| Today is: Monday, Shvat 6, 5772 · January 30, 2012
• Majorcan Jews Guaranteed Protection (1393)
The governor of Majorca issued an edict for the protection of the Jewish inhabitants, providing that any citizen who injures a Jew will be hanged. The advantageous position of the islands, as well as their newly found protection, attracted many Jews from Provence, Sicily, Tunis, and Algiers, amongst other African cities. The Jews even had their own organizations and representatives by sanction of the King.
It is written, "You shall love the L-rd your G-d" (Deuteronomy 5:5). That means, G-d's name should be loved through you. That is to say, if a person reads the scripture, studies the Mishnah and attends on Torah scholars, and his dealings with the world are proper, what do people then say of him? Fortunate is his father, who taught him Torah! Fortunate is his teacher, who has taught him Torah! Behold one who has learned Torah, how beautiful are his ways, how just his deeds! ... But if one has learned Torah and served the scholars, but is in his dealings not honest and speaks with people not gently, then what do people say about him? Woe to his father, who has taught him Torah! Woe to his teacher, who has instructed him in Torah! See the one who has learned Torah -- how evil are his ways...
- Talmud, Yoma 86a
Chitas and Rambam for today: | 
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