Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2009
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Ab 18, 5769 – August 07/08 ,
2009 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting
and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:15 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:12 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:04 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:59 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:37 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:32 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:50 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:54 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:29 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:29 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 5:04 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 5:58 PM |
|
Chattanooga,
& Cleveland Tennessee, US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:21 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:19 PM |
Bucharest, Romania Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:16 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:22 PM |
|
Miami, Florida, US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:45 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:39 PM |
Jakarta, Indonesia Friday July 21, 2009 – Candles at 5:37 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 6:27 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:33 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:36 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:08 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 7:58 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:19 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:27 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 6:05 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 6:56 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:50 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:52 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 6:57 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 7:47 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 and
beloved family,
His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
His Excellency Adon Tracy Osborne and
beloved wife HE Giberet Lynn Osborne
His Excellency Rev. Dr. Adon Chad Foster and
beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia Foster
His Excellency Adon Fred Dominguez and
beloved wife Giberet Elisheva 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.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that
you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to
receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with
your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!
Shabbat Nachamu II:
2nd Sabbath of the
Seven Sabbaths of the Consolation of Israel
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
וְאֵל
שַׁדַּי |
|
|
|
“V’El Shaddai” |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 43:14-17 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 44:18-20 |
|
“And G-d Almighty” |
Reader
2 – B’
Resheet 43:18-23 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 44:21-23 |
|
“Y el Dio Omnipotente” |
Reader
3 – B’
Resheet 43:24-26 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 44:24-29 |
|
B’Resheet (Gen.) 43:14 –
44:17 |
Reader
4 – B’
Resheet 43:27-33 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Jer. 42:12-20 +
43:12 |
Reader
5 – B’
Resheet 44:34 – 44:2 |
|
|
Special:Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3 |
Reader
6 – B’
Resheet 44:3-12 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 44:18-20 |
|
Psalm 36:1-13 |
Reader
7 – B’
Resheet 44:13-17 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 44:21-23 |
|
N.C.: Mark 4:30-34 |
Maftir : B’Resheet 44:15-17 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 44:24-29 |
|
Pirke Abot: III:6 |
Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3 |
|
Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Resheet (Genesis) 43:14 – 44:17
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO
JONATHAN |
|
14.
May the Almighty, Shaddai, grant you compassion in the presence of the man,
that he may release to you your other brother along with Binyamin. If I have
been bereft of my children, I will be bereft. |
14.
And take Benjamin your brother, and arise, return to the man, and God the
Almighty give you mercies before the man, that he may release to you your
other brother, and Benjamin: and I, behold, I am now certified by the Holy
Spirit that if I am bereaved of Joseph, I will also be bereaved of Shimeon
and of Benjamin. [Jerusalem And I, behold, if I be not bereaved of my son
Joseph, so will I not add to be bereaved of Shimeon and of Benjamin.] |
|
15.
The men took that offering, and they took double money in their hands, and
[they took] Binyamin. They rose and went down to Egypt, and they stood before
Yosef. |
15.
The men took the present, and the money two for one in their hands, and they
took Benjamin, and went down to Mizraim, and stood before Joseph. |
|
16.
When Yosef saw Binyamin with them he said to the one in charge of his house,
"Bring these men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for
these men shall dine with me at noon. |
16.
And Joseph saw Benjamin with them: and he said to Menasheh whom he had made
superintendent over his house, Bring the men into the house, and unloose the
house of slaughter, and take out the sinew that shrank, and prepare meat
before them; for the men will eat with me at the time of the noon-day meal. |
|
17.
The man did as Yosef said, and the man brought the men to the house of Yosef. |
17.
And the man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph's
house. |
|
18.
The men were afraid because they had been brought to Yosef's house, and they
said, "Because of the money that was returned in our bags previously are
we being brought [here]; that he may turn on us and come down on us, and take
us for slaves along with our donkeys. |
18.
The men feared when they were brought into Joseph's house, and said, For the
money that was returned in our sacks at the first are we brought in, that he
may find occasion against us and condemn us, and sell us for slaves, and take
our asses. |
|
19.
They approached the man, who was in charge of Yosef's house, and they spoke
to him at the entrance to the house. |
19.
And they drew near the man who had been appointed superintendent over
Joseph's house, and spoke with him at the gate of the house. |
|
20.
They said, "Please, my master, we came down the first time to buy food. |
20.
And they said, We entreat you, my lord: we indeed came down at first to buy
corn. |
|
21.
When we came to the inn and opened our bags, behold each man's money was in
the opening of his bag. It was our own money in its full weight. We have
brought it back in our hand. |
21.
But it was when we had come to our place of lodging, that we opened our
sacks, and, behold, the money of a man was in the mouth of his sack: but we
have brought it back in our hand. |
|
22.
We have [also] brought other money in our hand to buy food. We do not know
who put the money in our bags." |
22.
And other money have we brought down in hand to buy corn. We know not who put
the money in our sacks. |
|
23.
He [the man] said, "Peace be with you, do not fear. Your G-d, and the
G-d of your fathers, has given you a hidden gift in your bags. Your money has
come to me." He then brought Shimon out to them. |
23.
And he said, Peace to you; be not afraid of my lord. Your God and the God of
your fathers gave you treasure in your sacks: your money came to me. And he
brought out Shimeon to them. |
|
24.
The man brought the men into the house of Yosef. He gave them water and they
washed their feet. He had feed given to their donkeys. |
24.
The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they
washed their feet; and he gave them provender for their asses. |
|
25.
They prepared their offering [to be ready] when Yosef came at noon, for they
had heard that they would eat there. |
25.
And they made ready the present against the entrance of Joseph at the
noon-day feast; for they had heard from him that they were to eat bread
there. |
|
26.
Yosef came to the house, and they brought the offering that was in their
hand, to him in the house. They prostrated themselves on the ground to him. |
26.
And Joseph entered the house, and they offered to him the present which was
in their hands for the house; and bowed before him upon the ground. |
|
27.
He inquired about their welfare, and said, "Is your old father at peace,
the one about whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" |
27.
And Joseph saluted them, and said, Is it well with your father, the old man
of whom you told me? Is be still alive? |
|
28.
They said, "Your servant, our father is at peace. He is still
alive." They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. |
28.
They answered, It is well with your servant our father; he is yet alive. And
they bowed and made obeisance. |
|
29.
He raised his eyes and saw his brother Binyamin, his mother's son, and said,
"Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?" He [then]
said, "Elohim be gracious to you my son." |
29.
And he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his
mother, and said, Is this your youngest brother of whom you told me? And he
said, Mercy from the LORD be upon you, my son! |
|
30.
Yosef hurried [to go out] because his compassion was aroused toward his
brother, and he wanted to weep. He went into [his] room and wept there. |
30.
And Joseph made haste, for his compassions were moved upon his brother, and
he sought to weep, and he went into the chamber [JERUSALEM. Into the chamber]
the house of sleep, and wept there. |
|
31.
He washed his face and came out. He composed himself, and said, "Serve
bread." |
31.
And he washed [JERUSALEM. And he washed] his face from tears, and came forth,
and hastened and said, Set bread. |
|
32.
They set [a place] for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for
the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, since the Egyptians could not
eat food with the Hebrews, because it was loathsome to the Egyptians. |
32.
And they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the
Mizraee who ate with him by themselves; for it was not proper for the Mizraee
to eat bread with the Yehudaee, because the animals which the Mizraee
worshipped the Yehudaee ate. |
|
33.
They were seated before him, the first born [the oldest] according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men looked at each
other in astonishment. |
33.
And they sat around him, the greatest according to his majority, and the less
according to his minority. For he had taken the silver cup in his hand, and,
sounding as if divining he had set in order the sons of Leah on one side, and
the sons of Zilpha on the other side, and the sons of Bilhah on another side,
and Benjamin the son of Rahel he ordered by the side of himself. And the men
wondered each at the other. |
|
34.
He had portions carried from before him to them. Binyamin's portions was
greater than all of their's--- five times as much. They drank with him and became intoxicated. |
34.
And he sent portions from his table, and they set them forth from him before
them. But Benjamin's portion was larger than the portions of any of them;
five portions: one was his own portion one portion from himself, one from his
wife, and two portions from his two sons. And they drank and were drunken with him; for from the
day when they were separated from him they had not drunk wine, neither he nor
they, until that day. |
|
|
|
|
1.
He commanded the one in charge of his house, saying, "Fill the men’s
bags with as much food as they can carry, and place each man's money in the
opening of his bag. |
1.
And he commanded Menasheh whom he had appointed superintendent of his house,
saying, Fill the men's sacks with corn, as much as they can carry, and put
each man's money in the mouth of his bag. |
|
2.
And my goblet, the silver goblet, put in the opening of the youngest one's
bag, together with the money for his purchase of food. He acted according to
the word Yosef had spoken. |
2.
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and
his purchase money. And he did according to the word which Joseph had spoken |
|
3.
With the morning light, the men were sent [on their way] together with their
donkeys. |
3.
The morning lightened, and the men were sent away, they and their asses. |
|
4.
They had just left the city, they had not gone far, when Yosef said to the
one in charge of his house, "Get up, pursue the men, and when you catch
up with them, say to them, 'Why did you repay good with evil.' |
4.
They had not gone far from city, when Joseph said to Menasheh whom he had
appointed the superintendent of his house, Arise, follow after the men,
overtake them and say to them, Why have you returned evil for good? |
|
5.
Why, this is [the goblet] from which my master drinks. He uses it for
divination. You have acted badly in what you have done." |
5.
Is it not that from which my lord drinks, and by which divining he divines?
That which you have done is evil. [Jerusalem
By which divining he divines] |
|
6.
He caught up with them, and spoke these exact words to them. |
6.
And he overtook them, and spoke with them all these words. |
|
7.
They said to him, "Why does my master speak such words? It would be
degrading for your servants to do such a thing. |
7.
They said to him, Why does my lord speak words like these? Far be it from your
servants to do such a thing. |
|
8.
Behold the money that we found in the opening of our bags, we brought back to
you from the land of Canaan. How then could we have stolen silver or gold
from your master's house? |
8.
Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our bags we brought to you
again from the land of Kenaan; how then should we steal from your lord's
house vessels of silver, or vessels of gold? |
|
9.
He among your servants with whom it is found, he shall die. We will also be
servants to my master." |
9.
With whomsoever of your servants it will be found, let him be guilty of
death, and we also will be slaves of your lord. |
|
10.
And he said, "Your words are now also correct. The one with whom it is
found, he shall be my slave, and you shall be guiltless. |
10.
And he said, According to your words let it be. With whomsoever it is found
he will be my slave, but you will be innocent. |
|
11.
They hurried, and each man lowered his bag to the ground, and each man opened
his bag. |
11.
And they made haste, and brought down each man his sack upon the ground, and
every man opened his sack. |
|
12.
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending with the youngest. The
goblet was found in Binyamin's bag. |
12.
And he searched beginning with Reuben, and ending with Benjamin. And the cup
was found in Benjamin's sack. |
|
13.
They tore their garments [in grief]. Each man loaded his donkey, and they
returned to the city. |
13.
And they rent their clothes; but the strength of fortitude was given to them;
and they laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. |
|
14.
Yehudah and his brothers came to Yosef's house. He was still there, and they
fell to the ground before him. |
14.
And Jehuda and his brethren entered into Joseph's house. He was yet there;
and they fell before him on the ground. |
|
15.
Yosef said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not
know that a man like me is an expert diviner?" |
15.
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that you have done? Could you not
know that a man like me divining can divine? |
|
16.
Yehudah said, "What shall we say to my master? What can we speak? How
can we justify ourselves? G-d has found the iniquity of your servants. Let us
be slaves to my master, both we, and the one in whose hand the goblet was
found." |
16.
And Jehuda said to him What will we say to my lord concerning the former
money, and what concerning the latter money? And how will we be acquitted
concerning the cup? From before the LORD there is sin found upon your
servants. Behold, we are my lord's servants, and he in whose hand the chalice
has been found. |
|
17.
He [Yosef] said [to them], "It would be degrading for me to do such a
thing. The man in whose hand the goblet was found, he shall be my slave, and
[the rest of] you go up in peace to your father." |
17.
But he said, Far be it from me to do thus; the man in whose hand the chalice
has been found will be my slave; but you, go up in peace to your father. |
|
|
|
Reading
Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
214-221.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol IIIa: The Twelve Tribes
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
IIIb – “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 407-435.
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/s 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.
Rashi’s Commentary for: B’Resheet (Genesis) 43:14
– 44:17
14 And may the
Almighty God From now on, you lack nothing but prayer. Behold I am praying
for you.-[from Gen. Rabbah 91:11]
the Almighty God Heb. אֵל
שַׁדַּי, Whose grant of mercy is sufficient (שַׁדַּי), and Who has sufficient power to grant,
May He grant you compassion. This is its simple meaning (Zohar, vol. 2, p. 257a). Its midrashic interpretation, however, is:
May He Who said to His world, “Enough!” (SHEAMAR DAI) say to my troubles, “Enough!”
for I have not enjoyed tranquility since my youth. [I endured] the trouble of
Laban (who tricked me and pursued me with the desire of killing me), the
trouble of Esau (who wanted to kill me), the trouble of Rachel (who died in
childbirth), the trouble of Dinah (who was violated and kidnapped by Shechem),
the trouble of Joseph (who disappeared), the trouble of Simeon (who is being
detained by the ruler of Egypt), and the trouble of Benjamin (whom he demands
that I send to him) (Tanchuma Mikeitz 10).
and he will release to you Heb. וְשִׁלַּח. He will release to you, as the Targum
renders, [meaning that] he will release him from his bonds, an expression
similar to “he shall let him out to freedom (לַחָפְשִׁי
יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ)” (Exod. 21:26). It is, however,
inappropriate to translate it as an expression of sending away because they
were going there to him.
your…brother This is Simeon.
other The Holy Spirit [of prophecy] was cast into him to
include Joseph. - [from Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan,]
and as for me Until you return, I will be bereaved out of doubt.
as I am bereaved of Joseph and Simeon.
I am bereaved of Benjamin.
15 and Benjamin
The Targum renders: UD’VARU YAT BINYAMIN, and they led Benjamin away. [I.e.,
Onkelos was not satisfied with the verb N’SIVU, they took, but added another
verb, UD’VARU, and they led away. [That is] because [the expressions for]
taking money and taking a person are not the same in Aramaic. Regarding a thing
“taken in the hand,” we translate UN’SIV, but something taken by persuasion, we
translate UD’VAR.
16 and [give orders]
to slaughter an animal and to prepare Heb. וּטְבֹחַ
טֶבַח וְהָכ, like LIT’BOACH TEVACH
UL’HAKEN, and T’VOACH is not the imperative, for [if so,] he would have said UT’VACH.
at lunch Heb. בַּצָּהֳרָיִם This is translated
[by the targumim] as B’SHERUTA, an Aramaic term denoting the first meal of the
day. In Old French disner, lunch.
There are many [examples of this word] in the Talmud: “he threw his meal (SHERUTEH)
to a dog” (Ta’anith 11b); “he cut
[the bread] for the entire meal (SHERUTA)” (Ber. 39b), but every [other]
translation of צָּהֳרָיִם is TIHARA.
18 Now the men were
frightened Heb. וַיִּירְאוּ It is written with two “yuds,” and is
translated UD’CHILU, “were frightened.”
because they had been brought
into Joseph’s house And it was not customary for
others who came to purchase grain to lodge in Joseph’s house, but in the inns
in the city. So they were frightened that this was [done] only [in order] to
put them in prison.
we are brought into this house.
to roll upon us Heb. לְהִתְגֹּלֵל
עָלֵינוּ So that the fabricated
accusation regarding the money will roll upon us and fall upon us, [“Rolling”
denotes the plot, and “falling” the ultimate attack.] Onkelos, however,
rendered וּלְהִתְנַפֵּל
עָלֵינוּ as UL’IST’QAFA ALANA, which is an
expression denoting “fabricating false accusations,” just as the Targum renders
עֲלִילֹת
דְּבָרִים as “and he makes a false accusation
against her” (Deut. 22:14) [with the words] TASQUFE MILIN (Onkelos) does not
translate it literally to conform to the language of the verse. But לְהִתְגֹּלֵל, which he (Onkelos) renders L’ITRAVR’VA,
“to aggrandize himself,” is an expression derived from “the golden bowl (גֻּלַּת)” (Eccl. 12:6); “And Huzzab the queen (גֻּלְּתָה) was carried away” (Nahum 2:8), which
denotes royalty.
20 Please, my lord
Heb. בִּי
אֲדֹנִי, an expression of entreaty and supplication, in Aramaic: BAYAI
BAYAI. Rashi bases this translation on Onkelos.
we came down Heb. יָרֹד
יָרַדְנוּ. This is a degradation for us. We were
accustomed to sustaining others, but now we must rely on you.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:3]
23 Your God In
your merit, and if your merit is insufficient, the God of your father, in the
merit of your father, gave you a treasure.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:4 according to Albeck’s edition, Lekach Tov, Sechel Tov]
24 Then the man
brought One bringing in after another bringing in [they were brought inside
twice], because they (the brothers) pushed him (the man) outside until they
spoke to him at the entrance of the house. As soon as he said to them, “Peace
to you,” they followed and entered after him.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:4]
25 And they prepared
Heb. וַיָּכִינוּ, they prepared. They adorned it with
beautiful vessels.-[from Targum Onkelos]
26 into the house
From the anteroom into the reception hall.
28 And they bowed
and prostrated themselves Because of the greeting [i.e. to acknowledge
Joseph’s greeting]. Bowing (QIDAH) means inclining the head (QAD’QOR). HISHTAHAVA’A
means prostrating oneself to the ground.-[from Ber. 34b]
29 “May God favor
you…” In connection with the other tribes, we heard [them marked by]
favor—“with whom God has favored your servant” (Gen. 33:5). Benjamin, however,
had not yet been born. Therefore, Joseph blessed him with favor.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:5]
30 for his mercy was
stirred He (Joseph) asked him (Benjamin), “Have you a brother from your
mother?” He replied, “I had a brother, but I do not know where he is.” “Have
you any sons?” He replied, “I have ten.” He asked, “And what are their names?”
He replied, “Bela and Becher, etc.” He asked, “What is the significance of these
names?” He replied, “All of them are connected to my brother and the troubles
that befell him. [My first son was named] Bela because he (my brother) was
swallowed up (NIV’LA) among the nations. [My second son was named] Becher
because he (my brother) was the firstborn (B’KHOR) of my mother. [My third son
was named] Ashbel because God put him (my brother) into captivity (SH’VAU EL).
[My fourth son was named] Gera because he (my brother) was a stranger (NIT’GAYIR)
in a lodging place. And [my fifth son was named] Na’aman because he (my
brother) was very pleasant [to look upon] (NAIM). [My sixth and seventh sons
were named] Ehi and Rosh because he was my brother (ACHI), and he was my
superior (ROSHI). [My eighth son was named] Muppim because he (my brother)
learned from the mouth of (MIPI) my father. [My ninth son was named] Huppim
because he (my brother) did not see my wedding (CHUPATI), neither did I see his
wedding (CHUPATO). And [my tenth son was named] Ard because he (my brother)
descended (YARAD) among the nations.” This is as stated in Tractate Sotah (36b). Immediately, his (Joseph’s)
mercy was stirred.
was stirred Heb. נִכְמְרוּ, was heated. In the language of the
Mishnah, “on a heating (KOMER) vessel of olives” (Sotah 74a), and in Aramaic, “because of the heating (MIKMAR) of the
meat” (Pes. 58a), and in the Scriptures, “Our skin is parched (נִכְמָרוּ) because of the heat of hunger” (Lam.
5:10). So is the way of all skin; when it is heated, it shrivels and
shrinks.-[from Lam. Rabbah 5:10].
31 and he restrained himself Heb. וַיִּתְאַפַּק, and he strengthened himself. וַיִּתְאַפַּק is an expression of “the strong (אֲפִיקֵי) shields” (Job 41:7), [meaning] strength,
and similarly, “and loosens the belt of the strong (אֲפִיקִים)” (ibid. 12:21).
32 because it is an
abomination to the Egyptians It is a hateful thing for the Egyptians to eat
with the Hebrews, and Onkelos gave the reason for the matter.
33 the firstborn
according to his age He knocked his goblet and announced, “Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, sons of one mother, sit in this order,
which is the order of your births,” and so [did he order] all of them. When he
reached Benjamin, he said, “This one has no mother, and I have no mother. Let
him sit beside me.”-[from Gen. Rabbah
93:7]
34 portions Heb.
מַשְׂאֹת, meaning portions.-[from Targum Onkelos]
five times as large His portion with his brothers, Joseph’s portion, and
those of Asenath, Manasseh, and Ephraim.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:5, Targum
Jonathan]
and they drank and became
intoxicated with him Since the day that they had sold him, neither they nor he
had drunk wine, but on that day they drank.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:5]
2 goblet Heb. גְּבִיעַ, a tall cup, called maderine (a long, narrow
goblet).
7 Far be it from your servants Heb. חָלִילָה, it is profane for us (CHULIN), an expression of
disgrace. The Targum renders: CHAS L’AVDAK, may your servants be spared,
[i.e.,] may the Holy One, blessed be He, spare us from doing this. [May He
never allow us to do such a thing!] There are many such expressions in the
Talmud: CHAS V’SHALOM, God forbid.
8 Behold, the money, etc. This is one of
the ten a fortiori conclusions (deductions from minor to major) mentioned in
the Torah, and they are all enumerated in Gen.
Rabbah (92:7).
10. And he
said, “Now indeed...” Indeed, according to the law, it is as you have
spoken, that you are all liable in this matter. I.e., [if there are] ten
people, [and] in the possession of one a stolen article is found, they are all
imprisoned. I will not treat you according to the strict letter of the law,
however. [Instead, only] “the one with whom it (the goblet) is found shall be
my slave.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 92:7]
12 he started with the eldest so that they
would not detect that he knew where it was.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]
13 and each one loaded his donkey They
were very strong men, and they did not have to assist each other to load [the
donkeys].-[from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz
10]
and they
returned to the city It was [in fact] a [major] metropolis. So why does
the Torah say, “to the city,” meaning a city of any size? Because it was of no
more importance to them (the brothers) than an average-sized city (village) of
ten people as regards [to fighting a] war.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]
14 and he was still there for he was
waiting for them.-[from Midrash Tanchuma,
Mikeitz 10]
15 Don’t you know that a person like me
practices divination? Don’t you know that a person as esteemed as I knows
how to test and ascertain through knowledge, reason, and discernment that you
stole the goblet?-[from Targum Onkelos]
16 God has found We know that we have not
sinned, but this has come from the Omnipresent to bring this upon us. The
Creditor has found a place to collect His debt.-[from Gen. Rabbah 92:9]
and how
will we exonerate ourselves Heb. נִּצְטַדָּק, an expression of justice (TSEDEQ). Similarly,
every word whose radical begins with a “zaddi,” and is to be used in the form
of “hithpa’el” or “nithpa’el” (the reflexive voice), a “teth” is substituted
for the “tav” [of the “hithpa’el”] and it is not placed before the first letter
of the radical but in the middle of the radical letters. E.g., “shall we
exonerate ourselves (נִּצְטַדָּק),” from the root TSEDEQ, justice; “was drenched (יִצְטַבַּע)” (Dan. 4:30), from the root TSAVA, to drench;
“and disguised as ambassadors (וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ)” (Josh. 9:4), from the root of “a faithful
emissary (צִיר)” (Prov. 13:17); “we took…for our provision (הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ)” (Josh. 9:12) from the root of “provisions (צֵדָה) for the way” (Gen. 42:25). [In cont-rast, in the
case of] a word whose radical begins with a “sammech” or “sin,” when it is used
in the “hith-pa’el,” [it is] a “tav” [that] separates the letters of the
radical, e.g., “and the grasshopper will drag itself along (וְיִסְתַּבֵּל)” (Eccl. 12:5); “I looked (מִשְׂתַּכַּל) at these horns” (Dan. 7:8).
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 36:1-13
|
Judaica Press |
Targum on the Psalms |
|
1. For the conductor. Of the
servant of the LORD, of David. |
1.
For praise. Of the servant of the LORD, David. |
|
2.
The word of the transgression to the wicked/
lawless man, in the midst of my heart, is that there is no fear of God before
his eyes. |
2.
Rebellion said to the sinner within my heart, “There is no fear of the LORD
before his eyes.” |
|
3.
For it smoothed the way before him in his eyes,
to find his iniquity/lawlessness to hate [him]. |
3.
Because he flatters him with his eyes to find sins, to hate instruction. |
|
4.
The words of his mouth are iniquity/ lawlessness
and deceit; he refrained from learning to improve. |
4.
The words of his mouth are wickedness/ lawlessness and deceit; he has ceased
to be wise in doing good. |
|
5.
He thinks iniquity/lawlessness on his couch; he
stands on a way that is not good; he does not reject evil. |
5.
Wickedness/Lawlessness plots on his bed; he will take his stand in a way not
good; he will not reject evil. |
|
6.
O LORD, Your kindness is in the heavens; Your
faithfulness is until the sky. |
6.
O LORD, Your goodness is in the heaven of heavens, Your faithfulness reaches
to the skies. |
|
7.
Your charity is like the mighty mountains; Your
judgments are [like] the vast deep. You save both man and beast, O LORD. |
7.
Your righteousness/generosity is as high as the great mountains; Your
judgments are as deep as the great abyss; You will redeem both the sons of
men and beasts, O LORD. |
|
8.
How precious is Your kindness, O God, and the
sons of man will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. |
8.
How precious is Your goodness, O LORD; and the sons of men will dwell
securely in the shadow of Your presence. |
|
9.
They will be sated from the fat of Your house,
and with the stream of Your delights You give them to drink. |
9.
They will drink deeply of the plenteous blessings of Your house; and You will
let them drink of Your pleasant fountain. |
|
10.
For with You is the source of life; in Your light
we will see light. |
10.
For with You are streams of living water; in the splendour of Your glory we
will see light. |
|
11.
Extend Your kindness to those who know You, and
Your charity to the upright of heart. |
11.
Extend Your goodness over those who know You; and your generosity over the
upright of heart. |
|
12.
Let the foot of haughtiness not come with me,
neither will the hand of the wicked/lawless cause me to wander. |
12.
May the foot of the proud not reach me; and may the hands of the
wicked/lawless not make me wander. |
|
13.
There the workers of iniquity/lawlessness have
fallen; they have been thrust away and were unable to rise. |
13.
There fell those who commit falsehood; they will be struck down, and will not
rise again. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary for:
Psalm 36:1-13
2 The word of the transgression to the wicked/lawless
man, in the midst of my heart, etc. This is a transposed verse. I feel
within my heart that the transgression i.e., the evil inclination says to the
wicked/lawless man that the fear of God should not be before his eyes.
in the
midst of my heart Like a person who says, “It seems to me.”
3 For it smoothed The transgression made
smooth places appear to his eyes in order that the Holy One, blessed be He,
find his iniquity/lawlessness to hate him.
4 he refrained from learning to improve
He refrained from contemplating to improve his deeds.
5 he stands on a way that is not good The
Holy One, blessed be He, placed before him the good way and the way of death,
yet he chooses for himself a way that is not good.
6 O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens
Because of these wicked/lawless men, You remove [Your] kindness from the earth
creatures and raise up Your faithful obedience until the sky to remove it from
the sons of men.
7 Your charity is as scarce to the
creatures as the mighty mountains because of the deeds of the wicked/lawless,
and Your judgments come upon the world until the vast deep. Another
explanation:
Your
righteousness/generosity is like the mighty mountains The one
with whom You wish to deal charitably, You raise up and strengthen like the
mighty mountains. אֵל is an expression of strength, as (in Ezek. 17:13):
“and he has taken away the mighty of (אֵילֵי) the land.”
Your
judgments are the vast deep Whomever You wish to judge, and wreak vengeance upon,
You humble him to the vast deep.
Your
judgments Heb. מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, joustiza in Old French, justice.
You save
both man and beast People who are as astute as Adam, but who make
themselves as humble as beasts, You save, O Lord.
8 How precious is Your kindness It is not
fitting that it be extended to these wicked/lawless, but the children of men
who take refuge in the shadow of Your wings they will be sated from the fat of
Your house, etc.
12 Let the foot of haughtiness not come with
me Let the foot of these wicked/lawless men not come with me at the time of
the reception of reward, [because] their lot should [not] be with the righteous/
generous.
neither
will the hand of the wicked/lawless cause me to wander from my
place when I return to inherit a double [portion]: my portion and the portion
of the wicked/lawless man, in the goodness, as the matter that is stated (in
Isa. 61: 7): “Therefore, in their land they shall inherit twofold.” And then...
13 There the workers of iniquity/lawlessness
have fallen There they will understand their downfall, and there they were
thrust away and were unable to rise.
Ashlamatah: Jeremiah
42:12-20 + 43:12
7 And it came to pass after ten
days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
8 Then called he Johanan the son
of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, and all the
people from the least even to the greatest,
9 and said unto them: ‘Thus says
the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom you sent me to present your supplication
before Him:
10 If you will still abide in
this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you,
and not pluck you up; for I repent Me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11 Be not afraid of the king of
Babylon, of whom you are afraid; be not afraid of him, says the LORD; for I am
with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12
And I will grant you compassion, that he may have compassion upon you, and
cause you to return to your own land.
13
But if you say: We will not abide in this land; so that you hearken not to the
voice of the LORD your God;
14
saying: No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war,
nor hear the sound of the horn, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we
abide;
15
now therefore hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah: Thus says the LORD
of hosts, the God of Israel: If you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt,
and go to sojourn there;
16
then it will come to pass, that the sword, which you fear, will overtake you
there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof you are afraid, will follow
hard after you there in Egypt; and there you will die.
17
So will it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn
there; they will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and
none of them will remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: As Mine anger and My fury
has been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so will My fury be
poured forth upon you, when you will enter into Egypt; and you will be an
execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and you will see
this place no more.
19
The LORD has spoken concerning you, O remnant of Judah: Go not into Egypt; know
certainly that I have forewarned you this day.
20
For you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me unto the
LORD your God, saying: Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according
unto all that the LORD our God will say, so declare unto us, and we will do it;
21 and I have this day declared
it to you; but you have not hearkened to the voice of the LORD your God in
anything for which He has sent me unto you.
22 Now therefore know certainly
that you will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the
place where you desire to go to sojourn there.’ {S}
1 And it came to pass, that when
Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the
LORD their God, wherewith the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all
these words, {S}
2 then spoke Azariah the son of
Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto
Jeremiah: ‘You speak falsely; the LORD our God has not sent you to say: You will
not go into Egypt to sojourn there;
3 but Baruch the son of Neriah
sets you on against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they
may put us to death, and carry us away captives to Babylon.’
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah,
and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, hearkened not to the
voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah,
and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were
returned from all the nations whither they had been driven to sojourn in the
land of Judah:
6 the men, and the women, and the
children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of
Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah;
7 and they came into the land of
Egypt; for they hearkened not to the voice of the LORD; and they came even to
Tahpanhes. {S}
8 Then came the word of the LORD
unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying:
9 ‘Take great stones in your
hand, and hide them in the mortar in the framework, which is at the entry of
Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;
10 and say unto them: Thus says
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne upon
these stones that I have hid; and he will spread his royal pavilion over them.
11 And he will come, and will
smite the land of Egypt; such as are for death to death, and such as are for
captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the sword.
12
And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he will burn
them, and carry them away captives; and he will fold up the land of Egypt, as a
shepherd folds up his garment; and he will go forth from thence in peace.
13 He will also break the pillars
of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of
Egypt will he burn with fire.’ {P}
Special Ashlamatah: Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3
14
But Zion said: ‘The LORD has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’
15
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on
the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
16
Behold, I have graven you upon the palms of My hands; your walls are
continually before Me.
17
Your children make haste; your destroyers and they that made you waste will go
forth from you.
18
Lift up your eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves
together, and come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you will surely clothe
yourself with them all as with an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a
bride.
19
For your waste and your desolate places and your land that has been destroyed -
surely now will you be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed
you up will be far away.
20
The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too
strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.’
21
Then will you say in your heart: ‘Who has begotten me these, seeing I have been
bereaved of my children, and am solitary, in exile, and wandering to and fro?
And who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were
they?' {P}
22
Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will lift up My hand to the Gentiles, and set
up Mine ensign to the peoples, and they will bring your sons in their bosom,
and your daughters will be carried upon their shoulders.
23
And kings will be thy foster-fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers;
they will bow down to you with their face to the earth, and lick the dust of your
feet; and you will know that I am the LORD, for they will not be ashamed that
wait for Me. {S}
24
Will the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of the victorious be
delivered? {S}
25
But thus says the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and
the prey of the terrible will be delivered; and I will contend with him that
contends with you, and I will save your children.
26
And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they will be
drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh will know that
I the LORD am your Saviour, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. {S}
1
Thus says the LORD: Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, wherewith I
have put her away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
Behold, for your iniquities/lawlessness were you sold, and for your
transgressions was your mother put away.
2
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there none to
answer? Is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power
to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a
wilderness; their fish become foul, because there is no water, and die for
thirst.
3
I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. {P}
4
The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I should
know how to sustain with words him that is weary; He wakens morning by morning,
He wakens mine ear to hear as they that are taught.
5
The Lord GOD has opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away
backward.
6
I gave my back to the smiters, and my checks to them that plucked off the hair;
I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7
For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore have I not been confounded; therefore
have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.
8
He is near that justifies me; who will contend with me? Let us stand up together;
who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me.
9
Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that will condemn me? Behold, they
all will wax old as a garment, the moth will eat them up. {S}
10.
Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of His servant?
Though he walks in darkness, and has no light, let him trust in the name of the
LORD, and stay upon his God.
{S}
11
Behold, all you that kindle a fire, that gird yourselves with firebrands, be gone
in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled. This
will you have of My hand; you will lie down in sorrow. {S}
1
Hearken to Me, you that follow after righteousness/generosity, you that seek
the LORD; look unto the rock whence you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit
whence you were dug.
2
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bore you; for when he was
but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.
3
For the LORD has comforted Zion; He has comforted all her waste places, and has
made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy
and gladness will be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
{S}
Mishnah Pirke Abot: III:6
Rabbi Halafta, a man of Kefar Hananya,
said: When ten people sit and engage themselves in Torah, the Divine Presence
rests among them, as it is written, “God stands in the congregation of the
Almighty” (Psalms 82:1). And from where can we derive that this applies even to
five men? As it is written, “And He founded his group on earth” (Amos 9:6). And
from where do we derive that this applies even to three? As it is written, “And
among the judges He pronounces judgment” (Psalms 82:11. And from where do we
derive that this applies even to two? As it is written, “In this vein have
those who revere the Lord been talking to one another” (Malachi 3:16). And from
where do we derive that this applies even to one? As it is written, “In every
place where I cause My name to mentioned I will come to you and bless you”
(Exodus 20:24).
Abarbanel on Pirke Abot
By: Abraham Chill
Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991
ISBN 0-87203-135-7
(pp. 168-171)
In
this Mishnah Rabbi Halafta stresses the significance of numbers as they relate
to various circumstances and issues in Jewish life. He begins with the number
ten which is considered a congregation, proceeds to five which represents a
group, continues on to three which constitutes a judicial quorum, follows up
with two which is necessary for a dialogue, and ends with one. All these
numbered instances are to taken within context of Torah study.
This
disturbs Abarbanel. Why did the Rabbi Halafta not simply state summarily that
everyone who is engaged in Torah study enjoys the presence of the Shekhinah? If
the Divine Presence graces even a single person when he studies Torah, it must
surely grace a larger number who are so engaged! Furthermore, the Mishnah
stresses the numbers ten, five, three, two, and one. What about the remaining
numbers until ten? What prompted the sage to specify these numbers and only these
numbers?
Finally,
Rabbi Halafta reinforces his thesis that it is proper for five people seated
together to devote their time to Torah by quoting from Amos, “He founded His
group on the earth.” In that verse no mention is made of the number five. It is
true that Rambam considers a group or cluster to be a man's hand whose five
fingers he can clench, but neither the word “hand” nor “finger” is mentioned in
the verse.
Abarbanel
goes on to offer his own interpretation of this Mishnah. He takes as his basic
source the Talmud (Berakhot 6a) where it is explained that the Shekhinah is
present in the company of ten worshippers at prayer, of three judges when they
sit in judgment, and of any number when they are involved in the study of
Torah.
In
Jewish life, it is an accepted premise that for the Shekhinah to be present, a
congregation must be composed of at least ten males. The Biblical source for
this is the Book of Psalms, “God stands in the congregation of the Almighty.”
(By analogy we derive that a congregation implies at least ten. This was the
case. of the twelve spies who returned from their mission to the Land of Canaan
and slandered the Promised Land. Whereupon Moshe cried out, “How long will you
suffer this evil congregation!” Since neither Joshua nor Caleb slandered the land,
it follows that the term “congregation” referred to ten.)
After
establishing the premise for the required ten at prayer, Rabbi Halafta turns
his attention to judges - Dayanim. Here, again, the basic source is Berakhot 6a
where the question is asked, “How do we know that when three sit in judgment
that the Shekhinah hovers over them? Because, the Psalmist states, “He judges
in the midst of judges.” The word אֱלֹהִים (ELOHIM)
in this verse can be interpreted both as “God” and “judges.” In view of the
fact the judges must rule by God's Law, it may be said that God is actually
rendering the decision.
Lastly,
we referred to the locale where Torah study is being conducted as one of the
three areas which attracts the Shekhinah. Here, there is no line of demarcation
between many and few. Even two sitting in dialogue, or even one immersed in
study of the Torah by himself - all are graced by the presence of the Shekhinah.
After
this analysis we must accept the conclusion that our tradition has assigned
certain specific numbered ratings to several occasions and purposes. They may
not be lightly tampered with. Thus, we see that when ten people, a minyan,
worship together, they merit the same divine beneficence as if they were
engaged in Torah study. If they worship singly, they cannot expect the same
reward as if they studied Torah. Once again, worship, to experience the
Shekhinah, requires ten men. This was already established. A group of less than
ten praying together will, of course, be seen favourably by God, but it does
not constitute the statutory quorum. In the study of Torah, on the other hand,
there is no need for a fixed quorum. Thus, even one or two people at Torah
study will find the presence of the Shekhinah there. There simply was no
justification on the part of Rabbi Halafta to give any special recognition to
specific numbers.
Furthermore,
Abarbanel suspects that Rabbi Halafta intended to rebut Rabbi Hanina ben
Teradyon who had argued that a singleton studying the Torah will not be ignored
by God, but will be given his due recompense. Rabbi Halafta is convinced that
not only will he receive his due reward, but will find himself in the presence
of the Shekhanah.
Now
we approach the number five. This digit reminds us of the five fingers of each
hand and foot and of the five Books of the Torah. However, the true
significance of the number five is derived from Scriptures, “He founded his
group upon the earth.” The first component of this “group” consists of the four
elements - fire, air, water and earth. The second component is that element
that is inactive, such as stone. Following this is the growing element such as
vegetation; the fourth is comprised of living things such as the animal
kingdom; the last one is man who is the only creature that speaks. This is the
group that God founded upon the earth and it is composed of five parts.
The
number two is important because it is the first manifestation of society; it
indicates plurality which is the first sign of a social order. Rabbi Halafta
assures us that even one studying by himself will enjoy the presence of the
Shekhinah, not because he considered this to be a profound observation, but in
order to rebut Rabbi Hananya. Although, the number one in the proof verse can
be seen to allude to “One God, One people,” Rabbi Halafta was emphatic that a
single person engaged in the study of Torah, will not only receive his reward,
but will feel the presence of the Shekhdnah.
To
sum up this Mishnah: According to Abarbanel, the isolated person cannot expect
to witness the Shekhinah with the same intensity as two people do. Two cannot
expect to be placed in the same category as five, and five falls short of the
apex of Divine Presence as it manifests itself in ten or more. All this with
regard to Torah study. With regard to prayer, the Shekhinah is only present if
there is a minyan, ten, or more.
Miscellaneous Interpretations
Rashbatz
(R. Shimon ben Tzemah Duran, Majorca (Spain) & Algiers, 1361 – 1444) is quick to point out
that there are several versions of this Mishnah. Here, the sage speaks of ten
people who are occupied in studying Torah; a Baraita (Berakhot 6a) speaks of
ten who are engaged in prayer. Secondly, here, Rabbi Halafta includes the number
five in his order, in the Baraita, that number is omitted.
Rambam
(Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides), Cordoba (Spain) & Egypt, 1135 – 1204), who includes the number
five, reads the text as, “Ten who were in the process of a judicial
decision...” He bases his reading on the verse, “God stands in the congregation
of El” (Psalms 82:1). In Talmudic literature the words El and Elohim, when not
referring to God Himself, are interpreted as referring to judges in a court of
law. It is on this basis that Rambam concludes that if the Scriptural verse
reflects a court of justice, then the adage itself must be directed to ten
judges.
Rashbatz
disagrees with Rambam and argues that the Mishnah in its present text is
correct because even judges when discussing a decision must resort to Torah.
In
any event, the supportive sources for all viewpoints are almost alike: Ten
- The Shekhinah rests upon them because the source verse uses the term adat
which means ten men (see above in Abrabanel). Five - Because the verse
speaks about an agudah (a bunch) which can be grasped in one hand which
has five fingers. Three - Rabbi Halafta resorts to a verse which
includes the word Elohim (judges); the minimum number of judges for a
court to function is three. Two - Because of the verse “...talking to
one another...” implies a minimum of two.” One - Because the
verse states, “In every place... I will come to you” and “you” is in the
singular.
Midrash
Shemuel (R. Shemuel ben Yitzchaq de Uceda, Safed (Israel), 1540 - ?) joins most of the
commentators in their interpretations of the Mishnah except regarding the one
who studies by himself. The source text is, as mentioned, “In every place where
I cause My Name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.” Midrash
Shemuel proposes that the Yetzer Ha-Ra (evil inclination) is the mortal enemy
of man and is intent on destroying him. If the Jew will but study Torah which
is synonymous with God, because it is He who gave it, supremacy over the Yetzer
Ha-Ra is assured.
Me'iri
(R. Menahem HaMei’ri, Provence (France), 1249 – 1316), referring to the five
who are expected to engage in spiritual intercourse, disagrees with Rambam
relative to the source. For him, the concept of the five is based on simple
arithmetic: Three judges and two litigants involved in a din Torah.
What Say the
Nazarean Hakhamim?
Rom 12:1 Therefore, brothers,
I call on you through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this age, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is the
good and pleasing and perfect will of God.
1Co 1:10 Now I exhort you,
brothers, through the authority of our Master Yeshua the Messiah that you all
say the same thing, and there be no divisions among you, but you be united in
the same mind and in the same judgment.
2Ti 2:14 Remind them of these
things, solemnly testifying before the Lord not to dispute about [the] commandments
for nothing useful, to the subversion of those hearing.
2Ti 2:15 Give diligence to
present yourself approved to God, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the
Word of Truth (Heb. Torah HaEmet).
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane,
empty babblings, for they will go on to more ungodliness,
Mark (Mordechai) 4:30-34
Delitzsch
Hebrew Rendition
30וַיֹּאמַר
אֶל־מַה
נְדַמֶּה
אֶת־מַלְכוּת
הָאֱלֹהִים
וּבְאֵי־זֶה
מָשָׁל
נַמְשִׁילֶנָּה׃
31כְּגַרְגַּר
שֶׁל־חַרְדָּל
אֲשֶׁר יִזָּרַע
בָּאֲדָמָה
וְהוּא קָטֹן
מִכָּל־הַזֵּרֹעִים
אֲשֶׁר
עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃
32וְאַחֲרֵי
הִזָּרְעוֹ
יַעֲלֶה
וְיִגְדַּל
עַל־כָּל־הַיְרָקוֹת
וְעָשָׂה
עֲנָפִים
גְּדוֹלִים
עַד־אֲשֶׁר
יְקַנְּנוּ
עוֹף
הַשָּׁמַיִם
בְּצִלוֹ׃
33וּבִמְשָׁלִים
רַבִּים
כָּאֵלֶּה
דִּבֶּר
אֲלֵיהֶם
אֶת־הַדָּבָר
כְּפִי־אֲשֶׁר
יָכְלוּ
לִשְׁמֹעַ׃
34וּבִבְלִי
מָשָׁל לֹא
דִבֶּר
אֲלֵיהֶם וְהָיָה
בִהְיוֹת
תַּלְמִידָיו
עִמּוֹ וְאֵין
אִישׁ אִתָּם
יְבָאֵר
לָהֶם
אֶת־הַכֹּל׃
Murdoch’s Peshitta Translation
30.
And he said: To what will we liken the kingdom of God? And with what similitude
will we compare it?
31.
It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is the
least of all seeds sown on the earth;
32.
And when it is sown it springs up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and
produces great branches, so that birds can lodge under its shadow.
33.
And by many such similitudes, similitudes such as they could hear, Jesus
discoursed with the people.
34.
And without similitudes he did not converse with them: but to his disciples,
between himself and them, he explained everything.
Etheridge’s Peshitta Translation
30.
And he said, To what may we compare the kingdom of Elohim? And with what
comparison will we compare it ?
31.
It is like a grain of mustard, which, when sown in the earth, is smaller than
all seeds which are in the earth:
32.
And when it is sown, it springes up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and
makes great branches; so that in its shadow the fowl can dwell.
33.
In parables such as these spoke Jeshu with them, in parables such as they could
hear.
34.
And without parable did he not speak with them: but to his disciples, between
him and them, he explained all.
Hakham’s Rendition:
30.
And he said, “To what may we liken the governance of God, or with what simile
may we compare it?
31.
It is like a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is
smaller than any of the seeds that are on the earth;
32.
And whenever it may be sown, it comes up, and becomes greater than any of the [orchard]
plants, and produces great branches, so that under its shade the birds of the
heaven are able to rest.”
33.
And with many such similes he was speaking to them the Word, as they were able
to hear,
34.
And without a simile he did not speak to them, but by themselves (in private),
to his disciples he explained all [the Words].
Commentary:
We
have now reached the last simile in a series of five (a bunch, group, cluster,
hand) similes regarding the quintessential necessity of the Oral Torah (and its
diligent and regular study) in the Governance of G-d.
v.30
- And he said, “To what may we liken the governance of God, - The language is quintessential
Rabbinic and shows clearly the good Rabbinic training of the Master. The
expression “To what is the matter like” is a classic Rabbinic
expression/signature when introducing a simile, allegory, or metaphor.
v.31
- It is like a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth,
is smaller than any of the seeds that are on the earth – We should note here
the comment of Marcus[1]
concerning the apparent inaccuracy of the Master’s statement. He states:
“The parable’s
statement is not horticulturally exact; the orchid seed , not the mustard is
the smallest. ... And perhaps this is why the other gospels do not reproduce
this Markan clause. The mustard seed is chosen because of its commonness and
the contrast with the largeness of the grown plant.”
The
problem, of course, only rises, when we do not pay close attention to the text.
The next verse states:
“And whenever it may
be sown, it comes up, and becomes greater than any of the [orchard] plants, and
produces great branches, so that under its shade the birds of the heaven are
able to rest.”
The
Greek word used here for “[orchard] plants” is λάχανον
(LACHANON) and meaning “vegetable” or “herb” (cf. Strong’s # G3001). Gould[2]
remarks on the context of this word:
“This comparison is
intended to denote the superiority of this plant to others of the class λάχανον
to which it belongs, which have no woody fibre, like trees and shrubs, so that
it even passes over into the latter class, making great branches under which
the birds can find shade.”
Therefore
when the Master states that the mustard seed “is smaller than any of the
seeds that are on the earth,” he is not speaking of all the earth, but
rather to a particular piece of earth, i.e. an orchard, since in v. 32 he
describes the class to which the plant belongs and to where we could normally
find such a plant being planted (i.e. amongst vegetables and herbs). Hunzinger[3]
has identified this plant as probably being the black mustard, Brassica
nigra, which was grown for oil as well as a condiment. He describes that in
good conditions this plant may grow up to 3 metres in height (about 9 ft.) or
even more, and yet its seed is extremely small (over 700 seeds to a gram), This
seed was used as an expression of something extremely small, as for example in
Mishnah Niddah 5:2, where it is stated:
“If a man was eating
Heave-offering and he felt his limbs tremble, he must lay hold on the member
and swallow the Heave-offering. And [the discharge] renders him unclean,
whatsoever is bulk, even though it be like to a grain of mustard, or
less than this.”
And
Mishnah Tohoroth 8:8 –
“If a kneading-trough
lay on an incline, and there was [unclean] dough on the higher part and
dripping moisture in the lower part, if there were three pieces of dough making
up an egg’s bulk, they cannot [all three] be included together [so that they
render the liquid unclean]; but [if they were but] two pieces they can be
included together. R. Jose says: Neither can two be included together unless
they confine the liquid closely (which in turn renders the trough unclean). But
if it was standing liquid (if the trough lay level); even if [the pieces of
dough that made up the egg’s bulk were] small [and numerous] as mustard seed,
they are included together. R. Dosa says: Food broken into crumbs may not be
included together [to make up the egg’s bulk].”
v.
32 - And whenever it may be
sown, it comes up, and becomes greater than any of the [orchard] plants, and produces
great branches, so that under its shade the birds of the heaven are able to rest.”
The
point of this simile seems to be that in the governance of G-d the study of the
Oral Torah is an essential necessity. And though its beginnings may be quite
humble and insignificant, the final size would be astonishing and most
impressive, or as Gould[4]
puts it: “The simile means that the kingdom is like growing things in having
small beginnings and a great ending.”
There
seems to be as well a further meaning in this simile as suggested by Marcus.[5]
He states that the Markan phrase of our verse: “under its shade the birds of
the heaven are able to rest” is similar to the
expression of the Septuagint (Hebrew Scriptures in Greek) of Ezekiel 31:6,
where “the birds of heaven” are symbolic for “all the multitude of the
nations.”
If
as we saw in the first simile the seed represents the Oral Torah, and the
mustard plant (9-12 ft. High) with thick branches and big leaves to provide
shade represents the Jewish people, this simile then means that through the
study and teaching of the Oral Torah a great multitude of Gentiles will come to
take refuge under the wings of the Almighty G-d. The simile then predicts the
inclusion into Israel of a great number of Gentiles.
v.
33 - And with many such similes he was speaking to them the Word, as they were
able to hear, -
Here, again the technique of speaking in similes, allegories and parables is
employed by the Master to detect who is able to understand the seeds of the
Oral Torah.
v.
34 - And without a simile he did not speak to them, but by themselves (in
private), to his disciples he explained all [the Words]. – Here the difference
is made between the insiders and the outsiders. This is not to be seen as
discriminating but rather at uncovering to whom G-d has given the spirit of
understanding, and to whom not. To those illumined by G-d in their
understanding to them there is need to explain the riddles and dark sayings of
the Hakhamim.
Many
years ago a great Catholic Scholar wrote a book about Judaism which if memory
does not fail, he entitled “Saved by the Word.” Perhaps it would have been more
appropriate to have called it “Healed by the Word,” for “healing” in Judaism
encompass salvation and much more. And this series of five similes is letting
us know that it is not active proselytism that defines the governance of G-d,
it is not autocratic or despotic rule, it is not brought about by the edge of
the sword, but by the diligent study and teaching of Torah.
Verse
34, ties up with the first simile. Notice the parallelism:
v. 34 - And without a simile he did not speak to them, but by themselves
(in private), to
his
disciples he explained all [the Words].
v.11 - And
he said to them, “To you it has been given to know the Sod (secret) of the
royal
governance of G-d, but to those who are without, in similes are all the
things
done [being given];
In
order to cement these five similes in our minds and understand the common
thread that binds them, perhaps it is better for us to bring all the verses
together. Read this section a couple of times and you will be able to now see
the whole pattern that we have been speaking about.
First Simile:
1. And again he began
to teach beside the sea, and was gathered (Heb. Synagogued) unto him the
biggest congregation, so that he, having gone into a [small] boat, sat in the
sea, and all the congregation was by the sea, on the land,
2. And he taught them
many things in similes, and he said to them in his teaching:
3. Listen! Behold, the
sower went out to sow.
4. And it came to
pass, in the sowing, some [seeds] fell beside the way, and the birds did come
and devoured it;
5. And other [seeds] fell
upon the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang
forth, because of not having depth of earth,
6. And the sun having
risen, it was scorched, and because of not having roots it withered;
7. And other [seed]
fell in the thorns, and the thorns came up, and choked it, and fruit it did not
give;
8. And other [seed]
fell into the good ground, and were giving fruit, coming up and growing, and it
bare, one thirty-fold, and one sixty-fold, and one an hundred-fold.
9. And he said to
them, “He who is having ears to hear--let him hear.”
10. And when he was
alone, those about him, with the twelve, did ask him [concerning] the simile,
11. And he said to
them, “To you it has been given to know the Sod (secret) of the royal
governance of G-d, but to those who are without, in similes are all the things
done [being given];
12. That seeing they
may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest
they may turn, and the sins may be forgiven them” (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10).
13. And he said to
them: “Do you not know this simile? And how will you know all similes?
14. The sower sows the
Oral Torah.
15. And these are
those by the way where the Oral Torah is sown. And when they hear, Satan (i.e.
the Adversary) comes at once and takes away the Oral Torah having been sown in
their hearts.
16. And likewise,
these are the ones having been sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear
the Oral Torah, they immediately receive it with joy,
17. Yet they have no
root in themselves, but are temporary. Then trouble or persecution having
occurred because of the Oral Torah, immediately they become scandalized.
18. These are those
being sown into the thorn bushes, those hearing the Oral Torah,
19. And the cares of
this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts about other things entering
in, they choke the Oral Torah, and it becomes unfruitful.
20. And these are
those being sown on the good ground, who hear and welcome the Oral Torah and
bring forth fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundredfold.
Second Simile
21. And He said to them, “Does
the light (lamp) come that it may be put under the grain measure, or under the
bed? [Is it] not also that it may be put on the Menorah (lamp-stand)?
22. For there is not anything
(or, any word) hid that may not be revealed, nor is [anything (or, any word)] kept hid
but that it will come to light.
23. All that have ears to hear,
let him [do and then] hear (cf. Exodus 24:7 –
“And they said, All that Ha-Shem has
spoken, we will do and we will hear”).”
Third Simile
24. And he said to them, “See
(or, Consider) what you are hearing. With what measure you measure, it will be
measured to you; and to you who are [doing and then] hearing it will be added [more];
25. For whoever may
have, [more] will be given to him, and whoever has not, even that which he has will be taken
from him.”
Fourth Simile
26. And he said, “Thus
is the governance of God: as if a man should cast the seed on the earth,
27. And should [he]
sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed spring up and grow, he has not
known how;
28. For of itself does
the earth bear fruit, first a blade, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.
29. And when the fruit
yields, immediately he ‘sends forth the sickle, for the harvest has come’ (Joel
3:13).”
Fifth Simile
30. And he said, “To
what may we liken the governance of God, or with what simile may we compare it?
31. It is like a grain
of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is smaller than any of
the seeds that are on the earth;
32. And whenever it
may be sown, it comes up, and becomes greater than any of the [orchard] plants,
and produces great branches, so that under its shade the birds of the heaven
are able to rest.”
33. And with many such
similes he was speaking to them the Word, as they were able to hear,
34. And without a
simile he did not speak to them, but by themselves (in private), to his
disciples he explained all [the Words].
Some Questions to Ponder:
1. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:14?
2. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:20?
3. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:30?
4. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:33?
5. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:34?
6. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 44:2?
7. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 44:10?
8. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 44:13?
9. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 44:15?
10. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 43:16?
11. On what day did Joseph brother’s arrived in Egypt
and when did they ate lunch with him (Joseph)?
12. Why did the
Egyptians ate not with the sons of Jacob or with Joseph?
13. Why did
Benjamin received five portions?
14. What was
Joseph’s motive in all his dealings so far with his brothers?
15. What
word/words/part or concept of the Torah Seder fired the imagination of our
Psalmist?
16. How is our
regular Ashlamatah of Jeremiah 42:12-20 + 43:12 related to
our Torah via verbal tally?
17. How is Pirqe
Abot III:6 related to all of our readings for this Shabbat?
18. What
word/words/part or concept of the Torah Seder, Psalm and Isaiah fired the
imagination of Mordechai (Mark) to which he connects his fifth simile on the
governance of G-d?
19. In your opinion
what is the thread binding all the five similes of the Master on the governance
of G-d?
20. In your
opinion, and taking into consideration all of the readings for this Shabbat,
what is the prophetic statement for this coming week?
Next Shabbat Shabbat Nachamu III:
3rd Sabbath of the
Seven Sabbaths of the Consolation of Israel
& Shabbat Shabbat Mevar’chim
HaChodesh Elul
(Sabbath of the Proclamation of
the New Moon of Elul)
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
וַיִּגַּשׁ |
|
|
|
“Vayigash” |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 44:18-26 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 46:28-30 |
|
“And came” |
Reader
2 – B’
Resheet 44:27-34 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 46:30-32 |
|
“Y se llegó” |
Reader
3 – B’
Resheet 45:1-14 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 46:32-34 |
|
B’Resheet (Gen.) 44:18 - 46:27 B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15 |
Reader
4 – B’
Resheet 45:15-28 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Joshua 14:6-15 |
Reader
5 – B’
Resheet 46:1-7 |
|
|
Special (1):Isaiah 54:11 –
55:5 Special (2):1 Sam. 20:18
& 42 |
Reader
6 – B’
Resheet 46:8-17 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 46:28-30 |
|
Psalm 37:1-40 |
Reader
7 – B’
Resheet 46:18-27 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 46:30-32 |
|
N.C.: Mark 4:35-41 |
Maftir : B’Midbar 28:9-15 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 46:32-34 |
|
Pirke Abot: III:7 |
Isaiah Isaiah 54:11 – 55:5 1 Sam. 20:18 & 42 |
|
Reading
Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
221-231.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol IIIa: The Twelve Tribes
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
IIIb – “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 437-473.
Please
always remember:
The
above questions are not about how many you can answer right or wrong, or how
many you have answered at all, that is NOT the purpose of this exercise! The
REAL merit is in making an effort to attempt to answer them as best as you can!
We run no competitions here! The competition if any is a matter between you and
Ha-Shem, most blessed be He! The questions are given to help you grasp the
mechanics of the Peshat level of Hermeneutics and to help you understand
Scripture from a legitimate Jewish perspective. So far, only few brave souls
have attempted to answer the questions posed. For those who have not yet jumped
into the pool of the brave, why not give it a try, even if you answered a few
questions that would be great and most encouraging for you and the honourable
members of this list!
Shalom
Shabbat!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai