Esnoga Bet Emunah

7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Ellul 6, 5768 – September 05/06, 2008	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

Shabbat Nahamu IV

4^th of 7 Shabbatot (Sabbaths) of Consolation

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 7:39 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 7:33 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 8:34 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 8:25 PM

Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Sheboygan & Manitowoc, Wisconsin US

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 7:04 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at: 7:01 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 - Havdalah 7:57 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah at: 8:01 PM

Bowling Green & Murray , Kentucky, U.S. Brisbane, Australia

Friday, Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 6:50 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 5:18 PM

Saturday, Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 7:46 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 6:11 PM

Miami, Florida, US Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at: 7:18 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 5:34 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah at: 8:09 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 6:23 PM

New London, Connecticut USA Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 6:48 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 6:59 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 7:47 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 7:47 PM

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Manila & Cebu, Philippines

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 7:33 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 5:47 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 8:28 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 6:36 PM

Olympia, Washington, U.S. Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 7:25 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 5:49 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 8:27 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 6:45

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA Singapore, Singapore

Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at: 7:07 PM Friday Sept. 05, 2008 – Candles at 6:49 PM

Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah at: 8:05 PM Saturday Sept. 06, 2008 – Havdalah 7:38 PM

For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp

Coming Special Days:

Rosh HaShanah – New Year – Feast of Trumpets

Monday/Wednesday September the 29^th – 1^st October, 2008

For further study see:

http://www.betemunah.org/teruah.html; http://www.betemunah.org/shofar.html;

& http://www.betemunah.org/knowday.html

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים
“Atah Nitsabim”	Reader 1 – D’barim 29:9-11	Reader 1 – D’barim 30:11-14
“You are standing”	Reader 2 – D’barim 29:12-14	Reader 2 – D’barim 30:15-20
“Vosotros estáis hoy”	Reader 3 – D’barim 29:15-28	Reader 3 – D’barim 30:11-20
D’barim (Deut.) 29:9 - 30:10	Reader 4 – D’barim 29:15-28
Ashlamatah: Joshua 24:1-8, 12-13	Reader 5 – D’barim 29:15-28
Special: Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12	Reader 6 – D’barim 30:1-5	Reader 1 – D’barim 30:11-14
Psalms 143	Reader 7 – D’barim 30:6-10	Reader 2 – D’barim 30:15-20
N.C.: Matityahu 27:57-61	Maftir: D’barim 30:8-10	Reader 3 – D’barim 30:11-20
Pirqe Abot: II:2	Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:

His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and

beloved wife HH Giberet Batsehva bat Sarah,

His Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and

beloved family,

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and

beloved family,

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and

beloved wife,

His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and

beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen!

Also a great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder and allied topics.

If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: D’barim (Deut.) 29:9 - 30:10

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
9. You stand, this day all of you before Adonai, your G-d; your tribal chieftains, your elders and your law officers, every man of Yisrael.	9. MOSHEH the prophet said: I have called you not in secret, but while standing this day all of you before the Lord your God; the princes of your Sanhedrin, the chiefs of your tribes, your elders and your officers, all men of Israel,
10. Your young, your wives, and your convert who is within your camps; from your wood cutters to the water drawers.	10. your little ones, your wives, and your sojourners who are in your camps, from the hewer of your wood to the filler of your water, [JERUSALEM. Your little ones, wives, and sojourners within your camps, from the hewer of your wood to the filler of your water,]
11. For your passage into the covenant of Adonai, your G-d, and His oath-curse, that Adonai, your G-d, is making with you today,	11. that you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, and may have in remembrance the oath which the Lord your God does ratify with you this day: [JERUSALEM. that you may not transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, nor the oath which He confirms with you this day:]
12. In order to sustain you today as His people, and He will be for you a G-d as He promised you and as He promised your forefathers Abraham, Yitzchaq, and Ya’aqob.	12. that you may stand today before Him a purified people; and that He may be a God to you, as He has spoken to you, and as He did swear unto Abraham, Izhak, and Jakob.
13. And not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath-curse.	13. And not with you only do I ratify this covenant, and attest this adjuration;
14. But with whoever is here with us standing today in the presence of Adonai, our G-d, and with those who are not here with us today.	14. But with all the generations which have arisen from the days of old stand with us today before the Lord our God, and all the generations which are to arise unto the end of the world, all of them stand with us here this day. [JERUSALEM. All the generations which have arisen from the days of old until now stand with you today before the Lord your God, and all the generations which are to arise after us stand also here with us today.]
15. For you are aware how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we passed through the nations whom you passed through.	15. For you know the number of the years that we dwelt in the land of Mizraim, and the mighty works which were wrought for us among the nations through which you have passed.
16. Where you observed their abominations and their loathsomeness [idols], wood and stone, silver and gold, that they owned.	16. You have seen their abominations, and their idols of wood and stone which they have set forth in the streets, and the idols of silver and gold that they have placed with themselves in the houses, shutting the doors after them lest they should be stolen. [JERUSALEM. You have seen their hateful things and their abominations, the idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold; idols of wood and stone set forth in the streets, but those of silver and gold kept with themselves in the house because they were afraid they would be stolen.]
17. Perhaps there is among you a man or a woman or a family or a tribe whose thoughts stray today from [being] with Adonai, our G-d, to go serve the gods of those nations; lest there is within you a root producing gall and bitter fruit.	17. Beware, then, lest there be among you now or hereafter a man, woman, family, or tribe, whose heart may be turned away to wander any day from the service of the Lord our God to worship the idols of those nations; or lest there be among you the error which strikes root (in them) whose heart wanders after his sin; for the beginning of sin may be sweet, but its end is bitter as the deadly wormwood; [JERUSALEM. Lest there be among you man or woman, family or tribe, whose heart is turned away this day from the Lord our God to go and worship the idols of these people, or there be a man among you whose heart ponders upon sin, which is like a root struck into the earth; for its beginning may be sweet as honey, but its end will be bitter as the deadly wormwood;]
18. When he hears the statements of this oath-curse, he will imagine self-blessings, saying, "Peace will be my lot when I will follow what my thoughts envision," so that the unintentional may be added to the sinful.	18. or it be that when he hears the words of this curse he become reprobate in his heart, saying: I will have peace, though I go on in the strength of the evil desires of my heart: so that he will add presumption to the sins of ignorance.
19. Adonai will be unwilling to forgive him, because then Adonai's nostrils will fume and His vengeful fury enflame against that man, and there will cling to him the entire oath-curse written in this book; and Adonai will eliminate his name from beneath the sky.	19. It will not be pleasing to the Lord to forgive him; for the Lord's anger and indignation will wax hot against that man, and all the words of the curses written in this book will rest upon him, and the Lord will blot out the memorial of his name from under the heavens.
20. And Adonai will separate him for harm from all the tribes of Yisrael, in accord with all the oath-curses of the covenant inscribed in this Torah scroll.	20. And the Lord will separate him unto evil, from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the maledictions of the covenant which are written in this book.
21. The latter generation will say--- your children who will arise after you and the stranger who will come from a distant land; and they will see the plagues of that land and its illnesses that Adonai has harmed it with.	21. And the generations of your children who will arise after you, and the stranger who will come from a far-off land, when they see the plagues of that land, and the afflictions which the Lord will have sent upon it,
22. Sulfur and salt, all its land, will be burnt, it will not be seeded, and it will not sprout, and no grass will grow there; like the overturning of Sodom and Amorah, Admah and Tzevoyim, which Adonai overturned in His anger and His wrath.	22. the whole land burnt with brimstone, salt, and fierce heat, no longer fit for sowing, nor productive of a blade of any springing herbage; ruined, as Sedom and Amorah, Admah and Zeboim, were overthrown by the Word of the Lord in His wrath and indignation;
23. And all the nations will say, "For what did Adonai do so to this land? Why the vigor of this great anger?"	23. Then all Gentiles will say, Why has the Lord done so unto this land? What means the strength of this great anger?
24. And they will reply, "Because they forsook the covenant of Adonai, the G-d of their forefathers, which He made with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt.	24. And they will say, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Mizraim.
25. And they went and served other gods and prostrated themselves to them; gods unknown to them and [which] He had not apportioned to them.	25. But they went after their evil desires, and served the gods of the Gentiles, and worshipped gods which they had not known nor had any part with.
26. And Adonai became furious with that land, [causing Him] to bring on it the entire curse written in this book.	26. And the anger of the Lord waxed strong against this land, to bring upon it all the curses written in this book.
27. And Adonai forced them away from their land with anger and wrath and great fury; and He cast them into another land like this day.	27. And the Lord has made them to wander forth from their country with anger, indignation, and wrath, and has cast them into captivity in another land until this day.
28. The hidden [matters] are Adonai's, our G-d's, and the revealed [matters] are ours and our children's forever, to perform all the statements of this Torah.	28. The secret things are manifest before the Lord our God, and He will take vengeance for them; but the things that are revealed are delivered unto us and to our children forever, to perform by them the thing that is right, for the confirmation of all the words of this law.

1. When it happens that there come upon you all these statements, the blessing and the curse that I have set before you; and you will restore to your perception amid all the nations where Adonai, your G-d, has exiled you.	1. And it will be, when all these words of blessings, or their contraries, which I have set in order before you will have come upon you, you will be converted in your hearts to return unto My fear, in all the dispersions (among) the nations where the Lord will have scattered you.
2. You will return to Adonai, your G-d, and obey Him exactly as I am commanding you today, you and your sons, wholeheartedly and with your whole being.	2. The upright of you will be favored with a blessed repentance; and though you have sinned, yet will your repentance come up unto the glorious throne of the Lord your God, if you will hearken to His Word according to all that I have commanded you this day, you, and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul.
3. Adonai, your G-d, will bring back your returnees and will be merciful toward you; and He will return and gather you from all the peoples that Adonai, your G-d, has dispersed you there.	3. And His Word will accept your repentance with favor, and will have mercy upon you, and He will gather you again from all the nations whither the Lord your God had scattered you.
4. If your exiled one will be at the edge of the heavens, from there will Adonai, your G-d, gather you and from there will He take you.	4. Though you may be dispersed unto the ends of the heavens, from thence will the Word of the Lord gather you together by the hand of Elijah the great priest, and from thence will He bring you by the hand of the King Mashiah.
5. And Adonai, your G-d, will bring you to the land that your forefathers inherited and you will inherit it; and He will benefit you and multiply you more than your forefathers.	5. And the Word of the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed by inheritance, and you will possess it, and He will bless you and increase you more than your fathers.
6. And Adonai, your G-d, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love Adonai, your G-d, wholeheartedly and with all your being in order that you live.	6. And the Lord your God will take away the foolishness of your heart, and of your children's heart; for He will abolish evil desire from the world, and create good desire, which will give you the dictate to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, that your lives may flow on for evermore.
7. Adonai, your G-d, will place all these oath-curses upon your enemies and upon your foes who chased you.	7. And the Word of the Lord your God will send these curses upon your enemies who have oppressed you in your captivities, and such as have hated and persecuted, to destroy you.
8. And you will turn back and obey Adonai; and you will perform all His commandments that I am commanding you today.	8. But you will return, and be obedient to the Word of the Lord, and do all His commandments that I command you this day.
9. Adonai, your G-d, will give you surplus in all your endeavors, in the fruit of your belly, and in the offspring of your animals, and in the produce of your soil--- for benefit; for Adonai will return to rejoice over you for benefit as He rejoiced over your forefathers.	9. And the Lord your God will make you to abound in good; for you shall prosper in all the works of your hands, in the offspring of your womb, the increase of your cattle, and the produce of your land, for good; for the Word of the Lord will return, to rejoice over you, to bless you, as He rejoiced over your fathers,
10. When you obey Adonai, your G-d, to guard His commandments and His statutes, written in this Torah scroll; when you turn back to Adonai, your G-d, wholeheartedly and with all your being.	10. if you will hearken to the Word of the Lord your God in keeping His commandments and statutes which are written in the book of this law, when you have returned to the fear of the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher

(Zaragoza, Spain 1255 – 1340)

Translated and Annotated by R. Eliyahu Munk

Lambda Publishers, Inc.

Deut. 29:9 – “You are all standing upright here this day, your chiefs, your tribes, all the men of your elders, your law-enforcers, all the men of Israel.”

All of the Israelites were assembled there in one place in anticipation of the renewal of the covenant just as they had all been assembled on the occasion of the first covenant at Mount Sinai. Seeing the people had been unfaithful to the first covenant when they had said (about the golden calf) “these are your gods O Israel” (Exodus 32,4), there had arisen the need to conclude a second covenant with this generation in the wilderness of Moab which the people had to confirm with an oath and a curse in the event that they would again dishonour their commitment. This is the reason Moses used the preamble: “you are standing here upright, all of you in the presence of the Lord your G-d.” Moses meant to compare the present assembly to the one 40 years earlier at Mount Sinai. Whereas on that occasion Israel's word, unsupported by an explicit oath, had been deemed sufficient, this time they were required to confirm their undertaking by an oath.

It is possible to understand that our verse contains 2 promises: 1) that the Jewish people would endure and would never become extinct but would survive (as a people) all future catastrophes befalling mankind. 2) that the people would merit life in the hereafter if they would observe the commandments of the Torah. The need to give the people this assurance arose out of the fact that if they were to experience the full brunt of the curses mentioned in the previous portion, they would surely think that this spelled their doom. Moses therefore reminded them that just as they were all standing before him upright and well now, so they would emerge from even the worst aspects of the afflictions listed in the Torah and would be rehabilitated. The effect of the afflictions suffered in this life would be to erase the impact of their sins so that their claim to a life in the world to come would remain intact. This is what was meant when the Torah wrote in Deut. 6,25: “it will be a merit for us if we are careful to perform this entire commandment before Ha-Shem.” This is the assurance of life in the hereafter. This is also a meaning of the word כֻּלְּכֶם “KULKEM” which is an allusion to the statement of the sages in Sanhedrin 90 that “the entire Jewish nation has a share in the hereafter.”

Α Midrashic view (Tanchuma Nitzavim 1) of the words: “you are all standing here upright this day;” just as this day commences in darkness, the darkness later giving way to light, so the darkness that you find yourself in as a result of enduring the afflictions listed previously will be replaced by bright light, as described by Isaiah 60,19: “the Lord will become for you an eternal light and your G-d will be your source of splendour.”

"Your heads (leaders), your tribes, etc." The meaning is: “your heads, who are the leaders of your respective tribes.” Moses listed the more distinguished people first, afterwards the adult males, followed by the male children who were under age, followed by the women, concluding with the proselytes.

“Every man in Israel.” The sages in Tanchuma Nitzavim 1 use this expression to teach us that every man in Israel is co-responsible for the sin of every other Israelite. They bring practical proof for this from Joshua 7,11 where G-d told Joshua that the sin of one man, Achan ben Karmi, was the reason that the entire people had suffered a military setback at the hands of a small town, Ai. The words describing Achan's sin are: “Israel has sinned.” This spells out the extent to which every Israelite shares in the sin of another Israelite. [obviously, there are degrees in such sharing of another Israelite's sin. Ed.] This is also why we read in Leviticus 26,37: “they will stumble one over the other.” Our sages in Sanhedńn 27 interpret these words as meaning “they will stumble over the sins of one another.” This teaches the principle of reciprocal responsibility of one Israelite for the conduct of (all) other Israelites. If such reciprocal responsibility extends to all Israelites sharing misfortune on account of the sins committed by a few, how much more so will it apply to the reciprocal entitlement to enjoyment by all Israelites of good fortune (life in the hereafter), the entitlement to which was merited by the few! This is the meaning of the words of Eliphaz to Job “he will deliver the guilty; He will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.” (Job 22,30) In other words, a single individual with “clean” hands can be the instrument through which all the inhabitants of an island are saved. One single individual whose lifestyle is beyond reproach may save [for a period of time, Ed.] all his peers from impending doom. It follows that seeing while a righteous/generous person is alive he saves his compatriots from doom, the death of such a man is a signal for all his compatriots to repent their sins, as they have been deprived of the protective merit of this righteous/generous person. We have a principle that the range of the application of measures of good exceeds the range of the application of measures of evil. Hence if the righteous/generous shares in the guilt of the sinner, the sinner benefits even more strongly from the merits accumulated by the righteous/generous (Sotah 11).

Deut. 29:11 – “for you to pass into the covenant with the Lord your G-d.”

This “passing” is equivalent to “entering into.” The word וּבְאָלָתוֹ “UV’ALATO” (and into His oath”) refers to the people of Israel; in other words: “by means of its oath which He made you swear and which you accepted upon yourselves.”

It is possible to understand the word וּבְאָלָתוֹ “UV’ALATO” (and into His oath’) as referring to G-d, meaning “and by means of Hs oath which He swore to you.” The whole verse then would mean: “you are standing here today ready to enter the covenant and oath of the Lord by means of which He swore that You will be His people and that He will be your G-d.” The verse following would prove that this is the meaning, seeing the Torah writes there: “as He said to you and swore to your fathers.” Further reinforcement of this interpretation is provided by I Samuel 12,22: “seeing that the Lord had agreed (sworn) to make you His people.” Even though all the commentators there understand the word הוֹאִיל “HOIL” to be an expression of G-d's goodwill, grace, I believe the word “HOIL” in that verse derives from the word ALAH (to swear) and means “for G-d swore to make you His people.” This does not preclude that the oath itself was an expression of G-d's goodwill towards the people so that there is no conflict between the two interpretations. Still further proof of the meaning of in our verse is the comment in Tanchuma Nitzavim 3 on Song of Songs 7,6: מֶלֶךְ, אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים usually translated as “a king held captive by tresses (of hair).” According to the Midrash the meaning is “a king who is bound by his oath.” The word “ISAR” meaning oath, occurs in Numbers 30,7. G-d's oath to the patriarchs that He would not exchange the Jewish people for any other nation is what ties Him to Israel. The word רְהָטִים “R’HATIM” in the verse from Song of Songs which we quoted is a reference to the patriarchs; this word occurs in the record of their life stories both in Genesis 18,7. This is why G-d cannot violate His oath to the patriarchs.

You will find that in Ezekiel 20 when the Jewish people challenged the continued validity of the Torah's commandments by describing themselves as having been freed (sold) by their master (G-d) since they had become exiled, that the prophet did not accept that argument and vehemently pointed out that the basic relationship between G-d and the Jewish people is an eternal bond, that severing it would mean the total demise of the party who severed it. (I have merely summarised the dialogue in Ezekiel 20. Ed.] Basically, Ezekiel's argument was that as long as the master had not received monetary compensation from the “buyer” of the slave no transaction had taken place at all; the Jewish people still belong to their erstwhile master, i.e. G-d. This is also reflected in the words of Isaiah 52,3: “you have been sold חִנָּם “CHINAM”, without price, therefore you will also be redeemed without monetary compensation having to be paid.”

Deut. 29,13 – “And not only with you, etc.”

Moses means that although G-d concludes this covenant with the present generation of Jews as well as the oath warning against non-performance, seeing that you are standing here this day, the fact is that even future generations of Jews unable to stand here today are included in this covenant. The reason that Moses is able to make such a statement is that the trunk of the tree is viewed as the father, i.e. “the root” of all subsequent branches. All the branches are only the offshoots of the original roots. Concerning how it s possible to include unborn generations in this covenant, i.e. reciprocal undertaking, our sages in Tanchuma Yitro 11 comment that all souls ever created since the days of the creation of the earth were present at this assembly. They are not all described as “standing,” as souls without bodies cannot “stand.” The words “who are not here,” refer to the bodies of such souls. The words עִמָּנוּ הַיּוֹם “IMANU HAYOM” (“with us this day”), refer to their souls, which are present even today. The word IMANU, “with us,” refers back to the word עֹמֵד “OMED,” “standing,” in verse 14. It is as if the Torah had written: “and all those not standing here with us this day.” The reason Moses uses the word “standing,” is because the angels in Zechariah 3,7 have been described as בֵּין הָעֹמְדִים ”BEIN HAOMEDIM” (“among these who are standing”).

Our sages in Tanchuma Yitro 11 also claim that all the prophets who ever lived (after Moses) all received their prophetic powers when their souls were at the assembly at Sinai; however they were not allowed to make use of their prophetic powers until their respective generations when they were alive on earth. This is also the meaning of Malachi 1,1 “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.” The present formulation means: “A pronouncement: ‘the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi,” whereas the other formulation would have meant that the “message only now came to Malachi.” The present formulation describes only the point in time when this message, which the soul of the prophet had received at Mount Sinai, was released for publication. We find something similar in Isaiah 48,16 where the prophet writes: “from the beginning I did not speak in secret; from the time anything existed I was there. And now, the Lord G-d has sent me, endowed me with His spirit.” The meaning of the verse is that the soul of the prophet had received this communication from G-d already at Mount Sinai but it had only now been released for publication.

Deut. 29,15 – “for you have known;”

A reference to the fact that among the people Moses addressed here there were some who remembered the abominations practiced by the Egyptians, whereas all of them had observed the abominations practiced by the peoples whose land they had crossed in the meantime, i.e. Edom, Moav, Ammon and Midian.

Deut. 29,16 – “you have seen their detestable idols, wood and stone, silver and gold.”

The former were on display openly; the latter - due to their value and the owners being afraid of theft - were kept inside their homes (Tanchuma Nitzavim 3).

Deut. 29,17 – “lest there be among you a root flourishing with gall and wormwood.”

Venom is considered the “ROSH,” (“principal”) of all bitter roots or leafs, being more bitter than any other variant. Some commentators explain the meaning of the word “ROSH” here as a reference to the venom of the viper in whose head it is found, í.e. animal-based. The word “LA’ANAH” by contrast, refers to some bitter vegetable matter. We find the expression in Numbers 30,14: “to cause bitterness in a person.” It describes the person making such a vow as causing herself the utmost anguish.

Deut. 29,18 – “it will be when he hears these words of a curse, etc.;”

A reference to what we read above in Deut. 27,15: “cursed the man who makes a hewn image, etc.” The person concerned is under the mistaken impression that he will be a beneficiary of the merit accumulated by the many people who do observe the Torah and have forsworn any form of idolatry.

“I will walk as my heart sees fit.” He says to himself that in spite of the fact that he does not accept any part of the Torah which does not appeal to him he will not be punished, seeing that he is only an individual whose actions are not relevant when the vast majority of his fellow Jews are observant and therefore the whole people is deserving of G-d's bountiful blessing as promised. Seeing that he reasons in such a way, the Torah adds immediately that he is totally wrong. G-d will NOT forgive him, i.e. turn a blind eye to his conduct; on the contrary, G-d's wrath will be fuming, etc., against such an individual. The word אָז“AZ” in our verse is understood to mean "immediately," by Ibn Ezra.

It is also possible to understand the words בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי ”BISH’RIRUT LIBI” as an expression of aggressive obstinacy. This individual deliberately disregards the opinion of the multitude, “doing his own thing” openly. The meaning of the expression is similar to what is known in the Talmud (Gittin 26) as “a document signed by judges testifying to the fulfilment of conditions in an accompanying document,” i.e. confirmation.

The reason the Torah writes “that the watered be swept away with the dry” is that the wicked/lawless person prides himself with his evil deeds and determines to continue in his evil ways, thereby adding more “thirst” to his whole system which previously was adequately supplied with moisture. He had hoped to become satiated by indulging his cravings for sin. His punishment consists of the fact that instead of deriving satisfaction from his sins, he constantly feels the irrepressible urge to commit more and more sins. Instead of slaking his thirst for whatever it is he wishes to achieve, he will find that he gets ever thirstier [a form of the principle described by our sages in Abot 4,2 “one deliberately committed sin brings in its wake another.” Ed.] The desire to sin acts like a roller-coaster; once on that path it is almost impossible to stop and to reverse course.

It is also a well known fact that man's heart is the “root” of the body. His thoughts are like the branches, his deeds like the fruit of the tree. The Torah has already stated (Genesis 6,5) that “all the thoughts of (wicked/lawless people) are centred all day long on doing evil.” Such people will not cease producing bitter fruit (Jeremiah 17,8). Even if all the planning of the wicked/lawless people is not translated into deeds, such wicked/lawless people are punished for the wicked/lawless thoughts they entertain. This is what Solomon referred to when he said (Proverbs 15,13) “a happy heart makes for a cheerful face; a sad heart causes a despondent spirit.” The meaning of the entire verse is that one should not think that mere thoughts have no bearing on one's personality. If a person has a positive attitude to life, is joyful, or has a negative attitude to life, is despondent, all depends on the kind of thoughts he entertains. In other words, the thoughts have their origin in the heart; when these thoughts are translated into action they have an impact on the body, i.e. the body reveals the nature of the thoughts a person entertains. it follows that the despondent person is in line for punishment even more so when he actually enjoys contemplating the performance of sins.

This is also what the sages (Yoma 29) had in mind when they said that the contemplating of sins is a more serious offense than the actual carrying out of the sin. The sinful thoughts, when carried out, leave their mark on the body of a person, whereas spontaneously committed sins do not leave such marks on the body. This statement, i.e. psychological insight, of the sages is of very great importance. The statement has given rise to many and varied interpretations as I have already mentioned elsewhere where I said that it means that contemplating sins is more serious than committing the actual sin seeing that the contemplating of the sin is what brings about its execution. By contemplating sins on a regular basis, the heart becomes involved in one's deeds. Seeing that the soul has its home in the heart, such evil thoughts tend to corrupt the soul. [the author clearly feels that the soul, something disembodied, abstract, must be housed in something physical in order to be able to function. One cannot think of the soul as being something detached from the body, independent. Therefore, the part of the body in which the soul is “at home” is of crucial significance. Ed.] Contaminating the soul by entertaining these sinful thoughts is therefore a more serious offense than the actual spontaneous commission of a sin which had not previously had such an impact on one's soul.

Another interpretation of the statement involves often "follow-up" sins. Let us say that a person entertains the thought of breaking into someone's house. If he is contemplating this sin instead of spontaneously stealing, he most likely weighs what action to take if his plan encounters opposition. He will think of how to deal with the opposition, i.e. possibly decide to kill the person who would frustrate his plan. Thus he already adds further sinful thoughts before even committing the original sin.

Should someone ask: “how can the Torah decree penalties for thoughts which have never been carried out? How can the Torah expect a person to be so perfect that the temptation and intention to commit a sin never occurs to him?” Let me explain the essence of the subject. We know that man is in charge (has the choice) of the actions he carries out. This is what the Torah alluded to in Deut. 30, 15-19: “see I have today given into your hand (control) over life and goodness, over death and evil; you will choose life.” Just as man can control his actions, he can also control his thoughts. True, the latter require some preparation and education. We are commanded to entertain constructive thoughts and to avoid thinking potentially destructive, sinful thoughts. G-d gives credit for our entertaining positive constructive thoughts, whereas He punishes us for thinking sinful thoughts.

If, on occasion, one does entertain unworthy thoughts, thoughts which creep up on a person uninvited, such thoughts reflect the fact that the individual in question has not trained himself sufficiently not to entertain unworthy, potentially sinful thoughts. The only cure for this is to concentrate on G-d and what He expects us to do and how He expects us to relate to His universe and our environment. One must relate to such unworthy thoughts with anger at oneself for such thoughts to have occurred to one at all. If one does so, one may rely on the saying of our sages that “when a person makes a genuine effort to purify (himself or others) he receives a divine assist.” (Yoma 38) There are numerous verses in the Bible testifying to the principle that there are divine assists for people trying to do the right thing. One such verse is found In I Chronicles 28,9: “for the Lord searches all minds and discerns the design of every thought, if you seek Him, He will be available to you.” Another verse in a similar vein is found in Proverbs 21,2: “G-d probes the (content) of one's hearts.” Solomon means, that when man entertains positive thoughts, G-d will help translate them into reality. Other verses from Scripture which convey similar messages are found in Psalms 10,17, as well as in I Chronicles 29,18.

Maimonides explains the statement that the contemplating of commission of sins is something more severe than the actual commission of the sin, by reference to the fact that the ability to entertain thoughts is one of the major factors elevating man above the beasts. Abusing such a faculty is more serious than committing sins with the body, something we have in common with the animals, i.e. the lower forms of life. Perverting the very distinctive feature given to us by the Almighty by contemplating actions aimed against our Creator, is indeed an unforgivable abuse of the powers granted to us. By turning the dominating element of his personality into a tool to commit sins, the subservient part of man, i.e. his body, will automatically tend to become corrupted thereby. When someone commits a sin using as his instrument a foolish slave, this is not nearly as serious as when one uses a free man to carry out one's nefarious schemes. This is what Maimonides wrote at the beginning of the second part of his Moreh Nevuchim (Guide to the Perplexed) [actually it is found in section 3, chapter 8].

Yet another reason why planning a sin is more serious than the actual commission of it (a thought attributed to Nachmanides by the author), is that the author of the statement had in mind the satisfaction one derives from having carried out the sin. The fact that the perpetrator still thinks about the sin as an accomplishment results in his punishment becoming harsher. According to this interpretation no penalty accrues to the contemplation of a sin not carried out. The author, in his volume Kad Hakemach, reasons that seeing that we do not have control of our thoughts, we cannot be held culpable for them. [I am quoting from Rabbi Chavell's notes, seeing 1 have neither seen the comment by Nachmanides nor the author's book Kad Hakemach. Ed.] This is based on the statement of our sages in Kidushin 40 that G-d does not combine the sinful thought with the actual performance of the evil deed. There is no penalty for the thought. This is also supported by a verse in Psalms 66,18: “Had I an evil thought in my mind, the Lord would not have listened.” The only exception to this rule is contemplating idolatry. Such thoughts are punishable even if not carried out. This too is supported by a verse from Scripture, i.e. Ezekiel 14,5: “Thus I will hold the House of Israel responsible for their thoughts, because they have all been estranged from Me through their fetishes.”

Deut. 29,22 - "a burning up of its entire land;”

According to the plain meaning of the text the word אַרְצָהּ “ARTSAH” refers back to what the Torah described in verse 21 as “the plagues which afflicted that land.” In that verse the land had been described generally, whereas in our verse the Torah gives some details of what precisely happened to the land, i.e. that it was "burned" by sulphur and salt. The Torah now makes clear that this affliction struck the entire land.

Alternatively, the words כָל-אַרְצָהּ “KOL-ARTSAH” can mean that the choicest part of Israel's land was turned into something similar to Sodom and Gomorrah which had been destroyed by sulphur and brimstone. It is also possible that the word כָל “KOL” in the expression כָל-אַרְצָהּ “KOL-ARTSAH” refers to the land which had formerly contained everything, i.e. כָל “KOL; the land which epitomised everything good under the sun. When G-d related to that land (and its people) with goodwill, benevolently, the land of Israel “did not lack for anything,” (Deut. 5,9) whereas now when the Divine Presence had withdrawn in anger, it once more came to resemble a land which had been burned.

Deut. 29,25 – “and they served their gods; gods they did not know of and which He did not apportion to them.”

Moses meant that the Jewish people had never known that these idols were supposed to possess independent divine powers. Not only this, but G-d had not assigned these powers to the Jewish people but only to the Canaanites (Nachmanides). This is based on Deut. 4,19 where we discussed it and pointed out that Israel had been assigned as its protective Power the Creator of the entire universe, and that the Lord Himself is described as “the Lord is my allotted share and portion” (Psalms 16,5). We also have a verse in the Torah itself, Deut. 32,9 “for He is the share of His people.”

Deut. 29,27 – “the Lord uprooted them from their soil.”

This whole paragraph refers to the period of the first Temple, seeing that this was the period during which the people were guilty of idolatry. The expressions וַיִּתְּשֵׁם “VAYIT’SHEM” (“and rooted them out”) and וַיַּשְׁלִכֵם “VAYASHLIKHEM” (“and cast them”) refer to the fate of the ten tribes, exiled by Shalmanesser, who never returned to their homeland. Such people are considered “outcast.” This is why the Torah uses the expression כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה “KAYOM HAZEH” (“as it is this day”), i.e. their fate became similar to yours as of this day. Just as you are all together in one place, not spread out over the area comprising your homeland, so these exiles will be in a closely confined area. As long as you (the Jewish people) have not yet come to your homeland (compare Deut. 12,9), you too can be considered as “outcast.” Your descendants will once more face such crowded conditions, if and when they are exiled due to breaking the conditions of this covenant. Whenever a people are not on their own land where they have space to spread out they are considered as “outcast.”

“He expelled them to another land.”

The letter “Lamed” is anyway the largest of the letters in the Alef Bet. Here it is written even larger. This may be an allusion to the exceptionally high spiritual level from which the people were flung down at the time they were exiled. The prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 2,1) already speaks of this when he says: “the Lord has cast down from heaven to earth the majesty of Israel.” Another verse referring to the same experience of the Jewish people is found in Psalms 78,61: “His majesty is in the hands of an oppressor.” This is similar to Daniel 8,12: “it hurled truth to the ground.” This is a reference to the countenance of Ya’aqob engraved on the throne of G-d [he is known as personifying "truth" just as is G-d Himself, Ed.] This is also what we read in Midrash Eychah 2,2: “G-d said to Israel the reason you have the audacity to anger Me is that you rely on the fact that the picture of your patriarch Ya’aqob's countenance is engraved in My throne, This is why I will fling it back at you right into your faces.” This (according to the author of this Midrash) is the meaning of the verse we quoted from Lamentations 2,1 that “He hurled the majesty of the people of Israel from the heaven.” This is also what David referred to when he wrote (Psalms 102,11) “for You had lifted me up high only to cast me down.” G-d flung down the Jewish people whom He had raised previously to such great heights (spiritual). It is as if the psalmist said that the very great height to which the Jewish people had risen previously was a reason why their fall became so phenomenal. Seeing that G-d had flung the Jewish people down from such great heights, “He no longer remembered the footstool of His feet on the day of His wrath” (Lamentations 2,1). [the thrust of this commentary, if I understand correctly, is that the upheaval caused to the Jewish people by its exile was matched by a similar upheaval in the celestial spheres. Ed.] The various portions of verses from Lamentations (5,16) or Amos (5,2), as well as from Ezekiel (19,12) cited by the author, all tend to describe the decline of Israel's image in the celestial regions before this was followed by Israel's physical decline and exile. It is part of the mystical aspect of what is referred to in our verse.

Deut. 29,28 – “The hidden (sins) are for Ha-Shem, whereas the revealed (sins) are for us and our children forever to deal with.”

Rashi comments that the reason why the eleven letters commencing with the letter “Lamed” in the word לָנו”LANU” have dots above them is to tell us that G-d did not punish the multitude for revealed sins committed prior to the crossing of the Jordan. Once they confirmed the blessings and curses at Mount Genzim and Mount Eyval respectively, the period of reciprocal responsibility began. [the following is not found in our editions of Rashi's commentary. Ed.] Rashi quotes the Jerusalem Talmud in Sotah 7,5 in support of his view. The Talmud quotes that Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said that at these two mountains the people accepted the responsibility for hidden sins.

Joshua had said to them: “if you do not accept reciprocal responsibility for the hidden sins you will all be swept away by a great flood.” Rabbi Shimon ben Sevidai added that we should know that the majority of the sages who were members of the Sanhedńn died during the battle of Ai (after the assembly at Mount Gerizim, proving that the elders are held responsible even for hidden sins, i.e. that of Achan ben Karmi). Joshua said to the people after that, that by the death of these 36 members of the Sanhedrin that “as of now you are held responsible also for hidden sins committed.” [this statement is not found in our editions of the Jerusalem Talmud; I am relying on the notes and research of Rabbi Chavell, Ed.] At that time, a heavenly echo was heard announcing that the Sanhedrin, and certainly lesser dignitaries, have no business investigating hidden sins. Some say that what is meant is that when Moses had warned the people (29,17) “lest there be amongst you a root flourishing with gall and wormwood,” that as of that time reciprocal responsibility for hidden sins already commenced [seeing that the people at that time accepted the oath and the covenant. Ed.]. This is Rashi's view as it appears in Sanhedrin 43.

The dots really should have appeared also over the letters in the words לַיהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ “La’ADONAI ELOHENU” (“unto the LORD our G-d”) in order to show that the hidden sins are not G-d's exclusive domain to investigate, except that for reasons of etiquette it was deemed inappropriate to place those dots over the name of the Lord. According to Rashi there, although a penalty accrues to the people and/or their leaders for not bringing sinners who committed their sin in private to justice, the duty to investigate if such sins had been committed begins with the time when the people crossed the river Jordan. [If I understand Rashi correctly, investigation of such sins, rather than sentencing the sinner, is of the essence. We have to do what we can in order to become free from this reciprocal responsibility we described earlier. Ed] Seeing the dots could not be placed on the letters of the name of Ha-Shem, they were moved sideways and had to include a dot over the letter “Ayin” of the word עַד “AD” in order to total 11.

Nachmanides, tackling the problem, writes as follows: "my opinion is that if we follow the plain meaning of the text the word הַנִּסְתָּרֹת “HANISTAROT” (“The secret things”) refers to sins committed in private and not witnessed by credible witnesses. The word reflects David's exclamation in Psalms 19,13: “who can be aware of errors? Clear me of unperceived guilt!” David means that such hidden sins are exclusively G-d's domain to investigate and to punish. No guilt attaches to the Jewish people or their representatives concerning such sins. However, the revealed sins, הַנִּגְלֹת “HANIG’LOT” (“the things revealed”), are forever our obligation to investigate and deal with as an eternal statute, etc. This responsibility devolves upon us due to the words “whose heart turns away,” (verse 17) for all future generations. Seeing that with these words all Israelites for all future times had been committed to observe the Torah, etc., the Torah saw fit in our verse to exempt us from sins committed without our knowledge so that we would not be held responsible from the curse devolving us for such sins. Thus far Nachmanides.

The sage lbn Ezra writes as follows: “the word הַנִּסְתָּרֹת “HANISTAROT” (“The secret things”) refers to acts of idolatry committed by individuals in the privacy of their homes. Bringing such people to justice is exclusively G-d's business; He will take care of such individuals. No guilt attaches to us for the commission of those sins.

I have heard it said in the name of Maimonides about this verse that that the words “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God” refer to the fact that mystical dimensions of the Torah, such as the true reason behind the various commandments, are the exclusive domain of the Lord; if man succeeds in revealing even a small portion of such reasons, this does not excuse him from fulfilling the respective commandment in accordance with what the Torah has revealed about it in the text. It is our duty to perform all the commandments as written, even if we are certain that seeing we know the true reason for them this would make performance redundant in our eyes. This is the meaning of “and what has been revealed we are duty bound to fulfil forever more.” While this is a wonderful and profound explanation, it has nothing to do with the text in our paragraph. We must understand the text as related to the previous verse in which the fact that the people have been exiled and apparently abandoned by Ha-Shem has been described.

One may explain the whole matter of reciprocal responsibility described here as follows: “the hidden ones (sins) are G-d's problem, seeing that in the previous verse the syntax is exceedingly long, i.e. the words: “The Lord removed them from their soil in anger and wrath and with great fury and He expelled them to another land as of this day.” The verse is a reference to this long and seemingly interminable exile we find ourselves in. The word הַנִּסְתָּרֹת “HANISTAROT” (“The secret things”) is a warning not to try and figure out when this exile will end. This knowledge is reserved for Ha-Shem alone. However, as soon as G-d reveals the advent of the redemption it will become clear that our future and that of our children will endure forever (in spite of the gloom and doom prevailing during the long years of exile). Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to carry out the commandments of the Torah seeing the Torah is valid forever. It will not become redundant even in the days of the Messiah. Its applicability is as basic during the years of exile as during the glorious era following our redemption.

This is reflected in the exegesis by our Sages of the words in Deut. 16,3 “in order that you may remember (by the performance of this legislation) the day you came out of Egypt for all the days of your life.” Had the Torah omitted the word, “all,” in that verse, I would have been entitled to conclude that when a greater redemption such as that of the Messiah will take place, the provisions to observe Passover will become redundant. Seeing that the Torah wrote the word KOL YEME “all the days”, it is clear that it meant to legislate the observance of Passover (and other laws) even for the period when it is overshadowed by a more recent and all-embracing redemption (Berakhot 12). By adopting this explanation, the whole verse by itself as well as how it relates to the previous verse and to what follows becomes crystal clear. As to the missing letter “Vav” in the word הַנִּסְתָּרֹת “HANISTAROT” which appears as if it were singular, the word as it is should be viewed as an allusion to the SHECHINAH, the hidden Presence of G-d.

After all, G-d had warned us that in times of exile He would “hide” His face from us, in Deut. 32,20. The reason the Shechínah is described as something hidden is that the clouds of glory covered it both when it was inside the Tabernacle and elsewhere in the desert. The word הַנִּסְתָּרֹת “HANISTAROT” in our verse may be understood as an appeal to the Lord our G-d by the Shechínah to reveal Himself, for His Presence to become manifest, and to reveal itself when this exile will come to an end. Our sages (Midrash Tehilllm 9) follow a similar approach in the way they understand the words “I want to have a revelation of Your salvation” in Psalms 9,15. Significantly, the psalmist does not speak of “our salvation,” but of “Your salvation.” This is not the only verse in which the Shechínah is perceived as asking mercy, salvation, for itself from the higher emanation of Ha-Shem. Other verses in Scripture carrying a similar message are found in Isaiah 30,18, as well as in Psalms 60,7 where the words “deliver Your right hand and I will have been answered,” are understood as an appeal by the Shechínah to Ha-Shem to manifest Himself. Israel's salvation and the Shechlnah's salvation are equated. A still dearer verse attesting to this phenomenon is found in Samuel II 7,23: “which You have redeemed for Yourself” [a reference to G-d's personal self-interest (instead of Israel's). Ed.]. We have already elaborated on the mystical aspect of this whole subject in our commentary on Deut. 5,26.

You ought to realise also that our sages derive from our verse here that an expert may be able to interpret dreams by his knowledge of the deeper meaning of the letters in the holy names of G-d and the ability to rearrange the same. [the author goes into greater detail, the meaning of which escapes me. Ed.]

Deut. 30,2-3 – “and you will return unto the Lord your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul. Then the Lord your G-d will bring back your captives, etc."

You have already become familiar with the statement of our sages in Avodah Zarah 5 “that the son of David (the redeemer) will not come until all the souls in the bodies have expired;” this is based on Isaiah 57,16: “until a belated spirit from Me envelops them and the souls which I have made.” The meaning of the whole verse is that G-d will not be angry at the Jewish people forever, nor will He remain furious indefinitely by not redeeming the people, seeing that a spirit, “certain spirits emanate from Me belatedly,” and the souls which I have created enter the body at this stage of history. [Rashi understand the word KI in that verse as meaning “when.” Ed.] The word יַעֲטוֹף ”YA’ATOF” is a kind of “being late,” such as when it occurs in Genesis 30,42 “for the ones born late belonged to Lavan.” [If I understand correctly, the author understands that just as the evil spirit enters man at birth, whereas the urge to do good does not enter him until he is of age, (age 13), so one cause of his corruption is due to the belated entry of the YETSER HA-TOV (the inclination to do good). This affords G-d an opportunity to find some excuse for man's (the Jewish people's) behaviour and to redeem them after a sufficient interval. Ed.]

Nachmanides, in commenting on our verse, focuses on the reason why the verses 2 and 3 appear sequentially, í.e. the words נַפְשֶׁךָ ”NAF’SHEKHA” (“Your souls”) וְשָׁב “V’SHAV” (“That then”) follow each other. He understands the first verse as saying that if all the Jewish people (“all your souls,” become penitents) only then will the redemption occur, i.e. G-d will bring back your captives “that then the LORD your God will turn your captivity.” The meaning is that totally new (renewed) souls will enter the bodies of the Jewish people. This is why the Torah here stresses this TESHUBAH movement must embrace not just a single generation. These two words are an allusion to the whole people of Israel (historically speaking). We find yet another pronouncement on this subject by our sages in Yevamot 62, in which this conclusion is arrived at from the same verse in Isaiah, and the Talmud adds that immediately after this statement [actually immediately preceding this statement, Ed.] the prophet continues with the words “Pave (a road,) pave a road, clear a path!” The prophet paints the scenario which alone will clear the way to the final redemption.

“then He will bring you back collectively from all the nations to which He scattered you.”

I have already mentioned (29,27) that the previous paragraph speaks of the period of the first Temple when the people sinned by committing idolatry and they were punished by being banished to a different country, and the ten tribes were cast out, by King Shalmanesser of Assyria to Chalach, Chavor on the river Gozan and the cities of Media (Kings II 17,6). This passage proves that our assumption was right, seeing it commences where the last passage had left off, i.e. the outcasts of King Shalmanesser, by referring (verse 1) i.e. “to which the Lord your G-d had cast you out there.” Clearly, it speaks of the exile to which the ten tribes had become doomed. They represented the bulk of the Jewish people. Having dealt with the ingathering of the ten tribes from their exile, the passage continues speaking about yet another ingathering, the countries to which the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin had been exiled where we have been enslaved by people who hated us and persecuted us. These people are the Arabs and Edomites. We are scattered throughout their countries until this present day and this is why the Torah speaks of “the countries to which the Lord your G-d has scattered you” (verse 3). In that verse the Torah addresses us. The Torah twice mentions “He will bring back,” to hint that there will occur two separate ingatherings, one of the ten tribes and one of the tribes Yehudah and Binyamin. Concerning these ingatherings we read in the prophecy of Isaiah 56,8: “I will gather still more to those already gathered.” It appears therefore, judging by the syntax of the text in our verses, that the principal ingathering of the tribes who will do penitence will be that of the ten tribes, the ones described as “Whom the Lord cast out.” G-d assures the ten tribes that repentance will immediately trigger their return to their homeland. After having dealt with the redemption of those tribes, the Torah adds (verse 3) that there will occur a second ingathering, that of the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin. This is why the Torah had employed the expression “He scattered,” seeing that these two tribes are scattered all over the globe. After that, the Torah once more addresses the the ones who had been cast out, i.e. the ten tribes, assuring them that even if they had been scattered in the meantime to the ends of the earth, G-d would not fail to gather them in and bring them back to their homeland which they would once again inherit. Actually, we find allusions to three separate “inheritances” here. The third will outrank the former two inheritances, will encompass more territory than the Israelites controlled during the glorious days of King Solomon. Moreover, G-d promises the people that the evil urge will be banished and that such emotions as envy and jealousy will disappear from among them. This is the meaning of verse 5: “He will do good to you and make you more numerous than your forefathers and circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring to love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, etc.” The meaning of the words “and you will return,” in verse 8, is that the penitence of which G-d speaks is an assurance, a promise by G-d to the people.

Deut. 30,5 – “to the land which your forefathers had inherited, and you will inherit it.”

Our sages in Seder Olam (chapter 30, an ancient historical text) have explained that the words: “which your forefathers inherited, and you will inherit it,” mean that whereas they inherited it twice, they did not (need to) inherit it a third time. The first time the people inherited the land and sanctified it by their presence was under Joshua. This sanctification remained effective only until their expulsion and the destruction of the Temple. The second sanctification (and inheritance) occurred during. the time of Ezra. That sanctification was for all times so that after the present exile there is no need to inherit and sanctify the land once again. This is how my teacher Rabbi Shlomoh Aderet, may his light shine, explained this matter to me.

It is possible to explain our verse as meaning that whereas the first and second inheritance by the Jewish people extended only to the land of Israel, the third inheritance will include entitlement to any part of the globe. This is what the Torah means in our verse when it writes: “He will do good for you, and increase you more so than for your forefathers.” This is why the expression “inheritance” is used by the Torah in connection with the period of the first two Temples, but not in connection with the future. The expression used in that connection clearly envisages an additional distinction the Jewish people will enjoy then. This is similar to what our sages (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1,37) expounded on as the reason why whenever we read about the word “SHIRAH” in the Bible it is feminine, except when the song refers to events in the future, such as in Psalms 96,1 or Isaiah 26,1. It is the nature of a woman to become pregnant and give birth and to experience the same procedure time and again. The redemption of the Jewish people in the future will be a final redemption, something not needing to be repeated. This is why, when the Bible speaks of such times, the song sung then will be a masculine song,'i.e. “SHIR CHADASH.” It is the function of the male to inherit his father's property absolutely, once and for all, as distinct from when daughters receive such an inheritance, as an emergency and interim measure (compare Ezekiel 48,33: “the gate of Issachar-one; the gate of Zevulun- one"). Midrashim link the verse in Ezekiel with Zecharyah 13,8 describing the destruction of two thirds of the inhabitants of Israel. A Mídrash in Pessikta Zutrata on Deut.1,8 on the words “to give to them and to their descendants after them,” breaks up this verse into three sections. The words לָתֵת לָהֶם “LATET LEHEM” (“to give unto them’) refer to the people leaving Egypt; the word וּלְזַרְעָם ”UL’ZAR’AM” (“and to their descendants”) refers to the immigrants in the time of Ezra; the word אַחֲרֵיהֶם "ACHAREIHEM" (“after them”) refers to the returnees during the messianic epoch.

Deut. 30,6 – “the Lord your G-d will circumcise your heart, etc.”

Nachmanides writes on this verse: “this means that the Lord will remove the ‘foreskin’ covering the people's heart,” a simile for unlawful desires and other varieties which are described as “ORLAH HA-LEB (foreskin of the heart). We know that someone who is captive to such desires is known as ‘ARAL (uncircumcised), from Jeremiah 9,25 where the prophet describes the Jewish people as being of uncircumcised heart [although they do not have a foreskin on their sexual organ. Ed.] Just as the removal of the foreskin of that organ helps to restrain excessive sexual urges, so the removal of its equivalent covering of the heart will control the cravings responsible for committing other sins. G-d assures the people in that verse in Jeremiah that a time will come when such obstacles to obedience to G-d's laws will be removed. [Although what the author wrote here is the gist of what Nachmanides writes, it does not represent an accurate translation of his words. Ed.]

Deut. 30,7 – “against your enemies and those who hate you.”

The former are the Ishmaelites, Arabs; the latter refer to the descendants of Esau. The prophet Micah (Micah 5,8) speaks of “your hand will prevail over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut down.” This is a reference to the two nations to which we are enslaved and amongst which we are scattered. This is why the sages in Baba Batra 73 refer to two geese in a story related by Rabbi Bar bar Chana. The story goes as follows: “I once walked in the desert and we saw these two geese which lost their feathers due to their excessive obesity. I extracted a continuous thin line of honey from them. I said to them: “are we going to have a share in the world to come?” One of them lifted its body, whereas the other lifted its flank. When Rabbi Bar bar Chana came to Rabbi Eleazar (and told him of his experience) the Rabbi said to him that the meaning is that in the future the Jewish people will have to render an accounting. Thus far the Talmud. [the fact is that the entire story does not appear in our editions of the Talmud. Rabbi Chavell claims he has found it in a similar form in Agadot ha Talmud. Ed.]

The meaning of the whole story is that the Sage (Rabbi Bar bar Chana) saw in his mind, while in an isolated part of the world, i.e. the desert, that these two Empires, that of the Mohammedans and that of the Romans, attained tremendous power in this world. This was symbolised by the obesity of the geese. When the Rabbi asked them: “are we not going to have a share in your prosperity in the future?,” the meaning of the words: “one of them lifted its wings” is a reference to Ishmael This was a symbol that the Ishmaelites will flee to us in the future and take refuge under the wings of the Shechinah. They will give us their beasts to use as sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. This is the meaning of Isaiah 60,7: “all the flocks of Kedar will be assembled for you (the Jewish people); the rams of Nevayot will serve your needs.” This indicates that these Ishmaelites will convert to Judaism. It also is an allusion to the fact that they will wear phylacteries, seeing the phylacteries have been compared to wings (Shabbat 49). Concerning the other goose which raised its rump, this is a reference to Edom, whose protective angel had dislocated Ya’aqob's hip joint in the nocturnal encounter described in Genesis 32,26. It is also an allusion to the commandment of circumcision, i.e. that in the time under discussion these people would convert and circumcise themselves. There is no need to add that at that time political and moral sovereignty will be restored to the Jewish people. This is the symbolism portrayed by the fatness of these two geese and the honey which dripped from them. As to the words of Rabbi Eleazar that the Israelites would be called upon to give an accounting at that time, the meaning is that they will have to give an accounting for not having become penitents during all the preceding years, and have tamed so long before living as true Jews. The reason the term אֹיְבֶיךָ “OY’VEKHA” (“your enemies”) is applied to the Roman Empire, whereas the term “SONE” is applied to the Islamic Empire, is that the former is a term describing fiercer hatred and animosity than the word SONE. OYEV is an enemy who is full of hatred in his heart, knows no mercy. A SUNE, on the other hand, though he too inflicts hurt and death, tempers it with a degree of mercy. Proof of this found in Isaiah 47,6: “but you showed them no mercy. Even upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” [actually in that chapter the prophet speaks of the cruelty of the Babylonians, not the Ishmaelites. Ed.] The very etymology of the word OYEV, reflects that it refers to unrelenting hatred; it is derived from OIV, a word which has the same letters as OYEV, and means “woe.” The reason that the Torah mentions OYEVEKH before speaking of SONE [when we would have expected the Torah to describe matters in an ascending order, Ed.] is that it wanted to link the SONEKHA to the pursuit, i.e. אֲשֶׁר רְדָפוּךָ”ASHER R’DAFUKHA” – “Who have persecuted you.” This nation has traditionally uprooted our exiles wherever their rule extended. The reason they are referred to by the term “SONE,” “someone who hates,” is that G-d Himself describes His relationship with Esau with the words: “I have hated Esau,” (Malachi 1,3). Midrash Mishle confirms this when explaining the words (Proverbs 30,23) “because of the loathsome woman when she becomes married.” The “loathsome, hateful one,” is understood to be a reference to Esau. The verse from Scripture cited as proof is also the one from Malachi 1,3. The final words in that verse in Proverbs, i.e. “and when a slave-woman inherits her mistress” (another phenomenon confounding Solomon who describes such phenomena as intolerable), is a reference to Ishmael, seeing his mother Hagar was the slave-woman of Sarah.) Seeing that the attitude of the Ishmaelites towards the Jews is more hostile than that of the Edomites, the Torah describes them as “your enemies.” This is confirmed by the popular saying: “rather under the Edomites than under the Ishmaelites.” [The idea is that if Jews have a chance which exile to choose they would invariably prefer to live under the yoke of the former. Ed.] G-d, when describing for how long He will hold generations responsible for the deeds of their forefathers, says “and to the fourth generation concerning those who qualify for the term SONE, “those who hate Me” (Exodus 20,5).

Concerning G-d's OYEV, “His enemies,” however, we read in Psalms 37,20: “and the enemies of the Lord will be consumed like meadow grass consumed in smoke.” The verse teaches that nothing at all will remain of these “enemies.” This is why they are compared to the fat of the fat sheep which goes up completely in smoke (on the altar). Solomon refers to both of these nations as “two daughters,” mentioning that both are destined for Gehinom, hell. This is what he meant when he wrote in Proverbs 30,15 that “the leech has two daughters, ‘give give’!;” He compared Gehinom, the place where judgment is meted out to the souls of the wicked/lawless, to a leech which is a bloodsucker. Concerning these two nations the prophet in Isaiah 66,17 wrote: “those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to enter the groves;” the former who sanctify themselves are the Edomites whose habit it is to shake their fingers in different directions. The latter are the Ishmaelites whose habit it is to bathe their hands and feet (to cleanse them) but not their hearts, which is their essence. The prophet in that verse continues and alludes to the manner in which the Edomites sanctify themselves in the centre of the garden. Alternatively, these last three words of the verse may be an allusion to the day of their judgment, a day already appointed for that purpose. One of these nations will be judged on a Friday preceding the onset of the Sabbath, whereas the other will be judged immediately after the Sabbath, the Sabbath remaining “in the centre;” when the prophet describes one of these people as “consuming swine,” he refers to the Edomites, whereas the ones described in that same verse as eating reptiles and mice, are the Ishmaelites. The verse concludes by saying: “they will perish together.”

Deut. 30,8 – “and you will carry out all His commandments which I command to you this day.”

After having spoken about Israel's repentance, and their return to the Holy Land, the Torah now speaks of the commandments being commanded “this day;” we find a similar formulation already in verse 2 of our chapter where the repentance had also been featured. All of this is to focus on the fact that the essence of repentance is to accept the Torah as governing our lives. This is why whenever repentance is mentioned the reference to the commandments of the Torah is appended. The prophet Jeremiah employs a similar style when he writes (Jeremiah 2,17) “is this not what has happened to you for forsaking the Lord your G-d at the time He led you on the way?” “The way” is the path of Torah. This was the path which earlier generations of Jews observed and their lives were successful.

Deut. 30,9 – “when Ha-Shem will return and rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your forefathers.”

It is possible that this verse alludes to the time when the King will return with His bride (the Jewish people), i.e. an allusion to the time of the redemption. At that time He will provide you with all the benefits accompanying such a return to favour. Should you enquire when exactly all this would happen, the Torah adds: “when you will hearken to the voice of the Lord your G'd to observe, etc.” The Jewish people are always expected to make the first move towards reconciliation with G-d, i.e. observing His commandments. Immediately G-d notices this, He in turn will hasten the rapprochement. Our fortunes depend on our becoming penitents. All this has been expressed in unmistakable language by Malachi 3,7: “return to Me and I will return to you.” The letter “Hai” at the end of the word אָשׁוּבָה “ASUVAH” (“I will return”) in that verse is a reference to the final letter in the tetragram, the attribute which created the universe.

Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 143

JPS TRANSLATION	TARGUM
1. A Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; in Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness/generosity.	1. A praise for David. O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my supplication; in Your truth answer me, in Your generosity.
2. And enter not into judgment with Your servant; for in Your sight will no man living be justified.	2. And do not enter the house of judgment with Your servant, for nothing that lives will be pure in Your presence.
3. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.	3. For the enemy is persecuting my soul; he has crushed my life to the earth; he made me dwell in darkness like those who are dead in this age.
4. And my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.	4. When my soul grows weary against me, in my body my heart will be confounded.
5. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doing; I muse on the work of Your hands.	5. I called to mind the days of old; I meditated on all Your deeds; I will speak of the works of Your hands.
6. I spread forth my hands unto You; my soul thirsts after You, as a weary land. Selah	6. I spread out my hands in prayer before You; my soul looks towards You forever like a land that is thirsty for water.
7. Answer me speedily, O LORD, my spirit fails; hide not Your face from me; lest I become like them that go down into the pit.	7. Hurry, answer me, O Lord; my spirit yearned for You; do not remove Your presence from me; and I have become like those who descend to the pit of the grave.
8. Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for unto You have I lifted up my soul.	8. Proclaim Your goodness to me in the morning, for I have hoped in Your Word; make me know this way that I walk, for to You have I lifted up my soul in prayer.
9. Deliver me from mine enemies, O LORD; with You have I hidden myself.	9. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord; I have reckoned Your Word to be redeeming.
10. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good spirit lead me in an even land.	10. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your good holy spirit will guide me in the land correctly.
11. For Your name's sake, O LORD, quicken me; in Your righteousness/generosity bring my soul out of trouble.	11. For the sake of Your name, O Lord, sustain me; by Your righteousness/generosity bring my soul out of distress.
12. And in Your mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that harass my soul; for I am Your servant.	12. And by Your kindness overthrow my enemies, and destroy all those who oppress my soul, for I am Your servant.

Midrash Tehillim Psalms 143

PSALM ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE

I. A Psalm of David. O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; in Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness/generosity, And enter not into judgment with Your servant; for in Your sight will no man living be justified (Ps. 143:1-2). Solomon said: A King that sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with His eyes. Who can say: “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Prov. 20:8-9). On the day of judgment can any man say, “I am pure from my sin?” No man will be able to stand firm. Thus Scripture says, The Lord ... will suddenly come to His Temple ... But who may abide the day of His coming? And who will stand when He appears? (Mal. 3:2)—that is, who will be able to stand firm on the day of judgment? As Jeremiah said: Thus says the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see whether a man does travail with child; wherefore do 1 see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces will be turned into paleness? (Jer. 30:6): On the day of judgment there will be no man with serene face. Every face will turn pale: even Abraham's, because of Ishmael; even Isaac's, because of Esau; and even the heavenly hosts, because of Israel, for it is said All faces will be turned into paleness.

Accordingly, David said to God: Because of the day of judgment I entreat You! Behold, I beseech You to answer me and show mercy to me. Hence he said: Hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications (Ps. 143:1). If You show no mercy to me, how can one stand firm? So when Job prayed: Oh that You would hide me in the nether-world (Job 14:13), the Holy One, blessed be He, asked: “Forever?” Job replied: Until judgment will have passed, until indignation will have passed, until wrath will have passed: Until Your wrath be past (ibid.). Similarly David said: Enter not into judgment with Your servant; for in Your sight will no man living be justified (Ps. 143:2)—that is, David was asking the Holy One, blessed be He: “Will You bring me to enter into judgment with You? How is a servant to enter into judgment with his master?”

Similarly, Scripture says If I be righteous/generous, yet will I not lift up my head (Job 10:15). Why not? Because every man is a servant to You, and everything he owns belongs to his Master. Again Scripture says, Only do not two things unto me, then will I not hide myself from You: withdraw Your hand far from me; and let not Your terror make me afraid (Job 13:20-21), and also says: Remember, I beseech You, that You have fashioned me as clay; and will You bring me into dust again? Have You not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and favour, and Your providence has preserved my spirit (Job 10:9-12). And withal, will You summon me to stand for judgment? Why? Since man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he flees also as a shadow, and continues not. And do You open Your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with You (Job 14:1-3). As Solomon said: Who can say: ‘I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin’? (Prov. 20:9). On the day of judgment no man can declare himself pure, because There is no man that sins not (I Kings 8:46), and because There is not a righteous/generous man upon earth, that does good, and sins not (Eccles. 7:20). In the sight of God not even the heavens are pure; in the sight of God, not even the stars are pure, for it is said In Your sight no living thing will be justified (Ps. 143:2). What is meant by the words, no living thing? That in Your sight no thing alive will be justified and that only the dead will be adjudged pure? No: the words mean that on the day of judgment even the living things of heaven will be unable .to justify themselves in Your sight. Hence it is said For in Your sight no living thing shall be justified.

II. Verily, the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has smitten my life down to the ground (Ps. 143:3). Israel said this: “How goodly a thing it is for us that we are smitten by persecution, that our enemies have already smitten us and tried us.” As Scripture says, You, O God, has proved us; You have tried us, as silver is tried (Ps. 66:10). There is no need to recite to You the record of persecutiοns, for behold, it was You who have caused men to ride over our heads (Ps. 66:12). And after we have endured so much, will You bring us to judgment? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Because so much has passed over you, fear no more: it is said I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more (Nahum 1:12).

Ashlamatah: Joshua 24:1-8, 12-13

1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

2 And Joshua said unto all the people: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.

3 And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau; and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; and Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did in the midst thereof; and afterward I brought you out.

6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt; and you came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and with horsemen unto the Red Sea.

7 And when they cried out unto the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt; and you dwelt in the wilderness many days.

8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that dwelt beyond the Jordan; and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel; and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.

10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he even blessed you; so I delivered you out of his hand.

11 And you went over the Jordan, and came unto Jericho; and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.

12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.

13 And I gave you a land whereon you had not laboured, and cities which you built not, and you dwell therein; of vineyards and olive-yards which you planted not do you eat.

14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve you the LORD.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.'

Special Ashlamatah: Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

12 I, even I, am He that comforts you: who are you, that you are afraid of man that eill die, and of the son of man that will be made as grass;

13 And has forgotten the LORD your Maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?

14 He that is bent down will speedily be loosed; and he will not go down dying into the pit, neither will his bread fail.

15 For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea, that the waves thereof roar; the LORD of hosts is His name.

16 And I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you in the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: ‘You are My people.’ {S}

17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, that has drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you have drunken the beaker, even the cup of staggering, and drained it.

18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she has brought forth; neither is there any that takes her by the hand of all the sons that she has brought up.

19 These two things are befallen you; who will bemoan you? Desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how will I comfort you?

20 Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.

21 Therefore hear now this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine; {P}

22 Thus says your Lord the LORD, and your God that pleads the cause of His people: behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering; the beaker, even the cup of My fury, you will no more drink it again;

23 And I will put it into the hand of them that afflict you; that have said to your soul: ‘Bow down, that we may go over;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over. {P}

1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there will no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose yourself from the bands of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. {S}

3 For thus says the LORD: You were sold for nought; and you will be redeemed without money. {S}

4 For thus says the Lord GOD: My people went down afore time into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5 Now therefore, what do I here, says the LORD, seeing that My people is taken away for nought? They that rule over them do howl, says the LORD, and My name continually all the day is blasphemed.

6 Therefore My people will know My name [My authority]; therefore they will know in that day that I, even He that spoke, behold, here I am. {S}

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation; that says unto Zion: ‘Your God reigns!’

8 Hark, your watchmen! They lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they will see, eye to eye, the LORD returning to Zion.

9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the Gentiles; and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. {S}

11 Depart, depart, go you out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the midst of her; be you clean, you that bear the vessels of the LORD.

12 For you will not go out in haste, neither will you go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearward. {S}

13 Behold, My servant will prosper, he will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.

14 According as many were appalled at you - so marred was his visage unlike that of a man, and his form unlike that of the sons of men -

15 So will he startle many Gentiles, kings will shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them will they see, and that which they had not heard will they perceive. {S}

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 27: 57-61

57. Toward evening, a wealthy man from Rentis, named Yosef, who also was a [Rabbinic] Talmid of Yeshua

58. Having come near to Pilatus requested the body of Yeshua. Then Pilatus ordered that it be given to him.

59. Having taken the body, Yosef [of Rantis] rapped it in a clean Kittel

60. And laid it in his new sepulchre which he had hewn in the rock. Having rolled a big boulder over the door of the sepulchre, he went away.

61. Miriam of Migdal was there and the other Miriam [Khalfe HaLevi], sitting opposite the tomb.

Pirke Abot: II:2

“Rabban Gamliel, the son of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi, said: The study of Torah together with a worldly occupation is a fine thing, because the labour [required by] the two of them [together] causes sin to be forgotten; and any study of Torah which is without labour will ultimately be futile and cause sin. All those involved in communal work should be involved for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their fathers will help them and their righteousness/generosity will stand forever; [God will say,] “As for you, I will give you reward as though you had done it.” Be wary of the authorities, because they only draw a person near for their own needs; they appear to be friends as long as they are deriving benefit, but they do not stand by a man in his hour of need. He used to say: Make your will like His will so that He should make His will like your will; nullify your will before His so that He may nullify the will of others before your will.”

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 95-103)

Abarbanel prefaces his commentary to this Mishnah with a brief historical note. He points out that there were three Tannaim called Rabban Gamliel. The first was Rabban Gamliel the Elder, the son of Rabban Shimon and the grandson of Hillel. The second was Rabban Gamliel, the colleague of Rabbi Yehoshua; he was a grandson of Gamliel the Elder. The third was the sage of our Mishnah, who was the son of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi, the redactor of the Mishnah. That being so, asks Abarbanel, how could this Rabban Gamliel be included in the Mishnah, which was redacted and closed during his father's lifetime? He proposes two possible explanations. The first is that the statements recorded here in Rabban Gamliel's name were made before his father died and the latter included them in the Mishnah, albeit without the title "Rabban," which was reserved for presidents of the Sanhedrin of Hillel’s lineage. After Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi died and Gamliel was elevated to the presidency, the honorific “Rabban” was added. The second explanation is that although Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi redacted and sealed the Mishnah, additions were made later and this is one of them. Abarbanel cites other examples of this phenomenon.

Rambam, as well as other commentators, opines that the term “derekh eretz” (worldly occupation) in our Mishnah implies crafts/professions and manual labour and the thrust is that it is a fine thing to study Torah and engage in a craft/profession in order to sustain oneself. The rationale behind this is the premise that if a person studies Torah he will know what is permitted and what is forbidden in the marketplace and by working for a living will not have to cheat other people to find sustenance. Thus, sin will be forgotten.

On the subject of working for the community, Rambam proposes that a person engaged in communal affairs is often anguished in that his activities prevent him from performing other mitzvoth. Thus, Rabban Gamliel offers encouragement by assuring him that the other mitzvoth that he intended to observe will be counted as if he had actually performed them if his communal service is for the sake of Heaven. Abarbanel is ready to accept this interpretation of Rambam, albeit without enthusiasm.

He then proceeds to interpret this Mishnah in his own manner by first posing a number of problems. He questions the propriety of using the word YAFEH - beautiful, or fine — in referring to a way of life that includes Torah. Rabban Gamliel should have said, “It is a must.” How can the study of Torah be described as beautiful or fine? The Torah was intended to teach us how to function spiritually and what is incumbent upon the Jew to do.

Secondly, Rabban Gamliel uses the words, “causes sin to be forgotten” which has a negative tone. Why not underscore the positive aspect of the Torah and derekh eretz? Furthermore, we are not concerned about forgetting sin; we are interested in eliminating it.

Another question: The Sage rules that Torah which is not accompanied with a worldly occupation will ultimately be futile. On what authority does he base this advice? Were all the Talmudic rabbis tradesmen or craftsmen? Many were not; they were dedicated solely and exclusively to the study of Torah. Rabban Gamliel's own father is a good example of this.

Rabban Gamliel of our Mishnah shocks us when he contends that Torah study that is not combined with labour will lead to sin. Is it conceivable that Torah study — with or without labour — can lead to sinfulness?

Then again, Rabban Gamliel when speaking about being active in the community says “I will give you reward” (as the Hebrew reads literally without our square brackets). What license did the Rabban Gamliel have to give or withhold reward? What human being can claim the power to do so? Is this not an effrontery against God?

Another problem that confronted Abarbanel: Rabban Gamliel exhorts us to be cautious of the ruling authorities, the government. However, he does not specify whether that means that one should seek their close friendship or that one should distance himself from them. “Be wary ...” can bear both meanings.

Yet, another problem: The Sage entreats us to make our will like His will. If he meant God's will, why did he not specify, "Make your will like God's will". Since the word "God" does not appear in the entire Mishnah, how are you to know to whom the word "His" is referring?

Finally: Rabban Gamliel teaches us four things, yet it is only in the last of them that the formula, “He used to say,” is employed.

To resolve all these difficulties, Abarbanel first draws our attention to the fact that Rabban Gamliel is commenting on the principle of his father, Rabbi, in the previous Mishnah, i.e., that all that a Jew needs in life is to dedicate himself to the study of Torah. Philosophy and logic have no role to play in choosing the right path. Rabban Gamliel, who apparently was more pragmatic, came to modify his father's position.

It is true that the study of Torah is a sine qua non for true perfection. However, for the purpose of leadership and the welfare of society, it is a fine thing if the study of Torah is combined with derekh eretz. Abarbanel points out that in this context the term, derekh eretz, does not mean crafts or manual labour, but rather political science/wisdom and an understanding of ethics and how to implement them. He argues that this is the true meaning of the term and points out that the term MELAKHAH (labour) can also mean the same thing. This is what Rabban Gamliel meant when he said it is a fine thing to combine Torah study and derekh eretz. He deliberately did not say that it is obligatory. Indeed, it is wise to submit to a rigid discipline of Torah study when that is necessary and to temper it with the existentialism of life itself. In this fusion of idealism, sin cannot penetrate.

Abarbanel then goes off somewhat on a tangent when he speaks about, “All Torah study which is not combined with melakhah must inevitably fail.” The word MELAKHAH is commonly understood to mean "labour", but Abarbanel interprets it in a novel fashion. A teacher of Torah will only succeed if he employs a methodology — which can change in accordance with the times and the type of student involved - which will arouse the students' interest in the subject matter. If he does not employ a psychological approach, the students will find him boring and his efforts to instruct will fail. Thus, Abarbanel identifies derekh eretz with melakhah and because of their similar inference he applies it, amongst other things, to the teaching profession.

He reminds us that the ancient rabbis of the Talmud were accustomed to bring humour into their discussions in order to stimulate the interest of the students so that their study should not be in vain. The wrong of bitul Torah — which Abrabanel apparently understands as futile Torah — is a grave one. Nothing can compare to its gravity. This, as we have seen, can be caused by teaching Torah without derekh eretz, i.e., without the appropriate methodology. Thus, when Rabban Gamliel says that the study of Torah can lead to sin, he means that the absence of proper methodology can lead to a spiritual catastrophe.

Abarbanel also cites the interpretation of Me'iri who comes up with a novel idea. When one wishes to admonish another for some error of behaviour, let him do so in a quiet, serene and sympathetic manner. If he does so with anger and vitriolic language, the accused will feel himself cornered and will fight back by saying, “Who are you to tell me that I am doing wrong? Are you perfect without blemish?” The entire effort of chastisement will then be in vain. To corroborate his premise Me'iri quotes a passage from the Talmud (Ta'anit 7a) in which attention is drawn to an apparent contradiction in the Torah. “My doctrine will drop as the rain, My speech will distil as the dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2). Which will it be, dew or rain? It cannot be both at the same time. The rabbis, therefore, conclude that a Scholar who corrects a sinner in harsh terms is compared to one who looks upon the words of the Torah as heavy rain and his chastisement will be counter-productive. However, a Scholar who approaches a sinner with sympathy and respect is comparable to the use of the words of the Torah as soft, mild dew. According to this interpretation, the term derekh eretz means “respect,” or “good manners,” which is quite close to Abarbanel's use of the term. Abarbanel fully accepts Me'irí's idea as analogous to his own, since it applies to the teaching of Torah as well as to chastisement. He adds, however, that it is difficult to see the text of this Mishnah as a source for Me'iri's thought. In this way, Abarbanel resolves the first four difficulties that he encountered in his analysis of this Mishnah.

Abarbanel also quotes Me'iri who does not spare any words and is most emphatic and blunt when he says that if derekh eretz, in any version or by any interpretation, is an essential component for a model religious life, let there be no mistake that it is equally essential that in all seemingly secular activities the influence of Torah must be felt. One cannot opt for either Torah or derekh eretz and consciously ignore the other. They either go hand-in-hand or they both fail.

Abarbanel then proceeds to focus on the true significance of Torah and derekh eretz. There are people who volunteer in community projects. They donate of their means and time to the improvement of various community functions. This is noble on their part and commendable; this is true derekh eretz. However, a danger lurks that can counteract the good that the volunteer does, if the motive for his interest in helping others is a selfish one — if he expects the community to idolize him for his efforts. Such behaviour is derekh eretz without Torah. This type of communal worker should realize that while his labours on behalf of the community are necessary and commendable, the community has its intrinsic merits — they are, after all, the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and a host of other luminaries — that would have assured its survival without his contributions. Even in times of the most severe crises, the Children of Israel always looked to God for their continued existence.

If so, one has the logical right to ask: If the good Lord, in His infinite beneficence, will surely take care of the community, what need is there for me to involve myself in social and charitable affairs? It is on this point, Abarbanel asserts, that Rabban Gamliel assures us with the words, “I will credit you with great rewards as if you accomplished it all.” In other words, it is God who is speaking and saying, “Although I do not need your help to sustain My people, yet if you will give some input I will consider it as if you were the one to have accomplished it.” In Abarbanel's opinion, the previous mention of “for the sake of Heaven” is a reference to God, and the pronoun “I” refers back to it.

In view of the fact that Rabban Gamliel offers us advice on how to relate to political authorities by counselling us to be cautious of the ruling class, Abarbanel teaches us a lesson in the psychology of the attitude of the ruler towards his subjects. We should remember that Don Isaac Abarbanel moved in the circles of the Spanish political hierarchy during the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and also served the kings of Portugal and Naples at different times.

In the first place, a Jew who is actively involved in political affairs must always demonstrate what it is to be a Torah Jew and he should be the paradigm of Torah behaviour. This is the only way he can assure himself of avoiding discrimination — if that is at all possible. It will give him self-confidence in that he senses the presence of God at his side and it is his source of hope that he can avoid any hostility on the part of the politicians. Otherwise, he is in great danger.

Abarbanel reinforces this line of thinking by bringing in an analogy tο Rambam's description of the effect that the winds have over the ocean (Moreh Nevukhim IΧ:3). When the winds are violently turbulent no one at sea is sure of his life. Ships are tossed about like matchsticks and catastrophe is inevitable. When the winds are calm, the ocean is peaceful and delightful. Everything is dependent upon the winds. So it is with kings and princes. It is at their whim that the masses are either persecuted and destroyed or peaceful and prosperous.

This is even more applicable to ministers who serve the king. They are at the mercy of his every whim and so must be extremely meticulous in carrying out their duties. They should not rely on the king's forgiveness if they make a mistake. Similarly, a minister should not rely on the king's affection for him and oppress others or steal from them. Kings love no one. This is what is meant by “they do not stand by a man in his hour of need.”

Another piece of advice: A person who is influential in high government circles should maintain a low profile and should not extol his influential position to the community because he will be considered a threat to the image and popularity of the men in power. They will then cut him down to preserve their own position. Although he may believe that he is in solid with his political superiors, they will have no hesitation in destroying him if it is to their benefit.

To put it succinctly: The best hope that the Jew can have in his struggle for survival even when involved with the highest echelons of government is to depend upon God and follow His Torah. “Nullify your will before His will,” so that He will nullify the will of your enemies. God's will is absolute and not given to change; in man the power of will is governed by a plethora of outside influences. The Jew is asked to nullify his own unstable will in favour of God's immovable will.

Abarbanel suggests an alternative interpretation for “Nullify your will...” He connects it with the previous dictum “Be wary of the authorities ...” and suggests that “his will” refers to the king's will. The meaning then is: Be careful in your dealing with the king, and if you want to survive in your high office, nullify your will before his, so that he will nullify the will of your competitors for his favours.

With reference to the last of the problems we started out with — the formula “He used to say” — Abarbanel takes the path of least resistance and proposes that that aphorism was taught by Rabban Gamliel at a different time, unrelated to the rest of our Mishnah, but Rabbi, who arranged the order of the Mishnayoth (or whoever added this Mishnah, see above), saw fit to include it in Pírqe Abot, and put it together with the rest of Rabban Gamliel's dicta, setting it apart with the formula, “He used to say.”

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Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rashbatz (R. Shimon ben Tzemah Duran – Majorca, Spain; Algiers – 1361-1444): The accepted meaning of the term, derekh eretz is “norms of noble society.” According to a greater number of commentators, it means in the present context, “worldly occupation.” Everyone must seek his livelihood and should not depend upon some divine act which will miraculously provide him with it. Even if one is engrossed entirely in Torah, if he has no source of income he will resort to theft, deceit and the desecration of the Sabbath. Also, he will associate with criminals to gain favours from them. Simultaneously, Torah study is the most effective antidote to sin because long hours of study weaken a person's physical condition, and a man in a weakened physical condition is not very likely to sin. Thus, according to Rashbatz, the first part of our Mishnah will read as follows: The combination of Torah and a productive occupation will prevent you from transgressing and will help you to avoid resorting to unethical and criminal behaviour.

In the latter part of Rabban Gamliel's pronouncements, “Be wary of the authorities...” Rashbatz finds a blatant redundancy. In a earlier Mishnayoth (Chapter I, Mishnah 9) Shemayah advised, “Do not become intimate with the authorities.” What was the purpose of Rabban Gamliel repeating a similar proposal? Rashbatz replies that Shemayah was cautioning the Scholar not to accept a responsible rabbinical position by government appointment. In fact, he should have no official contact with the authorities. Rabban Gamliel in our Mishnah is urging the Scholar to involve himself with the authorities so that he can have influence upon them in matters concerning his community. Rashbatz points out that in the Scroll of Esther (10:3) we are told, “For Mordecai, the Jew was the second in rank after the King Ahasuerus.” Also, the Talmud is replete with stories about the relationship between Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi and the Roman emperor, Antoninus.

However, Rashbatz has sufficient political sense to caution the Scholar not to trust the authorities because their only interest is to exploit him.

Rabbenu Yonah (Yonah ben Abraham Gerondi – Barcelona, Spain; 1200 – 1236): has an interesting view on “For the merits of their fathers will help them, and their righteousness/generosity will stand forever ... ‘I will give you reward as though you had done it’.” He envisions the case of an active communal worker who generates a lot of enthusiasm to give and help the needy. Then, he complains, “Why do I need all this worry and anxiety when, after all is said and done. the one whom I persuaded to give will receive the reward because it is his money; I will receive nothing.” This line of thinking must he avoided because there are two rewards awaiting the fund-raiser. Firstly, he was partially instrumental in achieving a community goal. This self-satisfaction should mean something to him. Secondly, God promises that He will acknowledge his partial efforts as if it was a complete, singular achievement.

In his treatise on the last part of our Mishnah, Rabbenu Yonah addresses himself to “But they do not stand by a man in his hour of need.” Theologically speaking, it is futile to depend upon the gοοd will of kings and men in authority. They are not masters of their destinies nor are there actions completely independent of God's will and plan. In other words, when the king acts favourably to you, it is because God decreed it; and if the king acts wilfully, it is only because God so desires.

Midrash Shemuel (R. Shemuel ben Yitzhak de Uceda – Safed, Israel ; 1540- ?): Life's priorities vary in different people. There are those whose daily occupation and its rewards constitute the main thrusts of their lives. Interest in Torah is minimal. With respect to these people, Rabban Gamliel maintains that Torah together with an occupation is a fine arrangement in that it is better than no Torah at all. There are others who give equal time to Torah and their worldly occupation. This situation is better than the first because the more time a man spends on Torah study, the less time he has to transgress. Finally, there are people whose major interests lies in Torah study and who devote very little time to their worldly occupation. This last category was what Rabban Gamliel was referring to when he said, “Any study of Torah without labour will ultimately be futile and cause sin.” In other words, the stress is on the word Torah.

On the other hand, one may be tempted to go further and argue that if the desired model of living is to devote most of the time to Torah and less to personal interests, one may logically go a step further and say, “I will spend all of my time in the pursuit of Torah.” Rabban Gamliel describes that attitude as stupid, because the person will have no means of sustaining himself and out of sheer necessity will resort to a life of corruption.

Midrash Shemuel now confronts the community employer. His duties are to supervise the smooth operation of all communal affairs; a social worker could be included in this category. He is paid from the community chest according to the importance of his work. Midrash Shemuel spells it out in clear terms: Do not exaggerate your duties so that you will receive a greater remuneration. No matter how essential your work may be, and no matter how effective you are, you must never forget that your efforts are only partly responsible for any success achieved. The merit of their fathers stands to help the members of the community. Thus, half of the salary should suffice.

But God upholds these communal workers with two promises: Firstly, what you will be lacking in material gains, you will benefit from the spiritual satisfaction in the work you are doing. Secondly, God will look upon your efforts as though you were responsible for the complete success.

We are accorded several other approaches to our Mishnah. On the subject of, “Any study of Torah without labour will ultimately be futile and cause sin,” Midrash Shemuel interprets the word MELAKHAH (work) to mean the performance of Mitzvoth. That is to say, one who studies Torah for the honours and respect that will be accrue to him, not for the purpose of knowing what is wrong and what is right, will be berated. What is even more tragic is the fact that when one is ignorant of Torah and commits a sin, it is considered an error; if he studied Torah and learned what a Torah life should be, but has no intention of observing the mitzvoth, his is a case of wanton sin.

With respect to Rabban Gamliel's maxim that those who occupy themselves with the affairs of the community should do so only for the sake of Heaven, Midrash Shemuel is quite aware of the anxieties of a communal worker. Often, members of a community can be very brutal and meticulously search out the faults of a community worker and persecute him if they so desire. The employee will then say to himself, “Why do I need this treacherous work? With such employers how can I carry out my mission successfully?” To give this person some assurance, God says, “You be serious in your work and do it for the sake of Heaven and you will be safe from criticism and hounding. I will also consider your efforts as the cause of the success that you will enjoy. And if you will assert that you cannot engage in this field of endeavour because it will deny you the time that you can spend in Torah and mitzvoth, I promise you that I will regard your timetable as if you had studied Torah and performed mitzvoth."

Relative to the pronouncement in the Mishnah, “Make your will like His so that He should make His will like your will,” Midrash Shemuel analyses the psychology of the Jew. A person must be determined to manifest his loyalty to God by acts of righteousness/generosity so that God will manifest His love for the Jew by acts of benevolence. Intrinsically, everyone wants to do only good. What permanent benefits does he gain by sinning? The difficulty is that he has to struggle with the evil inclination and not always does he emerge victorious. In the words of the Sages, “It is the sour yeast in the dough” that brings him down. In other words, he has the will but not the action. So it is with God. Basically, He would prefer to shower down his beneficence upon men, but He is prevented from doing so. Man sins, transgresses, defies God and is undeserving of God's blessings. God, too, has the will to do good, but is prevented from doing so by man. In that light we can understand the Mishnah. If you desire that God overlook all impediments and act according to His will, then you should ignore your evil inclination and exercise your basic will to do good.

In his compilation, Midrash Shemuel calls our attention to an anonymous commentary which treats the dictum of our Mishnah, “They appear to be friends as long as they are deriving benefit...” Jewish communal leaders are often misled by the notion that is prudent to ingratiate themselves with the civil authorities on two grounds. Firstly, they will gain personal recognition which will enhance their image in the community. This is a delusion because while the favour is still fresh in their minds, the authorities will only “appear to be friends.” Secondly, there are those who believe that a bribe to those who are in power is a good investment for future needs. Who can tell when the community may need their sympathy? The truth is that once the governing power becomes accustomed to special considerations by the community, it will make more and more demands on it.

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What say the Nazarean Hakhamim?

This week we will take a different tack. See questions below.

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Some Questions to Ponder:

1. In your opinion, is the Nazarean Codicil in agreement with our Mishnah for this week? Please explain why or why not and provide a verse of the Nazarean Codicil for each of your points.

2. In Ephesians 4:28 Hakham Shaul in his Responsa writes: “Whosoever is stealing let him no more steal, but rather let him labour, working the thing that is good with the hands, that he may have to impart to him having need.” In view of the above comments on our Mishnah, what is Hakham Shaul hinting with this comment that must interpreted in its Remes [allegorical] sense?

3. In his second Paschal Responsa to the Corinthians Hakham Shaul comments;

2Co 6:14 Stop being unequally yoked [fig., mismatched] with the unfaithful; for what partnership [is there] for righteousness/generosity and lawlessness? And what fellowship [is there] for light with darkness?

2Co 6:15 And what agreement [or common ground] [is there for] Messiah with Belial [i.e., the devil]? Or what part [is there for] a faithful one with an unfaithful one [fig., what do a faithful Torah observant and an unfaithful Torah observant have in common]?

2Co 6:16 And what harmony [is there for the] temple of God with idols? For you [the Jeiwsh community] are a temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will dwell in them and will walk about [fig., live] among [them], and I will be their God, and they will be a people to Me [or, My people]." [Lev 26:12; Jer 32:38; Ezek 37:27]

2Co 6:17 For this reason, “Come out from [the] midst of them and be separated,” says the Lord. “And stop touching [any] unclean [or, defiling] [thing; or, person],” and I will receive you [as a community]. [Isaiah 52:11; Ezek 20:34,41]

2Co 6:18 “And I will be to you [as a community] for a Father, and you [as a community] will be to Me for sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty." [2Sam 7:14; Isaiah 43:6; Jer 31:9]

Is the statement made in 2 Corinthians 6:17, complementary to the statement in our Mishnah – “Be wary of the authorities, because they only draw a person near for their own needs; they appear to be friends as long as they are deriving benefit, but they do not stand by a man in his hour of need”? [Please note that Gentile governments are depicted in prophetic writings as “unclean Beasts.”] And what does the text of 2 Corinthians 6:17 have to say in the Remes [allegorical] mode about working for a Gentile Government as a civil servant who can be forced at any time to spy or harm the community of the Torah faithful?

4. Hakham Shaul in his Responsa to the Congregation in Rome states:

“And [you are] to stop conforming yourselves to this age, but [are] to continue being transformed by the renewal of your mind, in order for you to be proving what [is] the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace, the one having been given to me, to every [one] being among you, stop thinking too highly of yourselves beyond what it is necessary to be thinking, but to be thinking sensibly, to each as God apportioned a measure of faithful obedience.” [Rom. 12:2-3]

According to our Mishnah how can one “continue being transformed by the renewal of our mind”? Allegorically speaking what is Hakham Shaul driving at in the context of Romans 12:2-3 and our present Mishnah? Please explain your response.

5. Hakham Shaul in his Responsa to the Colossians states:

Col 3:23 And every [thing], whatever you be doing, be working from [your] soul [fig., heartily] as to the LORD [G-d] and not to people,

Col 3:24 knowing that from the LORD [G-d] you will receive the recompense of the inheritance, for to the Master the Messiah you are serving as a servant.

Col 3:25 But the one doing wrong [or, acting unjustly] will receive back what he did wrong [or, did unjustly], and there is no accepting of faces [fig., partiality].

Is this the same kind of advice that Rabban Gamliel gives to those who work for the community as stated in our Mishnah? Explain your answer. Both statements (that of Hakham Shaul above and that of Rabban Gamliel in our Mishnah) are directed to those who work for the community what are the similarities and what are the differences? Explain your answer.

ELLUL

The month of Ellul is referred to as the month of Rahamim and Selihoth (mercy and forgiveness). The roots for this can be found at the time when the Children of Israel travelled in the desert and with the sin of the golden calf.

When Moshe Rabbenu (Moses) 'a"h, descended on the 17th of Tammuz with the Luhoth (tablets of stone) and witnessed the terrible sin of the golden calf, he broke the Luhoth. G-d, in His wrath (over the Children of Israel's transgression) wanted to eradicate the Jewish people, continuing their existence through the seed of Moshe Rabbenu, 'a"h, alone.

Two days after he descended, Moshe Rabbenu, 'a"h, again ascended Har Sinai (Mount Sinai), on the 19th of Tammuz, to ask G-d for forgiveness. He remained there for a period of 40 days and 40 nights.

Moshe Rabbenu, 'a"h, ascended Har Sinai (Mount Sinai) for the third time on Rosh Hodesh (the new moon of the month of) Ellul. He returned on the 10th of Tishri - Yom Kippur - with the second set of Tablets of Stone, when G-d said "Salahti Kidbarekha" (I have forgiven in accordance with your words).

Since that time, these 40 days from the beginning of Ellul till Yom Kippur have become a time for Teshubah (repentance). While Teshubah can be made at all times, this time of year is the most appropriate, for it is set aside for that purpose.

The month of Ellul, therefore, which is the last month before the “Days of Awe,” Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – is a time when we should dedicate our thoughts to repentance in all things and examine our deeds. From the day after Rosh Chodesh Ellul till Yom Kippur, Sephardim rise in the last hours of the night to read Selihoth (penitential prayers). Ashkenazim start Selihoth later. The actual date depends on the year. They are read in these early hours because it is a time of mercy.

Therefore, if one is at a synagogue where they are read in the evening during 'Arbith (the evening prayer), he should sit quietly and not join in. If he wishes to read something else, he may, but he must remember that Sephardim are very strict not to read the Bible (the Written Law) at night – in accordance with the teachings of Rab Ari, z"I – and he should read from the Oral Law (i.e. Mishnah and Gemara instead.

The Bible (Written Law) is Din (judgement), and night is a time of judgement, therefore, according to the Kabbalah, all portions of the 24 Books of the Bible should only be read during the day, which is a time of mercy.

The Selihoth contain many beautiful and often haunting melodies and should be read properly, with understanding and with tears in ones eyes. They should be read with feeling to stir the Attribute of Mercy in The Holy One Blessed Be He, and not like those who shout at the top of their voices oblivious to the meaning of the words of supplication emanating from their mouths.

And about them the holy Rab Hida (may his merit protect us, amen), has written: “He must humble his... heart and must not shout like one who stands in the street; and a fool will not understand what he is saying... Do they not know that its name is 'SELIHOTH' (penitential prayers) and not 'SE'AQOTH' (shouting)?”

The Hazzan (cantor) must be a very worthy individual. He is the one chosen to lead the entire congregation and must be, therefore, one to whom the Mitsvoth (precepts) are very dear and one who will assist the congregation in receiving forgiveness from the Almighty, and not – Heaven forbid - one who will make their lot all the more difficult. For this reason, it is preferable not to auction who will be the Hazzan but rather give the honour to a praiseworthy individual.

If one were to pray Shaharith (the morning prayers) late, or fall asleep while wearing ones Tephillin, because one woke early to read Selihoth, it would be better not to read the Selihoth, but to pray correctly. As Rab Hida, 'a"h, says:

“Our Service to G-d consists of preserving the essentials and adding to them - and not of demeaning the essentials to take on additional.”

Ashkenazim read Selihoth for a shorter period of time and have different ones for each day of the week.

The Shofar is blown in Ashkenazi communities during the month of Elul. It is likewise blown, nowadays, in several Sephardi communities, but not all. The Minhag of the Ben Ish Hai is to not blow at all during the month of Elul. Likewise, the Shofar is blown at Midrash BEN ISH HAI, on Rosh Hashanah and Mosi Yom Kippur only.

The 25th of Elul was the first day of the creation of the world. On this day we eat good foods, give more in charity and on the eve of the 25th we kindle five lights. When the eve falls on Friday night, they should obviously be lit prior to the Shabbath (Sabbath) lights. There are special readings prescribed for the "Six Days of Creation", which are explained brought down in the holy work “Leshon Hakhamim” by Hakham Yoseph Hayyim, may his merit protect us, amen.

Happy is he who is able to fast on one or more days during this month. But even those who cannot, should increase their charity and learning of Zohar, Tiqquneen, Mishnah and Tehilleem. Just as we must wish our friends, at the beginning of every letter we write this month, so too we pray for all Israel that we may be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Taken from the writings of Hakham Ya'aqob Menashe.

The Hakham Recommends A Good Book For Your Personal Library:

Connecting the Dates

Connecting the Dates: Exploring the Meaning of Jewish Time (Paper/back)

By: Rabbi Steven Ettinger

Publisher: Devora Publishing, 2004

ISBN: 978-1932687217

What is the relationship of the Jewish Holidays to their Fast Days?
How do Jewish ritual practices – circumcision, tefillin, prayer – express the underlying link between the individual’s personal life cycle and the life cycle of the Nation?

Steven Ettinger presents the major events in the lives of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and connects them to the core of the Jewish life cycle. He builds upon this foundation and shows how the Forefathers of the Jewish people were also the cornerstones upon which the Jewish holidays are built.

Using Rabbinic lore, Midrash, and Hassidic Commentaries, the author reveals the hidden links between the Jewish holidays, the Torah, and the historical events of the Jewish people. The reader will develop a unique personal understanding of the interconnectedness of these major components of Judaism (240 Pages).

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai