alter rebbe weiss edition vol. 1

8/11/2019 Alter Rebbe Weiss Edition Vol. 1

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B I C E N T E N N I A L E D I T I O N

SHULCHAN

ARUCHOF RABBI SHNEUR ZALMAN OF LIADI

'

"

'

Vocalized and Punctuated Hebrew ext

ranslated and Annotated by

Rabbi Eliyahu Touger and Uri Kaploun

VOLUME 1

Orach Chayim Sections 157

,-

Kehot Publication Society

770 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11213

5774 2014


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V

CONTENTS

Portrait and Signature of R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Foreword by the Rebbe to the Hebrew Edition of 5720 (1960) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Foreword to the First Edition of the Bilingual Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Publishers Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

Facsimile / First Edition of the Alter Rebbes Shulchan Aruch,5574 (1814) . . . . . . . . . . xii

Overview / The Alter Rebbes Shulchan Aruch:A Halachic Milestone . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

Preface by the Learned Sons of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxvii

Preface and Approbation by R. DovBer, Son of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lvii

Preface by [R. Chayim Avraham], Son of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lxiv

Shulchan Aruch: Mahadura Basra The Later Edition

LAWS REGARDING RISING IN THE MORNING

Sec.

1. Laws Relating to Rising in the Morning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2. Laws Relating to Dressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3. Conduct in the Lavatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

4. Laws Relating to Washing the Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Shulchan Aruch: Mahadura Kama The First Edition

LAWS REGARDING ONES CONDUCT IN THE MORNINGSec.

1. Laws Relating to Rising in the Morning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

2. Laws Relating to Dressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

3. Conduct in the Lavatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

LAWS REGARDING ONES CONDUCT IN THE MORNING

Sec.

4. Laws Relating to Washing the Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

5. Laws Relating to Intent when Reciting the Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

6. Laws Relating toAsher YatzarandElokai Neshamah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

7. The Recitation ofAsher Yatzar in the Course of the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

LAWS REGARDING TZITZIS

Sec.

8. Laws Relating to Tzitzisand Enwrapping Oneself [in aTallis] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

9. The Garments that Require Tzitzis and Those that are Exempt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

10. Laws Relating to the Corners of the Tallis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

11. Laws Relating to the Threads of the Tzitzis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

12. Factors that Invalidate Tzitzis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

13. Laws Relating to Tzitzis on Shabbos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

14. Tzitzismade by a Non-Jew or by Women..., and a BorrowedTallis . . . . . . . . . . . 14815. The Permissibility of Transferring Tzitzis...,and a TornTallis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

16. The [Minimum] Measure of a Tallis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168


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17. The Individuals Obligated to Wear Tzitzis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

18. The Times at which [the Mitzvah of] Tzitzis Applies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

19. The Times at which a Blessing is Recited over Tzitzis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

20. Laws Relating to the Purchase and Sale of Tallisos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

21. What is to be Done with Tzitzis Detached from Old Tallisos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18222. [The Recitation of Shehecheyanu over Wearing a Tallis and Tzitzis] . . . . . . . . . . . 184

23. Laws Relating to Tzitzis in a Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

24. The Reward for Wearing Tzitzis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

LAWS REGARDING TEFILLIN

Sec.

25. The Laws of Tefillinin Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

26. Laws Relating to a Person Who Has Only One Tefillin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

27. Laws Relating to the Place & the Manner in which Tefillinare Put On . . . . . . . . . 213

28. Laws Relating to Removing Ones Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

29. [Not to Recite a Blessing when Removing Tefillin] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

30. The Time [Tefillin] are Worn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

31. Laws Relating to [Tefillin] on Shabbos and Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

32. Laws Relating to the Writing of Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

33. Laws Relating to the Repair of the Compartments and to the Straps . . . . . . . . . . 320

34. Laws Relating to the Insertion of the Passages in the Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

35. Laws Relating to the Number of Lines [in the Passages of Tefillin] . . . . . . . . . . . 335

36. Laws Relating to the Precise Shape of the Scribal Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336

37. The Time for Wearing Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355

38. Who is Obligated to Wear Tefillin and Who is Not. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35739. Who is Fit to Write Tefillin and from Whom may Tefillin be Purchased. . . . . . . . . 367

40. Laws Relating to Conduct that Concerns the Holiness of the Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . 376

41. The Law Relating to a Person [Wearing] Tefillin and Carrying a Burden . . . . . . . . 382

42. Whether it is Permissible to Convert Arm-Tefillin into Head-Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . 383

43. Conduct with regard to Tefillin when Entering a Lavatory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

44. The Prohibition against Sleeping while Wearing Tefillin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

45. Laws Relating to [Wearing] Tefillin in a Cemetery or Bathhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . 401

LAWS REGARDING THE MORNING BLESSINGS

Sec.

46. Laws Relating to the Morning Blessings and Other Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404

47. Laws Relating to the Blessings for Torah Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

48. The Passage Concerning the Daily Burnt-Offering & the Shabbos Offering . . . . . . 434

49. License to Recite the ShemaBy Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436

50. The Rationale for Reciting the MishnahBeginningEizehu Mekoman. . . . . . . . . . . 437

51. Laws Relating to the Prayers from Baruch SheAmaruntilYishtabach . . . . . . . . . . 440

52. One who Arrives [when the Congregation is Approaching] Yishtabach . . . . . . . . 455

53. Laws Relating to Persons Fit to Lead the Communal Prayers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458

54. Laws Relating to [the Blessing] Yishtabach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480

55. Laws Relating to Kaddish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

56. Laws Relating to the Congregations Response to Kaddish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507

57. The Recitation of Barchuand the [Congregations] Response to It . . . . . . . . . . . 514

KUNTRES ACHARON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518


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Publishers ForewordIX

* From the comment of R.

Nachum of Chernobyl, saintly

disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and

the Maggid of Mezritch, when

an early manuscript copy of the

Tanya first reached his hands.

(See R. Heilmann, Beis Rebbe,p.

126.)

Rabbi Shneur Zalman o Liadi (1745-1812), ounder o Chabad Chassidus,is widely identified as the Baal HaTanyaand the Baal HaShulchan Aruch or his authorship o SeferHaTanyaand theShulchan Aruch(Code o Jewish

Law) respectively.

Te Tanya, a compilation o the undamental principles o the mystical/

chassidic interpretation o Judaism, has become a classic, studied by students

and scholars alike. Te Tanyaexplores the esoteric dimension o the orah, as

it relates to body and soul, the Jew and his G-d, immanent reality, and higher

worlds.By contrast, the Shulchan Aruchconcerns itsel with the here and now o

daily existence. Indeed, it seems no detail o mundane lie is lef unexamined

and undisciplined by the law, or halachah, o orah. But it is at the intersection

o these two disciplines that Jewish lie finds its ullest expression. Te spiritual

inorms the legal and the reverse in turn, illuminating a multi-dimensional

Jewish experience. Indeed, the name Shneur, which in Hebrew means two

lights, alludes to the illumination o these two contrasting yet complementary

dimensions o orah, the legal and the mystical.*

In the 1960s, at the directive o the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M.

Schneerson, o blessed memory, an English translation o the Tanyawas pub-

lished, making this work accessible to English readers or the first time ever. A

preace by the Rebbe underscores this development as a milestone achievement

in the work o disseminating the light o chassidic thought.

It is thus with proound joy that we now present the first installment o an

English translation o Rabbi Shneur Zalmans second magnum opus, Shulchan

Aruch HaRav,the Code o Jewish Law.

Tis work is another milestone achievement toward the dissemination o the

teachings o Rabbi Shneur Zalman, ounder o the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

Its publication has been made possible by the generosity o Dr. Judah and Gail

Schorr, in honor o the bar-mitzvaho their son Natanel Chaim.

Kehot Publication Society

24th of Teves 5762 (2002)

FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION

OF THE BILINGUAL TEXT


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Publishers Foreword X

On Wednesday, Chai Elul[5505/1745 ,], the Baal Shem ov returned rom immersion inthe mikveh in such lofy spirits and so joyul that his disciples were surprised.As he led the morning prayers, they were all amazed by the lively, estive melodies that ac-

companied them. Tis was clearly an extraordinary day.

Afer the prayers, the tzaddikinvited them to participate in the kind o estive meal that cel-

ebrates a mitzvah.He was exceptionally joyous. It was then that he said: On Wednesday, the

luminaries were suspended [in the heavens]. And on [this] Wednesday, a new soul descended

that will illumine the world with both the teachings o nigleh, the revealed insights o orah

Law, and the mystical teachings o Chassidus. Tat soul will have to sacrifice itsel in [order to

champion] the path o Chassidus, [but] will prevail until the coming oMashiach.1

As is well known, the Baal Shem ov was speaking about the Alter Rebbe, R. Shneur Zalmano Liadi, who was born on that very day in ar-off Liozna. Indeed, his very name 2alludes to his lie

mission illuminating the world in those two realms o orah scholarship.

A Lifetime of Challenge

Divine Providence works in ways that mans wisdom cannot athom. Instead o being granted

the opportunity to spread his teachings unhindered, amidst comort and ease, the Alter Rebbe was

subjected to a lietime o struggle. He aced challenges rom within the Jewish community and was

imprisoned and subjected to harsh treatment by the czarist authorities. Indeed, his very lie was

cut short by travail.

In 5572 (1812), Napoleon invaded Russia. Te Alter Rebbe saw him as a disruptive orce thatwould rock the spiritual tranquility that characterized Russias Jewish community, and thereore

urged his chassidim to employ all their energies and resources to support the Czar in the battle

against him.

As Napoleons armies advanced, the Alter Rebbe had to flee. He did not want to be under

Napoleons rule or one moment. Weakened by the journey and the harsh Russian winter, on the

18th o eves, 5573 (1812), the Alter Rebbe took sick. Six days later, on the 24th o eves, as his

sons record in their Preace to the present work,3he became bound with the Holy One, blessed

be He, in a single bond.

His Teachings: Our LifeIn that Preace, the Alter Rebbes sons explain how they saw their athers lie and mission

perpetuated in his works:

Tis, now, is our partial comort. His teachings are our lie; we live on his words even now,

or they are alive and eternal, shining and illuminating.We have now come, thereore, to

uphold the words o our ather and to publish and circulate his wisdom and his teachings

throughout the world.

With that intent, shortly afer returning to White Russia and settling in Lubavitch, the Mitteler

PUBLISHERS FOREWORD

TO THE BICENTENNIAL EDITION

1. Toras Shalom, pp. 152-153.

2. means two lights, i.e., the

light of nigleh (the revealed levels of

the Torah) and the light of Chassidus

(see Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 6, p. 37, and

the sources there).

3. Echoing the Zohar(Zohar, Vol. III,

p. 288a). See page L below.

4. Toras Menachem, Vol. 34, p. 259ff.


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Publishers ForewordXI

Rebbe began preparing the Alter Rebbes Shulchan Aruch or publication, and in 5574 (1814), a

little more than a year later, the first volume was printed.

Time Spirals Upward

Chassidus and Kabbalahperceive time as cyclic, but since the passage o time also entailsadvance and growth, time can be seen as an upward spiral. For that reason, the Alter Rebbes yah-

rzeit has always been viewed as a time to rededicate onesel to the intensification o the study and

dissemination o his teachings. Tat said, when a year is obviously a milestone, it deserves and

receives special ocus. In that vein, rom Chai Elul o 5722 (1962), some our months beore the

150th anniversary o the Alter Rebbes passing, the Rebbe encouraged his listeners to intensiy their

study o the Alter Rebbes works, putting special ocus on the Shulchan Aruch.4And on the anniver-

sary itsel, he conducted a siyum5o that work and urged that its study be invigorated even urther.6

How This Edition Evolved

In 5772 (2012), as the 200th anniversary o the Alter Rebbes passing approached, a small groupo chassidim elt a pressing need. For the many who could not understand the text in its original,

the Alter RebbesShulchan Aruchwas a closed book; a complete translation did not exist. rue, ten

years beore, the translation o this orah classic had been initiated and eight volumes had since

been published, but the project had halted midstream and or several years, no new volume had

been printed. A staff was soon gathered together and resources were ound.

wo trusty patrons o orah, Rabbi Yonah Mordechai Weiss o Los Angeles, Caliornia, and

his brother, Rabbi Moshe Aaron zvi Weiss, shliachto Sherman Oaks, Caliornia, heirs to a am-

ily tradition o dedication to scholarship and to the Rebbes work, stepped orward at this point

and undertook to help shoulder the financial burden o the project. Moreover, they were not mere

absentee landlords. Rather, they ocused their energies on improving both the texts content andits graphic presentation.

Tis volume, the first ruits o those efforts, eatures a modernized layout planned and designed

by the creative minds at Spotlight Design in Brooklyn, NY. Tree significant eatures o the design:

1) Te text on each page is presented in two acing columns that enable a reader to alternate more

readily between the original and the translation. 2) Te ootnote markers keyed to the English notes

were added to the Hebrew text as well, to enable a reader studying in Hebrew to access them. 3) In

a reversion to the texts initial layout, the glosses o the Kuntreis Acharonwere placed at the back

o the main body o the book.7

On the phrase rom the Shemoneh Esreh, , we hope or Your deliverance the

entire day,the Alter Rebbe notes8that the root o the word , hope, is , which also means line.

Trough our study o the orah in the present time, we draw the lines that configure the blueprints

or our conduct in the Era o Redemption. Tis is the greater goal and the ultimate purpose o the

publication o this volume: to enable the Jewish people to comprehend orah Law, which articulates

G-ds will, and to mold their lives accordingly., Tis activity creates a setting or the world to unc-

tion as G-d desired and that is the core o whatMashiachwill accomplish in the world at large.

Sichos In English

Lag BaOmer, 5774 (2014)

5. A discourse concluding the study

of a Torah work.

6. Ibid., Vol. 36, p. 39.

7. Their summaries in English, how-

ever, are included on the same page

as the Alter Rebbes main text.

8. Torah Or,p. 63d.


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2Mahadura Basra The Later Edition :

,

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MAHADURA BASRA THE LATER EDITION

1

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2.

This1[manuscript] was found among the sacred writings of our late revered master, the Rebbe.

When, with the Divine inspiration that rested upon him, he began to compose a second edi-

tion of the Shulchan Aruch,he added many new laws. Though many matters had already been

stated we felt that they should not be passed over, so that nothing would be lacking, and the

[original] teaching would not be laid aside.2

LAWS REGARDING RISING IN THE MORNING

SECTION 1 Laws Relating to Rising

in the Morning. (19)

1 Yehudah ben eima says: Be bold as aleopard, swif as an eagle, fleet as a deer

and strong as a lion, to ulfill the will o your

Father in Heaven.3

o be bold as a leopard4means that one

should not to be embarrassed when conrontedby scoffers. Strong as a lion strength is

mainly lodged in the heart,5enabling one to

overcome his [evil] inclination and conquer

11

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1.This passage, introducing the

four surviving chapters of Maha-

dura Basra(The Later Edition) of

the Alter Rebbes Shulchan Aruch,

was added when the entire work

was published. As to why the

Alter Rebbe sought to revise his

original text Mahadura Kama

(The First Edition) see the

above Overview and the Prefaces

written by his sons.

2. The closing phrase borrows

a Talmudic expression, which

Rashi (Shevuos 4a) interprets

as follows: Once the text of a

mishnahhad been disseminated

among scholars, then even when

its author, R. Yehudah HaNasi,hadsince revised its content, the orig-

inal version was not discarded.

Nevertheless, while both versions

were thus preserved for poster-

ity, discerning students knew that

the later teaching was the one

accepted as law. The same prin-

ciple applies with regard to these

four revised chapters of the Alter

Rebbes Shulchan Aruch.

3. Avos 5:20. Similar concepts

appear in Mahadura Kama(The

First Edition; see sec. 1:1 below),

though the explanation differs.The ramifications of this direc-

tive in ones Divine service are

discussed in Likkutei Sichos,Vol.

21, p. 282, and Vol. 26, p. 29, et al.

4.Tur.See also Likkutei Sichos,Vol.

15, p. 255, and Vol. 21, p. 283.

5. Taz1:1. See also Tanya,ch. 25.

6. Turand Shulchan Aruch1:1.


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3 Mahadura Basra The Later EditionSECTION 1:12 Laws Regarding Rising in the Morning

, .

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9

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10

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it, like a mighty man who overcomes his ad-

versary, vanquishing him and throwing him

to the ground.

Similarly, like a lion, every individual

should overcome his inclination in the morn-ing and rise rom sleep beore dawn to serve

his Creator. Tus he will rouse the morning,6

as it is written,7I will wake the dawn, which

implies: I will wake the dawn; the dawn will

not wake me.8Tis is an intermediate standard

o conduct.9

2 It is, however, appropriate or any G-d-ear-ing person,

10

any man o valor whose heartG-d has touched,11to rise at midnight12and to

devote a little time to mourning or the de-

struction o the Beis HaMikdashand the exile

o the Divine Presence.13One should recite the

psalm beginning, By the waters o Babylon14

and the like15(as printed in various Siddurim16).

",.

"",..

)'(. ".,) )(."'". )",(."" ".... (.""'.'."":

)(.".. .

7.Tehillim57:9.

8. Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachos1:1;

Midrash Eichah,sec. 2; ZoharI, 23a.

9. In Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 16, p.

361ff., the Rebbe notes that only

here, in (the later) Mahadura

Basra,though not in (the earlier)

Mahadura Kama,the Alter Rebbe

completes the quotation: the

dawn will not wake me.

Thisphrase is also omitted by

the Shulchan Aruchof Rav Yosef

Caro. In Taz 1:2 this omission is

explained as follows: The dawn

alludes to the spiritual influence

from above that stirs a person

to Divine service. King David

was stating that even without its

help he was able to spur himself

to Divine service on his own ini-

tiative. And since such a rung is

beyond the reach of most peopleit is omitted by the Shulchan Aruch.

Ifso, the Alter Rebbes inclusion

of the phrase would appear prob-

lematic, for his Shulchan Aruch,

too, is a halachic text applicable

to everyone and can such a

level be demanded of everyone?

To resolve this, the Rebbe explains

how from the mystical perspective

of pnimiyus haTorah,on which basis

Mahadura Basrawas written, even

this elevated rung of Divine service

is within the potential of every Jew.

10. Rosh, Berachosch. 1, sec. 2; Tur

and Shulchan Aruch1:3.

11. Cf. I Shmuel 10:26. See also

Seder Tikkun Chatzosin the Alter

Rebbes Siddur. (See p. 15, note

43.)

12. ZoharII, 195b; Kisvei HaAriZal,

et al.In Seder Tefillos MiKol HaSha-nah(i.e., Siddur Im Dach), p. 303,

the Alter Rebbe writes (citing the

Zohar) that though the preferred

time for Tikkun Chatzosis true mid-

night, it may be recited as early as

from the beginning of the second

watch (see footnote 28 below).

This is two hours before true mid-

night in both summer and winter.

Midnight is midway between sun-

set and sunrise; see subsection 8below and footnotes there.

13. Kisvei HaAriZal, et al.; see

Tanya Iggeres HaTeshuvah,ch. 7.

14. Tehillim137.

15. E.g., Tehillim15; see Tanya,ch.

26.

16. Including the Alter Rebbes

Siddur.


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:,17 13,,

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For thus it is written,17Arise, cry out in the

night, at the beginning o the watches just

as the Holy One, blessed be He, Himsel

mourns at this time, saying, Woe is Me, that

I have destroyed My House...18And a mod-est measure recited with genuine intent is

preerable to a greater quantity with less ear-

nest eelings.19

Aferwards, one should engage in the

study20o the Oral Law21until daybreak.

3 Te praises which the Zohar22lavishes

on this practice are well known. Simi-

larly, the almud23states that midnight is a

time o Divine avor; this is reflected in the

act that24it came to pass at midnight that

G-d smote all the firstborn [in the land o

Egypt]. [Our Sages] also said:25Whenever

a person engages in orah study at night, the

Divine Presence is beore him. Tis is im-

plied by the verse, Arise, cry out in the night,

"( ( , . , "". (. ( ." . " . ' . " .' : " . "

. ." . "

. " ".

'. ." ' ."" " ". . " ' " ". . " :"(: ) .20' " '. "." ' ." ' ."" .45' " " " ." '

17. Eichah2:19.

18. Berachos3a. This quotation is

taken verbatim from early manu-

scripts of the Talmud. Ever since

the invention of printing, most

editions of the Talmud have

perpetuated the emendation of

medieval ecclesiastical censors:

Woe to the sons on account

of whose sins I destroyed My

House...

19. Tur. This devotional exercise,

known as Tikkun Chatzos,has in

practice become restricted to

individuals of rare spiritual stat-

ure, though in Tanya Iggeres

HaTeshuvah, ch. 10, the Alter

Rebbe urges that it be prac-

ticed more widely, at least every

Thursday night. See also Kuntreis

HaTefillah,ch. 11.

Indefense of those who do not

practice Tikkun Chatzos,R. Avra-

ham of Butshash argues that for

some people, being awake at

that time may hinder the next

days energetic pursuit of metic-

ulous observance. (See his Eshel

Avraham.)

20. In Mahadura Kama 1:8 the

Alter Rebbe stipulates that this

study and prayer must be under-

taken joyously. See also Tanya,

ch. 26.

21.The subjects to be studied and

the differences between before

and after midnight are extensively

discussed by the Kabbalists. See

also Sefer HaMinhagim: The Book

of Chabad-Lubavitch Customs, p.

41; Likkutei Sichos,Vol. 34, p. 45.

22. See ZoharII, 195b.

23. Yevamos72a; in the original,eis ratzon.

24. Shmos12:29.

25. Tamid32b. See also the Alter

Rebbes Hilchos Talmud Torah4:8,

and sources there.


10/20


at the beginning o the watches; pour out your

heart like water, acing the Presence o G-d.

Tat is to say, the Divine Presence abides with

the individual at the beginning o the watch-

es,26which means midnight.27

(I a person cannot rise at midnight,

he should rise at the beginning o the third

watch.28)

I one engages in orah study at night, a

thread o Divine avor is extended over him

during the day,29as it is written,30By day G-d

ordains His lovingkindness, and at night His

song is with me. Moreover, such a person iscalled a servant o G-d,31as in the verse that

addresses32all the servants o G-d who stand

in the House o G-d by night.

It is advisable to prepare a rooster,33 as

R. Akiva did, to wake one at midnight. Even

when on a journey he would take a roost-

er with him to wake him at midnight.34I a

26. Rashion Tamid, loc. cit.

27. According to R. Yehudah

HaNasi in Berachos3b.

28. The beginning of the third

watch is also called the begin-

ning of the watches (ibid.).

Thenight (say from 6:00 p.m.

to 6:00 a.m.) is divided into three

watches of four hours each. Thusthe beginning of the third watch

is 2:00 a.m. This time, however,

must be adjusted according to

the principle of shaos zemani-

yos,seasonal hours. To explain:

The night is exactly twelve hours

long only at the time of the spring

and fall equinox, while at other

times of year it is either longer or

shorter. A shaah zemanis, seasonal

hour, is one-twelfth of the actual

time from nightfall to daybreak.

Thusto arrive at the real equiva-

lent of 2:00 a.m. on any particular

night (such as a northern winters

night of 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.),

one must first calculate the lengthof a shaah zemanisat that time of

year by dividing that nights 15

hours by twelve. The equivalent of

2:00 a.m. that night will be eight

such hours (8 x 1 hr. 25 mins. =

10 hrs.) after nightfall (4:30 p.m.

plus 10 hrs. = 2:30 a.m.).

As to the end of the third

watch, the Alter Rebbe writes in

Siddur Im Dach,p. 303 (citing Pri

Etz Chayim), that for those who

could not manage to recite Tikkun

Chatzosearlier, it may be recited

until daybreak.

29. Chagigah12b.

30. Tehillim42:9.

31. ZoharI, 136a; III, 13a.

32. Tehillim134:1.

33.Reishis Chochmah, Shaar HaKe-

dushah,ch. 7.

34.Berachos60b, and Rashithere.

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11/20


35. Cf. Rambam, Moreh Nevuchim

III, sec. 52.

36. Yeshayahu 6:3. In Mahadura

Kama1:1 and elsewhere, the Alter

Rebbe cites a different verse.

37.Rama1:1; Moreh Nevuchim, loc.

cit.;see also Tanya,ch. 42.

38. Tehillim 16:8; see the inter-

pretation of this verse at the

beginning of Tzavaas HaRivash.

39. Moreh Nevuchim, loc. cit.

40. Yirmeyahu23:24.

41.On this paragraph, see Tanya,

loc. cit.

.

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rooster will not wake [its owner], he should

hire someone to wake him.

4

As soon as a person wakes up,35in order

that he should be able to overcome hisinclination and rise energetically at mid-

night, or beore dawn as in the intermediate

standard o conduct he should contem-

plate in his heart beore Whom he is lying.

He should be aware that the King o kings is

hovering over him, as it is written,36 Te

entire earth is filled with His glory. Were he

to lie beore a king o flesh and blood who

was standing over him, he would be liableor his lie. How much more does this apply

with regard to the King o kings, the Holy

One, blessed be He!

5 A cardinal principle in the orah37and

one o the attributes o the righteous who

walk beore G-d is reflected by the verse,38I

have placed G-d beore me at all times. For

the manner in which a person sits, moves

about, and conducts his affairs is not the

same when he is alone at home as when he

is in the presence o a great king.39Similarly,

the way he speaks reely in the company o

members o his household is not the same as

the way he speaks in the dwelling o a king.

How much more does this apply when

one earnestly considers that the great King

the King o kings, the Holy One, blessed

be He is standing over him and observing

his deeds. As it is written,40I a man hides


12/20


42. Rabbeinu Yonah, Shaarei Tes-

huvahand Sefer HaYirah.

43. Sefer Chassidim,sec. 35.

44. Yeshayahu59:2.

45. Seder HaYom, as cited in

Magen Avraham, end of sec. 4,

and in Eliyah Zuta,sec. 102.

46. The Rebbe Rayatz directed

that when saying this, one should

place one hand against the

other, and lower the head. (See

Sefer HaMaamarim 5710,p. 244;

Sefer HaMinhagim The Bookof Chabad-Lubavitch Customs, p.

3.) Many chassidim understand

this to mean that one should say

Modeh Aniwhile lying on his side

with his hands held palm to palm

above his chest, inclined slightly

toward his head, and with the

head bent towards his hands.

Others understand the beginning

of the instruction to mean that

one should place his left hand flat

on his chest and place his right

hand upon it.

47. See Hilchos Shemiras Guf

VeNefesh,subsection 5. Gittin70b

states that a person who rises

immediately after sleep is closer

to death than life; by waiting the

time it takes to recite this phrase,

one avoids that danger.

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himsel in secret places, will I not see him?

says G-d. For I fill both heaven and earth!

[When one earnestly considers this,] he will

immediately be affected by awe41and sub-

missiveness, with a constant ear o G-d andbashulness beore Him.

I he is not immediately affected in this

manner, he should ponder deeply upon this

concept until he is affected.42Moreover, he

should repent with wholehearted teshuvah

or all his sins, or it is they that prevent the

awe rom affecting him,43as it is written,44

Your sins have separated [you rom your

G-d].

6 It is proper or one to habituate himselimmediately upon waking45 to say

Modeh Ani...:I offer thanks to You, living

and eternal King, or You have merciully

restored my soul within me; great is Your

aithulness.46Tis will remind him o G-d

Who is standing over him and he will then

rise energetically. Nevertheless, he shouldnot rise and stand up suddenly, but should

wait a little until he has completed this sen-

tence while still lying or sitting, as will be

explained in the laws o proper conduct.47

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13/20


48. The Rebbe points out in

Inyanah shel Toras HaChassidus

(translated as On the Essence of

Chassidus; Kehot, N.Y., 1978) that

the recitation of Modeh Aniwas

instituted after the Talmudic era.In Talmudic times, people recited

the blessing that begins Elokai

Neshamah (see sec. 6:7 below)

immediately upon rising, because

at that time they were holy and

could recite a blessing in purity

immediately upon rising (Rab-

beinu Yonah, gloss to Berachos

60b).

Inlater and less spiritual gener-

ations this became impossible, for

the Divine name (an integral ele-

ment of the blessing) may not be

mentioned while a spirit of impu-rity rests upon ones hands. The

recitation of Modeh Ani (which

includes no Divine names) was

thus instituted as an expression

of gratitude that would to

some degree compensate for

the absence of Elokai Neshamah.

49. See 85:3 below.

50.The spiritual rationale under-

lying this ruling is clarified in

Inyanah shel Toras HaChassidus.

As the Rebbe explains there,

Modeh Aniemanates from a level

within a Jews soul that cannot be

affected by ritual impurity.

51. The conclusion of sec. 4 is

not extant, but see Mahadura

Kama4:3.

52. Rabbeinu Yonah on Berachos,

ch. 2. See also 85:1 below.

53. Cf. ZoharI, 72a.

,49

48

50,

51,.

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58

Since this statement does not include

any o the seven Divine names48that may

not be erased,49 one is not orbidden to

recite it beore washing his hands.50[Tis

applies] even when he slept naked and his

hands presumably touched unclean parts

o his body, as will be explained in sec. 4.51

By contrast, it is orbidden to utter

words o orah with unclean hands, though

it is permissible to think about words o

orah.52Nevertheless,53 a person should

not speak nor even think words o

orah while he is lying in bed, even i he

has already washed his hands. Instead, he

should arise and stand up or sit in awe, in

the spirit o the verse,54Prepare to greet

your G-d, O Israel.

7 As explained below in sec. 4, the al-mud55 and the subsequent halachic

authorities56rule that when a person sleeps

in his clothes,57it is possible that his hands

did not touch the unclean parts o hisbody;58hence his hands are presumably in

a state that allows him to mention G-ds

". ."' ". " ' , " ' ". ' ' ' ' . " ".) ."' "' ( " . "" ": ."" "." ' ". '.)," ( " ."". " ". '" . "' "" ,. . " . "' '". '"(. '( :


14/20


54.Amos4:12.

55. Berachos60b.

56. See: Rambam, Hilchos Tefillah

3:3, 4:1; Rosh(on Berachos,ch. 9),

sec. 23.

57. Responsa of Rashba, Part I,

sec. 153; Shulchan Aruch4:23.

58. I.e., as the Alter Rebbe writes

in his Siddur,the parts of the body

which are usually covered (see

92:7).

59. Rama47:13.

60. Shabbos109a.

61. Rashion Yoma77b.

62. In the Introduction, p. 10b,

and in Parshas Vayeishev,p. 184b.

63. I, 53b; et al.

64. Sources based on Zohar I,

10b. Eshel Avraham 4:1 writes

that one should not step down

onto the floor before washing

Netilas Yadayim.On this practice,

see Likkutei Sippurimby R. Chaim

Mordechai Perlow, p. 287.

65. When the closest place to

wash is more than four cubits

from ones bed, Ketzos HaShul-

chan 2:1 counsels walking less

than four cubits at a time until

one reaches it.

66. Sources based on the Zohar;

Shelah,Tractate Chullin.

,56 55,59,

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name that appears in the blessings and to

speak words o orah.59Needless to say,

[according to this ruling,] he may touch

his clothes, even though a spirit o impu-

rity rests upon [his hands];60he should

merely rerain rom touching ood61or

drink, as explained there.

Nevertheless, the Zohar62rules very

stringently that one should neither recite

blessings, nor study, nor touch ones gar-

ments,63nor walk64our cubits, while the

spirit o impurity still rests on ones hands

beore they are washed in the morning.

65

A person who walks our cubits [beore

washing] is liable or his lie,66or by allow-

ing this impurity to rest upon his hands, he

desecrates the sanctity o G-d which rests

upon him as it rests upon all o G-ds

servants who sanctiy themselves with the

holiness o the Omnipresent and His holy

orah to a higher degree o sanctity and

purity than that o the people at large whohave not attained this level.

"'"."' "'. ".""."" '" ,. . , . ."'"., "., '". ."" "."" "' . ",. '.96 " '. ."" "., '.

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15/20


67. After mentioning this leni-ency in Piskei HaSiddur (s.v. Lefi),

the Alter Rebbe adds that in the

meantime one should be care-

ful not to touch his eyes, ears,

[or other organs, etc.], and most

certainly not to touch any food or

drink, in order not to render them

impure.

68. I.e., although the time formidnight will fluctuate slightly

throughout the year, the manner

in which that hour is determined

finding midday by dividing the

time between sunrise and sunset,

and then taking that same hour at

night remains the same through-

out the year. (The Alter Rebbes

sources here include responsa thatcite Rashion Eruvin56a.)

69. I.e., there is no difficulty in mid-

night being a time of Divine favor

in both New York and Jerusalem,

even though there is a seven-hour

difference between them. (The

Alter Rebbes sources here are

mainly based on the Zohar.)

, , ,

,

, 67

,.

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, "

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,

Nonetheless, i it happens that a person

does not have sufficient water to wash his hands

three times properly in order to remove the

spirit o impurity when he rises at night, Heav-

en orbid that he should desist rom studyingorah until daybreak when he will be able to

wash his hands three times. Instead, he should

wash his hands in a lesser manner or clean

them with any other substance. He should then

recite the blessings and proceed with his study,

in accordance with the ruling o the almud

and the halachic authorities.67

8 Te time o midnight is always [calculated]in the same manner in summer and win-ter68 twelve hours afer noon. Tis is the

actual midpoint o the night, and a time o Di-

vine avor above, at all times and in all places.

Although the length o the days and the nights

varies according to the climates [i.e., the various

latitudes] and the longitudinal distances be-

tween one country and another, that does not

change the above.69Tis resembles the timesor reciting Shemaand Shemoneh Esrehand the

times at which the Shabbosor the estivals com-

mence, which are also [calculated] or each

country according to the times o its own day

and night.

' " ' ) .] "[ ' '". ,. , ' , .) , " )" ( )'( " " ( " , " (. ." "". ) . . " '" " . " .) ' '". ."" . ".' ' '., ".," " "(. ( .'" ' .65'") ) " .'" . ."' ""'


16/20


70. This statement provides an

example of the cases in which the

Alter Rebbe revised his ruling inMahadura Basrato conform with

the ruling of the Kabbalists, even

though according to the accepted

understanding of the Talmud one

might rule otherwise.

Toexplain: In Hilchos Yom-Tov

496:8, the Alter Rebbe rules that

people from Eretz Yisrael who

visit the Diaspora for a festival

with the intent of later returning

to Eretz Yisraelshould not observe

the second day of the festival

(Yom-Tov Sheini shel Galuyos)as

a holiday; i.e., they must recite

the weekday prayers and put on

tefillin. Although they may not

perform forbidden labors, that is

only because this might lead to a

dispute if they were seen by the

local residents. This ruling is also

rendered by most later halachic

authorities.

Therationale: Being an inhab-itant of Eretz Yisrael, such an

individual is required to observe

the festival as it is observed in

his home. True, he must take pre-

cautions not to cause strife in the

locale in which he is found duringthe festival but for him, its sec-

ond day is not a holy day.

Inhis ruling here in Mahadura

Basra the Alter Rebbe adopts a

new position (though this is also

reflected in the responsa of cer-

tain Geonimin the post-Talmudic

period): a festival is celebrated

for two days in the Diaspora, not

because of a technical reason,

but because at that time its dis-

tinctive spiritual light is diffused.

The place of a persons origin

is thus of no significance. Since

on the festival he is located in a

place in which its distinctive light

is diffused for two days, he must

observe it appropriately.

R.Avraham David Lavut, the

Rebbes great-greatgrandfather,

urges (in Shaar HaKollel1:2) that

the later ruling of Mahadura

Basra should be followed. Insupport of this position he cites

sources in the literature of Chas-

sidus (Likkutei Torah on Shemini

Atzeres,p. 92c; Toras Chayimon

Shmos,p. 349b).

Nevertheless, it was not untilrecently that the overwhelm-

ing majority of ChabadRabbinic

authorities would rule according

to this understanding. Indeed,

even within the Rebbes cor-

respondence we find passages

which follow the Alter Rebbes

initial conception. (See letters in

Igros Kodesh,Vol. 4, p. 244, dat-

ing from 5711 (1951), and Vol. 7,

p. 168, dating from 5713 (1953).)However, the last extant letter by

the Rebbe on this subject states:

Our custom in fact and this

is straightforward is that one

should conduct himself accord-

ing to local practice. (The letter

is dated 24 Nissan, 5718 (1958),

and appears in Igros Kodesh,Vol.

17, p. 46.)

71. These are not extant, since

only the first four sectionsof Mahadura Basra were ever

published.

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.

,70 71

(.,

(For the time o Divine avor above, and

the Supernal Unions effected by the recitation

o Shemaand Shemoneh Esreh,and the sanctity

o Shabbosand the estivals all transcend thelimits o space and time, though they radiate

downward into the physical realms to each

and every place at the time appropriate or it.

Tis also explains why a sublime holiness per-

vades in the Diaspora on the second day o a

estival; hence inhabitants o Eretz Yisraelwho

are temporarily in the Diaspora are obliged to

observe the holiness o that day, even thoughthey intend to return [to Eretz Yisrael].70Tis

will be explained in the laws pertaining to the

estivals.71)


17/20


. , . 95'"" ."" ".".

." " .32' '98 '2. " '95 " " . ' '

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72. Tur; Beis Yosef.

73. Rama (Orach Chayim 1:5)

states that though it is desirable

for an individual to recite the Ten

Commandments, they should not

be recited communally.Significantly,the Alter Rebbes

Siddurincludes the passage of the

Akeidah,but neither the passage

concerning the manna nor the Ten

Commandments, though they are

included in many other Siddurim.

In Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 26, p.

95ff., the Rebbe examines the

differences in wording between

the above passage and the par-

allel passage in Mahadura Kama

1:10 below.

74. Of these readings, the Alter

Rebbes Siddurincludes only the

Biblical passage concerning the

daily burnt-offering, as well as

the Talmudic passage beginning

Eizehu Mekomanwhich mentions

all the offerings enumerated

above.

75. A compilation first pub-

lished in Venice, 1545, echoing

the Biblical readings and prayers

which accompanied the offering

of sacrifices in the Beis HaMik-

dash;see Taanis27a.

76. Hoshea14:3.

77.Vayikra7:37.

78. Menachos110a.

79. I.e., Zevachim 5:1-8, which

describes a variety of commu-

nal and individual offerings. In

practice, the Alter Rebbes Siddur

includes, in addition, readings

from the Torah on the removal of

9 It is proper to recite72every day the passage o

theAkeidah(the Binding o Yitzchak) to recall

the merit o the Patriarchs, the passage concerning

the manna [to spur] ones trust in G-d Who pro-

vides every man with his daily bread, and the en

Commandments.73

In addition, it is very advisable to recite the

passages pertaining to the various sacrifices74

the daily burnt-offering, the peace-offering, the

thanksgiving-offering, the sin-offering, the definite

guilt-offering and the provisional guilt-offering, the

adjustable guilt-offering, the libations, and all the

meal offerings as reproduced in the Maama-dos.75Tis recitation ulfills the intent o the verse,76

We will render [the prayer o] our lips in place

o [the sacrifice o] bulls. Likewise it is written,77

Tis is the law o the burnt-offering, the meal-o-

ering, the sin-offering..., and on this verse the

Sages comment:78 Whoever studies the laws o

the burnt-offering [is considered to have brought

a burnt-offering].

Nevertheless, a person who has the capacity tostudy and to understand [the Oral Law] should not

,72

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18/20


""..".""'."'.""

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recite daily even the passages describing the

sacrifices. Tis he should do only rom time to

time, and or him it is sufficient every day to

recite the chapter beginning Eizehu Mekoman79

or orah study is superior because it leadsto action,80as well as to a knowledge o the

orah (as is stated in Hilchos Talmud Torah).81

I a person knows that he is obligat-

ed to offer a particular sacrifice82 e.g., a

burnt-offering because he neglected a positive

commandment or [willully] contemplated

transgressing a prohibitive commandment, or

a thanksgiving-offering i he finds himsel in

one o the our categories o those who are ob-ligated to express their gratitude in this way83

he should recite the passage dealing with

that sacrifice as soon as he becomes obligated.

[Tis] he should do by day,84or this is the

time at which the relevant sacrifices were o-

ered, and not at night. However, he does not

have to recite these passages while standing,85

as a kohenwas required to offer the sacrifices

while standing, or in act he is not a kohen

offering sacrifices; it is only that his study is ac-

counted as equivalent to the service o a priest

who brought an offering on his behal.

On Shabbos,it is proper to recite the pas-

sage describing the offering o the Showbread.86

the ashes from the Altar, on the

daily burnt-offering, and on the

incense-offering. It also includes

a Talmudic passage concerning

the incense-offering and another

on the sequence of the daily

priestly functions.

80.

Kiddushin40b.

81. 4:2 and 4:4, where the Alter

Rebbe encourages the study of

the laws that apply to ones day-

to-day conduct.

82. Cf. Shelah, Maseches Taanis.

See also Igros Kodesh(Letters) of

the Rebbe, Vol. 24, p. 268.

83. Berachos54b.

84. Turand Shulchan Aruch1:6.

85.Cf. the Alter Rebbes position

in Mahadura Kama1:14.

86. This passage appears in the

Alter Rebbes Siddurafter Mussaf.


19/20


20/20

518

)( :

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This gloss refers to

sec. 8:7 (see page

81) and is discussed

in footnote 21.


sec. 8:13 (see page


in footnote 40.


sec. 8:21 (see page


in footnote 54.

alter rebbe weiss edition vol. 1

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