Esnoga Bet Emunah - 3711 Medical Drive #1016

Targum Neofiti for:

B’resheet 27:28 – 28:9

28. And may the Lord give you of the good of the dew that descends from the heavens (and of) the choicest, and of the good of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine and oil. 29. Let nations serve before you - all the sons of Esau; let all the kingdoms be enslaved to you - all the sons of Ishmael; be master and ruler over your brethren - all the sons of Keturah; and let them advance and salute you - all the sons of Laban, who is your mother's brother. Whoever curses you let him be cursed, like Balaam the son of Peor, and whoever blesses you let him be blessed, like Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel.

30. ¶ And when Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had just come out from the face of Isaac his father, his brother Esau came in from the hunt. 31. And he also made dishes and brought (them) to his father and said to his father: "Arise, father, and eat from your son's game so that your soul may bless me." 32. And Isaac his father said to him: "Who are you?" And he said: "I am your firstborn son Esau." 33. And Isaac was frightened with a very great fright and said: "Who, I pray, is the one who hunted game and brought (it) to me and I ate of it all before you came to me? And I blessed him." And a Bath Qol (daughter of a voice) went forth from the heavens and said: "He will also be blessed." 34. When Esau heard the words of his father he made a great cry, exceedingly strong and bitter, and he said to his father: "Bless me also, father." 35. And he said: "Your brother came with great cunning and took your blessing." 36. And he said: "Behold, has his name not rightly been called Jacob? Behold, he has supplanted me these two times. He has taken my birthright and behold, now he has taken my blessing." And he said: "Have you not a blessing left for me?" 37. And Isaac answered and said to Esau: "Behold, a master and ruler I have set him over you, and all his brothers I have set before him as slaves, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. And from now, what can I do for you, my son?" 38. And Esau said to his father: "Have you (but) one blessing father? Bless me also, father." And Esau raised his voice and wept. 39. And his father Isaac answered and said to him: "Behold, far from the good of the land shall your dwelling be, and far from the good of the dew that falls from the heavens above. 40. And by your sword shall you live, and before your brother shall you serve and be subjected. And when the sons of Jacob study the Law and keep the commandments, they will place the yoke of their burden upon your neck. And when the sons of Jacob abandon the commandments and withhold themselves from studying the Law, you will rule over him and shall break the yoke of servitude from off your neck.

41. ¶ And Esau hated Jacob on account of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And Esau said in his heart: "I am not going to do as Cain did, who killed Abel during the lifetime of his father and who turned and begot Seth and called his name according to his own name. Behold, I will wait until what time the days of the mourning of my father draw nigh; and I will kill Jacob my brother and I will be called a killer and an heir. 42. And the words of Esau her older son were related to Rebekah and she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him: "Behold, Esau your brother has designs on you, to kill you. 43. And now, my son, hear my voice and arise; go to Laban my brother, to Haran. 44. And you shall dwell with him a few days until the time that the fury of your brother has appeased, 45. until the might of the anger of your brother turns from you and he forgets what you have done; and I will send and take you from there. Why now, I pray, should I be bereaved of both of you in one day?" 46. And Rebekah said to Isaac: "I am weary of life because of the daughters of the Hittites. If Jacob takes a wife from among the daughters of the Hittites such as these, from among the daughters of the people of the land, why I pray, should I live?"

1. ¶ And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and commanded him saying to him: "Do not take a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites. 2. Arise and go to Paddan-Aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and take for yourself a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3. And may the God of the heavens bless you and make you strong and multiply you; and may you become an assembly of a congregation, just nations. 4. And may he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your children with you, so that you inherit the land of your sojournings which the Lord gave to Abraham." 5. And Isaac sent forth Jacob and he went to Paddan-Aram to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6. ¶ And Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-Aram to take to himself a wife from there when he blessed him and gave him command saying: "Do not take a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites," 7. and that Jacob had listened to his father and to his mother and had gone to Paddan-Aram. 8. And when Esau saw that the daughters of the Canaanites were evil in the sight of Isaac his father, 9. Esau went to Ishmael and took to himself a wife, besides the wife he had, Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth.

Regular Ashlamatah:

Hosea 14:6-10, Joel 1:1-3 + 2:12-14

5 (14-6) I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

6 (14-7) His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon.

7 (14-8) They that dwell under his shadow shall again make corn to grow, and shall blossom as the vine; the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

8 ¶ (14-9) Ephraim shall say: ‘What have I to do any more with idols?’ As for Me, I respond and look on him; I am like a leafy cypress-tree; from Me is thy fruit found.

9 (14-10) Whoso ever is wise, let him understand these things, whoso ever is prudent, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just do walk in them; but transgressors do stumble therein.

1 ¶ THE WORD of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

2 Hear this, you old men, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land. Has this been in your days, or in the days of your fathers?

3 Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

4 That which the palmer-worm has left has the locust eaten; and that which the locust has left has the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm has left has the caterpillar eaten.

5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.

6 For a people is come up upon my land, mighty, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the jaw- teeth of a lioness.

7 He has laid my vine waste, and blasted my fig-tree; he has made it clean bare, and cast it down, the branches thereof are made white.

8 ¶ Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

9 The meal-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests mourn, even the LORD’S ministers.

10 The field is wasted, the land mourns; for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languishes.

11 Be ashamed, O you husbandmen, wail, O you vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.

12 The vine is withered, and the fig-tree languishes; the pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered; for joy is withered away from the sons of men.

13 Gird yourselves, and lament, you priests, wail, you ministers of the altar; come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God; for the meal-offering and the drink-offering is withheld from the house of your God.

14 ¶ Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land unto the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.

15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

16 Is not the food cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?

17 The grains shrivel under their hoes; the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.

18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

19 Unto You, O LORD, do I cry; for the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath set ablaze all the trees of the field.

20 Yea, the beasts of the field pant unto You; for the water brooks are dried up, and the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

1 ¶ Blow the horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD comes, for it is at hand;

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spread upon the mountains; a great people and a mighty, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame blazes; the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing escapes them.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so do they run.

5 Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a mighty people set in battle array.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces have gathered blackness.

7 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; and they move on every one in his ways, and they entangle not their paths.

8 Neither does one thrust another, they march every one in his highway; and they break through the weapons, and suffer no harm.

9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the wall, they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.

10 Before them the earth quakes, the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11 And the LORD utters His voice before His army; for His camp is very great, for he is mighty that executes His word; for great is the day of the LORD and very terrible; and who can abide it?

12 ¶ Yet even now, says the LORD, turn unto Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation;

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repents Him of the evil.

14 Who knows whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meal-offering and a drink- offering unto the LORD your God?

Special Ashlamatah for Shabbat “Nachamu 5” – TARGUM Isaiah 54:1-10

54.1 Sing, O Jerusalem who was as a barren woman who did not bear; shout in singing and exult, [you who were] as a woman who did not become pregnant! For the children of desolate Jerusalem will be more than the children of inhabited Rome, says the LORD. 54.2 Enlarge the place of your camping, and cause the cities of your land to be inhabited; hold not back, increase the people of your armies and strengthen your rulers. 54.3 For you will be strengthened to the south and to the north, and your sons will possess peoples and will cause desolate cities to be inhabited. 54.4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproaches of your widowhood you will remember no more. 54.5 For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. 54.6 For the Shekhinah of the LORD has summoned [you] like a wife forsaken and distressed in spirit, like a wife of youth who is cast off, says your God. 54.7 "In a little anger I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring your exiles near. 54.8 In a brief hour, for a time, I took up the face of my Shekhinah from you, but with everlasting benefits which do not cease I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer. 54.9 This is like the days of Noah before me: as I swore by my Memra (Word) that the waters of the flood which were in the days of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that my anger will not turn upon you and I will not rebuke you. 54.10 For the mountains may pass and the hills be split, but my goodness shall not pass from you, Jerusalem, and my covenant of peace shall not be cast away, says He who is about to have compassion on you, says the LORD.

Ketubim

Midrash Psalm 22

1. For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hash-Shahar (Ps. 22:1). The word Aiyeleth ("Hind") is to be taken in the same sense as Aiyaloth in God, the Lord, is my strength, and He made my feet like hinds' (Aiyaloth) feet, letting me walk upon bamotay (Hab. 3:19). R. Phinehas said: Scripture does not say here "like stags' feet," but like hinds' feet, because the feet of the female deer are surer than the feet of the male. What is meant by bamotay? As in Greek bimata, bamotay means "upon the balls of my feet." Letting me walk is an allusion to my walking upon the Egyptians. When the Egyptians sank in the sea, the Holy One, blessed be He, made a sign to the sea, and it cast them up on dry land, and the children of Israel saw them dead, as is said When the morning appeared ... Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore (Ex. 14:27c, 30b). What did the children of Israel do to them? Each man in Israel took his dog, and went down, and placed his foot upon an Egyptian's neck, and said to his dog: "Eat of this hand which used me as a slave! Eat of these bowels which had no mercy on me!" You can prove for yourself that this actually happened, for of the Egyptians it is written The Lord said: ... I will bring them back ... that thy foot may wade through blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies (Ps. 68:23-24). Whereupon the children of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: From of old, Thou didst perform all such miracles for us, and indeed we are not ingrates. But what else can we do, except sing Thee songs and praises: Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord (Ex. 15:1). So For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hash-Shahar ("the hind of dawn") means "Upon the rising of the sun, a song."

A different comment. Upon Aiyeleth ("hind"), when read as the plural Aiyaloth, may be taken as referring to two women likened to hinds, to Deborah and to Esther: to Deborah who came from the tribe of Naphtali - Jacob meant her when he said Naphtali is a hind let loose (Gen. 49:21) - and to Esther who is also likened to a hind. In this Psalm, however, The hind of the morning refers to Esther.

2. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (PS.22:2). These words are to be considered in regard to the verse The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and His holy one for a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day (Isaiah 10:17): The light of Israel means Hezekiah; His holy one means Isaiah; and it shall burn means that Sennacherib shall burn; and devour his thorns and his briers means that Sennacherib's hosts shall be devoured. Thus when Sennacherib moved upon Jerusalem Isaiah and Hezekiah sat in the Temple, and from between the two of them came forth a fire which devoured Sennacherib and his hosts.

Or, The light of Israel means Mordecai; His holy one means Esther; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers means that Haman and his sons shall be devoured. Our Masters said: Haman had a hundred sons, ten of whom were slain, ten hanged, ten dismembered and thrown to dogs; and the remaining seventy went begging for twelve months from door to door, and at the end were also slain. How then shall one interpret it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day? In this way: as a man measures, so is he measured. As Haman made a decree to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all Jews (Esther 3:13), so it was decreed against him and his: it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers.

3. A different comment on The light of Israel shall be for a fire. Light of Israel refers to Esther who shone like the light of morning for Israel. But is not light the same as fire, and fire the same as light? The verse implies, however, that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I shall make the day have two faces, a face of light for the people of Israel, and a face of darkness for the nations of the earth of whom Scripture says, Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! Wherefore would ye have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light (Amos 5:18). In this world's use, when a man lights a lamp in his parlor, can he possibly say: "Such and such a man who is my friend is free to use the light of the lamp, but my foe is not free to use the light of the lamp?" The truth is that all men alike can use the light of a lamp. But the Holy One, blessed be He, does things differently. Though all men alike can make use [of light] in this world, and God gives darkness to all alike in this world, God in the time-to-come will say only to Israel: Arise, shine, for thy light is come ... darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but upon thee the Lord will arise (Isa.60:2).

R. Hanina also said: The words, The Lord is good to all (Ps. 145:9) mean that the Lord is good to all only in this world. But it is said of the world-to-come in the time-to-come Do good, O Lord, unto those that are good, and to them that are upright in their hearts (Ps. 125:4). Even so, Mordecai and Esther were a darkness for the gentiles; but for the Jews they were a light, for it is said, on account of Mordecai and Esther The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor (Esther 8: 16).4

Why is Esther called Hadassah? Esther means "the hidden one"; for she remained hidden fast in her chambers; but she came forth into the world when there was need of her to give light to Israel. As for her name Hadassah, of which it is written Mordecai ... brought up Hadassah ("myrtle") (Esther 2:7), it was given to her because of her righteousness. Mordecai, too, was called Hadas or "myrtle," this being a name for righteous men as in the verse I saw a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees (Zechariah 1:8).

Like a myrtle-tree, whose odor is good and whose taste is bitter, so Mordecai and Esther were a light to Israel and a darkness to the gentiles of the earth. Do not wonder at this. For of Egypt, one verse reads There was a darkness in all the land of Egypt three days (Ex. 10:22), and the next says But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings (Ex. 10:23).

And so God says to the people of Israel: Even as I have done in this world, so will I do in the world-to-come, for it is said Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but upon thee the Lord will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee (Isa. 60:2).

4. A different comment on For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hash-Shahar ("Hind of the dawn"). This verse is to be considered in the light of what Scripture says elsewhere: Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me (Micah 7:8). In saying For the leader; upon the Hind of the dawn, David meant "For Him who leaps up like a hind in a time of darkness to give light to the world." When does God Himself give light to the world? Surely not at night. For though it be night, one has the light of the moon, the stars, and the planets. Then when is it really dark? Before dawn! After the moon sets, and the stars set, and the planets vanish, there is no darkness deeper than the hour before dawn, and in that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, answers the world and all that are in it: Out of the darkness, He brings forth the dawn and gives light to the world.

5. Another comment. For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hash-Shahar ("Hind of the dawn") refers to Him who leaps up like a hind in the midst of darkness to give light to the children of Israel.

Thus in saying And it came to pass, that when the sun was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him (Gen. 15:12), Scripture is referring to the several exiles, during which the Holy One, blessed be He, will be a light in the midst of darkness for the children of Israel. Dread refers to Babylon, described in Daniel's vision as "dreadful and terrible" (Dan. 7:7); darkness refers to Media, which darkened the light in the eyes of Israel, until in the days of Mordecai and Esther the Holy One, blessed be He, restored the light, for it is said "The Jews had light and gladness" (Esther 8:16); great refers to Greece, described in Daniel's vision as "the great horn" (Dan. 8 :8); fell refers to Edom, meant to fall by the hand of Israel, when the Holy One, blessed be He, will give light to Israel, saying, Arise, shine, for thy light is come (Isaiah 60:1). And so For the leader; upon the Hind of the dawn means "For Him who shall leap up like a hind, and break forth like the dawn upon Israel, as it is said Then shall thy light break forth as the morning" (Isa.58:8).

Note also that it is written of Esther: Then called Esther for Hathach (Esther 4:5), etc. up to the verse in which Mordecai sends word to Esther: "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape" (Esther 4:13), that is, "Do not think to thyself: 'Because I am queen I shall not perish!'" For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time (Esther 4:14), "A time of trouble unto Jacob, out of it shall he [nevertheless] be saved" (Jer. 30:7). For relief and deliverance will arise to the Jews from another place (Esther 4:14) - that is, from Him, of whom it is written "Israel shall be saved by the Lord with everlasting deliverance" (Isaiah 45:17). But thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14). From this verse you may learn a rule of conduct: a man ought not to push his fellow away with both hands; while he may be pushing him away with his left hand, he ought to be pulling him near with his right. For this reason, [Mordecai said: Thou and thy father's house will perish, but added:] Who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye with me (Esther 4:16). From this verse comes proof that the solemn gathering is the most important part of a fast, as is said Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders (Joel 1:14).

Neither eat nor drink three days (Esther 4:16). Having already said fast ye with me, why did Esther find it necessary to add Neither eat nor drink three days? Can one who fasts eat and drink? What was in her mind? By fast ye with me, she meant "Fast ye because you ate and drank at the feast of Ahasuerus." Accordingly, the proverb: "Here the palm-heart, here its branch; you have eaten the heart, now be smitten with the branch."

It might be thought that they had to fast continuously night and day: but can men fast continuously three days and three nights, and not die? In truth, they were allowed to break their fast while it was still daylight. And why only a three-day fast? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not leave the children of Israel in distress for more than three days (cf. Genesis Rabbah 91:7). Thus [when Abraham was taking his son to the land of Moriah to offer him there for a burnt-offering], Scripture says, On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off (Gen. 22:4); and [when Joseph charged his brothers with being spies], it is said He put them all together into ward three days (Gen. 42:17); and [when Israel went out into the wilderness of Shur], it is said And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water (Ex. 15:22); and again, when Hezekiah was sick unto death, the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying: Return, and say to Hezekiah: Behold, I will heal thee; unto the house of the Lord thou shalt go on the third day (2 Kings 20:5). In like manner, Rahab the harlot said to the spies sent out by Joshua: You need suffer but three days, as is said Get you to the mountain ... and hide yourselves there three days ... and afterward may ye go your way (Josh. 2:16).10 And likewise of Jonah: Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 2:2), and then The Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land (Jonah 2:11). The prophet Hosea also said: After two days He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight (Hos. 6:2).

Accordingly, Esther decreed a fast for three days. And so the hind of the dawn refers to Esther who brought forth the morning out of darkness.

6. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (PS.22:2). On the first day of a fast, one says: My God; on the second day, one says: My God; only on the third may one say Why hast Thou forsaken me? So it was only after Esther cried in a loud voice, Why hast Thou forsaken me? that her cry was heard.

O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not ... For Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Our fathers ... cried unto Thee, and were delivered (Ps. 22:3-6). Esther said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Didst Thou deal with our fathers in Egypt as now with us? Indeed not. As soon as our fathers cried, Thou didst hear them, as is said The Lord said: I have ... heard their cry ... and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians" (Ex. 3:7-8).

Yet which is the greater trial, this one or the one in Egypt? Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive (Ex. 1:22), but Haman sent letters to destroy ... both young and old, little children and women, in one day (Esther 3:13). Pharaoh commanded that only when a man did not complete his work, was he to be walled up alive; when a man did complete his work, nothing was done to him; but Haman decreed to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all Jews (Esther 3:13). Those who were in Egypt Thou didst hear at once when they cried out; but to us who have been fasting for these three days and praying and crying and calling, Thou dost not reply: even if there be no good deeds in us, deal mercifully with us for the hallowing of Thy name. For Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel (Psalm 22:4).

7. A different exposition of Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me (Micah 7:8). The people of Israel say to [hostile] nations of the earth: Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy. Why not? Because if I fall, I arise: Swift upon a falling, there is a rising up.

R. Samuel drew the same meaning from the verse A righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again (Proverbs 24:16). But when the wicked fall, they shall not rise up again. Upon the stumbling of the wicked follows calamity, as is said The wicked stumble into calamity (ibid.): Once they fall, there is no rising up for them. Scripture says this again in the verse In one blow their folly shall be made manifest, and they shall be destroyed (Jeremiah 10:8).

When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me (Micah 7:8). Our Masters taught: "Hard upon wrath, there is favor; hard upon darkness, light; hard upon anger, compassion; hard upon trouble, comfort; hard upon rejection, acceptance; hard upon falling, a rising up." Indeed, "Hard upon wrath, favor," for God said: Let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, that I may consume them (Ex. 32: 10) but directly after this, it is said The Lord repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people (Ex. 32:14). Indeed, "Hard upon darkness, light," for it is said When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me (Micah 7:8). Indeed "Hard upon anger, compassion," for it is said In wrath remember compassion (Hab. 3:2). Indeed, "Hard upon trouble, comfort," for it is said It is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved (Jeremiah 30:7). Indeed, "Hard upon rejection, acceptance," for it is said It shall come to pass that instead of that which was said: "Ye are not My people," it shall be said unto them: "Ye are the children of the living God" (Hos. 2:1). Indeed, "Hard upon falling, a rising up," for it is said When I fall, I shall arise (Micah 7 :8).

Upon the abasement of righteous men follows their exaltation. Of this it is written When thou fallest, thou shalt be lifted up (Prov. 30:32). Thus it was with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Out of their being cast into the fiery furnace came their exaltation, as it is said Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Dan. 3:30). And thus it was with Daniel, with Mordecai, and with Joseph.

You will find no days as fearsome as those days of the time of Haman, for then the children of Israel were in deep darkness, living in gloom and in anguish. This was when Haman said to Ahasuerus: "There is a certain people scattered abroad ... their laws are diverse ... neither keep they the king's laws" (Esther 3:8). Esther being told of this, immediately said to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me ... I also and my maidens will fast in like manner (Esther 4:16). And as she was saying And so I will go in unto the king, which is not according to the law (Esther 4:16), the people of the palace began to say: "Now the king will be angry at Esther, and death will be decreed for her." And everyone said: "I shall take Esther's apparel," this one saying "Me, I shall take her ornaments"; and that one saying "Me, I shall take her earrings"; and another one saying "Me, I shall take her royal vesture," as is known from Esther's statement: They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (Psalm 22:19).

Now because Esther perceived and understood what was going on, she prayed and said: Be not Thou far from me, O Lord, O my Strength, haste Thee to help me (Ps. 22:20).

As soon as David foresaw by the help of the Holy Spirit that O my Strength (Aiyeleth) was the apostrophe wherewith she would call upon the Holy One, blessed be He, David, thinking upon Esther, arranged this Psalm For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hash-Shahar.

8. In another comment, For the leader; upon Aiyeleth hashShahar is interpreted as "For the leader; upon strength at dawn." Elsewhere Scripture says, Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp; I myself will awake at dawn (Ps. 57:9). This is as though David said: "I will awake the king's glory for the sake of my Maker's glory, my glory being nothing before my Maker's glory." R. Phinehas said in the name of R. Eleazar ben Menahem: What did David use to do? He used to take a psaltery and a harp, put them above his head, and upon waking himself at midnight, used to play upon them; thereupon the Sages of Israel, hearing the sound of David's playing, used to say: "If David, king of Israel, occupies himself at midnight with Torah, with songs and praises, so much the more should we!" And it turned out that because of David all the children of Israel sat down and occupied themselves with Torah.

R. Levi said: A window was left open above David's couch - left open to the north - and across the window hung a harp, and when the north wind came up at midnight it blew through the harp, which then played of itself; and David would say, Awake my glory. How awakened? By the psaltery and the harp. I will awake the dawn: That is, "I shall be he who awakes the dawn, the dawn shall not awake me." All night long his Inclination-to-do-evil would tempt him, saying "David! David! Is it the way of kings that the dawn wake them? Kings sleep three hours into the day. Yet thou declarest I will awake the dawn, and thou risest at midnight, saying: 'At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee'" (Ps. 119:62).

9. Another comment. The verse Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp; I will awake the dawn alludes to the four kingdoms. Awake, my glory means that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were to rise for us in Babylon; awake, psaltery means that Mordecai and Esther were to rise for us in Media; awake ... harp means that the house of the Hasmoneans was to rise for us in Greece; I will awake the dawn means that the Messiah is to rise for us in Edom.

Or, Awake, my glory alludes to the ruined First Temple, which was to be rebuilt by the hands of Ezra. Awake, psaltery and harp; I will awake the dawn alludes to the ruined Second Temple, which is to be rebuilt - the whole structure - by Thy hand. Of this it is written The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel (Ps. 147:2).

10. Another comment. Awake, my Glory; awake, psaltery and harp; I will awake the dawn means that the congregation of Israel said to the Lord: Master of the universe, awake as in the days of Esther, who is likened to the dawn, so that upon psaltery and upon harp we may again sing Psalms before Thee!

The question was asked: Why is Esther likened to the dawn? When the dawn awakes the stars set, and so in the court of Ahasuerus, as Esther awakened, the stars of Haman and his sons set.

In another comment, R. Benjamin bar Japheth taught in the name of R. Eleazar: "As the dawn ends the night, so all the miracles ended with Esther." But what of Hanukkah? We speak, however, only of the miracles which are recorded in Scripture.

11. Another comment. The phrase the hind of morning is to be considered in the light of what Scripture says elsewhere: Who is this that cometh up as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? (Song 6:10). Who is the this the verse refers to? Israel, to whom God said: This thy stature is like to a palm-tree (Song 7:8). When the people of Israel were journeying in the wilderness the Ark went before them, as is said The Ark of the Lord went before them (Num. 10:33). R. Eleazar said in the name of R. Jose ben Zimra: From between the two poles by which the Ark was carried, something like flaming darts would fly out and consume [fiery] serpents thick as the beams of an olive-press, and scorpions big as the trunks of sorb-trees, as is said The Lord thy God ... led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions (Deut. 8:15); and would likewise consume thorns and briers before Israel. The nations of the earth saw the smoke, and asked: Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke? (Song 3:6). They saw how the Holy One, blessed be He, did miracles for Israel, causing manna to fall for them, making the well come up for them, bringing quails to them, and even giving them light with His own glory, as is said The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light (Ex. 13:21). And when the nations of the earth saw the cloud by day and the light of fire by night, they asked: "Who is this that cometh up as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" (Song 6:10): who is this people, each of whose instruments is made of light? Israel's Law is made of light, for it is said The commandment is a lamp, and the Law is light (Prav. 6:23). Israel's God is made of light, as is said The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame (Isa. 10:17). Israel's Redeemer is made of light, as is said Arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee (Isaiah 60:1). Israel's joy is made of light, as is said The light of the righteous rejoices (Proverbs 13:9). And of the time-to-come, it is written Light is sown for the righteous (Ps. 97:11). Surely, said the nations, they are gods, not men.

12. Who is this that cometh up ... fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? (Song 6:10). Why is Israel likened to the moon? Because, like the moon which rules by day as well as by night, Israel shall rule in this world and in the world-to-come. Lest it be thought, however, that like the moon which wanes in the course of the month, Israel will also wane, the verse goes on to say clear as the sun: like the sun which is always full, so Israel will always be full because of good deeds.

Commenting on terrible as troops with banners (Song 6:10), R. Eliezer and R. Joshua differed. R. Eliezer said: [To the nations] Israel resembled the ministering angels who stand arrayed like troops with banners. R. Joshua said: Israel looked as when going out of Egypt they stood drawn up in their places like troops under banners.

R. Hiyya told a parable of a king's daughter who was reduced to gleaning among the sheaves. A king passing by, recognized her as the daughter of a king, fell in love with her, and took her up and set her in his chariot. Her companions marveled at her and said: "Yesterday you were gleaning among sheaves, and now you sit in a chariot with a king!" She answered: "Even as you marvel at me, so I marvel at myself." So, too, when the children of Israel were made to slave with clay and with bricks in Egypt, they were despised by the Egyptians. But when they were redeemed and made free men and even lords and governors ruling over all mortals, then the Egyptians began to marvel at them, and the children of Israel said: "Even as you marvel at us, so we marvel at ourselves." Of this it is written Before I was aware, my God set me upon the chariot of a princely people (Song 6:12).

13. Another interpretation of Who is this that cometh up as the morning (Song 6:10). R. Hiyya bar Abba and R. Simeon ben Halafta walking at dawn in the valley of Arbel saw "the hind of the morning," its light raying out as it rose. R. Hiyya remarked: "The redemption of Israel will be like this!" R. Simeon replied: "Yes, for it is written When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8). At the beginning, light comes little by little; then spreads wider and wider; grows and increases; and at last bursts into shining glory. Likewise at the beginning, While Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains ... sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus, etc. (Esther 2 :21); then When the king saw Esther, the queen, standing in the court ... she obtained favor in his sight (Esther 5:2); then Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai (Esther 6:11); then They hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai (Esther 7:10); then Ahasuerus said to Esther and Mordecai: Write ye also concerning the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring (Esther 8:8); then Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel (Esther 8:15); and at last, The Jews had light and gladness (Esther 8:16).

14. Another comment on For the leader; upon the hind of the morning. R. Judah bar R. Simon taught: A hind's horn is brought into a house in which snakes nest, and the interior of the house is fumigated with it so that every snake quickly flees. Even so, when Esther came into the king's house, Haman quickly fled.

You find also that when a hind is thirsty, she digs a hole, puts her horns into it, and pants. Thereupon the deep causes waters to come up for her sake, for it is said As the hart panteth after the water brooks (Ps. 42:1).

But the Rabbis said: The hind is the most God-fearing of all animals, for her love for her young is very great. And so when the other animals are thirsty, all of them come to the hind, knowing that her deeds are God-fearing and that when she lifts her eyes to heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, will show mercy to them also. And what does the hind do? She digs a hole, puts her horns into it, and pants; and the deep causes waters to come up for her sake, for it is said As the hart panteth after the water brooks.

When David realized this, namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, hears the hind, he arranged in her honor the Psalm For the leader; upon the hind of the morning.

15. Another comment on For the leader; upon the hind of the morning. Scripture says elsewhere: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:1), a verse which alludes to the generation of Mordecai: No day was more dark and evil for the people of Israel than the one at Shushan the castle, when it was decreed to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews in one day (Esther 3:13). But they saw a great light: A redeemer rose up for them and saved them. And who was he? Mordecai. Of him it is written Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white (Esther 8:15). And what followed? The Jews had light and gladness (Esther 8:16). Of this it is written Say unto God; "How terrible are Thy works!" (Ps. 66:3), a verse which R. Eliezer the son of R. Jose the Galilean interpreted as follows: How terrifying are Thy works! For they that were to be slain, slew those who would have slain them; and they that were to be hanged, hanged those who would have hanged them; and they that were to be drowned, drowned those who would have drowned them; and they that were to be burned, burned those who would have burned them; and they that were to be cast into the lions' den, cast into it those who would have cast them. And the instances? Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river (Ex. 1:22), but he himself was cast into the sea, as is said Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea (Ex. 15:4). Nebuchadnezzar said to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: Ye shall be cast ... into the midst of a burning fiery furnace (Dan. 3:15), but paralysis which twisted his mouth came upon him; and the men who cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego into the burning fiery furnace, were at once themselves consumed, as is said The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Dan. 3:22). The Persians and the Medians sought to slay Daniel and decreed of him that he be cast into the lions' den, as is said Whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man ... save of thee, a king, he shall be cast into the den of lions (Dan. 6:8); but a miracle was wrought for Daniel, and he was saved, and they themselves were cast into the lions' den, as is said Those ... men were cast ... into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Dan. 3:23). The wicked Haman was up all night preparing a gallows fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai on; but in the morning, Haman himself and his sons were hanged thereon, as is said They hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai (Esther 7:10), and as is also said The king ... commanded ... that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows (Esther 9:25). The Jews, of them it was decreed to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day (Esther 3:13), but the tables were turned upon those who hated them, as is said It was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them (Esther 9:1).

16. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (Ps. 22:2). Esther said: My God, Thou wert at the Red Sea; my God, Thou: wert at Sinai. Why hast Thou forsaken me? Why should the order of things, even the story of Matriarchs, turn out differently for me? Our mother Sarah was taken for only a single night unto Pharaoh, and he and all the people of his house were smitten with great plagues, as is said The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife (Gen. 12:17); but I who have been forced all these years to endure the embrace of such a wicked person - for me, Thou workest no miracles.

My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (Ps. 22:2). Thou art my God from my mother's womb (Ps. 22:11). Why did Esther say my God three times? Because Esther was implying to the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the universe, three laws Thou gavest me -- one concerning menstruation, one concerning the priests' portion of the bread, and one concerning the kindling of the Sabbath light. And even though I am in the house of this wicked person, have I in any way violated even one of these laws?"

17. It is written Death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets (Jeremiah 9:20). The words to cut off the children from without would appear to promise that [during the destruction of Jerusalem] children within houses of prayer would not be cut off; the words and the young men from the streets would appear to promise that [during the destruction of Jerusalem] young men within houses of study would not be cut off. And yet when Jerusalem was destroyed, it is written Therefore He brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary (2 Chron. 36:17). Again, it is written Thou shalt not take the dam with the young (Deut. 22:6); yet when Jerusalem was destroyed, The mother was dashed in pieces with her children (Hos. 10:14).

R. Judah ben R. Simon said: It. is written Whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and its young both in one day (Lev. 22:28); yet in Shushan the castle, letters instructed to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews ... in one day (Esther 3:13). Again it is written Whatsoever man there be ... that taketh in hunting any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust (Lev. 17:13); and yet when the heathen came into Thine inheritance, it is written They have given ... the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them (Ps. 79:2-3).

On these verses, R. Berechiah commented further that the congregation of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, Thou hast given burial even to asses, but promise no burial to Thy saints: to asses, that is, to the Egyptians, "whose flesh is like the flesh of asses" (Ezek. 23:20), but to whom Thou stretched out Thy right hand - the earth swallowed them (Ex. 15:12). It is known that when the sea was casting the Egyptians up on the earth, and the earth was casting the Egyptians back into the sea, the sea said to the earth: "Receive thy hosts," and the earth said to the sea: "Receive those whom thou hast done to death." But the earth said finally: "When I received no more than the blood of Abel alone, the Holy One, blessed be He, cursed me, saying Cursed is the earth (Gen. 3:17) - if now I open my mouth and receive all these hosts, how much greater the curse upon me!" But then the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to the earth that He would not summon her to judgment, for it is said Thou stretched out Thy right hand - the earth swallowed them; here right hand clearly signifies an act of swearing, as in the words The Lord hath sworn by His right hand (Isa. 62:8).

And so the congregation of Israel could say to God: Thou hast given burial to the Egyptians, but [promise none to] the Jews, against whom the hateful oppressor decreed: to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish (Esther 3:13). Why hast Thou forsaken me?

18. O my God, I cry in the day-time, but Thou hearest not; and in the night-season also I take no rest (Ps. 22:3). From this passage the Sages drew Scriptural support for the practice of reading the Scroll of Esther on the night of Purim, and for repeating the reading on the next day, since it is said O my God, I cry in the day-time ... and in the night-season also I take no rest.

A further comment on O my God, I cry in the day-time, but Thou hearest not; and in the night-season also I take no rest. R. Phinehas taught in the name of R. Hoshaia that Esther said: Our fathers cried out to Thee in Egypt, and Thou didst hear their groaning, for it is written The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light (Ex. 13:21). We have fasted and afflicted our souls, beseeching Thee and praying both day and night, but Thou hast done no miracles for us, neither by day, nor by night. Even if we lack good deeds, deal mercifully with us for the hallowing of Thy name: For Thou art Holy (Ps. 22:4).

19. Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel (Ps. 22:4). R. Samuel said in the name of R. Hanina: At every praise and song of praise which the children of Israel offer to the Holy One, blessed be He, His glory is enthroned amidst them, for it is said Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel. And so Esther pleaded: If Thou hearest us not and they destroy us, then how can one say that O Thou ... enthroned upon the praises of Israel is true? But if Thou dost save us, then the truth of O Thou ... enthroned upon the praises of Israel will be maintained through us.

R. Joshua ben Levi said: May evil befall me, if ever in my entire life I looked into a book of 'Aggadah, except once, when coming upon such a book I read the following in it: The one hundred and seventy-five sections of the Pentateuch, in which the words "speech," "saying," and "command" occur, correspond in number to the one hundred and seventy-five years of Abraham. And the proof? What God said to Moses: Thou hast ascended on high ... thou hast received gifts because of a man (Ps. 68:19). This man was Abraham, described as "the greatest man among the Anakim" (Josh. 14:15). The one hundred and forty-seven Psalms of praise in the Psalter correspond in number to the years of Jacob. And the proof? The verse, according to R. Abba bar Kahana, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel. The one hundred and twenty-three times that the congregation responds with Hallelujah as the reader recites the Hallel correspond in number to the years of Aaron. And the proof? The verse Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him (Ps. 22:24), and also the verse O fear the Lord, ye His holy ones (Ps. 34:10), Aaron being a "holy one," as in the saying "Aaron, the holy one of the Lord" (Ps. 106:16).

R. Samuel said in the name of R. Hanina: Israel offers praise to the Holy One, blessed be He, with all kinds of songs of praise, yet behold, He Himself is exalted above all praise. And the proof? The verse Thy glorious name ... is exalted above all blessing and praise (Neh.9:5).

R. Berechiah taught in the name of R. Levi: Of Abraham, it is written The Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, when he was sitting (Gen. 18:1). According to the ketib, the last phrase ought not to be translated "when he was sitting," but "when he had sat down." Thus it may be deduced that as Abraham was about to stand up, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Sit down as a model to thy children; whenever the children of Israel come into houses of prayer or into houses of study and read the Shema and pray, they also are to sit, while My Glory shall stand in their midst." And the proof? The verse God standeth in the congregation of the mighty (Ps. 82:1).

R. Haggai said in the name of R. Isaac: Scripture does not merely say that God stands ('omed), but that God stands ready (niuab) - ready at His post to answer. Here niuab has the same meaning as niuabta in the verse Thou shalt stand ready (niuabta) upon the rock (Ex. 33:21). Again God said: And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer (Isa. 65:24).

20. The passage beginning Our fathers trusted in Thee (Ps. 22:5) refers to the time our fathers were in Egypt. They trusted, and Thou didst deliver them (ibid.) from Pharaoh's hand. Unto Thee they cried (Ps. 22:6): "The children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried" (Ex. 2:23). And were saved (Ps. 22:6): "Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians" (Ex. 14:30). And why did all these things come to pass? Because In Thee did they trust, and were not confounded (Ps. 22:6): all these things came to pass because of the merit of their trust in God.

But I am a worm, and no man (Ps. 22:7). When the Holy One, blessed be He, confers greatness upon the righteous, they speak of the insignificance of their own persons. Thus Abraham said: I ... am but dust and ashes (Gen. 18:27). Moses and Aaron said: What are we? (Ex. 16:7). David said: I am a worm, and no man (Ps. 22:7). Saul said: Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? (I Sam. 9:21). Gideon said: My family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house (Judg. 6:15). But the wicked, when the Holy One, blessed be He, confers greatness upon them, they curse and taunt Him that is on high. Thus Pharaoh said: Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto His voice? (Ex. 5:2). The Philistine Goliath said: I do taunt the armies of Israel (I Sam. 17:10). Sennacherib asked: Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? (2 Kings 18:35). Nebuchadnezzar asked: Who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand!? (Dan. 3:15). To Belshazzar it was said: Thou ... hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven (Dan. 5:23); and to Hiram, King of Tyre, it was said: Thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God (Ezek. 28:2).

I am a worm, and no man: Like the worm whose only resource is its mouth, so have the children of Israel no resource other than their mouths.

Another interpretation: Like the worm which fells cedars with no more than its mouth, and though frail, fells the strong, so the children of Israel have no resource other than prayer. The nations of the earth are likened to cedars, as it is said The Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon (Ezek. 28:2). And when the nations of the earth prevail against the children of Israel, then the children of Israel in their penitence return to God and cry out in prayer: Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah ... and be Thou a help to him from his enemies (Deut. 33:7), or, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel (I Sam. 17:45). Hence the children of Israel seize always upon the special skill of their fathers, as evident from the words The Lord shall scatter you among the nations ... But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul (Deut. 4:29).

Like a worm whose only resource is its mouth, so the children of Israel have no resource other than the prayers of their mouths. Like a worm which roots out a tree with its mouth, so the children of Israel with the prayers of their mouths root out the evil decrees which [hostile] nations of the earth devise against them. Of this it is written Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye few men in Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord (Isa. 41:14); and the passage goes on to say, Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having mouths; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small (Isa. 41:15).

In another comment, the verse is read: But I, the empurpler, am no [ordinary] man (Ps. 22:7). According to R. Joshua ben Levi, the people of Israel said: I am he who clothed Thee at the Red Sea in royal purple, and none other in the world has ever done such a thing.

According to R. Samuel bar Nahmani, Israel said: I am he who made the Tabernacle for Thee with curtains of purple, for it is written Thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten curtains ... blue, and purple, and scarlet (Ex. 25:1, 26:1), and none other in the world has ever done such a thing.

A reproach of men, and despised of the people (Ps. 22:7). Like a worm despised among creatures of the earth, so the children of Israel are despised among the nations of the earth.

R. Berechiah had four sayings, three concerning men, and one concerning women: Woe unto the living who needs help from the dead. Woe unto the strong who needs help from the weak. Woe unto the seeing who needs help from the blind. Woe unto the generation whose leader is a woman, as when Deborah, a prophetess ... judged Israel (Judg.4:4).

21. Another comment. The passage beginning Our fathers trusted in Thee (Ps. 22:5) refers to Mordecai and to Esther. Thus They cried unto Thee, and were delivered (Ps. 22:6) refers to the verse where it is said "These days of Purim ... they decreed for themselves and for their seed, the fasting and the .cries for aid" (Esther 9:31). They trusted in Thee (Ps. 22:6) refers to the verse "And so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law" (Esther 4:16). And were not confounded (Ps. 22:6) refers to the verse where it is said "The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor" (Esther 8:16). Finally All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head (Ps. 22:8) refers to Haman's sons who laughed Jews to scorn, shot out their lips at them, and shook their heads at them, saying, "On the morrow these will be slain, or hanged."

22. Gol upon the Lord, and He will deliver him (Ps. 22:9). Again David said: Gol thy way upon the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass (Ps. 37:5-6). R. Bebai explained, in the name of Rab, that the word “gol” may come from the stem “galah,” "uncover," or "lay open," or from the stem “gilgel,” "roll." If “gol” is from galah, the verses mean "Confess thy sins," for Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy (Prov. 28:13). If “gol” is from gilgel, the verses mean "Roll it upon Me, and I shall bear it," for it is written Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain thee (Ps. 55:23). R. Yohanan told the parable of a king's son who was given a heavy beam to carry. When his father saw it, he said: "Lay upon me every burden you wish to, and I shall bear it." Even so the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: "Roll the burden of your sins upon Me, and I shall bear them."

Of For He delighteth in him (Ps. 22:9), R. Simeon ben Lakish said: The Holy One, blessed be He, expressed his love for Israel with three words of passion: "cleaving," "longing," and "delight": "cleaving" - Ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive (Deut. 4:4); "longing"- The Lord did long for you (Deut. 7:7) ; "delight" - The Lord delighteth in thee (Isa. 62:4). We infer the force of these words from the story of the wicked Shechem in the chapter beginning Dinah ... went out (Gen. 34:1): "cleaving" - His soul did cleave unto Dinah (Gen. 34:3); "longing" - My son Shechem longeth for your daughter (Gen. 34:8); "delight" - He had delight in Jacob's daughter (Gen. 34:19).

R. Abba bar Elisha added two more such words: "love," and "comforting speech"; "love" - I have loved you, saith the Lord (Mal. 1:2); "comforting speech" - Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Bid Jerusalem take comfort (Isa. 40:2). And from the story of the wicked Shechem we learn also the force of these words, for it is said He loved the damsel, and spoke comfortingly unto the damsel (Gen. 34:3).

He will rescue him, for He delighteth in him (Ps. 22:9). Esther said: His desire to rescue me rose up within Him.

23. But Thou art He that took me out (gochi) of the womb (Ps. 22:10). Gochi is derived from the same stem as gicho in the verse Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth (gicho) as if it had issued out of the womb (Job 38 :8).

The end of the verse Thou kept me in safety, when I was upon my mother's breast (Ps. 22:10) means that Esther said: "After my mother conceived me, my father died; and my mother died while giving birth to me. But Thou kept me safe, for Thou gavest me breasts in place of my mother's breasts." Mordecai ... brought up Hadassah, that is Esther (Esther 2:7) is to say that Mordecai's wife gave suck to Esther, and that Mordecai brought her up.

24. Be not far from me; for trouble is near, for there is none to help (Ps. 22:12). When did Esther speak these words? At the time when Ahasuerus decreed to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all Jews (Esther 3:13); at that time, Esther came into the king's house without permission, as is said Esther ... stood in the inner court of the king's house (Esther 5:1). The king had seven courts: Esther went through the first court, the second, and the third. But as she came into the fourth court, Ahasuerus began gnashing his teeth and grinding them in rage, and said: "Oh, for those who are gone and cannot be replaced! How I entreated and besought the queen Vashti that she come into my presence! And because she would not come, as is said But the queen Vashti refused to come (Esther 1:12), I decreed death for her. But this one comes like a harlot without permission!" Since Esther was standing in the middle of the fourth court, however, the guards of the outer courts had no right to lay hands upon her because she had already gone beyond their authority, while the guards of the inner courts had no right to lay hands upon her because she had not yet come into their authority. (R. Levi said in the name of R. Barna: It was on account of Esther that David composed a Psalm containing prayers wherein creatures both above and below praise the Holy One, blessed be He - the Psalm beginning Hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens. Praise Him in the heights [Ps. 148:1]). At that moment Esther spoke the words Be not far from me; for trouble is.near; for there is none to help.

25. Many bulls have compassed me (Ps. 22:13) - that is, the hosts of Ahasuerus have compassed me. Strong bulls of Bashan have closed me in (kitteruni) on every side (ibid.): Kitteruni, a cognate of the Aramaic ktr, "to inclose," means the same as kitteru in the words "They inclosed (kitteru) the Benjamites round about" (Judg. 20:43). R. Aba maintained that Haman's sons waiting for Esther to fall are referred to in the phrase strong bulls of Bashan; thus kitteruni means have compassed me about as in the words "The wicked doth compass about the righteous" (Hab. 1:4).

They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion (Ps. 22:14) implies that Esther said: As a lion crouches upon his prey and ravens it, so Ahasuerus crouches upon me and ravishes me.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are separated (Ps. 22:15) - not one of my bones cleaves to another; my heart is become like wax (donag); it is melted within me (ibid.). Like Aramaic sa'awta, donag means beeswax.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd (Ps. 22:16) - like a bone-dry potsherd. And my tongue is made to cleave to my jaw; (malkohay) (ibid.). Why are jaws called malkohayim, "tongs"? Because when taking hold of food, they work like a pair of tongs. Malkohayim also means "palate," as is evident from the verse "Let my tongue cleave to the palate of my mouth" (Ps. 137:6), and from the verse "As the palate tasteth its food" (Job 12:11).

Another comment. Reading My tongue was restrained from my "double doctrine" (malkohay), the verse means that my tongue was silenced in the study of Torah, for Ahasuerus made me renounce both doctrines of the Lord, the written and the oral, of which God said: "I give you good doctrine" (lekach) (Prov. 4:2).

Thou hast set me into the dust of death (Ps. 22:16). What am I like? Like a hearth laid down at a crossroad where all those coming and going set down their pots.

26. For dogs have compassed me (Ps. 22:17) - that is, Haman's sons have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me (ibid.) - that is, Haman's hosts have inclosed me.

My hands and my feet they made repulsive (Ps. 22:17). According to R. Judah, Esther said: Though Haman's sons practiced sorcery on me so that in the sight of Ahasuerus my hands and feet were repulsive, yet a miracle was wrought for me, and my hands and feet were made to shine like sapphires.

But R. Nehemiah said: The verse is to be read At my hands and at my feet he was favored with blessing, and conveys much the same meaning as the verse "The Lord hath blessed thee at my foot" (Gen. 30:30). Thus Esther meant: Because of the work of my hands, blessing came to Ahasuerus. Though at the beginning Ahasuerus reigned from one end of the earth to the other, as is said From India even unto Ethiopia (Esther 1:1), after he slew Vashti all provinces of the earth rebelled against him. But as soon as he married me, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces-corresponding in number to the one hundred and twenty-seven years which our mother Sarah lived - returned to him because of me. And when Haman fell and authority was returned to Mordecai, all the provinces of the earth were given back to Ahasuerus, for it is said The king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the earth, and upon the isles of the sea (Esther 10:1).

27. They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them (Ps. 22:18b, 19). One said: "I shall take Esther's royal cloak and coat"; and another said: "I shall take Esther's ring and Esther's armor." The end of the verse, and cast lots upon my vesture, means, according to R. Huna, that they were casting lots for the royal cloak, which it is not seemly for commoners to use.

But be not Thou far from me, O Lord (Ps. 22:20). Esther said: "O Lord, pity me, and have compassion for me." The end of the verse, O my Hind, haste Thee to help me, means, according to R. Johanan, that Esther said: "As at the Red Sea, when swift as a hind, Thou didst haste to help my forefathers, haste Thee also this day to help me."

In that instant, an angel came down from heaven and struck Ahasuerus in the face, saying: "Wicked one, thy lady stands outside, while thou art seated here inside." Note that it is not written "When the king," etc., but After the king had seen Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight (Esther 5:2) - that is, Esther obtained favor in the sight of Ahasuerus against his will and not because of the goodness of his heart.

[Then The king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand (ibid.)]. R. Tabalifa said: We have a tradition that Ahasuerus' sceptre was lengthened in that instant by thirty-two cubits. And the second miracle was even greater than the first, for, as Esther drew nearer, the sceptre shrank back to its former length.

R. Isaac said: If the sceptre of a mere mortal brings life to an entire people, how much more life does the sceptre of the Holy One, blessed be He, bring, for it is written Tend Thy people with Thy sceptre (Micah 7:4).

28. Save me from the lion's mouth; for Thou hast heard me from the horns of the remim 53 (Ps. 22 :22). R. Huna bar Idi told the following: While David was tending sheep, he came upon the re'em asleep in the wilderness, and thinking it was a mountain, climbed upon it and continued to tend his sheep. The re'em waking up, arose, and David, astride its horns, was lifted as high as the heavens. At that moment David said: Master of the universe, if Thou bring me down from the horns of this re'em, I shall build Thee a Temple, a hundred cubits high like the horns of the re'em. (Some say that David measured the re'em's horn along its length; while others say that he measured the horn around its circumference. And the proof that David paid his vow to God? The verse He built His sanctuary like the ramim [Ps. 78:69]). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for David? He caused a lion to come towards the re' em, and when the re'em saw the lion he was afraid of it and cringed before it, for the lion is king of all animals and beasts. When David saw the lion, he also was afraid of it. Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, caused a gazelle to come along, and as the lion sprang away after it, David descended and went his way. Hence David said: Save me from the lion's mouth; for Thou hast heard me from the horns of the remim.

29. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him (Ps. 22:24). R. Joshua ben Levi said: Ye that fear the Lord refers to pious gentiles. But R. Samuel bar Nahmani maintained that the phrase refers to complete proselvtes.

R. Hezekiah and R. Abbahu said in the name of R. Eleazar: If complete proselytes are to be accepted in the time-to-come, the first of all such to be accepted will be Antoninus.

All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him (ibid.) must mean that eleven tribes are to glorify Him. Else why should the verse go on to say Stand in awe of Him, all ye the seed of Israel? As R. Benjamin explained, however, seed of Israel includes the tribe of Benjamin, descendants of the last-born of the twelve sons.

The Rabbis maintained that Ye that fear the Lord refers to complete proselytes; all ye the seed of Jacob, to priests and Levites; and all ye the seed of Israel, to lay Israelites. Similarly, in the verses O Israel, trust Thou in the Lord! ... O house of Levi trust ye in the Lord! ... Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! (Ps. 115:9-11), O Israel refers to lay Israelites; house of Levi, to priests and Levites who are descendants of the house of Levi; and Ye that fear the Lord, to complete proselytes.

30. For He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor (Ps. 22:25). In the world's use, when two men, one poor and the other rich, appear before a judge, to which one is the judge likely to show favor? Not to the rich? Yet it is said of God He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor.

In the world's use, when two men, one poor and the other rich, appear in a court, toward which one is the judge likely to turn his face? Not toward the rich? Yet the verse goes on to say of God He hath not hid His face from him.

In the world's use, when a rich man and a poor man appear in a court, to which one does the judge feel he must listen? Not to the rich man? Yet of the poor man appearing before God, it is said When he cried unto Him, He heard (ibid).

When R. Haggai decreed a fast, and rain fell, he said: Rain fell, not because I am worthy, but because He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor. And as God does not despise nor abhor the prayer of the poor, so does He not despise nor abhor the offering of the poor.

31. King Agrippa desired to bring a thousand burnt-offerings in one day. He sent word to the High Priest: "Let no man except me be allowed to bring an offering this day." And so, when a poor man with two doves in his hand came and said to the High Priest: "Offer up these doves for me," the High Priest answered: "The king charged me, saying that no man except him should be allowed to bring an offering this day." But the poor man said: "My Lord High Priest, each day I capture four doves; two I eat, and two I offer up. And if thou dost not offer these up for me, mark!-thou cuttest off my livelihood." So the High Priest rose and offered up the doves.

In a dream it was disclosed to Agrippa: "A poor man's offering preceded thine!" Agrippa sent word to the High Priest: "Did I not say this to thee: Let no man except me be allowed to bring an offering on this day?" The High Priest replied: "A poor man came with two doves in his hand and said to me: 'Offer up these for me.' I said to him, 'Thus and thus has the king charged me,' and he said to me: 'Each day I capture four doves; two I offer up, and two I eat. And if thou wilt not offer up for me, mark! - thou cuttest off my livelihood.' And should I not have offered them up?" Agrippa replied to the High Priest: "Thou hast done well. For thus it is written He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor."

It happened that an ox who was being led to the altar would not let himself be drawn along. There came a poor man who had in his hand a bunch of greens - some say it was a bunch of endives - and he held it out to the ox who ate, and thus let himself be drawn along. In a dream it was disclosed to the owner of the ox: "A bunch of greens preceded thine offering."

It happened that a woman brought one handful of fine flour for a meal-offering, and the priest, ridiculing her, said: "See what she offers up! What is there in this to offer up? What is there in this to rise as incense?" Then in a dream it was disclosed to the priest: "Do not despise her. I reckon it for her, as if she had offered up her very own soul." How so? This may be proved by the following argument: If the word soul in when a soul bringeth d meal-offering (Lev. 2:1) is used even to describe one who does not bring his own soul as an offering, how much more does the word soul fit one who brings his very soul as an offering?

It happened that from Gaul, or Spain, or from some such distant country a man brought his offering. When he saw the High Priest take a handful, and let the handful rise up in incense, and then eat the remainder of the offering, the man said: "Have I gone to all this trouble only that this one might eat?" Everyone comforted the man, saying: "If this priest who has troubled to walk merely from the hall to the altar is found worthy of eating thy meal-offering, of how much greater worth wilt thou be found, thou who hast suffered all the trouble of thy journey! Indeed, thou wilt be found worthy of eating the good stored up in the world-to-come!" And the proof? He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor.

32. The poor shall eat and be satisfied (Ps. 22:27). The poor applies to Mordecai and to Esther who were found worthy to eat at the table of kings. There is a Tannaitic tradition that Haman's wealth was divided up into three parts: a third to Mordecai and Esther, a third to those who unsparingly occupied themselves in the study of Torah, and a third toward the rebuilding of the Temple. And all three inheritors are alluded to in a single verse. For by The poor shall eat and be satisfied is meant Mordecai and Esther; by They that seek after the Lord shall praise Him is meant those who unsparingly occupy themselves in study of Torah; and by Your heart shall live for ever is meant the building of the Temple, of which it is written "Mine eyes and heart shall be there perpetually" (2 Chron. 7:16).

R. Yudan said: From what the Holy One, blessed be He, has done for you in this world, you may guess what is prepared for you in the world-to-come.

A seed shall serve Him; it shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation (Ps. 22:31). R. Eleazar said: A seed shall serve Him refers only to those who are of seed that has come to fruition in live-birth, and excludes still-births which will not have life even in the world-to-come. For it is said in the following verse They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done it (Ps. 22:32), and the phrase that shall be born clearly refers to those who are of seed that come into live-birth.

R. Yudan said: The verse just cited means that later generations shall come and declare the righteousness which the Holy One, blessed be He, has done for former generations.

R. Yochanan said: The verse A seed shall serve Him; it shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation (Ps. 22 :31) implies that both the righteous and the wicked shall look upon the face of the Shekinah, for directly before this verse it is said All they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he that cannot keep his soul alive (Ps. 22:30). Why should the wicked be allowed to look upon the face of the Shekinah? Only that the wicked who rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He, may be shown at their death the face of the Shekinah and be told: "Come and look upon the face of the King against whom you rebelled, for it is He who will punish you!" The righteous also, at the time of their departure, are shown the face of the Shekinah, and are told: "Come and look upon the King whom you served, for it is He who gives you your reward."

R. Eleazar ben Shammua said: Even little children shall look upon the face of the Shekinah, for it is said A seed shall serve Him (Ps.22:31).

Midrash of Matityahu

(Matthew) 4:5-7

1 ¶ Then Yeshua was taken by the Spirit of Holiness (Ruach HaQodesh) into the wilderness (L’Midbar) to be tested by Satan (M’HaSatan).

2 And when He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

3 ¶ The Tester drew near and said to him: if you are a Son of G-d (Ben Elohim – a Judge) say that these stones should turn into bread, and eat of it.

4 Yeshuah answered and said to him: It is written: “that a man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Adonai does a man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

5 ¶ The HaSatan took him to the Holy City, placed him in the highest point in all the Temple

6 And said to him: “If you are a son of G-d (Ben Elohim – a Judge) throw yourself down and no harm will come to you for it is written ‘For He has commanded His angels concerning you to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash a foot against a stone’ (Psalm 91:11-12).”

7 Yeshuah answered to HaSatan again, “It is thus written: ‘You shall not test Adonai your G-d’ (Deuteronomy 6:16).”

Pirqe Abot

“All Israel have a share in the World to Come, as it is stated: And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which to glorify Me” (Isaiah 60:21).

Pirqe Abot II:15-16

MISHNAH 15. Rabbi Tarfon said: "The day is short, the work is much, the workmen are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master is pressing."

QUESTION: That the "workmen are lazy" should have been mentioned last? Thus it would indicate that though there is much to do in a short period of time, and the pay is good, and the Master is present and pushing for production, nevertheless, the workmen are lazy?

ANSWER: Normally workmen are lazy for one of two reasons: Either, the pay is inadequate for the work, or no one is standing over them and observing what they are doing. Rabbi Tarfon is saying that in this case, both reasons do not apply. There is much to be accomplished in a relatively short period of time, and the workmen are lazy [though] the pay is very good, [and though] the Master is personally observing and pushing for production by punishing non-performance of Torah and mitzvoth (commandments).

QUESTION: "And the Master is pressing." (2:15) What is it that Ha-Shem is pressing the people for?

ANSWER: When the Torah gives the accounting of all the valuables that were donated for the construction of the Mishkan - Tabernacle - it says, "Eleh pekudei haMishkan Mishkan ha'edut" - "These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of Testimony" (Exodus 38:21). According to the Midrash (Tanchumah 5, see Rashi) the two words "Mishkan" allude to the two Bate Mikdash - Temples - which were taken from us. The word "Mishkan" has the same letters as the word "mashkon" - "a collateral." The Torah is hinting that they were taken as collateral for the sins of the Jewish people, and when we do Teshuvah - return - it will be restored to its former position and glory.

It is customary for a lender to request that the borrower put up collateral for a loan, and he will keep it for himself if repayment is not made. In reality, however, the lender is not interested in the collateral, but wants his money back when it is due. The same is true of Ha-Shem, so to speak. He is not interested in keeping the Bet Hamikdash, but wants it restored to its glory. This can be accomplished only through the Teshuvah – returning - and ma'asim tovim - good deeds - which the Jews will perform. Thus, "the Master is pressing" and demanding that we do our obligation, so that He can get His, the good deeds due Him, and restore to us the Temple of the Lively Stones.

MISHNAH 16. He used to say: "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, yet you are not free to desist from it; if you have studied much Torah, much reward will be given to you, and your Employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor. But know that the giving of the reward to the righteous will be in the World to Come."

QUESTION: The proper Hebrew for "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work" is "lo alecha ligmor et hamelachah"?

ANSWER: A wise person constantly seeks to acquire more knowledge. The more he knows, the more he realizes how much he has yet to learn and how distant he is from knowing it all. The one who thinks he has finished and knows it all is far from wise.

The profound message of the Mishnah is that one should know that, "Lo alecha hamelachah ligmor - it is not your job to be finished; you must accomplish more and more in Torah and mitzvoth (commandments), but never will you be finished and never are you to consider yourself complete and perfect."

QUESTION: "And your employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor." (2:16) The word "pe'ulatecha" - "your labor" - is superfluous. It would be sufficient to say "Your employer is trustworthy to reward you"?

ANSWER: When a laborer runs into difficulty and a task ends up taking much more time than it should, the employer is upset and does not want to pay for the extra time. He argues, "It should not be my problem that it took you longer or that you had to work harder because of your inefficiency or inexperience." Throughout the world, remuneration is commensurate with accomplishment and not effort or struggle. The Mishnah says, "pe'ulatecha" - "your labor" - to emphasize that Ha-Shem's ways are an exception to human practice. He rewards effort.

For learning much Torah not only will one receive much reward, but one can be assured that the Employer – Ha-Shem - will reward for "pe'ulatecha" - "your effort" - and He is "ne'aman" - "trustworthy" - that it will be rewarded in the fullest measure.

Commentary

This week we look somewhat with astonishment at the Midrash on Psalm 22. We find that the Midrash makes Psalm 22 as applicable to Esther and Mordechai, whilst in the Nazarean Codicil, Psalm 22 provides a multitude of pointers to the manner in which the Master from Nazareth was executed. How can this be? Are we to infer that the Midrash is against the Nazarean Codicil, or is there a more profound significance to this?

In the second cycle of Torah readings in the 7 Year Cycle (Shmita Years) the last 3 and ½ year cycle begins Genesis One on the first Sabbath in Nisan, and the Torah Seder for this week falls at this time of introspection and returning to Ha-Shem, most blessed be He, before we enter into Rosh HaShanah and the subsequent Yamim HaNoraim (10 days of returning). However, in the first cycle, when we start Genesis One in Tishri, the Torah Seder for this week will fall either on Shabbat HaGadol before Passover or the Shabbat after the festival of Passover. And since Psalm 22 is attached to this Seder of Genesis 27:28 – 28:9, the Psalm would then be describing aptly the execution of the Master of Nazareth.

This effect of a Torah Seder falling in opposite dates in the calendar using the 3 and ½ Year Torah Reading Cycle has been called by some scholars as the “bipolarity of the Torah.” That is, in one cycle a reading may fall in spring, but in the next cycle it will fall about six months later in Tishri or thereabouts, and in both instances the reading is appropriate for that time of the year.

Another interesting aspect that can be observed from the Midrash of Psalm 22 is that Mordechai and Esther represent the feminine and masculine attributes and inner being of the Messiah. This later explanation would require more space to explain that we can afford at this time.

The Midrashim on our Seder this week also note that there was some dispute as to where our Torah Seder should start. Apparently as we shall see elsewhere there was a custom to start our Seder on verse 28 but another that started the Seder in v. 33.

Aggadat Beresheet is of the tradition that the Torah Seder started in v. 28 and thus it comments:

A. May God give you of the dew of heaven (Gen. 27:28). This is what Scripture says: It is like the dew of Hermon (Ps. 133:3). And he smelled the smell of his garments (Gen. 27:27). What are those garments? Our masters have taught: ‘Before the tabernacle was set up, the high places were permitted and the sacrificial service was performed by the first-born.’ In the beginning, the first Adam, who was the first-born of the world, wore garments of high priesthood, as is stated: And the LORD God made tunics of skins for the man and for his wife and clothed them (Gen. 3:21). And it is written: He shall put on the holy linen tunic (Lev. 16:4). The first Adam transmitted the garments to Seth, and Seth to Methuselah, and Methuselah to Noah, and Noah to Shem, who was the first-born of Noah, as is stated: And King Melkhizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High (Gen. 14:18).

Shem transmitted them to Abraham, and Abraham to Isaac, and Isaac to Esau, who was the first-born. However, when Isaac saw that his wives performed idolatry, he took them from Esau and deposited them with Rebekah. When Jacob arose and took the birthright from Esau, Rebekah said: Because Jacob took the birth-right, he has the right to put on these garments, as is stated: Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau (...) and put them on her younger son Jacob (Gen. 27:15). He came in to his father Isaac and he smelled him, as is stated: He smelled the smell of his garments (Ibid. v.27) - for Isaac smelled the same smell as that which was put on the altar. This teaches that he transmitted the same smell to Isaac as that which was put on the altar, and blessed him immediately and said to him: Take the blessings that were given to you from heaven, as it is stated: May God give you of the dew of heaven.

B. Another interpretation. And he smelled the smell of his garments (begadim) (Gen. 27:27) - his faithless ones (bogedim). Those are the wicked that deceive the Holy One when they repent. So are their sins: like myrrh and aloes and cassia are your garments (Ps. 45:9). Therefore it is said: He smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, 'Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed'-like the smelI of the sacrifices of Zion, as is stated: Zion shall be plowed as a field (Jer. 26:18). He said to him: Take the blessings that are given to you.

C. May God give you of the dew of heaven (Gen. 27:28). That is, by justice: when you have good deeds, he will give to you, if not, he will not give to you. But in the case of Esau, he did not say to him: 'May God give you', but: From the fatness of the earth shall your home be (Gen. 27:39). He did not mention the name of the Holy One, but: From the fatness. But to Jacob he said: May God give you.

This can be compared to a merchant to whom two persons sold pots. One sold him the pots for ten gold coins and the other for two hundred. They went with him, to receive [their money] from him. He immediately gave the ten gold coins to the first one, and this one went away. The second he delayed. He said to him: To that one you gave [his money] immediately, and I sit here and wait! He said to him: That one had to receive a little, only ten gold coins; I had it with me and I gave it to him. But you have to receive two hundred. And I will stand up from the table so that you can receive it. Thus, he gave to Esau immediately: From the fatness of the earth shall your home be. Why? Because he had only this world. But to Jacob: O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you (Ps. 31:20).

D. Another interpretation. May God give you of the dew of heaven (Gen. 27:28) - that is the manna, as is stated: When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it (Num. 11:9). And from the fatness of the earth (Gen. 27:28 cont.) - that is the well that brought fish up for them. And plenty of grain and wine (Ibid. cont) - those are the quail. Let peoples serve you (Ibid. v.29) - those are the children of Noah. And nations bow down to you (Ibid. cont.) - those are the children of Ishmael; Be lord over your brothers (Ibid. cont.) - those are the children of Keturah; And may your mother's sons bow down to you (Ibid. cont.) - those are Esau and his chiefs. Cursed be everyone that curses you (Ibid. cont.) – that is Moses, as it is stated: This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death (Deuteronomy 33:1).

In this Midrash allusion is made to the Tallit which G-d made for Adam after he sinned and which Tallit was passed on through the generations, and the last wearer according to the Nazarean Codicil was Yochanan the Immerser. The theme itself on this Midrash is on “the dew of heaven” which according to Kabbalistic tradition alludes to the resurrection. And in a sense, that is figuratively, Mordechai, Esther, and the Jews of that place and time died and were resurrected at the third day as the Midrash in Psalm 22 explains.

The Midrash Tanchuma Yelammedenu is of the Minhag which start our Seder at v.33, and as is customary starts to pose a legal question related to our Seder. There we read:

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one pronounces upon tasting oil. Thus do our masters teach us: One who tastes oil should say: "Blessed be He who hath created the fruit of the tree." R. Yose the son of Zevid said (that) the Mishnah states (Berakhot 6:1): This blessing is pronounced over the fruit of every tree but one. Over wine one offers the blessing: "Blessed be He who hath created the fruit of the vine." Why is wine blessed differently than other beverages? Because wine was used as a libation on the altar (Numbers 28:14), and Jacob received his blessing on account of it.

When Isaac sent Esau to hunt for venison that he might eat, the Holy Spirit revealed it to Rebecca, as it is said: And Rebecca heard when Isaac spoke to Esau, his son (ibid., v. 5). And she said to Jacob: Now, therefore, my son, hearken to my voice according to that which I command thee; go now to the flock and fetch me from thence two good goats (ibid., vv. 8-9). R. Berechiah said in the name of R. Helbo: She told him that they (the goats) would be good for you and good for your descendants, for they will obtain forgiveness through them on the Day of Atonement. Then he brought his father the food and wine, which he ate and drank. After that he blessed him, as is said: Therefore, God give thee of the dew of heaven. ... Let peoples serve thee (ibid., v. 29). And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting (ibid., v. 30). He began to say: Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison (ibid., v. 31). Whereupon Isaac asked: Who art thou? (ibid., v. 32). I am thy son, he replied, thy first-born, Esau (ibid.). Thereupon Isaac trembled very exceedingly.

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). What is written before this? Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father (ibid., v. 30). This indicates that as one withdrew, the other entered. How could this happen? A person standing in a lighted area is unable to see a person standing in a dark place, while a person standing in a dark place can see one standing in a lighted area. Thus Esau, who came from the marketplace, was unable to see Jacob, who was inside the house, but Jacob could see him as he hid behind the door. As soon as Esau entered the room, Jacob slipped out, as it is said: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out ... that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting (ibid.).

How did Jacob know when to go in to his father so that Esau would not precede him and receive the blessing? As soon as Esau went out to hunt, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent Satan after him to keep him from catching anything until Jacob had received the blessing, as it is said concerning Esau: Set thou a wicked man over him, and let an adversary stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6).

How did he do that? When Esau caught a deer, he would tether it and then set out to catch another deer. In the meantime Satan would release the deer that had been caught and permit it to escape. When Esau returned, he was unable to find the deer. He repeated this a second and a third time. And thus it says: A slothful man shall not catch his prey (Prov. 12:27). He was forced to roam about for hours while Jacob received the blessings. Hence, Scripture states: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. When the wicked Esau entered, he called out to his father impudently: Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison (Gen. 27:31). It is of him that Scripture states: When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt (Prov. 18:3). The words Let my father arise sound as though he were issuing a decree. Jacob did not speak like that. He spoke gently, saying: Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison (Gen. 27: 19).

Three words in this one verse are expressions of pleading, humility, and meekness. The wicked one, however, said merely: Let my father arise, and eat. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Inasmuch as you said Arise, I pray thee, your descendant Moses will say to Me: Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered (Num. 10:35). Inasmuch as you said sit (shevah), your descendants will say: Return (shuvah), O Lord, unto the tens of thousands (ibid., v. 36). However, because Esau said Let my father arise, I will exact retribution from him through that very expression, as it is said: Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps. 68:2). Let my father arise. At that moment Isaac recognized his voice and began to tremble. Who art thou? (Gen. 27:32), he asked. When Jacob entered the room, a fragrance from the Garden of Eden accompanied him; a fragrance so pleasant that the righteous one's mind was set at ease, as is said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed (ibid., v. 27). However, when Esau entered, Gehenna was revealed to him. Hence, it says: Isaac trembled very exceedingly (ibid., v. 33). Isaac was astonished and cried out: I see Gehenna and Esau is causing the flames to rise.

Who, then, is he that hath trapped venison? (ibid.). Why is the word trapped repeated in the text? Isaac said to Esau: "You went out to trap, and you were trapped." "Why are you upset?" Esau asked. He replied: I have eaten of all (ibid.); that is, everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created during the six days of creation was contained in the food I ate before you entered, and I blessed him. Isaac desired to withdraw the blessing he had conferred upon Jacob and to declare instead: "Cursed shall ye be," but the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: What are you doing? You are, in fact, cursing yourself, for you said to him: Cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be everyone that blesseth thee (ibid., v. 29). He changed his mind and confirmed the blessings, saying: Yea, and he shall be blessed (ibid., v. 33).

And Isaac trembled exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them (Prov. 20:12). Did the Holy One, blessed be He, fashion only the eye and the ear? Did He not form all of man's organs? What is the meaning of the words The hearing ear and the seeing eye? You find that three of man's organs fashioned by the Holy One, blessed be He, are under the control of man, and three are not under his control. Man controls the functioning of his hands, his mouth, and his feet. How is that? In the case of his hands, if he desires to, he may devote them to sacred purposes, such as building a sukkah, fashioning a lulav, a shofar, (or) fringes, or writing the (scriptural) portions which are deposited in phylacteries and mezuzahs. Conversely, if he so desires, he may steal, shed innocent blood, or attack travelers with his hands. Indeed, he can commit many transgressions with his hands. As to his mouth, if he desires, he can study the Torah, speak kindly, extol, praise, and pray unto the Holy One, blessed be He, and he can also sing psalms. Conversely, if he so desires, he can speak slanderously, blaspheme and revile the Lord, and swear falsely with his mouth. With regard to his feet, a man may choose to use them to go about in the performance of good deeds-to visit the sick, comfort the mourner, bury the dead, and to do other charitable deeds; but conversely, if he so desires, he can use them to transgress-to commit adultery, to murder, or to steal.

The organs not under a man's control are his eyes, his ears, and his nose. And how is that? In the case of a man's eyes, he may witness the performance of a sinful deed, behold a repulsive sight, or see a man or a figure of authority he would prefer not to meet as he walks through the marketplace. What alternative has he? He must see them even though it might be to his disadvantage. In regard to the ear, a man hears blasphemous or sacrilegious remarks, or other things he does not wish to hear. What can he do? He hears them even though he does not desire to. As for the nose, a man walking on a highway smells unclean cooking, idolatrous incense, or the filth in the street even though it is distasteful to him. What alternative has he? He smells it even though he does not wish to.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, wills it, even the organs under a man's control may be taken out of his control. How do we know this? We know it from Moses, Balaam, Jonah, Jeremiah, and Jeroboam. Where do we learn this about Moses? R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: The Holy One, blessed be He, tried for seven days to persuade Moses from the midst of the burning bush, as is said: Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh (Exod. 3:11), but Moses replied: Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto thy servant (ibid. 4:10). This verse indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, tried for seven days to persuade him to go to Pharaoh [Translated literally, Exod. 4:10 reads: O Lord, I am not a man of words, also from yesterday, also from the day before yesterday, also since Thou has spoken unto Thy servant. Yesterday and the day before yesterday indicate three days; the word also is repeated three times, implying three more days; and the day on which Moses asked God to send someone else is the seventh day]. He replied: Send Please, whomever you will send. The Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: Do you believe that your feet are under your control? Thereupon, Moses went to Pharaoh against his will. In the case of Jonah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city (Jonah 1:2). But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord; and he went down to Joppa (ibid., v. 3). Ultimately, He inflicted upon him all the terrors of the sea: The fish swallowed him, and he cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He, from the belly of the fish; and the hair of his head and beard fell out because of the heat within the fish's belly. Finally, he went to Nineveh, even though he did not desire to do so.

In the case of Jeremiah, the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee (Jer. 1: 5). Then said I: Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child (ibid., v. 6). The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon responded: Say not: "I am a child", for to whomsoever I shall send thee, thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak (ibid., v. 7); that is, against your will you will go, and against your will you will speak.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, desires it, even one's hands are not under man's control. When did this occur? At the time that the prophet Iddo visited Jeroboam the son of Nabat: And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer. And he cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said: "O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord: Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name,' and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that offer upon thee, and men's bones shall they burn upon thee" (I Kings 13:1-2). Why is the word altar repeated in this verse? Because of the two altars, one at Beth-El and the other at Dan, at which golden calves were erected. And men's bones is stated rather than 'Jeroboam's bones," to emphasize that the prophet was respectful toward the government. Jeroboam said immediately: "This man is a fool" Whereupon the prophet replied: This is the sign ... Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out (ibid., v. 3). And the altar was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given (ibid., v. 5)

And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying: "Lay hold on him." And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to him (ibid., v. 4). When Jeroboam brought offerings to the idols, his hand did not dry up, but when he stretched forth his hand against the prophet, it did dry up. From this fact, you learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, was more concerned about the honor of that righteous man than about His own honor. The prophet exclaimed: "Do you believe that your hand is under your control?" Thereupon the king beseeched the man of God: Entreat now the favor of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me, etc. (ibid., v. 6).

Similarly, one's feet are not always within one's control. There is a biblical verse that confirms this: A man's goings are of the Lord; how, then, can man look to his way? (Prov. 20:24). Frequently, a man will depart upon a journey without knowing his ultimate destination; whether it will be for good or evil, for death or for life. Thus Elijah told the Arameans: This is not the way, neither is this the city (II Kings 6:19). The mouth likewise is not completely under man's control. We learn this from the experience of Balaam and Isaac. Regarding Balaam, it is said: Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the curse unto a blessing (Deut. 23:6). In reference to Isaac we find that when Esau entered, Isaac began to tremble and was on the verge of saying: "Cursed shall he be." The Holy One, blessed be He, called out to him: What do you intend to do? Do you believe that your mouth is under your control? Thereupon he reconsidered and said: Blessed shall he be. Thus, it is said: The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them (Prov. 20: 12).

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The fear of man brings a snare; but whosoever putts his trust in the Lord shall be set up on high (Prov. 29:25). Because of the fear that Jacob brought upon Isaac, it would have been fitting for him to have cursed him. Who compelled him to bless Jacob? Whosoever putts his trust in the Lord shall be set up on high. R. Levi said in the name of R. Hama the son of Hanina: Isaac was terrified twice, once when he was bound upon the altar, and again when Esau entered. There is no way of knowing which event frightened him more, but since the word exceedingly is mentioned in this verse, you may presume that this was the more terrifying experience. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Because of the evil inclination, you do not pursue My ways in this world, but in the future I will place within you a new heart; And I will put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh (Exekiel 11:19).

The theme in this Midrash is that ultimately man’s will has a limit that can not and will not exceed the hand of providence. Isaac was going to curse Jacob because he had cheated his brother of the blessing, but G-d who sees and hears all things, had other plans, thus we can see the wonderful lesson in this Midrash that man’s free will expressed through his words and deeds are not allowed to tamper with the hand of Providence. Many are they that feel or believe that they can go on tempting G-d by not paying attention to the what the hand of providence is saying rather than trusting in G-d. And this is idea is echoed in the answer that the Master of Nazareth gives to HaSatan in his second testing – “You shall not test Adonai your G-d” (Deuteronomy 6:16).

An interesting relation between the Midrash of Psalm 22 and the special Ashlamatah for this 5^th Shabbat of Consolation – Isaiah 54:10 can be seen as follows:

But thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14). From this verse you may learn a rule of conduct: a man ought not to push his fellow away with both hands; while he may be pushing him away with his left hand, he ought to be pulling him near with his right. For this reason, [Mordecai said: Thou and thy father's house will perish, but added:] Who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?

And in our Special Ashlamatah we read:

54.7 "In a little anger I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring your exiles near. 54.8 In a brief hour, for a time, I took up the face of my Shekhinah from you, but with everlasting benefits which do not cease I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer.

This same thought is echoed in the regular Ashlamatah by the Prophet Joel:

“Yet even now, says the LORD, turn unto Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation; and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repents Him of the evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meal-offering and a drink- offering unto the LORD your God?”

And armed with this wise counsel let us approach the remaining half of the month of Ellul trying to repair those character traits and deeds within us that are contrary to the living example of the Master of Nazareth and return again to good deeds of loving kindness and of observing G-d’s commandments with joy and gratitude for the many miracles, wonders and kindnesses that G-d bestows to us day by day.

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Shabbat:	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
ויתן לך
“VaYiten Lakh”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 27:28-31	Reader 1 – B’resheet 28:10-15
“And may give you”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 27:32-35	Reader 2 – B’resheet 28:16-19
“Y te de”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 27:36-40	Reader 3 – B’resheet 28:20-22
B’resheet (Genesis) 27:28 – 28:9	Reader 4 – B’resheet 27:41-43
Hosea 14:6-10, Joel 1:1-3 + 2:12-14	Reader 5 – B’resheet 27:44-46
Special: Isaiah 54:1-10	Reader 6 – B’resheet 28:1-4	Reader 1 – B’resheet 29:1-3
Psalm 22	Reader 7 – B’resheet 28:5-9	Reader 2 – B’resheet 29:4-8
Pirke Abot II:15-16	Maftir – B’resheet 28:7-9	Reader 3 – B’resheet 29:9-14
N.C.: Matityahu 4:5-7	Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12