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Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

Sh’mot (Exodus) 3:1 – 4:17

III. But Mosheh was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the rabba of Midian; and he had led the flock to a pleasant place of pasturage which is behind the desert, and had come to the mountain on which was revealed the glory of the Lord, even Horeb. And Zagnugael, the angel of the Lord, appeared to him in a fame of fire in the midst of the bush. And he gazed, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, yet the bush was neither burned nor consumed with fire. [JERUSALEM. And he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, yet remained in freshness, (or, was moist), neither was it consumed.] And Mosheh said, I will turn aside now and consider this great sight, why the bush is not burned. [JERUSALEM. I will look at this great sight, wherefore the bush is refreshed and not burned.] And when it was seen before the Lord that he turned to look, the Lord called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Mosheh, Mosheh! And he said, Behold me. And He said, Approach not hither, take the shoes from your feet, for the place on which you stand is a holy place; and upon it you are to receive the Law, to teach it to the sons of Israel. And He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Izhak, and the God of Jakob. And Mosheh covered his face; for he was afraid to look upon the height of the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord.

And He said, The oppression of My people who are in Mizraim is verily manifest before Me, and heard before Me is their cry on account of them who hold them in bondage; for their affliction is known before Me. And I have revealed Myself to you this day, that by My Word they may be delivered from the hand of the Mizraee, to bring them up out of the unclean land, unto a good land, and large in its boundaries, a land yielding milk and honey, unto the place where dwell the Kenaanaee, and the Hittaee, and the Amoraee, and the Pherizaee, and the Hivaee, and the Jebusaee. And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel comes up before Me, and the bruising of the Mizraee wherewith they bruise them is also revealed before Me. And now, come, and I will send you unto Pharoh, and you shall bring forth My people, the sons of Israel, out of Mizraim.

And Mosheh said before the Lord, Who am I, that I should go to Pharoh, and bring forth the sons of Israel out of Mizraim? But He said, Therefore My Word shall be for your help; and this shall be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you have, brought the people forth from Mizraim, you shall worship before the Lord, because you shall have received the Law upon this mountain.

And Mosheh said before the Lord, Behold, I will go to the sons of Israel, and say to them, The Lord God of your fathers has sent me to you: and they will say to me, What is His Name? What shall I say to them? And the Lord said unto Mosheh, He who spoke, and the world was; who spoke, and all things were. And He said, This you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM HE WHO IS, AND WHO WILL BE, has sent me unto you. [JERUSALEM. And the Word of the Lord said to Mosheh, He who spoke to the world, Be, and it was; and who will speak to it, Be, and it will be. And he said, Thus shall you speak to the sons of Israel, EHEYEH has sent me unto you.] And the Lord said again unto Mosheh, Thus shall you speak to the sons of Israel, The God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Izhak, and the God of Jakob, has sent me unto you. This is His Name for ever, and this is His Memorial to every generation and generation.

Go, and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, The Lord God of your fathers has appeared unto me, the God of Abraham, Izhak, and Jakob, saying, Remembering, I have remembered you, and the injury that is done you in Mizraim; and I have said in My Word, I will bring you up out from the oppression of the Mizraee into the land of the Kenaanaee, and Hittaee, and Amoraee, and Pherizaee, and Hivaee, and Jebusaee, to the land that yields milk and honey. And they will hearken to you: and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Mizraim and say to him, The Lord God of the Jehudaee has called us; and now let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness, to sacrifice before the Lord our God. But it is manifest before Me that the king of Mizraim will not let you go, (no,) not from fear of Him who is Mighty, until that by My Word he shall have been punished with evil plagues. And you will be hindered there until I have sent forth the stroke of My power, and have smitten the Mizraee with all My wonders, that I will do among them; and afterward he will release you. And I will give this people grace in the eyes of the Mizraee; and it shall be that when you go free from thence, you shall not go empty. But a woman shall ask of her neighbor, and from those next to the wall of her house, [JERUSALEM. Fellow resident,] vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vestments; and you shall set them as crowns upon your sons and your daughters, and make the Mizraee empty.

IV. And Mosheh answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken to me; for they will say, The Lord has not appeared to you. And the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, The rod. And He said, Cast it on the ground; and he cast it to the ground, and it became a serpent; and Mosheh fled from before it. [JERUSALEM. And He said, Cast it on the ground; and he cast it on the ground.] And the Lord said to Mosheh, stretch forth your hand and seize (it) by its tail. [JERUSALEM. And grasp the place of its tail.] And he stretched forth his hand and grasped it, and it became the rod in his hand in order that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Izhak, and the God of Jakob, has revealed Himself to you. And the Lord said to him again, Put now your hand within your breast (Choba); and he put it within his breast, and withdrew it, and, behold, his hand was leprous, it was white as snow. And He said, Return your hand into your bosom (Aitaph); and he returned his hand to his breast, and withdrew it from his breast, and it had become clean as his flesh. [JERUSALEM. Put now your hand into your breast, and he put his hand within his breast. And if they believe not these two signs, nor receive from you, you shall take of the water of the river and pour it on the ground, and the water that you shall take from the river shall become blood upon the ground.

And Mosheh said before the Lord, O Lord, I pray: I am not a man of words, nor ever have been before You did speak with Your servant; for I am of a staggering mouth and staggering speech. [JERUSALEM. For of a staggering mouth and difficult speech am I.] And the Lord said, Who is he who first put the language of the mouth into the mouth of man? Or who has appointed the dumb or the deaf, the open-seeing or the blind, but I the Lord? And now go, and I by My Word will be with the speaking of your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.

And he said, I pray for mercy before the Lord. Send now Your sending by the hand of Phinehas, by whom it is to be sent at the end of the days. [JERUSALEM. Send now by the hand of him by whom it is opportune to send.] And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Mosheh, and He said, Is it not manifest before Me that Aharon your brother speaking can speak? And, behold, also, he comes forth to meet you, and will see you and rejoice in his heart. And you shall speak with him, and put the matter in his mouth, and My Word shall be with the word of your mouth, and with the word of his mouth, and I will instruct you what you are to do. And he shall speak for you with the people, and be to you an interpreter, and you to him the principal, seeking instruction from before the Lord. [JERUSALEM. He shall be to you an interpreter, and you to him one inquiring instruction from before the Lord.] And this rod you take in your hand to work therewith the signs.

Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu

Sh’mot (Exodus) 3:1 – 4:17

13. Now Moses was keeping the flock (Exod. 3:1). R. Levi stated: Everyone about whom it is written was, his beginning and his end were proper. R. Johanan said: Everyone about whom it says was, fed and sustained others. Others contended that it is written: Now the serpent was subtle (Gen. 3:1). And he answered: Because he was subtle, he was predestined to punishment. It is also written that Cain was a tiller of the ground (ibid. 4:2), they said. To which he replied: Therefore he was predestined for exile. Then they argued that it is written: So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem was taken (Jer. 38:28). And He answered: That too is an excellent example, for if Jerusalem had not been taken, the "enemies of Israel" (euphemism for Israel) would have been destroyed. Moreover, Israel (thus) experienced full punishment for her sins. The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion (Lam. 4:22). Our sages of blessed memory maintained that everyone concerning whom it is written was would experience a new world. Therefore it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock.

14. And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). In answer to the query Why did he go into the wilderness? R. Johanan said: He went into the wilderness because he foresaw that Israel would be exalted through the wilderness, as it is said: Who is this that comes up out of the wilderness? (Song 3:6). The ascent from Egypt was through the wilderness, the Torah was given in the wilderness; the manna and the quail were obtained in the wilderness; the Tabernacle, the Shekhinah, the priesthood, kingship, the well, the clouds of glory – all occurred in the wilderness. Therefore, he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness.

And came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb (Exod. 3:1). R. Simeon the son of Yose maintained that Moses' flock roamed about for forty days, and that, like Elijah of blessed memory, he tasted no food (during this time), as it is said: And he arose, and he did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meal forty days and forty nights (I Kings 19:8). And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). This informed him that (the older generation of) Israel, which was called the flock, would perish in the wilderness.

And he led the flock. This was a sign to him that he would lead the Israelites though the desert for forty years, and that he would be taken away by death with the flock while it was still in the wilderness. Therefore, at the time Moses pleaded for the needs of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Go on My mission. Moses replied: Tell me, O You whom my soul loves (Song 1:7), that is, tell Me how many midwives are there among them, how many women with child are there, how many nuts have you provided for the infants, how many potions have you prepared for the pregnant women among them? Tell me, O You whom my soul loves. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way by the footsteps of the flock (you will learn). Therefore: And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness. As soon as he reached Mount Horeb, The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire (Exod. 3:2). Why did He appear in a fiery flame? So that when he came to Sinai and beheld the fire, his heart would not be frightened by it.

Another comment on why in a flame of fire (belibbat esh)? The fire was on both sides of the bush and in the upper portion, just as the heart (leb) is placed between the two sides of a man's body and in the upper portion of his body. Why did He appear in the midst of a bush of thorns rather than in a large tree or a column of smoke? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have stated in the Torah: I will be with him in trouble (Ps. 91:15); inasmuch as they were enslaved, I appeared in a bush of thorns, which is a place of trouble. Therefore, out of the midst of a bush which is full of thorns, I appeared unto him.

15. And he looked; and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed (Exod. 3:2). Because of this verse they held: The heavenly fire branches upwards as it burns, but is not consumed, and it is black in color. While here on earth, fire does not branch upwards (and) it is red in color. And though it consumes that which it touches, it does not burn. Therefore, The bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

And Moses said: I will turn aside now, and see this great sight (Exod. 3:3). R. Johanan held that Moses took three steps forward. R. Simeon the son of Lakish insisted that he did not step forward at all but simply turned his neck to observe it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you troubled to look, be assured you will merit that I shall reveal Myself unto you. Forthwith, And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush (ibid., v. 4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you responded Here am I, be assured that the time will come when you will pray on behalf of Israel and I will answer you at once, with the same words: Then shall you call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say: "Here am I" (Isa. 58:9).

16. What is written prior to the episode in which Moses was keeping the flock? Many things are designated for certain purposes even before they are introduced into the world (this is hinted by the word was). Death was designated to enter the world, as it is said: And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). This refers to the angel of death, who darkens the countenances of all creatures. Yet it is written: And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (ibid., v. 3), even though death already existed, as it is said: Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep (ibid., v. 2).

The Holy One, blessed be He, introduced death through the serpent, which had been predestined for that purpose, as it is said: Now the serpent was more subtle (ibid. 3:1). It was foreseen by the Holy One, blessed be He, that Adam would eat the apple and would die because of its subtlety, as it is written: For in the day that you eat thereof, you shall die (ibid., v. 3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her (Eve): This is no mere parable. He was already destined for that end, as it is written: Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil (ibid., v. 22). In the future, a flood will descend upon the world, but Noah and his sons will escape, as it is written: Noah was a just man in his generation, etc. (ibid. 6:9). He foresaw that a righteous man would arise, and that the world would be preserved through him, and that after him Abraham would come, as it is written: Abraham was one (Ezek. 33:24).

Punishments were to be imposed in the future, and job was preordained in order that they might be introduced through him, as it is written: There was a man in the land of Uz (Job 1:1). Israel was destined to be sold in the days of Haman, but Mordecai was predestined to save them. Israel was destined to descend into servitude in Egypt, but Joseph was predestined to help them, as it is written: And Joseph was in Egypt (Exod. 1:5). Israel was ultimately to be redeemed from Egypt, and Moses was predestined to deliver them from bondage, as it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock.

Ashlamatah: Isaiah 40:11-18, 21-22

11 Even as a shepherd that feeds his flock, that gathers the lambs in his arm, and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that give suck. {S}

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who has meted out the spirit of the LORD? Or who was His counselor that he might instruct Him?

14 With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of right, and taught Him knowledge, and made Him to know the way of discernment?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance; behold the isles are as a mote in weight.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burnt-offerings. {P}

17 All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity.

18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?

19 The image perchance, which the craftsman hath melted, and the goldsmith spread over with gold, the silversmith casting silver chains?

20 A holm-oak is set apart, he chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks unto him a cunning craftsman to set up an image, that shall not be moved. {S}

21 Know you not? Hear you not? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood the foundations of the earth?

22 It is He that sits above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretch out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in.

Ketubim Targum Psalm 43

1. Judge me, O Lord with true judgment; it is for You to argue my case with a people that is not righteous; from the deceitful and oppressive man You will save me.

2. For You are God, my strength; why have You abandoned me? Why do I go about in gloom at the oppression of the enemy?

3. Send Your light and Your faithfulness; they will guide me, they will bring me to the mount of the sanctuary and the academies, the place of Your presence.

4. And I will come to make His sacrifice at the altar of my God the Lord; to my God from whom is the joy of my gladness; and I will give thanks in Your presence with the lyre, O Lord my God.

5. Why will You be lowly, O my soul, and [why] will You rage against me? Wait for God, for again I will praise Him for the redemption that comes from His presence, for He is my God.

Ketubim Midrash Psalm 43

Yet You are the God of my strength (Psalm 43:1-2), Before You did redeem them, our fathers in Egypt did not ascribe strength to You with such words as The Lord is my strength and song Exodus 15:2). But I, I am not like them. Even though You have not yet redeemed me, I ascribe strength unto You. For I say, You are the God of my strength. Then why have You cast me off? I not only ascribe strength unto You, but I say, O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold (Jeremiah 16:9). Then Why go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy? (Psalm 43:2). For from what did You redeem our fathers in Egypt? Was it not from the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppressed them, of which God said: Moreover, I have seen the oppression (Ex. 3:9)? For me, too, life is nothing but oppression by an enemy. Then Why must I go about by myself mourning under the oppression of the enemy? Did You not send redemption at the hand of two redeemers to that generation, as is said He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen (Psalm 105:26)? Send two redeemers like them to this generation. O send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me (Psalm 43:3), Your light being the prophet Elijah of the house of Aaron, of which it is written "The seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick" (Numbers 8:2); and Your truth being the Messiah, son of David, as is written "The Lord has sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it: of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne" (Psalm 132:11). Likewise Scripture says, Behold, I will send you Elijah the, prophet (Malachi 3:23) who is one redeemer, and speaks of the second redeemer in the verse Behold My servant whom I uphold (Isaiah 42:1). Hence O send out Your light and Your truth.

Let them lead me. Let them bring me unto Your holy mountain, and to Your dwelling-places (Psalm 43:3): even as it is written elsewhere about the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance (Ex. 15:17), so, in the age-to-come, they will go up Your holy mountain and to Your dwelling-places, as it is said Then will I go unto the altar of God (Psalm 43:4).

Wherewith shall I come into Your house? With burnt-offerings I will pay You my vows (Psalm 66:13). And what am I to do? Give thanks unto You. Even so Asaph said: So we Your people and sheep of Your pasture will give You thanks for ever; we will tell of Your praise to all generations (Ps. 79:13).

Midrash of Matityahu

(Matthew) 7:15-23

15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in wool like sheep, but inside they are wolves who extort.

16. You will fully recognize them by their works. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17. Even so, every healthy (green) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the dried-up (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

18. A good (green) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a dried-up (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

19. Every tree that is not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

20. Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits, that is, their works.

21. Not everyone who says to me, Master, Master, will enter the government (kingdom) of the heavens, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in the heavens.

22. Many will say to me on that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in your name (authority) and Chasen out demonic forces in your name (authority) and done many mighty signs (miracles) in your name (authority)?

23. And then I will say to them openly (publicly), “I never knew you; depart from me, you who act wickedly [disregarding G-d’s commandments].”

Commentary

The Midrash on Psalm 43 for this week looks at our Torah Seder and compares Mosheh (Moses) and his brother Aharon (Aaron) with the coming Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet and Mashiach ben David (Messiah son of David). The first pair were the early redeemers of Israel and the second the later redeemers of Israel, much as we have the earlier and later rains.

The Midrash on Psalm 43 is a most interest piece of Rabbinic writing, since it identifies the Messiah with truth, and yet David in Psalm 119:142 – “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law (Torah) is the truth.” Compare this with the Midrash statement in Psalm 43 – “Your truth being the Messiah, son of David.” Consequently it can be argued:

The Law (Torah) is the truth.

And

The Messiah is the Truth.

Therefore

The Messiah is the Law (Torah) made flesh, as it is written:

And the Torah was made flesh, and tabernacled among us, (and we beheld his tabernacle, the tabernacle as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of Chessed (grace/mercy) and Emet (truth). – Yochanan (John 1:14).

This shows how wonderfully the words of our Sages are reflected in the Nazarean Codicil and vice-versa. In fact, what we are seeing is that the ancient Nazareans (the first disciples of the Master of Nazareth) were most influential in shaping what we know today as Judaism and its teachings.

Also we may posit, that whilst the Messiah is the tabernacling of the Torah in the flesh in all perfection, to a great extent, also, most teacher of the Torah are also examples of the Torah tabernacling in the flesh. Thus the heavy emphasis in Judaism to teach not only in word but even more important by example, as Hakham Shaul (the Apostle Paul) wrote:

“You be followers of me, even as I also am [a follower] of the Messiah (i.e. the Torah tabernacling in the flesh).” – 1 Corinthians 11:1

The Midrash of Matityahu (book of Matthew) picks up the theme of Mosheh and Messiah being a shepherd and the greatest human prophets that world has seen and admonishes:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in wool like sheep, but inside they are wolves who extort. You will fully recognize them by their works.” - Matityahu (Matthew) 7:15-16

Thus, the false prophet, being the exact opposite of the true prophet is one in whom the Torah does not tabernacle in him, and when this happens what we have is a plot of extortion in the making. Although somewhat irreverent I like how The Message Bible Version renders this passage of Matityahu (Matthew) in colloquial and pedestrian language as:

“Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character.”

Thus, “character” for the average person in the street seems to be what we are dealing here with – the attempt to embody in one’s thoughts and behaviors the whole counsel of G-d as found in the Written and Oral Torah, or in another words to try to reflect as much as is humanly possible the Torah in our lives and thoughts, as the Master of Nazareth did.

This of course, requires a person to be very particular and meticulous with his thoughts and deeds. As the Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu commenting on our Torah Seder for this week puts it:

“The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you troubled to look, be assured you will merit that I shall reveal Myself unto you. Forthwith, And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush (Exodus 3:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you responded Here am I, be assured that the time will come when you will pray on behalf of Israel and I will answer you at once, with the same words: Then shall you call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say: "Here am I" (Isaiah 58:9).

Now concerning the false prophets, Matityahu likes them to wolves. Why? Simply because when they attack their prey they do not attack to kill as does the Lion or the Tiger, but rather they bite to slowly weaken the prey. That is why, in modern medicine one of the devastating diseases that slowly weakens the body is called lupus – the Latin name for wolf. So, also the false prophets, they do not mount a direct attack against the body, but rather they slowly debilitate the body until death or apostasy arrives as a natural conclusion. In verse 23, of Matityahu chapter 7, this kind of apostasy is described in the Greek most accurately. The verse reads in the King James version:

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.”

What does it mean to “work iniquity”? The Greek work used here for “iniquity” is “ANOMIA.” This word is a compound formed by the preposition “A” meaning “NO” and the noun “NOMOS” which means “LAW.” These are the folks that say that the Master of Nazareth has fulfilled the Law and has kept it for us, therefore there is NO need to observe the Law. Such a heretical statement is a “work of iniquity” and proper of those false prophets who come to you in wool like sheep, but inside they are wolves who are out to slowly rip apart the body so that it becomes ineffectual and dead.

Beware one the one hand of those so called teachers and prophets who take much pride in denying that the Master of Nazareth is the Messiah and even go as far as to curse him, and on the other hand beware also of those so called teachers and prophets who under the guise of being followers of the Master of Nazareth teach that there is NO need to observe the Law. Both positions are nothing more nor less than “works of iniquity” that one must be careful to avoid. Instead let us follow the example of Mosheh Rabbenu and of the Master of Nazareth and try our very best to embody the Torah in our thoughts and actions. And may G-d, most blessed be He, help us to achieve this goal in our lives, amen ve amen!

“What shall we then do?” – Towards a Nazarean Halakhic Code

Marqos 2:6-12

6. Now some of the scribes were sitting there, holding a dialogue with themselves as they questioned in their hearts,

7. Why does this man talk like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins [remove guilt, remit the penalty, and bestow righteousness instead] except God alone?

8. And at once Yeshuah, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your hearts?

9. Which is easier: to announce to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven and put away, or to say, Rise, take up your sleeping pad or mat, and start walking about [and keep on walking]?

10. But that you may know positively and beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has right and authority and power on earth to announce forgiveness of sins--he said to the paralyzed man,

11. I say to you, arise, pick up and carry your sleeping pad or mat, and be going on home.

12. And he arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad or mat and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before!

Now there is nothing wrong in dialoguing about something in order to try to understand and get a handle on what is happening, or the subject before us. However, what is wrong is to jump to unwarranted conclusions about a great Torah Master without first inquiring about the matter from him first. If the Messiah is the Torah made flesh, any transgression of the Torah is a transgression against him as King of Israel. So whilst it is true that the Messiah does not have the power to forgive sins per se (an attribute that is reserved for G-d), he does have the power to heal, and healing comes after sins are forgiven. Therefore the Messiah can not forgive sins but he can announce the Divine decree that sins are forgiven since it is his role to be the very Word of G-d!

Notice the ending of this passage: so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before! Now, if the Master of Nazareth would have said as most versions translate that he of himself had power to forgive sins then they would have continued saying that he was a blasphemer. But we read, that instead they thanked G-d, not the Master of Nazareth! Therefore making it quite clear that it is G-d who forgave the sin and that the Word of G-d fully tabernacling in the flesh announced that the sin of this man had been forgiven by G-d, and thus the Word of G-d – i.e. the Torah, went about recreating the man back to the way that G-d had intended him to function.

Now a paralytic is a man that can’t walk (Hebrew: Holekh) the walking (Hebrew: Halakhah – i.e. the Law). But what can prevent a man from walking the walk (i.e. the Law) if it is not sin, which according to Yochanan (John) is the transgression of the Law (cf. 1 John 3:4)? Thus, we learn that transgression of the Law brings a paralysis man’s connection with G-d, and a paralysis to man’s progress, to his powers of reasoning and discernment, and finally to his physical body. Healing, therefore must entail not only the repair of the physical, but also and more critical the reparation of the spiritual and the mental. Enabling the person to walk the walk spiritually and mentally is the first critical step towards a physical enablement to walk.

Therefore, from this passage of the Mishnah of Marqos, we learn:

That it is a lack of nobility and spiritual maturity to judge a person’s words or deeds without asking first for an explanation, and this more the so in the case of one’s Torah teacher.

That without a conscious walk in the Torah spiritually and psychologically, all physical healing is futile since at best it is only a stop gap measure. The physical aspect of human beings is surely important, but if it is at the expense of the spiritual and psychological components of a human being then such a healing or endeavor has very little value. People need to sort out priorities in life as we read in the Midrash of Matityahu (7:22-23): “Many will say to me on that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in your name (authority) and Chasen out demonic forces in your name (authority) and done many mighty signs (miracles) in your name (authority)? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), “I never knew you; depart from me, you who act wickedly [disregarding G-d’s commandments].”

That a righteous person is obliged to be continually thankful to G-d and his Torah teacher, both in word and in deed, for the instruction he has received from him and for enabling him to walk the walking, as it is said: “so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God” (Marqos 2:12).

Shabbat:	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
ומשה
“UMosheh”	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 3:1-5	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 4:18-23
“And Moses”	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 3:6-10	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 4:24-26
“Y Moisés”	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 3:11-15	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 4:27-31
Sh’mot (Exodus) 3:1 – 4:17	Reader 4 – Sh’mot 3:16-22
Isaiah 40:11-18, 21-22	Reader 5 – Sh’mot 4:1-5
	Reader 6 – Sh’mot 4:6-9	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 5:1-4
Psalm 43	Reader 7 – Sh’mot 4:10-17	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 5:5-9
	Maftir – Sh’mot 4:15-17	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 5:10-13
N.C.: Matityahu 7:15-23	Isaiah 40:11-18, 21-22