Esnoga Bet Emunah

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Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Reading Cycle
Ab 13, 5770 – July 23/24, 2010	Second Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:27 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:26 PM

Brisbane, Australia

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 4:56 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 5:52 PM

Bucharest, Romania

Fri July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:34 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:43 PM

Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:34 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:34 PM

Jakarta, Indonesia

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 5:36 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 6:27 PM

Manila & Cebu, Philippines

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 6:10 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 7:02 PM

Miami, FL, U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 7:54 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 8:49 PM

Olympia, WA, U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:38 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:51 PM

Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 7:52 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 8:53 PM

San Antonio, TX, U.S.

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:14 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:11 PM

Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 8:07 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 9:15 PM

Singapore, Singapore

Fri. July 23, 2010 – Candles at 6:58 PM

Sat. July 24, 2010 – Havdalah 7:49 PM

For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:

His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Excellency Dr. Adon Yeshayahu ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia Foster

His Excellency Adon Yisrael ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor

His Excellency Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!

Also a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.

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This Torah Seder Commentary is dedicated in honour of the birthday of His Honour Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David my loyal colleague and study companion for many years. I take this opportunity to wish him and loved ones a very happy and most wonderful Yom Huledet Sameach, and may he be granted to live a long and prosperous life, excellent health, and to raise up many worthy Talmidim, amen ve amen!

Shabbat Nachamu 1

1^st of 7 Sabbaths of the Consolation of Yisrael

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
זֶה קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן
“Zeh Qorban Aharon”	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 6:12-16	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 8:1-4
“This is the offering of Aaron”	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 6:17-23	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 8:5-9
“Esta será la ofrenda de Aarón”	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 7:1-5	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 8:1-9
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38	Reader 4 – Vayiqra 7:6-10
Ashlamatah: Malachi 3:4-12	Reader 5 – Vayiqra 7:11-21
Special: Isaiah 40:1-26‎	Reader 6 – Vayiqra 7:22-27	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 8:1-4
Psalm 76:1-13	Reader 7 – Vayiqra 7:28-38	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 8:5-9
Pirqe Abot IV:9	Maftir –‎ Vayiqra 7:35-38	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 8:1-9
N.C.: I Tsefet (Peter) 3:1-7	‎ Isaiah 40:1-26

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38‎

Rashi	Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
12. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	12. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
13. This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which they shall offer to the Lord, on the day when [one of them] is anointed: One tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a perpetual meal offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening.	13. This is the oblation of Aharon and of his sons, which they are to offer before the Lord on the day that they anoint him, that he may possess the inheritance of the high priesthood. A tenth of three seahs of fine flour for a mincha, one half in the morning and a half at eventide.
14. It shall be made with oil on a shallow pan, after bringing it scalded and repeatedly baked; you shall offer a meal offering of broken pieces, [with] a pleasing fragrance to the Lord.	14. You will make it upon a pan, mixed with olive oil will you offer it; in divided pieces will you offer the mincha, to be received with acceptance before the Lord,
15. And the kohen who is anointed instead of him from among his sons, shall prepare it; [this is] an eternal statute; it shall be completely burnt to the Lord.	15. And the high priest who is anointed with oil, (and also when (any one) of his sons who are constituted priests (is consecrated) in his place) will perform this: it is an everlasting statute before the Lord: the whole will be set in order and burned.
16. Every meal offering of a kohen shall be completely burnt; it shall not be eaten.	16. For every mincha of the priest will be wholly set in order and consumed: it will not be eaten.
17. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	17. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
18. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: The sin offering shall be slaughtered before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. It is a holy of holies.	18. Speak with Aharon and with his sons, saying: This is the law of the sin offering which is to be killed in the place where the burnt offering is killed; it shall be slain as a sin offering before the Lord; it is most sacred.
19. The kohen who offers it up as a sin offering shall eat it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.	19. The priest who makes atonement with blood may eat of it in the holy place; it will be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of ordinance;
20. Anything that touches its flesh shall become holy, and if any of its blood is sprinkled on a garment, [the area of the garment] upon which it has been sprinkled, you shall wash in a holy place.	20. whosoever touches the flesh of it must be sanctified. And if any one let some of its blood fall upon a garment, (the garment so) stained shall be washed in the holy place.
21. An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked shall be broken, but if it is cooked in a copper vessel, it shall be purged and rinsed with water.	21. And every earthen vessel in which (the flesh of it) is boiled shall be broken, lest that which is common be boiled in it; or if it be boiled in a vessel of brass, it shall be scoured with potter's earth and washed in waters.
22. Every male among the kohanim may eat it. It is a holy of holies.	22. Every man of the priests may eat thereof; it is most sacred.
23. But any sin offering some of whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy, shall not be eaten; it shall be burned in fire.	23. But no sin offering whose blood is carried into the tabernacle of ordinance to make atonement in the sanctuary may be eaten; it must be burned with fire.

1. And this is the law of the guilt offering. It is a holy of holies.	1. And this is the law of the Trespass Offering; it is most holy.
2. They shall slaughter the guilt offering in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering; and its blood shall be dashed upon the altar, around.	2. In the place where they kill the burnt sacrifice they will kill the trespass offering, and the blood thereof will he sprinkle upon the altar round about.
3. And all of its fat he shall offer from it: the tail and the fat covering the innards,	3. And he will offer all the fat thereof, and the tail, and the fat which covers the inwards;
4. and the two kidneys [along] with the fat that is upon them, which is on the flanks, and the diaphragm with the liver; along with the kidneys he shall remove it.	4. and the two kidneys, and the fat which is upon them, and upon the inwards. And the caul that is upon the liver upon the kidneys will he take away;
5. And the kohen shall cause them to [go up in] smoke on the altar as a fire offering to the Lord. It is a guilt offering.	5. and the priest will burn them at the altar, an oblation before the Lord: it is a trespass offering.
6. Any male among the kohanim may eat it; it shall be eaten in a holy place. It is a holy of holies.	6. Every man of the priests may eat of it, in the holy place will it be eaten it is most sacred.
7. Like the sin offering, so is the guilt offering, they have one law; the kohen who effects atonement through it to him it shall belong.	7. As the rite of the sin offering, so is the rite of the trespass; there is one law for them: the priest who makes atonement with its blood will have it.
8. And the kohen who offers up a person's burnt offering, the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered up, belongs to the kohen; it shall be his.	8. And when the priest offers another man's burnt sacrifice, the skin of the burnt sacrifice which he offers will be the priest's.
9. And any meal offering baked in an oven, and any one made in a deep pan or in a shallow pan, belongs to the kohen who offers it up; it shall be his.	9. And every mincha which is baked in the oven, and every one that is made in a pot, or in a frying pan, or upon a dish, the priest who offers it will have it for his own.
10. And any meal offering mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, one like the other.	10. And every mincha mixed with oil, or which is dry, will be for any of the sons of Aharon, a man as his brother.
11. And this is the law of the peace offering, which he shall bring to the Lord.	11. And this is the law of the Sanctified Victims which they may offer before the Lord.
12. If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving offering, he shall offer, along with the thanksgiving offering unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and scalded flour mixed with oil.	12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving let him offer with the oblation of thanks unleavened cakes mingled with olive oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with olive oil, and flour fried with a mixture of olive oil.
13. Along with loaves of leavened bread, he shall bring his offering along with his thanksgiving peace offering.	13. Upon the cakes he will offer his oblation of leavened bread with the hallowed sacrifice of thanksgiving.
14. And he shall bring from it one out of each offering, as a separation for the Lord; the kohen who dashes the blood of the peace offering it shall be his.	14. And of it he will present one as a separation before the Lord; the priest who sprinkles the blood of the hallowed sacrifice will have it.
15. And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace offering shall be eaten on the day it is offered up; he shall not leave any of it over until morning.	15. And the flesh of his hallowed sacrifice of thanksgiving will be eaten on the day when it is offered; none of it may be laid up (or covered up) until the morning.
16. But if his sacrifice is a vow or a voluntary donation, on the day he offers up his sacrifice it may be eaten, and on the next day, whatever is left over from it, may be eaten.	16. But if his hallowed sacrifice be a vow or a free-will gift, the sacrifice may be (partly) eaten on the day when it is offered, and the remainder may be eaten on the day following at evening.
17. However, whatever is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day, shall be burnt in fire.	17. And what remains of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifice on the third day will be burned in fire.
18. And if any of the flesh of his peace offering is to be eaten on the third day, it shall not be accepted; it shall not count for the one who offers it; [rather,] it shall be rejected, and the person who eats of it shall bear his sin.	18. If, eating, he will eat of the flesh of his hallowed sacrifice on the third day, it will not be accepted of him who offered it, nor reckoned to him for righteousness/ generosity; it will be a profane thing, and the man who eats of it will bear his sin.
19. And the flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten. It shall be burned in fire. But regarding the flesh, anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh.	19. And if the flesh of things hallowed touch any uncleanness, it must not be eaten, but be burned in fire; but (as to) flesh that is consecrated, everyone who is clean by sanctification may eat the hallowed flesh.
20. A person who eats the flesh of a peace offering of the Lord, while his uncleanness is upon him, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	20. But the man who eateth of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifice that is offered before the Lord with his uncleanness upon him, that man shall be destroyed from among his people.
21. And a person who touches anything unclean, whether uncleanness from a human or an unclean animal [carcass] or any unclean [carcass of an] abominable creature, and then eats of the flesh of a peace offering to the Lord, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	21. The man also who touches any unclean thing, whether the uncleanness of man, or of unclean beasts, or any unclean reptile, and eats of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifices offered before the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people.
22. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	22. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
23. Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: You shall not eat any fat of an ox, sheep, or goat.	23. Speak with the sons of Israel, saying: You may not eat any fat of oxen, or sheep, or goats;
24. The fat of carrion and the fat of an animal with a fatal disease or injury, may be used for any work, but you shall not eat it.	24. but the fat of an animal which corrupteth in the hour of sacrifice, or which dieth a dead thing by death, or the fat of a beast that is torn, may be used in any work;
25. For anyone who eats fat of animals from which sacrifices are brought as fire offerings to the Lord, the soul who eats [it] shall be cut off from its people.	25. For he who eats (the fat) of an animal that is fit to be offered as an oblation before the Lord, that man who eats the fat will be cut off from his people.
26. And you shall not eat any blood in any of your dwelling places, whether from birds or from animals.	26. In none of your dwellings will you eat the blood whether of bird or of beast.
27. Any person who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	27. Every man who eats the blood of any living thing, that man will be cut off from his people.
28. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	28. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
29. Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: Anyone who brings his peace offering to the Lord, shall bring his sacrifice to the Lord from his peace offering.	29. Speak with the sons of Aharon, saying: Whosoever presents his hallowed sacrifice before the Lord, will himself bring the oblation of his hallowed sacrifice unto the presence of the Lord.
30. His own hands shall bring the fire offerings of the Lord. The fat, on the breast, he shall bring it, the breast, to wave it as a waving before the Lord.	30. His hands will bring the oblations of the Lord which he would set apart as his hallowed sacrifice, the fat, the fatness that is upon the breast, and the breast cut out with two ribs here and two ribs there at the top, will he bring to be uplifted, an elevation before the Lord.
31. And the kohen shall cause the fat to [go up in] smoke on the altar, and the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons.	31. And the priest will burn the fat upon the altar, and the breast will be for Aharon and for his sons.
32. And you shall give the right thigh as an elevation offering to the kohen, from your peace offering.	32. And the right shoulder of your hallowed sacrifice from the side unto the extremity (deroa, arm) you will give as a separation unto the priest.
33. [Anyone] of the sons of Aaron who offers up the blood of the peace offering and the fat he shall have the right thigh as a portion.	33. He of the sons of Aharon who offers the blood and the fat of the hallowed sacrifice will have the right shoulder as his portion.
34. For I have taken the breast of the waving and the thigh of the elevation from the children of Israel, from their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the kohen and to his sons as an eternal statute, from the children of Israel.	34. For the uplifted breast and the shoulder of separation have I taken of your hallowed sacrifice, and given them to Aharon the priest and to his sons by an everlasting statute, from the children of Israel.
35. This is [the grant for] Aaron's anointment and his sons' anointment, from the fire offerings of the Lord, on the day that He brought them near, to be kohanim for the Lord.	35. This pertains to the consecration of Aharon and to the consecration of his sons over all the Levites their brethren, that they may eat of the Lord's oblations in the day that they present them to minister before the Lord;
36. Which the Lord commanded to give them on the day that He anointed them, from the children of Israel. [This is] an eternal statute for their generations.	36. which the Lord commanded to be given them in the day of their consecration from among the sons of Israel, by an everlasting statute to your generations.
37. This is the law for the burnt offering, for the meal offering, and for the sin offering, and for the guilt offering, and for the investitures, and for the peace offering,	37. This is the law of the burnt offering which is brought to atone for the thoughts of the heart; of the mincha, of the sin offering, of the trespass offering, and of the peace offering, or the hallowed sacrifices
38. which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day He commanded the children of Israel to offer up their sacrifices to the Lord in the Sinai Desert.	38. which the Lord commanded Mosheh in Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the sons of Israel to offer their oblations before the Lord in the tabernacle that he made unto him in the wilderness of Sinai.

Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis

In order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised and an answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.

The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows

[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:

1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.

2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.

3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain the provision in question.

4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages.

5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the general.

6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.

7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology, Volume 11, The Divine Service, pp. 133-178

By: Hakham Yitschak Magrisso

Translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

Moznaim Publishing Corporation, 1991

Rashi’s Commentary for Vayiqra (Lev.) 6:12 – 7:38‎

13 This is the offering of Aaron and his sons Ordinary kohanim must also offer [a meal-offering, consisting of] a tenth of an ephah [of flour], on the day they are inaugurated into service. The Kohen Gadol, however, must bring [this meal-offering] every day, as it is said, “a perpetual meal-offering…” (verse 15), “And the kohen who is anointed instead of him from among his sons …an eternal statute.”- [Torath Kohanim 6:39, 44]

14 scalded Boiling water is poured over it [i.e., over the dough], until it is thoroughly scalded.-[Torath Kohanim 6: 46]

repeatedly baked Heb. תֻּפִינֵי , baked many times over, namely, after the scalding (חֲלִיטָה) , he bakes it in an oven and afterwards fries it in a shallow pan.-[Men. 50b]

a meal-offering of broken pieces [This] teaches [us] that it requires breaking up. [Old Rashi edition continues: But not really breaking of the offering into separate pieces and crumbs, since it is not scooped, but he folds it in two, and folds it again in four, [first] vertically and [then] horizontally. However, he does not separate it [into pieces]. In this form, he burns it as a fire-offering. This is explained in Torath Kohanim.-[see Torath Kohanim 6:48, Men. 75b]

15 who is anointed instead of him from among his sons [This is to be understood as if transposed: The kohen] who is anointed from among his sons instead of him.

It shall be completely burnt [When there is a קְמִיצָה procedure, what is scooped out is burned on the altar, and the remainder is eaten by the kohanim. However, in this offering,] there is no קְמִיצָה procedure to enable any remainder to be eaten; but, it is burnt in its entirety. Similarly, any voluntary meal-offering brought by a kohen, must be completely burned.

17 completely Heb. כָּלִיל All of it must be equally offered to God on High.

19 who offers it as a sin offering Heb. הַמְחַטֵּא אתהּ , who performs the components of its service, i.e., the one through whom it becomes a sin-offering. [Thus, the word הַמְחַטֵּא means, “the one who makes it into a sin-offering (חַטָּאת) .”]

The kohen who offers it as a sin offering shall eat it [Any kohen] fit for the service; this comes to exclude a kohen who is unclean at the time of the dashing of the blood, who does not take a share in the flesh. -[Torath Kohanim 6:58] But, it is impossible to say that [this verse] prohibits other kohanim from eating it, except the kohen who dashes its blood, for it says further (verse 22),“Any male among the kohanim may eat it.”

20 Anything that touches its flesh Any item of food that touches it and absorbs from it.-[Torath Kohanim 6:60]

shall become holy to be like it, insofar as: If [that sin-offering] is invalid, it [whatever touched the sin-offering], becomes invalid, and if [that sin-offering] is valid, it [whatever touched the sin-offering] must be eaten under the same stringency as the sin-offering [namely, only during the day of offering and the following night.-[Torath Kohanim 6:60]

and if some of its blood is sprinkled on a garment Heb. וַאֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה , [usually, and what will be sprinkled …, which would mean that the blood must be sprinkled on the garment. Therefore, Rashi remarks that אֲשֶׁר in this case is like אִם , and the verse is to be rendered:] And if some of its blood is sprinkled on a garment, [the area of the garment] which it has been sprinkled, shall be washed within the courtyard [of the Holy Temple].-[Torath Kohanim 6:63]

upon which it has been sprinkled [The verb יִזֶּה is in the passive form, having the meaning: To be sprinkled and thus here, the phrase, אֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה עָלֶיהָ means, “upon which it has been sprinkled”]. This is similar to the verse, “neither will the gratification of their desire be extended (יִטֶּה) to the earth” (Job 15:29), [where the verb יִטֶּה is also in the passive form, with the meaning:] “to be extended.”

21 [An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked,] shall be broken Because the absorption that had been absorbed in the vessel becomes נוֹתָר [literally, “left over.” I.e., the food remains within the vessel’s wall (see next Rashi), and subsequently, when the time limit for eating the sacrifice has expired, the absorption in the vessel wall is “left over.” Since נוֹתָר , “left over,” must be destroyed by burning, the food in the wall of this earthenware vessel must be destroyed by breaking the vessel]. The same law [of breaking the earthenware vessel in which meat of a sacrifice has been cooked,] applies also to all holy sacrifices [i.e., not just the sin-offering].

it is to be purged Heb. וּמֽרַק , an expression stemming from the same root as “and with the ointments of the women (וּבְתַמְרוּקֵי הַנָשִׁים) ”(Esther 2:12), [substances used for cleansing and perfuming women.] Escuremant in Old French [like the English, “scouring”].

purged and rinsed to expel its absorption. [This is in the case of a metal vessel.] But an earthenware vessel, Scripture teaches you here [by requiring that it be broken,] that it never rids itself of its defect. -[Pes. 30b]

22 Every male among the kohanim may eat it From here, we learn that, “[The kohen] who offers it up as a sin-offering [shall eat it],” stated above (verse 19) does not come to exclude all other kohanim, but to exclude one who is unfit to offer it up as a sin-offering.

23 But any sin-offering [some of whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting … shall not be eaten] [This verse teaches us] that if one brings any of the blood of a sin-offering to be sacrificed on the outside altar, inside [the Holy], it [the sacrifice] becomes invalid.-[Zev. 81b]

any [This seemingly superfluous word comes] to include all other holy sacrifices [in this law].

Chapter 7

1 It is a holy of holies It shall be sacrificed, but an animal substituted for it may not be sacrificed, [rather it remains in pasture until it becomes defective and then is redeemed].-[Torath Kohanim 7:79]

2 They shall slaughter Heb. יִשְׁחֲטוּ . [By using the plural verb, יִשְׁחֲטוּ , Scripture here has seemingly] come to describe many slaughterers [i.e., it has included the case of a communal guilt-offering, which has “many slaughterers,” i.e., is slaughtered for many]. However, since we do not find a case of a communal guilt-offering [mentioned in Scriptures, the verse is understood somewhat differently: it uses the plural pronoun,] as it links the guilt-offering with the burnt-offering [where we do have a case of a communal sacrifice], in order to include also the communal burnt-offering in the requirement that it too be slaughtered in the northern sector [of the Holy Temple courtyard, just as is required of an individual’s burnt-offering].-[Torath Kohanim 7:82] [Rashi, as amended by Maharshal in Yerioth Shelomo, quoted by Leket Bahir. For alternative interpretations, see Chavel, Yosef Hallel. Many scholars consider this comment an addendum to Rashi because it does not appear in any early editions or manuscripts.]

3 All of its fat... Until here, the sacrificial parts of a guilt-offering had not yet been delineated. This is why Scripture needs to delineate them here (verses 34). However, [the sacrificial parts of] the sin-offering have already been delineated in the parashah of וַיִּקְרָא (see Lev. 4:89), [and that is why its sacrificial parts were not delineated in the section describing the law of the sin-offering (see verses 6:18-23 above)].

the tail [In the case of the peace-offering, the Torah treated sheep and goat offerings as two separate entities, by specifying the sacrificial procedures for each one separately (see Lev. 3:7-15). Why, then, is no distinction made between sheep and goats in the case of guilt-offerings?] Since [for] a guilt-offering only a ram (אַיִל) or a lamb (כֶּבֶשׂ) may be brought, and rams and lambs are included in [the category of those animals whose] tail [is one of the sacrificial parts, [no distinction is made between sheep and goats].

5 It is a guilt-offering Heb. אָשָׁם הוּא , [meaning that it is a guilt-offering] until its name is removed from it [by sending it out to pasture]. This teaches us concerning a guilt- offering whose owner has died, or whose owner has [lost the original animal, and subsequently] received atonement [through another animal], although it [the original guilt-offering animal] stands ready that its value [in money used to buy another animal which] is to be offered up as an קַיִץ מִזְבֵּחַ עוֹלַת (i.e., “a burnt-offering which was provision for the altar"; see Rashi, Lev. 1:2), nevertheless, if the [original guilt-offerings] were slaughtered, [if this had been done] before they are sent out to pasture. [Actually, the law is that the animals in these cases, the animal is sent out to pasture so that it become blemished and consequently unfit for sacrifice. Then it is sold, and its proceeds used for burnt-offerings for “provision for the altar." Here, however, Rashi tells us that the status of “guilt-offering” is removed from the animal as soon as it is sent out to pasture, even before it becomes blemished. This expression, אָשָׁם הוּא , “It is a guilt-offering,”] does not come to teach us that a guilt-offering becomes invalid if it was sacrificed for another purpose [other than for a guilt-offering], as they expounded on [the word] הִיא in the case of the sin-offering (see Rashi Lev. 4:24, 5:9). [That is] because in the case of a guilt-offering, Scripture states “It is a guilt-offering” only after the sacrificial parts have been burnt. [And if we say that the verse is teaching us that the guilt-offering must be sacrificed for that specific purpose, not for any other, then this law must include also the procedure of burning the sacrificial parts, that they too must be burned for the purpose of a guilt-offering]. However, [we learned in Tractate Zev. (5b) that in the case of a guilt-offering,] if its sacrificial parts were not offered up [at all], it is valid.

6 It is a holy of holies [But has this not already been stated in verse 1?] This is expounded on in Torath Kohanim (7:84).

7 They have one law in regard to this matter:

the kohen who effects atonement through it i.e., [any kohen] who is fit to effect atonement, takes a share in it. This excludes one who immersed himself on that day [for his uncleanness, who may not perform the sacrificial service or eat holy things until sunset], one lacking atonement [if he did not yet bring his sacrifice on the day after his immersion, such as a זָב or a מְצֽרָע ], and one whose close relative died on that day, [who is also disqualified from performing the sacrificial service]. - [Torath Kohanim 7:86]

8 the skin of the burnt-offering which he has offered, belongs to the kohen; it shall be his This excludes one who immersed himself on that day, one lacking atonement, and one whose close relative died on that day.-[Torath Kohanim 7:89]

9 belongs to the kohen who offers it up One might think that it belongs to him alone. Scripture, therefore, states (in the next verse), “[And any meal-offering...] shall belong to all the sons of Aaron.” One might think, then, that it [indeed] belongs to all of them. Scripture, therefore, states (in the preceding verse), “belongs to the kohen who offers it up.” So how [can this be reconciled]? [It belongs] to the family of the day when they offer it up. [The kohanim were divided into twenty-four divisions called “watches,” each watch being on duty for the temple service for one week. Each day of the week, a different family of kohanim from that week’s watch was on duty. When a kohen offered up an Israelite’s meal-offering, it was shared equally among all of his family, who were on duty that day].-[Torath Kohanim 7:92]

10 mixed with oil This is a voluntarily donated meal-offering. - [see Lev. 2:1]

or dry This is a sinner’s meal-offering (Lev. 5:11) and the meal-offering of jealousies [sacrificed during the investigation ritual of the סוֹטָה , woman suspected of adultery] (Num. 5:15), which do not contain oil [and thus the term “dry”].

12 If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving-offering i.e., if [he is bringing the offering] to give thanks [to God] for a miracle that had happened to him, for instance, those who made a sea-voyage [and returned safely] or journeyed in the desert, or those who had been imprisoned [and were subsequently released], or a sick person who recovered. All these are required to give thanks [to God], for regarding them, it is written, “They shall give thanks to the Lord for His kindness and for his wonders to the children of men. And they shall slaughter sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Ps. 107:21-22). If on account of one of these one vowed [to bring] these peace-offerings, then they are שַׁלְמֵי תּוֹדָה “thanksgiving peace- offerings,” which require the [accompanying offering of] bread, mentioned in this passage, and they may be eaten only on the day [that they were offered] and the night [that follows], as is specified here.

he shall offer, along with the thanksgiving-offering four kinds of bread: חַלּוֹת , loaves, רְקִיקִין , wafers, רְבוּכָה , scalded loaves, [which are] three types of unleavened bread ( מַצָּה ,) and it is written, “with leavened loaves.” Each kind consists of ten loaves. Thus it is explained in [Tractate] Men. (77b). And the total volume [of all of the accompanying bread] amounted to five Jerusalem se’ah [where one Jerusalem se’ah equals two-fifths of an ephah], which is equivalent to six se’ah by desert standard [where one se’ah by desert standard, smaller than the Jerusalem measure, equals one-third of an ephah, because all of the loaves comprised a volume of] twenty tenths [of an ephah] (Men. 76b-77a). [Now, each leavened loaf comprised a volume of one-tenth of an ephah. Thus, since there were ten of these loaves, as above, the total leavened volume came to one ephah. The unleavened volume, i.e., the total volume of all the other three kinds of unleavened loaves, also equaled one ephah. Hence, the total volume of the accompanying bread was twenty tenths of an ephah, i.e., two ephoth.]

scalded flour means: Bread [made from dough that is] thoroughly scalded by boiling water.

13 he shall...bring his offering...along with his thanksgiving peace- offering [Scripture, in addition to verse 12, repeats the link between the accompanying bread and the sacrifice itself.] [This] tells [us]: This bread does not acquire intrinsic holiness that it should become invalid if taken out [of the Holy precincts], or if it comes into contact with a טְבוּל יוֹם [a person who has immersed for his uncleanness, but for whom the sun has not yet set to effect his cleanness], and that it cannot be redeemed to become non-consecrated—until the sacrifice [i.e., until the thanksgiving peace-offering it accompanies] is slaughtered.-[Men. 78b]

14 one out of each offering One loaf out of each kind. He shall take these as a תְּרוּמָה , a separation for the kohen officiating at his sacrifice. The rest [of the sacrifice] is eaten by the owner with the exception of the breast and the thigh, as the waving of the breast and the thigh of peace-offerings is delineated below (see verse 34), and a thanksgiving-offering is called a peace-offering [and consequently, we apply the laws of a peace-offering to it].-[Zev. 4a]

15 And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace-offering [The verse could have said, “And its flesh.” Consequently,] there are many inclusions here, namely: to include the sin-offering, the guilt-offering, the ram of the nazarite, the חֲגִיגָה , festival-offering of the fourteenth day [of Nissan, i.e., the eve of Passover]—that they all may be eaten only on the day [they were offered up] and the [following] night.-[Torath Kohanim 7: 112]

shall be eaten on the day it is offered up and like the time limit for eating its flesh, so is the time limit for its bread. -[Torath Kohanim 7: 112]

he shall not leave any of it over until morning He may, however, eat it during the entire night. If so, why did [our Sages] say that [it may be eaten only] until midnight? In order to distance people from a transgression [to ensure that people stay far away from the limit decreed by the Torah and do not eat if after dawn].-[Ber. 2a]

16 But if [his sacrifice] is a vow or a voluntary donation that he did not bring it to give thanks for a miracle, it does not require bread, and it may be eaten for two days [namely, the day of offering and the following day], as is delineated in this section.

and on the next day, whatever is left over from it on the first day, may be eaten. [The Hebrew is וְהַנּוֹתָר , lit. and whatever is left over.] This vav [which prefixes the word וְהַנּוֹתָר ] is superfluous [and the word is to be understood as though it said, הַנּוֹתָר ]. There are many similar examples [of extra vavs] in Scripture, e.g., “And these are the sons of Zibe’on: Aiah (וְאַיֶָּה) and Anah” (Gen. 36:24); “permitting the Sanctuary (וְקֽדֶשׁ) and the host to be trampled” (Dan. 8:13).

18 And...is to be eaten Scripture is referring to someone who, at the time of slaughtering [the sacrifice], intends to eat it on the third day [in which case the sacrifice becomes invalid]. Now, one might think, however, that [the Torah means that the sacrifice does not become invalid because of intention, but] if one eats of it on the third day, that it would become invalid retroactively [as the verse literally means]. Scripture, therefore, says, הַמַּקְרִיב אוֹתוֹ לֹא יֵחָשֵׁב , meaning that it is invalidated only at the time of sacrificing it [i.e., slaughtering], and not on the third day. [Torath Kohanim 7:118] Hence, its explanation [of the verse] is as follows: At the time of sacrificing [slaughtering] the offering, this [intention] shall not enter one’s thoughts, and if one had this intention [at the time of slaughtering], it shall be rejected (פִּגּוּל) .

and the person who eats of it Even within the [normally permitted] time limit, “shall bear his sin."

19 And the flesh of holy peace- offerings, ” that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten." [This verse is not referring to piggul.]

But regarding the flesh Heb. וְהַבָָּשָׂר . [The word וְהַבָָּשָׂר , the second time it occurs in this verse, seems superfluous. However,] it comes to include a limb, part of which went outside [its prescribed boundaries, to inform us] that the inner part is permitted [to be eaten].-[Torath Kohanim 7:128]

anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh What is Scripture coming to teach here? Since Scripture says, “and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured...and you shall eat the meat” (Deut. 12:27), one might think that only the owner may eat of the peace-offering, therefore, Scripture says here, “anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh.”-[Torath Kohanim 7:30, 129]

anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh This means: All that I have forbidden you regarding a sin- offering and a guilt-offering, namely, that if they go outside the hangings [of the courtyard of the Tabernacle, or the boundaries of the Temple courtyard], they become prohibited as the verse says, “They shall eat it in the courtyard” (Lev. 6:9), concerning this flesh [of peace-offerings, which are קֳדָשִׁים קַלִּים , sacrifices with a lesser degree of holiness], I say to you, “Anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh” even [outside the Temple courtyard,] throughout the entire city [of Jerusalem].)

20 while his uncleanness is upon him Scripture is referring to uncleanness of the body. [I.e., an unclean person who eats from the holy peace-offering, in which case, he incurs excision]. [Torath Kohanim 7:131] However, one who is clean, who eats the unclean flesh [of a peace-offering], is not punished with excision; nevertheless, he is punished for transgressing the Scriptural admonition [in the previous verse], “And the flesh that touches anything unclean, [shall not be eaten]. ” The admonition regarding an unclean person who eats clean flesh, however, is not written explicitly in the Torah, but our Sages derived this through a גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה [an instance of similar wording. They had a tradition in certain Scriptural passages, that two common key words or expressions serve to link the laws of these seemingly unconnected passages. Here, the word טֻמְאָתוֹ appears in our verse and in Num. 19:13, and since the prohibition in Numbers has an admonition attached to it, so too, here, our prohibition is considered to have an admonition attached to it]. [Mak. 14b] Now, there are three mentions of the punishment of excision regarding persons who eat holy sacrificial meat, while their body is unclean [first, in Lev. 22:3, “Any man from among any of your offspring, who comes near the holy (sacrifices)...that soul shall be cut off,” where “comes near” means to eat (see Rashi there), and the second and third mentions are these verses (20 and 21).] Our Rabbis expounded on them in [Tractate] Shevuoth (7a), as follows: One of them is [needed to state] the general law; one of them is [needed to state] a particular case [namely, the peace-offering, in order to preclude the eating of certain clean foods that are not sacrificed on the altar, which do not have the punishment of excision]; and one of them is needed to teach us that the וְיוֹרֵד קָרְבָָּן עוֹלֶה [an ascending and descending sacrifice, namely an offering which has different options, an animal, birds, or flour, according to the ability of the one who brings it] that [when the verse says, “he incurs guilt” (Lev. 5:2), and may bring a קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד Scripture is exclusively referring to the case [of a person in an unclean state, who] defiles the Sanctuary [i.e., enters it while in the unclean state], or [if he eats from] its holy sacrifices.

24 may be used for any work [Scripture already permits the use of carrion (see Deut. 14:21); surely, the fats are included in the rest of the animal. So what is this verse teaching us?] It comes to teach us that the fat does not impart the uncleanness which is imparted by carrion [in general].- [Torath Kohanim 7:139]

however, you shall not eat it [We already know that eating fat is prohibited (see Lev. 3:17), and we also know that eating carrion and treifah is prohibited (see Deut. 14:21 and Exod. 22:30). So what is this verse teaching us? The answer is that] the Torah says: "The prohibition of carrion or treifah is superimposed upon the prohibition of fats insofar as if someone eats it, he is liable also for transgressing the prohibition of [eating] carrion [or eating treifah], and you do not say that one prohibition cannot be superimposed on another prohibition. -[Zev. 70a]

26 [And you shall not eat any blood...] whether from birds or from animals Excluded [from this prohibition is] the blood of fish and locusts.-[Torath Kohanim 7:143]

in any of your dwelling places Since this prohibition [of eating blood] is an obligation relevant to a person, rather than being dependent on land, it applies to all dwelling places [of the Jews, whether in Israel or outside of it]. [But one might think it obvious that since it is a personal obligation, it would apply anywhere, as is indeed the rule. So why should it be stated here?] In Tractate Kiddushin, chapter one (37b), it is explained why this is necessary to be stated.

30 His own hands shall bring That the owner’s hand should be above, with the fats and the breast placed in it, and the kohen’s hand should be beneath [it. With the portions arranged in this manner,] they wave them.-[Men. 61b]

the fire- offerings of the Lord And what are the “fire-offerings” [referred to here]? They are “the fat...on the breast.”

he shall bring it When he brings it from the slaughtering area, he places the fat on the breast, but when he gives it into the hand of the kohen who is to perform the waving, the breast is situated above and the fat below. This is what is mentioned elsewhere (10:15),"They shall bring the thigh of the elevated-offering and the breast as a wave-offering upon the fats of the fire-offerings, to wave." After the waving, he gives it to the kohen who will burn it. The breast is now situated below [and the fats above]. This is what is stated (9:20), “And they placed the fats upon the breasts, and he caused to [go up in] smoke the fats on the altar.” We learn that three kohanim are required for it. Thus it is explained in Tractate Menachoth (62a).

The fat, on the breast, he shall bring it Why is the breast brought? To wave it he brings it, but not that it should be part of the “fire-offerings.” Since it is stated: “the fire-offerings of the Lord. The fat, on the breast,” one might think that the breast is also included in the fire-offerings; therefore, the verse continues, “The breast to wave...”

31 And the kohen will cause the fat to [go up in] smoke- and afterwards, the breast “shall belong to Aaron.” [Hence,] we learn that the meat [of the sacrifice] shall not be eaten while the sacrificial parts are [still] off the altar [i.e., before they have been burnt].-[Torath Kohanim 7: 151]

32 the right thigh refers to [the part of the animal’s hind leg extending] from the אַרְכּוּבָה [knee-joint, the bone and the flesh of which are usually] sold together with the head, up till the middle joint [of the upper leg] which is called סֽבֶךְ שֶׁל רֶגֶל . [The animal’s leg has three sections to it; thus, the שׁוֹק is the middle of those three sections.] [Chul. 134b]

33 who offers up the blood...-i.e., who is fit [to perform] the dashing of its blood and to burn its fats. Thus excluded from receiving a share in the meat [of the breast and thigh], is a kohen who is unclean at the time of the dashing of the blood or at the time of the burning of the fats.-[Torath Kohanim 7:153]

34 waving...elevation [The term תְּנוּפָה , waving, denotes a forward and backward motion, while the term תְּרוּמָה , elevation, denotes an upward and downward motion. Since both terms are used here, we learn that] the kohen would move them forward and backward, upward and downward.-[Torath Kohanim 7:150]

37 and for the investitures The day of the initiation into the kehunah.

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalm) 76:1-13‎

RASHI	TARGUM
1. For the conductor on neginoth, a psalm of Asaph, a song.	1. For praise, as a psalm; a psalm composed by Asaph, a song.
2. God is known in Judah; in Israel His name is great.	2. God has become known among those of the house of Judah; His name is great among those of the house of Israel.
3. His Tabernacle was in Salem, and His dwelling place in Zion.	3. And His sanctuary has come to be in Jerusalem, and the dwelling of the house of His holy presence is in Zion.
4. There He broke the arrows of the bow, shield and sword and war forever.	4. When the house of Israel did His will, He made His presence abide among them; there He broke the arrows and bows of the Gentiles who were making war; He made forever the shields and battle-lines of no account.
5. You are destructive; mightier than the mountains of prey.	5. Bright [and awful are You, O God, acclaimed from Your sanctuary; the kings who dwell in the mountain fortresses, the place where their spoil is gathered, will tremble in Your presence.
6. The stout-hearted became mad; they slumbered in their sleep, and none of the men of the army found their hands.	6. The mighty in heart have stripped from them the weapons of war; they have slumbered in their sleep; and all the men of might have not been able to grasp their weapons in their hands.
7. From Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, chariot and horse were stunned.	7. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, the chariots have fallen asleep, and the cavalry have been disabled.
8. You-awesome are You, and who can stand before You once You are angry?	8. You are awesome, You are God; and who will stand before You from the time Your anger becomes strong?
9. From heaven, You let judgment be heard; the earth feared and became calm.	9. From heaven You proclaimed judgment on the land of the Gentiles; the land of Israel was afraid and became silent.
10. When God rises for judgment, to save all the humble of the earth forever.	10. The righteous/generous say, "Let God arise for judgment with the wicked/lawless, to redeem from their hands all the meek of the earth forever."
11. For man's anger will thank You; it will prevent the residue of wrath.	11. When You are angry at Your people, You show mercy to them, and they will give thanks to Your name; but the remainder of fury that is left to You, out of the wrath that You showed, You will gird on to destroy the Gentiles. ANOTHER TARGUM: For when Your anger grows strong against Your people, they will repent and give thanks to Your name, and You turn from anger; but against the remnant of the Gentiles You will gird on the instruments of anger.
12. Vow and pay to the Lord your God; all those around Him will bring a gift to Him Who is to be feared.	12. Make vows and fulfill them in the presence of the LORD your God, all you who dwell around His sanctuary; let them bring offerings to His awesome temple.
13. He will cut down the spirit of princes; He will be feared by the kings of the earth.	13. He will diminish the arrogant spirits of the leaders; He is dreadful to all the kings of the earth.

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalm) 76:1-13

4 There He broke the arrows of the bow of Sennacherib and his hosts.

the arrows of the bow Heb. רשפי . רִשְׁפֵי is not an expression of sparks of fire, because sparks of fire are not appropriate to a bow. Moreover, this word has no “dagesh,” yet רִשְׁפֵּי does have a “dagesh.” Rather, רִשְׁפֵי is an expression of (Deut. 32:24): “fought by demons (רשף) ,” which is translated as עוֹף , flying creatures, as (Job 5:7): “but flying creatures fly (רשף) upward.” Similarly (below 78:48): “and their cattle to the flying creatures (לרשפים) . to the birds. Similarly, בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף are flying creatures, demons, who fly upward. This one too is an expression of arrows, which fly, as the matter that is stated (below 91:5): “from an arrow that flies by day.” There He broke the arrows (רִשְׁפֵי) of the bow, the arrows that the bow lets fly, and this entire psalm speaks of the downfall of Sennacherib, for we find no enemy falling in Jerusalem but he.

5 You are destructive; mightier Heb. נאור , an expression of (Lam. 2:7): “He destroyed His Sanctuary”; (below 89:40), “You abolished the covenant of Your servant.” You destroy Your enemies and those who rise up against You and sweep them from the world. Because of His deeds, He is called נאור , destructive, like חנוּן , gracious; רחום , merciful; קנוא jealous, because He grants, because He pities, because He acts with zeal.

mightier than the mountains of prey Stronger than the predatory giants, who are as tall as mountains, but against You, their might is not known.

6 became mad Heb. אשתוללו , like השתוללוּ . As (II Chron. 20:35): “And afterwards, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah joined (אתחבר) Ahaziah the king of Israel,” like התחבר . [The word] אשתוללוּ is derived from (Job 12:17): “He leads counselors away with madness (שולל) .” It is an expression of error and tranquility, as madmen err, and the “tav” falls into the middle of the word in the reflexive, as in every word beginning with “shin.”

slumbered in their sleep They Heb. נמו . They fell into a deep sleep, an expression of תנוּמה slumber.

and none...found their hands and their strength when You came to punish them.

7 chariot and horse were stunned Heb. ורכב וסוס . The “vav” of ורכב is superfluous, as (Gen. 36:24): “These are the sons of Ziv’on: Ayyah (ואיה) and Anah.” The “vav” of ואיה is superfluous.

8 once You are angry From the time You became angry.

9 From heaven, You let judgment be heard When Isaiah prophesied concerning the retribution of Sennacherib and it was fulfilled in him, then Eretz Israel, which feared him and his hosts, became calm.

10 When God rises for judgment to execute judgment upon His enemies, to save Hezekiah and his company.

11 For man’s anger will thank you The anger of the wicked results in the creatures thanking the Holy One, blessed be He. When they show their anger and the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes them, everyone praises Him when they see that their anger is of no avail. As we find (Dan. 3:28) concerning Nebuchadnezzar, when he cast Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the fiery furnace, what is said there? “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, etc.” And thereby...

it will prevent the residue of wrath Heb. תחגר . It will prevent and stop; the remaining wicked men are prevented and restrained from showing their pride and their wrath. תחגר is an expression of restraint in the language of the Mishnah (Chul. 18a): “The nick in a knife must be deep enough to catch (תחגר) the nail to disqualify it from slaughtering].” I heard in the name of Rabbi Eleazar the Gaon, the son of Rabbi Isaac, who brought this verse as testimony to that Mishnah (sic). It is also possible to interpret this according to its usual meaning of an expression of girding, and can be explained as follows: It is fitting for You to gird Yourself with wrath and to enwrap Yourself with zeal, for strength and ability are Yours; the expression of “residue” is that since man’s wrath is of no account, the girding of all wrath is reserved for You.

12 Vow and pay your vows.

all those around Him who hear of this salvation, and so they did, as it is stated (Isa. 19:18): “there will be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing to the Lord of Hosts.”

will bring a gift to Him Who is to be feared Why? Because at the time of His desire...

13 He will cut down the spirit the spirit of haughtiness of the princes and lessen their arrogance. יבצֽר means “He will lessen,” as (Gen. 11:6): “will it not be withheld (יבצר) from them?”

Ashlamatah: Malachi 3:4-12‎

Rashi	Targum
1. Behold I send My angel, and he will clear a way before Me. And suddenly, the Lord Whom you seek will come to His Temple. And behold! The angel of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.	1. “Behold, I am about to send My messenger and he will prepare the way before Me, and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will enter his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of Hosts.
2. Now who can abide the day of his coming, and who will stand when he appears, for it is like fire that refines and like fullers' soap.	2. But who may endure the day of his coming and who will stand when he is revealed? For his anger dissolves like fire and (is) like soap which is used for cleansing.
3. And he shall sit refining and purifying silver, and he shall purify the children of Levi. And he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering up an offering to the Lord with righteousness/generosity.	3. And he will be revealed to test and purify as a man who tests and purifies silver; and he will purify the sons of Levi and will refine them like gold and silver, and they will be presenting an offering in righteousness/ generosity before the LORD.
4. And then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and former years.	4. And the offering of the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be accepted before the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
5. And I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely; and also against those who withhold the wages of the day laborers, of the widow and fatherless, and those who pervert [the rights of] the stranger, [and those who] fear Me not, says the Lord of Hosts.	5. And I will reveal Myself against you to exercise judgment, and My Memra will be for a swift witness among you, against the sorcerers and adulterers, and against those who swear falsely and those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and who pervert the judgment of the stranger, and have not feared from before Me, says the LORD of Hosts.
6. For I, the Lord, have not changed; and you, the sons of Jacob, have not reached the end.	6. For I the LORD have not changed My covenant which is from of old; but you O house of Israel, you think that (if) a man dies in this world his judgment has ceased.
7. From the days of your fathers you have departed from My laws and have not kept [them]. "Return to Me, and I will return to you," said the Lord of Hosts, but you said, "With what have we to return?"	7. From the days of your fathers you have wandered from My statutes and have not observed (them). Return to My service and I will return by My Memra to do good for you, says the LORD of Hosts. And if you say, ‘How will we return?’ -
8. Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me, and you say, "With what have we robbed You?"-With tithes and with the terumah-levy.	8. Will a man provoke before a judge? But you are provoking before Me. And if you say, ‘How have we provoked before You?’ – in tithes and offerings.”
9. You are cursed with a curse, but you rob Me, the whole nation!	9. You are cursed with a curse, and you are provoking before Me the whole nation of you,
10. Bring the whole of the tithes into the treasury so that there may be nourishment in My House, and test Me now therewith, says the Lord of Hosts, [to see] if I will not open for you the sluices of heaven and pour down for you blessing until there be no room to suffice for it.	10. Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse and there will be provision for those who serve in My Sanctuary, and make trial now before Mein this, says the LORD of Hosts, to see whether I will not open to you the windows of heaven and send down blessing to you, until you say, ‘Enough!’
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he will not destroy the fruits of your land; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord of Hosts.	11. And I will rebuke the destroyer for you and it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field fail to bear fruit for you, says the LORD of Hosts.
12. And then all the Gentiles will praise you, for you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of Hosts. {P}	12. And all Gentiles will praise you, for you will be dwelling in the land of the house of My Shekhinah and will be fulfilling My will in it, says the LORD of Hosts.

Special Ashlamatah: Isaiah 40:1-26‎

Rashi	Targum
1. "Console, console My people," says your God.	1. Prophets, prophesy consolations to My people, says your God.
2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her, for she has become full [from] her host, for her iniquity has been appeased, for she has taken from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.	2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and prophesy to her that she is about to be filled with people of her exiles, that her sins have been forgiven her, that she has taken a cup of consolations before the LORD as if she suffered two for one for all her sins.
3. A voice calls, "In the desert, clear the way of the Lord, straighten out in the wilderness, a highway for our God."	3. A voice of one who cries: “In the wilderness clear the way before the people of the LORD, level in the desert highways before the congregation of our God.
4. Every valley shall be raised, and every mountain and hill shall be lowered, and the crooked terrain shall become a plain and the close mountains a champaigne.	4. All the valleys will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground will become a plain and a baked place a vale.
5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the Lord spoke.	5. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all the sons of flech will see it together, for by the Memra of the LORD it is so decreed.”
6. A voice says, "Call!" and it says, "What shall I call?" "All flesh is grass, and all its kindness is like the blossom of the field.	6. A voice of one who says, “Prophesy!” And he answered and said, “What will I prophesy?” All the wicked/Lawless are as the grass, and all their strength like the chaff of the field.
7. The grass shall dry out, the blossom shall wilt, for a wind from the Lord has blown upon it; behold the people is grass.	7. The grass withers, its flower fades, for the spirit from the LORD blows upon it; surely the wicked/Lawless among the people are reckoned as the grass.
8. The grass shall dry out, the blossom shall wilt, but the word of our God shall last forever.	8. The wicked/Lawless dies, his conceptions perish; but the Word of our God stands forever.
9. Upon a lofty mountain ascend, O herald of Zion, raise your voice with strength, O herald of Jerusalem; raise [your voice], fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"	9. Get you up to a high mountain, prophets who herald good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with force, you who herald good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up, fear not; say to the cities of the house of Judah, “The kingdom of your God is revealed!”
10. Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong [hand], and His arm rules for Him; behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense is before Him.	10. Behold, the LORD God is revealed with strength, and the strength of His mighty arm rules before Him; behold, the reward of those who perform His Memra is with him, all those whose deeds are disclosed before Him.
11. Like a shepherd [who] tends his flock, with his arm he gathers lambs, and in his bosom he carries [them], the nursing ones he leads.	11. Like the shepherd who feeds his flock, he gathers lambs in his arm, he carries tender ones in his bosom, and leads nursing ewes gently.
12. Who measured water with his gait, and measured the heavens with his span, and measured by thirds the dust of the earth, and weighed mountains with a scale and hills with a balance?	12. Who says these things? One who lives, speaks and acts, before whom all the waters of the world are reckoned as the drop in the hollow of hand and the length of the heavens as if with the span established, the dust of the earth as if measured in a measure and the mountains as if indeed weighed and the hills, behold just as in the balance.
13. Who meted the spirit of the Lord, and His adviser who informs Him?	13. Who established the holy spirit in the mouth of all the prophets, is it not the LORD? And to the righteous/ generous who perform His Memra He makes known the words of His pleasure.
14. With whom did He take counsel give him to understand, and teach him in the way of justice, and teach him knowledge, and the way of understandings did He let him know?	14. Those who besought before Him, He caused to apprehend wisdom and taught them the path of judgment and gave their sons the Law and showed the way of understanding to their son’s sons.
15. Behold the Gentiles are like a drop from a bucket, and like dust on a balance are they counted; behold the islands are like fine [dust] that blows away.	15. Behold, the peoples are like the drop from a bucket, and are accounted like dust on the scales; behold, the islands are like the fine dust which flies.
16. And the Lebanon-there is not enough to burn, and its beasts-there is not enough for burnt offerings.	16. The trees of Lebanon will not supply sufficient (wood) for burning, nor are the beasts that are in it enough for a burn offering.
17. All the Gentiles are as nought before Him; as things of nought and vanity are they regarded by Him.	17. All the peoples, their deeds are as nothing; they are accounted extirpation and destruction before Him.
18. And to whom do you compare God, and what likeness do you arrange for Him?	18. Why are you planning to contend before God, or what likeness do you prepare before Him?
19. The graven image, the craftsman has melted, and the smith plates it with gold, and chains of silver he attaches.	19. Behold the image! The workman makes it, and the smith overlays it with gold, and the smith attaches silver chains to it.
20. He who is accustomed to select, chooses a tree that does not rot; he seeks for himself a skilled craftsman, to prepare a graven image, which will not move.	20. He cuts down a laurel, he chooses the wood that rot does not attack; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an image that will not move.
21. Do you not know, have you not heard has it not been told to you from the beginning? Do you not understand the foundations of the earth?	21. Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has not the fact of creation’s orders been told you from the beginning? Will you not understand, so as to fear before Him who created the foundations of the earth?
22. It is He Who sits above the circle of the earth, and whose inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heaven like a curtain, and He spread them out like a tent to dwell.	22. It is He who makes the Shekhinah of His glory dwell in the strong height, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reckoned before Him as grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a trifle and spreads them like a tent of glory for His Shekhinah’s house;
23. Who brings princes to nought, judges of the land He made like a thing of nought.	23. Who hands over rulers to weakness, and makes the judges of the earth as nothing.
24. Even [as though] they were not planted, even [as though] they were not sown, even [as though] their trunk was not rooted in the earth; and also He blew on them, and they dried up, and a tempest shall carry them away like straw.	24. Although they grow, although they increase, although their sons are exalted in the earth, He sends His anger among them, and they are ashamed and His Memra, as the whirlwind the chaff, will scatter them.
25. "Now, to whom will you compare Me that I should be equal?" says the Holy One.	25. Whom then will you liken before Me, and compare (Me): says the Holy One.
26. Lift up your eyes on high and see, who created these, who takes out their host by number; all of them He calls by name; because of His great might and because He is strong in power, no one is missing.	26. Lift up your eyes to the height and see, so as to fear before Him who created these, who brings out the forces of heaven by number, calling to all of them by their names; by an abundance of prodigies and because He is strong in force not one from its order is missing.

1 Tsefet (Peter) ‎3:1-7

CLV[1]	Magiera Peshitta NT[2]	Greek[3]	Delitzsch[4]
1. Likewise wives may do it by being subject to their own husbands, that, if any are stubborn also, as to the word, they will be gained without a word, through the behaviour of their wives,	1. So also, wives, be subject to your husbands, so that those who are not persuaded by the word will be restored without difficulty by your good behavior,	1. ῾Ομοίως αἱ γυναῖκες ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ἵνα καὶ εἴ τινες ἀπειθοῦσι τῷ λόγῳ, διὰ τῆς τῶν γυναικῶν ἀναστροφῆς ἄνευ λόγου κερδηθήσονται,	וְכֵן אַתֵּנָה הַנָּשִׁים הִכָּנַעְנָה לִפְנֵי בַעֲלֵיכֶן לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר־יִקָּנוּ בְּאֵין־אֹמֶר וּדְבָרִים עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂי הַנָּשִׁים מִי שֶׁאֵינָם שֹׁמְעִים לַדָּבָר׃
2. being spectators of your pure behaviour in fear,	2. when they observe that you behave with reverence and with modesty.	2. ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν.	2 בִּרְאוֹתָם כִּי תִצְנַעְנָה לֶכֶת בְּיִרְאָה׃
3. whose adornment, let it not be the outside, of braiding aught into the hair and of decking with gold, or putting on of garments,	3. And do not adorn yourselves with outer adornments of the braiding of your hair or of ornaments of gold or of costly clothes.	3. ὧν ἔστω οὐχ ὁ ἔξωθεν ἐμπλοκῆς τριχῶν καὶ περιθέσεως χρυσίων ἢ ἐνδύσεως ἱματίων κόσμος,	3 וּפְאֵרְכֶן אַל־יְהִי מִבַּחוּץ בְּמַחְלְפוֹת שֵׂעָר וַעֲדִי זָהָב וּלְבִישַׁת מַחֲלָצוֹת׃
4. but the hidden human of the heart, in the incorruptibility of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in God's sight, is costly."	4. But adorn yourselves with the hidden man of the heart with a humble spirit, without corruption, an adornment that is costly before God.	4. ἀλλ᾿ ὁ κρυπτὸς τῆς καρδίας ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ τοῦ πραέος καὶ ἡσυχίου πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ πολυτελές.	4 כִּי אִם־הָאָדָם הַצָּפוּן פְּנִימָה בְּרוּחַ עֲנָוָה וְהַשְׁקֵט אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִכְלֶה הוּא יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים׃
5. For thus once the holy women also, whose expectation was in God, adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands"	5. For so also previously, holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves and were subject to their husbands,	5. οὕτω γάρ ποτε καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι γυναῖκες αἱ ἐλπίζουσαι ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐκόσμουν ἑαυτάς, ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν,	5 כִּי כֵן הִתְקַשְּׁטוּ לְפָנִים גַּם־הַנָּשִׁים הַקְּדֹשׁוֹת הַמְיַחֲלוֹת לֵאלֹהִים בְּהִכָּנְעָן לִפְנֵי בַעֲלֵיהֶן׃
6. (as Sarah obeys Abraham, calling him "lord, whose children you became), doing good and not fearing dismay in anything."	6. as Sarah was subject to Abraham and called him, "My lord," whose daughters you are by good works, when you are not troubled by any fear.	6. ὡς Σάρρα ὑπήκουσε τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ, κύριον αὐτὸν καλοῦσα· ἧς ἐγενήθητε τέκνα, ἀγαθοποιοῦσαι καὶ μὴ φοβούμεναι μηδεμίαν πτόησιν.	6 כְּשָׂרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעָה בְּקוֹל אַבְרָהָם וַתִּקְרָא־לוֹ אָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּן הֱיִיתֶן לָהּ לְבָנוֹת בַּעֲשׂוֹתְכֶן הַטּוֹב וְלֹא תִירֶאנָה מִפָּחַד׃
7. Husbands, likewise, may do it by making a home with them according to knowledge, awarding honor to the feminine as to the weaker vessel, as to those who are also joint enjoyers of the allotment of the varied grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered."	7. And you men, likewise, live with your wives with knowledge. And hold them with honor as delicate vessels, because they will also inherit the gift of eternal life with you, for you should not be hindered in your prayers.	7. Οἱ ἄνδρες ὁμοίως συνοικοῦντες κατὰ γνῶσιν, ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ ἀπονέμοντες τιμήν, ὡς καὶ συγκληρονόμοι χάριτος ζωῆς, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐγκόπτεσθαι τὰς προσευχὰς ὑμῶν.	7 וְכֵן אַתֶּם הָאֲנָשִׁים שְׁבוּ עִמָּהֶן בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי־כְלִי רָפֶה הָאִשָּׁה וּתְנוּ־לָהּ כָּבוֹד כִּי גַם־לָהֶן יֶשׁ־חֵלֶק בְּנַחֲלַת מַתְּנַת הַחַיִּים פֶּן־תִּכָּלְאוּ מִתְּפִלּוֹתֵיכֶם׃

Hakham’s Rendition

1. Likewise, you wives (women), [be] habitually subordinating yourselves to your own husbands, that even if any are habitually disobedient to the Word, by the conduct of their wives they may be gained (returned) without a word,

2. being eye-witnesses of your pure conduct in reverence (fear) [of G-d],

3. whose adornment let it not be that which is external, of braiding of [the] hair, putting on gold ornaments, or of dressing up [in fine clothing];

4. but [to the contrary], [it should consist of] the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible [quality] of the meek (kind) and quiet spirit (or: attitude; disposition), which is of great value (price) before God.

5. For thus, at one time, the set-apart wives (the holy women) who [being in the habit of] placing their [expectations and] hopes in God, used to adorn themselves, constantly being subordinate to their own husbands.

6. As Sarah used to submissively [hear and] obey Abraham, habitually calling him “My Lord/Master” of whom you did become daughters, habitually doing good, and not fearing any terror..

7. Husbands, likewise, continuously co-habiting with [them] according to [intimate] knowledge [of them], [be] habitually imparting honour (value; worth) to the female [attributes (things pertaining to a woman)] as to a delicate [holy Temple] vessel; yet also as [being] joint-heirs of Life’s mercy; that your prayers [and offerings] continue to not be hindered [as if by a trench being cut in their path to impede their progress].

Commentary

As we enter the time of the Seven Sabbaths of Consolation, we enter into a new segment of the Septennial Calendar. Below we have tabulated the normal readings for each of these special seven Sabbaths for the current Jewish year 5770.

Some interesting things to observe from this table is that we have immediately after the 9^th of Ab until the first day of the month of Tishri (Rosh HaShanah/Hebrew New Year), 49 days – the same period of time that we had for the counting of the Omer between the months of Nisan and Sivan.

Also, during the Seven Sabbaths of Consolation Psalms 76-78 seem to form the trio of Psalms for this period. Equally, First Tsefet (1 Peter) chapters 3-5 seem to encompass this period of the consolation of Israel and of returning to the reverence of G-d.

5770	Torah	Psalm	Normal Ashlamatah	Special Aslamatah	Nazarean Codicil	Shabbat Nach.
Ab 13	Lev. 6:12 – 7:38	76	Mal. 3:4-12	Is. 40:1-26‎	1 Peter 3:1-7	1
Ab 20	Lev. 8:1 – 10:7	77	1 S. 2:28-36 + 3:20	Is. 49:14 – 51:3‎	1 Peter 3:8-17	2
Ab 27	Lev. 10:8-20 Lev. 11:1-47	78:1-8 78:9-16	Ez. 44:21-27 + 46:1-3 Is. 40:16-18, 21-26, 31	Is. 54:11 – 55:5‎	1 Peter 3:18 – 4:6 1 Peter 4:7-11	3
Elul 04	Lev. 12:1 – 13:28	78:17-31	Is. 9:5-6 + 11:1-9	Is. 51:12 – 52:12‎	1 Peter 4:12-19	4
Elul 11	Lev. 13:29-59	78:32-39	Is. 7:20 – 8:3 + 9:6	Is. 54:1-10‎	1 Peter 5:1-4	5
Elul 18	Lev. 14:1-32	78:40-55	Is. 57:17-19 + 58:8-14	Is. 60:1-22‎	1 Peter 5:5-11	6
Elul 25	Lev. 14:33-57	78:56-72	Is. 5:8-16 + 6:3	Is. 61:10 – 63:9‎	1 Peter 5:12-14	7

v.1 – Likewise, you wives (women), [be] habitually subordinating yourselves to your own husbands, that even if any are habitually disobedient to the Word, by the conduct of their wives they may be gained (returned) without a word, - We have just finished the three Sabbaths of Mourning and now we enter into the Seven Sabbaths of Returning and Consolation. However, a most important question arises, and that is for a person that has purposed in his/her heart to return, where do they start? Hakham Tsefet points us to the engine of society, the family!

The key to this is found in Leviticus 6:5-6 (KJV 6:12-13) where we read:

6:5 And the fire upon the altar will be kept burning thereby, it will not go out; and the priest will kindle wood on it every morning; and he will lay the burnt-offering in order upon it, and will make smoke thereon the fat of the peace-offerings.

6:6 Fire will be kept burning upon the altar continually; it will not go out!

The first step in returning to G-d is to rekindle the fire, love and passion between a husband and his wife. And this should not be a one thing now and then, but that fire must be kept burning continually! As Leviticus 6:5 shows, we need to place fresh wood on it every day. And this is a command to both the husband and the wife. For, if the marital fire is diminished or extinguished, if the partners do not feed this fire daily either because of tiredness, lack of time or simple laziness, they are credited as if they had not attended to the fire in the altar and caused it to be extinguished, G-d forbid!

These laws of the priesthood duties and sacrifices are in fact a perfect manual on how to build wholesome families and communities. This will become perfectly clear as we traverse through the remaining chapters of Hakham Tsefet and concorded to the book of Leviticus (in this cyle). To demonstrate this, we need to see the various altars described by the Scriptures governing the Jewish people throughout all time, and their dependence upon each other. Thus we have:

ALTARS

4. National/Universal symbolized by the Tabernacle/Temple sacrificial altar

3. Community – symbolized by the Teba (Lectern where the Torah is read and taught in front of the Seat of Moses)

2. Family – symbolized by the family dining table

1. Matrimonial – symbolized by the matrimonial chamber (bedroom)

If the Matrimonial altar is defective or dysfunctional as can be seen it will create an unbalance or dysfunction in the three remaining altars, as the Matrimonial Altar is foundational and supports the rest of the altars. Then, if the family altar is dysfunctional, as can be seen, it will inevitably cause an imbalance and dysfunction on the Community and National/Universal Altars, since the Family Altar is foundational to the other two altars.

No house or Temple is built from the top down, but rather from the bottom up, and the foundations need to be well built to permanently sustain the rest of the floors being added to it. If the foundations are not stable and well laid out, the whole edifice will soon or later crumble causing a great catastrophe affecting everyone concerned. Healthy communities are built on the basis of healthy families, which in turn are built on the basis of healthy marriages!

Therefore it makes sense that anyone returning to G-d, should start from the very foundations as it is written:

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first (or, chief) love.

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and return and do the first works; but if not, I am coming to you quickly and I will remove your Menorah out of its place, unless you return.

When we have repaired the marriage altar and make it continually functional (i.e. the fire burning continually on it) then we should start work in a similar manner on the Family Altar – i.e. are words of Torah being spoken when the family congregates around this altar to eat? Is HaMotsi said?Are the blessings after meals said? Are regular Torah studies conducted there for the primary benefit of all the family members?

Once we have worked hard to render the family altar functional, then we can work in a similar fashion with the Communal Altar. But let all the work of Returning be done in order, fixing each thing at a time, starting with the foundation altars – the Matrimonial and Family Altars!

The husband as the High Priest of the home teaches primarily by word and rightful instruction, as well as by example. The wife, on the other hand teaches more by example than the husband does. She also teaches by word but on a more informal manner such as informal counselling, informal dispensing of advice. Normally, this is how we come wired into this world, and thus our Sages teach that women are generally more G-dly than men, but when women become disobedient they usually sink much lower than men. Since nature teaches us this, Hakham Tsefet starts by uttering a word of wisdom first to the women: “you wives (women), [be] habitually subordinating yourselves to your own husbands, that even if any are habitually disobedient to the Word, by the conduct of their wives they may be gained (returned) without a word,”

The Greek construction αἱ γυναῖκες – Ai Gunaikes – translated as “You wives (women)” does not have a tone of disrespect as the English may imply. On the contrary, the Greek expression in the vocative (exclamatory) sense serves to denote a compliment to married women. At this point Elliot[5] observes:

“Our Petrine author, like Xenophon and others, treats the marital relationship within the context of instruction on household management (Greek: OIKONOMIA). Again, however, as in the case of the household slaves, he diverges from the Hellenistic household management tradition in addressing wives directly (rather than charging husbands with their instruction), thereby acknowledging these wives as intelligent and responsible moral agents in their own right.”

[be] habitually subordinating yourselves to your own husbands – This does not mean that a woman is to be treated like a mat to be walked all over, G-d forbid! But rather as Philo[6] explains:

“wives must serve (Greek DOULEUEIN) their husbands, a servitude not imposed by violent ill treatment but promoting obedience (Greek: EUPEITHEIAN) in all things.”

In other words, if one wants to observe the level of obedience to the Torah in any household, one should look at the level of wilful and intentional obedience and quality of service that a wife renders to her husband, since G-d designed for the women to be the thermometer and example par excellance of Torah obedience in the home. Man teach and lead by example, and the women makes sure that such teaching is amply reinforced in all areas of her household. If this is not the case, the matrimonial altar is in gross disrepair, and no matter how much a person returns to G-d if this primary Altar is not healed and rendered fully operational all returning in the world is to no avail!

that even if any are habitually disobedient to the Word, by the conduct of their wives they may be gained (returned) without a word,

v. 2 - being eye-witnesses of your pure conduct in reverence (fear) [of G-d], - This subordination has a chief aim or purpose, and that is to make the husband become obedient to the Torah. The example of subordination of a wife to her beloved husband is so powerful and efficacious that either the disobedient husband files for divorce or returns to his lawful position as High Priest of the family, obedient to Torah and a productive member of the Jewish Community.

v.3 - whose adornment let it not be that which is external, of braiding of [the] hair, putting on gold ornaments, or of dressing up [in fine clothing];

v.4 - but [to the contrary], [it should consist of] the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible [quality] of the meek (kind) and quiet spirit (or: attitude; disposition), which is of great value (price) before God.

This of course most certainly does NOT mean that a woman should not wear good and elegant clothes, or that she should not wear make-up and jewellery! In fact, Jewish Law requires that a man provides the best clothes he afford for his wife and a modicum of cosmetics and jewellery to his wife.

What these two verses mean is that a woman should not be like a sepulchre, nicely painted white on the outside, but full of spiritually rotten bones and flesh on the inside. In fact, part and parcel of having perpetual fire on the matrimonial altar is for the wife to continually find ways to seduce her husband by her elegant but modest clothes as well as her elegant but modest looks. But what good is all of this if the wife open her mouth with rough and defiant speech towards her husband? Or, if she no longer is interested in pleasing her husband? If this be so, is she not like a beautiful whitened sepulchre?

Women are naturally wired from birth to endeavour to look beautiful and attractive to her mate. But the female child needs to be taught that it is of no value for the external appearances to be better than the inner qualities of the heart. And by the same token it is no good for women to have excellent inner traits and qualities and look ugly to her mate. The inner and the outer self needs to be at least equal, otherwise the Matrimonial altar will become severely dysfunctional.

v.6 - As Sarah used to submissively [hear and] obey Abraham, habitually calling him “My Lord/Master” of whom you did become daughters, habitually doing good, and not fearing any terror. - In the same manner that a husband wants to show his wife to the public as a modest yet most beautiful intelligent woman, elegantly dressed and with impeccable and generous manners to show his good taste and wisdom, so does a Godly wife wants to show how worthy, intelligent and wise is her husband by calling him “My Master” or “My Lord” and thereby showing to all her wise choice of husband. Part and parcel of maintaining that fire constant in the Matrimonial Altar is to highly value one’s partner and show it both privately and publicly with deeds and actions. Any successful marriage will show this key characteristic of how proud one marriage partner is for the other. If this pride is actively lacking then what we have is a simple symbiotic relationship of I scratch your back and you scratch mine but the fire of the Matrimonial altar has been totally quenched or severely diluted.

v.7 - Husbands, likewise, continuously co-habiting with [them] according to [intimate] knowledge [of them], [be] habitually imparting honour (value; worth) to the female [attributes (things pertaining to a woman)] as to a delicate [holy Temple] vessel; yet also as [being] joint-heirs of Life’s mercy; that your prayers [and offerings] continue to not be hindered [as if by a trench being cut in their path to impede their progress]. - Noble ladies, please do note that Hakham Tsefet addresses the women on six verses and just leaves one verse to address the men. What does this mean? That generally speaking, a woman makes or breaks a marriage. A woman can manage to constantly attract her husband to her, or simply push him away, until it reaches the point that a man find no longer advantage in cohabiting with his wife.

This advice does not mean that the husband should not work hard towards maintaining the fire on the matrimonial altar constantly going, but it is rather significant that Hakham Tsefet needs six verses to address the women and just one verse to address the men. Note the 6+1 ratio, indicative of the Menorah with 3 branches on one side and 3 on the other side and one central stem to bring everything into balance.

Again, let me emphasize this point again and again. According to our Sages, and according to the Scriptures, whilst the husband is required to keep the fire burning continually in the Matrimonial altar, chiefly this responsibility falls on the wife. This is her area of expertise, or at least it should be, since she is by nature wired for this kind of priesthood from birth! This is a most important and vital fact that any woman of worth should be totally persuaded of, and instructed by in her dealings with her husband and children. All the rest of the altars as we have seen above are just a commentary on the Matrimonial Altar.

Now, in this verse, Hakham Tsefet addresses the men. He first warns the husbands to be intimate with their wives as much as possible, since the aim of marriage is not only to become one flesh, but also and what is equally important one soul. But one can’t be one soul with another person unless there is this profound level of quality sexual intimacy. In other words, if the wife is putting constantly putting wood on the fire, let her husband fully reciprocate in the most elegant manner he can muster.

Second, it is human and a very important need to get our egos stroked so that we have a balanced and healthy personality. And in this sense women need this more than men. Therefore a wise husband is always honouring his wife in every way possible, both in word and in deed, in order for her to be reassured that her hard work at stoking the matrimonial fire is indeed a worthy enterprise.

Third, all professionals in whatever field, generally speaking are as good as the tools they use. When Mosheh consecrated the Tabernacle and the Priests he also took great care to consecrate the utensils used by the priests as well. A good professional has high and extremely expensive quality tools that he ensures to take great care of them in order to perform a quality outcome. Can you imagine a brain surgeon using a rusty kitchen knife for a brain operation or a rusty cheep hand drill? Is it not the case that his instruments are worth a fortune and regulations demand that he uses the best utensils and equipment for the job at hand?

Here Hakham Tsefet connects with our Torah Seder by means of the Temple utensils, which normally were of pure gild, or of the best metals, using a master craftsman full of the Holy Spirit to carefully make them, and which needed to be exactly according to the pattern that G-d showed to Mosheh Rabbenu. So is with one’s wife, expensive tools require good and regular maintenance, they need to be looked after with extreme care, and they need to be made ready to happily and joyfully perform that for which they were commissioned.

It is my belief that Hakham Tsefet here, in the mentioning of women as “delicate [Holy Temple] vessels (Kelim)” is alluding to the כִּיּוֹר (Kiyor) – Copper Laver, which was made according to our Sages, from the copper mirrors that the Israelite women used to beautify themselves and entice their husbands working under slavery conditions making bricks, so that the Israelite population would not disappear but increase. This is confirmed in the usage of the Greek word in our verse ἀσθενής (Asthenis), a compound Greek word formed by the particle “α” and meaning “not” and the word “σθενόω” (Sthenou) meaning “to strengthen”. The meaning therefore is not as some translate “weaker vessel” but rather “un-strengthened or un-comforted vessel.” The laver could have been made out of stone or some more harder stable material but in G-d’s wisdom it was made entirely out of copper, a very delicate and malleable metal. The usage of this word in 1 Tsefet 3:7 also points to a verbal tally with the first two words of our Special Ashlamatah of Isaiah 40:1 – “Nachámu! Nachámu!” – “Comfort/Strengthen! Comfort/Strengthen!”

The period of time inaugurated this week receives its name from the Festival Ashlamatah that starts this period: i.e. Isaiah 40:1 ff. - נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ – Nachámu, Nachámu – Comfort, Comfort. The word “Comfort” in Hebrew is derived from the root word נחם – NACHAM. Its meaning can either be “to comfort” or “to return.” The English word “Comfort” has its roots in the Latin “Confortare,” and meaning “to strengthen much” – a compound word from the Lating “com” – and intensive prefix, + “fortis” meaning “strong.” Perhaps then it would be best and more accurate to translate into the English language, this period of time as “The Seven Weeks of Strengthening Much.”

This verbal tally then points to the office of the head of the household, the husband, and for that matter all men whose main role is to “strengthen much” their wives and female relatives, so that they may perform their duties with much joy and gladness.

If the wife (woman) is not habitually subordinating herself to her own husband, it is almost impossible to conduct proper maintenance, for the woman will consider this as bribery rather than an act of strengthening the relationship. But what is even more important, if the wife is not habitually subordinating herself to her own husband, and the husband is not regularly cohabiting with her, honouring her, and treating her as a most Holy Temple vessel, then all the prayers said by that man are rejected by the Most High!

This brings us back to our initial comment that it is impossible to return to G-d, without ensuring that the Matrimonial and Family Altars are fully functional, well maintained and working efficiently. Without this essential prerequisite all offerings are counted as nothing and a complete loss of time and effort.

A man goes to the Esnoga and prays with a Tallit (prayer mantle in the form of a tent). He does so to state that not only is he faithfully obeying the commandments to wear one, but also that he is an emissary of his household, and that he is bringing the needs and aspirations of all his dependants before the communal altar in the House of G-d. Wise women therefore will do their best that her husband’s prayers are based upon efficient and well running of the Matrimonial and Family Altars so that the Communal Altar becomes efficacious, and her prayers be answered.

Correlations

By H.H. Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David &

Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38

Malachi 3:4-12

Isaiah 40:1-26

Psalm 76:1-13

I Tsefet (Peter) 3:1-7

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata of Malachi are:

Mincha - מנחה, Strong’s number 04503.

HaShem – יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata of Isaiah are:

People - עם, Strong’s number.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

Israel - ישראל, Strong’s number 03478.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:14 And this is the law of the meat offering <04503>: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD <03068>, before the altar.

Malachi 3:4 Then shall the offering <04503> of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD <03068>, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 7:20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people <05971>.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people <05971>, saith your God.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 7:23 Speak unto the children of Israel <03478>, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.

Tehillim (Palms) 76:1 «To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.» In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel <03478>.

Hebrew

Hebrew	English Word	Torah Seder	Psalms	Ashlamatah	Special Ashlamatah
		Le 6:12 – 7:38	Ps 76:1-13	Mal 3:4-12	Isa 40:1-26‎

אָדָם	human	Le 7.21	Ps 76.10	Mal 3.8
אֹהֶל	tent	Le 6.16			Is 40.22
אִישׁ	man's, counselor	Le 7.8			Is 40.13
אָכַל	eat, devourer	Le 6.16		Mal 3.11
אֱלֹהִים	GOD		Ps 76.1	Mal 3.8	Is 40.9
אָמַר	saying, says	Le 6.19		Mal 3.5	Is 40.1
אֶרֶץ	earth		Ps 76.8	Mal 3.12	Is 40.10
בּוֹא	bring, come	Le 6.21		Mal 3.10	Is 40.10
בֵּן	sons	Le 6.25		Mal 3.6
בָּשָׂר	flesh	Le 6.27			Is 40.5
גּוֹי	nation			Mal 3.9	Is 40.15
דָּבַר	spoke, speak	Le 6.19			Is 40.2
הַר	mountain	Le 7.38	Ps. 76.4		Is 40.4
חֹק	ordinance, statutes	Le 6.18		Mal 3.7
חָשַׁב	reckoned, regarded	Le 7.18			Is 40.15
טֶרֶף	prey		Ps 76.4	Mal 3.10
יָד	hands	Le 7.30	Ps 76.5		Is 40.2
יָדַע	known, informed		Ps 76.1		Is 40.13
יְהוּדָה	Judah		Ps 76.1	Mal 3.4	Is 40.9
יהוה	LORD	Le 6.14	Ps 76.11	Mal 3.4	Is 40.2
יוֹם	day, days	Le 6.20		Mal 3.4
יַעֲקֹב	Jacob		Ps 76.6	Mal 3.6
יְרוּשָׁלַםִ	Jerusalem			Mal 3.4	Is 40.2
יִשְׂרָאֵל	Israel	Le 7.23	Ps 76.1
לֵב	stouthearted, kindly		Ps 76.5		Is 40.2
לָקַח	taken, received	Le 7.34			Is 40.2
מָה	what, how			Mal 3.7	Is 40.6
מִי	who		Ps 76.7		Is 40.12
מַיִם	water	Le 6.28			Is 40.12
מִנִּי	among, more, than	Le 6.22	Ps 76.4		Is 40.17
מִנְחָה	offering	Le 6.14		Mal 3.4
מִשְׁפָּט	judgement, justice		Ps 76.9	Mal 3.5	Is 40.14
נָטָה	stretches, turn aside			Mal 3.5	Is 40.22
נָשָׂא	bear, lifted	Le 7.18			Is 40.4
נָתַן	given, reduces	Le 6.17			Is 40.23
סָבִיב	around	Le 7.2	Ps 76.11
שׂוּר	remove, turned aside	Le 7.4		Mal 3.7
עַד	until	Le 7.15		Mal 3.10
עוֹלָם	permanent, forever, old	Le 6.18		Mal 3.4	Is 40.8
עָוֹן	iniquity	Le 7.18			Is 40.2
עַל	next, above	Le 6.10			Is 40.22
עֵץ	wood, tree	Le 6.12			Is 40.20
פָּנֶה	before, presence	Le 6.14	Ps 76.7		Is 40.10
צָבָא	warfare, hosts			Mal 3.5	Is 40.2
צִיּוֹן	Zion		Ps 76.2		Is 40.9
קָדוֹשׁ	holy, Holy One	Le 6.16			Is 40.25
קוּם	arose, stands		Ps 76.9		Is 40.8
קָרַב	present, draw near	Le 6.14		Mal 3.5
רוּחַ	spirit, breath		Ps 76.12		Is 40.7
רָמַם	lift	Le 6.15			Is 40.9
רָצָה	accepted, remove	Le 7.18			Is 40.2
שָׁבַר	broken, broke	Le 6.28	Ps 76.3
שָׂדֶה	field			Mal 3.11	Is 40.6
שָׂכָר	reward, wages			Mal 3.5	Is 40.10
שֵׁם	name		Ps 76.1		Is 40.26
שָׁמַיִם	heavens		Ps 76.8	Mal 3.10	Is 40.22
שָׁמַע	heard		Ps 76.8		Is 40.21
תְּרוּמָה	contribution, offering	Le 7.14		Mal 3.8	Is 40.20
r[;B'	burning	Le 6.12			Is 40.16
lv;m'	sin offering	Le 6.17			Is 40.2
arey"	fear		Ps 76.7	Mal 3.5	Is 40.9
rB'd>mi	wilderness	Le 7.38			Is 40.3
hl'[o	burnt offerings	Le 6.12			Is 40.16
%r'['	lay, compare	Le 6.12			Is 40.18
l[;	prepared, done	Le 6.21			Is 40.23

Greek

Greek	English Word	Torah Seder Le 6:12 – 7:38	Psalms Ps 76:1-13	Ashlamatah	Special Ashlamatah Isa 40:1-26‎	Nazarean Codicil I Pe 3:1-7
Greek	English Word	Torah Seder Le 6:12 – 7:38	Psalms Ps 76:1-13	Mal 3:4-12	Special Ashlamatah Isa 40:1-26‎	Nazarean Codicil I Pe 3:1-7

ἅγιον	holy	Le 6.16			Is 40.25	1Pe 3.5
ἀνήρ	men, husband		Ps 76.5			1 Pe 3.5
ἄνθρωπος	man, mankind	Le 7.8	Ps 76.9	Mal 3.8	Is 40.6	1 Pe 3.4
ἐνώπιον	before, presence	Le 6.14				1 Pe 3.4
θεός	GOD		Ps 76.1	Mal 3.8	Is 40.9	1Pe 3.4
ἱμάτιον	cloak, garments	Le 6.28				1 Pe 3.3
καλέω	calling				Is 40.26	1 Pe 3.6
καρδία	heart		Ps 76.5		Is 40.2	1 Pe 3.4
κόσμος	ornamentation, (world), cosmos				Is 40.26	1 Pe 3.3
κύριος	LORD	Le 6.14	Ps 76.11	Mal 3.4	Is 40.2	1 Pe 3.6
πνεῦμα	spirit		Ps 76.12		Is 40.7	1 Pe 3.4
πραΰς	gentle		Ps 76.9			1 Pe 3.4
σκεῦος	Item, utensil	Le 6.28				1 Pe 3.7
φοβέω	fearing		Ps 76.7	Mal 3.5	Is 40.9	1 Pe 3.6
χρυσίον	gold				Is 40.19	1 Pe 3.3

Mishnah Pirke Abot: IV:9

Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’aqob said: He who performs one Mitsvah acquires one advocate; and he who commits one transgression acquires one accuser. Repentance and good deeds are a barrier against punishment.

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 256-259)

After Rabbi Yonatan and Rabbi Meir in the previous Mishnah underscored the importance and essentiality of Torah scholarship, Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’aqob here proclaims that the performance of Mitzvot is the main element of Judaism. When a Jew performs a mitzvah it has an immediate result - he acquires for himself an advocate who will befriend him before the Heavenly Court of justice; when he commits a sin, he creates an prosecutor who will demand a severe punishment.

Abarbanel further develops this theme by referring to a passage in the Talmud (Sotah 21a) where the rabbis interpret the Scriptural verse (Proverbs 6:23), “For the mitzvah is like a lamp and the Torah is like a light.” Rabbi Menahem bar Yosi draws our attention to the different definitions of mitzvah and Torah. Mitzvah is likened to a lamp; the Torah is compared to light itself. He explains that the reason why a mitzvah is comparable to a lamp is that just like a lamp gives light only temporarily, so does a mitzvah protect the righteous/generous only temporarily. Rav Yosef added that the performance of a mitzvah protects against punishment and saves the performer from sinful thoughts, while he is performing it, but when he is not performing it although it protects him against punishment, it does not prevent him having sinful thoughts. Menahem bar Yosi continued his explanation: Torah is described as "light," because just as light illuminates continually so too Torah protects and saves him who studies it both while he is studying and he is not studying.

In the same passage of Talmud another explanation of the verse from Proverbs is given: A sin can extinguish a mitzvah, but a sin cannot extinguish Torah, as it is written, “Vast floods cannot extinguish love” (Song of Songs 8:7).

Abarbanel proceeds to explain this passage. He reasons that the study of Torah is of value both when the student is actually engaged in it and when he is attending to different matters, and for two reasons:

Torah study shapes a man's entire character. In addition to the reward he receives for the mitzvah of studying the Torah, he acquires a special mentality which controls all his other activities. He is thus always protected against sinful thoughts. On other hand, the performance of a mitzvah is a transitory action and while it is being performed will prevent sinful thoughts because the performer is totally occupied with the act of mitzvah. However, once the act is done, sinful thoughts will again be able to enter his mind.

Secondly, a sin can cancel a mitzvah because they are both actions one good and the other, bad - i.e., they are two of a kind, albeit opposites. Torah, however, is of a different nature in that it creates a spiritual state and an action, i.e., a sin, cannot cancel a spiritual state. This is the thrust of the proof-verse from Song of Songs: Water, a material entity, cannot extinguish love, which is spiritual.

This is what Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’aqob meant when he propounded that one acquires a defender for a mitzvah and a prosecutor for an averah. The mitzvah and the averah are both acts of commission. They can, therefore, cancel each other out. Torah study cannot be placed into that category because it affects the intense spirituality of a person.

If we accept the premise that a mitzvah is negated by an averah - and most people are prone to be more sinful than righteous/generous - what should a person do to avoid finding himself in the debit column? Rabbi Eliezer replies: “Repentance and good deeds are a barrier against punishment.” In other words, when one discovers his mitzvah cancelled by an averah, let him repent for the averah and immediately continue with mitzvot. He will thus avoid the punishment he should receive for his transgression.

To further embellish this thought concerning the efficacy of a good deed, Abarbanel quotes a midrash (Ruth Rabbati 5:6) which states that if only Reuben had known that the Almighty would write about him in the Torah, “ ... he tried to save him [Joseph] from them [the brothers] ...” (Genesis 37:2), he would have carried Joseph on his shoulders to his father. If only Boaz had known that God would write about him, “He handed her [Ruth] roasted grain ...” (Ruth 2:14), he would have fed her with fatted geese. All this shows the enormous efficacy of a good deed, as long as a transgression does not cancel it.

Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rabbenu Yonah: When he performs a mitzvah, a man provides himself with an advocate on the day of judgment, thus moving God to treat him with compassion. He who commits a sin, however, provides himself with an accuser who will prove his guilt and persuade God to judge him according to the letter of the law.

Rashbatz: The word T’RIS in our Mishnah derives from the Arabic and means a shield. The commonly accepted translation is door. They both have the same purpose: To partition or prevent. Rashbatz prefers the former version which is also that of Rashi.

Midrash Shemuel: One must not fall prey to the notion that if a person performed a mitzvah and then committed a transgression that they cancel each other out. God does not accept bribes in the form of mitzvot. A sin is a sin and a mitzvah is a mitzvah and there is a specific punishment and reward for each.

In analyzing our Mishnah, Midrash Shemuel is confronted with a logical, pertinent question. In all of Jewish literature two words are employed to represent opposite offices of the law: kategor (prosecutor) and sanegor (defender). It is unusual for one to be used without the other. In our Mishnah, Rabbi Eliezer uses the word praklit (lawyer) when speaking of the reward for a mitzvah and kategor when speaking of sin. Why not conform to the accepted rule of using kategor together with sanegor? He answers that a kategor presents the wrongs that a person committed and asks for a commensurate penalty. All that can be done then is to present the positive facts of the sinner and ask for clemency. This is the simple function of a lawyer. In the final day of judgment before God, a person, born of woman and prone to sin, will need a sanegor who will not only defend the guilty one but will demolish all his liabilities. According to Midrash Shemuel, sanegor is used only when referring to the final judgment.

What say the Nazarean Hakhamim?

Joh 3:19 Now this is the judging: that the light has come into the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were wicked/Lawless."

Joh 3:20 For everyone who is committing bad things is hating the light and is not coming to the light, lest his deeds may be exposed."

Joh 3:21 Now he who is doing the truth (i.e. the Law) is coming to the light that his acts may be made manifest, for they have been wrought in God."

Rom 2:5 But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God,

Rom 2:6 who will recompense to each one according to his works:

Rom 2:7 to those who by the endurance of good works are seeking glory and honor and incorruption--eternal life.

Rom 2:8 But to those who are contentious, and who disobey the truth (i.e. the Law), but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath,

Rom 2:9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that works evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

Rom 2:10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone that works good, both to the Jew first and to the Greek.

Heb 11:6 Now apart from faithful obedience [to G-d’s commandments] it is impossible to be well pleasing, for he who is coming to God must believe that He is, and is becoming a Rewarder of those who are seeking Him out."

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. From all the readings for this Shabbat, what verse or verses touched your heart and fired your imagination?

2. What are the main topics and divisions of the Torah Seder for this Shabbat?

3. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 6:13?

4. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 6:21?

5. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 7:12?

6. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 7:15?

7. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 7:19?

8. How is Vayiqra 5:1 related to Vayiqra 7:30?

9. Where in the readings for this Shabbat is it insinuated that we have entered a period of consolation and returning to G-d?

10. How is the Torah Seder related to our reading of Psalm 76:1-13 both by verbal tally and thematically?

11. How is the Torah Seder related both by verbal tally and thematically to our Ashlamatah of Malachi 3:4-12?

12. How is the Torah Seder related both by verbal tally and thematically to our Special Ashlamatah of ‎Isaiah 40:1-26‎?

13. How is the reading of 1 Tsefet 3:1-7 related to each of the readings for this Shabbat?

14. How does Hakham Tsefet proposes that one that is returning to G-d should start doing?

15. How is Vayiqra 6:12 relate to Varyiqra 7:37-38?

16. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message for this week?

Next Shabbat (Ab 20, 5770):

Shabbat Nachamu 2

2^nd of 7 Sabbaths of the Consolation of Yisrael

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
קַח אֶת-אַהֲרֹן
“Qach Et-Aharon”	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 8:1-9	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 10:8-
“Take Aaron”	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 8:10-17	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 10:
“Toma á Aarón”	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 8:18-29	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 10:
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 8:1 – 10:7	Reader 4 – Vayiqra 8:30-36
Ashlamatah: 1 Sam. 2:28-36 + 3:20	Reader 5 – Vayiqra 9:1-7
Special: Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3‎	Reader 6 – Vayiqra 9:8-16	Reader 1 – Vayiqra 10:8-
Psalm 77:1-21	Reader 7 – Vayiqra 9:17-24	Reader 2 – Vayiqra 10:
Pirqe Abot IV:10	Maftir –‎ Vayiqra 10:1-7	Reader 3 – Vayiqra 10:
N.C.: I Tsefet (Peter) 3:8-17	‎ Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3‎

Shalom Shabbat !

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

[1] CLV (Concordant Literal Version) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[2] Magiera, J.M. (2009), Aramaic Peshitta New Testament: Vertical Interlinear, Light of the Word Ministry, Vol. III.

[3] Greek New Testament (Majority Text) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[5] Elliott, J.H. (2000), The Anchor Bible: 1 Peter – A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 554.