary for sewing. What is not necessary is not considered as connected.
When a thread has unraveled from a garment, even if it is 100 cubits long, the entire thread is considered to be attached to the garment. When a rope is attached to an earthenware container, even if it is 100 cubits long, the entire rope is considered to be attached to it. If one tied another rope to the initial rope, the portion on the inside of the knot is considered as attached. The portion outside the knot is not considered as attached. When a rope is attached to a basket, it is not considered as attached unless one sewed one to the other.
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Shabbat, 5 Sivan 5778 / May 19, 2018
TODAY
Tuesday Sivan 5, Erev Shavuot, 49th day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Nasso, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34.
Tanya: And this is (p. 279)...BLESSED AND EXALTED. (p. 281).
On the eve of Shavuot 5557 (1797) the Alter Rebbe taught:
Sanctify them today and tomorrow and they shall cleanse their garments.1 "Sanctify them today and tomorrow," is done from Above, but "they shall cleanse their garments" - one must do himself. This was the entire teaching.
The Tzemach Tzedek elaborated: "Sanctify them" was said by G‑d to Moshe. The extension of Moshe is in every generation2 and they3 are able to sanctify the "today" and the "tomorrow"; but for this is needed "..and they shall cleanse their garments" - the garments of thought, speech and deed. This must be done by each person on his own.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.Sh'mot 19:10.
2.Tikunei Zohar, Tikun 69.
3.I.e. the Moshe in each generation.
***
• English Text | Video Class
Shabbat, 5 Sivan 5778 / May 19, 2018
TODAY
Tuesday Sivan 5, Erev Shavuot, 49th day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Nasso, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34.
Tanya: And this is (p. 279)...BLESSED AND EXALTED. (p. 281).
On the eve of Shavuot 5557 (1797) the Alter Rebbe taught:
Sanctify them today and tomorrow and they shall cleanse their garments.1 "Sanctify them today and tomorrow," is done from Above, but "they shall cleanse their garments" - one must do himself. This was the entire teaching.
The Tzemach Tzedek elaborated: "Sanctify them" was said by G‑d to Moshe. The extension of Moshe is in every generation2 and they3 are able to sanctify the "today" and the "tomorrow"; but for this is needed "..and they shall cleanse their garments" - the garments of thought, speech and deed. This must be done by each person on his own.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.Sh'mot 19:10.
2.Tikunei Zohar, Tikun 69.
3.I.e. the Moshe in each generation.
***
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