Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day - Daily Torah Study

These principles apply regarding the judgments, decrees, ordinances, and customs which were established after the conclusion of the Talmud. However, all the matters mentioned by the Babylonian Talmud are incumbent on the entire Jewish people to follow.וּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ - בְּדִינִים גְּזֵרוֹת וְתַקָּנוֹת וּמִנְהָגוֹת שֶׁנִּתְחַדְּשׁוּ אַחַר חִבּוּר הַגְּמָרָא; אֲבָל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבַּגְּמָרָא הַבַּבְלִית - חַיָּבִין כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם.

We must compel each and every city and each country to accept all the customs that were put into practice by the Sages of the Talmud, to pass decrees paralleling their decrees, and to observe their ordinances, since all the matters in the Babylonian Talmud were accepted by the entire Jewish people. The Talmudic Sages who established ordinances and decrees, put customs into practice, arrived at legal decisions, and taught the people concerning certain judgments represented the totality of the Sages of Israel or, at least, the majority of them. They received the tradition regarding the fundamental aspects of the Torah in its entirety, generation after generation, in a chain beginning with Moses, our teacher.וְכוֹפִין כָּל עִיר וָעִיר וְכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה לִנְהֹג בְּכָל הַמִּנְהָגוֹת שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ חַכְמֵי הַגְּמָרָא וְלִגְזֹר גְּזֵרוֹתָם וְלָלֶכֶת בְּתַקָּנוֹתָם - הוֹאִיל וְכָל אוֹתָם הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבַּגְּמָרָא הִסְכִּימוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאוֹתָם הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהִתְקִינוּ אוֹ שֶׁגָּזְרוּ אוֹ שֶׁהִנְהִיגוּ אוֹ שֶׁדָּנוּ דִּין וְלִמְדוּ שֶׁהַמִּשְׁפָּט כָּךְ הוּא, הֵם כָּל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ רֻבָּם, וְהֵם שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ הַקַּבָּלָה בְּעִקָּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ דּוֹר אַחַר דּוֹר עַד משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם.

All the Sages who arose after the conclusion of the Talmud and comprehended its wisdom and whose prowess gained them a reputation are called the Geonim. All these Geonim that arose in Eretz Yisrael, Babylonia, Spain, and France taught the approach of the Talmud, revealing its hidden secrets and explaining its points, since the Talmud’s manner of expression is very deep. Furthermore, it is composed in Aramaic, with a mixture of other tongues. This language was understood by the people of Babylonia in the era when the Talmud was composed. However, in other places, and even in Babylonia in the era of the Geonim, a person cannot understand this language unless he has studied it.וְכָל הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ אַחַר חִבּוּר הַגְּמָרָא וּבָנוּ בוֹ, וְיָצָא לָהֶם שֵׁם בְּחָכְמָתָם - הֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים גְּאוֹנִים. וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַגְּאוֹנִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְאֶרֶץ שִׁנְעָר וּבִסְפָרַד וּבְצָרְפַת לִמְּדוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַגְּמָרָא וְהוֹצִיאוּ לָאוֹר תַּעֲלוּמוֹתָיו וּבֵאֲרוּ עִנְיָנָיו, לְפִי שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ עֲמֻקָּה דַּרְכּוֹ עַד לִמְאוֹד. וְעוֹד, שֶׁהוּא בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִי מְעֹרָב עִם לְשׁוֹנוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת לְפִי שֶׁאוֹתָהּ הַלָּשׁוֹן הָיְתָה בְרוּרָה לְכָל אַנְשֵׁי שִׁנְעָר בָּעֵת שֶׁחֻבְּרָה הַגְּמָרָא; אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת וְכֵן בְּשִׁנְעָר בִּימֵי הַגְּאוֹנִים - אֵין אָדָם מַכִּיר אוֹתָהּ הַלָּשׁוֹן עַד שֶׁמְּלַמְדִים אוֹתוֹ.

The inhabitants of each city would ask many questions of each Gaon who lived in their age, to explain the difficult matters that existed in the Talmud. They would reply to them according to their wisdom. The people who had asked the questions would collect the replies and make texts from them, so that they could consider them in depth.וּשְׁאֵלוֹת רַבּוֹת שׁוֹאֲלִין אַנְשֵׁי כָל עִיר וָעִיר לְכָל גָּאוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בִימֵיהֶם, לְפָרֵשׁ לָהֶם דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים שֶׁבַּגְּמָרָא, וְהֵם מְשִׁיבִים לָהֶם כְּפִי חָכְמָתָם. וְאוֹתָם הַשּׁוֹאֲלִים מְקַבְּצִים הַתְּשׁוּבוֹת וְעוֹשִׂין מֵהֶן סְפָרִים לְהָבִין מֵהֶם.

Also, the Geonim of each generation composed texts to explain the Talmud. Some of them explained only certain halachot. Others explained selected chapters that had created difficulty in their age. Still others explained entire tractates and orders.גַּם חִבְּרוּ הַגְּאוֹנִים שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר חִבּוּרִים לְבָאֵר הַגְּמָרָא: מֵהֶם מִי שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ הֲלָכוֹת יְחִידוֹת, וּמֵהֶם שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ פְרָקִים יְחִידִים שֶׁנִּתְקַשּׁוּ בְיָמָיו, וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מַסֶּכְתּוֹת וּסְדָרִים.

Also, the Geonim composed texts recording the decisions of Torah law regarding what is permitted and what is forbidden, when one is liable and when one is free of liability, with regard to subjects that were necessary at the time, so that they would be accessible to the grasp of a person who could not comprehend the depths of the Talmud. This is the work of God, which was performed by all the Geonim of Israel from the completion of the Talmud until the present date, 1108 years after the destruction of the Temple, 4937 years after the creation of the world.וְעוֹד חִבְּרוּ הֲלָכוֹת פְּסוּקוֹת בְּעִנְיַן אִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר, וְחִיּוּב וּפְטוּר בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה צְרִיכָה לָהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קְרוֹבִים לְמַדַּע מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵירֵד לְעָמְקָהּ שֶׁל גְּמָרָא. וְזוֹ הִיא מְלֶאכֶת ה' שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָהּ כָּל גְּאוֹנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיּוֹם שֶׁחֻבְּרָה הַגְּמָרָא וְעַד זְמַן זֶה שֶׁהִיא שָׁנָה שְׁמִינִית אַחַר מֵאָה וָאֶלֶף לְחֻרְבַּן הַבַּיִת, וְהִיא שְׁנַת אַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וּתְשַׁע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלשִׁים וָשֶׁבַע לִבְרִיאַת עוֹלָם.

At this time, we have been beset by additional difficulties, everyone feels financial pressure, the wisdom of our Sages has become lost, and the comprehension of our men of understanding has become hidden. Therefore, those explanations, laws, and replies which the Geonim composed and considered to be fully explained material have become difficult to grasp in our age, and only a select few comprehend these manners in the proper way.וּבִזְּמַן הַזֶּה תָּכְפוּ הַצָּרוֹת יְתֵרוֹת, וְדָחֲקָה הַשָּׁעָה אֶת הַכֹּל, וְאָבְדָה חָכְמַת חֲכָמֵינוּ וּבִינַת נְבוֹנֵינוּ נִסְתָּרָה - לְפִיכָךְ אוֹתָם הַפֵּרוּשִׁים וְהַהֲלָכוֹת וְהַתְּשׁוּבוֹת שֶׁחִבְּרוּ הַגְּאוֹנִים וְרָאוּ שֶׁהֵם דְּבָרִים מְבֹאָרִים, נִתְקַשּׁוּ בְיָמֵינוּ וְאֵין מֵבִין עִנְיְנֵיהֶם כָּרָאוּי, אֶלָּא מְעַט בְּמִסְפָּר.

Needless to say, there is confusion with regard to the Talmud itself—both the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds—the Sifra, the Sifre, and the Tosefta, for they require a breadth of knowledge, a spirit of wisdom, and much time, for appreciating the proper path regarding what is permitted and forbidden, and the other laws of the Torah.וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר הַגְּמָרָא עַצְמָהּ, הַבַּבְלִית וְהַיְּרוּשַׁלְמִית וְסִפְרָא וְסִפְרֵי וְהַתּוֹסֶפְתָּא, שֶׁהֵם צְרִיכִין דַּעַת רְחָבָה וְנֶפֶשׁ חֲכָמָה וּזְמַן אָרֹךְ - וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִוָּדַע מֵהֶם הַדֶּרֶךְ הַנְּכוֹחָה בַּדְּבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים וְהַמֻּתָּרִים וּשְׁאָר דִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה הֵיאַךְ הוּא.

Therefore, I girded my loins—I, Moses, the son of Maimon, of Spain.1 I relied upon the Rock, blessed be He. I contemplated all these texts and sought to compose a work which would include the conclusions derived from all these texts regarding the forbidden and the permitted, the impure and the pure, and the remainder of the Torah’s laws, all in clear and concise terms, so that the entire Oral Law could be organized in each person’s mouth without questions or objections.וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה נִעַרְתִּי חָצְנִי אֲנִי משֶׁה בֶּן מַיְּמוֹן הַסְּפָרַדִּי וְנִשְׁעַנְתִּי עַל הַצּוּר בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּבִינוֹתִי בְּכָל אֵלּוּ הַסְּפָרִים, וְרָאִיתִי לְחַבֵּר דְּבָרִים הַמִּתְבָּרְרִים מִכָּל אֵלּוּ הַחִבּוּרִים בְּעִנְיַן הָאָסוּר וְהַמֻּתָּר, הַטָּמֵא וְהַטָּהוֹר, עִם שְׁאָר דִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, כֻּלָּם בְּלָשׁוֹן בְּרוּרָה וְדֶרֶךְ קְצָרָה, עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה כֻּלָּהּ סְדוּרָה בְּפִי הַכֹּל בְּלֹא קֻשְׁיָא וְלֹא פֵּרוּק.

Instead of arguments, this one claiming such and another such, this text will allow for clear and correct statements based on the judgments that result from all the texts and explanations mentioned above, from the days of Rabbenu Hakadosh until the present. This will make it possible for all the laws to be revealed to both those of lesser stature and those of greater stature, regarding every single mitzvah, and also all the practices that were ordained by the Sages and the Prophets.לֹא זֶה אוֹמֵר בְּכֹה וְזֶה בְּכֹה - אֶלָּא דְּבָרִים בְּרוּרִים קְרוֹבִים נְכוֹנִים עַל פִי הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר יִתְבָּאֵר מִכָּל אֵלּוּ הַחִבּוּרִים וְהַפֵּרוּשִׁים הַנִּמְצָאִים מִיְּמוֹת רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְעַד עַכְשָׁו, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל הַדִּינִין גְּלוּיִן לַקָּטֹן וְלַגָּדוֹל בְּדִין כָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה וּבְדִין כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים וּנְבִיאִים.

To summarize: The intent of this text is that a person will not need another text at all with regard to any Jewish law. Rather, this text will be a compilation of the entire Oral Law, including also the ordinances, customs, and decrees that were enacted from the time of Moses, our teacher, until the completion of the Talmud, as were explained by the Geonim in the texts they composed after the Talmud.כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְחִבּוּר אַחֵר בָּעוֹלָם בְּדִין מִדִּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא יְהֵא חִבּוּר זֶה מִקְבָּץ לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה כֻלָּהּ עִם הַתַּקָּנוֹת וְהַמִּנְהָגוֹת וְהַגְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ מִיְּמוֹת משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וְעַד חִבּוּר הַגְּמָרָא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ לָנוּ הַגְּאוֹנִים בְּכָל חִבּוּרֵיהֶם שֶׁחִבְּרוּ אַחַר הַגְּמָרָא.

Therefore, I have called this text, Mishneh Torah “the second to the Torah,” with the intent that a person should first study the Written Law, and then study this text and comprehend the entire Oral Law from it, without having to study any other text between the two.לְפִיכָךְ קָרָאתִי שֵׁם חִבּוּר זֶה: מִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה - לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתַב תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ קוֹרֵא בָזֶה וְיוֹדֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה כֻלָּהּ, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹת סֵפֶר אַחֵר בֵּינֵיהֶם.

I saw fit to divide this text into separate halachot pertaining to each particular subject, and, within the context of a single subject, to divide those halachot into chapters. Each and every chapter is divided into smaller halachot so that they can be ordered in one’s memory.וְרָאִיתִי לְחַלֵּק חִבּוּר זֶה הֲלָכוֹת הֲלָכוֹת בְּכָל עִנְיָן וְעִנְיָן; וַאֲחַלֵּק הַהֲלָכוֹת לִפְרָקִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן; וְכָל פֶּרֶק וָפֶרֶק אֲחַלֵּק אוֹתוֹ לַהֲלָכוֹת קְטַנּוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְדוּרִים עַל פֶּה.

Regarding the halachot which pertain to specific subjects: Some of the halachot contain the laws governing only one mitzvah, this being a mitzvah that has many matters of the tradition associated with it and is a subject in its own right. Other halachot contain the laws governing many mitzvot, since they deal with the same subject matter, for I have divided this text according to topics, not according to the number of mitzvot, as will become clear to the reader.אֵלּוּ הַהֲלָכוֹת שֶׁבְּכָל עִנְיָן וְעִנְיָן - יֵשׁ מֵהֶן הֲלָכוֹת שֶׁהֵן מִשְׁפְּטֵי מִצְוָה אַחַת בִּלְבַד, וְהִיא הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ דִּבְרֵי קַבָּלָה הַרְבֵּה וְהוּא עִנְיָן בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ; וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן הֲלָכוֹת שֶׁהֵם כּוֹלְלִים מִשְׁפְּטֵי מִצְוֹת הַרְבֵּה - אִם יִהְיוּ אוֹתָן הַמִּצְוֹת כֻּלָּם בְּעִנְיָן אֶחָד. מִפְנֵי שֶׁחִלּוּק חִבּוּר זֶה לְפִי הָעִנְיָנִים, לֹא לְפִי מִנְיַן הַמִּצְוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר לַקּוֹרֵא בוֹ.

The number of mitzvot which are incumbent on us at all times is 613. 248 are positive commandments; an allusion to their number, the number of limbs in the human body.2 365 are negative commandments (prohibitions); an allusion to their number, the number of days in a solar year.3 וּמִנְיַן מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה הַנּוֹהֲגוֹת לְדוֹרוֹת: שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִצְוֹת. מֵהֶם מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה - מָאתַיִם וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה, סִימָן לָהֶם: מִנְיַן אֵבָרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם; וּמֵהֶם מִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ - סִימָן לָהֶם: מִנְיַן יְמֵי שְׁנַת הַחַמָּה.

Footnotes

Though the Rambam mentions his nationality when stating his name in some of his other works as well (see Iggeret HaShmad ), it is possible that he had a specific intention in doing so here. Despite his desire and intention for the Mishneh Torah to be universally accepted, he knew that other customs were followed in the Ashkenazic community. By mentioning his country of origin, he could be alluding to the fact that some of the customs he mentioned were specific to Jews of that background ( Yayin Malchut ).

In Sefer Hamitzvos , the Rambam quotes the Midrash Tanchuma ( Ki Tetze ), which states that it is as if each limb of the body is saying, “Do a mitzvah with me.”

Thus, it is as if each day of the year is saying, “do not commit a transgression on me” ( ibid. ).

Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day

Introduction: Part 3

Introduction: Part 3

Quiz Yourself on Introduction Part 3