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Chewing the Cud: December 2nd 2018

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What is a Mezuzah?

Devarim - Deuteronomy - Chapter 6

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1This is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances that the Lord, your God, commanded to teach you, to perform in the land into which you are about to pass, to possess it.   אוְזֹ֣את הַמִּצְוָ֗ה הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֑ם לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹֽבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
2In order that you fear the Lord, your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments that I command you, you, your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life, and in order that your days may be lengthened.   בלְמַ֨עַן תִּירָ֜א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִ֠שְׁמֹ֠ר אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתָ֣יו וּמִצְו‍ֹתָיו֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוֶּ֒ךָ֒ אַתָּה֙ וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וּלְמַ֖עַן יַֽאֲרִכֻ֥ן יָמֶֽיךָ:
3And you shall, [therefore,] hearken, O Israel, and be sure to perform, so that it will be good for you, and so that you may increase exceedingly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, spoke to you, a land flowing with milk and honey.   גוְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֤ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר֙ יִיטַ֣ב לְךָ֔ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְבּ֖וּן מְאֹ֑ד כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ:
4Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one.   דשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה | אֶחָֽד:
The Lord is our God; the Lord is one: The Lord, who is now our God and not the God of the other nations-He will be [declared] in the future “the one God,” as it is said: “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language that all of them call in the name of the Lord” (Zeph. 3:9), and it is [also] said: “On that day will the Lord be one and His name one” (Zech. 14:9). (see Sifrei)   ×”' אלהינו ×”' אחד: ×”' שהוא אלהינו עתה ולא אלהי האומות, הוא עתיד להיות ×”' אחד, שנאמר (צפניה ×’, ט) ×›×™ אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ×”' ונאמר (זכריה יד, ט) ביום ההוא ×™×”×™×” ×”' אחד ושמו אחד:
5And you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means.   הוְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ:
And you shall love [the Lord]: Perform His commandments out of love. The one who acts out of love cannot be compared to the one who acts out of fear. If one serves his master out of fear, when the master sets a great burden upon him, this servant will leave him and go away [whereas if out of love he will serve him even under great burden] (Sifrei 6:5).   ואהבת: ×¢×©×” דבריו מאהבה אינו דומה עושה מאהבה לעושה מיראה. העושה אצל רבו מיראה כשהוא מטריח עליו מניחו והולך לו:
with all your heart: Heb. בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ [The double “veth” in לְבָבְךָ, instead of the usual form לִבְּךָ, suggests:] Love Him with your two inclinations [the good and the evil]. (Sifrei; Ber. 54a) Another explanation; “with all your heart,” is that your heart should not be divided [i.e., at variance] with the Omnipresent (Sifrei).   בכל לבבך: ×‘שני יצריך. דבר אחר בכל לבבך, שלא ×™×”×™×” לבך חלוק על המקום:
and with all your soul: Even if He takes your soul (Sifrei; Ber. 54a, 61a).   ובכל נפשך: ××¤×™×œ×• הוא נוטל את נפשך:
and with all your means: Heb. וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ, with all your possessions. There are people whose possessions are more precious to them than their own bodies. Therefore, it says, “and with all your means.” (Sifrei) Another explanation of וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ is: You shall love God with whatever measure (מִדָּה) He metes out to you, whether it be the measure of good or the measure of retribution. Thus also did David say: “I will lift up the cup of salvations [and I will call upon the name of the Lord]” (Ps. 116:12-13); “I found trouble and grief [and I called out in the name of the Lord]” (Ps. 116:3-4).   ובכל מאדך: ×‘כל ממונך יש לך אדם שממונו חביב עליו מגופו לכך נאמר ובכל מאדך. דבר אחר ובכל מאדך בכל מדה ומדה שמודד לך בין במדה טובה בין במדת פורענות וכן דוד הוא אומר (תהלים קטז, ×™×’) כוס ישועות אשא וגו' (שם קטז, ×™×’) צרה ויגון אמצא וגו':
6And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart.   ווְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ:
And these words… shall be: What is this“love” [referred to in the previous verse]? It is that these words [the mitzvoth] shall be upon your heart, and through this, you will come to recognize the Holy One, blessed be He, and will [consequently] cling to His ways. (Sifrei 6:6)   והיו הדברים האלה: ×•×ž×”ו האהבה והיו הדברים האלה, שמתוך כך אתה מכיר בהקב"×” ומדבק בדרכיו:
which I command you this day: they should not appear to you as an antiquated edict (דְּיוּטַגְמָא) which no one cares about, but as a new one, which everyone hastens to read. The word דְּיוּטַגְמָא means: a royal edict which comes in writing.(Sifrei)   אשר אנכי מצוך היום: ×œ× יהיו בעיניך כדיוטגמא ישנה שאין אדם סופנה, אלא כחדשה שהכל רצין לקראתה. דיוטגמא מצות המלך הבאה במכתב:
7And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.   זוְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֨ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ:
And you will teach them: Heb. וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם. This is an expression of sharpness, meaning that these words should be sharply impressed in your mouth, so that if a person asks you something, you will not have to hesitate about it, but you will tell him immediately. (Sifrei ; Kidd. 30a)   ושננתם: ×œ×©×•×Ÿ חדוד הוא, שיהיו מחודדים בפיך, שאם ישאלך אדם דבר לא תהא צריך לגמגם בו, אלא אמור לו מיד:
to your sons: These are your disciples. We find everywhere that disciples are termed “sons,” as it is said: “You are children to the Lord your God” (Deut. 14:1), and it says: “The disciples [lit. sons] of the prophets who were in Bethel” (II Kings 2:3). So too, we find that Hezekiah taught Torah to all Israel and called them children, as it is said: “My sons, now do not forget” (II Chron. 29:11). And just as disciples are called “children,” as it is said “You are children to the Lord your God” so too, the teacher is called “father,” as it is said [that Elisha referred to his teacher Elijah by the words] “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel…” (II Kings 2:12) (Sifrei 6:7).   לבניך: ××œ×• התלמידים. מצינו בכל מקום שהתלמידים קרוים בנים, שנאמר (דברים יד, א) בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם, ואומר (מלכים ב' ב, ×’) בני הנביאים אשר בבית אל, וכן בחזקיהו שלמד תורה לכל ישראל וקראם בנים שנאמר (ד"×” ב' כט, יא) בני עתה אל תשלו. וכשם שהתלמידים קרוים בנים, שנאמר בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם, כך הרב קרוי אב, שנאמר (מלכים ב' ב) אבי אבי רכב ישראל וגו':
and speak of them: That your principal topic of conversation should be only about them; make them the main topic, not the secondary one. (Sifrei)   ודברת בם: ×©×œ× יהא עיקר דבורך אלא בם. עשם עיקר ואל תעשם טפל:
and when you lie down: Now this [latter verse] might lead one to think [that the obligation to recite the “shema” is] even if one lies down in the middle of the day. Therefore it states; “and when you rise up” ; now this [latter verse] might lead one to think [that the obligation to recite the “shema” is] even if you arise in the middle of the night! It says therefore,“When you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way.” The Torah is thus speaking of the usual manner of conduct: The [usual] time of lying down and the [usual] time of rising up. (Sifrei)   ובשכבך: ×™×›×•×œ אפילו שכב בחצי היום תלמוד לומר ובקומך. יכול אפילו עמד בחצי הלילה, תלמוד לומר בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך. דרך ארץ דברה תורה, זמן שכיבה וזמן קימה:
8And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes.   חוּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹֽטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ:
And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand: These are the tefillin of the arm.   וקשרתם לאות על ידך: ××œ×• תפילין שבזרוע:
and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes: Heb. לְטֹטָפֹת. These are the tefillin of the head, and because of the number of the Scriptural sections contained in them [namely four], they are called טֹטָפֹת - totafoth, for טַט - tat in Coptic means “two,” פַּת - path in Afriki (Phrygian) [also] means “two.” (San. 4b)   והיו לטטפת בין עיניך: ××œ×• תפילין שבראש ועל שם מנין פרשיותיהם נקראו טטפת. טט בכתפי שתים, פת באפריקי שתים:
9And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.   טוּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזֻז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
the doorposts of your house: The word is מְזֻזוֹת [and not, מְזוּזוֹת, i.e., without the letter“vav”] to indicate that there is need for only one מְזוּזָה - mezuzah per door.   מזזות ביתך: ×ž×–זות כתיב, שאין צריך אלא אחת:
and upon your gates: This [“gates”] is to include the gates of courtyards, the gates of provinces, and the gates of cities [in that they also require a mezuzah]. (Yoma 11a)   ובשעריך: ×œ×¨×‘ות שערי חצרות ושערי מדינות ושערי עיירות:
10And it will be, when the Lord, your God, brings you to the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and good cities that you did not build,   יוְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יְבִֽיאֲךָ֣ | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֜רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לָ֣תֶת לָ֑ךְ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וְטֹבֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־בָנִֽיתָ:
11and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, and you will eat and be satisfied.   יאוּבָ֨תִּ֜ים מְלֵאִ֣ים כָּל־טוּב֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־מִלֵּ֒אתָ֒ וּבֹרֹ֤ת חֲצוּבִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־חָצַ֔בְתָּ כְּרָמִ֥ים וְזֵיתִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־נָטָ֑עְתָּ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ:
hewn: Since it [the Land of Israel] was a stony and rocky place, the term“hewn” is appropriate [regarding the cisterns there].   חצובים: ×œ×¤×™ שהיו מקום טרשין וסלעים נופל בו לשון חציבה:
12Beware, lest you forget the Lord, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.   יבהִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים:
out of the house of bondage: Heb. מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, lit. out of the house of slaves. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: out of the house of slavery, i.e., out of the place where you were slaves [and “not the house that belonged to slaves.”]   מבית עבדים: ×›×ª×¨×’ומו מבית עבדותא, ממקום שהייתם שם עבדים:
13You shall fear the Lord, your God, worship Him, and swear by His name.   יגאֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א וְאֹת֣וֹ תַֽעֲבֹ֑ד וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ:
and swear by His name: If you possess all the attributes mentioned here, that you fear His name and serve Him, then you may swear by His Name, for if you fear His name, you will be cautious with your oath, but if [you do] not, you must not swear [by His name].   ובשמו תשבע: ×× יש בך כל המדות הללו, שאתה ירא את שמו ועובד אותו, אז בשמו תשבע, שמתוך שאתה ירא את שמו תהא זהיר בשבועתך, ואם לאו לא תשבע:
14Do not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you.   ידלֹ֣א תֵֽלְכ֔וּן אַֽחֲרֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים מֵֽאֱלֹהֵי֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם:
of the gods of the peoples who are around you: The same applies to the gods of those peoples who are distant [from you], but, because you see those who are around you erring after them, it was necessary to warn you especially about them [i.e., the gods of the people close to you].   מאלהי העמים אשר סביבותיכם: ×”וא הדין לרחוקים אלא לפי שאתה רואה את סביבותיך תועים אחריהם הוצרך להזהיר עליהם ביותר:
15For the Lord, your God, is a zealous God among you, lest the wrath of the Lord, your God, be kindled against you, and destroy you off the face of the earth.   טוכִּ֣י אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֛א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ פֶּן־יֶֽ֠חֱרֶ֠ה אַף־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ בָּ֔ךְ וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
16You shall not try the Lord, your God, as you tried Him in Massah.   טזלֹ֣א תְנַסּ֔וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִסִּיתֶ֖ם בַּמַּסָּֽה:
In Massah: When they went out of Egypt, when they tested Him concerning water, as it is said [that they asked], “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) [Hence “Massah” means test.]   במסה: ×›×©×™×¦××• ממצרים שנסוהו במים, שנאמר (שמות ×™×–, ×–) היש ×”' בקרבנו:
17Diligently keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, and His testimonies. and His statutes, which He has commanded you.   יזשָׁמ֣וֹר תִּשְׁמְר֔וּן אֶת־מִצְוֹ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם וְעֵֽדֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקָּ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽךְ:
18And you shall do what is proper and good in the eyes of the Lord, in order that it may be well with you, and that you may come and possess the good land which the Lord swore to your forefathers,   יחוְעָשִׂ֛יתָ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר וְהַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לְמַ֨עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וּבָ֗אתָ וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:
what is proper and good: This refers to compromising, acting beyond the strict demands of the law.   הישר והטוב: ×–ו פשרה, לפנים משורת הדין:
19to drive out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken.   יטלַֽהֲדֹ֥ף אֶת־כָּל־אֹֽיְבֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
[To drive out all your enemies…] as [the Lord] has spoken: And where did He speak? When He said,“and I will confuse all the people….” (Exod. 23: 27)   כאשר דבר: ×•×”יכן דבר (שמות ×›×’ ×›×–) והמותי את כל העם וגו':
20If your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the Lord our God has commanded you?"   ככִּֽי־יִשְׁאָֽלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר מָ֣ה הָֽעֵדֹ֗ת וְהַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ אֶתְכֶֽם:
If your son asks you in time to come: Heb. מָחָר. [The word] מָחָר [which usually means “tomorrow”] may [also] mean“at a later time.”   ×›×™ ישאלך בנך מחר: ×™×© מחר שהוא אחר זמן:
21You shall say to your son, "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord took us out of Egypt with a strong hand.   כאוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ עֲבָדִ֛ים הָיִ֥ינוּ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּֽצִיאֵ֧נוּ יְהֹוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה:
22And the Lord gave signs and wonders, great and terrible, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes.   כבוַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֡ה אוֹתֹ֣ת וּ֠מֹֽפְתִ֠ים גְּדֹלִ֨ים וְרָעִ֧ים | בְּמִצְרַ֛יִם בְּפַרְעֹ֥ה וּבְכָל־בֵּית֖וֹ לְעֵינֵֽינוּ:
23And he brought us out of there, in order that He might bring us and give us the land which He swore to our fathers.   כגוְאוֹתָ֖נוּ הוֹצִ֣יא מִשָּׁ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן֙ הָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ לָ֤תֶת לָ֨נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ:
24And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord, our God, for our good all the days, to keep us alive, as of this day.   כדוַיְצַוֵּ֣נוּ יְהֹוָ֗ה לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְיִרְאָ֖ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְט֥וֹב לָ֨נוּ֙ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים לְחַיֹּתֵ֖נוּ כְּהַיּ֥וֹם ×”Ö·×–Ö¶Ö¼Ö½×”:
25And it will be for our merit that we keep to observe all these commandments before the Lord, our God, as He has commanded us."   כהוּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑נוּ כִּֽי־נִשְׁמֹ֨ר לַֽעֲשׂ֜וֹת אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֗את לִפְנֵ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽנוּ: