Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227 Millset Chase# - San Antonio, Texas 78253

On behalf of His Honour Paqid Adon Hillel ben David, His Honour Paqid Adon David ben Avraham, and on behalf of my two most beloved Talmudic students His Excellency Adon Mikha ben Hillel and His Excellency Adon Poriel ben Avraham, as well as mine and all of our loved ones, take this opportunity in this most auspicious time to ask of you all your sincere forgiveness if in anything we have offended you, or caused you pain. We implore from you that you forgive us, and we do promise if it is in our hand to remedy whatever wrong we may have caused you.

Targum Neofiti for:

B’resheet 29:31 – 30:21

31. And it was manifest before the Lord that Leah was hated, and He decided in His Memra (Word) to give her children, and Rachel to be barren. 32. And Leah conceived and bore a son and called his name Reuben, because she said: "Because my affliction is manifest before the Lord; because surely now, my husband will love me." 33. And she conceived yet again and bore a son and said: "Since it has been heard before the Lord that I am hated, he has also given me this one." And she called his name Simeon. 34. And she conceived again and bore a son and said: "Now, this time, my husband will be joined to me because I have borne him three sons." For this reason his name was called Levi. 35. And she conceived again and bore a son and said: "This time we will praise and glorify before the Lord." For this reason she called his name Judah. And she ceased from bearing.

1. ¶ When Rachel saw that she did not bear sons to Jacob, Rachel was jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: "Give me sons; otherwise I die." 2. And Jacob's anger grew strong against Rachel and he said: "Is it from me the fruit, offspring of the womb comes? Behold, I and you will go and we will beseech before the Lord who has withheld from you the fruit, the offspring, of the womb." 3. And she said: "Behold, my maid Bilhah. Enter to her and she will conceive, and I will rear; perhaps even I will have children through her." 4. And she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife; and Jacob went in to her. 5. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6. And Rachel said: "The Lord has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son;” because of this she called his name Dan. 7. And Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. And Rachel said: “I was also heard in the prayer that I prayed before the Lord that He give me sons as He gave to my sister.” And she called his name Naphtali. 9. When Leah saw that she had ceased from bearing, she took Zilpah, her maid and gave it to Jacob as wife. 10. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob a son. 11. And Leah said: “Good luck has come which will cut off the foundation of the nations.” And she called his name Gad. 12. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore a second son to Jacob. 13. And Leah said: “The daughters of Israel will praise me with great praises in the synagogues.” And she called his name Asher.

14. ¶ And Reuben went in the days of the cutting of the wheat and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to Leah, his mother. And Rachel said to Leah: “Give me, I pray, of your son’s mandrakes.” 15. And she said to her: “Is this a small thing that you have taken my husband? And you seek to take my son’s mandrakes? And Rachel said: “For this reason he will have intercourse with you this night in recompense for your son’s mandrakes.” 16. And Jacob came from the field in the evening; and Leah went out to meet him and she said to him: “You shall come in to me for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he had intercourse with her that night. 17. And the Lord heard the voice of the prayer of Leah and she conceived and bore to Jacob a fifth son. And Leah said: "The Lord has given me my wages because I have given my maid to my master." And she called his name Issachar. 19. And Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20. And Leah said: "The Lord has presented me these good presents. This time my husband will make presents to me because I have borne him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. 21. And after (this) she bore a female daughter and called her name Dinah.

Regular Ashlamatah:

1 Samuel 1:2-11 + 2:28

1 ¶ NOW THERE was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there priests unto the LORD.

4 And it came to pass upon a day, when Elkanah sacrificed, that he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

5 but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her rival vexed her sore, to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she vexed her; therefore she wept, and would not eat.

8 And Elkanah her husband said unto her: ‘Hannah, why do you weep? and why do you not eat? and why is your heart grieved? Am not I better to you than ten sons?’

9 ¶ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk—now Eli the priest sat upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of the LORD;

10 and she was in bitterness of soul—and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said: ‘O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give unto Your handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.’

12 And it came to pass, as she prayed long before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her: ‘How long wilt you be drunk? Put away the wine from you.’

15 And Hannah answered and said: ‘No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not your handmaid for a wicked woman: for out of the abundance of my complaint and my vexation have I spoken hitherto.’

17 Then Eli answered and said: ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you hast asked of Him.’

18 And she said: ‘Let your servant find favor in your sight.’ So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 ¶ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 And it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel: ‘because I have asked him of the LORD.’

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband: ‘Until the child be weaned, when I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.’

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her: ‘Do what seems good to you; tarry until you have weaned him; only the LORD establish His word.’ So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh; and the child was young.

25 And when the bullock was slain, the child was brought to Eli.

26 And she said: ‘Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying unto the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him;

28 therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is lent to the LORD.’ And he worshipped the LORD there.

1 ¶ And Hannah prayed, and said: my heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD, for there is none beside You; neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Multiply not exceeding proud talk; let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased; while the barren has borne seven, she that had many children has languished.

6 The LORD kills, and makes alive; He brings down to the grave, and brings up.

7 The LORD makes poor, and makes rich; He brings low, He also lifts up.

8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, He lifts up the needy from the dung-hill, to make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory; for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and He has set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of His holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for not by strength shall man prevail.

10 They that strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them will He thunder in heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.

11 ¶ And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

12 Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not the LORD.

13 And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his band;

14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did unto all the Israelites that came thither in Shiloh.

15 Yes, before the fat was made to smoke, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed: ‘Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of you, but raw.’

16 And if the man said unto him: ‘Let the fat be made to smoke first of all, and then take as much as your soul desires’; then he would say: ‘No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.’

17 And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men dealt contemptuously with the offering of the LORD.

18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

19 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20 And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say: ‘The LORD give you seed of this woman for the loan which was lent to the LORD.’ And they would go unto their own home.

21 So the LORD remembered Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.

23 And he said unto them: ‘Why do you do such things? For I hear evil reports concerning you from all this people.

24 No, my sons; for it is no good report which I hear the LORD’S people do spread abroad.

25 If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?’ But they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.

26 And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with the LORD, and also with men.

27 ¶ And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him: ‘Thus says the LORD: Did I reveal Myself unto the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?

28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up unto Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give unto the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

Special Ashlamatah for Shabbat “Nachamu 7” – TARGUM Isaiah61:10 – 63:9

61.10 ¶ Jerusalem said, 1 will greatly rejoice in the Memra of the LORD, my soul shall exult in the salvation of my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of virtue, as the bridegroom who prospers in his canopy, and as the high priest who is prepared in his garments, and as the bride who is adorned with her ornaments. 11 For as the earth which brings forth its growth, and as a channelled garden which increases what is sown in it, so the LORD God will disclose the virtue and the praise of Jerusalem before all the Gentiles.

62.1 ¶ Until I accomplish salvation for Zion, I will not give rest to the Gentiles, and until I bring consolation for Jerusalem, I will not give quiet to the kingdoms; until her light is revealed as the dawn, and her salvation burns as a torch. 2 The Gentiles shall see your innocence, and all the kings your glory; and they shall call you by the new name which by his Memra (Word) the LORD will make clear. 3 You shall be a diadem of joy before the LORD, and a crown of praise before your God. 4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called, Those who do my pleasure in her, and your land Inhabited; for there shall be pleasure before the LORD in you, and your land shall be inhabited. 5 For just as a young man cohabits with a virgin, so shall your sons co-inhabit in your midst, and just as the bridegroom rejoices with the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

6 ¶ Behold, the deeds of your fathers, the righteous, a city of Jerusalem, are prepared and watched before Me; all the day and all the night continually they do not cease. The remembrance of your benefits is spoken of before the LORD, it does not cease, 7 and their remembrance shall not cease before Him until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. 8 The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his strong arm: "I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and the sons of Gentiles shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; 9 but those who garner the grain shall eat it and give praise before the LORD; and those who press the wine will drink it in my holy courts.

10 ¶ Prophets, go through and return by the gates, turn the heart of the people to a correct way; announce good reports and consolations to the righteous who have removed the impulsive fantasy which is like a stone of stumbling, lift up an ensign over the peoples. 11 Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the congregation of Zion, "Behold, your savior is revealed; behold, the reward of those accomplishing His Memra (Word) is with Him, and all their deeds are disclosed before Him." 12 And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought out, a city which is not forsaken.

63.1 ¶ He is about to bring a stroke upon Edom, a strong avenger upon Bozrah, to take the just retribution of His people, just as He swore to them by his Memra (Word). He said, Behold. I am revealed - just as I spoke - in virtue, there is great force before me to save. 2 Why will mountains be red from the blood of those killed, and plains gush forth like wine in the press? 3 "Behold, as grapes trodden in the press, so shall slaughter increase among the armies of the peoples, and their will be no strength for them before Me; I will kill them in my anger and trample them in my wrath; I will break the strength of their strong ones before me, and I will annihilate all their wise ones. 4 For the day of vengeance is before Me, and the year of My peoples' salvation has come. 5 It was disclosed before Me, but there was no man whose deeds were good; it was known before Me, but there was no person who would arise and beseech concerning them; so I saved them by My strong arm, and by the Memra (Word) of My pleasure I helped them. 6 I will kill the peoples in My anger, I will trample them in My wrath, and I will cast to the lower earth those of their mighty men who are killed.

7 ¶ The prophet said. I am recounting the benefits of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and His great goodness to the house of Israel which He has granted them according to His mercy, according to the abundance of His benefits. 8 For He said, Surely they are My people, sons who will not deal falsely; and His Memra (Word) became their Savior. 9 In every time that they sinned before Him so as to bring affliction upon themselves, He did not afflict them, an angel sent from Him saved them; in His love and in His pity upon them He delivered them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Ketubim

Midrash Psalm 24

1. To David, a Psalm (Ps. 24:1). This phrase is to be considered in the light of Job's saying I put on righteousness, and it clothed me (Job 29:14). R. Hanina taught: There is one to whom clothes are becoming, but whose clothes are not comely; and another whose clothes are comely, but to whom clothes are not becoming. There is one who is rich, but whose character does not go with his riches; and another who is poor, but whose character does not go with his poverty. As Solomon, king of Israel, said: There is he who gets richer and richer, yet has nothing; there is he that gets poorer and poorer, yet has great wealth (Proverbs 13:7). There is one who is strong but whose character does not go with his strength; and another who is weak, but whose character does not go with his weakness. There is one who is youthful, and his countenance comely, but whose wife is ungainly and repulsive, so that when she is carried in a litter people ask: "Who is the husband of that creature?" And they are told: "That man is." But upon seeing the handsome and young man, they say, "This young man has thrown himself away on that ungainly creature." If, however, the bride is comely, but the husband is ungainly and squat, people say: "This bride has thrown herself away on that man." But Job said: "I am not like that man!" Righteousness clothes Job, and Job clothes righteousness. "Behold!-I put on righteousness, and it becomes me." Just so David became his Psalm, and his Psalm became David.

Note that in the preceding Psalm, the introductory phrase is A Psalm of David (Ps. 23:1), while in this Psalm it is To David, a Psalm. How explain the different word order? When David besought the Holy Spirit to rest upon him, he summoned it with the words A Psalm of David; but when the Holy Spirit came to him of its own accord, he said: To David, a Psalm.

2. Another comment. To David, A Psalm. The land is the Lord's (Ps. 24:1): A parable of a king who had a retainer in a certain city. The inhabitants of the city honored him because they knew that he was the king's retainer; and whenever he came to the king, the king also honored him, so that he was honored here as well as there. When the king gave up his city, however, its inhabitants began to rebel against the king's retainer, so that he had to return to his king. But later, when the king reclaimed his city, and when, as before, the king's retainer began to go about in the city, its inhabitants honored him again as the king's retainer. Thereupon the king said: "When I gave up my city, you rebelled against him! Was he not my retainer then, even as he is my retainer now? Yet only now do you again honor him."

The king is the Holy One, blessed be He; and the city is the Land of Israel; and the king's retainer is David, king of Israel. During all the days that the land belonged to the Holy One, blessed be He, when David went out and came in before the children of Israel, he was honored by them. But when God gave up His land, saying: sell the land into the hand of evil men (Ezek. 30:12), the children of Israel began to rebel against the king's retainer, for they said: What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel (I Kings 12:16). When the Holy One, blessed be He, reclaims His land, however, the children of Israel will return to His retainer, as is said Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God; and David their king (Hosea 3:5). Hence it is said To David, a Psalm. The land is the Lord's.

Another comment: Say a man owns a ship, but the cargo in it is not his; or if the cargo is his, then the ship is not his. It is not so with the Holy One, blessed be He, for The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

Or, say a mortal builds a house of fifty cubits, maybe a large house of a hundred cubits, and all together he stands no more than three cubits high! But it is not so with the Holy One, blessed be He, for He created the earth and He fills it. As Scripture says, The whole earth is full of His glory (Isa.6:3).

3. Another comment on The land is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created days, He set aside the Sabbath. When He created months, He set aside the festivals. When He created years, He chose Sabbatical years for Himself. When He created Sabbatical years, He chose the years of Jubilee for Himself. When he created the nations of the earth, He chose the nation of Israel for Himself. When He created the nation of Israel, He chose the Levites for Himself. When He created the Levites, He chose the priests for Himself. When he created countries, He set aside the Land of Israel out of all the countries as a heave-offering, as is said The land is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. Here fullness alludes to "heave-offering," as in the verse, "Thou shall not delay to offer of the fullness of your harvest, and of the outflow of your presses" (Ex. 22:28). So it is said The land is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.

Our Masters taught: In the Book of Psalms, all the Psalms which David composed apply either to himself or to all Israel: Each Psalm that speaks in the singular applies to David's own person, and each Psalm that speaks in the plural, applies to all Israel. Wherever For the leader; with string-music is used, it introduces a Psalm which deals with the age-to-come. Wherever A PSulm of David is used, it denotes that David played [upon his harp], and that then the Holy Spirit rested upon him. But where it is said Unto David, a Psalm, it denotes that the Holy Spirit rested upon David, and that then he played.

The phrase Maschil of David [the term Maschil meaning that which requires elucidation] indicates that the Psalm has to be explained by a Turgeman, that is to say, by a skillful commentator/translator.

The phrase A song; A Psalm indicates that the Psalm has to be rendered by singers. And why these several directions? Because the Holy Spirit does not come to rest in the midst of idleness, or sadness, or laughter, or frivolity, or idle talk, but only in the midst of joy, as is said It came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him (2 Kings 3:15); and also When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived (Gen. 45:27); and directly after that, Scripture says, God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night (Gen.46:2), a verse, which the Aramaic Targum renders, "The Holy Spirit rested on Jacob."

4. Another comment: Consider The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof in the light of the verse You, even You are Lord alone, You have made heaven ... with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein (Nehemiah 9:6). On what day was the host of heaven created? R. Johanan maintained that the host of heaven was created on the second day for, directly after it is said The Lord ... who lays the beams of His chambers in the waters (Psalm 104:3), there follow the words Who makes His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire (Psalm 104:4).

But R. Simeon maintained that the host of heaven was created on the fifth day, for on that day God said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly ... fowl, that may fly (ye'ofef) above the earth in the open firmament of heaven (Genesis 1:20). Here, the word fowl is to be understood in its usual sense: but the words that may fly (ye' ofef) in the open firmament of heaven refer to the host of heaven, for it is said With twain he did fly (ye'ofef) (Isaiah 6:2).

R. Lulyani [Julianus] said: All agree that the host of heaven was not created on the first day, lest heretics might say, "While Michael was stretching out the heavens in the east, and Gabriel was stretching out the heavens in the west, the Holy One, blessed be He, was stretching the middle portion." The fact is, that the Holy One alone, blessed be He, made all things: I am the Lord that makes all things; that stretched the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by Myself (me'itti) (Isaiah 44:24). Me'itti (by Myself) when read as mi'itti (who with me?) is to say, "In the work of creation, who was partner with Me?"

Therefore David said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Since You alone did create the heaven and the earth, I shall call them after Your name alone: The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.

5. Another comment on The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof: R. Azariah, R. Nehemiah and R. Berechiah told the parable of a king who had two stewards, one in charge of the house, and the other in charge of the fields. The one in charge of the house knew all that happened in the house and all that happened in the fields; but the one in charge of the field knew only what happened in the fields. Even so, Moses, who had gone up to heaven, knew the upper as well as the nether worlds, and with the names of both praised the Holy One, blessed be He, as is said Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's, your God's, the earth also with all that therein is (Deuteronomy 10:14); but David, who had not gone up to heaven, praised the Holy One, blessed be He, only with what he knew, as is said The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.

The Holy One, blessed be He, changed the original order of things and caused the earth to be watered from above for four reasons: (1) to favor [the germination] of seeds; (2) to prevent noxious dews; (3) to water the high places as well as the low; and (4) to make all living things lift their heads to heaven. What is the proof from Scripture? The verse God …sends rain upon the earth ... to make all things below turn toward the High (Job 5:11); and also the saying Toward the Lord is the earth and the fullness thereof.

R. Phinehas said: A mortal king when in his bedchamber cannot be in his banqueting-hall, and when in his banqueting-hall cannot be in his bedchamber; but the Holy One, blessed be He, fills worlds above and below, as is said His glory is above the earth and heaven (Psalm 148:13), and again Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:24).

With mortals, there may be one who has a flock, but no pasture; and another who has a pasture, but no flock; and still another who has both flock and pasture, but who does not know how to feed his flock or what a good pasture is. But with the Holy One, blessed be He, it is not so. He has a flock, the house of Israel, to whom He said: You my flock (Ezekiel 34:31); He knows what a good pasture is, as is said I will feed them in a good pasture (Ezekiel 34:14); He owns a pasture: The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; and He knows how to feed His flock, as is said I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord God (Ezekiel 34:15).

6. He hath founded it upon the seas (Psalm 24:2) refers to the Land of Israel which is situated on seven seas: the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), the Sea of Tiberias (Kinnereth), the Sea of Salt (Dead Sea), the Sea of Sibkay (Merom, Samachonitis), the Sea of Hulta (Orontes), the Sea of Elath (Gulf of Akaba), the Sea of Aspamia (Apamea in Syria). But not on the Sea of Emessa also? No, because Diocletian brought the waters of several rivers together and made them into a sea.

He established it upon the floods (Ps. 24:2): upon four rivers, the Jordan, the Jarmuk, the Keramiyon, and the Piga (the last three are tributaries to the Jordan River).

[From] the top of Pisgah, it is seen upon the face of Jeshimon (Num. 21:20). R. Hiyya bar Abba said: This verse implies that when a man comes up to the top of Mount Nebo, he sees in the Sea of Tiberias a whirlpool, sieve-like, which is Miriam's wel1.

7. Another comment: The passage beginning Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord (Psalm 24:3) alludes to Moses, of whom it is said "Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain" (Exodus 19:3). Thus Who shall stand in His holy place? alludes to Moses, to whom God said: "Stand you here by Me" (Deuteronomy 5:28). He that has clean hands (Ps. 24:4) alludes to Moses, who said: "I have not taken one ass from them" (Numbers 16:15). And clear understanding alludes to the clear understanding of God's message which Moses sought when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Go with My message to Pharaoh," and Moses replied: "Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them: The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me: What is His name? What shall I say unto them?" (Ex. 3:13).

Who hath not taken without cause any life (Psalm 24:4) alludes to Moses who, not without good cause, took the life of the Egyptian, for it is said "He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian" (Exodus 2:12). What can "He looked this way and that way" mean except" that Moses beheld in that instant a court of angels, and with them he consulted, so that, rightly empowered, he smote the Egyptian. Moses also had foreknowledge that a proselyte would never descend from this Egyptian, a fact implied by the words "He saw that there was no man."

Nor having been sworn deceived his neighbor (Psalm 24:4) alludes to Moses, of whom the words "Jethro adjured (wayyo'el) Moses to dwell with him" (Exodus 2:21), prove that Moses swore to Jethro not to go back to Egypt without Jethro's consent. Wayyo'el clearly indicates adjuration as in the verse "Saul adjured (wayyo'el) the people" (I Samuel 14:24) Note well what Scripture says of Moses when he wished to go back to Egypt with the message of the Holy One, blessed be He: "Moses went, and returned to Jethro his father-in-law" (Exodus 4:18).

Hence it is said He shall receive the blessing from the Lord (Psalm 24:5): Moses was made king and master of all Israel. And righteousness from the God of His salvation (ibid.): Moses was thought so deserving that the Torah was given to Israel by his hand.

8. Another comment: The passage beginning Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? alludes to Abraham, to whom God said: "Get out into the land of Moriah ... upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of" (Genesis 22:2). And who shall stand in His holy place? alludes to Abraham, of whom it is said "Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord" (Genesis 19:27). He that has clean hands alludes to Abraham, who held himself aloof from spoil, saying to the king of Sodom: "I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor nothing that is yours" (Genesis 14:23). And a pure heart alludes to Abraham's heart, of which it is said "You ... found his heart faithful before You" (Nehemiah 9:8); and "He believed in the Lord" (Genesis 15:6). Who without cause has not taken any life (Psalm 24:4) alludes to Nimrod, whose life [Abraham took]. Nor sworn to deceive his neighbor alludes to Abraham who said to the King of Sodom: "I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord" (Genesis 14:22). Hence it is said He shall receive the blessing from the Lord: as Scripture says, "The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things" (Genesis 24:1). And righteousness from the God of his salvation: as Scripture says of Abraham, "He believed in (faithfully obeyed) the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).

9. Another comment: The passage beginning Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? alludes to Jacob, to whom God said: "Arise, go up to Beth-el" (Genesis 35:1). And who shall stand in His holy place? alludes to Jacob, of whom it is said "He lighted upon a certain place" (Genesis 28:11). He that has clean hands alludes to the matter of Laban's robbing Jacob, of which Jacob said: "I bore the loss of it" (Gen. 31:39). And a pure heart alludes to Jacob's heart, for he said to Laban: "Whereas you have felt about all my stuff, what have you found?" (Genesis 31:37). Who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity alludes to the fact that Jacob had not lifted up his soul to Laban's [teraphim]. Nor sworn to deceive his neighbor alludes to Jacob, of whom it is said "Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac" (Genesis 31:53). Hence it is said He shall receive the blessing from the Lord; as Scripture says: "God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him" (Genesis 35:9). And righteousness from the God of his salvation, for Jacob said: "So shall my righteousness witness against me hereafter" (Genesis 30:33).

10. Lift up your heads, O you gates (Psalm 24:7). You find that after Solomon built the Holy Temple, he sought to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies, but the gate was strait: This gate was five cubits in height, and two and a half cubits in width; the Ark was only a cubit and a half in length, a cubit and a half in width, and a cubit and a half in height. But cannot that which measures a cubit and a half be put in a space that is two cubits and a half? But the truth is that the gates held fast one to the other, and although Solomon cried out twenty-four times, he was given no response. When he said: Lift up your heads, O you gates he received no response. Again when he said: Lift up your heads, O you gates ... that the King of glory may enter (Psalm 24:7), he received no response. But when he said: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Your Messiah; remember the good deeds of David Your servant (2 Chronicles 6:42), at that moment the gates lifted up their heads, the Ark entered, and a fire came down from heaven. (Why was Solomon put to such trouble? Because he was arrogant, having said: I have surely built You a house of habitation [I Kings 8:13]). When the children of Israel saw what had happened, they said: "Surely, the Holy One, blessed be He, has forgiven David that sin of his," and then their faces turned as black as the bottom of a pot, for they felt ashamed of themselves.

Hence David said, Show me a token for good, that they who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, because You, Lord, has helped me, and comforted me (Psalm 86:7): "You have helped me in this world; and comforted me in the world-to-come."

And R. Aba said in the name of R. Jose: Everyone is of service to a king; and the more so is every one - even spirits, even demons, even ministering angels - of service to that King who is the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

Likewise R. Berechiah taught: In the same passage occurs the verse And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone, made ready before being brought thither (I Kings 6:7). Note that it is not written "The house which they were building" but The house when it was in building, as if to say that the house built itself.

In The house ... was built of stone, made ready before being brought thither, the words brought thither imply that each stone brought itself thither, moving up by itself and laying itself in its position in the wall. "And," said R. Abbahu, "do not marvel at this, for after Daniel was cast into the lions' den, it is written A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den (Daniel 6:18). But are there stones in Babylon? What the verse implies, however, is that the stone rose up out of the Land of Israel, brought itself to the mouth of the den, and laid itself upon it."

R. Huna said in the name of R. Joseph: The verse implies that in the moment Daniel was cast into the den an angel came down, assumed the likeness of a lion made out of stone, and sat down at the mouth of the den. Hence Daniel said: My God has sent His angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me. (ibid. 6:23).

In any event, if a stone brought itself to the mouth of a den and laid itself upon it for a mortal's sake, how much more and still more would a stone do for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He!

II. Who is this King of glory? (Psalm 24:8). R. Simon said: "Who is the one King who sets a portion of His own glory upon them that fear Him? The Lord is the one king who for ever sets glory upon [His] hosts." "Thus," said R. Simon, "The verse The people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again (Numbers 12:15), proves that the pillar of cloud waited for Miriam." R. Lulyani said in the name of R. Isaac: The verse Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice (Exodus 19:19) implies that God answered Moses with the voice of Moses himself.

R. Berechiah said in the name of R. Simon: The verse Joseph was brought down to Egypt (Genesis 39:1) is followed by The Lord was with Joseph (ibid. 39:2). R. Yudan said in the name of R. Aibu: Out of the latter verse comes my proof that the Lord was with Joseph in a time of prosperity. Whence the proof that He was with him in a time of trouble? From the verse The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the Lord was with him (ibid. 39:23).

When the camp set forward, a covering of sealskin was spread over all the vessels in the Tabernacle. But of the Ark of Testimony, it is written And shall spread over it a cloth all of blue (Numbers 4:6). Why such a covering? So that the Ark of the Testimony would be set apart. Hence it is said That the King of glory may enter (Ps. 24:9).

12. Another comment on Who is this King of glory? R. Hezekiah said: Why is blue different from all other colors? Because blue has the appearance of the sea; the sea, the appearance of grass; grass, the appearance of heaven; heaven, the appearance of a rainbow; a rainbow, the appearance of a cloud on a rainy day; a cloud on a rainy day, the appearance of the throne of glory; and the throne of glory, the appearance of the glory of the Lord, for it is said As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:28). Now the Lord gave to them that fear Him a portion of His own glory, gave them the blue, for it is said Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they may make them fringes in the borders of their garments ... and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a cord of blue (Numbers 15:38). Hence Who is this King of glory means "Who is this King who gives a portion of His own glory to them that fear Him?"

Midrash of Matityahu

(Matthew) 4:12-17

12. ¶ It came to pass in those days Yeshuah heard that Yochanan the Immerser ben Z’kharyah ben Tzadok HaKohen had been delivered over into prison, so he retired to the Galil.

13. He passed by Natzrat and dwelt in K’far Nakhum along the north shore of the Kinereth, on the outskirts of the land of Zebulun and Naftali,

14. In order that it would be fulfilled that which was spoken by Yeshayahu (Isiah) the prophet saying (Isaiah 8:23 – 9:1):

15. In the first period Messiah the King will lighten the weight in the land of Zebulun and the land of Naftali. Then in the later period, by way of the Kinereth, he will place more weight on the district of the goyim (gentiles) – Tans-Jordan.

16. The kinsmen who were walking in darkness will have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.

17.From that time Yeshuah began to call out and say: “Return (make Teshuvah) for the government of the Heavens is come.”

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 III:3-4

MISHNAH 3. Rabbi Simeon said: "When three eat at one table without speaking words of Torah there, it is as if they ate of sacrifices to the dead, for it is written: 'For all tables are full of filthy vomit when there is no [mention of the] Omnipresent' (Isaiah 28:8).

"But when, three sit at one table and speak words of Torah, it is as if they had eaten from the table of the Omnipresent, for it is written: 'And he said to me: This is the table before God' (Ezekiel 41:22)."

QUESTION: In the previous Mishnah it says, "shenayim sheyosh-bim" - "two who are sitting" - in present tense. Why doesn't it say here, too, "sheloshah she'ochlim" - "three who are eating"?

ANSWER: When two are sitting together and not eating, they should be talking about Torah subjects or at least talking Torah related matters. However, while people are actually eating, the sages forbid speaking out of concern that a bone can, G-d forbid, end up in the windpipe instead of the food pipe (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 170:1). When they conclude eating, however, they should say some Words of Torah, causing their table to become sanctified.

QUESTION: "As if they have eaten sacrifices to the dead [idols]." Why if they do not speak words of Torah, is there no life in their sacrifice?

ANSWER: A Jewish person is composed of an earthly body and a soul which descended from heaven. In our food there is also a spark of G-dliness. A Jew is supposed to eat not only for physical strength but also for the sake of heaven, thus by it elevating the spark of G-dliness. This is known as "birur hanitzutzot" (separating and elevating the G-dly sparks), and it is alluded to in the Torah: "Not by bread alone does man live, but rather by everything that emanates from the mouth of G-d (the G-dliness within the food) does man live" (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Though it is best to literally study Torah or discuss Torah subjects at the table, the requirement to speak words of Torah at the table can be satisfied with the recital of the Birchat Hamazon - Grace after Meals (see Tosafot Yom Tov, Magen Avraham 170:1). This already makes it "a table which is before Ha-Shem" (Ezekiel 41:22).

Prior to reciting the Grace after Meal, the fingertips are rinsed. Immediately afterwards one says, "And he said to me, 'This is the table that is before Ha-Shem' " (ibid.), and then the actual Grace after Meal commences.

In view of the abovementioned, perhaps the intent is that through the Grace we will soon be reciting, Words of Torah will be said at this table, and thus we will succeed in making it into "a table which is before Ha-Shem."

The Hebrew word for "table" is "shulchan". The same Hebrew letters can be rearranged to spell "LeNachash" - "to a serpent." Through speaking words of Torah, one makes it a "shulchan" - "a table [before Ha-Shem]" - and otherwise one makes it "LeNachash" - into a serpent which kills and makes our food "zivche metim" - "lifeless."

MISHNAH 4. Rabbi Hanina ben Hakhinai said: "He who awakens by night, and he who is walking alone on the road and turns aside his heart to idleness, it is his own fault if he incurs trouble for himself."

QUESTION: Is the phrase "Umefanah libo lebatalah" - "And turns his heart to idleness" - a third unwise action or a continuation of the previous two scenarios?

ANSWER: According to one version, the text reads "Vehamefaneh libo lebatalah" - "and the one who turns his heart to idleness." Thus, Rabbi Chanina is speaking of three things: (1) one who is awake at night, (2) one who travels alone on the road, and (3) one who turns his heart to idleness.

The more popular version is "umefaneh libo lebatalah" - "and turns his heart to idleness." Thus, turning the heart to idleness is a description of what is being done in two preceding scenarios of the Mishnah. In one, the person is awake at night and turns his heart to idleness, and in the other the person is traveling alone on the road and turns his heart to idleness. The wrongdoing is the following: During the day one is occupied and there are many ways to justify not studying Torah. At night people normally sleep. If one is awake and unable to sleep, he should not sit idly or waste the time with devarim beteilim - idle talk or involvements - but utilize the time to study Torah. Since his family, friends, and business associates are now asleep, he has no distractions and it is thus the most opportune time to study Torah. Likewise, when one travels alone, and there is no one accompanying him to distract him or engage him in conversation, he has no excuse for not studying Torah.

Alternatively, the wrongdoing of the one who keeps awake at night, is that he does not get sufficient rest. One should sleep eight hours of the day. An allusion to this is "Yashanti az yanu'ach li" (Job 3:12). The word az has the numerical value of 8. Thus the verse is saying "yashanti az - I would be asleep 8 hours - yanu'ach li - I would be at rest.

"Traveling alone on the road," is an allusion to the Tzaddik - righteous person - who does not share his Torah knowledge with others and refrains from guiding and encouraging others to travel the road which leads to the World to Come. Such a Tzaddik is known in Yiddish as a "Tzaddik in Peltz," a righteous person in a fur coat. When a group of people are in a freezing room, and he puts on a fur coat to warm himself and does not bother to put on the heat which will warm everyone.

Commentary

Our Midrash Tanchuma Yelammedenu comments briefly on our Torah Seder for this week with a question on idolatrous worship, and the answer compares idolatrous worship with the worship of the righteous. It sates:

And the Lord saw that Leah was hated (Gen. 29:31). May our master teach us: May a man pronounce a blessing over the fragrance of spices employed in idolatrous worship? Our masters teach us: One may not pronounce a blessing over the light, the spices, or the fragrance of spices employed in idolatrous worship. If one should pass a spice shop in the market, he is required to offer a blessing, but if the fragrance emanates from an idolatrous service he must not do so. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be not misled by idolatrous worship, for it is worthless, as it is said: Eyes have they but they see not ... they that make them shall be like unto them (Ps. 115:5, 8).

However, the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately hears the prayer a man whispers in his heart. Whence do we know this? From Hannah, as it is said: Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart (I Samuel 1:13). You may know this also from Rachel and Leah. At first Leah was not considered worthy of marrying anyone but Esau, while Rachel was destined to wed Jacob. Leah would sit at the crossroads inquiring about Esau's actions, and they would tell her: "Oh, he is a wicked man; he sheds blood and waylays passers-by, he is covered with red hair as a garment and commits every kind of abomination against God."

Upon hearing all of this, she would cry bitterly: "My sister Rachel and I were born of the same womb, yet Rachel is to marry the righteous man and I the wicked Esau." She wept and fasted until her sight became weak. Hence it is written: And Leah's eyes were weak (Genesis 29:17). And the Lord saw that Leah was hated (ibid., v. 31). This verse indicates that Esau's actions were hateful to her. However, when Rachel learned that she was to marry Jacob she was elated and became arrogant. Once they both were married to Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: She cried, and fasted, and despised Esau's behavior, and prayed to me. It would be unjust to keep her from the righteous one. Indeed I will let her bear sons first. Thus it is said: And the Lord saw that Leah was hated.

This Midrash ties in our ordinary Ashlamatah for this week and teaches us that no person is tied ultimately to a destiny. Every man, woman, and child can pour their hearts before G-d and alter that destiny for the good, provided that the petition is not for selfish reasons nor that one becomes arrogant because the petition has been heard on High. As we read: “Multiply not exceeding proud talk; let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for the Ha-Shem is a G-d of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3).

Midrash Aggadat Beresheet approaches our Seder from a different perspective. First it ties in the theme of this last and seventh Sabbath of Consolation with the statement in Psalm 145:14 – “The LORD upholds all who are falling” and then posits the great truth that a woman is made beautiful and loved by her husband by her sons. Thus we read:

A. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb (Gen. 29:31). This is what Scripture says: The LORD upholds all who are falling (Psalm 145:14). The attributes of the Holy One are not like the attributes of flesh and blood. According to flesh and blood, if one has a wealthy friend, he clings to him and displays humble posture for him; but when he sees that his power declines and he becomes poor, he does not respect him anymore but raises a stone over him (i.e. he excommunicates or avoids him). But the Holy One, when he sees someone who is bowed down and whose power has declined, he gives him a hand and raises him up, as is stated: The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14 cont.). 'Those who stand up' is not said here, but' all who are falling'. He raises up all who are bowed down: 'All who stand' is not said here, but 'all who are bowed down'. If so, does he also uphold the wicked when they fall, as is stated: The LORD upholds all who are falling? God forbid! If they fall, there is no standing up for them, as is stated: There the evildoers have fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise (Psalm 36:13). And why? It has been stated: Let them be like chaff before the wind (Psalm 35:5). But the righteous-though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the LORD holds us by the hand (Psalm 37:24). It is therefore stated: The LORD upholds all who are falling.

B. Another interpretation. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated (Gen. 29:31). As soon as he saw that Leah was hated, he said: How am I to make her beloved to her husband? Look, I will raise her up and give her children first so that through them, her husband will love her. Therefore he opened her womb (Ibid. cont.) And so Ezra says: Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth (1 Chronicles 2:18). Rabbi Berekhiah said: She was his wife, so why is she called 'Azubah' (abandoned)? Because she was abandoned and ugly. Therefore the Holy One said: See, I give her children, so that she will become beautiful through them, as is stated: These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon (Ibid. cont.). Therefore it is stated: The LORD upholds all who are falling.

C. Another interpretation. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated This is what Scripture says: If a man has two wives one of them loved and the other hated, and if both the loved and the hated have borne him sons, the firstborn being the son of the one who is hated, then on the day when he wills his possessions to his sons, he is not permitted to treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the hated, who is the firstborn. He must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the one who is hated, giving him a double portion of all that he has; since he is the first issue of his virility, the right of the firstborn is his (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

R. Berekhiah said: A man - this is Jacob, as is stated: Jacob was a quiet man (Genesis 25:27); two wives - these are Rachel and Leah; one that is loved - that is Rachel, as is written: And he loved Rachel more (Genesis 29:30); and the other hated - that is Leah, as is written: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated (Ibid. v. 31); and if both the loved and the hated have borne him sons - both of them bore him sons: what Leah brought forth, Rachel brought forth. Leah brought forth kings and Rachel brought forth kings, Leah brought forth prophets and Rachel brought forth prophets, Leah brought forth judges and Rachel brought forth judges. The firstborn being the son of the one who is hated - that is Reuben, as is stated: Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben (Genesis 29:32). Then on the day when he wills his possessions (Deuteronomy 21:16) - [that was] when Jacob wished to depart from the world: Then Jacob called his sons (Genesis 49:1); he is not permitted to treat the son of the loved as the firstborn - that is Joseph. Why? He must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the one who is hated - [that is Reuben, as is stated: Reuben you are my firstborn - even though I said to his disgrace: Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel because you went up to your father's bed (...) you went up unto my couch (Ibid. v. 4).

What is 'went up to'? When Moses would come, about whom it is written: Then Moses went up to God (Exodus 19:13), He would redeem you. As Moses stood there, he sought mercy for him, as is stated: May Reuben live (Deuteronomy 33:6). The Holy One said to him: and not die out (Ibid.). It turns out that he receives exculpation from the mouth of both of them (mi-pi shnaim), as is stated: he must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the one who is hated, giving him a double portion (pi shnaim) of all that he has. May Reuben live - in this world; and not die out - in the world to come. Since he is the first issue of his virility, the right of the firstborn is his (Deuteronomy21:17); and it is written: My might and the first fruits of my vigor (Genesis 49:4 cont). Therefore: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb.

D. Another interpretation: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated. This is what Scripture says: My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me - therefore I hate her (Jeremiah 12:8). What is the meaning of: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated? Because the Holy One saw that she was going to bring forth wicked children he called her 'hated'. Now these are they: Jehoram, Ahaz, Joash, Manasseh, Amon, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. About Jehoram it is written: He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD (2 Kings 8:18).

The second one is Ahaz; what is written about him? He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done (2 Kings 16:2). Isaiah said to him: Ask a sign of the LORD your God: Let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven (Isaiah 7:11). He said to him: You can ask that the dead may live, or that Korah may rise from Sheol, or that Elijah may come down. Ahaz said: 'I know that you have the power to do so, but I do not want you to be honored because of me' as is stated: But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test (Ibid. v. 12).

The third one is Joash, even though it is written about him: Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all his days, because the priest Jehoiada instructed him (2 Kings 12:3). But as soon as the priest Jehoiada died, [he became evil], as is stated: Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols (2 Chronicles 24:17-18).

The fourth one is Manasseh, as is stated: The carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, 'In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever' (2 Kings 21:7).

The fifth one is Amon. What is written about him? He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that his father Manasseh had made, and served them. He did not humble himself before the LORD, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred more and more guilt (2 Chronicles 33:22-23).

The sixth one is Jehoiakim. What is written there? Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah; and his son Jehoiakin succeeded him (2 Chronicles 36:8). And not only this but he repudiated circumcision and extended his foreskin.

The seventh is Zedekiah. And what is written about him? He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah who spoke from the mouth of the LORD (Ibid. v. 12). See: seven wicked kings; therefore the prophet cries out: She who bore seven has languished (Jeremiah 17:9). Therefore it is said: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated. He saw what was going to come out from the sons of Leah and called her 'hated': When the Lord saw that Leah was hated.

E. Another interpretation. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated. Who hated her? Her husband hated her. Why? Because she had reproved him. When? It is stated: So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days (Gen. 29:23) - just as his mother Rebekah had said: Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away (Genesis 27:44). Jacob loved Rachel (Gen. 29:18). Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed (Ibid. v.21). But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her (Ibid. v. 23).

The whole night he had intercourse with her, convinced that she was Rachel, but when he got up in the morning and beheld it was Leah, he said to her: Daughter of a deceiver, why did you deceive me? She said to him: Did you not deceive your father, when he said to you, 'Are you my son Esau?', and you said: I am Esau your firstborn (Genesis 27:19)? And you say: Why did you deceive me?! And did your father not say: Your brother came in deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing (Genesis 27:35). Because of these words, with which she reproved him, he started to hate her. The Holy One said: There is no other cure for this than her having children. Indeed, I will give her children, and her husband will yield to her. Therefore: When the LORD saw that Leah was hated He opened her womb. And David gives praise and says: Who executes justice for the oppressed … The LORD sets the prisoners free (Ps.146:7).

The Midrash on the Psalms also ties in Psalm 24:7 – “Lift up your heads, O you gates” with our Torah Seder of this week by alluding to Jacob’s sons in the form of stones. Thus we read:

Another comment on Solomon's saying I have surely built You a house of habitation (I Kings 8:13). R. Jacob, the son of R. Judah bar Ezekiel, said: The literal meaning of these words is: "I have built You a house, a house, indeed, which built itself." … In The house ... was built of stone, made ready before being brought thither, the words brought thither imply that each stone brought itself thither, moving up by itself and laying itself in its position in the wall. … In any event, if a stone brought itself to the mouth of a den and laid itself upon it for a mortal's sake, how much more and still more would a stone do for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He!

This Midrash confirms our firm belief that the “real” Third Temple will not be built of dead stones but of “lively stones” – the children of Israel who fear G-d and observe His commandments (Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14 in the Authorized Version - see also 1 Peter 2:5).

The Midrash on Psalm 24:1 also connects us to the season in which we are found at this time: the Sabbath before Rosh Ha-Shannah (New Year) and also by way of allusion to our Lectionary based on the Sh’mitah cycle (Sabbatical cycle of years). There we read:

Another comment on The land is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created days, He set aside the Sabbath. When He created months, He set aside the festivals. When He created years, He chose Sabbatical years for Himself.

A question in relation to the Sh’mitah Torah Cycle of readings is, seeing that this Torah Seder for this week is read before the festival of Rosh HaShannah (New Year), is there anything in it that anticipates the festival?

Our Sages teach that G-d decrees at the beginning of the year (Rosh HaShanah) what is it to happen during that year concerning all and each of His creatures. Thus the beginning of our Torah Seder with the words:

“And it was manifest before the Lord that Leah was hated, and He decided in His Memra to give her children, and Rachel to be barren.”

Is to be understood as a decree of G-d for a particular year at the season of Rosh HaShanah.

Also our Torah Seder has an entreaty by both Ya’aqov and Rivkah to alter G-d’s decree, as we read in the Targum:

“When Rachel saw that she did not bear sons to Jacob, Rachel was jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: "Give me sons; otherwise I die." And Jacob's anger grew strong against Rachel and he said: "Is it from me the fruit, offspring of the womb comes? Behold, I and you will go and we will beseech before the Lord who has withheld from you the fruit, the offspring, of the womb." (Gen. 30:1-2)

This kind of entreaty beseeching G-d to overturn His decree is very much a theme for the Yamim Noraim (the 10 days of returning that starts with Rosh HaShannah and ends in Yom HaKippurim). This theme is also picked up by our regular Ashlamatah in the narrative of Hannah and the birth of the prophet Sh’muel.

The Seder Olam Rabbah, furnishes us with an important clue when it chronicles the birth of the sons of Ya’aqov. It states:

He went out from there and arrived at Aram-Naharaim, and the episode of the well took place when he was seventy-seven years old (Genesis 29:2-12). He lived twenty years in the house of Laban, seven before he married the matriarchs, seven after he married them (Genesis 29:20-28), and six after the eleven tribes and Dina were born. It happened that all the tribes were born in seven years, each one at the end of seven months.”

That is, that the children of Ya’aqov were either (1) conceived on Rosh HaShannah and born in Nissan, or (2) were conceived in Nisan and born at Rosh HaShannah. The same could be said also about the Master of Nazareth, some propose that he was conceived in Nisan and born in Tishri, others that he was conceived in Tishri and born in Nisan.

Following the discussion in the Talmud that has one Sage state that the earth was created in Nisan and another in Tishri, the solution has been found that the earth was conceived in Nisan and born in Tishri. This then seems to set the principle that the sons of Ya’aqov were conceived in Nisan and born in Tishri, and which would also be the case for the Master of Nazareth.

The theme of repentance/returning is also covered in the skipped part of our regular Ashlamatah in 1 Samuel 2:25 where we read about the warning that the Prophet Shmuel gives to his sons and very appropriate for this Shabbat and season: “If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?’ But they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.”

In our portion for this week in the Midrash of Matityahu we read of the proclamation of the Master of Nazareth: “From that time Yeshuah began to call out and say: “Return (make Teshuvah) for the government of the Heavens is come.”

Over the last nearly two thousand years that pronouncement is heard in every generation, G-d calling the stones to life, and fitting them into a Temple, as Hakham Tsefet puts it: “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God because of Yeshuah the Messiah.” (1 Peter 2:5)

This brings us to the purpose of Teshuvah (returning) at this season. What is the purpose of our returning to G-d, what is the purpose of our repentance and seeking G-d? Is it just to avert and implore for a change in G-d’s decree against us? Or has our returning a more meaningful purpose?

Was our father Ya’aqov’s entreaty before G-d just so that Rachel could find prestige in that she was a mother of children to our Patriarch, or was it in order to achieve a higher purpose as Hannah did? The answer of course is that G-d does not change any of His just decrees for any human selfish purpose. His just decrees can only be changed in order to achieve a higher purpose in His will. In the case of Rachel it was to build up the nation of Israel, carved so to speak of 12 lively stones. In our case, the purpose of our returning to G-d is to again commit ourselves afresh to the building of Messiah’s congregation “lively stone by lively stone” each one at a time.

Shalom Shabbat and may you and loved ones be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for goodness, prosperity, good health, and much Torah wisdom together

With all our most noble brethren of Yisrael amen ve amen!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Shabbat:	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וירא ה'
“VaYar Adonai”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 29:31-33	Reader 1 – B’resheet 30:22-24
“And saw Adonai”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 29:34 – 30:2	Reader 2 – B’resheet 30:25-27
“Y viendo Adonai”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 30:3-5	Reader 3 – B’resheet 30:28-30
B’resheet (Genesis) 29:31 – 30:21 Num. 28:9-15	Reader 4 – B’resheet 30:6-8
1 Samuel 1:2-11 + 2:28	Reader 5 – B’resheet 30:9-13
Special: Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9	Reader 6 – B’resheet 30:14-16	Reader 1 – B’resheet 30:31-33
Psalm 24	Reader 7 – B’resheet 30:17-21	Reader 2 – B’resheet 30:34-36
Pirke Abot III:3-4	Maftir – B’midbar 28:9-15	Reader 3 – B’resheet 30:37-39
N.C.: Matityahu 4:12-17	Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9