Thursday, 19 June 2008
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Shabbat Shiur 16
Havdalah Concluded
Havdalah on the “National Drink” (Chamar Medina)
1. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296:2
One can not do havdalah on bread, but on alcohol, if it is the “national drink” one can do havdalah over it, which is also the case for all liquids except water. HGH: It is better to use a used cup of a wine than a different drink (Avudaraham). And it is customary to do havdalah from Pesach on a liquor rather than wine because it is loved.
2. Shu”t Igret Moshe, O”C 2:5
Can the types of drinks like “soda” (fizzy drinks) be used for Havdalah similar to the judgement for the “national drink”?
In the matter of drinks like the varieties of soda – if the have the judgement of of the national drink in order to kiddush on them in the morning and to do havdalah on them. In my opinion is that they are like water, and even though it is also drunk at important meals and it is considered a refreshment but it is just like drinking water for thirst or to cool off on a hot day ...
An important drink is one that not drunk because it is needed on account of thirst, rather it is drunk even when it is not need for itself and only for the honour of the meal or the guests. For there is nobody who drinks wine, aged/burnt wine, or liquor for their thirst, for that they drink water which is preferable, but just for refreshments they are drunk and these types are known as “drinks” and the “national drink”.
And even those who permit doing kiddush and havdalah on sweet tea [check the Aruch haShulchan 273:14], it appears with the tea, it is an internationally used as refreshments and as a drink, and one does not need (a reason) to drink it except for refreshments and thus it is thought of as a drink even though it seemingly just water. And those that are permissive with milk, perhaps this is on account that milk is not drunk out of thirst, and when one serves their guest with the glass of milk, the guest can not refuse on account of not being thirsty, for milk is drunk even when not for thirst, and thus it is considered by one who does not want to partake of refreshments to do so out of honour, and on account of this, milk is considered like an alcoholic refreshment that is served like the “national drink”. But the types of soda, one does not drink them except out of thirst and when they are served and a person is not thirsty, it is not drunk. And a person who does not want to partake of refreshments does not do so, and thus, even for them (according to the opinions of those who permit milk and tea), one would not think of this (soda) as the “national drink” and one can not do kiddush or havdalah on it.
But as a matter of fact, even with tea and milk, one can rely on that opinion to do kiddush and havdalah on them only in a dire circumstance, and even in the Aruch haShulchan wrote that just in an emergency can one use tea or milk ... especially since we can find wine in our country. But, in any case, if one finds themselves without wine or any other drink except tea or milk, one can rely on the lenient opinions for havdalah (and for kiddush with bread)...
Spices
1. Rambam, Laws of Shabbat 29:29
Why does one bless on the spices at the end of Shabbat? Because the soul is in agony at the departure of Shabbat, so one makes it happy and settles it with a pleasant scent.
2. Babylonian Talmud, Beitza 17a
It was said by Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: God gives a person an extra soul Shabbat evening, and at the end of Shabbat He takes it back ...
3. Abudraham1, Seder Motzei Shabbat
And the reason that one smells spices at the end of Shabbat is in order to give comfort to the spirit of a person at the departure of their extra soul which they lost at the conclusion of Shabbat...
4. Tosafot on Beitza, 33b
At the conclusion of a festival why were spices not decreed? For this, it would appear that with a festival, there is not an extra soul.
5. Tur, O”C 297
Rabbeinu Efraim wrote more on this, saying: One who does not smell but blesses on the spices – this is a wasteful blessing (bracha l'vatalah), and even one who is just doing it to fulfil their household is not allowed ... This does not appear to be so (the opinion of Rabbeinu Efraim of fulfilling for their household) ... And that is how I was taught by my master, my father the Rosh.
6. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 53b
It was said by Rav Yehuda as was said by Rav: We do not go looking for the light (to say the blessing) the same way we go looking for other commandments.
7. Shulcahn Aruch, O”C 297:1
Bless on the spices, if you have them, and if you do not, you do not need to go searching for them.
8. Shulcahn Aruch, O”C 297:1
Bless on the candle: The One who created the lights of the fire - if you have them, but you do not need to go searching for them.
Types of Spices
1. Mishnah Berurah, 297:7
The Taz wrote ... one does not bless on the scent that remains in a vessel on spices that were once in there. But if one sees in the rim of the vessel there is dust that remained from the spices, as is normal in certain vessels which one keeps spices, it is permitted to bless.
2. Shemirat Shabbat K'Hilchata, 61: Footnote 32 – in the name of R. Shlomo Zalman Aurbach2
Scented water, it is possible that ... it is exempt from a bracha, for it is made through processing ... and since that its change is only on account of separating chemicals, it is possible that one does not bless on this.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 397:2
One does not bless on the spices of the bathroom or of the dead ...
4. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:3
Of the bathroom and etc. -All of these are scents that are not meant to be used rather to mask disgusting smells.
5. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 217:4
Spices that are on the skin, for example – a bundle of spices that are hanging around the neck, or are grasped in the hand, or in the mouth – one does not bless on them, for it is forbidden to smell them lest one become accustomed to kisses or bodily contact.
6. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:17
Hanging around the neck – there are Achronim that write that not only when they are around the neck but also when taken off - that spices that one normally wears around their neck – even when they place it for a while on a table, one is not permitted to bless on them for on account of this thoughts will arise in their mind if they recognise it an know (where it is normally worn).
7. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 297:4
It is customary to bless on the hadas (myrtle) when ever possible. HGH: And there are those who say, do not bless on dry hadas for it has not smell, just on other spices (Tur in the name of Rabeinu Efraim, and R”A from Prague), and that is what they do in those lands. And it appears to me that one should place the hadas with the other spices, as is done everywhere.
8. Mishnah Berurah, 297:1
One blesses on the spices – and the blessing “The One who creates the types of spices,” is said on all types that there are; even that, which during the week one needs to say the blessing according to the types requirements [for we have on spices from trees “The One who creates tree spices,” and from herbs, “The One who creates grass spices,” as is above in section 216, and see there more issues on this], in any case, at the conclusion of Shabbat one blesses on all types “The One who creates the types of spices,” in order to not confuse the multitudes of the nation, for not everyone is an expert in each individual blessing – but with this blessing, it fulfils them all (all possible blessings on spices) ... And in any case, l'chatchila it is better to take something whose blessing is “The One who creates the types of spices,” for example something that has been fired (dry roasted) like Pizam or Na'agilach which most Achronim agree the blessing is “The One who creates the types of spices;” One is permitted to bless “The One who creates the types of spices,” on peppers that are called English Peppers (Allspice) for these are also included in the category of spices ... and also ginger.
The Blessing on the Candle
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 54a
Rabbi Yosi said: (God) intended to create two things before Shabbat but did not create them until the conclusion of Shabbat, and at the conclusion of Shabbat God gave the thought to the First Man (Adam haRishon) from a heavenly example, and brought to him two rocks, and strike/grind this into that and out from it came fire ...
2. Mishnah Shabbat, 8:6
One does not bless on the candle until benefit is derived from its light.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:4
One does not bless on the candle until benefit is derived from its light, that one needs to be close enough that they can recognise between a coin of this county and coin of another country.
4. Pirkei D'Rebi Eliezer, 20
At dusk at the end of Shabbat a person thinks to themselves that perhaps the snake that tempts me will come and bite my ankle, and he will spread flames into a pillar of fire and it will guard him and be a light for him from all that is evil. A person will see the pillar of fire and will be happy in his heart, and will stretch out his hand to the light of the fire and say “Bless are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the lights of the fire” ... stretch out his hands to the light of the fire and look at his nails for they are the part of the body that glows and say “Who creates the lights of the fire”...
5. Shulchan Aruch and Rama, O”C 298:3
It is customary to look at the palm of the hand and the nails. HGH: And there are those who look at the nails of the right hand and to hold the cup in the left hand, and there are those who fold their fingers into their hand in order to look at their nails and palm at the same time and not see the front of their fingers inside (Zohar, Parsha Beresheet).
6. Tosafot, Pesachim 53b
One only blesses the light at motzei Shabbat: It was asked by Rav Yosef, “Why does one not bless at every moment that one derives benefit from it, for it is forbidden to derive benefit from anything in this world with out a bracha? And the answer is the like it, itself is benefited from, but the remaining benefits, no. And even though we bless the light of the sun everyday, that is because it is renewed everyday.
7. Mishnah Brachot 8:5
Beit Shammai said: “Who creatED the light of the fire,” and Beit Hillel said: “Who creatES the lightS of the fire.”
Type of Candle
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 103b
A torch for havdalah is the prefered method of fulfilling the mitzvah.
2. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:2
The chosen fulfilment of the mitzvah is with a torch. HGH: A candle with two wicks is called a torch.
3. Mishnah Berurah, 298:2
A candle with two wicks – a plain candle in the Gemara and its commentators is a candle of oil and learn from this that since their light goes from this (wick) to that (wick) upwards (gets bigger)– they have a torch. But our candles, if one places many wicks this is like having a thick wick and it is not thought of like a torch, thus if they are separated from each other by wax or fat, as is done with wax that the candles are braided (plaited) into one or that two candles are stuck together at the time of the bracha, these are also considered a torch.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:9
Light that comes from wood or from stones is blessed upon.
Electric Lights
5. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 53b and Rashi
If one had a light hidden in his lap or in a panas ... he should not say the blessing until he can both see a flame and be able to use the light. Panas – this is an oil lamp.
6. Shu”t Yavi'a Omer, Part 1, O”C 17:14
The result of this ruling, it appears to me, that since, according to the opinion of Rashi ... that one does not bless on an oil lamp ... therefore also with an electric light one should not bless on it, for the reason that glass acts as a block from the light. And this is the essence of the ruling.
7. According to Shu”t Nachalat Shimon, 16
Rav Chaim of Brisk3 used to bless “Who creates lights of the fire” on an electric light, in order to teach everyone, that electric light is fire.
The Order of Havdalah
8. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296”6
Havdalah is said seated. HGH: And there are those who say standing (Agudah, Kol Bo, and Agur) and that is the custom in those countries. And take the wine in the right hand and the hadas in the left, and bless on the wine, and then take the hadas in the right and the wine in the left and bless on the hadas, and return the wine to the right.
9. Mishnah Berurah 296:31
And bless the hadas – And place it aside and look at the fingernails and bless “Who creates the lights of the fire” and afterwards return the wine to the right hand and finish havdalah.
1 David ben Josef ben David Abudraham (fl. 1340) Abudarham was a rishon who lived at Seville, Spain, and who was known for his commentary on the Synagogue liturgy.
2 Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (July 20, 1910 - February 20, 1995), was a renowned Rabbi, Posek and Rosh Yeshiva of the Kol Torah yeshiva in Israel.
3 Chaim (Halevi) Soloveitchik, also known as Reb Chaim Brisker, (1853-July 30, 1918) was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the popular Brisker approach to Talmudic study within Judaism. He was from Brest, Belarus (Brisk in Yiddish), then in Imperial Russia, now in Belarus.
Havdalah on the “National Drink” (Chamar Medina)
1. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296:2
One can not do havdalah on bread, but on alcohol, if it is the “national drink” one can do havdalah over it, which is also the case for all liquids except water. HGH: It is better to use a used cup of a wine than a different drink (Avudaraham). And it is customary to do havdalah from Pesach on a liquor rather than wine because it is loved.
2. Shu”t Igret Moshe, O”C 2:5
Can the types of drinks like “soda” (fizzy drinks) be used for Havdalah similar to the judgement for the “national drink”?
In the matter of drinks like the varieties of soda – if the have the judgement of of the national drink in order to kiddush on them in the morning and to do havdalah on them. In my opinion is that they are like water, and even though it is also drunk at important meals and it is considered a refreshment but it is just like drinking water for thirst or to cool off on a hot day ...
An important drink is one that not drunk because it is needed on account of thirst, rather it is drunk even when it is not need for itself and only for the honour of the meal or the guests. For there is nobody who drinks wine, aged/burnt wine, or liquor for their thirst, for that they drink water which is preferable, but just for refreshments they are drunk and these types are known as “drinks” and the “national drink”.
And even those who permit doing kiddush and havdalah on sweet tea [check the Aruch haShulchan 273:14], it appears with the tea, it is an internationally used as refreshments and as a drink, and one does not need (a reason) to drink it except for refreshments and thus it is thought of as a drink even though it seemingly just water. And those that are permissive with milk, perhaps this is on account that milk is not drunk out of thirst, and when one serves their guest with the glass of milk, the guest can not refuse on account of not being thirsty, for milk is drunk even when not for thirst, and thus it is considered by one who does not want to partake of refreshments to do so out of honour, and on account of this, milk is considered like an alcoholic refreshment that is served like the “national drink”. But the types of soda, one does not drink them except out of thirst and when they are served and a person is not thirsty, it is not drunk. And a person who does not want to partake of refreshments does not do so, and thus, even for them (according to the opinions of those who permit milk and tea), one would not think of this (soda) as the “national drink” and one can not do kiddush or havdalah on it.
But as a matter of fact, even with tea and milk, one can rely on that opinion to do kiddush and havdalah on them only in a dire circumstance, and even in the Aruch haShulchan wrote that just in an emergency can one use tea or milk ... especially since we can find wine in our country. But, in any case, if one finds themselves without wine or any other drink except tea or milk, one can rely on the lenient opinions for havdalah (and for kiddush with bread)...
Spices
1. Rambam, Laws of Shabbat 29:29
Why does one bless on the spices at the end of Shabbat? Because the soul is in agony at the departure of Shabbat, so one makes it happy and settles it with a pleasant scent.
2. Babylonian Talmud, Beitza 17a
It was said by Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: God gives a person an extra soul Shabbat evening, and at the end of Shabbat He takes it back ...
3. Abudraham1, Seder Motzei Shabbat
And the reason that one smells spices at the end of Shabbat is in order to give comfort to the spirit of a person at the departure of their extra soul which they lost at the conclusion of Shabbat...
4. Tosafot on Beitza, 33b
At the conclusion of a festival why were spices not decreed? For this, it would appear that with a festival, there is not an extra soul.
5. Tur, O”C 297
Rabbeinu Efraim wrote more on this, saying: One who does not smell but blesses on the spices – this is a wasteful blessing (bracha l'vatalah), and even one who is just doing it to fulfil their household is not allowed ... This does not appear to be so (the opinion of Rabbeinu Efraim of fulfilling for their household) ... And that is how I was taught by my master, my father the Rosh.
6. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 53b
It was said by Rav Yehuda as was said by Rav: We do not go looking for the light (to say the blessing) the same way we go looking for other commandments.
7. Shulcahn Aruch, O”C 297:1
Bless on the spices, if you have them, and if you do not, you do not need to go searching for them.
8. Shulcahn Aruch, O”C 297:1
Bless on the candle: The One who created the lights of the fire - if you have them, but you do not need to go searching for them.
Types of Spices
1. Mishnah Berurah, 297:7
The Taz wrote ... one does not bless on the scent that remains in a vessel on spices that were once in there. But if one sees in the rim of the vessel there is dust that remained from the spices, as is normal in certain vessels which one keeps spices, it is permitted to bless.
2. Shemirat Shabbat K'Hilchata, 61: Footnote 32 – in the name of R. Shlomo Zalman Aurbach2
Scented water, it is possible that ... it is exempt from a bracha, for it is made through processing ... and since that its change is only on account of separating chemicals, it is possible that one does not bless on this.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 397:2
One does not bless on the spices of the bathroom or of the dead ...
4. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:3
Of the bathroom and etc. -All of these are scents that are not meant to be used rather to mask disgusting smells.
5. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 217:4
Spices that are on the skin, for example – a bundle of spices that are hanging around the neck, or are grasped in the hand, or in the mouth – one does not bless on them, for it is forbidden to smell them lest one become accustomed to kisses or bodily contact.
6. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:17
Hanging around the neck – there are Achronim that write that not only when they are around the neck but also when taken off - that spices that one normally wears around their neck – even when they place it for a while on a table, one is not permitted to bless on them for on account of this thoughts will arise in their mind if they recognise it an know (where it is normally worn).
7. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 297:4
It is customary to bless on the hadas (myrtle) when ever possible. HGH: And there are those who say, do not bless on dry hadas for it has not smell, just on other spices (Tur in the name of Rabeinu Efraim, and R”A from Prague), and that is what they do in those lands. And it appears to me that one should place the hadas with the other spices, as is done everywhere.
8. Mishnah Berurah, 297:1
One blesses on the spices – and the blessing “The One who creates the types of spices,” is said on all types that there are; even that, which during the week one needs to say the blessing according to the types requirements [for we have on spices from trees “The One who creates tree spices,” and from herbs, “The One who creates grass spices,” as is above in section 216, and see there more issues on this], in any case, at the conclusion of Shabbat one blesses on all types “The One who creates the types of spices,” in order to not confuse the multitudes of the nation, for not everyone is an expert in each individual blessing – but with this blessing, it fulfils them all (all possible blessings on spices) ... And in any case, l'chatchila it is better to take something whose blessing is “The One who creates the types of spices,” for example something that has been fired (dry roasted) like Pizam or Na'agilach which most Achronim agree the blessing is “The One who creates the types of spices;” One is permitted to bless “The One who creates the types of spices,” on peppers that are called English Peppers (Allspice) for these are also included in the category of spices ... and also ginger.
The Blessing on the Candle
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 54a
Rabbi Yosi said: (God) intended to create two things before Shabbat but did not create them until the conclusion of Shabbat, and at the conclusion of Shabbat God gave the thought to the First Man (Adam haRishon) from a heavenly example, and brought to him two rocks, and strike/grind this into that and out from it came fire ...
2. Mishnah Shabbat, 8:6
One does not bless on the candle until benefit is derived from its light.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:4
One does not bless on the candle until benefit is derived from its light, that one needs to be close enough that they can recognise between a coin of this county and coin of another country.
4. Pirkei D'Rebi Eliezer, 20
At dusk at the end of Shabbat a person thinks to themselves that perhaps the snake that tempts me will come and bite my ankle, and he will spread flames into a pillar of fire and it will guard him and be a light for him from all that is evil. A person will see the pillar of fire and will be happy in his heart, and will stretch out his hand to the light of the fire and say “Bless are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the lights of the fire” ... stretch out his hands to the light of the fire and look at his nails for they are the part of the body that glows and say “Who creates the lights of the fire”...
5. Shulchan Aruch and Rama, O”C 298:3
It is customary to look at the palm of the hand and the nails. HGH: And there are those who look at the nails of the right hand and to hold the cup in the left hand, and there are those who fold their fingers into their hand in order to look at their nails and palm at the same time and not see the front of their fingers inside (Zohar, Parsha Beresheet).
6. Tosafot, Pesachim 53b
One only blesses the light at motzei Shabbat: It was asked by Rav Yosef, “Why does one not bless at every moment that one derives benefit from it, for it is forbidden to derive benefit from anything in this world with out a bracha? And the answer is the like it, itself is benefited from, but the remaining benefits, no. And even though we bless the light of the sun everyday, that is because it is renewed everyday.
7. Mishnah Brachot 8:5
Beit Shammai said: “Who creatED the light of the fire,” and Beit Hillel said: “Who creatES the lightS of the fire.”
Type of Candle
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 103b
A torch for havdalah is the prefered method of fulfilling the mitzvah.
2. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:2
The chosen fulfilment of the mitzvah is with a torch. HGH: A candle with two wicks is called a torch.
3. Mishnah Berurah, 298:2
A candle with two wicks – a plain candle in the Gemara and its commentators is a candle of oil and learn from this that since their light goes from this (wick) to that (wick) upwards (gets bigger)– they have a torch. But our candles, if one places many wicks this is like having a thick wick and it is not thought of like a torch, thus if they are separated from each other by wax or fat, as is done with wax that the candles are braided (plaited) into one or that two candles are stuck together at the time of the bracha, these are also considered a torch.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 298:9
Light that comes from wood or from stones is blessed upon.
Electric Lights
5. Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 53b and Rashi
If one had a light hidden in his lap or in a panas ... he should not say the blessing until he can both see a flame and be able to use the light. Panas – this is an oil lamp.
6. Shu”t Yavi'a Omer, Part 1, O”C 17:14
The result of this ruling, it appears to me, that since, according to the opinion of Rashi ... that one does not bless on an oil lamp ... therefore also with an electric light one should not bless on it, for the reason that glass acts as a block from the light. And this is the essence of the ruling.
7. According to Shu”t Nachalat Shimon, 16
Rav Chaim of Brisk3 used to bless “Who creates lights of the fire” on an electric light, in order to teach everyone, that electric light is fire.
The Order of Havdalah
8. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296”6
Havdalah is said seated. HGH: And there are those who say standing (Agudah, Kol Bo, and Agur) and that is the custom in those countries. And take the wine in the right hand and the hadas in the left, and bless on the wine, and then take the hadas in the right and the wine in the left and bless on the hadas, and return the wine to the right.
9. Mishnah Berurah 296:31
And bless the hadas – And place it aside and look at the fingernails and bless “Who creates the lights of the fire” and afterwards return the wine to the right hand and finish havdalah.
1 David ben Josef ben David Abudraham (fl. 1340) Abudarham was a rishon who lived at Seville, Spain, and who was known for his commentary on the Synagogue liturgy.
2 Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (July 20, 1910 - February 20, 1995), was a renowned Rabbi, Posek and Rosh Yeshiva of the Kol Torah yeshiva in Israel.
3 Chaim (Halevi) Soloveitchik, also known as Reb Chaim Brisker, (1853-July 30, 1918) was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the popular Brisker approach to Talmudic study within Judaism. He was from Brest, Belarus (Brisk in Yiddish), then in Imperial Russia, now in Belarus.
God and Parents
Shemot Rabbah, Parsha Yitro, 29:9
R. Avahu said in the name of R. Yochanan: When the Holy One gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed, not one of the Ofanim (Wheel-angels – see Ezekiel 1:16) stirred a wing, not one of the Serafim (a different class of angel) said “Holy, holy, holy!” The sea did not roar, creatures did not speak – the whole world was hushed into breathless silence; it was then that the voice went forth” I am the Lord your God!” (Ex. 20:2)
Shemot Rabbah, Parsha Yitro, 29:5
“I am the lord your God...” - It was said by R. Avahu, this is likened to (mashal) a king of flesh and blood who regins and has a father or a brother. God said, I am not like that, I am first for I have no father and I am last for I have no brother, I am alone, there are no other gods for I have no son.
Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 88b-89a
R. Joshua b. Levi also said: When Moses ascended on high, the ministering angels spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Sovereign of the Universe! What business has one born of woman amongst us?' 'He has come to receive the Torah,' answered He to them. Said they to Him, 'That secret treasure, which has been hidden by Thee for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the world was created. Thou desirest to give to flesh and blood! What is man, that thou art mindful of him, And the son of man, that thou visitest him? O Lord our God, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! (Ps. 8:5) Who hast set thy glory [the Torah] upon the Heavens!' (Ps. 8:2) 'Return them an answer,' bade the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses. 'Sovereign of the Universe' replied he, 'I fear lest they consume me with the [fiery] breath of their mouths.' 'Hold on to the Throne of Glory,' said He to him, 'and return them an answer,' as it is said, He maketh him to hold on to the face of his throne, And spreadeth [PaRSHeZ] his cloud over him,(Yiov 26: 9) whereon R. Nahman (B. Succot 5a) observed: This teaches that the Almighty [SHaddai] spread [Pirash] the lustre [Ziv] of His Shechinah and cast it as a protection (lit. cloud) over him. He [then] spake before Him: Sovereign of the Universe! The Torah which Thou givest me, what is written therein? I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt. (Ex. 20:2) Said he to them [the angels], 'Did ye go down to Egypt; were ye enslaved to Pharaoh: why then should the Torah be yours? Again, What is written therein? Thou shalt have none other gods:(Ex. 20:3) do ye dwell among peoples that engage in idol worship? Again what is written therein? Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: (Ex. 20:8) do ye then perform work, that ye need to rest? Again what is written therein? Thou shalt not take [tissa] [the name … in vain]: (Ex. 20:7) is there any business [massa] dealings among you? Again what is written therein, Honour thy father and thy mother; (Ex. 20:12) have ye fathers and mothers? Again what is written therein? Thou shall not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou Shall not steal; (Ex. 20:13-15) is there jealousy among you; is the Evil Tempter among you? Straightway they conceded [right] to the Holy One, blessed be He, for it is said, O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is thy name, etc. (Ps. 8:10) whereas 'Who has set thy glory upon the heavens' is not written.Immediately each one was moved to love him [Moses] and transmitted something to him, for it is said, Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast taken spoils [the Torah]; Thou hast received gifts on account of man: (Ps. 68:19) as a recompense for their calling thee man [adam] (Gen. 2:7) thou didst receive gifts. The Angel of Death too confided his secret to him, for it is said, and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people; (Num. 16:48) and it is said, and he stood between the dead and the living, etc. (Num. 16:48) Had he not told it to him, whence had he known it? (Translation by Soncino Press)
Babylonian Talmud, Gitin 57b
Of them the text says, Yea, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.(Ps. 44:23) Rab Judah, however, said that this refers to the woman and her seven sons. (The same story is related of Antiochus Epiphanes in the second book of the Maccabees.) They brought the first before the Emperor and said to him, Serve the idol. He said to them: It is written in the Law, I am the Lord thy God. (Ex. 20:2) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the second before the Emperor and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Ex. 20:3) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, He that sacrifices unto the gods, save unto the Lord only, shall be utterly destroyed. (Ex. 22:19) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next before the Emperor saying, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou shalt not bow down to any other god. (Ex. 20:5) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought another and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deut. 6:4) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied; It is written in the Torah, Know therefore this day and lay it to thine heart that the Lord He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else. (Deut. 4:39) So they led him away and killed him. They brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou hast avouched the Lord this day … and the Lord hath avouched thee this day; (Deut. 26:17-18) we have long ago sworn to the Holy One, blessed be He, that we will not exchange Him for any other god, and He also has sworn to us that He will not change us for any other people. The Emperor said: I will throw down my seal before you and you can stoop down and pick it up, so that they will say of you that you have conformed to the desire of the king. He replied; Fie on thee, Caesar, fie on thee, Caesar; if thine own honour is so important, how much more the honour of the Holy One, blessed be He! They were leading him away to kill him when his mother said: Give him to me that I may kiss him a little. She said to him: My son, go and say to your father Abraham, Thou didst bind one [son to the] altar, but I have bound seven altars. Then she also went up on to a roof and threw herself down and was killed. A voice thereupon came forth from heaven saying, A joyful mother of children. (Ps. 113:9) – Translation by Soncino Press
Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 32b
But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. (Isa. 49:14) Is not 'forsaken' the same as 'forgotten'? Resh Lakish said: The community of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the Universe, when a man takes a second wife after his first, he still remembers the deeds of the first. Thou hast both forsaken me and forgotten me! The Holy One, blessed be He, answered her: My daughter, twelve constellations have I created in the firmament, and for each constellation I have created thirty hosts, and for each host I have created thirty legions, and for each legion I have created thirty cohorts, and for each cohort I have created thirty maniples, and for each maniple I have created thirty camps, and to each campI have attached three hundred and sixty-five thousands of myriads of stars, corresponding to the days of the solar year, and all of them I have created only for thy sake, and thou sayest, Thou hast forgotten me and forsaken me! Can a woman forsake her sucking child ['ullah]? (Isa. 49:25) Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Can I possibly forget the burn-offerings ['olah] of rams and the firstborn of animals (Lit. opening of the womb) that thou didst offer to Me in the wilderness? She thereupon said: Sovereign of the Universe, since there is no forgetfulness before the Throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt not forget the sin of the Calf? He replied: 'Yea, "these "(Referring to the golden calf incident when Israel exclaimed 'These are thy gods', (Ex. 32:4)) will be forgotten'. She said before Him: Sovereign of the Universe, seeing that there is forgetfulness before the Throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt forget my conduct at Sinai? He replied to her: 'Yet "the I" (Referring to the revelation at Sinai when God declared, 'I am the Lord Thy God'. This incident will not be forgotten. R.V. 'Yet will I not forget thee'.) will not forget thee'. This agrees with what R. Eleazar said in the name of R. Oshaia: What is referred to by the text, 'yea, "these" will be forgotten'? This refers to the sin of the Calf. 'And yet "the I" will not forget thee': this refers to their conduct at Sinai.
Shemot Rabbah, Parsha Yitro, 29:1
“I am the Lord your God” - The heretics challenged R. Simlai, saying: There are many divinities in the world. R. Simlai asked them: Why do you say so? They replied: Because Scripture says, “Did ever a people hear the voice of elohim (gods)?” (Deut. 4:33). R. Simlai: But does Scripture go on to say, “They speak” (medabrim, plural)? No; it says, “He speaks” (medaber, singular). At this time R. Simlai's disciples said to him: Master, you put these off with a broken reed of an answer. But how will you reply to us? [R. Simlai]: It was R. Levi who considered this verse and explained it, saying: How is the verse “Did ever a people hear the voices of elohim (gods)?” to be understood? [In the light of “The voice of the Lord is fitted to the strength (Ps. 29:4).] Had it read, “The voice of the Lord is fitted to the strength,” that is to say, to the strength of each and every person – the young according to their strength, the aged according to their strength, the little ones according to their strength. By this, the Holy One Blessed be He, intended to say: Because you hear so many voices, do not imagine that there are many gods in heaven. Rather, you are to know that I alone am the Lord your God, as is said, “I am the Lord your God”.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
Ulla expounded at the entrance to the Nasi's house, what is meant by the verse: “All the kings of the earth, O Lord, admitted [they were wrong] after they heard the words of Your mouth.” (Ps. 138:4). In which it is said not, “The word of Your mouth,” but “The words of Your mouth.” At the time that the Holy One Blessed be He said, “I am the Lord your God,” and “Do not have any other gods,” the nations of the world said, “for His own honour is this included.” but when He said, “Honour your father and mother” they recanted and praised the first statements. Rava said: from here “The beginnings of Your words are true” - the beginnings and not the ends of Your words? Rather from the end of Your words one recognises that the beginnings are true.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
They asked of Rav Ula: How far does one need to go in “Honouring your father and mother”? He said to them: Go and see what, a star worshiper from Ashkelon whose name is Dama ben Netina, did. Once the sages sought some merchandise from him bringing a profit of 60, but the key for its place was under his fathers head and he did not want to disturb him. It was said by Rav Yehuda as was said by Shmuel: it was asked of Rabbi Eliezer: How far does one need to go in “Honouring your father and mother”? He said to them: Go and see what a star worshiper did for his father in Ashkelon, and whose name is Dama ben Netina. Once the sages sought some stones from him bringing a profit of 60, (And Rav Kahana said: a profit of 80) but the key for its place was under his fathers head and he did not want to disturb him. Another year, God gave him his reward and a red heifer was born to his heard. That sages from Israel came to him and he said to them: I know about you, and if I were to request from you all the money in the world, you will give me, rather I will only request from you the profit that I lost in honouring my father.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
Our Rabbis taught: Three partners are in a person, The Holy One Blessed be He, his father and his mother – at the time that a man honours his father and mother, God says: I account it to them as thought I were dwelling among them, and they were honouring Me. It was taught, Rebbi said: It is revealed and known to Him who spoke and the world came into being that a son honours his mother more than his father, because she sways him with her gentle speech. That is why the Holy One Blessed be He put the honour of the father before the mother. It is known and revealed to Him who spoke and the world came into being that a son fears his father more than his mother, because his father teaches him Torah. That is why the Holy One Blessed be He put the fear of the mother before the fear of the father (Lev. 19:3). A Tana[itic] statement was raised before Rav Nachman: When a person troubles their father and mother, the Holy One Blessed be He said: It is nice what I have done, that I do not live among them, for if I were living among them, they would trouble Me too.
R. Avahu said in the name of R. Yochanan: When the Holy One gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed, not one of the Ofanim (Wheel-angels – see Ezekiel 1:16) stirred a wing, not one of the Serafim (a different class of angel) said “Holy, holy, holy!” The sea did not roar, creatures did not speak – the whole world was hushed into breathless silence; it was then that the voice went forth” I am the Lord your God!” (Ex. 20:2)
Shemot Rabbah, Parsha Yitro, 29:5
“I am the lord your God...” - It was said by R. Avahu, this is likened to (mashal) a king of flesh and blood who regins and has a father or a brother. God said, I am not like that, I am first for I have no father and I am last for I have no brother, I am alone, there are no other gods for I have no son.
Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 88b-89a
R. Joshua b. Levi also said: When Moses ascended on high, the ministering angels spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Sovereign of the Universe! What business has one born of woman amongst us?' 'He has come to receive the Torah,' answered He to them. Said they to Him, 'That secret treasure, which has been hidden by Thee for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the world was created. Thou desirest to give to flesh and blood! What is man, that thou art mindful of him, And the son of man, that thou visitest him? O Lord our God, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! (Ps. 8:5) Who hast set thy glory [the Torah] upon the Heavens!' (Ps. 8:2) 'Return them an answer,' bade the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses. 'Sovereign of the Universe' replied he, 'I fear lest they consume me with the [fiery] breath of their mouths.' 'Hold on to the Throne of Glory,' said He to him, 'and return them an answer,' as it is said, He maketh him to hold on to the face of his throne, And spreadeth [PaRSHeZ] his cloud over him,(Yiov 26: 9) whereon R. Nahman (B. Succot 5a) observed: This teaches that the Almighty [SHaddai] spread [Pirash] the lustre [Ziv] of His Shechinah and cast it as a protection (lit. cloud) over him. He [then] spake before Him: Sovereign of the Universe! The Torah which Thou givest me, what is written therein? I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt. (Ex. 20:2) Said he to them [the angels], 'Did ye go down to Egypt; were ye enslaved to Pharaoh: why then should the Torah be yours? Again, What is written therein? Thou shalt have none other gods:(Ex. 20:3) do ye dwell among peoples that engage in idol worship? Again what is written therein? Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: (Ex. 20:8) do ye then perform work, that ye need to rest? Again what is written therein? Thou shalt not take [tissa] [the name … in vain]: (Ex. 20:7) is there any business [massa] dealings among you? Again what is written therein, Honour thy father and thy mother; (Ex. 20:12) have ye fathers and mothers? Again what is written therein? Thou shall not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou Shall not steal; (Ex. 20:13-15) is there jealousy among you; is the Evil Tempter among you? Straightway they conceded [right] to the Holy One, blessed be He, for it is said, O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is thy name, etc. (Ps. 8:10) whereas 'Who has set thy glory upon the heavens' is not written.Immediately each one was moved to love him [Moses] and transmitted something to him, for it is said, Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast taken spoils [the Torah]; Thou hast received gifts on account of man: (Ps. 68:19) as a recompense for their calling thee man [adam] (Gen. 2:7) thou didst receive gifts. The Angel of Death too confided his secret to him, for it is said, and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people; (Num. 16:48) and it is said, and he stood between the dead and the living, etc. (Num. 16:48) Had he not told it to him, whence had he known it? (Translation by Soncino Press)
Babylonian Talmud, Gitin 57b
Of them the text says, Yea, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.(Ps. 44:23) Rab Judah, however, said that this refers to the woman and her seven sons. (The same story is related of Antiochus Epiphanes in the second book of the Maccabees.) They brought the first before the Emperor and said to him, Serve the idol. He said to them: It is written in the Law, I am the Lord thy God. (Ex. 20:2) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the second before the Emperor and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Ex. 20:3) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, He that sacrifices unto the gods, save unto the Lord only, shall be utterly destroyed. (Ex. 22:19) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next before the Emperor saying, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou shalt not bow down to any other god. (Ex. 20:5) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought another and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deut. 6:4) So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied; It is written in the Torah, Know therefore this day and lay it to thine heart that the Lord He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else. (Deut. 4:39) So they led him away and killed him. They brought the next and said to him, Serve the idol. He replied: It is written in the Torah, Thou hast avouched the Lord this day … and the Lord hath avouched thee this day; (Deut. 26:17-18) we have long ago sworn to the Holy One, blessed be He, that we will not exchange Him for any other god, and He also has sworn to us that He will not change us for any other people. The Emperor said: I will throw down my seal before you and you can stoop down and pick it up, so that they will say of you that you have conformed to the desire of the king. He replied; Fie on thee, Caesar, fie on thee, Caesar; if thine own honour is so important, how much more the honour of the Holy One, blessed be He! They were leading him away to kill him when his mother said: Give him to me that I may kiss him a little. She said to him: My son, go and say to your father Abraham, Thou didst bind one [son to the] altar, but I have bound seven altars. Then she also went up on to a roof and threw herself down and was killed. A voice thereupon came forth from heaven saying, A joyful mother of children. (Ps. 113:9) – Translation by Soncino Press
Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 32b
But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. (Isa. 49:14) Is not 'forsaken' the same as 'forgotten'? Resh Lakish said: The community of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the Universe, when a man takes a second wife after his first, he still remembers the deeds of the first. Thou hast both forsaken me and forgotten me! The Holy One, blessed be He, answered her: My daughter, twelve constellations have I created in the firmament, and for each constellation I have created thirty hosts, and for each host I have created thirty legions, and for each legion I have created thirty cohorts, and for each cohort I have created thirty maniples, and for each maniple I have created thirty camps, and to each campI have attached three hundred and sixty-five thousands of myriads of stars, corresponding to the days of the solar year, and all of them I have created only for thy sake, and thou sayest, Thou hast forgotten me and forsaken me! Can a woman forsake her sucking child ['ullah]? (Isa. 49:25) Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Can I possibly forget the burn-offerings ['olah] of rams and the firstborn of animals (Lit. opening of the womb) that thou didst offer to Me in the wilderness? She thereupon said: Sovereign of the Universe, since there is no forgetfulness before the Throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt not forget the sin of the Calf? He replied: 'Yea, "these "(Referring to the golden calf incident when Israel exclaimed 'These are thy gods', (Ex. 32:4)) will be forgotten'. She said before Him: Sovereign of the Universe, seeing that there is forgetfulness before the Throne of Thy glory, perhaps Thou wilt forget my conduct at Sinai? He replied to her: 'Yet "the I" (Referring to the revelation at Sinai when God declared, 'I am the Lord Thy God'. This incident will not be forgotten. R.V. 'Yet will I not forget thee'.) will not forget thee'. This agrees with what R. Eleazar said in the name of R. Oshaia: What is referred to by the text, 'yea, "these" will be forgotten'? This refers to the sin of the Calf. 'And yet "the I" will not forget thee': this refers to their conduct at Sinai.
Shemot Rabbah, Parsha Yitro, 29:1
“I am the Lord your God” - The heretics challenged R. Simlai, saying: There are many divinities in the world. R. Simlai asked them: Why do you say so? They replied: Because Scripture says, “Did ever a people hear the voice of elohim (gods)?” (Deut. 4:33). R. Simlai: But does Scripture go on to say, “They speak” (medabrim, plural)? No; it says, “He speaks” (medaber, singular). At this time R. Simlai's disciples said to him: Master, you put these off with a broken reed of an answer. But how will you reply to us? [R. Simlai]: It was R. Levi who considered this verse and explained it, saying: How is the verse “Did ever a people hear the voices of elohim (gods)?” to be understood? [In the light of “The voice of the Lord is fitted to the strength (Ps. 29:4).] Had it read, “The voice of the Lord is fitted to the strength,” that is to say, to the strength of each and every person – the young according to their strength, the aged according to their strength, the little ones according to their strength. By this, the Holy One Blessed be He, intended to say: Because you hear so many voices, do not imagine that there are many gods in heaven. Rather, you are to know that I alone am the Lord your God, as is said, “I am the Lord your God”.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
Ulla expounded at the entrance to the Nasi's house, what is meant by the verse: “All the kings of the earth, O Lord, admitted [they were wrong] after they heard the words of Your mouth.” (Ps. 138:4). In which it is said not, “The word of Your mouth,” but “The words of Your mouth.” At the time that the Holy One Blessed be He said, “I am the Lord your God,” and “Do not have any other gods,” the nations of the world said, “for His own honour is this included.” but when He said, “Honour your father and mother” they recanted and praised the first statements. Rava said: from here “The beginnings of Your words are true” - the beginnings and not the ends of Your words? Rather from the end of Your words one recognises that the beginnings are true.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
They asked of Rav Ula: How far does one need to go in “Honouring your father and mother”? He said to them: Go and see what, a star worshiper from Ashkelon whose name is Dama ben Netina, did. Once the sages sought some merchandise from him bringing a profit of 60, but the key for its place was under his fathers head and he did not want to disturb him. It was said by Rav Yehuda as was said by Shmuel: it was asked of Rabbi Eliezer: How far does one need to go in “Honouring your father and mother”? He said to them: Go and see what a star worshiper did for his father in Ashkelon, and whose name is Dama ben Netina. Once the sages sought some stones from him bringing a profit of 60, (And Rav Kahana said: a profit of 80) but the key for its place was under his fathers head and he did not want to disturb him. Another year, God gave him his reward and a red heifer was born to his heard. That sages from Israel came to him and he said to them: I know about you, and if I were to request from you all the money in the world, you will give me, rather I will only request from you the profit that I lost in honouring my father.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a
Our Rabbis taught: Three partners are in a person, The Holy One Blessed be He, his father and his mother – at the time that a man honours his father and mother, God says: I account it to them as thought I were dwelling among them, and they were honouring Me. It was taught, Rebbi said: It is revealed and known to Him who spoke and the world came into being that a son honours his mother more than his father, because she sways him with her gentle speech. That is why the Holy One Blessed be He put the honour of the father before the mother. It is known and revealed to Him who spoke and the world came into being that a son fears his father more than his mother, because his father teaches him Torah. That is why the Holy One Blessed be He put the fear of the mother before the fear of the father (Lev. 19:3). A Tana[itic] statement was raised before Rav Nachman: When a person troubles their father and mother, the Holy One Blessed be He said: It is nice what I have done, that I do not live among them, for if I were living among them, they would trouble Me too.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Shabbat Shiur 15
Havdalah 1
1. Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive 155
The 155 mitzvah is that we are commanded to sanctify the Shabbat, and to say things at its entrance and departure, remember the importance of the day and to raise it up and separate it from the other days that preceded it and will follow it. And one who elevates their saying of “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it,” which is to say, a remembrance of its sanctity and importance. And that is the commandment of kiddush ... and one sanctifies it both in its entrance and its departure, which is to say, havdalah is part of remembering Shabbat...
2. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Shvuot 18b
It was said by Rabbi Chi'a bar Abba as was said by Rabbi Yochanan: All who separate (mavdil) with wine at the end (motzei) of Shabbat – will have male children, as it is written: To separate between the sacred and the mundane ... (Lev. 10:10) and connected to it: “When a woman at childbirth (bears a male child)...” (Lev. 12:2).
3. Magid Mishna1, Laws of Shabbat 29:1
From the words of our master (Rambam), it would appear in his explanation that he understands that havdalah comes from the Torah, and it is incorporated into the principle of “zachor” - remember. And I have seen that the commentators are in disagreement. There are those who explain like our master ... that we learn this from the writing of “and to separate” ... (Shvuot 18b), and there are those who say that havdalah comes from divrei sofrim (rabbinic command), but kiddush is from the Torah...
Havdalah over a Cup
4. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 33a
At first they inserted it [the havdalah] in the Tefillah: when they [Israel] became richer, they instituted that it should be said over the cup [of wine]; when they became poor again they again inserted it in the Tefillah; and they said that one who has said havdalah in the Tefillah must say it [again] over the cup [of wine].
The Text of Havdalah according to Ashkenaz
Tefillah:
You grace humanity with knowledge and teach mortals understanding.
You have graced us with the knowledge of Your Torah, and taught us to perform the statutes of Your will. You have distinguished, Lord our God, between sacred and mundane, light and darkness, Israel and the nations, and between the seventh day and the six days of work. Our Father, our King, may the days approaching us bring peace; may we be free from all sin, cleansed from all iniquity, holding fast to our reverence of You.
Grace us with the knowledge, understanding and discernment that come from You, Blessed are You, Lord, who graciously grants knowledge.
On the Cup:
Lift up the cup in one's hand and say:
Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation. Salvation is the Lord's; on Your people is Your blessing, Selah. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Stronghold, Selah. The Lord of hosts. Happy is the man who is secure in You. The Lord is Salvation. The King will answer us on the day we call out. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour – so may it be for us. I will lift the cup of Salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fruit of the vine.
(Take the spices in your right hand and say): Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates various spices.
(Look at the candle – and look at the nails of the right hand, and say) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the lights of fire.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who distinguishes between sacred and mundane, light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Lord, who distinguishes between sacred and mundane.
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 104a
It was said by Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The person separating needs to say elements of the separations that are mentioned in the Torah ... How are the separations ordered? Say: Who separates between sacred and mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the other nations, and between the seventh day and the six days of work, between (ritual) impurity and purity ... between the upper waters and the lower waters, between the Cohanim and the Levi'im ... between Levi'im and Israel ...
2. Ibid.
The practice of the nation was to say three.
Customs of Havdalah
3. Rama, O”C 196:1
And it is customary to say prior to doing havdalah in the home: “Behold God is my Salvation, etc.” “A cup of Salvation I will lift, etc.” “For the Jews there was light, etc.” as a good sign. And at the time of havdalah one should pay attention to the cup and the candle. And it is customary to spill from the wine cup onto the earth ... and the reason for the spill, as was said: every house who does not spill wine like water, will not have a sign for a blessing, and this is done at the start of the week as a good sign.” Also spilling from the cup after havdalah and extinguishing the candle and washing one's eyes, because of a love for the commandment.
What is Forbidden to do Before Havdalah?
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 105a
It was taught in the name of Rabbi Akiva: All who taste anything prior to havdalah will die a difficult death. The rabbis from the house of Rav Ashi were not strict about water.
2. Rambam, Laws of Shabbat, 29:5
One who exits the day is forbidden to eat, drink, or perform labour, or to taste anything until they have separated.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 299:1
It is forbidden to eat anything, or even to drink wine or other drinks except water from the time it gets dark until one does havdalah. But, if one was already seated and eating while it was still daylight and it became dark (during the meal), they do not need to stop. And if one sits to eat or drink and it is dark, they need to stop.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 299:10
One is forbidden to do any malacha prior to havdalah, and if they separate during their tefilah it is permitted (to do malacha) even though they have yet to do havdalah over a cup. And if one needs to do malacha prior to havdalah during tefilah – say: “Who separates (between sacred and mundane) without a bracha (using God's name), and then perform malacha. HGH: And thus with women who are not separating in tefilah must be taught that they say “Hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol” prior to doing malacha.
5. Magen Avraham, ad loc:13
But in any case it is still forbidden to eat until one has done havdalah on a cup.
Women and Havdalah
1. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 20b
Rav Ada bar Ahava said: From the Torah, women are obligated in sanctifying the day. Why (is this so)? This is a positive, time bound, commandment – and women are exempt from all positive, time bound, commandments! ... Rather it was said by Rava: The verse says “zachor” (Ex. 20:7), “v'shamru” (Deut. 5:11), all that is taught about guarding is also taught about remembering, and this includes women, since they are included in guarding – they are included in remembering.
2. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296:8
Women are obligated in havdalah just as they are obligated in kiddush, and there are those who disagree. HGH: And thus they should not do havdalah for themselves but rather listen to the havdalah of a man.
3. Magen Avraham, ad loc:11
Should not separate for themselves: And the Ba”Ch2 wrote: and even to the one who says she is exempt, in any case she is able to do havdalah for herself, like shofar and lulav ... And it is possible that according to the Rama that in a positive commandment she is permitted to do and to bless, but in a case where this is nothing but the blessing, like here, she is not permitted; and it is possible that from this reason it is not customary for women to bless the moon (kiddush levanah) ... and these is like the words of the Ba”Ch.
4. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:35
Should separate for themselves: And the Ba”Ch wrote: and even to the one who says she is exempt, in any case she is able to do havdalah for herself, like shofar and lulav (which they are also exempt from and even here from their blessings, as is explained ahead in section 589) ... And this is according to what was written by the Magen Avrahahm, who is was customary for women not to drink from the havdalah cup, and if this, according to all opinions, is a category of a lav – how can she make havdalah for herself if she is unable to drink from the cup?
(And as was written by the Master of Derech Chaim3) rather the intent of the Magen Avraham was to make lenient for those who do not have someone to do havdalah for them, as thus it forces the women to separate for herself and drink, in order that she does not nullify the commandment of havdalah.
1. R. Vidal of Tolouse, ca. 1300-1370 in Toulouse, although it is not clear whether he was born in Toulouse, Spain, or in the Provençal city of the same name. He was one of the earliest and most important commentators on the Rambam's Yad Ha-Chazakah, even though his work encompasses less than half of the Mishneh Torah.
2.Rabbi Joel Sirkes, 1561- 1640, Poland. A leading halachic authority in the generation after Rema, Sirkes is renowned for his commentary on the Tur, the Bayit Chadash, also known by its acronym, Bach ("new house"). This work cites new material on the Tur which was not included in R. Joseph Caro's commentary on the Tur (Bet Yosef). Sirkes also authored textual notes on the Talmud (Hagahot Ha-Bach) and many responsa. His son-in-law was Rabbi David ben Samuel Halevi, who wrote an important commentary on the Shulchan Aruch (the Taz).
3. Judah Lew ben Bezalel - Maharal, 1525 – 1609, Bohemia - was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who served as a leading rabbi in Prague, for most of his life.
1. Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive 155
The 155 mitzvah is that we are commanded to sanctify the Shabbat, and to say things at its entrance and departure, remember the importance of the day and to raise it up and separate it from the other days that preceded it and will follow it. And one who elevates their saying of “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it,” which is to say, a remembrance of its sanctity and importance. And that is the commandment of kiddush ... and one sanctifies it both in its entrance and its departure, which is to say, havdalah is part of remembering Shabbat...
2. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Shvuot 18b
It was said by Rabbi Chi'a bar Abba as was said by Rabbi Yochanan: All who separate (mavdil) with wine at the end (motzei) of Shabbat – will have male children, as it is written: To separate between the sacred and the mundane ... (Lev. 10:10) and connected to it: “When a woman at childbirth (bears a male child)...” (Lev. 12:2).
3. Magid Mishna1, Laws of Shabbat 29:1
From the words of our master (Rambam), it would appear in his explanation that he understands that havdalah comes from the Torah, and it is incorporated into the principle of “zachor” - remember. And I have seen that the commentators are in disagreement. There are those who explain like our master ... that we learn this from the writing of “and to separate” ... (Shvuot 18b), and there are those who say that havdalah comes from divrei sofrim (rabbinic command), but kiddush is from the Torah...
Havdalah over a Cup
4. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 33a
At first they inserted it [the havdalah] in the Tefillah: when they [Israel] became richer, they instituted that it should be said over the cup [of wine]; when they became poor again they again inserted it in the Tefillah; and they said that one who has said havdalah in the Tefillah must say it [again] over the cup [of wine].
The Text of Havdalah according to Ashkenaz
Tefillah:
You grace humanity with knowledge and teach mortals understanding.
You have graced us with the knowledge of Your Torah, and taught us to perform the statutes of Your will. You have distinguished, Lord our God, between sacred and mundane, light and darkness, Israel and the nations, and between the seventh day and the six days of work. Our Father, our King, may the days approaching us bring peace; may we be free from all sin, cleansed from all iniquity, holding fast to our reverence of You.
Grace us with the knowledge, understanding and discernment that come from You, Blessed are You, Lord, who graciously grants knowledge.
On the Cup:
Lift up the cup in one's hand and say:
Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation. Salvation is the Lord's; on Your people is Your blessing, Selah. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Stronghold, Selah. The Lord of hosts. Happy is the man who is secure in You. The Lord is Salvation. The King will answer us on the day we call out. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour – so may it be for us. I will lift the cup of Salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fruit of the vine.
(Take the spices in your right hand and say): Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates various spices.
(Look at the candle – and look at the nails of the right hand, and say) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the lights of fire.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who distinguishes between sacred and mundane, light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Lord, who distinguishes between sacred and mundane.
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 104a
It was said by Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The person separating needs to say elements of the separations that are mentioned in the Torah ... How are the separations ordered? Say: Who separates between sacred and mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the other nations, and between the seventh day and the six days of work, between (ritual) impurity and purity ... between the upper waters and the lower waters, between the Cohanim and the Levi'im ... between Levi'im and Israel ...
2. Ibid.
The practice of the nation was to say three.
Customs of Havdalah
3. Rama, O”C 196:1
And it is customary to say prior to doing havdalah in the home: “Behold God is my Salvation, etc.” “A cup of Salvation I will lift, etc.” “For the Jews there was light, etc.” as a good sign. And at the time of havdalah one should pay attention to the cup and the candle. And it is customary to spill from the wine cup onto the earth ... and the reason for the spill, as was said: every house who does not spill wine like water, will not have a sign for a blessing, and this is done at the start of the week as a good sign.” Also spilling from the cup after havdalah and extinguishing the candle and washing one's eyes, because of a love for the commandment.
What is Forbidden to do Before Havdalah?
1. Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 105a
It was taught in the name of Rabbi Akiva: All who taste anything prior to havdalah will die a difficult death. The rabbis from the house of Rav Ashi were not strict about water.
2. Rambam, Laws of Shabbat, 29:5
One who exits the day is forbidden to eat, drink, or perform labour, or to taste anything until they have separated.
3. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 299:1
It is forbidden to eat anything, or even to drink wine or other drinks except water from the time it gets dark until one does havdalah. But, if one was already seated and eating while it was still daylight and it became dark (during the meal), they do not need to stop. And if one sits to eat or drink and it is dark, they need to stop.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 299:10
One is forbidden to do any malacha prior to havdalah, and if they separate during their tefilah it is permitted (to do malacha) even though they have yet to do havdalah over a cup. And if one needs to do malacha prior to havdalah during tefilah – say: “Who separates (between sacred and mundane) without a bracha (using God's name), and then perform malacha. HGH: And thus with women who are not separating in tefilah must be taught that they say “Hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol” prior to doing malacha.
5. Magen Avraham, ad loc:13
But in any case it is still forbidden to eat until one has done havdalah on a cup.
Women and Havdalah
1. Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 20b
Rav Ada bar Ahava said: From the Torah, women are obligated in sanctifying the day. Why (is this so)? This is a positive, time bound, commandment – and women are exempt from all positive, time bound, commandments! ... Rather it was said by Rava: The verse says “zachor” (Ex. 20:7), “v'shamru” (Deut. 5:11), all that is taught about guarding is also taught about remembering, and this includes women, since they are included in guarding – they are included in remembering.
2. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 296:8
Women are obligated in havdalah just as they are obligated in kiddush, and there are those who disagree. HGH: And thus they should not do havdalah for themselves but rather listen to the havdalah of a man.
3. Magen Avraham, ad loc:11
Should not separate for themselves: And the Ba”Ch2 wrote: and even to the one who says she is exempt, in any case she is able to do havdalah for herself, like shofar and lulav ... And it is possible that according to the Rama that in a positive commandment she is permitted to do and to bless, but in a case where this is nothing but the blessing, like here, she is not permitted; and it is possible that from this reason it is not customary for women to bless the moon (kiddush levanah) ... and these is like the words of the Ba”Ch.
4. Mishnah Berurah, ad loc:35
Should separate for themselves: And the Ba”Ch wrote: and even to the one who says she is exempt, in any case she is able to do havdalah for herself, like shofar and lulav (which they are also exempt from and even here from their blessings, as is explained ahead in section 589) ... And this is according to what was written by the Magen Avrahahm, who is was customary for women not to drink from the havdalah cup, and if this, according to all opinions, is a category of a lav – how can she make havdalah for herself if she is unable to drink from the cup?
(And as was written by the Master of Derech Chaim3) rather the intent of the Magen Avraham was to make lenient for those who do not have someone to do havdalah for them, as thus it forces the women to separate for herself and drink, in order that she does not nullify the commandment of havdalah.
1. R. Vidal of Tolouse, ca. 1300-1370 in Toulouse, although it is not clear whether he was born in Toulouse, Spain, or in the Provençal city of the same name. He was one of the earliest and most important commentators on the Rambam's Yad Ha-Chazakah, even though his work encompasses less than half of the Mishneh Torah.
2.Rabbi Joel Sirkes, 1561- 1640, Poland. A leading halachic authority in the generation after Rema, Sirkes is renowned for his commentary on the Tur, the Bayit Chadash, also known by its acronym, Bach ("new house"). This work cites new material on the Tur which was not included in R. Joseph Caro's commentary on the Tur (Bet Yosef). Sirkes also authored textual notes on the Talmud (Hagahot Ha-Bach) and many responsa. His son-in-law was Rabbi David ben Samuel Halevi, who wrote an important commentary on the Shulchan Aruch (the Taz).
3. Judah Lew ben Bezalel - Maharal, 1525 – 1609, Bohemia - was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who served as a leading rabbi in Prague, for most of his life.
The Commandment of Shabbat
Exodus Chapter 20:7-10
Remember the Shabbat and keep it holy. Six days you shall work and do all of your labours. The seventh day will be a Shabbat to the Lord, your God. Do not do any labour, you or your sons, or your household, your slaves and maidservants, your animals, and the non-Jews that are within your gates. For six days God made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is found in them. And He rested on the seventh day, and on account of this God blessed the Shabbat day and made it holy.
Deuteronomy 5:11-14
Guard the Shabbat day and keep it holy as was commanded of you by the Lord, your God. Six days you shall work and do all of your labours. The seventh day will be a Shabbat to the Lord, your God. Do not do any labour, you or your sons, or your household, your slaves and maidservants, your oxes, your donkeys and all of your animals, and the non-Jews that are within your gates. For you should rest your slaves and maidservants like yourself. And remember for you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God took you out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. On account of this the Lord your God commanded you to do this Shabbat day.
Genesis Chapter 2:1-3
And the heavens and the earth were finished and all of their legions. And by the seventh day God ended his work which he had done. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because in it he rested from all his work which God had created and performed.
Mishnah Shabbat 7:2
The categories of labour are 40 less one. Sowing, ploughing, harvesting, gathering, threshing, winnowing, separating, grinding, sifting, kneading, and baking. Shearing the wool, whitening the wool, beating the wool, dying the wool, spinning, weaving, making two loops, weaving two threads, separating two threads, tying and untying, sewing two threads and tearing in order to tie two threads. Trapping a deer, ritually slaughtering it, flaying it, salting the skins, processing the skins, scrapping the hide, creating strips, writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters. Building, destroying in order to build, extinguishing a fire, building a fire, hitting with a hammer. Taking out from one domain to another. Behold these categories of labour are 40 less one.
Mishnah Chagigah 1:8
The procedures for releasing people from vows fly in the air and have nothing to support them. The halakhot [laws] of Shabbat, festival offerings, and misuse of what is consecrated -- they are like mountains hanging on a hair: a little Scripture and many halakhot. The laws of damages, sacrifices, ritual purity and impurity, and sexual prohibitions, have support; they are the primary contents of the Torah.
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Brachot, Page 57b
Five have one sixtieth, and these are them: fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep and dreams. Fire is one sixtieth of Geheinom, honey is one sixtieth of the mannah, Shabbat is one sixtieth of the world to come (olam ha'bah), sleep is one sixtieth of death, and dreams are one sixtieth of prophecy.
Talmud Shabbat 119a
Rabbi Chanina would wrap himself [in a garment with tzitzit - Rashi] and stand up at the approach of Shabbat, saying: Come, let us go out toward Shabbat, the Queen. Rabbi Yannai would put on special garments at the approach of Shabbat, and say: Come, bride! Come, bride!
Talmud Pesachim 106a
Our Rabbis taught... “Remember the Shabbat day, to sanctify it” -- remember it [or “mention it”] over wine, as it enters. Now I know about the evening -- what about the daytime? That is why it says “Remember the Shabbat day.”
Talmud Shabbat 119b
It was said by Rava and some would say Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Even one who prays individually on Friday night, must say “Vayechulu”. As was said by Rav Hamnuna: All who pray on Friday night and say “Vayechulu” - brings up upon themselves as if they have partnered with “Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu” in Creation, as it says “Vayechulu”: Do not read it as “Vayechulu” (and they - the heavens and the earth - were finished) rather as “Vayechalu” - (and they – the Creator and the reciter – finished).
It was said by Rebbi Elazar: From where (is it written) that the speaking is like action? As it said in Psalm 33: By the word of God the heavens were made.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on Shabbat
The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals, the Jewish equivalent of sacred architecture.
Judaism is a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time. Unlike the space-minded man to whom time is unvaried, iterative, homogeneous, to whom all hours are alike, quality-less, empty shells, the Bible senses the diversified character of time. There are no two hours alike. Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious.
Judaism teaches us to be attached to holiness in time, to be attached to sacred events, to learn how to consecrate sanctuaries that emerge from the magnificent stream of a year. The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals; and our Holy of Holies is a shrine that neither the Romans nor the Germans were able to burn; a shrine that even apostasy cannot easily obliterate: the Day of Atonement. According to the ancient rabbis, it is not the observance of the Day of Atonemnet, but the Day itself, the "essence of the Day," which, with man's repentance, atones for the sins of man.
Jewish ritual may be characterized as the art of significant forms in time, as architecture of time. Most of its observances--the Sabbath, the New Moon, the festivals, the Sabbatical and the Jubilee year--depend on a certain hour of the day or season of the year. It is, for example, the evening, morning, or afternoon that brings with it the call to prayer. The main themes of faith lie in the realm of time. We remember the day of the exodus from Egypt, the day when Israel stood at Sinai; and our Messianic hope is the expectation of a day, of the end of days.
In a well-composed work of art an idea of outstanding importance is not introduced haphazardly, but, like a king at an official ceremony, it is presented at a moment and in a way that will bring to light its authority and leadership. In the Bible, words are employed with exquisite care, particularly those which, like pillars of fire, lead the way in the far-flung system of the biblical world of meaning.
One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word kadosh, holy; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine. Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world? Was it a mountain? Was it an altar?
It is, indeed, a unique occasion at which the distinguished word kadosh is used for the first time: in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation. How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time: "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy." There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.
This is a radical departure from accustomed religious thinking. The mythical mind would expect that, after heaven and earth have been established, God would create a holy place--a holy mountain or a holy spring--whereupon a sanctuary is to be established. Yet it seems as if to the Bible it is holiness in time, the Sabbath, which comes first.
When history began, there was only one holiness in the world, holiness in time. When at Sinai the word of God was about to be voiced, a call for holiness in man was proclaimed: "Thou shalt be unto me a holy people." It was only after the people had succumbed to the temptation of worshiping a thing, a golden calf that the erection of a Tabernacle, of holiness in space, was commanded. The sanctity of time came first, the sanctity of man came second, and the sanctity of space last. Time was hallowed by God; space, the Tabernacle, was consecrated by Moses.
While the festivals celebrate events that happened in time, the date of the month assigned for each festival in the calendar is determined by the life in nature. Passover and the Feast of Booths [Sukkot], for example, coincide with the full moon, and the date of all festivals is a day in the month, and the month is a reflection of what goes on periodically in the realm of nature, since the Jewish month begins with the new moon, with the reappearance of the lunar crescent in the evening sky. In contrast, the Sabbath is entirely independent of the month and unrelated to the moon. Its date is not determined by any event in nature, such as the new moon, but by the act of creation. Thus the essence of the Sabbath is completely detached from the world of space.
The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world.
What is the difference between Shamor and Zachor?
What does it mean to sanctify (in general) what does it mean to sanctify a day?
Introduce idea of Shabbat Bereshit vs. Shabbat Yetziat Mitzraim
What is the difference between the two? How does a creation model frame the day differently from a salvation model?
Why are the households included?
How does the rest of Tan’ch understand Shabbat?
How does Chazal understand Shabbat?
What is the difference between the professional world and the private world?
What does it mean to define labour into a specific list? How does this now differ from “work?
What is “Olam habah” like? What does it mean to be 1/60?
Remember the Shabbat and keep it holy. Six days you shall work and do all of your labours. The seventh day will be a Shabbat to the Lord, your God. Do not do any labour, you or your sons, or your household, your slaves and maidservants, your animals, and the non-Jews that are within your gates. For six days God made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is found in them. And He rested on the seventh day, and on account of this God blessed the Shabbat day and made it holy.
Deuteronomy 5:11-14
Guard the Shabbat day and keep it holy as was commanded of you by the Lord, your God. Six days you shall work and do all of your labours. The seventh day will be a Shabbat to the Lord, your God. Do not do any labour, you or your sons, or your household, your slaves and maidservants, your oxes, your donkeys and all of your animals, and the non-Jews that are within your gates. For you should rest your slaves and maidservants like yourself. And remember for you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God took you out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. On account of this the Lord your God commanded you to do this Shabbat day.
Genesis Chapter 2:1-3
And the heavens and the earth were finished and all of their legions. And by the seventh day God ended his work which he had done. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because in it he rested from all his work which God had created and performed.
Mishnah Shabbat 7:2
The categories of labour are 40 less one. Sowing, ploughing, harvesting, gathering, threshing, winnowing, separating, grinding, sifting, kneading, and baking. Shearing the wool, whitening the wool, beating the wool, dying the wool, spinning, weaving, making two loops, weaving two threads, separating two threads, tying and untying, sewing two threads and tearing in order to tie two threads. Trapping a deer, ritually slaughtering it, flaying it, salting the skins, processing the skins, scrapping the hide, creating strips, writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters. Building, destroying in order to build, extinguishing a fire, building a fire, hitting with a hammer. Taking out from one domain to another. Behold these categories of labour are 40 less one.
Mishnah Chagigah 1:8
The procedures for releasing people from vows fly in the air and have nothing to support them. The halakhot [laws] of Shabbat, festival offerings, and misuse of what is consecrated -- they are like mountains hanging on a hair: a little Scripture and many halakhot. The laws of damages, sacrifices, ritual purity and impurity, and sexual prohibitions, have support; they are the primary contents of the Torah.
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Brachot, Page 57b
Five have one sixtieth, and these are them: fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep and dreams. Fire is one sixtieth of Geheinom, honey is one sixtieth of the mannah, Shabbat is one sixtieth of the world to come (olam ha'bah), sleep is one sixtieth of death, and dreams are one sixtieth of prophecy.
Talmud Shabbat 119a
Rabbi Chanina would wrap himself [in a garment with tzitzit - Rashi] and stand up at the approach of Shabbat, saying: Come, let us go out toward Shabbat, the Queen. Rabbi Yannai would put on special garments at the approach of Shabbat, and say: Come, bride! Come, bride!
Talmud Pesachim 106a
Our Rabbis taught... “Remember the Shabbat day, to sanctify it” -- remember it [or “mention it”] over wine, as it enters. Now I know about the evening -- what about the daytime? That is why it says “Remember the Shabbat day.”
Talmud Shabbat 119b
It was said by Rava and some would say Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Even one who prays individually on Friday night, must say “Vayechulu”. As was said by Rav Hamnuna: All who pray on Friday night and say “Vayechulu” - brings up upon themselves as if they have partnered with “Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu” in Creation, as it says “Vayechulu”: Do not read it as “Vayechulu” (and they - the heavens and the earth - were finished) rather as “Vayechalu” - (and they – the Creator and the reciter – finished).
It was said by Rebbi Elazar: From where (is it written) that the speaking is like action? As it said in Psalm 33: By the word of God the heavens were made.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on Shabbat
The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals, the Jewish equivalent of sacred architecture.
Judaism is a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time. Unlike the space-minded man to whom time is unvaried, iterative, homogeneous, to whom all hours are alike, quality-less, empty shells, the Bible senses the diversified character of time. There are no two hours alike. Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious.
Judaism teaches us to be attached to holiness in time, to be attached to sacred events, to learn how to consecrate sanctuaries that emerge from the magnificent stream of a year. The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals; and our Holy of Holies is a shrine that neither the Romans nor the Germans were able to burn; a shrine that even apostasy cannot easily obliterate: the Day of Atonement. According to the ancient rabbis, it is not the observance of the Day of Atonemnet, but the Day itself, the "essence of the Day," which, with man's repentance, atones for the sins of man.
Jewish ritual may be characterized as the art of significant forms in time, as architecture of time. Most of its observances--the Sabbath, the New Moon, the festivals, the Sabbatical and the Jubilee year--depend on a certain hour of the day or season of the year. It is, for example, the evening, morning, or afternoon that brings with it the call to prayer. The main themes of faith lie in the realm of time. We remember the day of the exodus from Egypt, the day when Israel stood at Sinai; and our Messianic hope is the expectation of a day, of the end of days.
In a well-composed work of art an idea of outstanding importance is not introduced haphazardly, but, like a king at an official ceremony, it is presented at a moment and in a way that will bring to light its authority and leadership. In the Bible, words are employed with exquisite care, particularly those which, like pillars of fire, lead the way in the far-flung system of the biblical world of meaning.
One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word kadosh, holy; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine. Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world? Was it a mountain? Was it an altar?
It is, indeed, a unique occasion at which the distinguished word kadosh is used for the first time: in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation. How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time: "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy." There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.
This is a radical departure from accustomed religious thinking. The mythical mind would expect that, after heaven and earth have been established, God would create a holy place--a holy mountain or a holy spring--whereupon a sanctuary is to be established. Yet it seems as if to the Bible it is holiness in time, the Sabbath, which comes first.
When history began, there was only one holiness in the world, holiness in time. When at Sinai the word of God was about to be voiced, a call for holiness in man was proclaimed: "Thou shalt be unto me a holy people." It was only after the people had succumbed to the temptation of worshiping a thing, a golden calf that the erection of a Tabernacle, of holiness in space, was commanded. The sanctity of time came first, the sanctity of man came second, and the sanctity of space last. Time was hallowed by God; space, the Tabernacle, was consecrated by Moses.
While the festivals celebrate events that happened in time, the date of the month assigned for each festival in the calendar is determined by the life in nature. Passover and the Feast of Booths [Sukkot], for example, coincide with the full moon, and the date of all festivals is a day in the month, and the month is a reflection of what goes on periodically in the realm of nature, since the Jewish month begins with the new moon, with the reappearance of the lunar crescent in the evening sky. In contrast, the Sabbath is entirely independent of the month and unrelated to the moon. Its date is not determined by any event in nature, such as the new moon, but by the act of creation. Thus the essence of the Sabbath is completely detached from the world of space.
The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world.
What is the difference between Shamor and Zachor?
What does it mean to sanctify (in general) what does it mean to sanctify a day?
Introduce idea of Shabbat Bereshit vs. Shabbat Yetziat Mitzraim
What is the difference between the two? How does a creation model frame the day differently from a salvation model?
Why are the households included?
How does the rest of Tan’ch understand Shabbat?
How does Chazal understand Shabbat?
What is the difference between the professional world and the private world?
What does it mean to define labour into a specific list? How does this now differ from “work?
What is “Olam habah” like? What does it mean to be 1/60?
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Shabbat Shiur 14
Kiddush over bread or the national (alcoholic) drink (Chamar haMedina)
1. Talmud Bavli, Tractate Pesachim 106a-6
R’ Yitzchak bar Shmuel said to them…many times I was before Rav, and I saw that occasionally he would prefer a loaf of bread - and he would make Kiddush over the bread. And some times he would prefer wine – and he would make Kiddush over the wine.
2.Rambam Laws of Shabbat 29:9
He would desire the bread more than the wine or he did not have wine, he would wash his hands first and bless hamotzi and say Kiddush and afterwards slice and eat [the bread].
3. Tosafot, on Pesachim 106, “Mekadesh”
It seems to Rabeinu Tam that one cannot make Kiddush on the bread at all…and such is the explanation of the gemara: one would bless over wine, with the intention to eat bread immediately afterwards [after drinking the wine], and therefore he would wash his hands before Kiddush.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 272:9
In a place where there is not wine, some say that one can make Kiddush over liquor or other beverages, excluding water, and some say that we do not make Kiddush. And according to the Ro”sh, in the evening we do not make Kiddush over another alcohol, instead [it is made] over the bread, and in the morning it is better to make Kiddush over an alcohol [than over the bread] ... And these words are the reason. RaM”A: And the custon is straightforward as said by the Ro”sh ... But if there is wine in the city, do not make Kiddush over bread …
5. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:29
In our country, since the wine is expensive and most of the drinks of the country are from other alcohols, even the gdolim (great rabbis) are not customary to exalt with wine during the day, for the Kiddush of the day is only m’drabanan (a rabbinic ordinance) for everyone, and they rely on the words of those who are lenient in this matter. And one who blesses over wine also in the day is certainly doing the chosen fulfillment of this commandment.
Netilat Yadaim (washing hands): Before Kiddush or after?
1. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 271:12
After making Kiddush over wine, one washes his hands and blesses al netilat yadaim…RaM”A: And some say that l’chatchila one washes his hands before Kiddush and then makes Kiddush (Ro”sh and Mordechai), and such is the minhag in these countries, and one should not deviate from except during the Pesach seder.
2. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:61
[According to this opinion] the Kiddush does not cause a hefsek (interruption) since it is for the sake of the meal.
3. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:62
And many achronim wrote that it is better lchatchila to make Kiddush on the wine before hand washing, and according the Shulchan Aruch, since through this way one has fulfilled the law according to all opinions. And in many places it was done in this way. But if someone already washed his hands before making Kiddush, then he should act according to the RaM”A, because he will still make Kiddush over wine.
Hefsek (Interruption) in tasting the wine
4. Shu”t Igret Moshe O”C 4, 70:1
It is forbidden for any one of the listeners who wishes to be fulfilled through the Havdallah (and Kiddush) to make an interruption with speech before on of the listeners drinks, so that it will be as if he himself made Havdallah over the cup. And if the cup spilled or there was an interruption with speech then he did not fulfill Havdallah was established according to all opinions, and it is even possible that he did not fulfill it at all. And therefore lchatchila the listeners should be careful not to interrupt even with the words ‘shavua tov’.
1. Talmud Bavli, Tractate Pesachim 106a-6
R’ Yitzchak bar Shmuel said to them…many times I was before Rav, and I saw that occasionally he would prefer a loaf of bread - and he would make Kiddush over the bread. And some times he would prefer wine – and he would make Kiddush over the wine.
2.Rambam Laws of Shabbat 29:9
He would desire the bread more than the wine or he did not have wine, he would wash his hands first and bless hamotzi and say Kiddush and afterwards slice and eat [the bread].
3. Tosafot, on Pesachim 106, “Mekadesh”
It seems to Rabeinu Tam that one cannot make Kiddush on the bread at all…and such is the explanation of the gemara: one would bless over wine, with the intention to eat bread immediately afterwards [after drinking the wine], and therefore he would wash his hands before Kiddush.
4. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 272:9
In a place where there is not wine, some say that one can make Kiddush over liquor or other beverages, excluding water, and some say that we do not make Kiddush. And according to the Ro”sh, in the evening we do not make Kiddush over another alcohol, instead [it is made] over the bread, and in the morning it is better to make Kiddush over an alcohol [than over the bread] ... And these words are the reason. RaM”A: And the custon is straightforward as said by the Ro”sh ... But if there is wine in the city, do not make Kiddush over bread …
5. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:29
In our country, since the wine is expensive and most of the drinks of the country are from other alcohols, even the gdolim (great rabbis) are not customary to exalt with wine during the day, for the Kiddush of the day is only m’drabanan (a rabbinic ordinance) for everyone, and they rely on the words of those who are lenient in this matter. And one who blesses over wine also in the day is certainly doing the chosen fulfillment of this commandment.
Netilat Yadaim (washing hands): Before Kiddush or after?
1. Shulchan Aruch, O”C 271:12
After making Kiddush over wine, one washes his hands and blesses al netilat yadaim…RaM”A: And some say that l’chatchila one washes his hands before Kiddush and then makes Kiddush (Ro”sh and Mordechai), and such is the minhag in these countries, and one should not deviate from except during the Pesach seder.
2. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:61
[According to this opinion] the Kiddush does not cause a hefsek (interruption) since it is for the sake of the meal.
3. Mishnah Berurah, ibid:62
And many achronim wrote that it is better lchatchila to make Kiddush on the wine before hand washing, and according the Shulchan Aruch, since through this way one has fulfilled the law according to all opinions. And in many places it was done in this way. But if someone already washed his hands before making Kiddush, then he should act according to the RaM”A, because he will still make Kiddush over wine.
Hefsek (Interruption) in tasting the wine
4. Shu”t Igret Moshe O”C 4, 70:1
It is forbidden for any one of the listeners who wishes to be fulfilled through the Havdallah (and Kiddush) to make an interruption with speech before on of the listeners drinks, so that it will be as if he himself made Havdallah over the cup. And if the cup spilled or there was an interruption with speech then he did not fulfill Havdallah was established according to all opinions, and it is even possible that he did not fulfill it at all. And therefore lchatchila the listeners should be careful not to interrupt even with the words ‘shavua tov’.
Lying and Stealing
1. Exodus, 20:12
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
2. Deuteronomy 19:15-21
A single witness may not validate against a person any guilt or blame for any offense that may be committed; a case can be valid only on the testimony of two witnesses or more. If a man appears against another to testify maliciously and gives false testimony against him, the two parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests or magistrates in authority at the time, and the magistrates shall make a thorough investigation. If the man who testified is a false witness, if he has testified falsely against his fellow, you shall do to him as he schemed to do to his fellow. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst; others will hear and be afraid, and such evil things will not again be done in your midst. Nor must you show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
3. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 44b
Our Rabbis taught: It happened once that a man who was being taken to be executed said: 'If I am guilty of this sin, may my death not atone for any of my sins; but if I am innocent thereof, may my death expiate all my sins. The court and all Israel are guiltless, but may the witnesses never be forgiven. Now, when the Sages heard of the matter they said: It is impossible to reverse the decision, since the sentence has been promulgated. He must therefore be executed, and may the chain [of responsibility] forever hang on the neck of the witnesses. But is he to be relied on? — This holds good only where the witnesses have retracted. But even so, of what consequence is it? Once a witness testified — he cannot testify again! It is necessary [to state this] even where they [the witnesses] give a reason for their action, as happened in the case of Ba'ya the tax-collector.
4. Rashi ad loc : D'Ba'ya Mechsa
The funeral of the said collector coincided with that of a very pious man, but accidentally the coffins were exchanged, so that the honour intended for the Rabbi was paid to the other, and vice versa. An explanation of the happening was given by the Rabbi in a dream to one of his pupils who was disturbed at the occurrence, and he also informed him that severe punishment was in store for Shimon b. Shetah in the world to come for the neglect of his duty in tolerating eighty women in Ashkelon guilty of sorcery. Shimon, on being informed about it, took a serious view of the matter and had them executed. The relatives of these women, however, inflamed with a passion for revenge, plotted against his son, charging him with a capital crime, as a result of which he was sentenced to death. On his way to the place of execution the condemned man protested his innocence so vehemently that even the witnesses were moved to admit the falsity of their evidence, giving as ground for their former act their feelings of enmity against Shimon b. Shetah. Yet their latter statement was not accepted, according to the law expounded in the text, that a witness is not to be believed when be withdraws a former statement.
5. Exodus, 20:12
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
6. Exodus 21:16
He who kidnaps a man – whether he has sold him or is hiding him – shall be put to death.
7. Exodus 21:37 – 22:8
37) When a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox, four sheep for the sheep. - 1) If the thief is seized while tunnelling, and he is beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt in his case. 2)If the sun has risen on him, there is bloodguilt in that case. - He must make restitution; if he lacks the means, he shall be sold for his theft. 3) But if what he stole – whether ox or ass or sheep – is found alive in his possession, he shall pay double. 4) When a man lets his livestock loose to graze another's land, and so allows a field or a vineyard to be grazed bare, he must make restitution for the impairment of the field or vineyard. 5) When a fire is started and spreads to thorns, so that stacked, standing, or growing grain is consumed, he who started the fire must make restitution. 6) When a man gives money or goods to another for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the man's house – if the thief is caught, he shall pay double; 7) if the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall depose before the judges that he has not laid hands on the other's property. 8) In all charges of misappropriation – pertaining to an ox, an ass, a sheep, a garment, or any other loss, whereof one party alleges, “That is it” - the case of both parties shall come before the judges, he whom the judges declare guilty shall pay double to the other.
6. Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Damai 23b
R. Haggai was supporting R. Ze'eira, when a man bearing a bundle of woodchips passed by. R. Ze'eira said to R. Haggai, “Fetch me a chip to pick my teeth,” but then retracted, saying “Do not bring it. Should everyone come and help himself to a chip, the man's bundle would be entirely used up. Not that I, R. Ze'eira, am so pious. But one should be precise in observing our Creator's commandments.
7. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Hulin, 93b-94a
Perhaps it is in a place where they announce (triefot) and perhaps it is a place where they do not announce (triefot). Perhaps it is a place where they announce: the butchering by a non-Jew would surely be known (by how they cut the piece to remove the gid ha'nashe), and perhaps it is a place where they do not announce: the sages decreed against it lest he give it (to a non-Jew) before another Jew (and the second Jew would think it was permitted). And perhaps because this deceives (rob the mind) the non-Jew, as was said by Shumel: “It is forbidden to deceive people – even the mind of non-Jews;” And this is according to Shmuel? Rather it is inferred by what he did on the ferry, he said to his servant: “Pay the ferryman,” he paid him and he (Shumel) was angry at him (the servant). What was the reason he was angry with him? Abaye said: “He paid him with a treifa chicken under the pretence that it was shechted.” Rava said: “He told him to pay with a cup wine and he paid with diluted wine.” According to which principle? For the one who said it was because of a treifa, what is he doing with forbidden food? And to the one who said a cup of wine, tell him to be quiet – a “living” cup of wine is known. It is taught that R. Meir said: “One should not insist that a friend eat by him if he knows the friend will refuse to eat with him, and do not insist in giving gifts when it is known that they will be refused, and one should not open a barrel (of wine – to impress a guest) that has been sold to a merchant without telling the guest (that it has been sold), and do not offer someone to anoint with oil from an empty vessel, but if this is done to honour the guest in front of others, this is permitted. Really? For when Ula went up to the house of Rav Yehuda, he opened for him the barrels that he had sold to a merchant! He had informed him, or perhaps that Ula was so beloved to Rav Yehuda that he would have opened them even if he had not sold them. It is taught by our masters: a person should not go to the house of mourners with a half filled flask nor should he fill it with water – but if it is to honour the mourners if front of others, it is permitted.
8. Rambam Laws of Da'aot 2:6
It is forbidden for a person to introduce themselves with words of flattery and temptation, and one should not have one word in their mouth and another in their heart rather their inside must be like outside and the matter that is in one's heart are the words in his mouth. And it is forbidden to deceive (steal the thoughts) of people – even non-Jews. How? One can not sell a non-Jew treifa in place of shechted meat, and one can not sell a sandal from a treifa in place of a sandal from a shechted animal. Do not insist that his friend dine with him when he knows his friend will not eat, do not increase gifts when he knows they will not be accepted, and do not open barrels, for his own honour, that he needs to open them for a merchant (in any event), and all similar cases – and even a single word of temptation or of deception is forbidden, rather the language of truth (sefat emet), a true spirit, and a pure heart in all their endeavours and existence.
9. Shulchan Aruch, Choshen haMishpat 228:6
It is forbidden to mislead a person in commerce or to deceive (geneivat daat), for example if there is a defect in an item for sale, one must tell the customer. Even if he is a non-Jew, one can not sell him treifa meat with the understanding that it is shechted. And even to deceive ( geneivat daat) with action, like giving the appearance something was prepared for a person (specifically), and it was not prepared, this is forbidden. How? Do not insist that his friend dine with him when he knows his friend will not eat, do not increase gifts when he knows they will not be accepted, and do not open barrels, that one is opening for a merchant, so the other thinks they are being opened for their honour, rather one must inform them that the barrels are not being opened for them. And if it is something that a person does with out the intention of making it appear it was done on the other's account, and the second person mistakenly thinks it was done for their honour – for example running into a friend on the way and the second person thought you came out to greet them for their honour – one does not need to inform them (that it was just a chance meeting).
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
2. Deuteronomy 19:15-21
A single witness may not validate against a person any guilt or blame for any offense that may be committed; a case can be valid only on the testimony of two witnesses or more. If a man appears against another to testify maliciously and gives false testimony against him, the two parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests or magistrates in authority at the time, and the magistrates shall make a thorough investigation. If the man who testified is a false witness, if he has testified falsely against his fellow, you shall do to him as he schemed to do to his fellow. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst; others will hear and be afraid, and such evil things will not again be done in your midst. Nor must you show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
3. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 44b
Our Rabbis taught: It happened once that a man who was being taken to be executed said: 'If I am guilty of this sin, may my death not atone for any of my sins; but if I am innocent thereof, may my death expiate all my sins. The court and all Israel are guiltless, but may the witnesses never be forgiven. Now, when the Sages heard of the matter they said: It is impossible to reverse the decision, since the sentence has been promulgated. He must therefore be executed, and may the chain [of responsibility] forever hang on the neck of the witnesses. But is he to be relied on? — This holds good only where the witnesses have retracted. But even so, of what consequence is it? Once a witness testified — he cannot testify again! It is necessary [to state this] even where they [the witnesses] give a reason for their action, as happened in the case of Ba'ya the tax-collector.
4. Rashi ad loc : D'Ba'ya Mechsa
The funeral of the said collector coincided with that of a very pious man, but accidentally the coffins were exchanged, so that the honour intended for the Rabbi was paid to the other, and vice versa. An explanation of the happening was given by the Rabbi in a dream to one of his pupils who was disturbed at the occurrence, and he also informed him that severe punishment was in store for Shimon b. Shetah in the world to come for the neglect of his duty in tolerating eighty women in Ashkelon guilty of sorcery. Shimon, on being informed about it, took a serious view of the matter and had them executed. The relatives of these women, however, inflamed with a passion for revenge, plotted against his son, charging him with a capital crime, as a result of which he was sentenced to death. On his way to the place of execution the condemned man protested his innocence so vehemently that even the witnesses were moved to admit the falsity of their evidence, giving as ground for their former act their feelings of enmity against Shimon b. Shetah. Yet their latter statement was not accepted, according to the law expounded in the text, that a witness is not to be believed when be withdraws a former statement.
5. Exodus, 20:12
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
6. Exodus 21:16
He who kidnaps a man – whether he has sold him or is hiding him – shall be put to death.
7. Exodus 21:37 – 22:8
37) When a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox, four sheep for the sheep. - 1) If the thief is seized while tunnelling, and he is beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt in his case. 2)If the sun has risen on him, there is bloodguilt in that case. - He must make restitution; if he lacks the means, he shall be sold for his theft. 3) But if what he stole – whether ox or ass or sheep – is found alive in his possession, he shall pay double. 4) When a man lets his livestock loose to graze another's land, and so allows a field or a vineyard to be grazed bare, he must make restitution for the impairment of the field or vineyard. 5) When a fire is started and spreads to thorns, so that stacked, standing, or growing grain is consumed, he who started the fire must make restitution. 6) When a man gives money or goods to another for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the man's house – if the thief is caught, he shall pay double; 7) if the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall depose before the judges that he has not laid hands on the other's property. 8) In all charges of misappropriation – pertaining to an ox, an ass, a sheep, a garment, or any other loss, whereof one party alleges, “That is it” - the case of both parties shall come before the judges, he whom the judges declare guilty shall pay double to the other.
6. Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Damai 23b
R. Haggai was supporting R. Ze'eira, when a man bearing a bundle of woodchips passed by. R. Ze'eira said to R. Haggai, “Fetch me a chip to pick my teeth,” but then retracted, saying “Do not bring it. Should everyone come and help himself to a chip, the man's bundle would be entirely used up. Not that I, R. Ze'eira, am so pious. But one should be precise in observing our Creator's commandments.
7. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Hulin, 93b-94a
Perhaps it is in a place where they announce (triefot) and perhaps it is a place where they do not announce (triefot). Perhaps it is a place where they announce: the butchering by a non-Jew would surely be known (by how they cut the piece to remove the gid ha'nashe), and perhaps it is a place where they do not announce: the sages decreed against it lest he give it (to a non-Jew) before another Jew (and the second Jew would think it was permitted). And perhaps because this deceives (rob the mind) the non-Jew, as was said by Shumel: “It is forbidden to deceive people – even the mind of non-Jews;” And this is according to Shmuel? Rather it is inferred by what he did on the ferry, he said to his servant: “Pay the ferryman,” he paid him and he (Shumel) was angry at him (the servant). What was the reason he was angry with him? Abaye said: “He paid him with a treifa chicken under the pretence that it was shechted.” Rava said: “He told him to pay with a cup wine and he paid with diluted wine.” According to which principle? For the one who said it was because of a treifa, what is he doing with forbidden food? And to the one who said a cup of wine, tell him to be quiet – a “living” cup of wine is known. It is taught that R. Meir said: “One should not insist that a friend eat by him if he knows the friend will refuse to eat with him, and do not insist in giving gifts when it is known that they will be refused, and one should not open a barrel (of wine – to impress a guest) that has been sold to a merchant without telling the guest (that it has been sold), and do not offer someone to anoint with oil from an empty vessel, but if this is done to honour the guest in front of others, this is permitted. Really? For when Ula went up to the house of Rav Yehuda, he opened for him the barrels that he had sold to a merchant! He had informed him, or perhaps that Ula was so beloved to Rav Yehuda that he would have opened them even if he had not sold them. It is taught by our masters: a person should not go to the house of mourners with a half filled flask nor should he fill it with water – but if it is to honour the mourners if front of others, it is permitted.
8. Rambam Laws of Da'aot 2:6
It is forbidden for a person to introduce themselves with words of flattery and temptation, and one should not have one word in their mouth and another in their heart rather their inside must be like outside and the matter that is in one's heart are the words in his mouth. And it is forbidden to deceive (steal the thoughts) of people – even non-Jews. How? One can not sell a non-Jew treifa in place of shechted meat, and one can not sell a sandal from a treifa in place of a sandal from a shechted animal. Do not insist that his friend dine with him when he knows his friend will not eat, do not increase gifts when he knows they will not be accepted, and do not open barrels, for his own honour, that he needs to open them for a merchant (in any event), and all similar cases – and even a single word of temptation or of deception is forbidden, rather the language of truth (sefat emet), a true spirit, and a pure heart in all their endeavours and existence.
9. Shulchan Aruch, Choshen haMishpat 228:6
It is forbidden to mislead a person in commerce or to deceive (geneivat daat), for example if there is a defect in an item for sale, one must tell the customer. Even if he is a non-Jew, one can not sell him treifa meat with the understanding that it is shechted. And even to deceive ( geneivat daat) with action, like giving the appearance something was prepared for a person (specifically), and it was not prepared, this is forbidden. How? Do not insist that his friend dine with him when he knows his friend will not eat, do not increase gifts when he knows they will not be accepted, and do not open barrels, that one is opening for a merchant, so the other thinks they are being opened for their honour, rather one must inform them that the barrels are not being opened for them. And if it is something that a person does with out the intention of making it appear it was done on the other's account, and the second person mistakenly thinks it was done for their honour – for example running into a friend on the way and the second person thought you came out to greet them for their honour – one does not need to inform them (that it was just a chance meeting).
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