Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2008
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Heshvan 17, 5769 – November
14/15, 2008 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:17 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:13 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:21 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:16 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:50 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:45 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:08 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:11 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:19 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:17 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:58 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:54 PM |
|
Miami,
Florida, US Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:14 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:08 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:31 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:22 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:04 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:04 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 6:39 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 7:29 PM |
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:06 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 6:03 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 5:06 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:58 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:20 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:25 PM |
Port Elizabeth, South Africa Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 6:45 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 7:45 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 4:27 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 5:27 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday Nov. 14, 2008 – Candles at 6:33 PM Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 – Havdalah 7:23 PM |
For
other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
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,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
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 and her Torah
Scholars, amen ve amen!
Also a great thank you amd great blessings be upon
all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the
weekly Torah 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!
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
וַיִּזְכֹּר
אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-נֹחַ |
|
|
|
“Vayizkor Elohim Et Noach” |
Reader 1 – B’Resheet 8:1-5 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 9:18-21 |
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“And G-d remembered Noah” |
Reader 2 – B’Resheet 8:6-14 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 9:22-24 |
|
“Y se acordó Dio de Noé” |
Reader 3 – B’Resheet 8:15-19 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 9:25-29 |
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B’resheet (Gen.) 8:1 – 9:17 |
Reader 4 – B’Resheet 8:20-22 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Habakkuk 3:2-10
+ 19 |
Reader 5 – B’Resheet 9:1-7 |
|
|
|
Reader 6 – B’Resheet 9:8-11 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 9:18-21 |
|
Psalms 6 |
Reader 7 – B’Resheet 9:12-17 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 9:22-24 |
|
N.C.: Mark 1:21-22 |
Maftir: B’Resheet 9:15-17 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 9:25-29 |
|
Mishle (Proverbs) 2:1-9 |
Habakkuk
3:2-10 + 19 |
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|
|
|
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Resheet (Gen.) 8:1 – 9:17
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
1.
Elohim remembered Noach, and all the beasts and all the animals that were
with him in the ark. Elohim caused a wind to blow over the earth and the
water subsided. |
1.
And the Lord in His Word remembered Noah, and all the animals and the cattle
which were with him in the ark; and the Lord caused the wind of mercies to
pass over the earth, and the waters were dried. [JERUSALEM. And He remembered
in His mercies the good which was with Noah. And the Lord caused the wind of
mercies.] |
|
2.
The wellsprings of the deep were closed, and [so were] the windows of the
heavens, and the downpour from the heavens was withheld. |
2.
And the fountains of the deep were shut up, and the windows of heaven, and
the rain was forbidden to descend from heaven. |
|
3.
The water receded from the earth continually, and the waters diminished at
the end of one hundred and fifty days. |
3.
And the waters returned from being on the earth, going and returning. And the
waters were diminished at the end of a hundred and fifty days. |
|
4.
The ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month,
upon the mountains of Ararat. |
4.
And the ark rested in the seventh month, which is the month of Nisan, in the
seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Qadron; the name of the
one mountain is Qardania, and the name of the other mountain Irmenia; and
there was builded the city of Armenia in the land of the east. |
|
5.
The waters continued to diminish until the tenth month. In the tenth [month],
on the first of the month, the mountaintops became visible. |
5.
And the waters went and diminished until the tenth month, the month Tammuz.
In Tammuz, in the first of the month, the heads of the mountains were seen. |
|
6.
At the end of forty days, Noach opened the window of the ark which he had
made. |
6.
And it was at the end of forty days, and Noah opened the aperture of the ark
which he had made. |
|
7.
He sent out the raven, and it went out, going to and fro until the water on
the land dried up. |
7.
And he sent out a raven; and it went forth, going forth and returning, until
the waters had dried from the earth. |
|
8.
He [then] sent the dove to see if the water had subsided from the surface of
the ground. |
8.
And he sent forth a house-dove from being with him, to see whether the waters
were lightened from off the faces of the earth. |
|
9.
The dove found no [place to] rest her foot. She returned to him into the ark,
for the water was upon the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand
and took her and brought her to him, into the ark. |
9.
And the dove found no rest for the sole of the foot, and returned unto him to
the ark; and he knew that the waters were (yet) upon the face of all the
earth. And he reached out his hand, and took and brought her unto him into
the ark. |
|
10.
He waited another seven days, and once again sent the dove out of the ark. |
10.
And he prolonged (waited) yet seven days, [JERUSALEM. And he began to
number,] and again he sent the dove from the ark. |
|
11.
The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her mouth was a torn off
olive leaf. Noach knew then that the water had subsided from the earth. |
11.
And the dove came to him at the evening time, and, behold, a leaf of olive
gathered, broken off, she brought in her mouth, and which she had taken from
the Mount of the Mashiah. And Noah understood that the waters had
lightened from being on the earth. |
|
12.
He waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove; it did not return to
him again. |
12.
And he prolonged yet seven days, and added to send forth the dove; but she
added not to return to him again. |
|
13.
It was in the six hundredth and first year, in the first [month], on the
first of the month, that the water on earth [began] to dry. Noach removed the
covering of the ark. He looked and behold the surface of the ground had
dried. |
13.
And it was in the six hundred and first year, in Tishri, in the first of the
month, in the beginning of the year, that the waters were dried from upon the
earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark, and saw the faces of the
ground to be dried. |
|
14.
In the second month, on the twenty seventh day of the month, the earth was
[completely] dry. |
14.
And in the month Marchesvan, in the twenty-seventh day of the month, the
earth was dry. |
|
15.
Elohim spoke to Noach, saying, |
15.
And the Lord spoke with Noah, saying: |
|
16.
"Depart from the ark, yourself and your wife, your sons, and your son's
wives with you. |
16.
Go forth from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and the wives of your
sons, with you. |
|
17.
Every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, [including] birds,
animals, every creeping creature that creeps on the earth, let them depart
with you. Let them spread over the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the
earth." |
17.
Every living animal that is with you of all flesh, of fowl, of cattle, and of
every reptile that creeps on the earth, bring forth with you, that they may
produce in the earth, and spread abroad and multiply on the earth. |
|
18.
Noach departed [from the ark together with] his sons, his wife and son's
wives. |
18.
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and the wives of his sons, with
him. |
|
19.
Every living thing, every creeping creature, every bird, everything that
creeps on the earth, departed from the ark according to their families. |
19.
Every animal, every reptile, and every bird, which moves upon the earth,
according to its seed, went forth from the ark. |
|
20.
Noach built an altar to Adonai, and took of every [ritually] clean animal and
of every [ritually] clean bird, and brought up burnt-offerings on the altar. |
20.
And Noah built the altar before the Lord; that altar which Adam had built in
the time when he was cast forth from the garden of Eden, and had offered an
oblation upon it; and upon it had Kain and Habel offered their oblations. But
when the waters of the deluge descended, it was destroyed, and Noah rebuilt
it; and he took of all clean cattle, and of all clean fowl, and sacrificed
four upon that altar. |
|
21.
Adonai smelled the pleasing fragrance, and Adonai said in His heart,
"Never again will I curse the ground because of man, for the inclination
of man's heart is evil from [the time of] his youth. I will never again smite
every living thing as I have done. |
21.
And the Lord accepted his oblation with favour: and the Lord said in His
Word, I will not add again to curse the earth on account of the sin of the
children of men; for the imagination of the heart of man is evil from his
youth; neither will I add to destroy whatever lives as I have done. |
|
22.
So long as the earth exists, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and
winter, day and night, will never be suspended." |
22.
Until all the days of the earth, sowing in the season of Tishri, and harvest
in the season of Nisan, and coldness in the season of Tebeth, and warmth in
the season of Tammuz, and summer and winter, and days and nights will not
fail. [JERUSALEM. Until all the days of the earth from now, sowing and
reaping, and cold and heat, and days and nights will not cease.] |
|
|
|
|
1.
Elohim blessed Noach and his sons. He said to them, Be fruitful and multiply
and fill the earth. |
1.
And the Lord blessed Noah, and his sons, and said to them, Spread forth and
multiply, and replenish the earth. |
|
2.
Your fear and terror will be upon every wild beast of the earth, and upon
every bird in the heavens. All that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of
the sea, are given into your hands. |
2.
And the fear of you and the dread of you will be upon every beast of the
earth, and on every fowl of the heavens; of all that the earth swarms forth,
and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered. |
|
3.
Every moving creature that lives, will be yours for food; like the green
vegetation [which I gave previously] I have [now] given you everything [for
food]. |
3.
Every moving thing which lives to you will be for food: as the green herb
have I given to you the whole. |
|
4.
Nevertheless, flesh with its lifeblood, you will not eat. |
4.
But flesh which is torn of the living beast, what time the life is in it, or
that torn from a slaughtered animal before all the breath has gone forth, you
will not eat. |
|
5.
However, of the blood of your souls, I will demand an account; from the hand
of every beast will I demand it. From the hand of man, even from the hand of
man's own brother, will I demand an account of man's soul. |
5.
But the blood of your lives I will require of every animal which has killed a
man, I will require that it be put to death on his account. And from the hand
of the human being, from the hand of the man who has shed the blood of his
brother, will I require the life of man. |
|
6.
He who spills the blood of man, through man will his blood be spilled, for in
the image of Elohim, He made man. |
6.
Whoso sheds the blood of man, the judges, by witnesses, will condemn him unto
death; but he who sheds it without witnesses, the Lord of the world will
bring punishment on him in the day of the great judgment; because in the
image of the Lord He made man. |
|
7.
And now be fruitful and multiply, spread throughout the earth and multiply on
it. |
7.
And you, spread yourselves abroad and multiply; bring forth in the earth, and
increase in it. |
|
8.
Elohim said to Noach and to his sons with him, saying, |
8.
And the Lord spoke to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, |
|
9.
Behold, I am making a covenant with you and with your offspring after you. |
9.
I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your children after you; |
|
10.
And with every living creature that is with you, with the birds, the animals,
and all the beasts of the earth with you, all who departed from the ark,
including every living creature on earth. |
10.
and with every living soul that is with you, of birds, and of cattle, and of
every beast of the earth that is with you, of all that go forth from the ark,
of every beast of the earth. |
|
11.
I will keep My covenant with you, that never again will all flesh be cut off
by flood waters, never again will flood waters destroy the earth. |
11.
And I will establish my covenant with you, and will not again cause all flesh
to perish by the waters of a flood; and there will not again be a flood to
destroy the earth. |
|
12.
Elohim said, This is the sign of the covenant that I pledge between Myself
and you, and between every living creature that is with you, for the
generations of all time. |
12.
And the Lord said, This is the sign of the covenant which I establish between
My Word and between you and every living soul that is with you, unto the
generations of the world. |
|
13.
I have set my [rain] bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant
between Myself and the earth. |
13.
I have set My Bow in the cloud, and it will be for a token of the covenant
between My Word and the earth. |
|
14.
At a time when I bring clouds over the earth, the [rain] bow will be seen in
the clouds. |
14.
And it will be that when I spread forth My glorious cloud over the earth, the
bow will be seen in the day (time), while the sun is not sunk (or hidden) in
a cloud. |
|
15.
I will remember my covenant that is between Myself and you, and between every
living soul in all flesh, that never again will flood waters destroy all
flesh. |
15.
And I will remember My covenant which is between My Word and between you and
every living soul of all flesh, that there will not be the waters of a flood
to destroy all flesh. |
|
16.
The [rain]bow will be in the clouds, and I will see it to remember the
eternal covenant between Elohim and between every living soul that is in all
flesh that is on the earth. |
16.
And the bow will be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, to remember the
everlasting covenant between the Word of the Lord and every living soul of
all flesh that is upon the earth. |
|
17.
Elohim said to Noach, This is the sign of the covenant that I have
established between Myself and between all flesh that is on the earth. |
17.
And the Lord said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant that I have
covenanted between My Word and between the word for all flesh that is upon
the earth. |
|
|
|
Reading Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
33-39.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol I
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
I, pp. 364-389.
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In
order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of
the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to
produce a catechetical output, whereby a questions is raised and an answer is
given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of
Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.
The
Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1.
Ḳal va-ḥomer:
"Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus";
corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.
2.
Gezerah shavah:
Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are
subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions
and applications.
3.
Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage
only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain
the provision in question.
4.
Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim:
The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two
Biblical passages.
5.
Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the
particular, and of the particular by the general.
6.
Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another
Scriptural passage.
7.
Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano:
Interpretation deduced from the context.
For
the important substance of this Torah Seder please read:
http://www.betemunah.org/noachide.html
http://www.betemunah.org/orallaw.html
http://www.betemunah.org/salvation.html
http://www.betemunah.org/justification.html
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 6
|
JPS TRANSLATION |
TARGUM |
|
1. For the Leader;
with string-music; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. |
1. For praise; with melodies on the harp of eight
strings. A hymn of David. |
|
2. O LORD, rebuke me
not in Your anger, neither chastise me in Your wrath. |
2. O LORD, do not humble me in Your anger; and do not
punish me in Your wrath. |
|
3. Be gracious unto
me, O LORD, for I languish away; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are
frightened. |
3. Pity me, O LORD, for I am weak; heal me, O LORD, for my
bones are terrified. |
|
4. My soul also is
sore frightened; and You, O LORD, how long? |
4. And my soul is greatly terrified; and You, O LORD, when
will You give me relief? |
|
5. Return, O LORD,
deliver my soul; save me for Your mercy's sake. |
5. Turn, O LORD, save my soul, redeem me for the sake of
Your goodness. |
|
6. For in death there
is no remembrance of You; in the nether-world who will give You thanks? |
6. For there is no memory of You in death; in Sheol who
will give You thanks? |
|
7. I am weary with my
groaning; every night I make my bed to swim; I melt away my couch with my
tears. |
7. I am wearied with my groaning; I will speak in
my sorrow every night on my bed; I will drown my couch with my tears. |
|
8. Mine eye is dimmed
because of vexation; it waxes old because of all mine adversaries. |
8. My eye is dark from my trouble; it is worn out by all
my oppressors. |
|
9. Depart from me, all
you workers of iniquity/ Lawlessness; for the LORD has heard the voice of my
weeping. |
9. Leave me, all doers of falsehood; for the LORD
has heard the sound of my weeping. |
|
10. The LORD has heard
my supplication; the LORD receives my prayer. |
10. My petition has been heard in the LORD’S presence; the LORD
will accept my prayer. |
|
11. All mine enemies
will be ashamed and sore frightened; they will turn back, they will be
ashamed suddenly. |
11. All of my enemies will be ashamed and very afraid; they
will turn and be ashamed in an instant. |
|
|
|
RASHI’S COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Psalm
Six
1.
ΟN THE SHEMINITH.
There is a harp with eight strings, which is called a sheminith. Thus we find
in [The Book of] Chronicles so-and-so and his sons “leading the music on the
sheminith” (1 Ch. 15:21).
3.
ümlal ‘FEEBLE’,
i.e., ‘injured and poor in strength’; [it means]
confondous in O.F.; It is the
same adjective as is attested in [the plural in] “the feeble Jews” (Neh. 3:4).
4b.
WHILE YOU, O LORD – Ο, HOW LONG will You look [upon my
affliction] without healing me?
5.
O LORD, TURN
from Your anger; RESCUE ME from my disease.
7b.
EVE RY NIGHT I STAIN MY BED. [The verb] ‘ascheh’ STAIN is a cognate of
[the noun séchi in the expression] séchi ümaόs “filth and refuse” (Lam.
3:45). [STAIN MY BED means] ‘dirty my bed with tears’ while I MELT MY
COUCH [means] ‘I make it wet, and I make it liquid like water’.
8a.
“IT BECOMES GLASSY”
is a cognate of [the noun asásit [which means] lanterne in Ο.F. [The
psalmist speaks of] an eye, whose perception of light is weak so that it seems
to him [the person whose eye is here described] that he is looking through
[foggy] glass, which is [placed] before his eyes.
8b.
WORN OUT.
My eye has grown old and become aged with respect to its weakening perception
of light.
8c.
BECAUSE OF ALL MY FOES [tsόréráy]. [i.e.], because of the troubles
with which they show hostility to me.
11.
WILL BE FRUSTRATED AND STRICΚEN WITH TERROR....
11b.
To what refers THEY WILL TURN BACK, BUT THEY WILL BE SHAMED a second
time? R. Johanan (b. Napha) said, “Ιn the time to come the Holy One
Blessed be He will judge the Gentiles, and they will be sentenced to Gehenna.
When they protest against Him, the Holy One Blessed be He will restore them [to
the earth], and He will again call attention to their Gospels,
and He will judge them, and they will be found guilty, and He will return them
to Gehenna. This [double sentencing] is the double shame [alluded to by the
words THEY WILL TURN BACK, BUT THEY WILL BE SHAMED]." R. Samuel bar
Nahmani says, “In the time to come each nation will call to its god, but none
will answer. Then they will call again, [this time] to the Holy One Blessed be
He, who will say to them, ‘Had you called to me in the first place, I would
have answered you. Now, however, you have made idolatry primary and Me
subordinate. Therefore, I will not answer you, in accord with what is stated in
the Bible (in Ps. 18:42), “They cried out, but there was no deliverer,” which
refers to [the unsuccessful appeal to] idolatry, while afterwards [it is stated
there. “they cried] to the LORD, but He did not answer.” Therefore it is
stated, THEY WILL TURN BACK, BUT THEY WILL BE SHAMED.”
Ashlamatah: Habakkuk 3:2-10 + 19
1. A prayer of Habakkuk the
prophet. Upon Shigionoth.
2.
O LORD, I have heard the report of You, and am afraid; O LORD, revive Your work
in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath
remember compassion.
3.
God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory
covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.
4.
And a brightness appears as the light; rays has He at His side; and there is
the hiding of His power.
5.
Before him goes the pestilence, and fiery bolts go forth at His feet.
6.
He stands, and shakes the earth, He beholds, and makes the nations to tremble;
and the everlasting mountains are dashed in pieces, the ancient hills do bow;
His goings are as of old.
7.
I see the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian do
tremble.
8.
Is it, O LORD, that against the rivers, is it that Your anger is kindled against
the rivers, or Your wrath against the sea? that You do ride upon Your horses,
upon Your chariots of victory?
9.
Your bow is made quite bare; sworn are the rods of the word. Selah. You do
cleave the earth with rivers.
10.
The mountains have seen You, and they tremble; the tempest of waters flows
over; the deep utters its voice, and lifts up its hands on high.
11. The sun and moon stand still
in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows as they go, at the shining of
Your glittering spear.
12. You march through the earth
in indignation, You thresh the nations in anger.
13. You are come forth for the
deliverance of Your people, for the deliverance of Your Messiah; You wound the
head out of the house of the wicked/Lawless, uncovering the foundation even
unto the neck. Selah {P}
14. You have stricken through
with his own rods the head of his rulers, that come as a whirlwind to scatter
me; whose rejoicing is as to devour the poor secretly.
15. You have trodden the sea with
Your horses, the foaming of mighty waters.
16. When I heard, mine inward
parts trembled, my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness enters into my bones,
and I tremble where I stand; that I should wait for the day of trouble, when he
comes up against the people that he invades.
17. For though the fig-tree will
not blossom, neither will fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive will
fail, and the fields will yield no food; the flock will be cut off from the
fold, and there will be no herd in the stalls;
18. Yet I will rejoice in the
LORD, I will exult in the God of my salvation (Yeshuah).
19.
God, the Lord, is my strength, and He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and He
makes me to walk upon my high places. For the Leader. With my string-music. {P}
Mark (Mordechai) 1: 21-22
Mar
1:21 And they went on to K’far Nachum (Capernaum), and immediately, on
the Sabbaths, having gone into the synagogue, he was teaching,
Mar
1:22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as
having authority, and not as the scribes [at that location].
v.
21 – “And immediately” or “And straight away” – Here the Greek words
“KAI EUTHUS” of which we have commented previously, is set up against the theme
of the Sabbath. And thus meaning that a servant of G-d on the Sabbath, unless
very sick, is immediately to be found in the Synagogue. Attending
regularly Synagogue services on the Sabbath and being in time for them is the
normal behaviour of a servant of G-d!
v.
21 – “he was teaching” or “he began to teach.” C.E.B. Cranfield[1]
notes that the Greek verb DIDASKO occurs 17 times in Mark with the Master being
the subject 16 times. Cranfield also notes[2]
that “Both in form and matter his teaching was thoroughly in the Rabbinic
tradition.”
The fact that he was invited and allowed to teach at the Esnoga is a tacit
admission that he was qualified a Rabbi to teach, and recognized as such.
v.
22 – The scribes –
As in any legal system, there are those who teach and administer the Law based
on the interpretations and legal precedents set by more qualified experts or
legal decisors. Morna D. Hooker[3]
puts it this way:
“The Scribes (Greek:
OI GRAMMATEIS) were learned men who did not necessarily belong to any party,
though they were probably mostly Pharisees. They studied the Torah and the Oral
Tradition which had been built around it and passed their teaching on to their
disciples, who learned it by heart through constant repetition: the teaching
thus consisted largely of a recital of precedents. ... Certainly they would
have laid great emphasis on tradition, quoting at length what previous teachers
had said, but hesitating to make any authoritative judgement; by contrast
Yeshuah is said to have taught directly, decisively, and on his own authority.
Not all teachers of the Torah, however, were content simply to quote the
opinions of others: some of them must have formulated the teaching which others
quoted. D. Daube (J.T.S., 39, 1938, pp. 45-59) has suggested that there were
two categories of scribes – those rabbis who had been authorized to lay down
doctrines, and inferior teachers who were not entitled to introduce fresh
rules. The people of Cappernaum, accustomed to hearing only the second kind,
were naturally astonished at the kind of teaching given them by someone who
taught like a fully authorized rabbi.”
Some
Christian scholars, nevertheless are of the mind that the Master was a
charismatic person, without due training, and only answerable to G-d. Now if
this be correct, it would also be perfectly correct from a Christian Ethic if I
would sit say in a desk at the U.S. Supreme Court and start to make judicial
decisions. I am sure that if it was your case that was to be judged you would
not like me (an unqualified U.S. Supreme Justice) to make a pronouncement on
your case. Besides, Christian Ethics would agree that practicing as a Supreme
Court Judge of the U.S. without the required training and licensing is
unethical and a sin. How much the more, when we hear that Master was without
sin! Yet this unethical behaviour and stupidity is taught as Christian Orthodox
doctrine! Enough to say that this kind of teaching is part of the Christian
anti-Semitic baggage trying to ridicule Jews and Jewish Scribes without cause
in order to precondition the minds of people to despise the Jewish people.
The
Greek word “GRAMMATEIS” answers to the Hebrew word: “SOPHERIM.” The Greek word
has passed into the English as for example in: “GRAMMAR.” And thus suggesting
that these men, were the repositories of Hebrew Grammar and thus a Peshat
understanding of Scripture. Interesting that today, a “SOFER” is a qualified
Jewish person with extensive training in the Hebrew Language apt to write Torah
Scrolls, and other Sacred Jewish documents.
Yeshua is not coming as only a Master of the Peshat, but also as a
Master of the Remes (allegorical), Drash (metaphorical), and So’od (mystical)
levels of Torah interpretation, like the best of Hakhamim in Jerusalem at that
time, sitting on the Sanhedrim (Jewish Supreme Court of Justice).
v.
22 – Authority – (Greek: Exousia) – Here C.E.B. Cranfield[4]
notes:
“It has been suggested
by D. Daube [J.T.S. XXXIX (1938), pp. 45-59] that EXOUSIA here represents the
Hebrew: RESHUT in the sense of the authority of a properly ordained Rabbi as
opposed to the inferior sort of teachers, and that GRAMMATEIS (Scribes) here
denotes these inferior teachers. He thinks that at this time a Rabbi with
RESHUT would be quite rare in Galilee.”
Cranfield
goes on to disagree with Daube and equates this RESHUT as “the authority of a
direct commission from G-d” like the Prophets had. My opinion is that the
Master had RESHUT (authority to make legal decisions and issue forth new
precedents consistent with the old ones via ordination at the academy of R.
Hillel and at the same time as we have read in earlier verses he received a
Divine anointing and commissioning when he was immersed by Yochanan. To
emphasise one to the detriment of the other is nothing but gross error. This is
like the case of Einstein. There is no doubt that Einstein was a genius who had
been given by G-d some very special abilities and talents, but this did not
exempt him from going to University and earn a “real” Ph.D. In Physics!
Lane[5]
has noted that the term “astonished” in this verse “has overtones of fear and
alarm reflecting an awareness of the disturbing character of Yeshuah’s
presence.” He attributes this to the apparent ‘contrast expressed in this verse
between authoritative and scribal teaching.” I no not perceive such contrast in
this verse but rather the perfect harmonization of (a) scribal teaching, (b)
Legal Decisor’s RESHUT (authorization) and (c) a prophetic
commissioning/anointing from G-d! When these three factors are brought together
in confluence and harmonized produces the potent effect that Lane[6]
explains as “not merely the power to decide, but to compel decision ... which
permitted neither debate nor theoretical reflection, confronting the
congregation with the absolute claim of G-d upon the whole person.”
Interestingly,
Lane makes reference to a statement attributed to J. Jeremias[7]
that the term “scribes” “is the correct term for ordained theologians in the
oldest strata of rabbinic tradition and in the New Testament.” But how could
this be so, since we never hear the words Hillel the Sofer or Shammai the
Sofer, but rather R. Hillel and R. Shammai? Also, the Master is never called or
addressed as a Sofer but rather as a Rabbi. As always quite many of these
scholars are obstinate in inventing facts and re-writing history to suit their
particular heresy.
After
the flood Noah and his son Shem went about to establish a Torah Academy in
Jerusalem, then called Salem with Shem being both its Principal and the ruler
of the city and having the title of Melkh Tsadiq (King of
Righteousness/Generosity). Both Abraham and his son Isaac attended this
prestigious academy. Both Noah and Shem were the Posekim (Legal Decisors) for
some generations, and thus the tie to the Master as a second Melekh Tsadiq
(Melchizedek) and a Posek for many generations.
MISHLE (Proverbs) 2:1-9
The Fruits Of Wisdom (Part I)
v.6
– “For the LORD”
– “The men of Alexandria asked R. Yehoshua ben Vhananiah ... What should one do
to grow wise? R. Yehoshua: He should sit [and study] much and engage but little
in trade. They: Many have done this to no avail. He: Then let him pray to the
Source of Wisdom, viz.: “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth comes
knowledge and understanding.” R. Chiya said: This is analogous to a king of
flesh and blood making a banquet for his servants and serving his loved ones
from what is before him, - Why then, mention [He should sit, etc.” if, ultimately,
he must pray]? The one without the other does not suffice.” [Nida 70b]
Questions
for Reflection:
1.
In
Psalm 6:11, Rashi comments:
“Ιn the time to
come the Holy One Blessed be He will judge the Gentiles, and they will be
sentenced to Gehenna. When they protest against Him, the Holy One Blessed be He
will restore them [to the earth], and He will again call attention to
their Gospels, and He will judge them, and they will be found guilty,
and He will return them to Gehenna. This [double sentencing] is the double
shame [alluded to by the words THEY WILL TURN BACK, BUT THEY WILL BE SHAMED].”
What is the meaning of
the words “and He (G-d) will call attention to their Gospels, and He will
judge them, and they will be found guilty, and He will return them to Gehinom”?
[Please note: the text here is not an attack against the
Gospels!]
2.
In
Gen. 9 the sign of the covenant is borne by nature (i.e. the sky). The sign of
the covenant made with Abraham is borne in the flesh, and the New Covenant is
borne in the mind. Are these three covenants essentially the same “covenant”?
Please explain your answer.
3.
Are
there any essential differences between the Noahic covenant and the Abrahamic
covenant? Please explain your answer.
4.
From
the text of Genesis 9 how can we derive the 7 Laws of Noach?
5.
After
the flood, who was the first Posek (legal decisor) on the earth? Explain your
answer.
6.
Did
Noach knew which animals were suitable to sacrifice and be fit for human
consumption – i.e. did Noach observe the Kasrut Laws? Explain your answer.
7.
Did
Noach observed the Laws of Nidah (i.e. not to have relations with a menstruant
woman? Explain your answer.
8.
What
question are addressed in Mark (Mordechai) 1:21-22
9.
How
is the Torah Seder related to:
(a)
The
Psalm for this week?
(b)
The
Ashlamatah for this week?
(c)
Mark
(Mordechai) 1:21-22?
(d)
Proverbs
2:1-9?
10.
After
taking into consideration all the above texts and our Torah Seder, what would
you say is the general message from the Scriptures for this coming week?
11.
From
a Jewish Nazarean perspective, what is the Function of the Code of the Seven
Laws of Noach? Explain your answer.
12.
Why
do we need Jewish Oral Law in order to flesh out the content of the Code of the
Seven Laws of Noach? Explain your answer.
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai