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DEUTERONOMY — 12:17 eat

DEUT563 (Continued from [[EXOD993]] Exodus 32:25 exposed GATES 7-9). Secondly, [I.e. another reason why his latter sin is even more severe, besides for the above stated explanation] one who repeats his sin has difficulty repenting, since he perceives his sin as permissible. In this manner, his sin weighs very heavily upon him, as the pasuk says (Yirmeyahu 3:5), "Behold, you spoke and you performed evil, and you were able." The meaning of "and you were able" is that you see the evil as permissible, as something that is within your capacity and within your domain, the same language as [this verse], "You are not able to eat in your towns," which Targum translate as, "You are not permitted." Our Sages, z"l, have stated (Kidushin 40a), "Once one commit a transgression and repeats it, he perceives it as permissible." Our Sages, z"l, have also said (ibid.), about one who commit a sin and repeats it, from that point onwards, when he intends to commit that sin and involuntarily is prevented from doing so, its evil intent is taken into consideration as if he actually performed the sin. Concerning such a person the pasuk says (Yirmeyahu 6:19), "Behold I am bringing evil upon this nation, the fruit of their thoughts." [I.e., The evil that is brought upon them evolves from their intention to sin, even if they have not implemented their wishes.]

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:17 first fruits

DEUT564 No Kohen shall eat the first fruits before they are brought to the Beis HaMikdash and are put down in the courtyard. Key concept: The bikkurim are brought to the Beis HaMikdash so that Kohanim, Hashem’s attendants there, may eat of them [See [[EXOD897]] Exodus 23:19 fruits CHINUCH 60]. Because of the reason provided there, no Kohanim may eat of the bikkurim before they are put down in the courtyard and non-Kohanim are never allowed to eat bikkurim.

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:17 meat

DEUT565 Do not eat the meat of kodashim kalim until after the animal’s blood is sprinkled on the altar. Key concept: To teach us that in all matters, one attends to the matter’s benefit to the soul before one attends to its benefit to the body. It would not be fitting for the body to derive benefit from the offering’s meat before the offering’s blood is put on the Altar, for the latter atones for the soul.

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:17 offerings

DEUT566 Do not eat meat of sin offerings or guilt offerings outside of the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash. One eats meat of the offerings in a specially designated place, so that those to whom the meat is permitted will eat with the proper intention. Regarding sin offerings and guilt offerings, our Sages teach, “The Kohanim eat and thereby, the owners of the offerings attain atonement,” and the Kohanim must keep this idea in mind while eating. Were they allowed to eat the meat wherever they pleased, they would be distracted from the purpose of their eating.

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:18 happy

DEUT568 The varied pleasures in life are not evil in themselves, but only when they are abused. Happiness is not only possible, it is mandatory: "And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thy hands into." [this verse] The Shechinah rests upon a man only when he is joyous, and a person will have to render an account for the pleasures that came his way, and he did not enjoy. Shabbat 30b; Yerushalmi, end of Kiddushin.

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:18 rejoice

DEUT569 This is how wine should be used: One should use it as a cure for his sorrow, in order to strengthen himself in Torah by learning it with joy, and when one is steeped in sorrow he cannot learn. And even a beis din which is in sorrow cannot adjudicate correctly. Sorrow also impairs one's concentration in prayer. Also, when one is steeped in sorrow, if someone speaks to him or asks him for a favor, he is unable to fulfill his request. And it is written (Yeshayahu 49:8): "In a time of will I have answered you." It is to these ends, then, that the wise man should drink wine, taking care not to drink so much as to be compelled to cancel his work and his affairs, and, above all, not to drink so much as to be incapacitated for Torah study or for prayer or to be brought to excessive laughter and lightheadedness. And he should not drink to the point of losing his possessions or quarreling with his friend or breaking vessels or revealing his secrets or those of others. If you drink in this fashion, wine will not be an anathema to you. On holidays and festivals, too, concerning which it is written [this verse]: "And you shall rejoice before Hashem your God,' and (ibid. 16:14) "And you shall rejoice in your festival,' one should not indulge himself in drinking wine, frivolity, and lightheadedness, as it is written (ibid.28: 47): "Because you did not serve Hashem your God in joy and gladness of heart," the implication being that we have been commanded to attain only that joy which is conducive to the service of the Creator of All, and it is impossible to serve the Blessed One out of lightheadedness, laughter, or drunkenness. (Continued at [[DEUT346]] Deuteronomy 7:10 pays TZADIK 177).

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DEUTERONOMY — 12:19 Levite

DEUT571 Do not forsake the Levite by not giving him the gifts to which he is entitled. Hashem wants only good for His nation, Israel, for He chose them from out of all the other nations. They are a wise and understanding people and He wants to benefit them so that all who behold them will recognize that they are descendants of seed that He has blessed, and that they are people of truth and deserve fame. For this purpose, He orchestrates ways that bring about that their main occupation is Torah--that they toil in Torah and apply themselves to it day and night. He designs a fitting and pleasant system of laws containing strong and prized behavioral norms so that all Jews, young and old, will acquire knowledge of Him. One of His means for strengthening and implanting Torah knowledge within the Jewish nation is His choice of one entire tribe that receives no portion of land in Eretz Yisrael. No member of this tribe goes out to the fields to plow, sow, irrigate or reap. Thereby, they all are free to utilize their time for learning and understanding the ways of Hashem, and for teaching justice to their brethren, the other tribes of Israel, throughout the Land. Since Hashem has chosen one tribe to have Torah as its sole occupation--for all time--and from them will the rest of the nation seek Torah and will heed their rulings and advice, He wants the nation to provide this tribe a livelihood. He is concerned that their ability to acquire and disseminate wisdom not suffer for lack of bread. From this mitzvah one learns that it is a duty to help and support all who are occupied in Torah study full time, for these are the ones who play the greatest role in assuring the future of the one true faith. They strengthen their faith. They promote peace and love their fellow Jews, and have no time to run back and forth chasing after a livelihood. Therefore, he who has mercy on them and seeks to promote their welfare will receive Heaven's mercy. In the World to Come he will sit beside them and enjoy a portion similar to theirs.

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