Esnoga Bet Emunah

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	First Year of the Reading Cycle
Ab 25, 5769 – Agusgust 14/15 , 2009	First Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:08 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:04 PM	San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:58 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:52 PM
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:30 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:25 PM	Sheboygan & Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:40 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:43 PM
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:21 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:20 PM	Brisbane, Australia Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 5:07 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 6:02 PM
Chattanooga, & Cleveland Tennessee, US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:14 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:11 PM	Bucharest, Romania Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:06 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:10 PM
Miami, Florida, US Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:40 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:33 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 7:24 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:25 PM	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:07 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 7:56 PM
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 8:07 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 9:14 PM	Manila & Cebu, Philippines Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 6:02 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 6:52 PM
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 7:42 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 8:42 PM	Singapore, Singapore Friday July 31, 2009 – Candles at 6:56 PM Saturday August 01, 2009 – Havdalah 7:46 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!

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Shabbat Nachamu III:

3^rd 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)

(Evening Wednesday 19^th – Evening Friday 21^st of August)

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

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Resheet (Genesis) 44:18 - 46:27

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
18. Yehudah approached him [Yosef] and said, "Please my master, let your servant speak a word in my masters ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh."	18. And Jehuda came near to him and said, In imploring my lord, let your servant, I implore, speak a word in the hearing of my lord, and let not your anger grow strong against your servant; for at the hour that we came to you, you did say to us, I fear before the LORD; and now your judgments are rendered like (the judgments) of a prince of Pharoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father or a brother? [JERUSALEM. And Jehuda came near him, and said, In beseeching you, my lord, let your servant now speak a word in the hearing of my lord, and let not your anger be strong against your servant; for at the first time we came down to you into Mizraim did you not tell us, I fear before the LORD? And now your judgments are returned like the judgments of Pharaoh your lord, by whom you adjure. Yet I am honourable as you are, and my father is honourable as Pharaoh your lord is, by whom you do adjure. Can I not swear by the life of the head of my father, and not lie? For if I draw my sword from within its sheath, I would not return it till I had filled all the land of Mizraim with the slain; to its sheath I would not return it, till I had made all Mizraim desolate of inhabitants, beginning with yourself, and ending with Pharaoh your lord, were it not against the will of my father. Or, has it not been heard by you, or not told to you, what my two brothers Shimeon and Levi did, who went up against the town of Shekem, while they were dwelling in security, and killed every male by the edge of the sword, because they bad corrupted Dinah our sister, who has not been numbered in the tribes, nor has portion or inheritance with us in the dividing of the land? By how much more then (will it be done) for Benjamin our brother, who is numbered with us among the tribes, and who has portion and inheritance with us in the dividing of the land? And in force is more unyielding than theirs, because I have become the guarantor for the youth at the hands of my father, saying, If I bring him not to you, and set him before you, I will be guilty with you and be removed from your salutation all the days. Have you not beard, or has it not been told to you, that in the land of Kenaan we are kings and princes, as you are?]
19. "My master asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or brother?'	19. When Joseph, the beloved and honourable, saw that the strength of Jehuda his brother had risen up, and that the thoughts of his heart came forth, and that they rent their garments, in that hour beckoned Joseph to Menasheh his first-born, and stamped with his shoe; and all Joseph's palace trembled. In that hour Jehuda said, If it bad not been on the side of the house of my father, it would not have been done so. Then began Jehuda to be milder in his words, and he said, My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother ?
20. We said to my master, 'We have a father who is old, and a young child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone survives of his mother, and his father loves him.'	20. And we told my lord, We have an aged father, and a son of his old age, a little one, whose brother is dead, and he only remains of his mother; and his father on that account loves him.
21. You said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'	21. And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, and I will set mine eyes on him for good. [Jerusalem Mine eyes will be gracious upon him.]
22. We said to my master, 'the lad cannot leave his father, for if he left his father, he would die.'	22. But we told my lord, The youth cannot leave his father: for if he leaves his father, he will die.
23. You [then] said to your servants, 'If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you shall not see my face again.'	23. Yet you said to your servants, If you bring not your youngest brother down, you will not again see my face.
24. When we went to your servant, my father, we told him of my master's words.	24. And it was when we went up to your servant our father, we related to him my lord's words.
25. Our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'	25. And our father said to us, Return, and buy us a little corn.
26. We said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down, for we cannot see the man's face, unless our youngest brother is with us.'	26. But we told him, We cannot go down if our youngest brother be not with us when we go down, for we will not be able to see the man's face, unless our youngest brother be with us.
27. Your servant, my father said to us, 'You know that my wife [Rachel] bore me two sons.	27. And your servant our father said to us, You know that my wife bare me two sons.
28. One has [already] left me, and I said, surely he is torn to pieces. I have not see him until now.	28. One went forth from me, and I said, Surely he is dead, and I have not beheld him since;
29. If you take this one also away from me, and misfortune befall him, you will bring my white head down to the grave in evil.'	29. and you will now take this other from before me; and if death happen to him, you will bring down mine age with mourning to the house of the grave.
30. And now, when I come to your servant, my father, and the lad is not with us; his soul is bound up with the lad's soul.	30.
31. When he sees that the lad is not [with us], he will die. Your servants will have brought down the white head of your servant, our father, to the grave in sorrow.	31.
32. For your servant became surety for the lad, to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, I will have sinned to my father for all time.'	32. Therefore your servant became surety for the youth with my father, saying, If I restore him not to you, let me be guilty before my father all the days.
33. And now, let your servant remain as a slave to my master instead of the lad. Let the lad go up with his brothers.	33. And now let your servant remain, I beseech you, as the slave of my lord, instead of the young man; and let the young man go up with his brothers.
34. For how shall I go up to my father when the lad is not with me; lest I see the evil that would befall my father."	34. For how can I go up to my father, and the young man be not with us lest I behold the evil that will strike my father through!
1. Yosef could not contain his emotions in the presence of all who stood before him, and he cried out "Let everyone leave my presence." No man remained with him, when Yosef made himself known to his brothers.	1. And Joseph could not endure not to (be able to) weep, on account of all who stood before him. And he said, Let every man go out from me: and no one stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2. He wept aloud, and the Egyptians heard about it, and the house of Pharaoh [also] heard.	2. And he lifted up his voice with weeping; and the Mizraee heard, and a man of the house of Pharoh heard.
3. Yosef said to his brothers, "I am Yosef, is my father still alive?" His brothers could not answer him for they were shocked at his presence.	3. And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father yet alive? But his brothers could not answer him a word; for they were troubled before him.
4. [Then] Yosef said to his brothers, "Please come close to me." They came close [to him] and he said, "I am Yosef your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.	4. And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near, I pray, and examine me. And they came near. And he said to them, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Mizraim.
5. Now do not worry, and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here; for it was to preserve life that Elohim sent me [here] before you.	5. Now, therefore, be not grieved, nor consider it a hard thing that you sold me hither; for the LORD sent me here before you to preserve you.
6. For it is [now] two years that there has been famine in the land; and for another five years there will be no ploughing or harvest.	6. For these two years has the famine been in the midst of the land, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest.
7. Elohim sent me [here] before you to insure your survival in the land, and to keep you alive for a great deliverance.	7. But the LORD sent me before you to set you a remnant in the land, and to preserve you by a great deliverance.
8. Now [then] it was not you that sent me here, but Elohim; and He has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and master of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.	8. And now, it was not you who sent me here, but it was from before the LORD that the thing was occasioned, that He might set me for a prince unto Pharoh, a chief over his house, and a ruler in all the land of Mizraim.
9. Hurry, go up to my father and tell him: this is what your son, Yosef, says, 'Elohim has made me master of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay.	9. Make haste, and go up to my father, and say to him, Thus says your son Joseph, The LORD has set me for a chief over all the Mizraee; come down to me, delay not,
10. You will dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be close to me--- you, your children, your grandchildren, your sheep, your cattle and all that you own.	10. and you will dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near me, you, and your sons, and your sons' children, your sheep, your oxen, and all that you have.
11. I will provide for you there, since there will be another five years of famine; lest you become impoverished together with your household and all that is yours.	11. And I will sustain you there, for there are yet five years of famine, lest you and the men of your house, and all that you have be wasted away.
12. Behold, your eyes see it along with my brother Binyamin's eyes, that I speak to you with my own mouth.	12. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth speaks with you in the language of the house of holiness.
13. Tell my father of all my honour in Egypt, and all that you saw. Hurry and bring my father down here."	13. And you must show my father all the honour I have in Mizraim, and all my greatness which you see, and hasten [to bring] my father here.
14. He [then] fell upon his brother Binyamin's neck and wept, and Binyamin wept upon his neck.	14. And he bowed himself upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; because it would be that the house of holiness should be built in the portion of Benjamin, and be twice destroyed: and Benjamin wept upon Joseph's neck, because he saw that the tabernacle of Shiloh would be in the portion of Joseph and be destroyed.
15. He kissed all his brothers and wept upon [their necks]. After that his brothers spoke with him.	15. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept over them, because he saw that the sons of his people would be brought into bondage. And afterward his brethren discoursed with him.
16. The news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Yosef 's brothers had come. This was good [news] in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants.	16. And a voice was heard in the royal house of Pharoh, saying, The brothers of Joseph are come. And the thing was pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants.
17. Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Tell your brothers to do this: load up your beasts, and go and enter the land of Canaan.	17. And he said to Joseph, Tell your brethren, Do this. Lade your beasts, and go, carry into the land of Kenaan;
18. Bring your father and your households and come to me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt. You will eat of the fat of the land.	18. and take your father and the men of your house, and come to me, and I will give you the best of what is desirable in the land of Mizraim, and you will eat the fat of the land.
19. Now you are commanded [to order (your) brothers to] do the following: Take [military] wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come.	19. And you Joseph will appoint for the honour of your father: therefore tell your brethren, Do this. Take with you from the land of Mizraim [military] wagons drawn by oxen, in which to carry your children and your wives, and bring your father, and come.
20. Do not be concerned with your belongings, for the best of Egypt is yours,"	20. And your eyes must not look wistfully on your utensils: for the best of what is desirable in all the land of Mizraim is yours.
21. The sons of Yisrael did so. Yosef gave them [military] wagons by order of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.	21. And the sons of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them [military] wagons according to the word of Pharaoh, and he furnished them with provision for the way.
22. To each of them, he gave a change of clothing. To Binyamin he gave three hundred silver pieces and five changes of clothing.	22. And to each of them he gave vestments and apparel; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver, and five vestments for apparel.
23. To his father he sent the following: Ten male donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.	23. And these presents he sent to his father; ten asses laden with wine and the good things of Mizraim, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread, and provisions for his father's journey.
24. He sent his brothers off and they went. He said to them, "Do not be troubled along the way."	24. And he dismissed his brothers to go, and said to them, Do not contend about my having been sold, lest you quarrel in passing along the way.
25. They went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan, to their father Ya’aqob.	25. And they went up from Mizraim, and came to the land of Kenaan unto Jakob their father.
26. They told him saying, "Yosef is still alive, and he is ruler of all the land of Egypt." His [Ya’aqob's] heart stood still, for he could not believe them.	26. And they declared to him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and is ruler over all the land of Mizraim. But his heart was divided, because he did not believe them. [JERUSALEM. And his heart was divided.]
27. They told him all the words of Yosef which he had spoken to them, and he saw the [military] wagons that Yosef had sent to carry him. [Then] the spirit of their father Ya’aqob was revived.	27. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had spoken to them. And when he saw the [military] wagons which Joseph had sent to bring him, the Spirit of Prophecy which had gone up from him at the time that Joseph was sold, returning, rested upon Jakob their father.
28. Yisrael said, "It is too much! My son Yosef still lives. I will go and see him before I die."	28. And Israel said, Many benefits has the LORD wrought for me; He delivered me from the hand of Esau and from the hand of Laban, and from the hands of the Kenaanites who pursued me; and many consolations have I seen and have expected to see; but this I had not expected, that Joseph my son should yet be alive. I will go now, and behold him before I die. [JERUSALEM. And Israel said, Many benefits and consolations I had hoped to see; but this I had not expected, that, behold, Joseph my son should be yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.]
1. Yisrael journeyed with all that he possessed, and he came to Beer Sheva. He offered sacrifices [there] to the G-d of his father Yitzchaq.	1. And Israel journeyed with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Izhak.
2. Elohim said to Yisrael in a night vision, and He said, "Ya’aqob, Ya’aqob." And he said, "Here I am."	2. And the LORD spoke to Israel in a prophecy of the night, and said, Jakob! Jakob! And he said, Behold me.
3. He said "I am the Almighty, G-d of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.	3. And He said, I am God, the God of your father; fear not to go down into Mizraim on account of the servitude I have decreed with Abraham: for a great people will I make you there.
4. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again. Yosef will place his hand upon your eyes."	4. I am He who in My Word will go down with you into Mizraim; I will regard the affliction of your children, and My Word will bring you up from there, and cause your children to come up; but Joseph will lay his hand upon your eyes.
5. Ya’aqob rose up from Beer Sheva. The sons of Yisrael transported their father Ya’aqob, their children, their wives in the [military] wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.	5. And Jakob arose from Beer de Sheba; and the sons of Israel journeyed, with Jakob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the [military] wagons which Pharoh had sent to carry him.
6. They took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt; Ya’aqob and all his descendants with him.	6. They took their possessions and the substance which they had gotten in the land of Kenaan, and came into Mizraim, Jakob and all his sons with him,
7. His sons and grandsons were with him. His daughters and his granddaughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.	7. his sons and his sons' children with him, his daughters, and the daughters of his sons; and all his seed came with him to Mizraim.
8. These are the names of the sons of Yisrael who were coming to Egypt, Ya’aqob and his sons. The firstborn of Ya’aqob was Reuben.	8. These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Mizraim. Jakob and his sons. The firstborn of Jakob, Reuben.
9. The sons of Reuben [were]: Chanoch, Phallu, Chetzron and Carmi.	9. And the sons of Reuben, Hanok and Phallu Hetsron and Karmi.
10. The sons, of Shimon [were]: Yemueil, Yamin, Ohad, Yachin, Tzochar and Shaul, the son of the Canaanite woman.	10. The sons of Shimeon, Jemuel and Jamin, Ochad, Jakin, Sochar and Shaul: he is Zimri, who made the work of the Kenaanites in Shittim.
11. The sons of Levi [were] Gershon, Kehat and Merari.	11. And the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kehath and Merari.
12. The sons of Yehudah [were]: Eir, Onan, Sheiloh, Peretz and Zarach. Eir and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Peretz were Chetzron and Chamul.	12. The sons of Jehuda, Er, Onan, Shelah, Pherets, and Zarach. But Er and Onan died, on account of their evil work in the land of Kenaan; and Shelah and Zarach had no children in the land of Kenaan; but the sons of Pherets who went down to Mizraim were Hetsron and Chamul.
13. The sons of Yissachar [were]: Tolah, Phuvah, Yov and Shimron.	13. The sons of Issakar, sages, and masters of reasoning, their names were Tola, Phua, Job, and Shimron
14. The sons of Zebulun [were]: Sered, Eilon and Yachle'eil.	14. The sons of Zebulon, merchants, masters of commerce nourishing their brethren, the sons of Issakar, and receiving a reward like theirs; and their names were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
15. These are the sons of Leah that she bore to Ya’aqob in Padan Aram, along with his daughter Deenah. All the souls of his sons and daughters were thirty-three.	15. These are the sons of Leah, whom she bare unto Jakob in. Padan Aram, with Dinah his daughter; all the souls of his sons and his daughter; thirty and three.
16. The sons of Gad [were]: Tzifyon, Chagi, Shuni, Etzbon, Eiri, Arodi, and Areili.	16. And the children of Gad, Sephon, Haggi, Suni Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
17. The sons of Asher [were]: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, and Beriah, and their sister, Serach. The sons of Beriah [were]: Chever and Malki'el.	17. The children of Asher, Yimna, Yishvah, Yishvi, Beriah and Serach their sister, who was carried away while alive into the Garden (of Eden), because she had announced to Jakob that Joseph still lived. It was she who saved the inhabitants of (the city) Abel from the judgment of death, in the days of Joab. The sons of Beriah who went down into Mizraim were Heber and Malkiel.
18. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter, Leah. She bore these to Ya’aqob, sixteen souls.	18. These are the children of Zilpha, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and she bare them to Jakob; sixteen souls.
19. The sons of Rachel, Ya’aqob's wife [were]: Yosef and Binyamin.	19. The sons of Rahel, wife of Jakob, Joseph and Benjamin.
20. In the land of Egypt, [sons] were born to Yosef, which were born to him by Asnat, daughter of Poti-Phera, priest of On; [they were] Menasheh and Ephraim.	20. And to Joseph were born two sons in the land of Mizraim, whom Asenath the daughter of Dinah, educated in the house of Potiphera prince of Tanis, bare, Menasheh and Ephraim.
21. The sons of Binyamin [were]: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gerah, Naaman, Achi, Rosh, Muppim, Chuppim and Ard.	21. The sons of Benjamin, ten; and their names, according to the interpretation of Joseph his brother: Bela, who was swallowed up from him; Beker, who was the chosen of his mother; Eshbal, who went into captivity; Gera, who became a sojourner in a foreign land; Naaman, who was pleasant and honourable; Achi, who had a (twin) brother, the son of his mother; Rosh, who was a chief in his father's house; Muppim, who was sold into Muph; Chuppim, because at the time that he was separated from him he was the son of eighteen years and was eligible for marriage; and Ared, who descended into Mizraim.
22. These are the sons of Rachel that she bore to Ya’aqob. All the souls were fourteen.	22. These are the children of Rahel who were born unto Jakob, all the souls fourteen.
23. The sons of Dan [were] Chushim.	23. The sons of Dan, able men (or armed) and merchants, of whose numbers there is no end (or sum).
24. The sons of Naftali were: Yachtze'eil, Guni, Yetzer and Shilem.	24. And the sons of Naphtali, Jakzeel, Guni, Jetser, and Shillem.
25. These are the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore these to Ya’aqob, seven souls in all.	25. These are the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to Rahel his daughter; and she bare them unto Jakob, all the souls seven.
26. All the souls coming with Ya’aqob to Egypt, who came out of his loins, not counting the wives of Ya’aqob's sons, all the souls totalled sixty-six.	26. All the souls which went into Mizraim with Jakob which had come forth from his thigh; besides the wives of Jakob's sons, all the souls were sixty and six.
27. The sons of Yosef who were born to him in Egypt were [another] two souls. All the souls of the house of Ya’aqob that came to Egypt were seventy.	27. But the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Mizraim were two souls; and Joseph who was in Mizraim, and Jokebed the daughter of Levi, who was born among the hills in their journey to Mizraim, the sum of all the souls of the house of Jakob who came into Mizraim, seventy.

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
9. On the Shabbat day [the offering will be] two yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with [olive] oil, and its libation.	9. but on the day of Shabbat two lambs of the year without blemish, and two tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation.
10. This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbat, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation.	10. On the Sabbath you will make a Sabbath burnt sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation.
11. At the beginning of your months you will bring a burnt-offering to Adonai, two young bulls, one ram, seven yearling lambs, [all] without blemish.	11. And at the beginning of your months you will offer a burnt sacrifice before the LORD; two young bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished;
12. And three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each bull, two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with the [olive] oil for the one ram,	12. and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the mincha of the one ram;
13. And one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each lamb. A burnt-offering of pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to Adonai.	13. and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favour before the LORD.
14. Their libations [will be], one half of a hin for (a) bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a hin for (the) lamb, of wine. This is the burnt-offering of each [Rosh] Chodesh, at its renewal throughout the months of the year.	14. And for their libation to be offered with them, the half of a hin for a bullock, the third of a hin for the ram, and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt sacrifice will be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of the beginning of every month in the year;
15. And [You will also bring] one he-goat for a sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering it will be done, and its libation.	15. and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the LORD at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual burnt sacrifice will you perform with its libation.

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.

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) 44:18 - 46:27

18 Then…approached him… something into my lord’s ears Let my words enter your ears. [From Gen. Rabbah 83:6]

and let your wrath not be kindled From here you learn that he spoke to him harshly.

for you are like Pharaoh This is its simple meaning. Its midrashic meaning is, however: You will ultimately be punished with TSARA’AT because of him, just as Pharaoh was punished because of my great-grandmother Sarah for the one night that he detained her (Gen. 12:17). Another explanation: Just as Pharaoh issues decrees and does not carry them out, makes promises and does not fulfill them, so do you. Now, is this the “setting of an eye,” concerning which you said [that you wanted] “to set your eye upon him”? [See verse 21.] Another explanation: For like you, so is Pharaoh—if you provoke me, I will kill you and your master. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:6]

19 My lord asked his servants From the beginning, you came upon us with a pretext. Why did you have to ask all these [questions]? Were we looking to [marry] your daughter, or were you looking to [marry] our sister? Nonetheless, “we said to my lord” (verse 20). We did not conceal anything. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]

20 and his brother is dead Out of fear, he made a false statement. He said [to himself], “If I tell him that he is alive, he will say, ‘Bring him to me.’ ” [from Gen. Rabbah 93:8]

alone of his mother From that mother, he has no other brother. [From Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]

22 for if he leaves his father, he will die If he leaves his father, we are worried lest he die on the way, for his mother died on the way. [after Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]

29 and misfortune befalls him For Satan accuses at the time of danger. [From Gen. Rabbah 91:9]

you will bring down my hoary head in misery, etc. Now that he is with me, I comfort myself over [the loss of] his mother and over [the loss of] his brother, but if this one [too] dies, it will seem to me as if the three of them died in one day. [From Gen. Rabbah ff. 93:8]

31 it will come to pass, when he sees that the boy is not here, he will die His father will die because of his calamity [of the loss of his son].

32 For your servant assumed responsibility for the boy Now if you ask why I enter the fray more than my other brothers, [I will reply that] they are all [standing] from the outside [without commitment], while I have bound myself with a strong bond to be an outcast in both worlds. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]

33 please let your servant stay I am superior to him in all respects: in strength, in battle, and in service. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]

1 Now Joseph could not bear all those standing He could not bear that Egyptians would stand beside him and hear his brothers being embarrassed when he would make himself known to them. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 5]

2 and the house of Pharaoh heard Heb. בֵּית פַּרְעֹה, the house of Pharaoh, namely his servants and the members of his household. This does not literally mean a house, but it is like “the house of Israel” (Ps. 115: 12), “the house of Judah” (I Kings 12:21), mesnede in Old French, household. [From Targum Onkelos]

3 they were startled by his presence Because of embarrassment. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 5]

4 Please come closer He saw them drawing backwards. He said, “Now my brothers are embarrassed” (Tanchuma Vayigash 5). He called them tenderly and pleadingly and showed them that he was circumcised (Gen. Rabbah 93:10).

5 to preserve life Heb. לְמִחְיָה, to be to you a preserver of life. [From Targum Jonathan]

6 For already two years of famine have passed of the [total] years of the famine.

8 a father A colleague and a protector. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:10]

9 and go up to my father The land of Israel is higher than all [other] lands. [From Kidd. 69a, b]

11 lest you become impoverished Heb. פֶּן-תִּוָּרֵשׁ, [which Onkelos renders:] DALMA TITMASKAN, lest you become impoverished, [which is] an expression similar to “impoverishes (מוֹרִישׁ) and makes rich” (I Sam. 2:7).

12 And behold, your eyes see my glory and that I am your brother, for I am circumcised, and moreover, that it is my mouth that is speaking to you in the holy tongue (Gen. Rabbah 93:10).

as well as the eyes of my brother Benjamin He compared them all together, saying that “just as I harbor no hatred against my brother Benjamin, for he did not participate in selling me, neither do I have any hatred in my heart against you.” [from Meg. 16b]

14 And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept for the two sanctuaries which were destined to be in Benjamin’s territory and would ultimately be destroyed. [From Meg. 16b]

and Benjamin wept on his neck for the Tabernacle of Shiloh, which was destined to be in Joseph’s territory yet would ultimately be destroyed. [From Meg. 16b, Gen. Rabbah 93:12]

and afterwards After they saw him weeping and that he was wholehearted with them.

his brothers spoke with him whereas previously they had felt shame before him. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 5]

16 And the voice was heard [in] Pharaoh’s house Heb. בֵּית פַּרְעֹה, equivalent to B’BET PAR’O, and this is an expression [denoting] an actual house. [From Targum Onkelos]

17 load up your beasts with grain.

18 the best of the land of Egypt [I.e.,] the land of Goshen. He prophesied but did not know what he was prophesying. They (the Israelites) would eventually make it (Egypt) like the depths of the sea, which have no fish. [From Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, second version, ch. 43; Ber. 9b]

the fat of the land Heb. חֵלֶב הָאָרֶץ. Every [instance of] חֵלֶב is an expression meaning the best. [From Targum Onkelos]

19 And you [Joseph] have been commanded By me to say to them. [From Targum Jonathan]

Do this So shall you say to them, that it is in my power [to provide for you].

23 he sent the following Heb. כְּזֹאת, lit., like this, [meaning:] according to this amount. And what is the amount? Ten he-donkeys, etc.

of the best of Egypt We find in the Talmud (Meg. 16b) that he sent him aged wine because elderly people find contentment with it. [I.e., the fact that wine improves with age often affords contentment to the elderly.] According to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 94:2 on verse 18), however, this refers to pounded beans [which have a soothing effect on a troubled spirit].

grain, bread As the Targum renders.

and [other] food Things eaten with bread.

24 Do not quarrel on the way Heb. אַל-תִּרְגְּזוּ בַּדָּרֶךְ. Do not engage in a halachic discussion lest the way cause you to stray. Another explanation: Do not walk with large steps, and enter the city while the sun is shining (Ta’anith 10b). According to the simple meaning of the verse, we can say that since they were ashamed, he (Joseph) was concerned that they would perhaps quarrel on the way about his being sold, debating with one another, and saying, “Because of you he was sold. You slandered him and caused us to hate him.”

26 and [they told him] that he ruled Heb. וְכִי-הוּא מֹשֵׁל, and that he rules.

and his heart changed Heb. וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ. His heart changed and went away from believing. His heart did not turn to [believe] these words. [וַיָּפָג is] a term similar to “their taste changes” (M’FIGIN TA’MAN) in the language of the Mishnah (Bezah 14a), and “without respite (הֲפֻגוֹת)” (Lam. 3:49). Also “and its bouquet did not change” (Jer. 48:11) is translated [into Aramaic] as V’REIHEIAH LO FAG.

27 all of Joseph’s words He (Joseph) gave them a sign, viz., in what topic he was engaged when he (Joseph) separated from him (Jacob). [That was] the section dealing with the heifer that was to be beheaded (E’G’LAH A’RUFAH) (Deut. 21), and this is what [Scripture] says, “and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent,” and it (Scripture) does not say, “that Pharaoh had sent.” [from Gen. Rabbah 94:3]

and the spirit of…Jacob was revived The Shechinah, which had separated from him [because of his grief], rested upon him [once again]. [From Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, ch. 30, Targum Onkelos, Targum Jonathan]

28 Enough! My son Joseph is still alive I have enough happiness and joy, since my son Joseph is still alive. [From Targum Onkelos, Targum Jonathan]

1 to Beer-sheba Heb. בְּאֵרָה שָּׁבַע, like LIV’ER SHEVA, to Beer-sheba. The “hey” at the end of the word takes the place of the “lammed” at its beginning. [From Yeb. 13b]

to the God of his father Isaac One is required to honor his father more than he is required to honor his grandfather. Therefore, the sacrifices are associated with Isaac and not with Abraham. [From Gen. Rabbah 94:5]

2 “Jacob, Jacob!” An expression of affection. [From Sifra, Vayikra 1, Toseftas Ber. 1:15] [The repetition of his name is an expression of affection.]

3 Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt [God encouraged him] because he was troubled at being compelled to leave the Holy Land.

4 and I will also bring you up He promised him (Jacob) that he would be interred in the [Holy] Land.-[from Yerushalmi Sotah 1:10]

6 that they had acquired in the land of Canaan But of what he had acquired in Padan-Aram he gave everything to Esau [in payment] for his share in the Cave of Machpelah. He said, “Possessions [acquired] outside the Land (of Israel) are inappropriate for me.” This is the meaning of “which I acquired for myself with heaps (כָּרִיתִי)” (Gen. 50:5). He placed before him stacks of gold and silver like a heap [of grain] (כְּרִי) and said to him, “Take these.” [from Tanchuma Buber, Vayishlach 11]

7 his sons’ daughters Serah the daughter of Asher and Jochebed the daughter of Levi.

8 who were coming to Egypt Heb. הַבָּאִים. Relative to that time [when they were migrating to Egypt, the text] calls them “coming” [in the present tense], and [therefore] there is no reason to wonder why it is not written: “who came” (ASHER BA’U).

10 the son of the Canaanitess The son of Dinah, who had been possessed by a Canaanite. When they killed Shechem, Dinah did not want to leave until Simeon swore to her that he would marry her -[Gen. Rabbah (80:11)].

15 These are the sons of Leah …and Dinah his daughter.-The males are attributed to Leah and the females to Jacob, to teach you that if the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male, but if the male emits seed first, she (the woman) gives birth to a female. [From Niddah 31a]

thirty-three But if you count them individually, you find only thirty-two. This [missing one] is Jochebed, who was born between the walls when they entered the city, as it is said: “whom she bore to Levi in Egypt” (Num. 26:59). Her birth was in Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. [From Num. Rabbah 13:20]

19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife Concerning none of them does it say [Jacob’s] “wife,” but [the meaning is] that she was the mainstay of the household. [From Gen. Rabbah 73:2] Cf. Gen 31:33.

26 All the souls coming…with Jacob Who left the land of Canaan to come to Egypt. Now this [word] הַבָּאָה is not the past tense but the present tense, similar to “In the evening she would come (בָאָה)” (Esther 2:14), and like “and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming (בָּאָה) with the sheep” (Gen. 29: 6). Therefore, its accent is below (i.e., at the end of the word), on the “aleph,” because when they left to come from the land of Canaan, they were only 66 [excluding Jochebed, Joseph, and his two sons]. The second [instance of הַבָּאָה, however,] “all the souls of the house of Jacob who came (הַבָּאָה) to Egypt were seventy,” is in the past tense; therefore, its accent is above (i.e., on an earlier syllable), on the “beth,” because when they came there they were seventy, for there they found Joseph and his two sons, and Jochebed was added to them between the walls. According to the one who says that twin sisters were born with [each of the progenitors of] the tribes (37:35), we must say that they died before their descent to Egypt, for they were not counted here. I found in Leviticus Rabbah (4:6): Esau had sixteen souls [in his family], and the text calls them נַפְשׁוֹת בֵּיתוֹ, “the souls of his household” (Gen. 36:6) in the plural, because they worshipped many gods [in his family, each his or her own deity]. Jacob had seventy (souls), but the text calls them נֶּפֶשׁ [in the singular] because they [all] worshiped one God

Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 37:1-40

Judaica Press	Targum on the Psalms
1. Of David. Do not compete with the evildoers; do not envy those who commit injustice.	1. Of David. Have no desire for malefactors, to be like them; and do not be jealous of those who commit oppression, to join with them.
2. For they will be speedily cut off like grass and wither like green vegetation.	2. Because their end will be like plants, quickly will they wither; and like the green grass they will fall away.
3. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and be nourished by faithful obedience.	3. Trust in the Word of the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and be strong in faithful obedience.
4. So will you delight in the LORD, and He will give you what your heart desires.	4. And you will delight in the LORD, and He will give you the requests of your heart.
5. Commit your way to the LORD, and trust in Him and He will act.	5. Reveal to the LORD your ways, and trust in His Word, and He will act.
6. And He will reveal your righteousness/ generosity like the light, and your judgments like noon.	6. And your righteousness/generosity will come out like light, and your judgment like noonday.
7. Wait for the LORD and hope for Him; do not compete with one whose way prospers, with a man who executes malicious plans.	7. Be quiet in the presence of the LORD and wait for Him; do not desire the wicked/lawless man who prospers his way, the man who follows the counsel of sinners.
8. Desist from anger and forsake wrath; do not compete only to do evil.	8. Wait without anger and forsake wrath; do not long indeed to do evil.
9. For evildoers will be cut off, and those who hope for the LORD – they will inherit the land.	9. For those who do evil will be destroyed; but those who hope in the word of the LORD – they will inherit the land.
10. A short while longer and the wicked/lawless man is not here, and you will look at his place and he is not there.	10. And yet a little while, and there is no wicked/ lawless man; you will look carefully at his place, and he is not.
11. But the humble will inherit the land, and they will delight in much peace.	11. But the humble will inherit the land; and they will delight in the plenitude of peace.
12. The wicked/lawless man plots against the righteous/generous and gnashes his teeth at him.	12. The wicked/lawless man plots harm against the righteous/generous man, and grinds his teeth against him.
13. The LORD will scoff at him because He saw that his day will come.	13. The LORD will laugh at him, for He has seen, for the day of his ruin has come.
14. The wicked/lawless initiated war and bent their bow to cast down the poor and the needy, to slay those who walk on a straight path.	14. The wicked/lawless have drawn the sword and bent their bows to kill the humble and lowly, to slaughter the upright of way.
15. Their sword will enter their heart, and their bows will be broken.	15. Their blade will enter their [own] heart, and their bows will break.
16. The few of the righteous/generous are better than the multitude of many wicked/lawless men.	16. Better in the presence of the LORD is the smallness of the righteous/generous man than the multitude of many wicked/lawless men.
17. For the arms of the wicked/lawless will be broken, but the LORD supports the generous.	17. For the arms of the wicked/lawless will be broken, but the Word of the LORD supports the righteous/generous.
18. The LORD knows the days of the innocent, and their inheritance will be forever.	18. The days of the blameless are known in the LORD’s presence, and their inheritance will last forever.
19. They will not be ashamed in time of calamity, and in days of famine they will still be satisfied.	19. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they are satisfied.
20. For the wicked/lawless will perish, and the enemies of the LORD are like disappearing light on the plains; they are consumed in smoke, yea they are consumed.	20. For the wicked/lawless will perish, and the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of young sheep that at first are fattened but finally slaughtered – likewise the wicked/lawless will perish and be destroyed in the smoke of Gehenna.
21. A wicked/lawless man borrows and does not pay, but the righteous/generous one is gracious and gives.	21. The wicked/lawless borrows and does not repay; but the righteous/generous is compassionate, and gives.
22. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, and those cursed by Him will be cut off.	22. For those who are blessed by His Word will inherit the land; but those who are cursed by death will be destroyed.
23. From the LORD a mighty man's steps are established, for He delights in his way.	23. In the presence of the LORD the steps of a man are made firm, and He will favour his ways.
24. If he falls, he will not be cast down, for the LORD supports his hand.	24. For when he falls into sickness, he will not die, because the LORD is the helper at his hand.
25. I was young, I also aged, and I have not seen a righteous/generous man forsaken and his seed begging for bread.	25. I was a boy, but have grown old; and I have not seen the righteous/generous man abandoned or his sons begging for bread because of lack.
26. All day long he is gracious and lends, and his seed is due for a blessing.	26. For all the day he is compassionate and lends; and his seed is for a blessing.
27. Shun evil and do good, and dwell forever.	27. Turn from evil, and practice kindness, and abide in eternal life. Another targum: Turn from doing evil, O righteous/generous man, and do good; because of this you will abide forever.
28. For the LORD loves justice, and He will not forsake His pious ones; they will be guarded forever, but the seed of the wicked/lawless will be cut off.	28. For the LORD loves justice/generosity and will not abandon His pious ones; they are protected forever; but the sons of the wicked/lawless will be destroyed.
29. The righteous/generous will inherit the land and dwell forever in it.	29. The righteous/generous will inherit the land, and will dwell on it forever.
30. The righteous/generous man's mouth utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks judgment.	30. The mouth of the righteous/generous murmurs wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31. The Law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not falter [in the observance of the commandments].	31. The Law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not stumble.
32. The wicked/lawless man watches for the righteous/generous man and seeks to put him to death.	32. The wicked/lawless man observes the righteous/generous man and seeks to kill him.
33. The LORD will not leave him in his hands, and He will not condemn him [the righteous/ generous] when he [the wicked/lawless] is judged.	33. The LORD will not abandon him into his hand, and will not find him guilty when he is judged. Another Targum: When he stands in judgment.
34. Hope to the LORD and keep His way; He will exalt you to inherit the land, and you will witness the destruction of the wicked/lawless.	34. Hope in the Word of the LORD, and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land; you will see the destruction of the wicked/ lawless.
35. I saw a wicked/lawless man, powerful, well-rooted as a native who is fresh.	35. I have seen the wicked/lawless man, strong and mighty, like a native and leafy tree.
36. And he passed away and behold! He is not here, and I sought him and he was not found.	36. And he ceased from the world, and, behold, he is no more; and I sought him but he was not found.
37. Observe the innocent and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.	37. Preserve blamelessness, and behold honesty; for the end of [such] a son of man is peace.
38. But transgressors were destroyed together; the future of the wicked/lawless was cut off.	38. But rebels will be destroyed together; the end of the wicked/lawless is destruction.
39. But the salvation of the righteous/generous is from the LORD, their stronghold in time of distress.	39. But the redemption of the righteous/generous is from the presence of the LORD, their strength in the time of trouble.
40. The LORD helped them and rescued them; He rescued them from the wicked/lawless and saved them because they took refuge in Him.	40. And the LORD helped them and saved them, He saved them from sinners; and He will redeem them, for they trusted in His Word.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Psalm 37:1-40

1 Do not compete with the evildoers He reproves Israel that they should not compete with the success of the evildoers to do as their deeds, as (in Jer. 12:5): “how will you compete (תְּתַחֲרֶה) with horses,” to run as they run, a atir in Old French, to compete.

do not envy those who commit injustice to commit injustice like them.

2 they will be...cut off Heb. יִמָּלוּ, seront tronke in Old French, they will be cut off, an expression of cutting off.

3 Trust in the Lord and do not say, “If I do not rob and steal,” or “If I give charity to a poor man, how will I sustain myself?”

and do good Then you will dwell in the land for a long time.

and be nourished by faithful obedience You will eat and be sustained from the reward of [your] faithful obedience, that you believed in the Holy One, blessed be He, to rely on Him and do good.

4 So will you delight in the LORD Enjoy delights by being supported by the Holy One, blessed be He.

5 Commit your way to the LORD Commit all your needs to Him.

7 Wait for the LORD Heb. דּוֹם. Wait for His salvation, as (in I Sam. 14: 9): “If they say thus to us, ‘Wait (דֹּמּוּ)!” mentioned regarding Jonathan. Menachem (p. 64), however, associates it as an expression of silence, as (in Lev. 10:3): “and Aaron was silent (וַיִּדֹּם).” He likewise interpreted (Lam. 3:26): “It is good that one should wait quietly (וְדוּמָם) in this manner, and Dunash (p. 27) concurs with him.

and hope Heb. וְהִתְחוֹלֵל, an expression of hope.

do not compete saying, “I will be as wicked as he, and I will prosper as he does.”

8 Desist from anger Desist from being wicked/lawless so that anger does not come upon you.

and forsake a matter that will bring upon you the wrath of the Holy One, blessed be He.

9 For evildoers whom you now see prospering they will be cut off.

10 A short while longer When you wait a little longer, you will see that the lawless man is not here.

and you will look at his place and you will look at the place where he was, and he is not there, because he has died and has perished.

12 and gnashes Heb. וְחֹרֵק, as (in Lam. 2:16): “and gnashed (וַיַּחַרְקוּ) their teeth”; e rechineynt in Old French.

14 initiated war the wicked/lawless initiated quarrel and strife without previous provocation.

16 The few of the righteous/generous are better The few men who go to the aid of the righteous/ generous are better.

than the multitude of many wicked/lawless men Amraphel and his allies initiated a war in the world for the purpose of capturing Lot and provoking Abraham, but the few who were with Abraham succeeded and wiped out all those armies.

18 The Lord knows the days of the innocent He recognizes the deeds of their days, and their inheritance and the reception of their reward from Him will be forever.

20 like disappearing light on the plains Heb. כִּיקַר כָּרִים, like the light of the morning cloud, which appears at dawn and glistens on the broad plains, which does not last. כָּרִים means a plain, as (in Isa. 30:23): “a wide plain (כַּר נִרְחָב).” כִּיקַר is an expression of “disappearing light (אוֹר יְקָרוֹת) ” (as in Zech. 14:6). Others interpret כִּיקַר כָּרִים: like the glory of lambs that are fattened for the slaughter.

21 A wicked/lawless man borrows and does not pay, but the Righteous/Generous is gracious and gives The Holy One, blessed be He, Who is the Righteous/Generous One of the world, is gracious with His own and gives it to the one who lent what he [the borrower] stole from him.

22 For those blessed by Him By the Righteous/Generous One of the world, will inherit the land.

23 a mighty man’s steps He who is mighty in the fear of the Holy One, blessed be He; les pas du fort in French, the steps of the strong one.

are established Fureut afettetes in French, are prepared for reality.

24 If he falls Heb. יִפֹּל, aluverjera in Old French, falters, an expression of (Gen. 24:64): “and she fell off the camel.”

If Heb. כִּי, like IM.

he will not be cast down He will not be cast away to be forsaken.

25 I was young This verse was recited by the Prince of the World (the chief angel), for if it was David, he was not so old.

26 All day long the righteous/generous man is gracious to the poor and lends to them.

and his seed This seed that he sows with his charity will ultimately be blessed.

30 The righteous/generous man’s mouth utters at first words of wisdom in his heart to see the Law that the Torah decided for each thing, and afterwards his tongue speaks judgment.

31 his feet do not falter His steps do not slip.

35 well-rooted Heb. וּמִתְעָרֶה, rooted, as (in Isa. 19:7): “the well-rooted plants (עָרוֹת) by the stream.” In the language of the Mishnah there are many [examples]: e.g. (Oktzin 3:8): “A tree that was cut off but is yet rooted by its bark.”

as a native who is fresh As one of the natives of the land who are well-rooted and abounding with property. And so did Menachem (p. 20) explain it: כְּאֶזְרָח רַעֲנָן moist and growing like a well-rooted tree, and the native (אֶזְרָח) of the natives (מְאֶזְרָחִי) of humans are men of roots.

37 Observe the innocent Scrutinize the ways of the innocent to learn from their deeds.

for there is a future for the man of peace If he has no beginning, he has a future, but the transgressors, the sinners and the wicked their future has been cut off and they have been destroyed together.

Ashlamatah: Joshua 14:6-15

6. Then the children of Judah drew near unto Joshua in Gilgal; and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said unto him: ‘You know the thing that the LORD spoke unto Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh-barnea.

7. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him back word as it was in my heart.

8. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

9. And Moses swore on that day, saying: Surely the land whereon your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.

10. And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He spoke, these forty and five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word unto Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness; and now, behold, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, and to go out and to come in.

12. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and cities great and fortified; it may be that the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out, as the LORD spoke.’

13. And Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.

14. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, unto this day; because that he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.

15. Now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war. {P}

Special Ashlamatah (1): Isaiah 54:11 – 55:5

11. O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in fair colours, and lay your foundations with sapphires.

12. And I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your border of precious stones.

13. And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great will be the peace of your children.

14. In righteousness/generosity will you be established; be you far from oppression, for you will not fear, and from ruin, for it will not come near you.

15. Behold, they may congregate together, but not by Me; whosoever will congregate together against you will fall because of you.

16. Behold, I have created the smith that blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

17. No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that will rise against you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, says the LORD. {S}

1. Come, every one that thirsts, come for water, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your gain for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul will live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples.

5. Behold, you will call a nation that you know not, and a nation that knew you not will run unto you; because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you. {S}

Special Ashlamatah (2): I Sam. 20:18 & 42

18. And Jonathan said unto him: “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, your seat will be empty.”

42. And Jonathan said to David: “Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying: The LORD will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever.” And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city. {P}

Mishnah Pirke Abot: III:7

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yehudah, a man of Bartota, said: Give Him what is His, because you and what is yours are [really] His, as the Bible says of David, “... but all is from You, and it is Your gift that we have given to You” (I Chronicles 29:14).

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 172-173)

Most commentators interpret this Mishnah as referring to charity. Give charity generously, because all you possess is given by the grace of God for that purpose. The proof is David's statement when he contributed to the building of the Temple. Rabbi Matityahu, a famous commentator, contends that Rabbi Eliezer is embellishing the statement of Rabbi Halafta that every person who studies Torah enjoys the presence of the Shekhinah. In other words, if it takes money or any other expense to study Torah you should do so readily because everything you possess really belongs to God and your possessions are given to you to pursue the path of the Almighty. There is no other purpose for God's beneficence to man.

To support his line of reasoning, Rabbi Matityahu, here cited by Abarbanel, calls our attention to a midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 27:6) on the verse, “Who preceded Me that I must repay him: who preceded Me in giving the Children of Israel all the wonderful mitzvoth (commandments)?” (Job 41:3). Therefore, God demands repayment in the form of Torah study, even if it costs you your belongings.

Abarbanel accepts Rabbi Matityahu's idea, but cannot see it as the interpretation of this Mishnah. He is disturbed by a problem: The words, “Give Him what is His” cannot refer to giving charity or spending in order to study Torah, because that is not, strictly speaking, “giving to God.” Similarly, the proof-verse is not given in the usual formula, “...as it is written...”

In the view of Abarbanel, Rabbi Eliezer meant to expand on the theme of Torah, given by the previous sages: Since the Torah is the creation of God and was transferred from its heavenly abode to the mundane hands of man, the only way man can serve God is to study Torah because, “You and all that you have are His.” Both man and Torah constitute innovations of God. Hence, when a person studies Torah he generates a close kinship with God in that he recognizes and acknowledges that he is repaying Him with the study of that Torah which God gave to him originally.

Rabbi Eliezer could not, therefore, say “as it is written...” and then quote the statement of King David, because King David was referring to charity, and not to Torah. Rabbi Eliezer, therefore, formulated his citation as an analogy, “as the Bible says of David...”

Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rabbenu Yonah: The introspective person who studies life objectively must recognize the fact that in the overwhelming majority of cases man is not born to wealth. He has to toil for it, and often fails to attain it. It is God who decrees who will be wealthy and who will be poor. With this in mind, Rabbi Eliezer taught, “Give Him what is His for you and what is yours are His.” This means that both your person and your belongings belong, in fact, to God and it is to Him that you commit yourself. What He has given you was something like a deposit or loan which He can call in at His pleasure.

However, there is a difference between a security in the popular sense and a security from a theological point of view. When God deposits something with man he -can use it for any purpose - both personal and otherwise. In fact, he can donate it to causes sponsored by the depositor, i.e., God.

Midrash Shemuel sees this Mishnah as an exercise in inspiration and hope for the poor who cannot think in terms of giving away to others what they do not possess. Thus, according to Midrash Shemuel, Rabbi Eliezer is addressing himself to the poor and telling them they should not be discouraged and dismayed because they cannot give charity; they should resolve that if and when they become men of means they will do their share in philanthropy. The Mishnah will read as follows, “Determine to give from what is His [what is still in the hands of God] but eventually will be yours.”

Another view: If we are to acknowledge that the gifts from God are merely deposits in the hands of man, it is obvious that man can repay his debt only through charity and service to the unfortunate. In that event, why do we praise the philanthropists? It is exactly this that Rabbi Eliezer wishes to underscore. “Give him as a gift, [not as repayment of] a debt.” In other words, God will look upon your charity not as a payment of debt to Him, but as a gift to the poor of your own free will and means.

Moreover, man is a servant of God; it was He who created him and determines his every move and nuance. According to Jewish Law, all possessions of a slave belong to his master. This was the intention of Rabbi Eliezer when he taught, “Give Him from what is His, because you and what is yours are His.”

What Say The Nazarean Hakhamim?

Rom 11:35 “Or who first gave to Him, and it will be repaid to him?” (Job 41:11)

Rom 11:36 Because of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

2Co 9:6 And this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing on hope of blessings will also reap on blessings.

2Co 9:7 Each one as he purposes in his heart, not out of grief or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver (Prov. 22:8).

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace to abound toward you, that in everything, always having all self sufficiency, you may abound to every good work;

2Co 9:9 Even as it has been written, “He scattered, he gave to the poor, his righteousness/generosity abides forever” (Psa. 112:9).

2Co 9:10 Now He that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating, may He supply and multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your righteousness/generosity,

2Co 9:11 in everything you being enriched to all sincerity, which works out thanksgiving to God through us.

James 1:16 Do not go astray, my beloved brothers,

James 1:17 every act of good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no change or shadow of turning.

Mark (Mordechai) 4:35-41

Delitzsch Hebrew Rendition

35וַיְהִי בַּיוֹם הַהוּא לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם נַעְבְּרָה אֶל־עֵבֶר הַיָּם׃

36וַיַּנִּיחוּ אֶת־הֲמוֹן הָעָם וַיִּקְחוּ אֹתוֹ בָּאֳנִיָּה אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בָּהּ וָאֳנִיּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת הָלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו׃

37וַתָּקָם רוּחַ־סְעָרָה גְדוֹלָה וַיִּשְּׁטְפוּ הַגַּלִּים אֶל־תּוֹך הָאֳנִיָּה עַד אֲשֶׁר־כִּמְעַט מָלֵאָה׃

38וְהוּא יָשֵׁן עַל־הַכֶּסֶת בַּאֲחֹרֵי הָאֳנִיָּה וַיָּעִירוּ אוֹתוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו רַבִּי הֲלֹא תִדְאַג לָנוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ אֹבְדִים׃

39וַיֵּעוֹר וַיִּגְעַר בָּרוּחַ וַיּאֹמֶר אֶל־הַיָּם הַס וָדֹם וַתָּשָׁךְ הָרוּחַ וַתְּהִי דְמָמָה רַבָּה׃

40וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם לָמָּה חֲרֵדִים אַתֶּם אֵיךְ חֲסַרְתֶּם אֱמוּנָה׃

41וַיִּירְאוּ יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ מִי אֵפוֹא הוּא אֲשֶׁר גַּם הָרוּחַ וְגַם הַיָּם שֹׁמְעִים לוֹ׃

Murdoch’s Peshitta Translation

35. And he said to them, the same day at evening: Let us pass over to the other side.

36. And they sent away the multitudes: and they conducted him in the ship as he was. And there were also with him other little ships.

37. And there was a great tempest and wind: and the waves beat upon the ship, and it was near being filled.

38. And Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the hinder part of the ship. And they came and awoke him, and said to him: Our Rabbi, do you care not, that we perish?

39. And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Cease; be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40. And he said to them: Why were you so fearful? And why have you not faith?

41. And they feared with great fear: and they said, one to another: Who is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Etheridge’s Peshitta Translation

35. AND he said to them that day, in the evening, Let us pass to the opposite shore.

36. And they sent away the assemblies, and took him into the vessel; and other vessels were with him.

37. And there was a great commotion and wind, and the waves fell upon the vessel, which was near being filled.

38. But Jeshu upon a pillow slept in the after-part of the vessel, and they came and awoke him, saying to him, “Raban, have you no care that we are perishing”?

39. And he arose, and restrained the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be silent. And the wind ceased, and there was a great stillness.

40. And he said to them, Why have you feared? How is it you have no faith ?

41. And they feared with great fear, and said among themselves, “Who is this, to whom the winds and the sea are obedient”?

Hakham’s Rendition:

35. And he said to them on that day, evening having come, “Let us pass over to the other side;”

36. And having let away the congregations, they took him up as he was into the boat, and other little boats also were with him.

37. And there came a great windstorm, and the waves were beating on the boat, so that it is now being filled [with water],

38. And he himself was upon the stern, upon a headrest sleeping, and they wake him up, and said to him, “Master (Rabbi), does it not matter to you that we are perishing?”

39. And having woken up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Shut up!” And the wind cased, and there was a great calm:

40. And he said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How have you not faithful obedience?”

41. And they feared a great fear [of Ha-Shem], and said one to another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea do hear [faithfully obey] him?”

Commentary:

This section of Mark has been called variously, from “Jesus: Stiller of Storms”[1] to “The Storm and the Lake”[2] and “The Vanquishing of Powers Hostile to G-d: The Subduing of the Sea.”[3] However, few have seen this passage as simile as well. In fact, what we see in this section is “The Messiah as a Simile.” Noonan Sabin[4] reaches a somewhat similar conclusion. She states:

The parable section of the chapter appears to close with Mark telling us that “Without parables he (Jesus) did not speak to the (the crowd), but to his own disciples he explained everything in private” (4:34). The implication of this seems to be that Jesus did not use parables in teaching his disciples. It appears to confirm the earlier statement that Mark quotes Jesus as saying to his disciples: “The secret of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables” (4:11). Yet the assertion is puzzling, because so far in his Gospel, Mark has not shown us Jesus teaching any other way.

What kind of distinction is Mark trying to make between Jesus’ teaching of the crowd and his teaching of his disciples? In what special way has the “secret of the kingdom of God” been granted to Jesus’ disciples? In the closing verses of Chapter 4, Mark seems to provide an answer. He shows Jesus himself to be a living parable. That is to say, in the final episode of Jesus’ stilling the sea, Mark reveals that the person of Jesus provides an analogy to what God is like.

As in the parables that Jesus tells, this parable that he enacts is composed of echoes of Scripture. In this case, the direct echo is of some of the Psalms that reflect on God’s power over creation:

LORD, God of hosts, who is like You? ...

You rule the raging sea;

You still its swelling waves (Ps. 89:9a, 10)

You still the roaring of the seas,

The roaring of their waves (Ps. 65:8)

[The LORD] hushed the storm to a murmur;

The waves of the sea were stilled (Ps. 107:29)

Mark, steeped in the Hebrew Bible himself, surely assumed that when he quotes the disciples saying: “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (4:41), his audience would have heard the answer in the memory of these psalms.”

I agree to a point with Noonan Sabin, in that what we find in this section is the Master turning himself into a simile providing an analogy as to what the governance of G-d is like!

Whilst there is merit to the Psalms quoted above as the background to this section, I find greater merit in the book of the Prophet Yonah (Jonah) as the immediate background to this section, and the story of Joseph lost and found in our Torah Seder for this week as the hidden background. There are also connections to the Psalm for this week in the area of “trust in Ha-Shem.”

v. 35 - And he said to them on that day, evening having come, “Let us pass over to the other side” – Anyone using the Jewish Siddur for their prayers notice that the closing prayer for the morning service ends with the words “BaYom HaHu” (“on that day”). Here again we meet this phrase: “on that day” which Delitzsch well translates back to the Hebrew as “בַּיוֹם הַהוּא” (BaYom HaHu). Of course, this is a quote from Zechariah 14:9 – “And the LORD will be King over all the earth; in that day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) will the LORD be One, and His name one.” This quote from Zechariah is associated earlier in this same prayer with the verse of Isaiah 45:23 – “By Myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from My mouth in righteousness/generosity, and will not come back, that unto Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear.” This verse is taken to mean that “in the future, all the Gentiles will recognize G-d and bow to Him and swear in affirmation of His sovereignty.”[5] Thus, when all the Gentiles recognize G-d and bow to Him and swear in affirmation of His sovereignty, then the Name (authority) of Ha-Shem will again be ONE.

Now the question is raised, And when will “that day” be? There are two possible answers for this question. The first would be that the events in this section of Mordechai took place after the close of the fast of the 9^th of Ab, for if we fast and mourn on this day for the destruction and loss of the Temple, it is prophesied that when the Messiah comes this fast day will be one of rejoicing, i.e. the Temple will be restored. Interestingly the next festival after the 9^th of Ab is Rosh HaShanah where in the liturgy for that day we crown G-d and His Messiah as King. The second possible answer would be the New Moon of the Month of Nissan, on which date Jewish kings are crowned.

What is interesting to observe is that “BaYom HaHu” in this verse is related to crossing the Sea of Galilee from its Western side to its Eastern side a picture of an outreach to the Gentiles. This will become more clear when examine the next verse and their connection to the book of the Prophet Yonah.

v. 36 - And having let away the congregations, they took him up as he was into the boat, and other little boats also were with him – This verse appears somewhat awkward and problematic. Marcus[6] observes:

“These additional boats play no further role in the story: why are they mentioned? Lohmeyer [Das Evangelium des Markus, 11^th ed., MeyerK Gottingen:Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (orig. 1937)] emends the text to “other boats were not with him,” suggesting that the absence of other vessels to come to the recue heightens the danger to Jesus and his disciples. Theissen [The Miracle Stories of the Early Christian Tradition, SNTW, Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1983] arrives at a similar result via a different route: in the pre-Markan story the other boats were sunk by the storm, thus magnifying the danger to Jesus and the Twelve. But if the Jonah typology is central here, the other boats’ safety rather than their peril could be the point; cf. Pirqe R. Eliezer 10:6-7, where other boats accompany that of Jonah and are untroubled while Jonah’s craft is battered by the storm.”

This is the first tie in this section of Mark with the book of the Prophet Yonah, albeit via the Midrash of Pirqe R. Eliezer.

Concerning how a Galilean Boat may look like please see:

http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/NTIntro/images/FishingBoat.htm ;

http://www.followtherabbi.com/ttwmk2/assets/TTWMK-ancfish-b4-20c.pdf ; and

http://www.esvstudybible.org/sb/images/1200/illustration-galilean-fishing-boat.jpg

v. 37 - And there came a great windstorm, and the waves were beating on the boat, so that it is now being filled [with water],

Edwards[7] describes these storms as follows:

“The Sea of Galilee lies nearly seven hundred feet below sea level in a basin surrounded by hills and mountains that are especially precipitous on the east side. Thirty miles to the northeast Mt. Hermon rises to 9,200 feet above the sea level. The interchange between cold upper air from Mt. Hermon and warm air rising from the Sea of Galilee produces tempestuous weather conditions for which the lake is famed. The “furious squall” of v. 37, which in Greek can mean “hurricane,” fits the stories of Galilean fishermen even today, to whom the early evening easterly is known as “Sharkia” (Arabic for “shark”). Although the Greek word for the “furious squall” (λαιλαψ – LAILAPS – Strong’s # G2978) is not used in Jonah, in other respects the description of the storm in v. 37 echoes the violent storm that befell the ship in which Jonah was fleeing (Jonah 1:4).”

Notice the verbal tally:

Delitzsch: וַתָּקָם רוּחַ־סְעָרָה גְדוֹלָה

Jonah 1:4 וַיהוָה, הֵטִיל רוּחַ-גְּדוֹלָה אֶל-הַיָּם, וַיְהִי סַעַר-גָּדוֹל, בַּיָּם

This is the second tie in this section of Mark with the book of the Prophet Yonah, via verbal tally.

v. 38 - And he himself was upon the stern, upon a headrest sleeping, and they wake him up, and said to him, “Master (Rabbi), does it not matter to you that we are perishing? -

The Galil class boat had on the stern a platform, and under this platform those that were not working (fishing or guiding the boat) could catch a nap, protected from the elements, as well as being a small place for storage. As to the nature of the headrest, Marcus[8] suggests that this could be “part of the boat’s equipment, such as a sandbag used for ballast.”

The Greek here has, “DIDASKALE” (Teacher), but this in my opinion is the result of later Christian expurgation of any semblance of Judaism from the Nazarean Codicil. Notice Delitzsch’s rendition: וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו רַבִּי – “And they said to him Rabbi ...” Also the Aramaic has “רבן – Raban (our Master)” see Murdoch’s and Etheridge’s translations from the Aramaic Peshitta above.

The Greek verb translated as “we perish” is απολλυμεθα (APOLUMETHA – Strong’s Concordance G622). This verb appears three times in identical form in the Septuagint rendition of the book of Jonah (1:6, 1:14, and 3:9). In Hebrew we have:

Jonah 1:6 -

וַיִּקְרַב אֵלָיו רַב הַחֹבֵל, וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מַה-לְּךָ נִרְדָּם; קוּם, קְרָא אֶל-אֱלֹהֶיךָ--אוּלַי יִתְעַשֵּׁת הָאֱלֹהִים לָנוּ, וְלֹא נֹאבֵד.

“So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him: ‘What do you mean that you sleep? Arise, call upon your God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.’”

Jonah 1:14 -

וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל-יְהוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אָנָּה יְהוָה אַל-נָא נֹאבְדָה בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה, וְאַל-תִּתֵּן עָלֵינוּ, דָּם נָקִיא:  כִּי-אַתָּה יְהוָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתָּ עָשִׂיתָ.

“Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said: ‘We beseech You, O LORD, we beseech You, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.’”

Jonah 3:9 -

מִי-יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב, וְנִחַם הָאֱלֹהִים; וְשָׁב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ, וְלֹא נֹאבֵד.

Who knows whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?

Notice the three occurrences:

Jonah 1:6 וְלֹא נֹאבֵד – V’Lo (and not) Noved (we will perish) – “that we perish not”

Jonah 1:14 אַל-נָא נֹאבְדָה – Al-Na (not please) Nov’dah (let us perish) – “let us not perish”

Jonah 3:9 וְלֹא נֹאבֵד - V’Lo (and not) Noved (we will perish) – “that we perish not”

And Delitzsch has in v. 38 - רַבִּי הֲלֹא תִדְאַג לָנוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ אֹבְדִים׃ - “Master (Rabbi), does it not matter to you VaAnachnu (that we are) Ov’dim (perishing)?”

This is therefore the third tie in this section of Mark with the book of the Prophet Yonah, via verbal tally via the verb אבד (ABAD) = to perish, not to mention the very parallel circumstances.

v. 39 - And having woken up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Shut up!” And the wind cased, and there was a great calm - In Midrash Pesiqta Rabbati 36:1, it quotes Psalm 89:26 – “I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers,” to support the notion of Messiah controlling the flow of seas and rivers. This does not mean that the Messiah has the authority of himself to do so, but rather that to the Messiah G-d has delegated authority as His agent on earth to do so. This is intimated when we contrast Psalm 89:10 with 89:26 -

v. 10 You (Ha-Shem) rule the proud swelling of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, You (Ha-Shem) still them.

v. 26 I will set his (Messiah King David’s) hand also on the sea, and his (Nessiah King David’s) right hand on the rivers.

There seems also here an allusion to Psalm 107:25-30

25. For He commanded, and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves thereof;

26. They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble;

27. They reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was swallowed up -

28. They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses.

29. He made the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof were still.

30. Then were they glad because they were quiet, and He led them unto their desired haven.

The Greek verb translated here as “ceased” is εκοπασεν (EKOPASEN). This same verb is used in the Septuagint for the calming of the sea in the book of Jonah (Jonah 1:11-12 LXX). Here we find then, the fourth tie in this section of Mark with the book of the Prophet Yonah in the Septuagint, via verbal tally of the Greek verb κοπάζω (KOPAZO - Strong’s # G2869).

Interestingly, or more apropos, unfortunately no Hebrew translation of the Nazarean Codicil has this correlation with the Hebrew verb שׁתק (Shataq = to cease, to be quiet) found in Jonah 1:11-12). But again, neither Delitzsch or the other translators were probably aware of these correlations.

v. 40 - And he said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How have you not faithful obedience?” – The mariners in the book of Jonah at least:

a) “And the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god” (Jonah 1:5), and

b) They asked Yonah to “call upon your God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not” (Jonah 1:6)

c) “They cried unto the LORD, and said: ‘We beseech You, O LORD, we beseech You, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.’” (Jonah 1:14)

d) They “took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea” (Jonah 1:15) as the prophet had commanded them (Jonah 1:12).

But here the disciples think not of even praying to G-d before bothering the Master. Rabbi’s need to educate people that in the end they will need to stand on their own two feet, grow up, and relate directly to G-d, rather than asking the Rabbi to pray, without first agonizing in prayer. Fear in truth is paralysing, but in Yonah at least the mariners prayed and prayed. Here on the other hand the disciples are paralysed with fear and blame the Rabbi for their misfortune.

v. 41 - And they feared a great fear [of Ha-Shem], and said one to another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea do hear [faithfully obey] him?” – Now compare:

Delitzsch: וַיִּירְאוּ יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה – VaYir’u (And they feared) Yir’ah (a fear) G’dolah (great)

Jonah 1:16 וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה, אֶת-יְהוָה – VaYir’u (And they feared) HaAnashim

(the men) Yir’ah (a fear) G’dolah (great) Et-Adonai (of Ha-Shem)

Finally, at the end of this section of Mordechai we find the fifth tie with the book of the Prophet Yonah, via verbal tally.

Please note, that the Greek, Aramaic and the Hebrew translations of the Nazarean Codicil, seem to give the impression that the Talmidim (Disciples) feared the Master greatly, but as the construction in Jonah 1:16 shows these version omit from Mark 4:41 the expression “Of the LORD (Ha-Shem).” We propose that originally this was in this verse but with the rise of Trinitarian Doctrine it was expunged from the text. But it is obvious from the verbal tally between Mark 4:41 and Jonah 1:16, that the Disciples started to fear Ha-Shem (G-d) greatly, and not the Master.

So to summarize, in this section of Mark 4:35-41 we have five important verbal tallies between this section and the first chapter of the Book of Jonah. This of course, parallels the five similes concerning the governance of G-d and the centrality of the Oral Torah to it that spanned from Mark 4:1-34. In this section of Mark 4:35-41 we are then pointed to the fact that in order to bring the fullness of the government of G-d upon the earth, and on the land of Israel, there needs to be bringing the Gentiles of good will and that fear G-d into this governance.

This is made clear in our special Ashlamatah of Isaiah 54:11 – 55:5

1. Come, every one that thirsts, come for water, and he that has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your gain for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul will live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples.

5. Behold, you will call a nation that you know not, and a nation that knew you not will run unto you; because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you. {S}

And v. 4 above correlates with Genesis 45:8 of our Torah Seder:

“Now [then] it was not you that sent me here, but Elohim; and He (G-d) has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and master of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

In this sense, we return to our proposition at the beginning of our comments when we stated that what we find in this section of Mark is the Master turning himself into a simile providing an analogy as to what the governance of G-d is like and how to bring its fullness upon the whole earth! As Yonah had to be thrown into the sea, so that it ceases from its raging, so too the Messiah and His Talmidim have to be cast into the Gentile world to bring all men and women of good will who fear G-d, near to the Written and Oral Torah – the perfect governance of G-d so that “the LORD will be King over all the earth; in that day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) will the LORD be One (יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד), and His name one (וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד).”

May this be so speedily soon, amen ve amen!

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 44:18?

2. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 44:32?

3. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 45:5?

4. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 45:14?

5. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 45:23?

6. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 45:27?

7. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 46:1?

8. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 46:2?

9. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 46:4?

10. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding Genesis 46:26?

11. What was Joseph’s motive for making life difficult for his brethren before revealing himself to them?

12. What is CHAZAQAH, and what is the exception to this principle?

13. Why does the Torah say that Joseph fell on the “necks” (plural) of Benjamin?

14. Why did Pharaoh have to give special instructions concerning the wagons? And why would Pharaoh ordered the brothers to bring Ya’aqob and his family in imperial military wagons?

15. What word/words/part or concept of the Torah Seder fired the imagination of our Psalmist?

16. How is our regular Ashlamatah of Joshua 14:6-15 related to our Torah via verbal tally?

17. How is Pirqe Abot III:7 related to all of our readings for this Shabbat?

18. What word/words/part or concept of the Torah Seder, Psalm and Joshua fired the imagination of Mordechai (Mark) to which he connects his last simile on the governance of G-d?

19. In your opinion what is the thread binding all the six 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 IV:

4^th Sabbath of the Seven Sabbaths of the Consolation of Israel

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וְאֶת-יְהוּדָה שָׁלַח
“V’Et Y’hudah Shalekh”	Reader 1 – B’Resheet 46:28-34	Reader 1 – B’Resheet 48:1-3
“And he sent Judah”	Reader 2 – B’ Resheet 47:1-4	Reader 2 – B’Resheet 48:3-5
“Y envió á Judá”	Reader 3 – B’ Resheet 47:5-7	Reader 3 – B’Resheet 48:6-8
B’Resheet (Gen.) 46:28 – 47:31	Reader 4 – B’ Resheet 47:8-10
Ashlamatah: Zech. 10:6-12 + 11:4-11	Reader 5 – B’ Resheet 47:11-13
Special (1):Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12	Reader 6 – B’ Resheet 47:14-19	Reader 1 – B’Resheet 48:1-3
Psalm 38:1-22	Reader 7 – B’ Resheet 47:20-28	Reader 2 – B’Resheet 48:3-5
N.C.: Mark 5:1-20	Maftir : B’ Resheet 47:29-31	Reader 3 – B’Resheet 48:6-8
Pirke Abot: III:8	Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12

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. 231-238.

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. 474-499.

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

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[1] Edwards, J.R. (2002), The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark,” Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., p. 147.

[2] Cranfield C.E.B. (1959), The Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to St. Mark, Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, p.172.

[3] Lane, W.L. (1974), The New International Commentary On the New Testament: The Gospel According to Mark, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., pp. 173-174.

[4] Noonan Sabin, M. (2006), New Collegeville Bible Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark, Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, pp. 47-48.

[5] Toledano, E. (n/d), The OROT Sephardic Weekday Siddur, Lakewood, N.J.: OROT Inc., p. 288.

[6] Marcus, J. (2000), The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, New York: Doubleday, p. 332.

[7] Edwards, J.R. (2002), The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark,” Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., pp. 148-149.

[8] Marcus, J. (2000), The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, New York: Doubleday, p. 333.