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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Third Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle
Kislev 25, 5785 – Tevet 2, 5785 Evening Wednesday December 25, 2024 – Evening Thursday (sundown) January 2, 2025	Third Year of the Shmita Cycle

Chag Chanukah Sameach!

We take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very happy Chag Chanukah – a festival of freedom and of consecration/education to/for the work of G-d. And even if we do not finish the task before us, still we should do our very best in this life to radiate it with the constructive light of the Torah. For as the Psalmist wrote: “in Your light do we see light” (Psalm 36:10).

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times: https://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.htm

Roll of Honor:

This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great generosity of:

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Luqas Nelson

His Honor Paqid Adon Tsuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Gibora bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

His Excellency Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Rut bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Michael ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Sheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Robert Dick & beloved wife HE Giberet Cobena Dick

His Excellency Adon Ovadya ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Mirit bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Brad Gaskill and beloved wife Cynthia Gaskill

His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham

His Excellency Adon Ya’aqob ben David

His Excellency Adon Bill Haynes and beloved wife HE Giberet Diane Haynes

We pray for his Honor Adon Tzuriel ben Avraham. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may He bless and heal His Honor Paqid Tzuriel ben Avraham, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

We pray for her Excellency Giberet Miriam bat Sarah, Mi Shebeirach… He Who blessed our holy and pure Matriarchs, Sarah, Ribkah, Rachel and Leah, may he bless and heal Giberet Miriam bat Sarah and may He send her a complete recovery to her 248 organs and her 365 sinews. Please heal her, please heal her, please heal her and strengthen her and return her to her original strength. May He send her a complete recovery of her body and her soul from the heavens among the other sick of Yisrael, and we will say Amen ve amen!

Halakhot and Minhagim for Sefardim

Chanukah means dedication. It is also an acronym for Heth Neroth VeHalakha KeBeth Hillel (eight candles and the law according to the House of Hillel). This refers to the famous difference of opinion Between the Houses of Shammai and Hillel. The House of Shammai said that we should light eight candles on the first night and reduce one every subsequent night. The House of Hillel said that we should light one candle on the first night and increase the amount by one every day. We light in accordance with Beth Hillel.

The word Mashiach (Messiah) is an acronym for Madliqin Shemonah Yeme Chanukah (we light throughout the eight days of Chanukah). What is the significance of this? By lighting the Chanukah we perform three Mitsvoth (precepts) together, as follows: When one enters one's home the Mezuzah is on the right, the Canukiah is lit on the left, and the man who enters has Tsitsiyoth (fringes) on his Tallith Qatan. The Acronym for Tsitsith, Mezuzah and Chanukah is Tsemach (the branch), who is the Mashiach.

During the eight days of Chanukah we kindle lights in commemoration of the "miracles, deliverance, mighty deeds salvations, wonders and solace" that our Heavenly Father performed for us in those days, at this time. It was then that the suppressive and tyrannical rule by the Greeks was overturned in battle and the Beth Hamiqdash (Temple) was rededicated by the Hasmoneans.

There are different opinions as to why, when they entered the Temple and found only one cruse of pure oil for the Menorah (sufficient for only one day), they required eight days to make new oil. One opinion is that they were defiled from war and had to wait to be purified before making it. In any case, as is well known, this solitary cruse lasted for eight days and in memory of this miracle the festival of Chanukah was established for eight days.

On each night of Chanukah, from when the time for lighting arrives, we are not permitted to eat or even study Torah till the lights are actually kindled. The choicest way of performing the precept of the lighting of the Chanukah lights is through the use of olive oil. However two types of lights may not be mixed (such as olive oil and wax candles) as it should not appear that two people lit them. In accordance with the teachings of Sephardi Hakhamim, z"l, only the head of the household may light Chanukah lights in each household, as he is considered the first-born of the house Halakhically. The other members of the family stand beside him and watch. It is good, however, to allow one of the children to light the additional candle - referred to as the Shamash - in order to train them in the performance of the Mitsvoth. The Shamash, which is generally considered to have some Mitsvah attached, should be lit last and should not be used to light the other lights. This is in accordance with the Sephardim. Ashkenazim have the Minhag of having each child light his own Chanukah. In any case, each one must do in accordance with the teachings of his forefathers or the Hakham of his/her congregation and may not change.

One may not make use of the lights during the time that they are required to burn and even though some hold that the light of the Shamash may be used, according to the Qabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) it may not. After the recitation of the benedictions of Lehadliq Ner Chanukah, She'asa Nissim, (followed by Shechecheyanu on the first day), Haneroth Halalu the kindling of the lights and Mizmor Shir Chanukahth HaBayith, it is considered to be a good omen to recite Vihi No'am and Yosheb Besether. The Ashkenazi Minhagh is to follow the lighting with the singing of the hymn Ma'oz Tsur, a traditional European song. Sepharadim have different songs for Chanukah, but do not have the custom of singing them after the lighting.

The story of Yehudith, daughter of the Kohen Gadol (high Priest) Yochanan, bears some similarities to the events that are commemorated in Chanukah, and is also remembered during these days. As is written in "Hemdath Yamim", the cruel Greek ruler desired Yehudith and had her brought before him. She fed him with dairy foods and wine till he fell asleep and then severed off his head. At the sight of their leader's decapitated head, the enemy soldiers fled. For this and other reasons, Chanukah is of specific importance to women. It is important, therefore, that they do no Melakha (work) while the lights are burning each night, - i.e., for the half hour that they are required to be alight. It is appropriate also, for a woman whose livelihood does not depend on it, to abstain from doing any Melakha on the first and last days of Chanukah. In the memory of the afore-mentioned story of Yehudith, Sephardim (and some Ashkenazim) partake of dairy foods during the Holiday. The Ashkenazi custom is to eat foods fried in oil, in memory of the miracle of the cruse of oil. In general, Sepharadim have not adopted this custom.

On Shabbath Chanukah and on Rosh Chodesh - and especially if they fall on the same day - one should eat more and sing Shbahoth (songs of praise) such as Vethismah Bakh Attah Malka. On 'Ereb Shabbath Chanukah one must be particularly careful to pray Mincha before lighting the Chanukah lights. And these, in turn, must be kindled before those of Shabbath. At the close of the Shabbath, Sepharadim light the Chanukah in the synagogue prior to Habdalah, but at home the order is reversed. Ashkenazim have differing customs concerning this.

May we merit to see the Chanukah (dedication) of the third Temple, speedily in our days, Amen ve Amen!

MY CHANUKAH CHECKLIST

Every night, when lighting the Chanukah lights, I recite:

1. Lehadliq Ner Chanukah. (Not Ner Shel Chanukah - according to the Sod. This is the custom of most Sephardim). Ashkenazim (most) say Ner Shel Chanukah.

2. Haneroth Halalu.

3. Mizmor Chanukah HaBayith.

4. Vihi No'am (7 times).

5. Yosheb Besether 'Elyon.

Ashkenazim conclude the lighting with the hymn Mao'z Sur. Sephardim do not have the custom of concluding the lighting with songs of praise. However, there are specific songs for Chanukah, such as Y-a Hassel Yona [Vethismah Bakh Atta Malka], Yasa Limlokh, Yabbi'un Sephathai Shirah and Yithro'a'u.

If I am Sephardi, I do not use the Shammash to light the other candles, but instead, I use matches or a separate candle to light them. I then light the Shammash last. If I am Ashkenazi, I light all candles with the Shammash. If I am Sephardi, we only light one Chanukah (Chanukia Menorah) in my home, which is lit by the head of the household. All other members stand by and watch. (There is a difference in ruling between Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Hakhamim). If I am Ashkenazi, the children light too.

We eat special foods on Chanukah. Sephardim eat dairy foods all through Chanukah in memory of the miracle that occurred through dairy foods at the hand of Yehudith. We also eat Buňuelos^[1] and “Arroz con Leche y Canela.”^[2] Ashkenazim eat foods fried in oil, such as donuts and potato pancakes, in memory of the miracle of the cruse of oil. This is not the Sephardi custom. We eat more during Chanukah, and especially on Shabbath and Rosh Chodesh of Chanukah and sing Shbahoth (songs of praise).

Sephardic children are trained in the Mitsvah of giving money to charity and helping those in need. Ashkenazim have the minhagh of giving Chanukah money [and presents] to the children. Although there is a source for it, this is not the prevalent custom among Sephardim. Women abstain from Melakha (servile work) at least during the time that the lights of the Chanukiya are required to be alight.

Chanukah First Day

Kislev 25, 5785

Evening Wednesday December 25, 2024 – Evening Thursday December 26, 2024

Morning Service

Torah: Numbers 7:1-17

Reader 1 - Num. 7:1-3

Reader 2 - Num. 7:4-11

Reader 3 - Num. 7:12-17

Yehudit (Judith) 1:1 – 5:17

1 Maccabees 1:1 – 4:40

Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

Nazareans add in their private study and discussions: Genesis 1:1-5; & 1 John 1:1-10

For further information please read and study:

http://www.betemunah.org/lapin.html, http://www.betemunah.org/connection.html,

http://www.betemunah.org/chanukah.html, & http://www.betemunah.org/lights.html

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Midbar (Numbers) 7:1-17

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
1. And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan, he anointed it, sanctified it, and all its vessels, and the altar and all its vessels.	1. And it was on the day which begins the month of Nisan, when Mosheh had finished to rear up the tabernacle, he took it not in pieces again, but anointed and consecrated it and all its vessels, the altar and all the vessels thereof, and he anointed them and hallowed them;
2. The chieftains of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, presented [their offerings]. They were the leaders of the tribes. They were the ones who were present during the counting,	2. then the leaders of Israel, who were the chiefs of the house of their fathers, brought their offerings. These were they who had been appointed in Mizraim chiefs over the numbered,
3. They brought their offering before the Lord: six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for each two chieftains, and an ox for each one; they presented them in front of the Mishkan.	3. and they brought their offering before the LORD; six wagons covered and fitted up, and twelve oxen; one wagon for two princes and one ox for each. But Mosheh was not willing to receive them, and they brought them before the tabernacle.
4. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	4. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
5. Take [it] from them, and let them be used in the service of the Tent of Meeting. You shall give them to the Levites, in accordance with each man's work.	5. Take them, and let them be used for the need of the appointed (work), and let the oxen and the wagons be for the work of the service of the tabernacle of ordinance, and give them to the Levites, to each according to the measure of his work.
6. So Moses took the wagons and the cattle and gave them to the Levites.	6. And Mosheh took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
7. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their work.	7. Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to the amount of their service,
8. And he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their work under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.	8. and four wagons and eight oxen gave he to the sons of Merari, according to the measure of their service, by the hand of Ithamar bar Aharon the priest.
9. But to the sons of Kohath he did not give, for incumbent upon them was the work involving the holy [objects], which they were to carry on their shoulders.	9. But to the sons of Kehath he gave neither wagons nor oxen, because on them was laid the service of the sanctuary, to be carried on their shoulders.
10. The chieftains brought [offerings for] the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; the chieftains presented their offerings in front of the altar.	10. And the princes offered at the dedication of the altar by anointing, on the day that he anointed it did the princes present their oblations before the altar.
11. The Lord said to Moses: One chieftain each day, one chieftain each day, shall present his offering for the dedication of the altar.	11. And the LORD said unto Mosheh, Let the princes offer each, one prince on one day, their oblations at the dedication of the altar by anointing.
12. The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.	12. He who on the first day presented his oblation was Nachshon bar Amminadab, prince of the house of the fathers of the tribe Jehudah:
13. And his offering was one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver sprinkling basin [weighing] seventy shekels according to the holy shekel, both filled with fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering.	13. and his oblation which he offered was one silver bowl, thickly embossed, (or, crusted,) in weight one hundred and thirty shekels, in shekels of the sanctuary; one silver vase, slightly embossed, of seventy shekels, in shekels of the sanctuary; both of these vessels he brought filled with flour of the separation, sprinkled with olive oil for a mincha;
14. One spoon [weighing] ten gold [shekels], filled with incense.	14. one pan (censer) weighing ten silver shekels, but it was itself of good gold; and he brought it full of good sweet incense of the separation;
15. One young bull, one ram and one lamb in its first year for a burnt offering.	15. one young bullock of three years, one ram of two years, and one lamb of the year. These three did the chief of the tribe Jehudah bring for a burnt offering;
16. One young he goat for a sin offering.	16. one kid of the goats he brought for a sin offering;
17. And for the peace offering: two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs in their first year; this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.	17. and for consecrated victims, two oxen, five rams, five goats, lambs of the year five: this is the order of the oblation which Nachshon bar Amminadab offered of his wealth.

Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

Rashi	Targum
1. A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David.	1. A praise song for the dedication of the sanctuary. Of David.
2. I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have raised me up, and You have not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me.	2. I will praise you, O LORD, for you made me stand erect, and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
3. O Lord, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me.	3. O LORD my God, I prayed in Your presence and You healed me.
4. O Lord, You have brought my soul from the grave; You have revived me from my descent into the Pit.	4. O LORD, You raised my soul out of Sheol; You preserved me from going down to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, His pious ones, and give thanks to His holy name.	5. Sing praise in the LORD's presence, you His devotees; and give thanks at the invocation of His holy one.
6. For His wrath lasts but a moment; life results from His favor; in the evening, weeping may tarry, but in the morning there is joyful singing.	6. For His anger is but a moment; eternal life is His good pleasure. In the evening one goes to bed in tears, but in the morning one rises in praise.
7. And I said in my tranquility, "I will never falter."	7. And I said when I dwelt in trust, I will never be shaken.
8. O Lord, with Your will, You set up my mountain to be might, You hid Your countenance and I became frightened.	8. O LORD, by Your will You prepared the mighty mountains; You removed Your presence, I became afraid.
9. To You, O Lord, I would call, and to the Lord I would supplicate.	9. In Your presence, O LORD, I will cry out; and to You, O my God, I will pray.
10. "What gain is there in my blood, in my descent to the grave? Will dust thank You; will it recite Your truth?	10. And I said, what profit is there in my blood, when I descend to the grave? Can those who descend to the dust praise You? Will they tell of Your faithfulness?
11. Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be my helper."	11. Accept, O LORD, my prayer, and have mercy on me; O LORD, be my helper.
12. You have turned my lament into dancing for me; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.	12. You turned my lament into my celebration; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. So that my soul will sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will thank You forever.	13. Because the nobles of the world will give You praise and not be silent, O LORD my God, I too will give You praise.

Yehudit (Judith) 1:1 – 5:17

New Jerusalem Bible Version

Judith 1:1 It was the twelfth year of Nebuchadnezzar who reigned over the Assyrians in the great city of Nineveh. Arphaxad was then reigning over the Medes in Ecbatana.

2 He surrounded this city with walls of dressed stones three cubits thick and six cubits long, making the rampart seventy cubits high and fifty cubits wide.

3 At the gates he placed towers one hundred cubits high and, at the foundations, sixty cubits wide,

4 the gates themselves being seventy cubits high and forty wide to allow his forces to march out in a body and his infantry to parade freely.

5 About this time King Nebuchadnezzar gave battle to King Arphaxad in the great plain lying in the territory of Ragae.

6 Supporting him were all the peoples from the highlands, all from the Euphrates and Tigris and Hydaspes, and those from the plains who were subject to Arioch, king of the Elymaeans. Thus, many nations had mustered to take part in the battle of the Cheleoudites.

7 Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent a message to all the inhabitants of Persia, to all the inhabitants of the western countries, Cilicia, Damascus, Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, to all those along the coast,

8 to the peoples of Carmel, Gilead, Upper Galilee, the great plain of Esdraelon,

9 to the people of Samaria and its outlying towns, to those beyond Jordan, as far away as Jerusalem, Bethany, Chelous, Kadesh, the river of Egypt, Tahpanhes, Rameses and the whole territory of Goshen,

10 beyond Tanis too and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt as far as the frontiers of Ethiopia.

11 But the inhabitants of these countries ignored the summons of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians and did not rally to him to make war. They were not afraid of him, since in their view he appeared isolated. Hence, they sent his ambassadors back with nothing achieved and in disgrace.

12 Nebuchadnezzar was furious with all these countries. He swore by his throne and kingdom to take revenge on all the territories of Cilicia, Damascus and Syria, of the Moabites and of the Ammonites, of Judaea and Egypt as far as the limits of the two seas, and to ravage them with the sword.

13 In the seventeenth year, he gave battle with his whole army to King Arphaxad and in this battle defeated him. He routed Arphaxad's entire army and all his cavalry and chariots;

14 he occupied his towns and advanced on Ecbatana; he seized its towers and plundered its market places, reducing its former magnificence to a mockery.

15 He later captured Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragae and, thrusting him through with his spears, destroyed him once and for all.

16 He then retired with his troops and all who had joined forces with him: a vast horde of armed men. Then he and his army gave themselves up to carefree feasting for a hundred and twenty days.

NJB Judith 2:1 In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, a rumour ran through the palace that Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians was to have his revenge on all the countries, as he had threatened.

2 Summoning his general staff and senior officers, he held a secret conference with them, and with his own lips pronounced utter destruction on the entire area.

3 It was then decreed that everyone should be put to death who had not answered the king's appeal.

4 When the council was over, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent for Holofernes, general-in-chief of his armies and subordinate only to himself. He said to him,

5 'Thus speaks the Great King, lord of the whole world, "Go; take men of proven valour, about a hundred and twenty thousand foot soldiers and a strong company of horse with twelve thousand cavalrymen;

6 then advance against all the western lands, since these people have disregarded my call.

7 Bid them have earth and water ready, because in my rage I am about to march on them; the feet of my soldiers will cover the whole face of the earth, and I shall plunder it.

8 Their wounded will fill the valleys and the torrents, and rivers, blocked with their dead, will overflow.

9 I shall lead them captive to the ends of the earth.

10 Now go! Begin by conquering this whole region for me. If they surrender to you, hold them for me until the time comes to punish them.

11 But if they resist, look on no one with clemency, hand them over to slaughter and plunder throughout the territory entrusted to you.

12 For by my life and by the living power of my kingdom I have spoken. All this I shall do by my power.

13 And you, neglect none of your master's commands, act strictly according to my orders without further delay." '

14 Leaving the presence of his sovereign, Holofernes immediately summoned all the marshals, generals and officers of the Assyrian army

15 and detailed the picked troops as his master had ordered, about a hundred and twenty thousand men and a further twelve thousand mounted archers.

16 He organised these in the normal battle formation.

17 He then secured vast numbers of camels, donkeys and mules to carry the baggage, and innumerable sheep, oxen and goats for food supplies.

18 Every man received full rations and a generous sum of gold and silver from the king's purse.

19 He then set out for the campaign with his whole army, in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to overwhelm the whole western region with his chariots, his horsemen and his picked body of foot.

20 A motley gathering followed in his rear, as numerous as locusts or the grains of sand on the ground; there was no counting their multitude.

21 Thus they set out from Nineveh and marched for three days towards the Plain of Bectileth. From Bectileth they went on to pitch camp near the mountains that lie to the north of Upper Cilicia.

22 From there Holofernes advanced into the highlands with his whole army, infantry, horsemen, chariots.

23 He cut his way through Put and Lud, carried away captive all the sons of Rassis and sons of Ishmael living on the verge of the desert south of Cheleon,

24 marched along the Euphrates, crossed Mesopotamia, rased all the fortified towns controlling the Wadi Abron and reached the sea.

25 Next he attacked the territories of Cilicia, butchering all who offered him resistance, advanced on the southern frontiers of Japheth, facing Arabia,

26 completely encircled the Midianites, burned their tents and plundered their sheep-folds,

27 made his way down to the Damascus plain at the time of the wheat harvest, set fire to the fields, destroyed the flocks and herds, sacked the towns, laid the countryside waste and put all the young men to the sword.

28 Fear and trembling seized all the coastal peoples; those of Sidon and Tyre, those of Sur, Ocina and Jamnia. The populations of Azotos and Ascalon were panic-stricken.

NJB Judith 3:1 They therefore sent envoys to him to sue for peace, to say,

2 'We are servants of the great King Nebuchadnezzar; we lie prostrate before you. Treat us as you think fit.

3 Our cattle-farms, all our land, all our wheat fields, our flocks and herds, all the sheep-folds in our encampments are at your disposal. Do with them as you please.

4 Our towns and their inhabitants too are at your service; go and treat them as you think fit.'

5 These men came to Holofernes and delivered the message as above.

6 He then made his way down to the coast with his army and stationed garrisons in all the fortified towns, levying outstanding men there as auxiliaries.

7 The people of these cities and of all the other towns in the neighbourhood welcomed him, wearing garlands and dancing to the sound of tambourines.

8 But he demolished their shrines and cut down their sacred trees, carrying out his commission to destroy all local gods so that the nations should worship Nebuchadnezzar alone and people of every language and nationality should hail him as a god.

9 Thus he reached the edge of Esdraelon, in the neighbourhood of Dothan, a village facing the great ridge of Judaea.

10 He pitched camp between Geba and Scythopolis and stayed there a full month to re-provision his forces.

NJB Judith 4:1 When the Israelites living in Judaea heard how Holofernes, general-in-chief of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians, had treated the various nations, plundering their temples and destroying them,

2 they were thoroughly alarmed at his approach and trembled for Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord their God.

3 They had returned from captivity only a short time before, and the resettlement of the people in Judaea and the reconsecration of the sacred furnishings, of the altar, and of the Temple, which had been profaned, were of recent date.

4 They therefore alerted the whole of Samaria, Kona, Beth-Horon, Belmain, Jericho, Choba, Aesora and the Salem valley.

5 They occupied the summits of the highest mountains and fortified the villages on them; they laid in supplies for the coming war, as the fields had just been harvested.

6 Joakim the high priest, resident in Jerusalem at the time, wrote to the inhabitants of Bethulia and of Betomesthaim, two towns facing Esdraelon, towards the plain of Dothan.

7 He ordered them to occupy the mountain passes, the only means of access to Judaea, for there it would be easy for them to halt an attacking force, the narrowness of the approach not allowing men to advance more than two abreast.

8 The Israelites carried out the orders of Joakim the high priest and of the people's Council of Elders in session at Jerusalem.

9 All the men of Israel cried most fervently to God and humbled themselves before him.

10 They, their wives, their children, their cattle, all their resident aliens, hired or slave, wrapped sackcloth round their loins.

11 All the Israelites in Jerusalem, including women and children, lay prostrate in front of the Temple, and with ashes on their heads stretched out their hands before the Lord.

12 They draped the altar itself in sackcloth and fervently joined together in begging the God of Israel not to let their children be carried off, their wives distributed as booty, the towns of their heritage destroyed, the Temple profaned and desecrated for the heathen to gloat over.

13 The Lord heard them and looked kindly on their distress. The people fasted for many days throughout Judaea as well as in Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.

14 Joakim the high priest and all who stood before the Lord, the Lord's priests and ministers, wore sackcloth round their loins as they offered the perpetual burnt offering and the votive and voluntary offerings of the people.

15 With ashes on their turbans they earnestly called on the Lord to look kindly on the House of Israel.

NJB Judith 5:1 Holofernes, general-in-chief of the Assyrian army, received the intelligence that the Israelites were preparing for war, that they had closed the mountain passes, fortified all the high peaks and laid obstructions in the plains.

2 Holofernes was furious. He summoned all the princes of Moab, all the generals of Ammon and all the satraps of the coastal regions.

3 'Men of Canaan,' he said, 'tell me: what people is this that occupies the hill-country? What towns does it inhabit? How large is its army? What are the sources of its power and strength? Who is the king who rules it and commands its army?

4 Why have they disdained to wait on me, as all the western peoples have?'

5 Achior, leader of all the Ammonites, replied, 'May my lord be pleased to listen to what your servant is going to say. I shall give you the facts about these mountain folk whose home lies close to you. You will hear no lie from the mouth of your servant.

6 These people are descended from the Chaldaeans.

7 They once came to live in Mesopotamia, because they did not want to follow the gods of their ancestors who lived in Chaldaea.

8 They abandoned the way of their ancestors to worship the God of heaven, the God they learnt to acknowledge. Banished from the presence of their own gods, they fled to Mesopotamia where they lived for a long time.

9 When God told them to leave their home and set out for Canaan, they settled there and accumulated gold and silver and great herds of cattle.

10 Next, famine having overwhelmed the land of Canaan, they went down to Egypt where they stayed till they were well nourished. There they became a great multitude, a race beyond counting.

11 But the king of Egypt turned against them and exploited them by forcing them to make bricks; he degraded them, reducing them to slavery.

12 They cried to their God, who struck the entire land of Egypt with incurable plagues, and the Egyptians expelled them.

13 God dried up the Red Sea before them

14 and led them forward by way of Sinai and Kadesh-Barnea. Having driven off all the inhabitants of the desert,

15 they settled in the land of the Amorites and in their strength exterminated the entire population of Heshbon. Then, having crossed the Jordan, they took possession of all the hill-country,

16 driving out the Canaanites before them and the Perizzites, Jebusites, Shechemites and all the Girgashites, and lived there for many years.

17 All the while they did not sin before their God, prosperity was theirs, for they have a God who hates wickedness.

1 Maccabees 1:1 – 4:40

New Jerusalem Bible Version

1 Maccabees 1:1 Alexander of Macedon son of Philip had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius king of the Persians and Medes, whom he succeeded as ruler, at first of Hellas.

2 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings to death.

3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth, plundering nation after nation; the earth grew silent before him, and his ambitious heart swelled with pride.

4 He assembled very powerful forces and subdued provinces, nations and princes, and they became his tributaries.

5 But the time came when Alexander took to his bed, in the knowledge that he was dying.

6 He summoned his officers, noblemen who had been brought up with him from his youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive.

7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.

8 Each of his officers established himself in his own region.

9 All assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasing evils on the world.

10 From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once a hostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

11 It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,' they said, 'let us ally ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us.'

12 This proposal proved acceptable,

13 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise the gentiles' observances.

14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,

15 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willing slaves of impiety.

16 Once Antiochus had seen his authority established, he determined to make himself king of Egypt and the ruler of both kingdoms.

17 He invaded Egypt in massive strength, with chariots and elephants (and cavalry) and a large fleet.

18 He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned back and fled before his advance, leaving many casualties.

19 The fortified cities of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the country.

20 After his conquest of Egypt, in the year 143, Antiochus turned about and advanced on Israel and Jerusalem in massive strength.

21 Insolently breaking into the sanctuary, he removed the golden altar and the lamp-stand for the light with all its fittings,

22 together with the table for the loaves of permanent offering, the libation vessels, the cups, the golden censers, the veil, the crowns, and the golden decoration on the front of the Temple, which he stripped of everything.

23 He made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures and seized them

24 and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered words of extreme arrogance.

25 There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:

26 Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered a change;

27 every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.

28 The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.

29 Two years later the king sent the Mysarch through the cities of Judah. He came to Jerusalem with an impressive force,

30 and addressing them with what appeared to be peaceful words, he gained their confidence; then suddenly he fell on the city, dealing it a terrible blow, and destroying many of the people of Israel.

31 He pillaged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wall,

32 took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.

33 They then rebuilt the City of David with a great strong wall and strong towers and made this their Citadel.

34 There they installed a brood of sinners, of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it,

35 storing arms and provisions, and depositing there the loot they had collected from Jerusalem; they were to prove a great trouble.

36 It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for Israel at all times.

37 They shed innocent blood all-round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.

38 The citizens of Jerusalem fled because of them, she became a dwelling-place of strangers; estranged from her own offspring, her children forsook her.

39 Her sanctuary became as forsaken as a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into a mockery, her honour into reproach.

40 Her dishonour now fully matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief.

41 The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each nation renouncing its particular customs.

42 All the gentiles conformed to the king's decree,

43 and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.

44 The king also sent edicts by messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them to adopt customs foreign to the country,

45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,

46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,

47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,

48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to all kinds of impurity and abomination,

49 so that they should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.

50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to be put to death.

51 Writing in such terms to every part of his kingdom, the king appointed inspectors for the whole people and directed all the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice city by city.

52 Many of the people -- that is, every apostate from the Law -- rallied to them and so committed evil in the country,

53 forcing Israel into hiding in any possible place of refuge.

54 On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of the altar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah

55 and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets.

56 Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.

57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, the king's decree sentenced him to death.

58 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.

59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month, sacrifice was offered on the altar erected on top of the altar of burnt offering.

60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death according to the edict

61 with their babies hung round their necks, and the members of their household and those who had performed the circumcision were executed with them.

62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.

63 They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, and they were executed.

64 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.

1 Maccabees 2:1 About then, Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.

2 He had five sons, John known as Gaddi,

3 Simon called Thassi,

4 Judas called Maccabaeus,

5 Eleazar, called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.

6 When he saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,

7 he said, 'Alas that I should have been born to witness the ruin of my people and the ruin of the Holy City, and to sit by while she is delivered over to her enemies, and the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners.

8 'Her Temple has become like someone of no repute,

9 the vessels that were her glory have been carried off as booty, her babies have been slaughtered in her streets, her young men by the enemy's sword.

10 Is there a nation that has not claimed a share of her royal prerogatives, that has not taken some of her spoils?

11 All her ornaments have been snatched from her, her former freedom has become slavery.

12 See how the Holy Place, our beauty, our glory, is now laid waste, see how the gentiles have profaned it!

13 What have we left to live for?'

14 Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and observed deep mourning.

15 The king's commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for the sacrifices.

16 Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart.

17 The king's commissioners then addressed Mattathias as follows, 'You are a respected leader, a great man in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you.

18 Be the first to step forward and conform to the king's decree, as all the nations have done, and the leaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shall be reckoned among the Friends of the King, you and your sons will be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.'

19 Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, 'Even if every nation living in the king's dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees,

20 I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors.

21 May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.

22 As for the king's orders, we will not follow them: we shall not swerve from our own religion either to right or to left.'

23 As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein as the royal edict required.

24 When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to his legitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on the altar.

25 At the same time he killed the king's commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and tore down the altar.

26 In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu.

27 Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, 'Let everyone who has any zeal for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.'

28 Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving all their possessions behind in the town.

29 Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there,

30 taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle, so oppressive had their sufferings become.

31 Word was brought to the royal officials and forces stationed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, that those who had repudiated the king's edict had gone down to the hiding places in the desert.

32 A strong detachment went after them, and when it came up with them ranged itself against them in battle formation, preparing to attack them on the Sabbath day,

33 and said, 'Enough of this! Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared.'

34 The others, however, replied, 'We refuse to come out, and we will not obey the king's orders and profane the Sabbath day.'

35 The royal forces at once went into action,

36 but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hiding places.

37 They only said, 'Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring us with no pretence of justice.'

38 The attack was pressed home on the Sabbath itself, and they were slaughtered, with their wives and children and cattle, to the number of one thousand persons.

39 When the news reached Mattathias and his friends, they mourned them bitterly

40 and said to one another, 'If we all do as our brothers have done, and refuse to fight the gentiles for our lives and institutions, they will only destroy us the sooner from the earth.'

41 So then and there they came to this decision, 'If anyone attacks us on the Sabbath day, whoever he may be, we shall resist him; we must not all be killed, as our brothers were in the hiding places.'

42 Soon they were joined by the Hasidaean party, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer on the side of the Law.

43 All the refugees from the persecution rallied to them, giving them added support.

44 They organised themselves into an armed force, striking down the sinners in their anger, and the renegades in their fury, and those who escaped them fled to the gentiles for safety.

45 Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars

46 and forcibly circumcising all the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel.

47 They hunted down the upstarts and managed their campaign to good effect.

48 They wrested the Law out of the control of the gentiles and the kings and reduced the sinners to impotence.

49 As the days of Mattathias were drawing to a close, he said to his sons, 'Arrogance and outrage are now in the ascendant; it is a period of turmoil and bitter hatred.

50 This is the time, my children, for you to have a burning zeal for the Law and to give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

51 Remember the deeds performed by our ancestors, each in his generation, and you will win great honour and everlasting renown.

52 Was not Abraham tested and found faithful, was that not considered as justifying him?

53 Joseph in the time of his distress maintained the Law, and so became lord of Egypt.

54 Phinehas, our father, in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.

55 Joshua, for carrying out his task, became judge of Israel.

56 Caleb, for his testimony before the assembled people, received an inheritance in the land.

57 David for his generous heart inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.

58 Elijah for his consuming fervour for the Law was caught up to heaven itself.

59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their fidelity, were saved from the flame.

60 Daniel for his singleness of heart was rescued from the lion's jaws.

61 Know then that, generation after generation, no one who hopes in him will be overcome.

62 Do not fear the threats of the sinner, all his brave show must come to the dunghill and the worms.

63 Exalted today, tomorrow he is nowhere to be found, for he has returned to the dust he came from and his scheming is brought to nothing.

64 My children, be resolute and courageous for the Law, for it will bring you glory.

65 'Here is your brother Simeon, I know he is a man of sound judgement. Listen to him all your lives; let him take your father's place.

66 Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the war against the gentiles.

67 The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks all those who keep the Law, and to assure the vengeance of your people.

68 Pay back the gentiles to the full, and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.'

69 Then he blessed them and was joined to his ancestors.

70 He died in the year 146 and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and all Israel mourned him deeply.

NJB 1 Maccabees 3:1 His son, Judas, known as Maccabaeus, then took his place.

2 All his brothers, and all who had attached themselves to his father, supported him, and they fought for Israel with a will.

3 He extended the fame of his people. Like a giant, he put on the breastplate and buckled on his war harness; he engaged in battle after battle, protecting the ranks with his sword.

4 He was like a lion in his exploits, like a young lion roaring over its prey.

5 He pursued and tracked down the renegades, he consigned those who troubled his people to the flames.

6 The renegades quailed with the terror he inspired, all evil-doers were utterly confounded, and deliverance went forward under his leadership.

7 He brought bitterness to many a king and rejoicing to Jacob by his deeds, his memory is blessed for ever and ever.

8 He went through the towns of Judah eliminating the irreligious from them, and diverted the Retribution from Israel.

9 His name resounded to the ends of the earth, he rallied those who were on the point of perishing.

10 Next, Apollonius mustered the gentiles and a large force from Samaria to make war on Israel.

11 When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him and routed and killed him. Many fell wounded, and the survivors took to flight.

12 Their spoils were seized and the sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, who used it to fight with throughout his life.

13 On hearing that Judas had raised a mixed force of believers and seasoned fighters,

14 Seron, commander of the Syrian troops, said, 'I shall make a name for myself and gain honour in the kingdom if I fight Judas and those supporters of his who are so contemptuous of the king's orders.'

15 He therefore launched another expedition, with a strong army of unbelievers to support him in taking revenge on the Israelites.

16 He had nearly reached the descent of Beth-Horon when Judas went out to confront him with a handful of men.

17 But as soon as these saw the force advancing to meet them, they said to Judas, 'How can we, few as we are, engage such overwhelming numbers? We are exhausted as it is, not having had anything to eat today.'

18 'It is easy', Judas answered, 'for a great number to be defeated by a few; indeed, in the sight of Heaven, deliverance, whether by many or by few, is all one;

19 for victory in war does not depend on the size of the fighting force: Heaven accords the strength.

20 They are coming against us in full-blown insolence and lawlessness to destroy us, our wives and our children, and to plunder us;

21 but we are fighting for our lives and our laws,

22 and he will crush them before our eyes; do not be afraid of them.'

23 When he had finished speaking, he made a sudden sally against Seron and his force and overwhelmed them.

24 Judas pursued them down from Beth-Horon as far as the plain. About eight hundred of their men fell, and the rest took refuge in the country of the Philistines.

25 Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and alarm seized the surrounding peoples.

26 His name even reached the king's ears, and among the nations there was talk of Judas and his battles.

27 The news of these events infuriated Antiochus, and he ordered mobilisation of all the forces in his kingdom, a very powerful army.

28 Opening his treasury, he distributed a year's pay to his troops, telling them to be prepared for any eventuality.

29 He then found that the money in his coffers had run short and that the tribute of the province had decreased, as a result of the dissension and disaster brought on the country by his own abrogation of laws that had been in force from antiquity.

30 He began to fear that, as had happened more than once, he would not have enough to cover the expenses and the lavish bounties he had previously been accustomed to make on a larger scale than his predecessors on the throne.

31 In this grave quandary he resolved to invade Persia, there to levy tribute on the provinces and so accumulate substantial funds.

32 He therefore left Lysias, a nobleman and member of the royal family, to manage the royal affairs between the River Euphrates and the Egyptian frontier,

33 making him responsible for the education of his son Antiochus, until he should come back.

34 To him Antiochus made over half his forces, with the elephants, giving him instructions about what he wanted done, particularly with regard to the inhabitants of Judaea and Jerusalem,

35 against whom he was to send a force, to crush and destroy the power of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, to wipe out their very memory from the place,

36 to settle foreigners in all parts of their territory and to distribute their land into lots.

37 The king took the remaining half of his troops with him and set out from Antioch, the capital of his kingdom, in the year 147; he crossed the River Euphrates and made his way through the Upper Provinces.

38 Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, with Nicanor and Gorgias, influential men from among the Friends of the King,

39 and, under their command, despatched forty thousand foot and seven thousand horse to invade the land of Judah and devastate it, as the king had ordered.

40 The entire force set out and reached the neighbourhood of Emmaus in the lowlands, where they pitched camp.

41 The local merchants, hearing the news of this, arrived at the camp, bringing with them a large amount of gold and silver, and fetters as well, proposing to buy the Israelites as slaves; they were accompanied by a company from Idumaea and the Philistine country.

42 Judas and his brothers saw that the situation was going from bad to worse and that armies were camping in their territory; they were also well aware that the king had ordered the people's total destruction.

43 So they said to each other, 'Let us restore the ruins of our people and fight for our people and our sanctuary.'

44 The Assembly was summoned, to prepare for war, to offer prayer and to implore compassion and mercy.

45 Jerusalem was as empty as a desert, none of her children to go in and out. The sanctuary was trodden underfoot, men of an alien race held the Citadel, which had become a lodging for gentiles. There was no more rejoicing for Jacob, the flute and lyre were mute.

46 After mustering, they made their way to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, since Mizpah was traditionally a place of prayer for Israel.

47 That day they fasted and put on sackcloth, covering their heads with ashes and tearing their garments.

48 For the guidance that the gentiles would have sought from the images of their false gods, they opened the Book of the Law.

49 They also brought out the priestly vestments, with first-fruits and tithes, and marshalled the Nazirites who had completed the period of their vow.

50 Then, raising their voices to Heaven, they cried, 'What shall we do with these people, and where are we to take them?

51 Your holy place has been trampled underfoot and defiled, your priests mourn in their humiliation,

52 and now the gentiles are in alliance to destroy us: you know what they have in mind for us.

53 How can we stand up and face them if you do not come to our aid?'

54 Then they sounded the trumpets and raised a great shout.

55 Next, Judas appointed leaders for the people, to command a thousand, a hundred, fifty or ten men.

56 Those who were in the middle of building a house, or were about to be married, or were planting a vineyard, or were afraid, he told to go home again, as the Law allowed.

57 The column then marched off and took up a position south of Emmaus.

58 'Stand to your arms,' Judas told them, 'acquit yourselves bravely, in the morning be ready to fight these gentiles massed against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.

59 Better for us to die in battle than to watch the ruin of our nation and our Holy Place.

60 Whatever be the will of Heaven, he will perform it.'

1 Maccabees 4:1 Gorgias took with him five thousand foot and a thousand picked cavalry, and the force moved off by night

2 with the object of attacking the Jewish position and dealing them an unexpected blow; the men from the Citadel were there to guide him.

3 Judas got wind of it and himself moved off with his fighters to strike at the royal army at Emmaus,

4 while its fighting troops were still dispersed outside the camp.

5 Hence, when Gorgias reached Judas' camp, he found no one and began looking for the Jews in the mountains. 'For', he said, 'we have got them on the run.'

6 First light found Judas in the plain with three thousand men, although these lacked the armour and swords they would have wished.

7 They could now see the gentile encampment with its strong fortifications and cavalry surrounding it, clearly people who understood warfare.

8 Judas said to his men, 'Do not be afraid of their numbers, and do not flinch at their attack.

9 Remember how our ancestors were delivered at the Red Sea when Pharaoh was pursuing them in force.

10 And now let us call on Heaven: if he cares for us, he will remember his covenant with our ancestors and will destroy this army confronting us today;

11 then all the nations will know for certain that there is One who ransoms and saves Israel.'

12 The foreigners looked up and, seeing the Jews advancing against them,

13 came out of the camp to join battle. Judas' men sounded the trumpet

14 and engaged them. The gentiles were defeated and fled towards the plain

15 and all the stragglers fell by the sword. The pursuit continued as far as Gezer and the plains of Idumaea, Azotus and Jamnia, and the enemy lost about three thousand men.

16 Breaking off the pursuit, Judas returned with his men

17 and said to the people, 'Never mind the booty, for we have another battle ahead of us.

18 Gorgias and his troops are still near us in the mountains. First stand up to our enemies and fight them, and then you can safely collect the booty.'

19 The words were hardly out of Judas' mouth, when a detachment came into view, peering down from the mountain.

20 Observing that their own troops had been routed and that the camp had been fired -- since the smoke, which they could see, attested the fact-

21 they were panic-stricken at the sight; and when, furthermore, they saw Judas' troops drawn up for battle on the plain,

22 they all fled into Philistine territory.

23 Judas then turned back to plunder the camp, and a large sum in gold and silver, with violet and sea-purple stuffs, and many other valuables were carried off.

24 On their return, the Jews chanted praises to Heaven, singing, 'He is kind and his love is everlasting!'

25 That day had seen a remarkable deliverance in Israel.

26 Those of the foreigners who had escaped came and gave Lysias an account of all that had happened.

27 The news shocked and dismayed him, for affairs in Israel had not gone as he intended, and the result was quite the opposite to what the king had ordered.

28 The next year he mobilised sixty thousand picked troops and five thousand cavalry with the intention of finishing off the Jews.

29 They advanced into Idumaea and made their base at Beth-Zur, where Judas met them with ten thousand men.

30 When he saw their military strength he offered this prayer, 'Blessed are you, Saviour of Israel, who shattered the mighty warrior's attack at the hand of your servant David, and delivered the Philistine camp into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and his armour-bearer.

31 Crush this expedition in the same way at the hands of your people Israel; let their troops and cavalry bring them nothing but shame.

32 Sow panic in their ranks, confound the confidence they put in their numbers and send them reeling in defeat.

33 Overthrow them by the sword of those who love you, and all who acknowledge your name will sing your praises.'

34 The two forces engaged, and five thousand men of Lysias' troops fell in hand-to-hand fighting.

35 Seeing the rout of his army and the courage of Judas' troops and their readiness to live or die nobly, Lysias withdrew to Antioch, where he recruited mercenaries for a further invasion of Judaea in even greater strength.

36 Judas and his brothers then said, 'Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it.'

37 So they marshalled the whole army, and went up to Mount Zion.

38 There they found the sanctuary deserted, the altar desecrated, the gates burnt down, and vegetation growing in the courts as it might in a wood or on some mountain, while the storerooms were in ruins.

39 They tore their garments and mourned bitterly, putting dust on their heads.

40 They prostrated themselves on the ground, and when the trumpets gave the signal they cried aloud to Heaven.

Genesis 1:1-5 - JPS

1. When God began to create heaven and earth --

2. the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water --

3. God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

4. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

5. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

Yochanan Alef (1 John) 1:1-10

By: Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham & Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

1 What was from [the] beginning (i.e., B’resheet – Gen.1:1ff.), what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched, concerning the Torah giving life,

2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us;

3 what we have seen and heard, we announce to you also, in order that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His son (the anointed King of Israel) Yeshua the Messiah.

4 And these things we write, in order that our joy may be complete.

5 And this is the message which we have heard from him (i.e., the Master) and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in Him (God) at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him (i.e., God) and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (i.e., the Torah – cf. Ps. 119:142).

7 But if we walk in the light as he (the Master) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the life of Yeshua His son (anointed King of Israel) purify us from every sin.

8 If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth (i.e., the Torah – cf. Ps. 119:142) is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins [to God and repent], He (God) is faithful and just, so that He will forgive us our

sins and will purify us from all injustices [that we have committed].

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him (i.e., God) a liar, and His word (i.e., Torah) is not in us.

END OF THE READINGS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF CHANUKAH

Chanukah Second Day

Kislev 26, 5785

Evening Thursday December 26, 2024 – Evening Friday December 27, 2024

Morning Service:

Torah: Numbers 7:18-29

Reader 1 - Num. 7:18-20

Reader 2 - Num. 7:21-23

Reader 3 - Num. 7:24-29

Yehudit (Judith) 5:18 – 7:16

1 Maccabees 4:41 – 6:27

Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

Nazareans add in their private study and discussions: Isaiah 5:20-24+42:18; & 1 John 2:1-29

For further information please read and study:

http://www.betemunah.org/lapin.html, http://www.betemunah.org/connection.html,

http://www.betemunah.org/chanukah.html, & http://www.betemunah.org/lights.html

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Midbar (Numbers) 7:18-35

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
18. On the second day, Nethanel the son of Zu'ar, the chieftain of Issachar brought [his offering].	18. On the second day, Nethanel bar Zuar, chief of the house of the fathers of the tribe Issakar, brought his oblation.
19. He brought his offering of one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver sprinkling basin [weighing] seventy shekels according to the holy shekel, both filled with fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering.	19. He brought his oblation after Jehudah by commandment of the Holy: one silver dish thickly embossed, one hundred and thirty shekels, &c., as the first.
20. One spoon [weighing] ten gold [shekels] filled with incense.	20.
21. One young bull, one ram and one lamb in its first year for a burnt offering.	21.
22. One young he goat for a sin offering.	22.
23. And for the peace offering: two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs in their first year; this was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zu'ar.	23.
24. On the third day, the chieftain was of the sons of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon.	24. On the third day, Eliab bar Helon, prince of the Beni Zebulon, offered.
25. His offering was one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver sprinkling basin [weighing] seventy shekels according to the holy shekel, both filled with fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering.	25.
26. One spoon [weighing] ten gold [shekels] filled with incense.	26.
27. One young bull, one ram and one lamb in its first year for a burnt offering.	27.
28. One young he goat for a sin offering.	28.
29. And for the peace offering: two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs in their first year; this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.	29.
30. On the fourth day, the chieftain was of the sons of Reuben, Elitzur the son of Shedeur.	30. On the fourth, Elizur bar Shedeur, prince of the Benei Reuben;
31. His offering was one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver sprinkling basin [weighing] seventy shekels according to the holy shekel, both filled with fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering.	31.
32. One spoon [weighing] ten gold [shekels] filled with incense.	32.
33. One young bull, one ram and one lamb in its first year for a burnt offering.	33.
34. One young he goat for a sin offering.	34.
35. And for the peace offering: two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs in their first year; this was the offering of Elitzur the son of Shedeur.	35.

Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

Rashi	Targum
1. A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David.	1. A praise song for the dedication of the sanctuary. Of David.
2. I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have raised me up, and You have not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me.	2. I will praise you, O LORD, for you made me stand erect, and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
3. O Lord, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me.	3. O LORD my God, I prayed in Your presence and You healed me.
4. O Lord, You have brought my soul from the grave; You have revived me from my descent into the Pit.	4. O LORD, You raised my soul out of Sheol; You preserved me from going down to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, His pious ones, and give thanks to His holy name.	5. Sing praise in the LORD's presence, you His devotees; and give thanks at the invocation of His holy one.
6. For His wrath lasts but a moment; life results from His favor; in the evening, weeping may tarry, but in the morning there is joyful singing.	6. For His anger is but a moment; eternal life is His good pleasure. In the evening one goes to bed in tears, but in the morning one rises in praise.
7. And I said in my tranquility, "I will never falter."	7. And I said when I dwelt in trust, I will never be shaken.
8. O Lord, with Your will, You set up my mountain to be might, You hid Your countenance and I became frightened.	8. O LORD, by Your will You prepared the mighty mountains; You removed Your presence, I became afraid.
9. To You, O Lord, I would call, and to the Lord I would supplicate.	9. In Your presence, O LORD, I will cry out; and to You, O my God, I will pray.
10. "What gain is there in my blood, in my descent to the grave? Will dust thank You; will it recite Your truth?	10. And I said, What profit is there in my blood, when I descend to the grave? Can those who descend to the dust praise You? Will they tell of Your faithfulness?
11. Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be my helper."	11. Accept, O LORD, my prayer, and have mercy on me; O LORD, be my helper.
12. You have turned my lament into dancing for me; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.	12. You turned my lament into my celebration; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. So that my soul will sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will thank You forever.	13. Because the nobles of the world will give You praise and not be silent, O LORD my God, I too will give You praise.

Yehudit (Judith) 5:18 – 7:16

New Jerusalem Bible Version

18 But when they turned from the path, he had marked out for them some were exterminated in a series of battles, others were taken captive to a foreign land. The Temple of their God was razed to the ground and their towns were seized by their enemies.

19 Then having turned once again to their God, they came back from the places to which they had been dispersed and scattered, regained possession of Jerusalem, where they have their Temple, and reoccupied the hill-country which had been left deserted.

20 So, now, master and lord, if this people has committed any fault, if they have sinned against their God, let us first be sure that they really have this reason to fail, then advance and attack them.

21 But if their nation is guiltless, my lord would do better to abstain, for fear that their Lord and God should protect them. We should then become the laughing-stock of the whole world.'

22 When Achior had ended this speech, all the people crowding round the tent began protesting. Holofernes' own senior officers, as well as all the coastal peoples and the Moabites, threatened to tear him limb from limb.

23 'Why should we be afraid of the Israelites? They are a weak and powerless people, quite unable to stand a stiff attack.

24 Forward! Advance! Your army, Holofernes our master, will swallow them in one mouthful!'

NJB Judith 6:1 When the uproar of those crowding round the council had subsided, Holofernes, general-in-chief of the Assyrian army, reprimanded Achior in front of the whole crowd of foreigners and Ammonites.

2 'Achior, who do you think you are, you and the Ephraimite mercenaries, playing the prophet like this with us today, and trying to dissuade us from making war on the people of Israel? You claim their God will protect them. And who is God if not Nebuchadnezzar? He himself will display his power and wipe them off the face of the earth, and their God will certainly not save them.

3 But we, his servants, shall destroy them as easily as a single individual. They can never resist the strength of our cavalry.

4 We shall burn them all. Their mountains will be drunk with their blood and their plains filled with their corpses. Far from being able to resist us, every one of them will die; thus says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of the whole world. For he has spoken, and his words will not prove empty.

5 As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, who in a rash moment said these words, you will not see my face again until the day when I have taken my revenge on this brood from Egypt.

6 And then the swords of my soldiers and the spears of my officers will pierce your sides. You will fall among their wounded, the moment I turn on Israel.

7 My servants will now take you into the hill-country and leave you near one of the towns in the passes;

8 you will not die, until you share their ruin.

9 No need to look so sad if you cherish the secret hope that they will not be captured! I have spoken; none of my words will prove idle.'

10 Holofernes having commanded his tent-orderlies to seize Achior, to take him to Bethulia and to hand him over to the Israelites,

11 the orderlies took him, escorted him out of the camp and across the plain, and then, making for the hill-country, reached the springs below Bethulia.

12 As soon as the men of the town sighted them, they snatched up their weapons, left the town and made for the mountain tops, while all the slingers pelted them with stones to prevent them from coming up.

13 However, they managed to take cover at the foot of the slope, where they bound Achior and left him lying at the bottom of the mountain and returned to their master.

14 The Israelites then came down from their town, stopped by him, unbound him and took him to Bethulia, where they brought him before the chief men of the town,

15 who at that time were Uzziah son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris son of Gothoniel and Charmis son of Melchiel.

16 These summoned all the elders of the town. The young men and the women also hurried to the assembly. Achior was made to stand with all the people surrounding him, and Uzziah questioned him about what had happened.

17 He answered by telling them what had been said at Holofernes' council, and what he himself had said in the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and how Holofernes had bragged of what he would do to the House of Israel.

18 At this the people fell to the ground and worshipped God.

19 'Lord God of heaven,' they cried, 'take notice of their arrogance and have pity on the humiliation of our race. Look kindly today on those who are consecrated to you.'

20 They then spoke reassuringly to Achior and praised him warmly.

21 After the assembly Uzziah took him home and gave a banquet for the elders; all that night they called on the God of Israel for help.

NJB Judith 7:1 The following day Holofernes issued orders to his whole army and to the whole host of auxiliaries who had joined him, to break camp and march on Bethulia, to occupy the mountain passes and so open the campaign against the Israelites.

2 The troops broke camp that same day. The actual fighting force numbered one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not to mention the baggage train with the vast number of men on foot concerned with that.

3 They penetrated the valley in the neighbourhood of Bethulia, near the spring, and deployed on a wide front from Dothan to Balbaim and, in depth, from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.

4 When the Israelites saw this horde, they were all appalled and said to each other, 'Now they will lick the whole country clean. Not even the loftiest peaks, the gorges or the hills will be able to stand the weight of them.'

5 Each man snatched up his arms; they lit beacons on their towers and spent the whole night on watch.

6 On the second day Holofernes deployed his entire cavalry in sight of the Israelites in Bethulia.

7 He reconnoitred the slopes leading up to the town, located the water-points, seized them and posted pickets over them and returned to the main body.

8 The chieftains of the sons of Esau, all the leaders of the Moabites and the generals of the coastal district then came to him and said,

9 'If our master will be pleased to listen to us, his forces will not sustain a single wound.

10 These Israelites do not rely so much on their spears as on the height of the mountains where they live. And admittedly it is not at all easy to scale these heights of theirs.

11 'This being the case, master, avoid engaging them in a pitched battle and then you will not lose a single man.

12 Stay in camp, keep all your troops there too, while your servants seize the spring which rises at the foot of the mountain,

13 since that is what provides the population of Bethulia with their water supply. Thirst will then force them to surrender their town. Meanwhile, we and our men will climb the nearest mountain tops and form advance posts there to prevent anyone from leaving the town.

14 Hunger will waste them, with their wives and children, and before the sword can reach them they will already be lying in the streets outside their houses.

15 And you will make them pay dearly for their defiance and their refusal to meet you peaceably.'

16 Their words pleased Holofernes as well as all his officers, and he decided to do as they suggested.

1 Maccabees 4:41 – 6:27

New Jerusalem Bible Version

41 Judas then ordered his men to keep the Citadel garrison engaged until he had purified the sanctuary.

42 Next, he selected priests who were blameless and zealous for the Law

43 to purify the sanctuary and remove the stones of the 'Pollution' to some unclean place.

44 They discussed what should be done about the altar of burnt offering which had been profaned,

45 and very properly decided to pull it down, rather than later be embarrassed about it since it had been defiled by the gentiles. They therefore demolished it

46 and deposited the stones in a suitable place on the hill of the Dwelling to await the appearance of a prophet who should give a ruling about them.

47 They took unhewn stones, as the Law prescribed, and built a new altar on the lines of the old one.

48 They restored the Holy Place and the interior of the Dwelling, and purified the courts.

49 They made new sacred vessels, and brought the lamp-stand, the altar of incense, and the table into the Temple.

50 They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lamp-stand, and these shone inside the Temple.

51 They placed the loaves on the table and hung the curtains and completed all the tasks they had undertaken.

52 On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year 148 they rose at dawn

53 and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of burnt offering which they had made.

54 The altar was dedicated, to the sound of hymns, zithers, lyres and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the gentiles had originally profaned it.

55 The whole people fell prostrate in adoration and then praised Heaven who had granted them success.

56 For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering burnt offerings, communion and thanksgiving sacrifices.

57 They ornamented the front of the Temple with crowns and bosses of gold, renovated the gates and storerooms, providing the latter with doors.

58 There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, since the disgrace inflicted by the gentiles had been effaced.

59 Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of the dedication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness.

60 They then proceeded to build high walls with strong towers round Mount Zion, to prevent the gentiles from coming and riding roughshod over it as in the past.

61 Judas stationed a garrison there to guard it; he also fortified Beth-Zur, so that the people would have a fortress confronting Idumaea.

NJB 1 Maccabees 5:1 When the surrounding nations heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary restored to what it had been before, they became very angry

2 and decided to destroy the descendants of Jacob living among them; they began to murder and evict our people.

3 Judas made war on the sons of Esau in Idumaea, in the region of Acrabattene where they were besieging the Israelites. He dealt them a serious blow, drove them off and despoiled them.

4 He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean, who were a menace and a trap for the people with their ambushes on the roads.

5 Having blockaded them in their town and besieged them, he put them under the curse of destruction; he then set fire to their towers and burned them down with everyone inside.

6 Next, he crossed over to the Ammonites where he found a strong fighting force and a numerous people, commanded by Timotheus.

7 He fought many battles with them, defeated them and cut them to pieces.

8 Having captured Jazer and its dependent villages, he retired to Judaea.

9 Next, the gentiles of Gilead banded together to destroy the Israelites living in their territory. The latter, however, took refuge in the fortress of Dathema,

10 and sent the following letter to Judas and his brothers: 'The gentiles round us have banded themselves together against us to destroy us,

11 and they are preparing to storm the fortress in which we have taken refuge; Timotheus is in command of their forces.

12 Come at once and rescue us from their clutches, for we have already suffered great losses.

13 All our countrymen living in Tobias' country have been killed, their women and children have been taken into captivity, their property has been seized, and about a thousand men have been destroyed there.'

14 While the letter was being read, other messengers arrived from Galilee with their garments torn, bearing similar news,

15 'The people of Ptolemais, Tyre and Sidon have joined forces with the whole of gentile Galilee to destroy us!'

16 When Judas and the people heard this, they held a great assembly to decide what should be done for their oppressed countrymen who were under attack from their enemies.

17 Judas said to his brother Simon, 'Pick your men and go and relieve your countrymen in Galilee, while my brother Jonathan and I make our way into Gilead.'

18 He left Joseph son of Zechariah and the people's leader Azariah with the remainder of the army in Judaea to keep guard, and gave them these orders,

19 'You are to be responsible for our people. Do not engage the gentiles until we return.'

20 Simon was allotted three thousand men for the expedition into Galilee, Judas eight thousand for Gilead.

21 Simon advanced into Galilee, engaged the gentiles in several battles and swept all before him;

22 he pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais, and they lost about three thousand men, whose spoils he collected.

23 With him, he took away the Jews of Galilee and Arbatta, with their wives and children and all their possessions, and brought them into Judaea with great rejoicing.

24 Meanwhile Judas Maccabaeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan and made a three-days' march through the desert,

25 where they encountered the Nabataeans, who gave them a friendly reception and told them everything that had been happening to their brothers in Gilead,

26 many of whom, they said, were shut up in Bozrah and Bosor, Alema, Chaspho, Maked and Carnaim, all large fortified towns.

27 Others were blockaded in the other towns of Gilead, and the enemy planned to attack and capture these strongholds the very next day, and destroy all the people inside them on one day.

28 Judas and his army at once turned off by the desert road to Bozrah. He took the town and, having put all the males to the sword and collected the booty, burned it down.

29 When night came, he left the place, and they continued their march until they reached the fortress.

30 In the light of dawn they looked, and there was an innumerable horde, setting up ladders and engines to capture the fortress; the assault was just beginning.

31 When Judas saw that the attack had begun and that the war cry was rising to heaven from the city, mingled with trumpet calls and a great clamour,

32 he said to the men of his army, 'Into battle today for your brothers!'

33 Dividing them into three commands, he advanced on the enemy's rear, with trumpets sounding and prayers shouted aloud.

34 The troops of Timotheus, recognising that this was Maccabaeus, fled before his advance; Maccabaeus dealt them a crushing defeat; about eight thousand of their men fell that day.

35 Then, wheeling on Alema, he attacked and captured it and, having killed all the males and collected the booty, burned the place down.

36 From there he moved on and took Chaspho, Maked, Bosor and the remaining towns of Gilead.

37 After these events, Timotheus mustered another force and pitched camp opposite Raphon, on the far side of the stream-bed.

38 Judas sent men to reconnoitre the camp, and these reported back as follows, 'With him are massed all the gentiles surrounding us, making a very numerous army,

39 with Arab mercenaries as auxiliaries; they are encamped on the far side of the stream-bed, and ready to launch an attack on you.' Judas then advanced to engage them,

40 and was approaching the watercourse with his troops when Timotheus told the commanders of his army, 'If he crosses first we shall not be able to resist him, because he will have a great advantage over us;

41 but if he is afraid and camps on the other side of the stream, we shall cross over to him and the advantage will then be ours.'

42 As soon as Judas reached the watercourse, he posted people's scribes along it, giving them this order: 'Do not let anyone pitch his tent; all are to go into battle!'

43 He was himself the first across to the enemy side, with all the people following. He defeated all the opposing gentiles, who threw down their arms and ran for refuge in the sanctuary of Carnaim.

44 The Jews first captured the town and then burned down the temple with everyone inside. And so Carnaim was overthrown, and the enemy could offer no further resistance to Judas.

45 Next, Judas assembled all the Israelites living in Gilead, from the least to the greatest, with their wives, children and belongings, an enormous muster, to take them to Judaea.

46 They reached Ephron, a large town straddling the road and strongly fortified. As it was impossible to by-pass it either to right or to left, there was nothing for it but to march straight through.

47 But the people of the town denied them passage and barricaded the gates with stones.

48 Judas sent them a conciliatory message in these terms, 'We want to pass through your territory to reach our own; no one will do you any harm, we only want to go through on foot.' But they would not open up for him.

49 So Judas sent an order down the column for everyone to halt where he stood.

50 The fighting men took up their positions; Judas attacked the town all day and night, and the town fell to him.

51 He put all the males to the sword, rased the town to the ground, plundered it and marched through the town square over the bodies of the dead.

52 They then crossed the Jordan into the Great Plain, opposite Beth-Shean,

53 Judas all the time rallying the stragglers and encouraging the people the whole way until they reached Judaea.

54 They climbed Mount Zion in joy and gladness and presented burnt offerings because they had returned safe and sound without having lost a single man.

55 While Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and Simon his brother in Galilee outside Ptolemais,

56 Joseph son of Zechariah, and Azariah, who were in command of the army, heard of their valiant deeds and of the battles they had been fighting,

57 and said, 'Let us make a name for ourselves too and go and fight the nations around us.'

58 So they issued orders to the men under their command and marched on Jamnia.

59 Gorgias and his men came out of the town and gave battle.

60 Joseph and Azariah were routed and pursued as far as the frontiers of Judaea. That day about two thousand Israelites lost their lives.

61 Our people thus met with a great reverse, because they had not listened to Judas and his brothers, thinking that they would do something equally valiant.

62 They were not, however, of the same breed of men as those to whom the deliverance of Israel was entrusted.

63 The noble Judas and his brothers, however, were held in high honour throughout Israel and among all the nations wherever their name was heard,

64 and people thronged round to acclaim them.

65 Judas marched out with his brothers to fight the Edomites in the country towards the south; he stormed Hebron and its dependent villages, threw down its fortifications and burned down its encircling towers.

66 Leaving there, he made for the country of the Philistines and passed through Marisa.

67 Among the fallen in that day's fighting were some priests who sought to prove their courage there by joining in the battle, a foolhardy venture.

68 Judas next turned on Azotus, which belonged to the Philistines; he overthrew their altars, burned the statues of their gods and, having pillaged their towns, withdrew to Judaea.

NJB 1 Maccabees 6:1 King Antiochus, meanwhile, was making his way through the Upper Provinces; he had heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais, renowned for its riches, its silver and gold,

2 and its very wealthy temple containing golden armour, breastplates and weapons, left there by Alexander son of Philip, the king of Macedon, the first to reign over the Greeks.

3 He therefore went and attempted to take the city and pillage it, but without success, the citizens having been forewarned.

4 They resisted him by force of arms. He was routed, and began retreating, very gloomily, towards Babylon.

5 But, while he was still in Persia, news reached him that the armies which had invaded Judaea had been routed,

6 and that Lysias in particular had advanced in massive strength, only to be forced to turn and flee before the Jews; that the latter were now stronger than ever, thanks to the arms, supplies and abundant spoils acquired from the armies they had cut to pieces,

7 and that they had pulled down the abomination which he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem, had encircled the sanctuary with high walls as in the past, and had fortified Beth-Zur, one of his cities.

8 When the king heard this news he was amazed and profoundly shaken; he threw himself on his bed and fell sick with grief, since things had not turned out for him as he had planned.

9 And there he remained for many days, subject to deep and recurrent fits of melancholy, until he realised that he was dying.

10 Then, summoning all his Friends, he said to them, 'Sleep evades my eyes, and my heart is cowed by anxiety.

11 I have been wondering how I could have come to such a pitch of distress, so great a flood as that which now engulfs me -- I who was so generous and well-loved in my heyday.

12 But now I recall how wrongly I acted in Jerusalem when I seized all the vessels of silver and gold there and ordered the extermination of the inhabitants of Judah for no reason at all.

13 This, I am convinced, is why these misfortunes have overtaken me, and why I am dying of melancholy in a foreign land.'

14 He summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and made him regent of the whole kingdom.

15 He entrusted him with his diadem, his robe and his signet, on the understanding that he was to educate his son Antiochus and train him for the throne.

16 King Antiochus then died, in the year 149.

17 Lysias, learning that the king was dead, established on the throne in succession to him his son Antiochus, whom he had brought up from childhood -- and styled him Eupator.

18 The people in the Citadel at the time were blockading Israel round the sanctuary and were taking every opportunity to harm them and to support the gentiles.

19 Judas decided that they must be destroyed, and he mobilised the whole people to besiege them.

20 They assembled and laid siege to the Citadel in the year 150, building batteries and siege-engines.

21 But some of the besieged broke through the blockade, and to these a number of renegades from Israel attached themselves.

22 They made their way to the king and said, 'How much longer are you going to wait before you see justice done and avenge our fellows?

23 We were content to serve your father, to comply with his orders, and to obey his edicts.

24 As a result our own people will have nothing to do with us; what is more, they have killed all those of us they could catch, and looted our family property.

25 Nor is it on us alone that their blows have fallen, but on all your territories.

26 At this moment, they are laying siege to the Citadel of Jerusalem, to capture it, and they have fortified the sanctuary and Beth-Zur.

27 Unless you forestall them at once, they will go on to even bigger things, and then you will never be able to control them.'

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 5:20-24 JPS

²⁰ Ah, Those who call evil good And good evil; Who present darkness as light And light as darkness; Who present bitter as sweet And sweet as bitter!

²¹ Ah, Those who are so wise -- In their own opinion; So clever -- In their own judgment!

²² Ah, Those who are so doughty -- As drinkers of wine, And so valiant -- As mixers of drink!

²³ Who vindicate him who is in the wrong In return for a bribe, And withhold vindication From him who is in the right.

²⁴ Assuredly, As straw is consumed by a tongue of fire And hay shrivels as it burns, Their stock shall become like rot, And their buds shall blow away like dust. For they have rejected the instruction in the Torah of the LORD of Hosts,

Spurned the Word of the Holy One of Israel.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 42:18 - JPS

18. Listen, you who are deaf; You blind ones, look up and see!

Yochanan Alef (1 John) 2:1-29

By: Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham & Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

1 My sons, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Yeshua the Messiah the righteous/generous one,

2 and he was made the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole [Gentile] world.

3 And by this we know that we have come to have intimate knowledge of him (the Master), if we keep His (God’s) commandments.

4 The one who says, "I have come to intimately know him," and does not keep His (God’s) commandments is a liar, and the truth (i.e., the Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142) is not [dwelling] in this person.

5 But whoever puts in practice God’s Torah, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him (Messiah).

6 The one who says that he resides in him (Messiah) ought also to walk just as he walked [in submissive obedience to the Torah and to the Torah Sages].

7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning (i.e., B’resheet = Gen. 1:1ff). The old commandment is the message which you have heard [from the Torah].

8 Again, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in him (Messiah) and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already is shining.

9 The one who says he is in the light and hates/belittles his [Jewish] brother is in the darkness even now.

10 The one who loves his [Jewish] brother resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

11 But the one who hates/belittles his [Jewish] brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, sons, because your sins have been forgiven you on account of His (God’s) name (i.e., authority).

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who [is] from [the] beginning (i.e., Genesis 1:1ff). I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome wickedness/Lawlessness. I have written to you, young boys, because you have known the Father.

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known him who [is] from [the] beginning (i.e., Genesis 1:1ff). I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God resides in you, and you have overcome wickedness/Lawlessness.

15 Love not the [pagan] world nor the things in the [pagan] world. If anyone should love the [pagan] world, the love of the Father is not in him,

16 because all that is in the [pagan] world, the desire of the Yetser Hara (Heb. for “The Evil Inclination”) and the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life (material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the [pagan] world.

17 And the [pagan] world and its desire are passing away, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

18 My sons, it is the last time, and according to what you have heard that the anti-messiah (false messiah) is coming, even now many anti-messiahs (false messiahs) have arisen, by which we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out, in order that it might be known that all of them were not of us.

20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth (i.e., Torah – Psalm 119:142), but because you do know it, and because any lie is not of the truth (i.e., Torah – Psalm 119:142).

22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah? This person is the anti-messiah (false messiah) the one who denies the Father and the son (anointed King of Israel).

23 Everyone who denies the son (i.e., the anointed King of Israel) does not have the Father either; the one who agrees with the son (i.e., the anointed King of Israel) has the Father also.

24 As for you, what you have heard from the beginning (i.e., Gen. 1:1ff) let it be established in you. If what you have heard from the beginning (i.e., Gen. 1:1ff) is established in you, you also will be established in the [knowledge of the] son (i.e., the anointed King of Israel) and in the Father.

25 And this is the promise which He (i.e., God) Himself promised us: eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you concerning the ones who are trying to lead you astray.

27 And as for you, the anointing (Smikha – ordination) which you received from Him (i.e., God) is established in you, and you do not have need that anyone teach you [anything different]. But as His anointing (Smikha – ordination) teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you are established in Him (i.e. God).

28 And now, my sons, be established in him (i.e., the Master), so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him (i.e., the Master) at his coming.

29 If you know that He (i.e., God) is righteous/generous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness/ generosity has been fathered by Him (i.e., God).

END OF THE READINGS FOR THE SECOND DAY OF CHANUKAH

Chanukah Third Day & Sabbath

Kislev 27, 5785

Evening Friday December 27, 2024 – Evening Saturday December 28, 2024

“Sabbath of the Feast of Dedication” - “וּקְצַרְתֶּם - Harvest”

Shabbat Mevarchim – Proclamation of the New Moon of Tevet

Rosh Chodesh Tevet – December 31, 2024 - January1, 2025

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
ּ וּקְצַרְתֶּם		Saturday Afternoon
“Harvest”	Reader 1 – Leviticus 23:9-12	Reader 1 – Leviticus 23:15-17
“Cosecha”	Reader 2 – Leviticus 23:12-15	Reader 2 – Leviticus 23:18-20
Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:9-32	Reader 3 – Leviticus 23:16-18	Reader 3 – Leviticus 23:21-23
	Reader 4 – Leviticus 23:19-21
Ashlamatah: Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7	Reader 5 – Leviticus 23:22-25	Monday / Thursday Mornings
Special Ashlamata: Shmuel alef (1 Samuel) 20:18-42	Reader 6 – Leviticus 23:26-28	Reader 1 – Leviticus 23:15-17
Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13	Reader 7 – Leviticus 23:29-32	Reader 2 – Leviticus 23:18-20
N.C.: Lk. 14:1-6; 1Pet 5:12-14	Maftir – Leviticus 23:29-32	Reader 3 – Leviticus 23:21-23

For further information please read and study:

http://www.betemunah.org/lapin.html, http://www.betemunah.org/connection.html,

http://www.betemunah.org/chanukah.html, & http://www.betemunah.org/lights.html

Contents of the Torah Seder

· The Omer – Leviticus 23:9-14

· The Feast of Weeks – Shabuoth – Leviticus 23:15-21

· When you reap – Leviticus 23:22-23

· Day of Memorial – Rosh HaShanah – Leviticus 23:24-25

· Day of Atonements – Leviticus 23:26-32

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:9 – 23:32

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
9. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	9. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh, saying:
10. Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you come to the Land which I am giving you, and you reap its harvest, you shall bring to the kohen an omer of the beginning of your reaping.	10. Speak with the sons of Israel, and say to them: When you have entered into the land which I give you, and you reap the harvest, you will bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest;
11. And he shall wave the omer before the Lord so that it will be acceptable for you; the kohen shall wave it on the day after the rest day.	11. and he will uplift the sheaf before the LORD to be accepted for you. After the first festal day of Pascha (or, the day after the feast-day of Pascha)
12. And on the day of your waving the omer, you shall offer up an unblemished lamb in its [first] year as a burnt offering to the Lord;	12. on the day on which you elevate the sheaf, you will make (the sacrifice of a lamb of the year, unblemished a burnt offering unto the Name of the LORD:
13. Its meal offering [shall be] two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil, a fire offering to the Lord as a spirit of satisfaction. And its libation [shall be] a quarter of a hin of wine.	13. and its mincha, two tenths of flour, mingled with olive oil, for an oblation to the Name of the LORD, to be received with acceptance; and its libation, wine of grapes, the fourth of a hin.
14. You shall not eat bread or [flour made from] parched grain or fresh grain, until this very day, until you bring your God's sacrifice. [This is] an eternal statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.	14. But neither bread nor parched corn (of the ripe harvest) nor new ears may you eat until this day, until the time of your bringing the oblation of your God: an everlasting statute unto your generations in all your dwellings.
15. And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering seven weeks; they shall be complete.	15. And number to you after the first feast day of Pascha, from the day when you brought the sheaf for the elevation, seven weeks; complete they will be.
16. You shall count until the day after the seventh week, [namely,] the fiftieth day, [on which] you shall bring a new meal offering to the Lord.	16. Until the day after the seventh week you will number fifty days, and will offer a mincha of the new bread unto the Name of the LORD.
17. From your dwelling places, you shall bring bread, set aside, two [loaves] [made from] two tenths [of an ephah]; they shall be of fine flour, [and] they shall be baked leavened, the first offering to the Lord.	17. From the place of your dwellings you are to bring the bread for the elevation; two cakes of two-tenths of flour, which must be baked with leaven, as first fruits unto the Name of the LORD.
18. And associated with the bread, you shall bring seven unblemished lambs in their [first] year, one young bull, and two rams these shall be a burn offering to the Lord, [along with] their meal offering and libations a fire offering [with] a spirit of satisfaction to the Lord.	18. And with that bread you are to offer seven lambs of the year, unblemished, and a young bullock without mixture (of color), the one for a sin offering, and two lambs of the year for a sanctified oblation.
19. And you shall offer up one he goat as a sin offering, and two lambs in their [first] year as a peace offering.	19. And you will make (a sacrifice) of a young goat without mixture, the one for a sin offering and two lambs of the year for a sanctified oblation.
20. And the kohen shall wave them in conjunction with the first offering bread as a waving before the Lord, along with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord, [and] belong to the kohen.	20. And the priest will uplift them with the bread of the first fruits, an elevation before the LORD, with the two lambs; they will be holy to the Name of the LORD, and will be for the priest.
21. And you shall designate on this very day a holy occasion it shall be for you; you shall not perform any work of labor. [This is] an eternal statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.	21. And you will proclaim with life and strength that self-same day, that at the time of that day there will be to you a holy convocation: you will do no work of labour: it is an everlasting statute in all your dwelling for your generations.
22. When you reap the harvest of your Land, you shall not completely remove the corner of your field during your harvesting, and you shall not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. [Rather,] you shall leave these for the poor person and for the stranger. I am the Lord, your God.	22. And when you reap the harvest of the ground, you will not finish one corner that is in your field at your reaping nor will you gather the gleanings of your harvest, but leave them for the poor and the strangers: I am the LORD your God.
23. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	23. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh, saying:
24. Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, it shall be a Sabbath for you, a remembrance of [Israel through] the shofar blast a holy occasion.	24. Speak with the children of Israel, saying: In Tishri, which is the seventh month, will be to you a festival of seven days, a memorial of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25. You shall not perform any work of labor, and you shall offer up a fire offering to the Lord.	25. No work of labor may you do, but offer an oblation before the LORD unto the Name of the LORD.
26. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	26. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh saying:
27. But on the tenth of this seventh month, it is a day of atonement, it shall be a holy occasion for you; you shall afflict yourselves, and you shall offer up a fire offering to the Lord.	27. But on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonements; a holy convocation will it be to you, and you will humble your souls, (abstaining) from food, and from drink, and from the use of the bath, and from anointing, and the use of the bed, and from sandals; and you will offer an oblation before the LORD,
28. You shall not perform any work on that very day, for it is a day of atonement, for you to gain atonement before the Lord, your God.	28. and do no work on this same day; for it is the Day of Atonements, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.
29. For any person who will not be afflicted on that very day, shall be cut off from its people.	29. For every man who eats in the fast, and will not fast that same day, will be cut off by death from among His people. JERUSALEM: For every soul who hides himself from fasting and fasts not on the day of the fast of his atonement.
30. And any person who performs any work on that very day I will destroy that person from amidst its people.	30. And every man who does any work on that same day, that man will I destroy with death from among His people.
31. You shall not perform any work. [This is] an eternal statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.	31. No work of labor may you do ____ an everlasting statute for your generations, in all your dwellings.
32. It is a complete day of rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth of the month in the evening, from evening to evening, you shall observe your rest day.	32. It is a Sabbath and time of leisure for you to humble your souls. And you will begin to fast at the ninth day of the month at even time; from that evening, until the next evening, will you fast your fast, and repose in your quietude, that you may employ the time of your festivals with joy. JERUSALEM: From evening to evening, you will fast your fast, and repose in your quietude, that you may employ the time of your festivals with joy.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:9-32

10 [you shall bring...an omer] of the beginning of your reaping the first of the harvest [from the fields. Thus, one is permitted to proceed with the general harvest only after this omer has been reaped.] - [Sifthei Chachamim; Men. 71a]

omer a tenth of an ephah (see Exod. 16:36). That was its [the measure’s] name, like “And they measured it with an omer” (Exod. 16:18).

11 And he shall wave Every [mention of] תְּנוּפָה, “waving,” [in Scripture], denotes moving back and forth, up and down. [It is moved] back and forth to prevent evil winds; [it is moved] up and down to prevent evil dews [i.e., the dew should be a blessing for the crop, not a curse]. - [Men. 61a- 62a]

so that it will be acceptable for you If you offer it up according to these instructions, it will be acceptable for you.

on the day after the rest day - Heb. מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת. On the day after the first holy day of Passover, [since a holy festival day is also שַׁבָָּת, rest day, in Scripture]. For if you say [that it means] the “Sabbath of Creation” [i.e., the actual Sabbath, the seventh day of the week], you would not know which one. - [Men. 66a]

12 you shall offer up [an unblemished lamb in its [first] year] It comes as obligatory for the omer [not as part the additional offerings of Passover.

13 Its meal offering The meal offering [which accompanies every sacrifice], along with its libations. [See Num. 15:116.] [This is not an independent meal offering.]

two tenths [of an ephah] It was double [the usual meal offering for a lamb, which is one tenth.] (See Num. 15:4.)

and its libation [shall be] a quarter of a hin of wine Although its meal offering is double, its libations are not double, [but the usual libation prescribed for a lamb (Num. 15:5). - [Men. 89b]

14 or [flour made from] parched grain [This refers to] flour made from tender, plump grain that is parched in an oven (see Lev. 2:14).

plump grain [These are the] plump, parched kernels, grenaillis [in Old French]. - [See Rashi, Sifthei Chachamim on Lev. 2:14]

in all your dwelling places The Sages of Israel differ concerning this. Some learned from here that [the prohibition of eating] the new crop [before the omer] applies [even] outside the Land [of Israel], while others say that this phrase comes only to teach [us] that they were commanded regarding the new crop only after possession and settlement, after they had conquered and apportioned [the land. - [Kid. 37a]

15 from the morrow of the rest day On the day after the [first] holy day [of Passover]. - [See Rashi on verse 11; Men. 65b]

[seven weeks;] they shall be complete [This verse] teaches us that one must begin counting [each of these days] from the evening, because otherwise, they would not be “complete.”- [Men. 66a]

16 the day after the seventh week - Heb. הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: שְׁבִיעָתָא שְׁבוּעֲתָא, “the seventh week.”

You shall count until the day after the seventh week But not inclusive, making forty-nine days.

the fiftieth day, [on which] you will bring a meal offering to the Lord from the new [wheat crop] [lit., “(You shall count) fifty days and bring a meal offering to the Lord from the new (wheat crop).” But we count only forty-nine days. Therefore, the meaning is:] On the fiftieth day, you shall bring this [meal offering of the new wheat crop]. But I say that this is a Midrashic explanation of the verse [since it requires the forced attachment of the words חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם to the continuation of the verse regarding the meal offering, whereas the cantillation signs attach them to the preceding words regarding the counting]. But its simple meaning is: “until [but not inclusive of] ...the day after [the completion of] the seventh week, which is the fiftieth day, shall you count.” Accordingly, this is a transposed verse.

a new meal- offering This is the first meal offering brought from the new [crop]. Now, if you ask, “But was not the meal offering of the omer already offered up (see verse 10 above)?” [the answer to this is that] that is not like other meal offerings—for it comes from barley [and hence, this meal offering is new since it is the first meal offering from the wheat crop].

17 From your dwelling places but not from outside the Land. - [Men. 83b]

bread set aside Heb. לֶחֶם תְּנוּפָה, bread of separation, set aside for the sake of the Most High, and this is the new meal offering, mentioned above [in the preceding verse].

the first offering The first of all the meal offerings [brought from the new crop]; even a “jealousy meal offering” [for suspected infidelity, see Num. 5:1131], which comes from barley [see verse 15 there], may not be offered up from the new crop before the two loaves [have been brought]. - [Men. 84b]

18 And associated with the bread Heb. עַל־הַלֶּחֶם, lit. on the bread, i.e., “because of the bread,” i. e., as an obligation for the bread, [but not as a separate obligation for that day. I.e., if they did not bring the bread offering, they do not bring this associated burnt offering. - [Mizrachi; Torath Kohanim 23:171]

[along with] their meal offering and libations i.e., according to the prescription of meal offerings and libations specified for each [type of] animal in the passage that delineates [libations (see Num. 15:116), as follows: three tenths [of an ephah of flour] for each bull, two tenths for a ram and one tenth for a lamb—this is the meal offering [for sacrifices]. And the libations are as follows: Half a hin [of wine] for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb.

19 And you shall offer up one he-goat One might think that the seven lambs (preceding verse) and the he-goat mentioned here are the same seven lambs and the he-goat enumerated in the Book of Numbers (28:19, 22). However, when you reach [the enumeration there of] the bulls and rams, [the numbers of each animal] they are not the same [as those listed here]. You must now conclude that these are separate and those are separate—these are brought in conjunction with the bread, while those as additional offerings [for the Festival]. - [Torath Kohanim 23:171]

20 And the kohen shall wave them...as a waving This teaches us that they require waving while still alive. Now, one might think that they all [require waving]. Scripture, therefore, says, “along with the two lambs.” - [see Men. 62a]

They shall be holy Since a peace offering of an individual has itself a minor degree of holiness, Scripture had to say concerning communal peace offering that they are holy of holies.

22 When you reap [But Scripture has already stated this, “When you...reap its harvest...” (verse 10 above).] Scripture repeats it once again, [so that one who disobeys] transgresses two negative commands. Rabbi Avdimi the son of Rabbi Joseph says: Why does Scripture place this [passage] in the very middle of [the laws regarding] the Festivals — with Passover and Atzereth (Shavuoth) on one side and Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Festival [of Succoth] on the other? To teach you that whoever gives לֶקֶט, gleanings, שִׁכְחָה, forgotten sheaves, and פֵּאָה, the corners, to the poor in the appropriate manner, is deemed as if he had built the Holy Temple and offered up his sacrifices within it. - [Torath Kohanim 23:175]

you shall leave Leave it before them and let them gather it up. And you shall not help one of them [since this will deprive the others]. - [Torath Kohanim 19:22]

I am the Lord, your God Who is faithful to give reward [to those who fulfill My Torah].

24 a remembrance of [Israel through] the shofar blast [On this Rosh Hashanah day,] a remembrance [before God of the Jewish people is evoked through the sounds of the shofar. And in order to enhance this remembrance, our Rabbis instituted the recitation] of Scriptural verses dealing with remembrance and Scriptural verses dealing with the blowing of the shofar (R.H. 32a), through which the remembrance of the binding of Isaac is recalled for them, [whereby Isaac was willing to be sacrificed as a burnt-offering according to God’s words (see Gen. 22:119), and] in whose stead a ram was offered up [whereby the shofar alludes to that ram’s horns, by which it was caught in a tree, thus making its appearance as Isaac’s replacement (see Gen. 22:13)].-[Sifthei Chachamim, Gur Aryeh ; R.H. 16a]

25 And you shall offer up a fire offering The additional offerings stated in the Book of Num. (29:16).

27 But Heb. אַךְ. Wherever the word אַךְ, “but,” or רַק, “only,” appear in the Torah, they denote an exclusion. [Thus,] Yom Kippur atones for those who repent, “but” it does not atone for those who do not repent. - [Shev. 13a]

30 I will destroy - Heb. כָּרֵת ("excision" or “cutting off”) is stated [as a punishment] in many places [in Scripture] and I do not know what that means, when God says [explicitly] “I will destroy,” [coinciding with וְנִכְרְתָה in the preceding verse,] this teaches us כָּרֵת means only “destruction” [i.e., premature death, and not that the body is to be cut up or that the person is to be exiled].-[See Be’er Basadeh on this verse and on 22:3 above; Torath Kohanim 23:180]

31 You shall not perform any work [But has this not already been stated in verses 28 and 30 above? Yes, nevertheless this prohibition is repeated several times here, so that one who disobeys] transgresses many negative commandments, or to warn against work at night [that it is forbidden just] as [performing] work during the day [of the tenth of Tishri]. -[Yoma 81a; see Mizrachi and Divrei David]

Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

Rashi	Targum
1. A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David.	1. A praise song for the dedication of the sanctuary. Of David.
2. I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have raised me up, and You have not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me.	2. I will praise you, O LORD, for you made me stand erect, and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
3. O Lord, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me.	3. O LORD my God, I prayed in Your presence and You healed me.
4. O Lord, You have brought my soul from the grave; You have revived me from my descent into the Pit.	4. O LORD, You raised my soul out of Sheol; You preserved me from going down to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, His pious ones, and give thanks to His holy name.	5. Sing praise in the LORD's presence, you His devotees; and give thanks at the invocation of His holy one.
6. For His wrath lasts but a moment; life results from His favor; in the evening, weeping may tarry, but in the morning there is joyful singing.	6. For His anger is but a moment; eternal life is His good pleasure. In the evening one goes to bed in tears, but in the morning one rises in praise.
7. And I said in my tranquility, "I will never falter."	7. And I said when I dwelt in trust, I will never be shaken.
8. O Lord, with Your will, You set up my mountain to be might, You hid Your countenance and I became frightened.	8. O LORD, by Your will You prepared the mighty mountains; You removed Your presence, I became afraid.
9. To You, O Lord, I would call, and to the Lord I would supplicate.	9. In Your presence, O LORD, I will cry out; and to You, O my God, I will pray.
10. "What gain is there in my blood, in my descent to the grave? Will dust thank You; will it recite Your truth?	10. And I said, What profit is there in my blood, when I descend to the grave? Can those who descend to the dust praise You? Will they tell of Your faithfulness?
11. Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be my helper."	11. Accept, O LORD, my prayer, and have mercy on me; O LORD, be my helper.
12. You have turned my lament into dancing for me; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.	12. You turned my lament into my celebration; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. So that my soul will sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will thank You forever.	13. Because the nobles of the world will give You praise and not be silent, O LORD my God, I too will give You praise.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Tehillim (Psalms) 30:1-13

1 A song of dedication of the House which the Levites will say at the dedication of the House in the days of Solomon.

2 I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have raised me up Heb. דליתני , You have lifted me on high.

and You have not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me Heb. לי , like עלי , over me, for they would say, “David has no share in the world to come,” but when they saw that the doors opened for the Ark because of me, then they knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven me for that sin, and the faces of David’s enemies became as black as the bottom of a pot.

3 and You have healed me That is the forgiving of iniquity, as (in Isa. 6:10), “and he repent and be healed.”

4 from my descent into the Pit, etc. Heb. מירדי , like מִיְרִדָתִי , from my descent into the Pit, that I should not descend into Gehinnom.

5 Sing to the Lord, His pious ones about what He did for me, because you can take refuge in Him, and He will benefit you; and even if you are experiencing pain, have no fear.

6 For...but a moment [For] His wrath lasts but a short [moment]; life results from His favor, there is long life in appeasing and placating Him.

7 And I said in my tranquility In my tranquility, I thought that I would never falter. However, the matter is not in my power, but in the power of the Holy One, blessed be He. With His will, He set up my mountain, my greatness to be [my] mightbut when He hid His countenance from me, I was immediately frightened.

9 To You, O Lord, I would call I would call to You and supplicate constantly, saying before You: “What gain is there in my blood, etc.,” and You heard my voice and turned my lament into dancing for me.

12 You loosened Heb. פתחת , alachas in Old French, to release, like (Gen. 24:32): “and he untied (ויפתח) the camels.” Our Sages, however, explained the entire psalm as referring to Mordecai, Esther, and Haman, in Pesikta Zuta.

and I said in my tranquility Haman said this.

To You, O Lord, I would call Esther said this etc. until “be my helper.”

You turned my lament into dancing for me Mordecai and all Israel said this.

Ashlamatah: Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7

Rashi	Targum
14. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, behold! I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord.	14. “Rejoice and be glad, O congregation of Zion, for behold, I will reveal Myself and I will make My Shekhinah dwell in your midst” says the LORD.
15. And many nations shall join the Lord on that day, and they shall be My people; and I will dwell in your midst and you shall know that the Lord of Hosts sent me to you.	15. And many Gentiles will be added to the people of the LORD at that time, and they will be for a people before Me, and I will make My Shekhinah dwell in your midst; and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to prophesy to you.
16. And the Lord shall inherit Judah as His share on the Holy Land, and He shall again choose Jerusalem.	16. And the LORD will make the people of the house of Judah to inherit their portion in the holy land and will again take pleasure in Jerusalem.
17. Silence all flesh from before the Lord, for He is aroused out of His holy habitation.	17. All the wicked/Lawless have perished from before the LORD, for He has revealed Himself from His holy abode.
3:1. And He showed me Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the angel of the Lord. And Satan was standing on his right, to accuse him.	1. And He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD and the Accuser standing at His right hand to accuse him.
2. And the Lord said to Satan: The Lord shall rebuke you, O Satan; and the Lord shall rebuke you, He who chose Jerusalem. Is this one not a brand plucked from fire?	2. And the LORD said to the Accuser, “The LORD rebuke you, O Accuser! May the LORD who has been pleased to make His Shekhinah dwell in Jerusalem rebuke you. Is this not a brand rescued from the burning?”
3. Now Joshua was wearing filthy garments and standing before the angel.	3. And Joshua had sons who had married wives who were unsuitable for priests, and he was standing before the angel.
4. And he [the angel] raised his voice and said to those standing before him, saying, "Take the filthy garments off him." And he said to him, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I have clad you with clean garments."	4. And he answered and spoke to those in attendance before him, saying, Speak to him and let him drive out from his house the wives who are unsuitable for priests, and he said to him, Look, for I have removed your sins from you and have clothed you with righteous/generous deeds.
5. And I said, "Let them put a pure miter on his head," and they put the pure miter on his head. And they had clothed him with garments while the angel of the Lord was standing.	5. And he said, “Set a clean turban upon his head.” And they set a clean turban upon his head, and made him marry a wife who was suitable for a priest; and the angel of the LORD was standing by.
6. And the angel of the Lord warned Joshua, saying,	6. And the angel of the LORD charged Joshua, saying:
7. So said the Lord of Hosts: If you walk in My ways, and if you keep My charge, you, too, shall judge My house, and you, too, shall guard My courtyards, and I will give you free access among these who stand by.	7. “Thus says the LORD of Hosts, ‘If you walk in paths which are good before Me, and if you keep the charge of My Memra, then you will judge those who serve in My Sanctuary, and you will have charge of My courts, and at the resurrection of the dead I will raise you to life and will give you feet to walk among the Seraphim.
8. Hearken, now, O Joshua the High Priest-you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men worthy of a miracle-for, behold! I bring My servant, the Shoot.	8. Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men who are worthy that a sign be performed for them; for behold I will bring My servant the anointed One (Messiah), and he will be revealed.
9. For, behold the stone that I have placed before Joshua. Seven eyes are directed to one stone. Behold! I untie its knots, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.	9. For behold, the stone which I have set before Joshua, upon one stone are seven facets; behold I will reveal its facets’, says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and I will remove the sin of that land in one day.’
10. On that day, says the Lord of Hosts, you shall call-each man to his neighbor-to come under his vine and under his fig tree.	10. ‘At that time’, says the LORD of Hosts, ‘you will call each to his neighbor under the fruit of his vines and under the fruit of his fig trees.’”
4:1. And the angel who spoke with me returned, and he awakened me as a man who wakes up from his sleep.	1. And the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me like a man that is roused from his sleep.
2. And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I saw, and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold, with its oil-bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; seven tubes each to the lamps that were on top of it.	2. And he said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a menorah all of gold and a bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps which are upon it, seven, and seven pipes which pour oil from them to the lamps which are on top of it;
3. And [there were] two olive trees near it; one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.	3. and two olive trees which are beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4. So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"	4. And I answered and spoke to the angel who was talking with me, saying, “What are these my lord?”
5. And the angel who spoke with me answered, and he said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."	5. And the angel who was speaking with me, answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
6. And he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.	6. And he answers and spoke to me, saying, “This is the Word of the LORD with Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by strength, nor by might, but by My Memra’, says the LORD of Hosts.
7. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out the stone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it."	7. What are you reckoned, O foolish kingdom? Are you not like a plain before Zerubbabel? And He will reveal His anointed One (Messiah), whose name was told from old, and he will rule over all kingdoms.”

Rashi’s Commentary for: Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7

15 And many nations shall join many Gentiles will join.

16 And the Lord shall inherit Judah as His inheritance and His share.

17 Silence all flesh All the rest of the nations.

for He is aroused An expression [denoting] arousal and awakening.

Chapter 3

1 to accuse him To accuse him because his sons were married to gentile women, as it is written in the Book of Ezra (10:18): “And it was found of the sons of the priests who had taken foreign wives, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, etc.”

2 The Lord shall rebuke you, O Satan The Holy One, blessed be He, shall rebuke you, O you Satan (and then he repeated and said: The Lord shall rebuke you, He who chose Jerusalem Moharaz Margolioth); and He Who rebukes you is the One Who chose Jerusalem, that you shall not enter before Him to accuse this righteous man. Is he not fit, and has he not merited this? For he was saved from the consuming fire.

Is this one not a brand plucked from fire? It is related in the Aggadah of [chapter] Helek Helek (Sanh. 93a) that he [Joshua] was cast into the fire with Ahab son of Kolaiah and his colleague.

3 was wearing filthy garments This is to be explained according to the Targum: He had sons who had married women who were unfit [to marry into] the priesthood, and he was punished because he did not interfere with the [sons’ marriages].

4 “Take the filthy garments off him.” Let his sons separate from their wives, and he will be forgiven.

clean garments A change of beautiful garments; i.e., merits. Since he compared the iniquity to filthy garments, he compares the merit to clean garments; beautiful, white garments.

5 And I said I, Zechariah.

“Let them put a pure miter, etc.” I begged mercy for him.

6 warned an expression of warning, as in (Deut. 31:28): “And I will warn them before the heaven and the earth.”

7 If you walk in My ways, etc. Then I, too, will do this for you.

you, too, shall judge My house You shall judge and be the officer over My Temple.

and I will give you free access According to the Targum: and when the dead will be resurrected, I will resurrect you; and I will give you walkers who walk among these seraphim. According to its simple meaning, he brings him tidings that his sons will be meritorious in the future.

who stand by Seraphim and ministering angels, who never sit.

8 you and your companions They were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

for they are men worthy of a miracle [Jonathan renders:] Men worthy to have miracles performed for them, for a miracle was performed for them, too.

for, behold! I bring My servant, the Shoot For now Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, is insignificant in the king’s court, but I will make his greatness burgeon. I will also give him favor in the eyes of the king, so that he will grant [Zerubbabel’s] request for the building of the Temple and the city, as explained in Nehemiah (1:1): “The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah.” Nehemiah was identical with Zerubbabel, as we say in Sanhedrin (38a).

9 For, behold the stone The foundation of the house that you laid in the days of Cyrus - they stopped you, and that foundation and the thickness of the wall appeared little in your sight, as explained in Ezra (3:12f.) and in the prophecy of Haggai (2:2f.).

Seven eyes are directed to one stone It will eventually be widened seven times as much. And so did Jonathan render: On one stone, seven eyes see it. The expression of עינים is an expression of appearances. It appears to me that the seven eyes are because of the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He in Whose eyes and heart it is [planned] to add seven times as much because of the prophecy similar to this one (4:10): “And they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel these seven times; the eyes of the Lord they are roving to and fro throughout the land.” This is but to say that He directed His eyes to increase the glory of the Temple in its building.

Behold! I untie its knots I untie its knots I thwart the plot of the enemies who wrote an accusation to stop the work.

and I will remove Heb. ומשתי.

in one day I do not know what day.

Chapter 4

2 with its oil - bowl on top of it as in (Josh. 15:19): “The upper springs”. This is an expression for a spring, [hence] a sort of large round bowl.

and its seven lamps A type of vessel into which oil and wicks are inserted.

seven tubes each Seven small tubes come to every lamp, for the oil flows from the bowl through those tubes into each lamp.

3 And [there were] two olive trees near it Beside it were two trees upon which olives were growing, one on the right of the bowl, one on the its left, etc. Here [the prophet] does not explain about the two golden vats mentioned below in the chapter, which are the sorts of bowls or vats of the oil press. [These vats] stand beside the olive trees. The olives beat themselves into the vats and are heated there as [if] in a vat or pit where olives are generally packed. There they are pressed in the oil press, and the oil falls into the vats, and from the vats into the bowl, and from the bowl into the tubes, and from the tubes into the lamps. The tubes and the lamps number forty-nine, an allusion to the light, for in the future the light of the sun will be sevenfold the light of the seven days forty-nine times the light of a day of Creation.

4 “What are these, my Lord?” What is this, that the olive trees are picked by themselves, and the oil comes into the lamps by itself?

6 “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel” This is a sign for you to promise Zerubbabel that just as the olives and this oil are finished by themselves in all respects, so will you not build My house with your [own] power or with your [own] strength.

but by My spirit I will place My spirit upon Darius, and he will command you to build and to pay all the building expenses from his [treasury]; and [he will] help you with wheat, wine, oil, and wood, as is explained in Ezra (6, 7): They required no aid from any man.

7 Who are you, O great mountain? You, the princes of the other side of the river Tattenai, the governor of the other side of the river; Shethar Bozenai, and their companions (Ezra 6:6), who have stopped the work until now - from now on you shall be before Zerubbabel as a plain; you have no more ruling power or superiority over him.

He will bring out the stone of the main architect The main architect will take the plummet in his hand to be the main architect at the head of the builders, and they will build everything according to his words [everything] that he will order concerning a beautiful and glorious building.

with shouts of grace, grace to it To that stone, for everyone will say, “How beautiful is this building that was made with this plummet.” [The expression] “shouts of grace” is as (Job 39:7) “the shouts of a driver,” and (Isa. 66:6) “a sound of stirring” both of which are expressions of making a voice heard.

Commentary on the Ashlamatah of zḵaryāhû (Zechariah) 2:14- 4:7

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

** Zechariah 2:14 in most English bibles starts at Zech 2:10

The first date given (Zech 1:1) is equivalent to late October or early November 520 B.C.E., that is, between the second and third of the prophecies of Haggai. The next date (Zech 1:7) is equivalent to February 15, 519 B.C.E., and the last date (Zech 7:1) is equivalent to December 7, 518 B.C.E. the time spans a two-year period and seems to place these texts between the time of feasts of Trumpets (Yom Teru’ah) and the feast of Passover.  Some twenty years earlier the Jews had a chance to leave Babylon and now we are seeing the second chance or call to leave and get out.

Both Christian and Jewish scholars have admitted for a very long time that the prophecy of Zechariah is one of the most difficult books to understand. The book falls into two parts: chapters 1–8, which relate to a historical situation very similar to that addressed by Haggai and chapters 9-14 are considered a completely different type of literature than the first part. The prophetic career of Zechariah began about two months after that of Haggai and continued for at least two years longer.  Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 associate Zechariah with Haggai in encouraging the people to rebuild the Temple despite the difficulties that faced them. One of the prominent characteristics of these visions is the presence of angels in them. This interest in angels is typical of Jewish theology in the period after the exile in Babylon. Another characteristic of Zechariah’s work is that he frequently refers back to the writings of earlier prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, and Micah.^[3]  Although, our reading is in the historical section (as determined by men) it is seemly easy to see that there is more being spoken of in the first eight chapters then what could be understood as historical. Commentors have for some time seen similarities and commonalities of thought between chapter 2 and chapter 8.

In Zechariah, before we start the text of our reading, we see where the Prophet is calling the exiles to return home and, in context, it seems the people of Judea and Jerusalem are the ones being addressed. The Northern kingdom was sent into exile first and scattered to the four winds or ends of the earth.  In (2:6) there are two “woes” pronounced to all those in the land of the North and then it said, I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the earth, ^[4] a reference to all the tribe and specifically the ten tribes. Although some members of the other tribes may be dispersed among Judea it is understood that most of the Northern tribes have not returned from exile as of yet. The following verse in Isaiah is, I think a good illustration of what we have going on in our reading in Zechariah. There seems to be two or more actions that are happening almost simultaneously, one present and one future. One in relation to Judea, The southern Kingdom and the other in relation to the Israel, Northern Kingdom.   When you look at our passage and compare it with chapter 8 and the similarities there, although the words are different, we see the same ideas in relation to the Israel, Judea and the nations. There is a scattering into the nations and a punishment for the way those nations treat Israel (12 tribes) and there is also those of the nations who join with Israel. Isaiah 11:10-12 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.  In that day the root of Jesse (Messiah) stands up as a signal or banner.  The nations seek after him - while he is in a glorious place.  In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover^[5]  the remnant that remains of his people…. During that day, the hand of Hashem is working to recover his people he is also doing something that has to do with his people Israel and the nations.   He will raise a signal for the nations -while the signal/banner is raised for the nations and will assemble^[6] the banished^[7] of Israel and gather^[8] the dispersed^[9] of Judah from the four corners of the earth. ^[10] Students of the bible have often noticed the tension of ‘almost but not yet’ or the ‘present and future’, all woven into the same verse or passage. Another tension in the prophets is when the Prophet and Hashem are speaking in the same passage and the tense is shifting between persons^[11] and it seems as if the prophet is speaking as if he is Hashem. We see the same thing represented in the story of Moses.

The background of the vision leading up to our reading, Zechariah is telling the people to flee from the land of the North. These lands of the north are understood as Babylonia and Assyria, and the captives were to return to Israel. Radak^[12] adds Babylonia, Elam, Persia and Media.  We are told that those nations who plundered you and those who have troubled you, will receive judgement. The first call goes out to return from the North, but those who refuse to come home are scattered by the four winds into all the nations.  Those people and nations (goyim) that trouble Israel, it is as if they touched the apple of God's eye (v.8). The LORD of Host^[13] is doing the speaking.  Behold, I will shake my hand over him, and they shall become plunder for those who serve them. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me. (v.9.)   Who is speaking? It's a little difficult to determine who's doing the speaking. Who says. Then you will know I was sent by Hashem?  Some commentators say the one speaking is Zechariah, but to my mind this would only make sense if the prophecy was completely fulfilled during Zechariahs lifetime, which does not seem to be the case, others say Messiah. At any rate, the passage is difficult to understand.

We have Zachariah, the Prophet, and the man with the measuring line, which could be an Angel, but he's identifying him as a man. Then another Angel who's talking with the Angel man, then you have, Hashem the Lord of Host and this character sent by Hashem.   This vision deals with the children of Judah and Israel fleeing from the north and heading back towards Zion. a second admonition for those who dwell with the daughters of Zion, it's time for you to escape. You who dwell with the daughters of Babylon, it is time for you to escape. (v.7) The angels discuss the size of Jerusalem and are told Jerusalem will increase in size to be able to accommodate all who come to it. The young man of (v.4) who seem to be measuring, was not understanding that Jerusalem was going to increase in size. The Rabbis say, he is immature in judgement and not understanding the plan.^[14]

Another problem is the identity of the referent in the pronominal suffix “me” in both v.8 and v.9. While many think “me” refers to Zechariah, others maintain that in the light of the language and the full scope of these verses, it looks toward the messianic Servant-Messenger, the Angel of the Lord. If (that) view is correct, as seems likely, the speaker, identified as the Lord Almighty at the beginning of the verse, is the Messiah himself, the Angel of the Lord. The mission of this person is directed against the nations that have plundered God’s chosen people.^[15]  Even Christian and Academic scholars see the complexity of these passages. But this is not to support the misunderstandings of Christian theology. The prophets speaking for and as if they are Hashem is found all though the Tanck.

The call to return and escape, the plundering of the nations and then you will know The LORD of host has sent me. Sing and rejoice, daughters of Zion. Behold I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. (v.9-10)   There's no doubt that this passage is a messianic passage that is speaking about the future, and we are a lot closer to the future than the people of Zechariahs day, 2500 years ago. many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and they shall be my people. I will dwell in their mist, and you shall know that the Lord of host has sent me to you. And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the Holy Land and will again choose Jerusalem. (v.11-12) It’s a little hard to distinguish who's talking, however the person doing the speaking whether it's Zachariah or the Angel that's been sent, they're all speaking for “The LORD of Host.”

The next thing mentioned, all flesh is told to be silent before Hashem, for He has roused himself from his holy dwelling.  Why is all flesh to be silent before Hashem? It is suggested this is a warning that Hashem is on the move and those who trouble Israel will be dealt with. We also asked the question, why has the Almighty roused^[16] himself? Is it to destroy all the oppressors of Israel as some commentators think or does God have a first objective?  I believe along with working to save the children of Israel and return them from exile, Hashem is also working to rescue as many from the nations as he can. Both items fit the promise made to Abraham in Gen.12,15,17.   As God is punishing the enemies of Israel proper, this is secondary, and his priority is to save the righteous from among the nations. When we look at the history in the bible, the rescuing of Gods children and the punishing of the enemies of God, seems to be happening simultaneously as the precedent of Gen.15:14 shows and which aligns with Hakham Tsefet (Peter) in the Nazarene Codicil (N.T.) he seems to put forth this same idea in 2 Pet.3. Peter said, “Remember the predictions of the holy prophets. (v.2) and the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (v.9).  If a man was awakened at night by his wife and told by his wife, she heard something in the house or smelled smoke, as he was startled to reality from a deep sleep, as he is gaining consciousness, he noticed his wife was just snuggling in to return to sleep as she had informed him of the situation, and it was now his responsibility to deal with it.  After a few seconds, and the blood had returned to the brain, and he realized that an intruder was visiting or maybe worse the house was on fire, he would spring into action. The man of the house would begin operating to provide safety to his family, but he was in a roused state of agitation. This is how I see the work of God when you compare Zech 2, Tsefet comments 2Pet.3 and the verses in the following footnote.  In this scenario, the man of the house is working to provide safety for his family, working to defeat the enemy and working to rescue those who are in danger all the while trying to maintain his emotions. Each of these systems is functioning and are operating at the same time to the degree necessary at any given moment.  I’m reminded of Gen 3:7-13, “women, what have you done?” The Father springs into action, to minimize and reduce the damage and restore to the family that, which had been lost.

It seems to me the prophecy concerns both present and future redemption. The tribes of Israel were being urged to return from Assyrian and Babylon to the land of Israel. This return also included a return to the law of Hashem. It is interesting to note that Radak says this is referring to just Judah and not to the other 10 tribes.  We first see the command to leave and return then it is enhanced with a specific address to; You who dwell with the daughters of Babylon and in verses (10-12) it is addressed to the daughters of Zion. ^[17] The daughters of Zion are to rejoice, because the verse says, I come and I will dwell in your midst, we are told this twice.  They were told that many nations would join themselves to Hashem on that day. And they shall be my people. (v.11).  Also, this vision is expressed in (Isa.2:3, 14:1). He repeats, I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of Host has sent me to you. Hashem will inherit Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and then we'll again choose Jerusalem.  Chapter three speaks of the prophecy of Israel's restoration as the priestly nation, as Israel's initial calling was stated in Exodus 19:6 you will be for me a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  In this vision, the high priest, Joshua represents the sinful nation of Israel. Although Israel is presented here with filthy garments, we also see she is cleaned and restored as a Kingdom of priest. When Messiah comes a restoration of the Temple, priesthood and the office of the Prophet will be realized.  The result of the action of (2:8-13) is peace and security for God’s people. God’s purpose for Israel will be realized in the kingdom, when Israel will enjoy contentment, peace, and prosperity—like the peaceful and prosperous days of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:25). The vine and the fig tree (3:10) speak not only of spiritual blessing but also of the agricultural blessing of the land when the desert will blossom and once again be fruitful (cf. Isa 11:1–9; 35, 65:17). There can be no prosperity and peace for Israel till the Messianic kingdom has fully come on earth, no such kingdom till Israel is restored, and no true restoration of Israel till the LORD returns to the earth with his saints, although we see all of this in operation to some degree at this present time.(cf. Dan 7:13–14, 27; Mic 4:1–4).

In the last verse of chapter three, a picture is given of a day in which every Israelite would invite his friends as guests to partake under his own vine and fig-tree.  In this vision of the restoration of Israel as a kingdom of priests, Exodus 19:6 finds its fullest expression. The accomplishments of Messiah on Israel’s behalf are summarized in Romans 11:26–27, providing a fitting conclusion to this chapter:   And so, all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”^[18]

As I suggested earlier, Zechariah says, the angel returned to him and woke^[19] him, as a man is awoken from his sleep, which is followed by a certain, apprehension, trepidation, and agitation as one is trying to reconnect with reality. For some the adjustment from the dream state to being awake and connected with reality takes longer than for others. This fifth vision of chapter four is best understood as Rashi see it as foretelling events not of the second temple era but alluding to the final redemption.^[20]   The lamp stand in the vision is believed to represent the community of Israel as stated in a Midrash and the two olive trees produce the oil without any human input. These two olive trees that produce the oil without any human involvement seem to represent the office of Priest represented by Aaron and that of the King Messiah represented by Zerubbabel. The angel spoke to Zechariah and asked, do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

Rashi says, just as the olive trees in the vision were harvested spontaneously and produce their oil without any human involvement. So too will Israel rebuild the Temple only when God wills it so, and it will not be achieved through military might nor through physical strength. Just as God inspired Darius, with the spirit of kindness that provided the initiative for its construction and a major part of the needed supplies. When the nations of the world will accept an anointed descendant of King David as the Messiah, and he will rule not by military might, but by the power of God, and will thus inspire all the nations of the world to accept his authority over them. At the appointed time the Spirit of God, will move in and upon the heart of mankind to begin the rebuilding of the Temple.  Every mountain and obstacle which stands in the way will be removed and the way will be made as a level plain where all will be accomplished by the Spirit of the LORD of host.

Shabbat Mevarchim Special Ashlamata

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 20:18-42

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
18. And Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be remembered, for your seat will be vacant.	18. And Jonathan said to him: “Tomorrow is the (New) Moon, and you will be sought out, for your dining place will be empty.
19. And for three days, you shall hide very well, and you shall come to the place where you hid on the day of work, and you shall stay beside the traveler's stone.	19. And at the third (day) of the Moon you will be sought out very much, and you will go to the place where you hid yourself on the weekday, and you will dwell near "Stone Coming."
20. And I shall shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a mark.	20. And I am to shoot three arrows with the bow so as to hit for myself at the target.
21. And behold, I shall send the youth, (saying,) 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you,' take it and come, for it is well with you, and there is nothing the matter, as the Lord lives.	21. And behold I will send the young man: `Go, get the arrows.' If indeed I say to the young man: `Behold the arrow is on this side of you; take it and bring (it),' then there is peace for you and nothing evil as the Lord lives.
22. But, if I say thus to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go! For the Lord has sent you away.	22. And if thus I say to the young man: `Behold the arrow is beyond you,' go, for the Lord has rescued you.
23. And (concerning) the matter which we have spoken, I and you, behold, the Lord is between me and you forever."	23. And the word that we have spoken - I and you - behold the Memra of the Lord is a witness between me and you forever."
24. And David hid in the field, and when it was the new moon, Saul sat down to the meal to eat.	24. And David hid in the field, and it was the (New) Moon. And the king sat down at the food to eat.
25. And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall, and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat down beside Saul, and David's place was vacant.	25. And the king sat down upon his seat as at other times, upon the seat that was prepared for him near the wall. And Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat down by the side of Saul, and the place of David was empty.
26. And Saul did not say anything on that day, for he thought, "It is an incident; he is not clean, for he is not clean."	26. And Saul did not speak anything on that day, for he said: “Perhaps an accident has happened to him, and he is not clean; or perhaps he went on the road, and we did not invite him.”
27. And it was, on the morrow of the new moon, the second (day of the month), that David's place was vacant, and Saul said to Jonathan, his son, "Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or today?"	27. And on the day after that, which is the intercalation of the second month, the place of David was empty, and Saul said to Jonathan his son: “Why has the son of Jesse not come both yesterday and today for food?”
28. And Jonathan answered Saul, "David asked leave of me (to go) to Bethlehem.	28. And Jonathan answered Saul: “David earnestly requested from me to go unto Bethlehem.
29. And he said, 'Let me go away now, for we have a family sacrifice in the city, and he, my brother, commanded me, and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me slip away now, and see my brothers. ' He, therefore, did not come to the king's table."	29. And he said: ‘Send me away now, for they have begun an offering of holy things for all our family in the city, and my brother commanded me. And now if I have found favour in your eyes, let me get away now and see my brothers.' Therefore he did not come to the table of the king.”
30. And Saul's wrath was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a straying woman deserving of punishment! Did I not know that you choose the son of Jesse, to your shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?	30. And the anger of Saul was strong against Jonathan, and he said to him: “You son of an obstinate woman whose rebellion was harsh, do I not know that you love the son of Jesse to your disgrace and to the disgrace of the shame of your mother?
31. For all the days that the son of Jesse is living on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. And now, send and take him to me, for he is condemned to death."	31. For all the days that the son of Jesse is alive upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. And now send and bring him unto me, for he is a man deserving killing.”
32. And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"	32. And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him: “Why will he be killed? What did he do?”
33. And Saul cast the spear upon him to strike him; and Jonathan knew that it had been decided upon by his father, to put David to death.	33. And Saul lifted up the spear against him so as to strike him, and Jonathan knew that it was determined from his father to kill David.
34. And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger; and he did not eat any food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved concerning David, for his father had put him to shame.	34. And Jonathan arose from the table in strong anger, and he did not eat food on the day of the intercalation of the second month, for he grieved over David, for his father shamed him.
35. And it was in the morning, that Jonathan went out at David's appointed time, and a small boy was with him.	35. And in the morning Jonathan went forth to the field at the time that David said to him, and a small boy was with him.
36. And he said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." The boy ran; and he shot the arrow to cause it to go beyond him.	36. And he said to his young man: “Run, get the arrows that I am shooting.” The young man ran, and he shot the arrow beyond him.
37. And the lad came up to the place of the arrow, which Jonathan had shot. And Jonathan called after the lad, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"	37. And the young man came unto the place of the arrow that Jonathan shot, and Jonathan called after the young man and said: “Is not the arrow beyond you?”
38. And Jonathan called after the lad, "Quickly, hasten, do not stand!" And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.	38. And Jonathan called after the young man: “Hurry, in haste; do not delay.” And Jonathan's young man was gathering the arrows, and he came unto his master.
39. And the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.	39. And the young man did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, bring (them) to the city."	40. And Jonathan gave his armor to the young man that was his, and he said to him: "Go, bring it to the city."
41. The lad departed, and David arose from (a place) toward the south; and he fell upon his face to the ground three times, and prostrated himself three times. And they kissed one another, and wept one with the other, until David exceeded.	41. And the young man went, and David arose from the side of “Stone Coming” that is opposite the south, and he fell upon his face upon the ground, and he bowed down three times, and they kissed each man his fellow, and they wept each man his fellow until David exceeded.
42. And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace! (And bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.' "	42. And Jonathan said to David: “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn by the name of the LORD saying, ‘May the Memra of the LORD be a witness between me and you, and between my sons and your sons forever.’” And he arose and went, and Jonathan entered the city.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 20:18-42

18 Tomorrow is the new moon: and it is the custom of all those who eat at the king’s table to come on the festive day to the table.

and you will be remembered: My father will remember you, and ask where you are.

for your seat will be vacant: for your seat in which you sit, will be vacant, and so did Jonathan render: and you will be sought, for your seat will be vacant.

and you will be remembered: [ונפקדת is] an expression of remembering.

will be vacant: [יפקד is] an expression of lacking.

19 And for three days you shall hide very well: And you shall triple the days, and then you shall descend very much, i.e., when the third day arrives, you shall descend into a secret place, and hide very well, for then they will seek you. And you shall come to this secret place, wherein you are hiding today, which is a workday. And so did Jonathan render: on the weekday, for he hid on that day, as it is stated: (infra v. 24) “And David hid in the field;” immediately, “and it was the new moon” on the morrow.

the travelers’ stone: (Heb. ‘even-ha azel,’ lit., the going stone, i.e.) a stone which was a sign (a landmark) for travelers.

Ha-azel: those who go on the road. And so did Jonathan render: even atha, the stone which was a sign.

20 to the side, I shall shoot: This is not a ‘mappiq-heh’ (aspirate ‘heh’). צדה is to be interpreted like לצד, to a side, for every word which requires a ‘lamed’ as a prefix, the Scripture gives a ‘he’ as a suffix. (Jeb. 13b) At the side of that stone, I shall shoot arrows to a mark, so that the youth will not understand, and this sign shall be for you to divine whether you must flee.

21 And behold, I shall send, etc.: And it is customary for one who seeks an arrow which has been shot, to go to the place where he sees the arrow flying, but he cannot ascertain exactly. Sometimes he searches for it, and the arrow is beyond him, and sometimes he goes beyond the arrow and searches for it, and you shall have this sign.

If I say to the youth… take it and come: you yourself emerge from your hiding place, and take it, and come to me, for you have not to fear, for it is well with you. The Holy One Blessed be He, desires that you be here, and even if I have heard evil from Father.

22 But, if I say thus… Go! For the Lord has sent you away: The Holy One Blessed be He tells you to flee and escape.

23 And concerning the matter which we have spoken: the covenant which we made together.

behold, the Lord is between me and you: as Witness concerning that matter.

25 the seat by the wall: at the head of the couch beside the wall.

and Jonathan arose: He got up from his place, since it is not proper for a son to recline beside his father. Since their custom was to eat reclining on couches and David would recline between Jonathan and Saul, now that David did not come, Jonathan did not recline until Abner sat down beside Saul, and afterwards, Jonathan sat beside Abner. And if you say that he did not sit at all, the Scripture states: (infra v. 34) “And Jonathan arose from the table,” implying that he had been sitting.

26 It is an incident: He has experienced a seminal emission.

he is not clean: and he has not yet immersed himself, for had he immersed himself for the uncleanness of his emission, he would not have to wait until sunset in order to eat ordinary food.

for he is not clean: This clause gives the reason for the matter; i.e., since he is not clean, he, therefore, did not come, lest he contaminate the feast.

27 on the morrow of the new moon: on the morrow of the renewal of the moon.

the second: on the second day of the month.

29 and he, my brother, commanded me: The eldest of the house, commanded me that I be there. And he is my brother Eliab.

let me slip away: ‘Escamoter’ in French. I shall go away for one day and come back.

30 a straying woman, deserving of punishment: (בן נעות המרדות) An expression of straying and wandering, נע ונד, a gadding woman. Just as you say זעוה from זע, and the ‘tav’ is for the construct state, for it is connected to the word המרדות.

deserving of punishment: (Heb. המרדות), who deserves to be chastised and disciplined. Another explanation is as follows: When the men of Benjamin grabbed the girls of Shiloh, who came out to dance in the vineyards (Jud. 21:21), Saul was bashful, and did not want to grab [a girl], until she came herself, behaving insolently, and pursued him.

straying woman: because of the vineyards. And that is a winepress, like (the Talmudical passage): Purge the winepress (which was used for forbidden wine) (Ab. Zarah 74b); His winepresses will drip with wine (Targum Onkelos, Gen. 40:12)….(The last three words of Rashi are incomprehensible, and are probably erroneous. The correct version is unknown to us.)

34 he was grieved (lit.) to David: concerning David.

for his father had put him to shame: concerning David.

35 at David’s appointed time: at the time which David had set for him.

36 to cause it to go beyond him.: The arrow went beyond the boy.

41 from a place toward the south: (lit., from by the south. Jonathan renders:) from the side of the travelers’ (or sign) stone which was toward the south.

until David exceeded: He cried more.

42 Go in peace! : And the oath which we have sworn, may the Lord be witness thereon forever.

Yochanan Bet (2 John) 1-13 + Yochanan Gimel (3 John) 1-14

Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham & Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

2 John 1. The elder, to the chosen (i.e. Jewish) Lady and her children, whom I love in the truth (i.e. the Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142), and not I alone, but also all those who intimately know the truth (i.e. the Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142),

2. because of the truth (i.e. the Torah – Psalm 119:142) that resides in us and will be with us forever.

3. [The] blessing Mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Yeshua the Messiah the son (i.e. the anointed King of Israel) of the Father in truth (i.e. Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142) and love.

4. I was very glad because I found [some] of your children walking in [the] truth (i.e. Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142), just as the Father commanded us.

5. And now I ask you, Lady not [as if I were] writing a new commandment to you, but [one] that we have had from the beginning (i.e. B’resheet – Gen. 1:1ff)], that we should love one another.

6. And this is love: that we walk according to His (God’s) commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning (B’resheet – Gen. 1:1ff), so that you should walk in it.

7. For many deceivers have gone out into the [pagan] world, those who do not profess that Yeshua the Messiah came in (or, according to) [the] flesh. This person is the deceiver and the anti-Messiah!

8. Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.

9. Everyone who [continually and intentionally] transgresses the [Written and Oral] Law and does not remain in the teachings of Messiah does not have God. The one who remains in the teachings [of the Written and Oral Law], this person has both the Father and the son (i.e. the anointed King of Israel).

10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this [Torah] teaching, do not receive him into [your] house and do not speak a greeting to him,

11. because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.

12. [Although] I have many [things] to write to you, I do not want [to do so] by means of paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak face to face, so that your joy may be complete.

13. The children of your chosen (i.e. Jewish) sister greet you.

3 John 1. The elder, to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in the truth (i.e. the Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142).

2. Beloved, I pray [that] you may prosper concerning everything and be healthy, just as your soul prospers [in the Torah].

3. For I rejoiced exceedingly [when the] brothers came and testified [to] your truth, just as you are walking in [the] truth (i.e. Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142).

4. I have no greater joy than this: that I hear [that] my children are walking in the truth (i.e. Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142).

5. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for the [Jewish] brothers, and especially those who are strangers.

6. They have testified [concerning] your love before all the congregation; to whom you are doing well, because you supply them according to what is proper to God.

7. For they have gone out on behalf of God’s name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8. Therefore, we ought to support such [people], so that we become fellow workers in [the proclamation of the] truth (i.e. Torah – f. Psalm 119:142).

9. I wrote something to the congregation, but Diotrephes, who wants to have the preeminence [among] them, does not [want to] receive our [Jewish] authority.

10. Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the [evil] deeds he is doing, disparaging us [Jews] with Lashon HaRa (evil words and calumniating gossip). And not being content with these, he does not receive the authority of the [Jewish] brothers himself, and he prevents those wanting [to accept Rabbinical authority] and throws [them] out of the congregation.

11. Beloved, do not imitate [what is] evil, but [what is] good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

12. About Demetrius there is a [good] testimony from everyone and from the congregation and from the Torah. And also, we bear [him] testimony and you know that our testimony is true.

13. I have many things to write to you, but I do not want to write to you by means of ink and pen.

14. But I hope to see you right away, and to speak [with you] face to face.

15, Shalom [be] with you! The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

Nazarean Talmud

Sidrot of Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:9-32

“Harvest”

By: Hakham Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

School of Hakham Shaul Tosefta Luqas (Lk) 14:1- 6

School of Hakham Tsefet Peshat 1 Tsefet (1 Pet) 5:12-14

¶ And now it happened, as he went into the house of one of the rulers of the P’rushim (Pharisees) to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before him who had dropsy. And Yeshua, answering, spoke to those especially schooled in legal halakhah and P’rushim, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent. And he took him and healed him, and let him go. Then he answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkeyor an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they could not resist him regarding these things.

¶ By Hillel/Luqas (Silas), our faithful brother who I consider most honorable, I have written to you this brief exhortation declaring the true loving-kindness of God by which you have been made to stand. The equally chosen of Babylon greet you and so does Mordechai (Mark) my talmid. ¶ Greet one another with a loving kiss. Shalom Alechem to all of you in Messiah. Amen.

Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder

Lev. 23:9-32

Psa 86:8-13, 30:1-13

Josh 5:11-15, 6:23-27 Zech 2:14-4:7

1 Pet 5:12-14

Lk 14:1-6

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

Introduction

The sanctity of the Sabbath reflects the essence of G-d’s Chesed (loving-kindness), offering a foretaste of Redemption and ultimate unity with the Eternal G-d. Rooted in the Torah and illuminated by the Prophets, the Sabbath transcends the confines of time, serving as a weekly reminder of G-d’s Covenant with the Jewish people. It is not merely a cessation of labor but a sacred opportunity to align with G-d’s will, experiencing a microcosm of the Messianic Era where justice, mercy, and holiness converge. Within this framework, Torah interpretations of Vaykira 23 and Zekhar’Yah 2:14–4:7, alongside Yeshua’s healing on the Sabbath in Luqas 14:1–6, offer profound insights into the interplay of Chesed, Redemption, and the sanctification of time.

These reflections on the Torah’s instruction to count the Omer highlight the transformative power of human participation in Divine commandments. The Omer is not simply a measure of time but a sacred Journey of Spiritual Elevation. Each day counted represents an ascent through the levels of holiness, bringing the Neshamah closer to the ultimate Revelation of Har Sinai, the Torah. The counting reflects a refinement process, aligning the individual and the community with the Divine Presence. It manifests G-d’s Chesed, a gift of Spiritual Progression that allows humanity to draw nearer to Him through intentionality and action. Shavuot, marking the culmination of this journey, is not just the giving of the Torah but the point where the human and the Divine intersect, achieving the highest form of connection through G-d’s Wisdom.

Similarly, Zekhar’Yah’s vision of the Menorah and Olive Trees reflects the Eternal Light of the Torah, sustained and perpetuated by G-d’s Spirit. The Cohen Kadol Yehoshua’s purification in the prophecy signifies the transformative power of repentance and Divine Compassion. Themes mirrored in the sanctity of the Sabbath. Yeshua’s actions on the Sabbath further underscore this interplay between Chesed and the Torah. By healing on the Sabbath, He demonstrated that the essence of the day is restoration and renewal, an active expression of Divine Love and Chesed. These texts weave a tapestry of sacred themes, illustrating that the Sabbath is a day of rest and a cornerstone of G-d’s redemptive plan. In its sanctity, Chesed flows freely, offering humanity a glimpse of the Eternal Unity with the Creator that awaits in the Messianic era.

II. Deeper Insights from Vaykira 23 and Luqas 14:1–6

Giving an insightful commentary on Vaykira 23, particularly his interpretation of “the day after the Sabbath,” opens a profound understanding of sacred time as a continuum extending beyond the weekly Sabbath to encompass the festivals and the Omer count. By broadening the definition of Shabbat to include holy days such as Passover, Ibn Ezra’s comments reinforce the sanctification of time as an ongoing Divine commandment. The counting of the Omer is a sacred process that transforms days into spiritual milestones, each step an ascent toward the ultimate revelation at Shavuot. This progression reflects the Chesed (loving-kindness) of G-d, granting humanity the opportunity to refine themselves and align their lives with His will through active engagement in His commandments. Thus, this is an apparent reference to the Cohen Gadol Yehoshua.

Luqas 14:1–6 complements this vision by illustrating how the sanctity of time is meant to serve human restoration and Spiritual Elevation. Yeshua’s healing of a man with dropsy on the Sabbath demonstrates that the Sabbath is not merely a cessation of labor but a Sacred occasion for manifesting Chesed. His healing underscores the purpose of Holy Days: to reflect G-d’s restorative nature and His ultimate plan for Redemption. Yeshua’s challenge to the Shammaite Pharisees reveals that the sanctification of time must be coupled with the sanctification of actions that align with the observance of the Sabbath and its Spiritual Intent.

Ibn Ezra’s insights and Yeshua’s actions portray a unified picture, portraying the Sabbath and Festivals as dynamic expressions of G-d’s Chesed. Through the sanctification of time and acts of healing, these Sacred Moments serve as vehicles for Elevating the Soul and preparing humanity for the ultimate Redemption.

III. Ibn Ezra’s Commentary on Zekhar’Yah 2:14–4:7

The prophetic visions in Zekhar’Yah 2:14–4:7, as interpreted through the lens of Ibn Ezra and enriched by the teachings of Yeshua, offer profound insights into the sanctity of time, the return of the Shechinah, which we will see in 2 Luqas  Chapter 2 and the Eternal Messianic Sabbath. These passages bridge the Temporal and Eternal, reflecting the interplay of G-d’s Chesed, the sanctification of the Sabbath, and the transformative role of the Cohen Gadol, ultimately pointing toward The Eternal Redemption.

The Vision of Rejoicing (Zekhar’Yah 2:14):

The call for joy in Zekhar’Yah 2:14 heralds the return of the Shechinah to dwell among the Jewish people, signifying G-d’s Chesed in restoring His presence to Yerushalayim. This Divine Dwelling is not just a historical or eschatological event but a living reality, reflected each week in the sanctity of the Sabbath. Just as the Sabbath is a day of rest and joy, reflecting a foretaste of the World to Come (Olam HaBa), the prophetic vision reminds Yisrael of the ultimate restoration when the boundaries of time dissolve, and all creation rejoices in unbroken communion with the Creator. The rejoicing of Yerushalayim is, therefore, deeply aligned with the Sabbath’s role as a temporal echo of Eternal Unity.

In Luqas 14:1–6, Yeshua embodies this same joyous restoration by healing on the Sabbath, demonstrating that the sanctification of time is deeply intertwined with acts of Chesed and renewal. His actions foreshadow the eternal Messianic Sabbath, where the joy of the Shechinah’s presence will fill the world, and the barriers between the sacred and the mundane will vanish. The joy of Zekhar’Yah’s prophecy and Yeshua’s healing converge, reflecting the Sabbath as a living testament to G-d’s redemptive plan.

Yehoshua the Cohen Gadol (Zekhar’Yah 3:1–5):

In Zekhar’Yah 3, the purification of Yehoshua the Cohen Kadol signifies spiritual renewal and preparation for sacred service. Yehoshua’s soiled garments, symbolic of sin and imperfection, are replaced with clean attire, reflecting G-d’s forgiveness and the transformative power of Chesed. Therefore, this mirrors the Sabbath’s role in purifying and elevating the soul, providing an opportunity for Spiritual Refinement and alignment with G-d’s will. The Cohen Kadol, as an intercessor between Yisrael and G-d, embodies the potential for restoration for the individual and the entire community.

As a picture of the Cohen Kadol, Yeshua bridges the Temporal and Eternal dimensions, pointing to the Messianic Sabbath where time bends into eternity in some inexplicable way. His life and teachings reflect the purification process seen in Yehoshua, not merely as a personal act but as a cosmic one. The Messianic Era will be marked by this ultimate purification, where the barriers between G-d and humanity are removed, and all creation is clothed in the garments of Redemption.

The vision of the Menorah in Zekhar’Yah 4:1–7 further underscores this Eternal Light, sustained by G-d’s Ruach, as a beacon of the Chesed that illuminates the path from temporal observance to Eternal Rest. The Menorah’s continuous light symbolizes the Torah, the source of Divine Wisdom, guiding the sanctification of time through the festivals and the Sabbath. Thus, in Shabbat, the Eternal meets the Temporal, defining the path toward the future.

In uniting these themes, Zekhar’Yah’s prophecy, Ibn Ezra’s commentary, and Yeshua’s actions reveal the Sabbath as a foretaste of the ultimate Redemption, where time, sanctity, and joy converge in the Eternal Presence of the Shechinah. The Messianic Sabbath is thus a culmination of G-d’s Chesed, drawing all creation into His everlasting embrace.

Summary: Yeshua and the Fulfillment of the Messianic Sabbath

The Messianic Sabbath, as illuminated through the teachings of the Torah, the visions of Zekhar’Yah, and the life of Yeshua, represents the culmination of G-d’s Chesed and His Redemptive Plan for Creation. The Sabbath is not merely a cessation of labor but a Divine Institution that Sanctifies Time, transforming every day as an offering a foretaste of ultimate Unity with the Shechinah. In Yeshua, the essence of the Sabbath is fulfilled, as He embodies the Cohen Gadol who purifies, restores, and elevates all creation, bending time into eternity and manifesting the eternal joy of the Messianic Era. 

Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Vayikra 23 reveals the Sanctification of Time through the counting of the Omer, a journey of Spiritual Elevation that culminates in Shavuot, the giving of the Torah. This progression reflects humanity’s active role in aligning with G-d’s will, each day a step closer to eternal unity. Yeshua mirrors this process in His teachings and actions, particularly in Luqas 14:1–6, where His healing on the Sabbath illustrates the day’s ultimate purpose: restoration and renewal. By performing acts of Chesed on the Sabbath, Yeshua transforms it into a Living Representation of G-d’s redemptive work. 

In Zekhar’Yah’s prophecies, the return of the Shechinah to Yerushalayim and the purification of Yehoshua the Cohen Gadol symbolize the restoration of holiness and the overcoming of sin. As a picture of the Cohen Gadol, Yeshua embodies this purification, unifying the Temporal and Eternal by One Sacred Act. His life and ministry reflect the Eternal Light symbolized by the Menorah in Zechariah 4:1–7, guiding creation toward the destined Messianic Sabbath.

Through Yeshua, the Messianic Sabbath transcends time, weaving together the Sanctity of the Torah, the Prophetic Visions of Redemption, and the Chesed of G-d. It becomes the Eternal Day, where the Shechinah dwells entirely among creation, and all humanity rejoices in the unity and light of the Creator. The Sabbath finds its ultimate fulfillment in Him as a beacon of Eternal Rest and Divine Joy.

END OF THE READINGS FOR THE THIRD DAY OF CHANUKAH

Some Memorable Quotes About Chanukah

“Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return, it asks not whether you are friend or foe, it gives of itself and it is not thereby diminished.”

Author Unknown

“Love is not consolation. It is light!”

Friedrich Nietzsche

“What is to give light must endure burning.”

Dr. Victor Frankl

“There are two ways of spreading light, to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”

Edith Wharton

“We cannot hold a torch or a candle to light another’s path without brightening our own.”

Ben Sweetland

Reading Assignment

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez By: Rabbi Yitzchok Magriso, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1989) Leviticus II - Vol. 12– “Holiness” pp. 158-202

Ramban: Leviticus Commentary on the Torah Translated and Annotated by Rabbi Dr. Charles Chavel Published by Shilo Publishing House, Inc. (New York, 1974) pp. 368-392

Days Four thru Eight coming soon to your email.

Hag Chanukahh Sameach!

Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

Edited by Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham

A special thank you to HH Giberet Giborah bat Sarah and Giberet Sarai bat Sarah for their diligence in proof-reading.

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[1] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunuelo & http://herbivoracious.com/2010/11/bunuelos-bimuelos-donuts-hanukkah-sephardic.html

[2] See: http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/rfcj/Other_SWEETS/Rice_Pudding_2_Sephardic_Arroz_con_Leche_-_dairy.html & http://www.sbs.com.au/foodsafari/recipe/index/id/90/n/Rice_pudding_%28arroz_con_leche%29

^[3] Opening comments taken from: David J. Clark and Howard A. Hatton, A Handbook on Zechariah, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 2002), Pg. 1-15.

^[4] ESV (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), All scripture ref. ESV unless otherwise noted.

[5] 7069. קָנָה qānāh: I. A verb meaning to buy, to purchase, to acquire, to possess. It is used with God as its subject to mean His buying back His people, redeeming them.  Also used as, A verb meaning to create, to bring forth.

[6] 622. אָסַף ʾās̱ap̱: A verb meaning to gather, to take away, to harvest. Often it refers to gathering or harvesting food or gathering other objects, such as animals. The word also refers to death or burial, literally meaning to be gathered to one’s people (Gen. 25:8).

[7] 5080. נָדַח nāḏaḥ: A verb meaning to banish, to drive away, to scatter. It is used in various ways to indicate the idea of forcefully removing, impelling, or driving out: of the dispersion, the scattering of Israel into exile.

[8] 6908. קָבַץ qāḇaṣ: A verb meaning to gather, to collect, to assemble. The passive form is used to signify the gathering or assembling of people, especially for battle (Josh. 9:2; Neh. 4:20[14]; Jer. 49:14); and for religious and national purposes (1 1 Chr. 11:1; Ezra 10:1, 7).

[9] 5310. נָפַץ nāp̱aṣ: I. A verb meaning to shatter, to break, to smash. It describes the action of shattering or breaking something: pitchers. It also is used as A verb meaning to spread out, to disperse, to scatter.  It used to indicate the dispersal of peoples across the earth.

[10] Abarbanel understands those gathered from the four corners are the remanent or remainder of both the castaways of Israel and the dispersed of Judah.

[11] In Hebrew there is 1^st, 2sd and 3^rd person tenses.

[12] David Kimhi (1160-12350 also known as his Hebrew acronym Radak, a medieval Rabbi, biblical commentator, philosopher and grammarian.

[13] LORD OF HOSTS (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, yhwh tseva'oth). A phrase describing Gods  role as the Lord of the heavenly armies, the commander of the cosmic forces, the head of the divine council, and the leader of Israel’s army The phrase “Lord of Hosts” communicates God’s role as a warrior who fights both in the cosmic conflict against divine forces and through human historical events for His people, Israel. The phrase appears 285 times in the Old Testament, with a high concentration in the Prophets (especially Isaiah, Jeremiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). Evidently the meaning of the title is that all created agencies and forces are under the leadership or dominion of God, who made and maintains them (Gen 2:1; Isa 45:12) Some would take the name to mean “Militant LORD,” “Powerful LORD,” or the like. A few scholars stress the military aspect of the epithet; others deny it or prefer to stress the royal aspects. No doubt the epithet denotes all these elements; they are not mutually exclusive.

[14] Soncino Books of the Bible, Zech. Pg 276-284.

^[15] Kenneth L. Barker, “Zechariah,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 7 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 618.

[16] 5782. עוּר ʿûr: I. A verb meaning to stir, to arouse, to awaken. It is used of raising something or someone to action, of agitating someone, of motivating him or her. It is used of stirring oneself to action (Judg. 5:12;   of the Lord’s arousing Himself or His arm (Ps. 7:6[7]; Isa. 51:9). In its passive use, it means to be stirred up (Jer. 6:22; 25:32; Zech. 4:1). It means to rouse someone to action (Zech. 9:13).

[17] The Prophets, Milstein Edition, Pg. 403.

^[18] Kenneth L. Barker, “Zechariah,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 7 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 626–627.

[19] The same word as in footnote 14. This could be understood as both asleep and in such a deep state of meditation that the angel had to rouse him from his deep thoughts.

[20] The Prophets, The Milstein Edition, Pg.411-413.