?What Do I want to Know
What do I know?
(ב) דַּבְּר֛וּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֹ֤את הַֽחַיָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכְל֔וּ מִכׇּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ג) כֹּ֣ל ׀ מַפְרֶ֣סֶת פַּרְסָ֗ה וְשֹׁסַ֤עַת שֶׁ֙סַע֙ פְּרָסֹ֔ת מַעֲלַ֥ת גֵּרָ֖ה בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה אֹתָ֖הּ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃... (ח) מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֣א תִגָּ֑עוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃
(2) Speak to the Israelite people thus: These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals: (3) any animal that has true hoofs, with clefts through the hoofs, and that chews the cud—such you may eat.... (8) You shall not eat of their flesh or touch their carcasses; they are impure for you.
(יא) וְהַיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָלַ֤ךְ דָּוִד֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה בְּחֶבְר֤וֹן מָלַךְ֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וּבִירֽוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם מָלַ֔ךְ שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשָׁלֹ֖שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ (יב) וּשְׁלֹמֹ֕ה יָשַׁ֕ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑יו וַתִּכֹּ֥ן מַלְכֻת֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃ {ס}
(3) The LORD said to him, “I have heard the prayer and the supplication which you have offered to Me. I consecrate this House which you have built and I set My name there forever. My eyes and My heart shall ever be there. (4) As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked before Me, wholeheartedly and with uprightness, doing all that I have commanded you [and] keeping My laws and My rules, (5) then I will establish your throne of kingship over Israel forever, as I promised your father David, saying, ‘Your line on the throne of Israel shall never end.’ (6) [But] if you and your descendants turn away from Me and do not keep the commandments [and] the laws which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, (7) then I will sweep Israel off the land which I gave them; I will reject the House which I have consecrated to My name; and Israel shall become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
(ד) וַיְהִ֗י לְעֵת֙ זִקְנַ֣ת שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה נָשָׁיו֙ הִטּ֣וּ אֶת־לְבָב֔וֹ אַחֲרֵ֖י אֱלֹקִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה לְבָב֤וֹ שָׁלֵם֙ עִם־ה' אֱלֹקָ֔יו כִּלְבַ֖ב דָּוִ֥יד אָבִֽיו׃ ( וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י עַשְׁתֹּ֔רֶת אֱלֹקֵ֖י צִדֹנִ֑ים וְאַחֲרֵ֣י מִלְכֹּ֔ם שִׁקֻּ֖ץ עַמֹּנִֽים (ו) וַיַּ֧עַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י ה' וְלֹ֥א מִלֵּ֛א אַחֲרֵ֥י ה' כְּדָוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ {ס}
(יא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽיְתָה־זֹּ֣את עִמָּ֔ךְ וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֙רְתָּ֙ בְּרִיתִ֣י וְחֻקֹּתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי עָלֶ֑יךָ קָרֹ֨עַ אֶקְרַ֤ע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מֵעָלֶ֔יךָ וּנְתַתִּ֖יהָ לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (יג) רַ֤ק אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ לֹ֣א אֶקְרָ֔ע שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָ֖ד אֶתֵּ֣ן לִבְנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֙עַן֙ דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י וּלְמַ֥עַן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרְתִּי׃
(4) In his old age, his wives turned away Solomon’s heart after other gods, and he was not as wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God as his father David had been. (6) Solomon did what was displeasing to the LORD and did not remain loyal to the LORD like his father David. (11) And the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you are guilty of this-b—you have not kept My covenant and the laws which I enjoined upon you—I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. (13) However, I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give your son one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”
(42) The length of Solomon’s reign in Jerusalem, over all Israel, was forty years. (43) Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
(1) Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to acclaim him king. (2) Jeroboam son of Nebat learned of it while he was in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon, and Jeroboam returned from Egypt. (3) They sent for him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam as follows: (4) “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke that your father laid on us, and we will serve you.”
(יד) חׇדְשֵׁיכֶ֤ם וּמֽוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֙ שָֽׂנְאָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י הָי֥וּ עָלַ֖י לָטֹ֑רַח נִלְאֵ֖יתִי נְשֹֽׂא׃ (טו) וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם אַעְלִ֤ים עֵינַי֙ מִכֶּ֔ם גַּ֛ם כִּֽי־תַרְבּ֥וּ תְפִלָּ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְדֵיכֶ֖ם דָּמִ֥ים מָלֵֽאוּ׃ (טז) רַֽחֲצוּ֙ הִזַּכּ֔וּ הָסִ֛ירוּ רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י חִדְל֖וּ הָרֵֽעַ׃ (יז) לִמְד֥וּ הֵיטֵ֛ב דִּרְשׁ֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט אַשְּׁר֣וּ חָמ֑וֹץ שִׁפְט֣וּ יָת֔וֹם רִ֖יבוּ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ {ס} (יח) לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר ה' אִם־יִהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִֽהְיֽוּ׃ (יט) אִם־תֹּאב֖וּ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם ט֥וּב הָאָ֖רֶץ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ (כ) וְאִם־תְּמָאֲנ֖וּ וּמְרִיתֶ֑ם חֶ֣רֶב תְּאֻכְּל֔וּ כִּ֛י פִּ֥י ה' דִּבֵּֽר׃ {פ}
(14) Your new moons and holidays Fill Me with loathing; They are become a burden to Me, I cannot endure them. (15) And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; Though you pray at length, I will not listen. Your hands are stained with blood— (16) Wash yourselves clean; Put your evil doings away from My sight. cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice; aid the wronged.-eUphold the rights of the orphan; defend the cause of the widow.
(19) If, then, you agree and give heed, You will eat the good things of the earth; (20) But if you refuse and disobey, you will be devoured [by] the sword.-f—
For it was the LORD who spoke.
And arbitrate for the many peoples,
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up
Sword against nation;
They shall never again know war.
(יד) וַתֹּאמַ֤רְנָה הַנָּשִׁים֙ אֶֽל־נׇעֳמִ֔י בָּר֣וּךְ ה' אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א הִשְׁבִּ֥ית לָ֛ךְ גֹּאֵ֖ל הַיּ֑וֹם וְיִקָּרֵ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (יז) וַתִּקְרֶ֩אנָה֩ ל֨וֹ הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת שֵׁם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יֻלַּד־בֵּ֖ן לְנׇעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙ עוֹבֵ֔ד ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־יִשַׁ֖י אֲבִ֥י דָוִֽד׃ {פ}
(14) And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not withheld a redeemer from you today! May his name be perpetuated in Israel! (17) and the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, father of David.
(1) -a A psalm of David. (2) Answer me when I call, O God, my vindicator! You freed me from distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
(יג) ס֥וֹף דָּבָ֖ר הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶת־הָאֱלֹקִ֤ים יְרָא֙ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתָ֣יו שְׁמ֔וֹר כִּי־זֶ֖ה כׇּל־הָאָדָֽם׃ (יד) כִּ֚י אֶת־כׇּל־מַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה הָאֱלֹקִ֛ים יָבִ֥א בְמִשְׁפָּ֖ט עַ֣ל כׇּל־נֶעְלָ֑ם אִם־ט֖וֹב וְאִם־רָֽע׃
(13) The sum of the matter, when all is said and done: Revere God and observe His commandments! For this applies to all mankind: (14) that God will call every creature to account for everything unknown,-s be it good or bad.
The Oral Torah is often divided into two categories- Halacha and Aggadah. Halacha (think הליכה- the way), is law, legal discussions, and rulings. Aggadah (think להגיד- to tell) are stories and tales about biblical figures, the sanhedrin, the temple, and the rabbis of the mishnah and talmud. Halacha and Aggadah hold each other in balance, and are crucial to a comprehensive understanding of the Oral Law, often referred to as Gemmarra. Aggadah is filled with stories referring to specific sites in the land of Israel and can be a rich resource for storytelling, discussions of morals and ethics, and enhanced depth of understanding.
More than a century later, some of the leading Babylonian rabbis compiled another editing of the discussions on the Mishna, called the Babylonian Talmud, (Talmud Bavli). By then, these deliberations had been going on some three hundred years. The Babylon edition was far more extensive than its Palestinian counterpart, and the Babylonian Talmud (Talmud Bavli) became the authoritative compilation of the Oral Law. When people speak of studying "The Talmud," they almost invariably mean the Bavli rather than the Yerushalmi.
The Talmud's discussions are recorded in a consistent format. A law from the Mishna is cited, which is followed by rabbinic deliberations on its meaning. The Mishna and the rabbinic discussions (known as the Gemara) comprise the Talmud, although in Jewish life the terms Gemara and Talmud usually are used interchangeably.
Prayer, Shabbat, Eruv, Chaggim, Kiddushin (engagement) Ketubot (Marriage) and Gittin (Divorce), Nezikin (Damages and Liability), Tahorot (Purity), Mikveh, Niddah (Menstrual Purity), Kashrut.
Rav Hillel The Elder, Rav Shammai, Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, Rav Yochanan ben Zackai, Rav Yehuda haNasi.
Since the codification of the Talmud, Jewish Practice has continued to evolve, grow, and change. Central to this has been the development of Halacha, Jewish Law, and central works focused on the practice of Halacha.
The works of Maimonides (1138-1204), known as Rambam- Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, was among the first to clearly organize and codify the laws and mitzvot laid out across the pre-existing Jewish texts. He is considered one of the greatest Rabbis and Theologians of all time, whose works influences later Christian and Islamic theologians. Maimonides was also the personal physician of Salahadin and wrote extensively about medicine, philosophy, and theology.
The Shulkhan Aruch, written by Joseph Karo in Tzfat in 1565, later added to by Moses Isserles, is today the most widely consulted source for Jewish Legal questions.
Due to geographic, cultural, and social reasons, Jewish communities have differed in customs. Even in the Talmud, "The People of Tiberias" (anshei Tveria) is used as an allegory for Jews with strange customs that are not wrong, but different.
The modern distinctions of "Sephardi" and "Ashkenazi" were once generalizations, lumping together many different communities with different customs and traditions. For example, Lithuanian, Roma, Hungarian, and French Jews all had very different customs and beliefs, with divisions in their communities, but would all be called Ashkenazi today. Since the Holocaust and Zionism, these distinctions have largely faded away. The same could be said of "Mizrahim", a distinction made by the founders of Israel to label all non-European Jews from Africa and the Middle East.
Today, the main divisions in Jewish belief can be seen most clearly in American Judaism. Orthodox is accepted as the norm in Israel, and sets the standards for what is "Jewish" according to the strictest Rabbinate. In America, the picture is radically different. In America, practicing Jewish populations are split between 3 groups- Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. In America, Orthodox Jews are only 9% of the Jewish population, while Conservative and Reform together are 55%. Culturally, religiously, and in practice, all 3 groups have similarities and differences. The reason for the division is on the status of Halacha. Orthodox believes Halacha has been codified (unchangable) in the Shulchan Aruch and is binding. Reform believes Halacha is non-binding. Conservative believes Halacha is binding, and can change.
Since the Babylonian exile, the population of Jews in Diaspora has been higher than the population of Jews in the Land of Israel. This was true during the Second Temple Period, where the Jewish populations of Rome, Babylon, Egypt, and Syria were said to be 3-5x larger than the population of Jews in the Land of Israel. This is still true today, where 45% of the world's Jews live in Israel, and 55% live outside.
(ו) שׁוֹפָר שֶׁנִּסְדַּק וְדִבְּקוֹ, פָּסוּל. דִּבֵּק שִׁבְרֵי שׁוֹפָרוֹת, פָּסוּל. נִקַּב וּסְתָמוֹ, אִם מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַתְּקִיעָה, פָּסוּל. וְאִם לָאו, כָּשֵׁר:
(6) A shofar that was cracked and then glued together, even though it appears to be whole, is unfit. Similarly, if one glued together broken fragments of shofarot to form a complete shofar, the shofar is unfit. If the shofar was punctured and the puncture was sealed, if it impedes the blowing, the shofar is unfit, but if not, it is fit.
(א) סֻכָּה שֶׁהִיא גְבוֹהָה לְמַעְלָה מֵעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה, פְּסוּלָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַכְשִׁיר. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ גְּבוֹהָה עֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים, וְשֶׁאֵין לָהּ שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּפָנוֹת, וְשֶׁחַמָּתָהּ מְרֻבָּה מִצִּלָּתָהּ, פְּסוּלָה. סֻכָּה יְשָׁנָה, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי פּוֹסְלִין, וּבֵית הִלֵּל מַכְשִׁירִין. וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא סֻכָּה יְשָׁנָה, כָּל שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ קֹדֶם לֶחָג שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם. אֲבָל אִם עֲשָׂאָהּ לְשֵׁם חָג, אֲפִלּוּ מִתְּחִלַּת הַשָּׁנָה, כְּשֵׁרָה:
(1) A sukka, i.e., its roofing, which is the main and most crucial element of the mitzva, that is more than twenty cubits high is unfit. Rabbi Yehuda deems it fit. Similarly, a sukka that is not even ten handbreadths high, and one that does not have three walls, and one whose sunlight that passes through its roofing is greater than its shade are unfit. With regard to an old sukka, Beit Shammai deem it unfit for the mitzva of sukka and Beit Hillel deem it fit. And which is considered an old sukka? It is any booth that one established thirty days or more prior to the Festival. However, if he established it expressly for the sake of the festival of Sukkot, even if he constructed it at the beginning of the previous year, it is fit.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִצְוַת חֲנוּכָּה, נֵר אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ. וְהַמְהַדְּרִין, נֵר לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק שְׁמֹנָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק אַחַת, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ.
The Sages taught The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a person for himself and his household. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights.
(א) סדר תפלת חג השבועות. ובו ג סעיפים:
ביום חמשים לספירת העומר הוא חג שבועות וסדר התפלה כמו ביום טוב של פסח אלא שאומרים את יום חג השבועות הזה זמן מתן תורתינו וגומרים ההלל ומוציאין שני ספרים וקורין בראשון חמשה מבחודש השלישי עד סוף הסדר ומפטיר קורא בשני וביום הבכורים ומפטיר במרכבה דיחזקאל ומסיים בפסוק ותשאני רוח:
(1) The fiftieth day of the count of the Omer is the holiday of Shavuot. The prayer service is like the holiday of Passover, rather we say "the Holiday of Shavuot, the time of the giving of our Torah". We say full Hallel. We take out two Torah scrolls and read in the first one of five [sections] from "The third month" until the end of the order. The Maftir is read in the second scroll, "On the day of the first fruits". As Haftorah we read the chariot of Ezekiel, and end with the verse "and the wind took me up."
(ז) שַׁבָּת שֶׁחָל תִּשְׁעָה בְאָב לִהְיוֹת בְּתוֹכָהּ, אָסוּר מִלְּסַפֵּר וּמִלְּכַבֵּס, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי מֻתָּרִין מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת. עֶרֶב תִּשְׁעָה בְאָב לֹא יֹאכַל אָדָם שְׁנֵי תַבְשִׁילִין, לֹא יֹאכַל בָּשָׂר וְלֹא יִשְׁתֶּה יָיִן. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, יְשַׁנֶּה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מְחַיֵּב בִּכְפִיַּת הַמִּטָּה, וְלֹא הוֹדוּ לוֹ חֲכָמִים:
(7) During the week in which the Ninth of Av occurs, it is prohibited to cut one’s hair and to launder clothes, but, on Thursday are permitted in deference to Shabbat. On the eve of the Ninth of Av a person may not eat two cooked dishes in one meal or eat meat nor drink wine. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: One must adjust and decrease the amount he eats. Rabbi Yehuda obligates one to overturn the bed and sleep on the floor like one in a state of mourning, but the Rabbis did not agree with him.
תַּנְיָא רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה, שֶׁאֵין לָךְ מִי שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בְּמִצְוֹת כְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, וְלֹא נִקְרָא תָּמִים אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם מִילָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ״.
It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: Great is the mitzva of circumcision, for there is no one who was engaged in mitzvot like Abraham our Patriarch, and yet he was called wholehearted only due to the mitzva of circumcision, as it is stated: “Walk before Me and you should be wholehearted” (Genesis 17:1), and it is written in the next verse: “And I will make My covenant between Me and you” (Genesis 17:2)
(ח) מִי שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בְּנוֹ בַּר מִצְוָה, כְּשֶׁעוֹלֶה לַתּוֹרָה בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, לְאַחַר שֶׁבֵּרַךְ בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה עַל סֵּפֶר הַתּוֹרָה, מְבָרֵךְ הָאָב וְאוֹמֵר, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר פְּטָרַנִי מֵעָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה (עַיֵּן בספר חיי"א). וּמִצְוָה עַל הָאָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת סְעוּדָה בְּיוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בְּנוֹ בַּר מִצְוָה, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּיוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִשְׁנַת הָאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה. וְאִם הַנַּעַר דּוֹרֵשׁ, הֲוֵי סְעוּדַת מִצְוָה אֲפִלּוּ אֵינָהּ בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם (רכה).
(8) The first time a Bar Mitzvah is called to the Torah, after he has concluded the second berachah over [the reading of] the Torah, the father says the following berachah: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe Who has freed me from the punishment due this boy. It is a mitzvah for a father to prepare a festive meal on the day that his son becomes Bar Mitzvah, that is, on the first day of his fourteenth year. If the boy delivers a Torah discourse, it is considered a meal for the sake of a mitzvah even if [the banquet] is not given on the [Bar Mitzvah] day.
(יט) וְכֵן צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אָדָם מְכַבֵּד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפוֹ וְאוֹהֲבָהּ כְּגוּפוֹ. וְאִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מָמוֹן מַרְבֶּה בְּטוֹבָתָהּ כְּפִי מָמוֹנוֹ. וְלֹא יַטִּיל עָלֶיהָ אֵימָה יְתֵרָה. וְיִהְיֶה דִּבּוּרוֹ עִמָּהּ בְּנַחַת. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה עָצֵב וְלֹא רַגְזָן:
(כ) וְכֵן צִוּוּ עַל הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מְכַבֶּדֶת אֶת בַּעְלָהּ בְּיוֹתֵר מִדַּאי וְיִהְיֶה עָלֶיהָ מוֹרָא מִמֶּנּוּ וְתַעֲשֶׂה כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיהָ עַל פִּיו. וְיִהְיֶה בְּעֵינֶיהָ כְּמוֹ שַׂר אוֹ מֶלֶךְ. מְהַלֶּכֶת בְּתַאֲוַת לִבּוֹ וּמַרְחֶקֶת כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׂנָא. וְזֶה דֶּרֶךְ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְהַטְּהוֹרִים בְּזִוּוּגָן. וּבִדְרָכִים אֵלּוּ יִהְיֶה יִשּׁוּבָן נָאֶה וּמְשֻׁבָּח:
19) Thus the Sages commanded: A man should honor his wife more than himself and love her as himself. If his money is plentiful, he should honor her as much as he can afford. He should not inspire excess fear in her, and he should speak gently with her, and not act downcast or hot-tempered.
(20) Thus the Sages commanded: A woman should honor her husband to excess, and stand in awe of him, and act according to his word. He should seem to her like a minister or king, following the desires of his heart, and distancing herself from the things he hates. This is how holy and pure Jews behave in their marriages; these ways are their pleasant and praiseworthy lifestyle.
(א) מנהג המנחמים ודין מת שאין לו מנחמים. ובו ד' סעיפים:
אין המנחמים רשאים לפתוח עד שיפתח האבל תחלה והאבל מיסב בראש וכיון שנענע האבל בראשו בענין שנראה שפוטר את המנחמים אינם רשאים לישב אצלו: (אין אבל או חולה חייבים לעמוד אפילו מפני נשיא): (פ' א"מ):
(1) The comforters are not permitted to open conversation until the mourner opens first; and as soon as the mourner nods his head in a manner from which it is indicative that he dismisses the comforters, they are not permitted to remain seated by him. A mourner or a sick person are not required to rise even on account of a Nasi.
The song below, Echad, Mi Yodeah? (Who Knows One?) is a song sung at the end of the passover seder that cutely encapsulates a bit of this knowledge. It is read in a progressive fashion starting from one, asking "Who Knows X?", repeating each time, until 13. It is a great way to summarize and learn the topics covered in this sheet.
Who knows thirteen?
I know thirteen.
13 are the temperaments of God (Middot). 12 are the tribes. 11 are the stars in Joseph's dream. 10 are the Commandments. 9 are the months to have a baby. 8 are the days till Brit Milah. 7 are the days of the week. 6 are the orders of the Mishnah. 5 are the books of the Torah. 4 are the matriarchs. 3 are the forefathers. 2 are the tablets of the covenant. And One is God and one alone, in Heaven and on Earth.
For any comments or concerns, reach out at [email protected].
compiled on sefaria.org (change it to english)
myjewishlearning.com
jewishvirtuallibrary.org
Books
"Jewish Literacy" by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
"The Essential Talmud" by Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz
"The Jewish Holidays" by Michael Strassfield
"The Jewish Book of Why" by Alfred J. Kolatch