Some Questions to Ponder:
1. From all the readings for this Shabbat, what verse or verses
touched your heart and fired your imagination?
The Targum on Tehillim
(Psalm) 78:49 speaking of the 250 plagues that were sent on Egypt. This is a
connection with our haggada as they discuss this particular verse. I never knew
where this was derived before.
2. What are the main topics and divisions of the Torah Seder
for this Shabbat?
Purification of the
leper: The actions of the Kohen – Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:1-20
The requirements for the
poor - Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:21-23
The trespass offering -
Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:24-32
3. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:2?
This
shall be the law of the person afflicted with tzara’ath, on the day... – What is implied by mentioning ‘day’?
4. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:4?
live [birds] – What des this terminology exclude?
clean [birds] – What is excluded by this and why are birds required for this cleansing
rite?
a cedar stick – Why was this requirement included?
a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop - What is the remedy that he may be healed [of his tzara’ath]?
cedar stick – How much should be brought?
a strip of crimson – What are the particulars of this requirement?
5. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:8?
but he shall remain outside his tent
[for seven days] – What does this requirement teach us?
6. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:11?
before the Lord – What is the specific location for this requirement?
7. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:23?
on the eighth day of his cleansing – What is the procedure for this cleansing?
8. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 14:28?
on the place of the blood of the
guilt-offering – What does this teach us? Is it the
blood or the place where the blood was applied that is important with the
application of the oil?
9. What important principle can we deduce from Rashi’s
explanation of Vayiqra 14:4?
That the lesions of tzara’ath come as a result of derogatory speech, which is
done by chattering. Therefore, for his cleansing, this person is required to
bring birds, which twitter constantly with chirping sounds.
10. Where in the readings for this Shabbat is it insinuated that
we are in a period of consolation/strengthening and returning to G-d?
Isaiah 58:11 – strengthen
1 Tsefet (Peter) 5:10 – strengthen - Now
the God of grace who has called us to his eternal glory by way of Jesus Christ,
who has given us, while we endure these few trials, to be strengthened and to
be made steadfast and Elizabeth Oakley: to be established by him forever.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 57:18-19 18
The way of their repentance is disclosed before Me, and I will forgive them; I will
have compassion on them and requite them with consolations, and those sho mourn
there. 19 The One who creates speech of
lips in the mouth of every man says: “Peace will be done for the righteous/
generous; who have kept My Law from the beginning. and peace will be done for
the penitent who have repented to My Law recently, says the LORD; and I will
forgive them.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1 Arise, shine, Jerusalem; for the time of your salvation has
come, and the glory of the LORD will be revealed upon you.
11. How is the Torah Seder related to our reading of Psalm
78:40-55 both by verbal tally and thematically?
The verbal tallies
between the Torah portion and the Psalm are:
Day - יום, Strong’s number 03117.
Brought - בוא, Strong’s number 0935.
Vayikra (Leviticus)
14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day <03117> of his
cleansing: He shall be brought <0935> (8717) unto the priest:
Tehillim (Psalm)
78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the
day <03117> when he delivered them from the enemy.
Tehillim (Psalm)
78:54 And he brought <0935> them to the
border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had
purchased.
Thematically, they both
speak of miracles (Tzaraat was miraculous) and they both speak of HaShem’s care
for His people.
12. How is the Torah Seder related both by verbal tally and
thematically to our Ashlamatah of Isaiah 57:17-19
+ 58:8-14?
The verbal tallies
between the Torah portion and the Ashlamata are:
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
Saying - אמר, Strong’s number 0559.
Speak - דבר, Strong’s number 01696.
Day - יום, Strong’s number 03117.
Vayikra
(Leviticus) 14:1 And the LORD
<03068> spake <01696> (8762) unto Moses, saying <0559>
(8800),
2 This shall be the
law of the leper in the day <03117> of his cleansing: He shall be brought
unto the priest:
Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 57:19 I create the
fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is
near, saith <0559> the LORD <03068>; and I will heal him.
Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 58:9 Then shalt thou
call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the
finger, and speaking <01696> vanity;
Yeshayahu (Isaiah)
58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the
sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day <03117>; and call the
sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD <03068>, honourable; and shalt
honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words:
Thematically, They both
speak of repentance (the leper’s repentance of his bad speech is why he can be
purified) and of the speech of the righteous.
13. How is the Torah Seder related both by verbal tally and
thematically to our Special Ashlamatah of Isaiah
54:1-10?
The verbal tallies
between the Torah portion and the special Ashlamata are:
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
Day - יום, Strong’s number 03117.
Brought - בוא, Strong’s number 0935.
Vayikra
(Leviticus) 14:1 And the LORD
<03068> spake unto Moses, saying
2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day <03117> of
his cleansing: He shall be brought <0935> (8717) unto the priest:
Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 60:1 Arise, shine; for
thy light is come <0935>, and the glory of the LORD <03068> is
risen upon thee.
Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 60:20 Thy sun shall no
more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD
<03068> shall be thine everlasting light, and the days <03117> of
thy mourning shall be ended.
Thematically, They both
speak of things that are brought before HaShem (the leper and the light).
14. How is the reading of 1 Tsefet 5:5-11 related to each of the
readings for this Shabbat?
Dr. Eliyahu ben Avraham: The
first connection I see to the Torah Seder is the clothing of humility. While the word used in Hakham Tsefet is
unique, it still connects thematically with the washed clothing (garments) of
the Leper. The rags that the Leper was
reduced to were without a doubt “clothing of humility.”
I next saw the Lepers
immersion and ceremonial cleansing as a connection to Hakham Tsefet’s
Pericope. Again, there is a thematic
connection. The immersion and ritual
ceremony are an elevation in status.
This matches Hakham Tsefet’s promotion.
“Be humbled under the mighty hand of G-d so that he will elevate you in
the appropriate season.”
His Eminence has found a
connection to Yad Elohim HaHazaqah this week.
See His commentary for further details.
Tehillim 78:40-55: The
key connecting word to Tehillim χείρ (kheir) – hand
(Hebrew Yad). His Eminence found this
connecting phrase to the Torah Seder. I
believe that it fits here is Tehillim as well.
Psa 78:42 They did notG3756 rememberG3403 G3588 his
handG5495 G1473 the dayG2250 of whichG3739 he ransomedG3084 themG1473 from out
ofG1537 the handG5495 of one afflicting;G2346
1Pe 5:6 Be humbledG5013 thenG3767 underG5259 theG3588
fortifiedG2900 handG5495 G3588 of G-d!G2316 thatG2443 he should exalt youG1473
G5312 inG1722 time;G2540
The theme of Tehillim
78:40-55 is that of being under the “mighty hand of G-d.”
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 57:17-19 + 58:8-14 & Special
Ashlamatah: Isa 60:1-22
Isa 58:10 andG2532 should giveG1325 to ones
hungeringG3983 theG3588 breadG740 fromG1537 your soul,G5590 G1473 andG2532 [2
the soulG5590 3being humbleG5013 1should fill up],G1705 thenG5119 [2shall
riseG393 3inG1722 4theG3588 5darknessG4655 G3588 1your light],G5457 G1473
andG2532 G3588 your darknessG4655 G1473 shall be asG5613 midday.G3314
Special Ashlamatah: Isaiah
60:14 AndG2532 they shall goG4198
toG4314 youG1473 being in awe --G1165.1 sonsG5207 of the onesG3588
humblingG5013 you.G1473 AndG2532 [5shall do obeisance atG4352 6theG3588
7solesG2487 G3588 8of your feetG4228 G1473 1allG3956 2the ones who G3588
3provokedG3947 4you].G1473 AndG2532 you shall be called,G2564 CityG4172 of the
LORD ,G2962 ZionG* of HolyG39 Israel.G*
1Pe 5:6 Be humbledG5013 thenG3767 underG5259 theG3588
fortifiedG2900 handG5495 G3588 of God!G2316 thatG2443 he should exalt youG1473
G5312 inG1722 time;G2540
Here it is easily seen
that the connection is that of humility and humbling. Yad Elohim HaHazaqah
15. What important overall principles are taught in 1 Tsefet
5:5-11?
Don’t make neophytes into
elders. You should voluntarily submit to one another in all things being
clothed in humility. Be humbled under the mighty hand of G-d so that he will
elevate you in the appropriate season.
Clothe yourselves with the apron of humility.
16. How is Pirqe Abot IV:14 related to our readings for this
Shabbat?
Pirqe Abot IV:14 speaks
of repentance and of preparation in this world which are major Torah themes. In
addition, the Psalm and Ashlamatot speak of the glories that await those who
repent and are prepared.
Just as we travel from
this world (foyer/six week days) to the world to come (banquet hall /Shabbat)
we need to prepare for the future by correcting those things now in the world
of doing. Whereas how can we use the excuse, can I return and prepare and then
re-enter when we are giving every chance now?
One hour of repentance
and good deeds in this world is better than the whole life of the World to
Come; and one hour of bliss in the World to Come is better than the whole life
of this world
The leper is cleansed and
restored when he repents.
Pirqe Abot is about
preparing oneself for eternity. The act of repentance and purification in our
Torah Seder is a very important act of preparation. Only when the priest has
pronounced the leper clean and the ritual requirements have be completed can
the leper once again be introduced back to the community. Only when one is in
right-standing with the community can one properly prepare for the world to
come.
17. How is Vayiqra 14:1-2 related to Varyiqra 14:32?
V2 speaks of the Torah
for the cleansing of the leper and v32 speaks of the one who does not have what
is required for cleansing.
18. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the
above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message for this week?
Take the time to repent
and carefully prepare for the coming of The King.
By successfully taming
the yetzer hara, one can be restored to an original state. We should work
diligently to get our yetzer hara under control.
You should voluntarily
submit to one another in all things being clothed in humility. Be humbled under
the mighty hand so that he will elevate you in the appropriate season.
As we head toward Rosh
Hashanah lets be on the lookout for those things that need correction and
emulation. Be a doer and not a hearer only. It could be today or tomorrow but
it is sure we will stand before the Great Judge. Will I be found wanting?