Wednesday-Daily Chitas [Chumash, Tanya] & Rambam Summaries [15th Adar 5783]

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Wednesday, 15th Adar 5783/March 8, 2023

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Parshas Ki Sisa-Revi’i

1. Hashem shows Moshe His glory:

·   Hashem responded to Moshe that he will acquiesce likewise to the second request [of distinguishing the Jewish people from amongst the gentiles], as you have found favor in My eyes. Moshe then asked Hashem to be shown His glory. Hashem replied that He will pass all His good before Him, although he cannot see His face, as no man can see G-d’s face and live. Hashem told Moshe that he [i.e. Moshe] will stand by a cleft within a rock and He will place His hand over him, so he is not injured while His glory passes over. “When I remove My hand, you will see My back but not My face.”

Tanya End of Chapter 34 

  1. Resolving to study more Torah when the opportunity arrives:
  • In addition to the above joy within the current time available that one has for Torah study, one should also resolve that if G-d gives him more time, he will dedicate that time for Torah study.
  • This resolution itself has the power to make it as if he is already fulfilling it, as a good intent G-d considers like actual deed.
  1. Making an abode for G-d during one’s business dealings through giving charity:
  • Even during times that one is not studying Torah, but is rather dealing with business one can become an abode for G-d by giving charity from his income.
  • Making an abode for G-d by being merciful just like G-d: [Giving charity accomplishes making for G-d a dwelling place below being that] it follows His character traits, as just as He is merciful so too a person should be merciful.
  • Giving 20% of one’s earnings to charity elevates all of one’s time invested in business: Although one only gives 20% of his earnings to charity, nevertheless, as a result of this distribution all of the hours he invested to earn an income become a dwelling place below for G-d.
  • A similar ruling regarding sacrifices: Our sages teach us that the mitzvah of charity is equivalent to all the offerings. Now, just like by sacrifices the entire animal kingdom became elevated through the office, and the entire vegetative kingdom became elevated through one flour offering with olive oil, so too by charity, it has the power to elevate all of one’s earnings and the time invested in making the income.
  • During prayer and Torah learning all of one’s bodily necessities are elevated: Furthermore, [aside for the elevation of all of one’s earnings through charity] when a person studies Torah and prays, everything that he has eaten and drank and benefited from for the sake of his bodily needs and health, also become elevated to Hashem.
  1. Retaining a feeling of disgust of one’s spiritual state despite all the above joys:
  • All the above different experiences of joy that one can have with G-d, does not contradict the feeling of broken heartedness and humility over one’s low spiritual state.
  • It is possible to experience this broken heartedness even during the actual joy, as the broken heartedness is a result of the body and animal soul while the joy is a result of the G-dly soul and the spark of G-d that is within it.
  • On this the Zohar states that one can experience weeping on one side of the heart and joy on the other.

Rambam, Hilchos Eidus, Chapter 10: 

 Reshaim

 

Halacha 1: The invalidation of a Rasha

  • Reshaim are biblically invalid to testify.
  • Testifying with a Rasha: It is forbidden for a valid witness to testify together with a Rasha, even though he knows that his testimony is true. It goes without saying that it’s for been a friend to testify with a false witness who never witnessed the event.

Halacha 2: Who is a Rasha?

  • Anyone who has transgressed a biblical prohibition which carries with it the penalty of lashes, or death, is invalid for testimony.

Halacha 3: The transgression that deems one a Rasha

  • Biblical invalidation: One who transgressed a biblical transgression is biblically invalid for testimony.
  • For example, one who ate meat and milk together, were eight improperly slaughtered animals, or ate an insect, or desecrated the first day of Yom Tov, or wore wool and linen together, is biblically invalid.
  • Rabbinical invalidation: One transgresses a rabbinical prohibition is rabbinically invalid for testimony.
  • For example, if one a chicken and dairy together, or desecrated the second day of the Yom Tov, then he is rabbinically invalid for testimony.

Halacha 4: Invalidation is due to monetary transgressions

  • The following individuals are all invalid:
  • One who steals: A thief is invalid for testimony. One who transgresses a rabbinical prohibition which is defined as stealing is likewise rabbinically invalid for testimony.
  • Eid Zomeim-One who testified falsely: A person who was found to have testified falsely is biblically invalid for testimony. His invalidation begins retroactively from the moment he gave the testimony.
  • Ribis-One involved with an interest loan to a Jew: One who lends or borrows money with interest is invalid for testimony. If he is taking biblically forbidden interest, then his invalidation is biblical while if he’s taking rabbinically forbidden interest then his invalidation is rabbinical.
  • Forcing a sale: People who forcefully take land from another individual in exchange for payment are rabbinically invalid for testimony.
  • Shepherds: Shepherds are rabbinically invalid witnesses as it is assumed that they allow their animals to graze other people’s property.
  • Farmers: In Israel, people who raise small domestic animals are rabbinically invalid for testimony. In the diaspora, they are valid. Even in Israel it is permitted to raise large domestic animals.
  • Tax collectors: Tax collectors are rabbinically invalid for testimony.
  • Dove flyers: A person who guides a flight of doves within a settled area is rabbinically invalid for testimony, being that he gathers doves from other nests.
  • People who do business with Shemita products: People who do business with Shemita products are rabbinically invalid for testimony.
  • Gamblers: Gamblers are rabbinically invalid for testimony if this is their only occupation.

Halacha 5: A sharecropper

  • A sharecropper who takes produce from the field early, is not considered to be stealing and hence remains valid for testimony.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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