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Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
Second Year of the |
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Heshvan 20,
5767 – November 10/11, 2006 |
Fifth Year of the Sh’mita Cycle |
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006 – Havdalah 6:18 PM
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006 – Havdalah 6:50 PM
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2006 – Havdalah 7:23 PM
For other places
see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
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Shabbat |
Torah |
Weekday Torah |
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וַיַּעַשׂ
בְּצַלְאֵל |
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“Vaya’as
B’tsal’el” |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
37:1-9 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
38:21-23 |
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“And
Betsal’ĕl made” |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
37:10-16 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
38:24-27 |
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“Y Betsal’ĕl hizo” |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
37:17-24 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
38:28-31 |
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Sh’mot (Exodus) 37:1 – 38:20 |
Reader 4 – Sh’mot
37:25-29 |
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Ashlamatah: Isaiah 41:19-27 + 42:21 |
Reader 5 – Sh’mot
38:1-3 |
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Reader 6 – Sh’mot
38:4-8 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
39:1-3 |
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Psalm 70 |
Reader 7 – Sh’mot
38:9-20 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
39:3-5 |
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Maftir – Sh’mot 38:18-20 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
39:1-5 |
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N.C.: Matityahu 12:9- |
Is. 41:19-27 + 42:21 |
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Roll
of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes
to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved
family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family,
as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and
that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife 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.
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,
with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!
Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 37:1 – 38:20
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RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
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1 Betzalel made
the ark of acacia wood, two and one-half amot long, one and one-half amot
wide, and one and one-half amot high. |
1 And Bezalel
made the |
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2 He covered it
with pure gold from inside and out. He made for it a golden crown-like rim
around (its top). |
2 And he covered
it with pure gold within and without, and made for it a crown of gold round
about. |
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3 He cast four
gold rings on its (the ark's) four corners, two rings on one side and two
rings on the other side. |
3 And he cast for
it four golden rings upon its four corners; two rings upon one side of it,
and two rings upon its second side. |
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4 He made two
poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. |
4 And he made the
staves of it of sitta wood, and covered them with gold, |
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5 He placed the
poles in the rings on the sides of the ark, so that the ark can be carried
with them. |
5 and put the
staves into the rings upon the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. |
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6 He made a cover
(for the ark) of pure gold, two and one-half amot long, and one and
one-half amot wide. |
6 And he made the
MERCY SEAT of pure gold; two cubits and a half the length, and a cubit and
half its breadth; but its thickness was a span. |
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7 He made two
golden Cherubim. He hammered them out of the two ends of the (ark) cover. |
7 And be made two
Cherubim of pure gold, beaten made he them, on the two sides of the mercy
seat. |
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8 One Cherub out
of one end, and one Cherub out of the other end. From the (same piece of
gold as the) cover itself, he made the Cherubim on its two ends. |
8 One Cherub on
this side, and one Cherub on that side, of beaten work; and the Cherubim
were face to face. They were not separated from the mercy seat; but by the
wisdom of the Spirit of prophecy, he made the Cherubim on its two sides. |
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9 The Cherubim
had their wings spread upward, sheltering the cover with their wings, and
they faced one another, the Cherubim's faces were (inclined) toward the
cover. |
9 And the
Cherubim spread forth their wings, with their heads upward, overshadowing
the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces were toward each other,
over against the mercy seat were the faces of the Cherubim. |
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10 He made a
table out of acacia wood, two amot long, one amoh wide, and one and one-half
amot high. |
10 And he made
the TABLE of sitta wood, two cubits its length, and a cubit its breadth, and
a cubit and half its height. |
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11 He overlaid it
with pure gold, and he made a crown-like rim around it. |
11 And he covered
it with pure gold, and made for it a golden crown round about. |
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12 He made a
ledge of a tefach around (the table), and he made a gold crown-like
rim around the ledge. |
12 And he made a
border for it, its height a span round about. [ |
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13 He cast for it
(the table) four gold rings, and placed the rings on the four corners that
are on its four legs. |
13 And he cast
for it four golden rings, and set the rings upon the four corners of its
four feet. |
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14 The rings were
against the ledge as houses (receptacles) for the poles with which to carry
the table. |
14 Over against
the border were the rings, the place for the staves in carrying the table. |
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15 He made the
poles out of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold with which to carry
the table. |
15 And he made
the staves of sitta wood, and covered them with gold, for carrying the
table. |
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16 He made the
vessels that were on the table, its dishes (bread shapes), its spoons
(incense bowls), its supports, and its half-hollow tubes by which they (the
breads) are covered, out of pure gold. |
16 And he made
the vessels to be upon the table, its dishes, and its bowls, and its
measures, and its cups for the laying of pure gold. |
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17 He made the
menorah (out) of pure gold. The menorah was made by hammering (its form out
of a solid piece of gold). Its base, its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its
flowers were of it (the same piece of gold). |
17 And he made
the CANDELABRUM of pure gold, beaten made he the candelabrum; its base and
its shaft, its cups, its apples, and its lilies were of the same. |
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18 Six branches
extended from its sides, three branches of the menorah from one of its
sides, and three branches of the menorah from the second side. |
18 And six
branches came forth from its sides; three branches of the candelabrum on one
side, and three branches of the candelabrum on the second side. |
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19 Three cups
were engraved in almond-shaped patterns, on one branch with a knob and a flower,
and three cups were engraved in almond-shaped patterns, on one branch with a
knob and a flower. So was (the form) of each of the six branches that
extended from (the shaft) of the menorah. |
19 Three embossed
cups with their figurations on one branch, with the apple and lily, and
three embossed cups with their figurations on the other branch, with the
apple and lily; so the six branches which proceeded from the candelabrum. |
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20 The (shaft of
the) menorah had four cups, engraved in almond shaped patterns, with their
knobs and their flowers. |
20 And upon the
candelabrum, four embossed cups with their figurations of apples and lilies.
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21 There was a
knob under the two branches extending from it, and a (second) knob under the
(second) two branches extending from it, and a (third) knob under the
(third) two branches extending from it. (This held true) for the six
branches that extended from it (the menorah's shaft). |
21 And an apple
(was) under two branches of the same, and an apple under two branches of the
same, and an apple under two branches of the same, for the six branches that
proceeded from it. |
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22 Their knobs
and their branches were made out of (the menorah) itself. It was all made of
a single hammered work of pure gold. |
22 Their apples
and their branches were of the same, all of it one beaten work of pure gold:
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23 He made seven
lamps (for the menorah), and its tongs and its (ash) scoops, of pure gold. |
23 |
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24 He made it out
of a kikar of pure gold, together with all its vessels. |
24 of a talent of
pure gold made he it and all its vessels. |
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25 He made the
incense altar out of acacia wood, one amot long and one amot
wide, it was square, and two amot high. Its horn-like elevations were
of one piece with it. |
25 And he made
the ALTAR OF SWEET INCENSE of sitta wood, a cubit its length, and a cubit
its breadth, foursquare, and two cubits was its height; its two upright
horns were of the same. |
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26 He overlaid it
with pure gold, on its top, its walls all around, and its horn-like
elevations. He made a gold crown-like rim all around it. |
26 And he
overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its sides round about, and its
horns; and he made for it a golden crown round about. |
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27 He made two
gold rings for it under its crown-like rim on two of its corners, on its two
opposite sides, to house the poles with which to carry it. |
27 And two golden
rings he made for it under its crown, at its two corners, upon its two
sides, to be the place of the staves by which to carry it. |
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28 He made the
poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. |
28 And the staves
be made of sitta wood, and overlaid them with gold. |
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29 He made the
sacred anointing oil and the pure perfumed incense, according to the work of
the perfumer. |
29 And he made
the sacred oil of anointing, and the pure sweet incense, the work of the
perfumer. |
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1 He made the
burnt-offering altar out of acacia wood. It was five amot long and
five amot wide, it was square, and three amot high. |
1 And he made the
ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING of Sitta wood; five cubits its length, and five
cubits its breadth, four‑square,
and three cubits its height. |
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2 He made its
raised projections on its four corners. Its raised projections were one
piece with it, and he overlaid it with copper. |
2 And he made
horns upon its four corners; of the same were its horns stretching upward;
and he covered it with brass. |
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3 He made all the
vessels of the altar, its pots, its scoops, its basins, its flesh-hooks, and
its fire pans. He made all of its vessels out of copper. |
3 And he made all
the vessels of the altar; the pots, and the cleaners, and the basins, and
the flesh-hooks, and the pans, all its vessels made he of brass. |
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4 He made for the
altar a grate of copper netting, under its rim extending downward, (so that
the grate reached) to the middle of the altar. |
4 And he made the
grate of the altar, of brazen network under the border beneath, reaching to
the middle of it, to receive the cinders and bones that fell from the altar.
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5 He cast four
rings on the four corners of the copper grating to house the poles. |
5 And he cast
four rings, for the four corners of the grate, of brass, (to be) places for
the staves. |
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6 He made the
poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with copper. |
6 And he made the
staves of sitta wood, and coated them with brass. |
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7 He placed the
poles into the rings that were on the (two) sides of the altar to carry it
with them. He made it a hollow structure constructed from boards. |
7 And he put the
staves into the rings, upon the sides of the altar, to carry it by them:
hollow with boards, and filled with earth made he it. |
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8 He made the
basin out of copper and its base out of copper, from the mirrors of the
women who had gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. |
8 And he made the
brazen Laver, and its foundation of brass, from the brazen mirrors of the
pious women, who, at the season, came to pray at the door of the tabernacle
of appointment, standing with their oblations, giving thanks and confession,
and returning to their husbands, the mothers of righteous children, who had
been purified from the uncleanness of their blood. [ |
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9 He made the
enclosure (for the mishkan). On the south side the curtains for the
enclosure were made of fine, twined linen, one hundred amot long. |
9 And he made the
court; on the southern side, the curtains of the court (made he) with fine
linen, a hundred cubits, |
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10 It had twenty
pillars and twenty copper sockets. The hooks and bands of the pillars were
of silver. |
10 their pillars
twenty, and their bases twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their
rods were of silver. |
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11 On the north
side, (its length was) one hundred amot. It had twenty pillars and
twenty copper sockets. The hooks and bands of the pillars were of silver. |
11 And on the
north side, a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their bases twenty,
of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their rods were of silver. |
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12 On the west
side, the curtains were of fifty amot. It had ten pillars and ten
sockets. The hooks and bands of the pillars were of silver. |
12 And the
curtains of the western side, fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their
bases ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their rods, were of silver. |
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13 (The width of
the enclosure) on the east side was fifty amot. |
13 And on the
east side, eastward, fifty cubits. |
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14 Curtains
fifteen amot long were on one flank (of the entrance). They had three
pillars and three sockets. |
14 And the
curtains were fifteen cubits on a side; their pillars three, and their bases
three. |
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15 The other
flank, on either side of the gate to the enclosure (there also were)
curtains fifteen amot long. They (too) had three pillars and three
sockets. |
15 And for the
second side of the door of the court, here and there, at the gate of the
court, curtains fifteen cubits, their pillars three and their bases three. |
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16 All curtains
around the enclosure were made of twined, fine linen. |
16 All the
curtains of the court round about were of fine linen twined. |
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17 The sockets
for the pillars were of copper, the hooks and bands of the pillars were of
silver, and the covering of their tops was of silver. All pillars of the
enclosure had silver bands. |
17 And the bases
of the pillars were of brass, the hooks of the pillars and their rods of
silver, and the overlaying of their capitals silver, and the rods silver; so
were made all the pillars of the court. |
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18 The screen at
the entrance of the enclosure was the work of an embroiderer. It was made of
greenish blue wool, dark red wool, crimson wool, and twined, fine linen. It
was twenty amot long and the height in the width was five amot,
corresponding to the curtains of the enclosure. |
18 And the hanging
for the gate of the court was made of embroidered work in hyacinth, and
purple, and crimson, and fine linen twined; and twenty cubits (was) the
length, and the height on its breadth five cubits, corresponding with the
curtains of the court. |
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19 (The screen)
had four pillars and four copper sockets, silver hooks, and their tops and
bands were overlaid with silver. |
19 And their
pillars four, and their bases four, of brass; their hooks silver, and the
overlaying of their capitals, and their rods, silver. |
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20 All the stakes
of the mishkan and the surrounding enclosure were made of copper. |
20 But all the
pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass. |
Midrash
Tanhuma Yelammedenu for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 37:1 – 38:20
6. And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood (Exod.37:1). Scripture states
elsewhere: The opening of Your words gives light; it gives understanding
unto the simple (Ps. 119:130). When the Holy One, blessed be He, created
His world, the entire world was composed of water, as it is said: And
darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). R. Judah and R. Nehemiah
discussed this verse. R. Judah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, created the
darkness first, and then He created the world. R. Nehemiah contended that the
Holy One, blessed be He, created the world first and then the darkness. R.
Simeon the son of Yehozadak inquired of R. Samuel about this. He said to him:
You are an authority on aggadic traditions, so tell me, how did the Holy One,
blessed be He, create His world? When He created the world, did He create the
light first? R. Samuel the son of Nahman answered: When He decided to create
His world, He surrounded Himself with light, and then He created the world, as
is said: Who covers Yourself with light as a garment, and that is
followed by: Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2).
Therefore Scripture states: The opening of Your word gives light; it gives
understanding to the simple (ibid. 119:130).
R. Judah the son of Ilai said: This may be likened to a king who wished
to build a palace in a dark place. First he lit candles, and then he built (the
palace). The Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise. The world was dark, as it
is said: And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2), and so He
wrapped himself with light and created the world. Hence, the opening of Your
words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple (Ps. 119:130).
The righteous/generous learn from the Holy One, blessed be He, that they should
begin with light. How do we know this? At the time that Moses told Bezalel that
the Holy One, blessed be He, had said Build Me a Sanctuary, Moses told
him: Go build the Tabernacle. What did he begin with? Bezalel began with the
ark.
Scripture states elsewhere: Give to a wise man, and he will be
yet wiser; teach a righteous/generous man, and he will increase in learning
(Prov. 9:9). Moses told him to begin by building the Tabernacle, but he began
instead with the ark. Why? Because the ark is the place where the Torah, which
is the light of the world and the world-to-come, is kept.
Teach a righteous/generous man, and he will increase in learning. This verse alludes
to Noah. How is that? Of every clean beast you will take to yourself seven
and seven, and of beasts that are unclean two and two (Gen. 7:2), but when
the time comes to depart from the ark, it is written: He took of every clean
beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar
(ibid. 8:20), even though he had not been commanded to do so. Noah said to
himself: The Holy One, blessed be He, told me to take a greater number of clean
beasts than of unclean ones. He must have done this so that I might offer them
as burnt offerings and sacrifices. Therefore he took of every clean beast,
and every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Hence, Teach
a righteous/generous man, and he will increase in learning (Prov. 9:9).
Give to a wise man, and he will yet be wiser refers to Bezalel.
At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to erect the Sanctuary,
Bezalel asked him: “What is the purpose of this Sanctuary?” Moses replied: “So
that He might dwell therein and teach the law to
7. And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1).You do not find
Bezalel’s name associated with any vessel made for the Sanctuary other than the
ark. All the other work and all the other implements were made at his
suggestion and upon his advice. Why did he make an exception in the work of the
ark by doing it himself? Because it was to be a shade for the Holy One, blessed
be He, in which He would compress His Shekhinah. That is why He called Bezalel
to make a shade for the Holy One, blessed He, between the cherubim, as it is
said: And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from between
the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).
Has it not already been stated: Do I not fill heaven and the earth
(Jer. 23:24)? R.Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: This may be
compared to a cave situated at the edge of the sea. Though the sea rushes forth
and fills the cave, the sea lacks nothing. Similarly with the Holy One, blessed
be He, may His name be blessed, for though it is written: And the glory of
the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34), nevertheless His glory is
above the heaven and the earth (Ps. 148:13). You should not say that the
Holy One, blessed be He, compressed His Shekhinah only into the Tabernacle. He
likewise compressed His Shekhinah into the ark that Bezalel had made, as it is
written: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth
(Josh. 3:11). This indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, was within it.
Who other than Bezalel could have made it, since it says: And Bezalel made
the ark?
R. Hanina of Sepphoris said that Bezalel made three chests for the ark,
two of gold and one of wood. He inserted the wooden chest into one golden one,
and then the other golden one into the wooden one. After that he covered the
edges with gold in order to fulfill what is written: And he overlaid it with
gold within and without (Exod. 37:2), and it is written elsewhere; And
will make upon it a crown of gold roundabout (ibid. 25:11). From here we
learn that a scholar’s “inside” should be as his exterior (i.e., he should not
be a hypocrite), since it is said: You will overlay it with pure gold,
within and without will you overlay it (ibid.).
What is meant by You will overlay it with gold, within and without?
He said to him: Even though the wooden casket is to be inserted between them,
handle it with the utmost care. Why? Because the Torah, the tablets, and even
the broken tablets will be placed within it. Hence treat it with honor, since
it is said: You will put them in the ark (Deut. 10:2); that is, both the
(second) tablets and the broken tablets will be placed inside it. And you
will put them in the ark. That is to say, even if you should see
students of the Torah who are poor and unfortunate, treat them with respect,
for the law is stored within them. And make a crown of gold (Exod.
37:2). Why? Because the Torah rests therein. There are three crowns, the crown
of the Torah, the crown of priesthood, (and) the crown of kingship, but there
is an additional crown, the crown of a good name, that excels them all. How do
we know abut the crown of the Torah? It is said: That wisdom preserves the
life of him who has it (Exod. 7:12) both in this world and the
world-to-come. Hence it is written: And made a crown of gold.
You may be assured that the ark is beloved (by God), for just as the
Throne of Glory is beloved, so too is the ark beloved, for the Torah was placed
within it. Because the Torah was located at the right hand of the Holy One,
blessed be He, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them
(Deut. 33:2), therefore the ark was precious because the Torah was placed
within it. As it is said: The tables were the work of God (Exod. 32:16).
Why was the acacia-wood placed in between? Because the Torah is called
the tree of life, as it is said: She is a tree of life to them that lay hold
upon her (Prov. 3:18). He overlaid it with pure gold (Exod. 37:2).
Because the words of the Torah are more precious than gold, yea, than fine
gold, as is said: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine
gold (Ps. 19:11). And you will make staves of acacia-wood wherewith to
bear the ark (Exod. 25:15). They bore the ark with them, and it bore
away the sins of
R. Nathan said: The building of the ark was as beloved as the Throne of
Glory on high, as it is said: The place, O Lord, which You have made for You
to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established
(Exod. 15:17). The location of the Sanctuary on high is directly opposite the
Sanctuary below, and the ark is directly opposite the Throne of Glory, as is
said: Your throne of glory on high from the beginning (Jer. 17:12). What
place is referred to here? The place in which our Sanctuary is situated. Hence
it says: The Sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established (Exod.
15:17). You should not read the word as makhon (“foundation”) but as mekhuvan
(“directly opposite”) the Throne of Glory which He established on high that
they might atone.
He made a cover for its top so that the seraphim might be placed upon
it. Then he fashioned the two cherubim for it, which were dear to Him, to
correspond to heaven and earth for the dwelling place of the Holy One, blessed
be He, was between them, as it is stated: And I will speak with you from
above the ark covers from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).
It is written: One cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other
end (ibid. 37:8). Just as the heavens open their treasures to the earth, as
is said: The Lord will open unto you His good treasure the heaven to give
the rain of your land in its season (Deut. 28:12), so the Shekhinah was
placed above the two cherubim, which were face-to-face. And
The cherubim were placed directly opposite each other, as it is said: With
their faces one to another (ibid. 37:9). This corresponds to the Throne of
Glory, which was directly opposite the two cherubim. Each one was directly
opposite, as it is said: Out of
Observe how beloved the ark was from the fact that the entire Sanctuary
was built because of the ark, in which the Shekhinah resided. All the miracles
that were performed for
R. Eleazar the son of Pedat declared in the name of R. Yosé the son of
Zimra: Two sparks issued from between the cherubim that killed the snakes and
scorpions and burned the thorns. The smoke rose up from it in a straight
column, and all the nations that experienced the odor that issued forth called
out: Who is this that comes out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke?
(Song 3:6). It preceded them at a distance of three days’ journey, both day and
night in order to find a resting place for them, as it is said: And the ark
of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place
for them (Num. 10:33). Moses would say at that time: Rise up, O Lord.
That is to say, Stand and wait for us, do not leave us, as it is said: And
it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Rise up, O Lord,
and let Your enemies be scattered (ibid., v. 35). And when it came to rest,
he would exclaim: Return, O Lord, unto the ten thousands of the families of
Observe that many miracles were performed by means of the ark. Since
that is so, how were they able to carry it? Were they not afraid? That is why
the sons of Kohath bore it. Two important priests bore the ark cover on a pole.
It was a huge curtain the thickness of a handbreadth. The curtain was woven out
of seventy-two strands, and each strand was composed of twenty-four threads.
Three hundred priests would wash it, and two of the highest priests would bear
it on a pole before the ark. Then they placed a sealskin covering over the ark
so that they would not be able to see into it, as it is said: But they will
not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die (Num.
4:20).
What is meant by As they are being covered? R. Levi said: If
they glanced into the ark for as long as the blinking of an eye, they would
have died at once. You know this is so from the fact that when the Philistines
captured the ark and then sought to return it, they took the kine and hitched
them in the usual way with their buttocks toward the ark, but the milch kine
realized what was expected of them and turned their heads toward the ark and
pushed it on the way, as is said: And the kine took the straight way (I
Sam. 6:12).
What is meant by The kine took the straight way (vayisharnah)?
It means that the kine opened their mouths and sang (vayashir). When the
kine reached Beth-shemesh, and the people saw the cart and heard the kine
singing, they looked at the ark that was on the cart: They lifted up their
eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it (ibid., v. 13). Whereupon a
strong wind arose and revealed what was in the ark, and seventy thousand of
them perished, as it is said: And he smote the men of Beth-shernesh, because
they had gazed upon the ark of the Lord, even He smote of the people seventy
men, and fifty thousand men (ibid, v. 19). Observe, therefore, how many
miracles were performed because of the ark. Why did they occur? Because the
Shekhinah and the Torah were within it. Wherever the Torah is present the
Shekhinah accompanies it, as it is said: They that feared the Lord spoke to
one another; and the Lord harkened and heard (Num. 13:16). Therefore the
ark was more beloved than any other vessel in the Sanctuary.
8. And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 37:1). Because it was known
to Him-who-spoke-and-the-world-came-into-being that Israel will sin at Shittim,
the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared shittim (acacia-wood) so that they might
atone for what happened at Shittim [In building the ark of shittim (acacia
wood) they were able to obtain forgiveness for the sins perpetrated at
Shittim]. And he overlaid it with pure gold (ibid., v. 2). This
alludes to the students of the Torah, for just as the wood was greatly adorned
by the gold that overlaid it, so the students of the Torah are adorned by the
Torah within their hearts. Just as men speak of pure gold, so the Torah
purifies the heart and the kidneys of the scholar, as it is written: More to
be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And
Bezalel made the ark. We find that when the Holy One, blessed be he, told
Moses to construct the Tabernacle, He described every detail to him, saying: You
will do, but with reference to the ark, He said simply: Make Me.
Why? The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded all the Israelites to make it, so
that not one of them would be able to humiliate his fellow Israelite by saying:
“I contributed more for the building of the ark than you, therefore I am more
learned and have a greater right to it than you do. And since you contributed
little to the ark, you will have no portion in the Torah.” That is why the
Torah is likened to water, as it is said: Ho, everyone that thirsts, come
you for water (Isa. 55:1). Just as no one should be ashamed to say to his
companion: “Give me a drink of water,” no one should be ashamed to say to a
person younger than himself: “Teach me the law, instruct me in this matter.” And
just as one who desires to drink should be able to drink without cost, so all
who desire to learn the law should be able to learn without cost and without
price, as it is said: Yea, come without money and without price (ibid.).
Why was the law given in the desert? To teach us that just as the
desert is free to all men, so the words of the law are free to all who desire
to learn them. Also, lest a man should say: “I am a student of the law that was
given to me and my ancestors, while you and your ancestors are not students of
the law; your ancestors were strangers”; hence it is written: An inheritance
of the congregation of Jacob (Deut. 33:4). This tells us that the law was
an inheritance for all who associate themselves with Jacob. Even outsiders who
devote themselves to the law are equal to the high priest, as it is said: Which
if a man do, he shall live by them: I am the Lord (Lev. 18:5). It does not
refer to priest or Levite or Israelite but merely to man. Thus, One
law and one ordinance will be both for you and for the stranger that sojourns
with you (Num. 15:16). Observe what is written concerning the sons of Jethro:
And the families of the scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the
Shimeathites, the Succathites (I Chron. 2:55). The name Tirathites
(understood as derived from Aramaic tar’a, “gate”) indicates that they
sat at the gate to the inner chamber of the Temple; Shimeathites (which
includes the letters of the word shema, “hear”) implies that all the
Israelites heard the law from their lips; and Succathites (which
includes the word sukkah, “covered by”) suggests that they were enveloped
by the Holy Spirit. Who were these? They were Kenites who came from The
father of the house of Rechab (ibid.). The father-in-law of Moses was a
Kenite, and Shemaiah and Abtalion and the descendants of Sisera were also
Kenites. They studied the law in public like the men of the Great Synagogue.
Why was that? Because the law was given to all
It is written: And they will make an ark of acacia-wood (Exod.
25:10). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There are three crowns, the crown of
Torah, of priesthood, and of kingship. How do we know about the crown of Torah?
It is written concerning the ark: And you will overlay it with pure gold
(ibid., v. 11); we know about the crown of priesthood because it is written
concerning the altar: A crown of gold (Exod. 37:26); and we know about
the crown of kingship from the fact that it is written concerning the table: And
made thereto a crown of gold (ibid., v. 11). Why is the word (in the
preceding verse) written as zar (“stranger”) but read as zer (“crown”)?
To teach us that if a man is worthy, it is his crown of gold, but if he is
unworthy, he is to be considered a stranger among you.
Why was it written about everything: And you will make, except
in the case of the ark, where it says: You will make upon it? It is to
teach us that if a man is worthy of the Torah, he is worthy of everything. And
it states also: And their charge the ark, and the table, and the
candlesticks, and the altar (Num. 3:3 1) to teach you that no-one is more
important for you than one who devotes himself to the law.
9. And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood (Exod.
36:20).
R. Tahlifa of
What is suggested by the word mishkan (“Tabernacle”)? If
10. And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that
everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First
he made the boards and joined them together. After that he made the curtain of
goats’ hair to spread over them, as it is said: And you will make a curtain
of goats’ hair for a tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 26:7). When he completed
the ark, he made the cover that was to be hung before the ark: After he made
the ark, he made the ark cover of pure gold (ibid. 37:6).
R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé said: I saw the ark covering in
Why was the ark cover called a kapporet? Because it effected
atonement (mekapper) for
Another illustration of this is in the verse Only Jonathan the son
of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter
(supporting Ezra’s decree that the Israelites were to send away their foreign
wives); and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them (Ezek.
10:15) [See Ezra 10:9-33]. Because Jonathan devoted himself zealously to this
matter while the other only helped him, his name is mentioned first. Similarly
in the case of Bezalel. All the wise men assisted him, but because he devoted
himself most zealously to the erection of the Tabernacle, it is written: And
Bezalel made the ark.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured that because of the importance
of the Tabernacle, I will be a light unto you, and because of everything you
did in constructing the Tabernacle, I will reward you. But do not imagine that
it is for the Sanctuary alone that you will be rewarded. I will reward you, as
well, for the garments worn by the high priest. Each one obtained forgiveness
for the people.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you have made a curtain of
goats’ hair to serve as a tent over the Tabernacle in order to cover Me, I will
cover you with a cloud on high, and I will consider it as if you had repaid Me.
Because, at the time you went forth from Egypt, I brought a cloud that was a
kind of tent to protect you, and I will reward you (in the same fashion) in the
time-to-come, as it is said: And the Lord will create over the whole
habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day,
and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory will be a
canopy (Isa. 4:5). You made an ark cover for Me, so be assured, because of
the ark cover I will forgive all your sins, as it is said: When I have
forgiven you all that you have done (Ezek. 16:63). Because you made an ark
for Me from which light will go forth to the world, be assured I will illumine
for you the world-to-come, as it is said: Moreover the light of the moon will
be as the light of the sun (Isa. 30:26), and it is written elsewhere: Arise,
shine, for your light is come (Isa. 60:1).
The Holy One, blessed be He, declared; Because of all the things you
did and the commandments you performed, I will repay you in the world-to-come.
Because of the ark you made, in which the law is placed, I will be a light unto
you and will bestow upon you the good that is stored up for the righteous/generous,
as it is said: Oh how abundant is Your goodness, which You have laid up for
them that fear You; which You have wrought for them that take refuge in You, in
the sight of the sons of men (Ps. 31:20). And it is also written: Light
is sown for the righteous/generous, and gladness for the upright/generous in
heart (Ps. 97:11).
Ketubim
Targum Psalm 70
1. For praise; composed by David, for remembrance; concerning the
handful of incense.
2. O God, [hasten] to deliver us, O Lord, hasten to our aid.
3. Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; let those who
desire my ruin draw back and be dishonored.
4. Let them turn back, because they lay in wait for me; let those who
say about me “We have rejoiced, rejoiced!” be punished as befits their shame.
5. Let those who seek instruction from you be glad and exult in your
word, and let those who love your redemption always say, “May the glory of the
Lord be magnified.”
6. But I am poor and lowly, O God; hasten to me, you are my help and
salvation; O Lord, do not delay.
Ketubim
Da’at Mikra – By: Amos Hakham
Psalm
70
INTRODUCTION
Psalms 70-71 are one unit, consisting of a heading (70:1) and two
sections: In the first section (70:2- 71:13), the psalmist prays for salvation.
He describes how his rescue will bring disappointment to his enemies and joy to
the righteous/generous (70:2-6); how God is his haven and fortress (71:1-3);
and how God who was with him from birth will save him even in his old age
(71:4-13). In the second section (71:14-24), the psalmist thanks God for his
salvation. He vows to praise God (71:14—16); he vows to tell of God’s wonders to
the coming generations (71:17-18); he tells how God’s wonders are very great
(71:19-21); and he vows to praise God by singing and by playing musical
instruments (71:22-24).
1 To the director of music, of David, for remembrance.
2 O God hasten to deliver me. O Lord hasten to help me.
3 Let those who seek my soul be disappointed and confounded. Let those
who desire my harm be turned backward and put to confusion.
4 Let those who say, Aha, aha, go back on the heel of their shame.
1. To the director of music, of David. See Psalm 4:1 For
remembrance. See Psalm 38:1.
2. O God, hasten to deliver me. The word chushah,
“hasten,” in the second clause governs the first clause as well. Another
explanation: The word l’hatziléni, is itself an expression conveying a sense
of crying out: Come and deliver me. O Lord, hasten to help me.
Come quickly to help me. The word chushah is a lengthened form of the
imperative chush, which means “hasten,” as in I Samuel 20:38: “Make
speed, hasten [chushah], do not stand.” The word l’ezrati (lit.,
“to my help”), is used in the sense of la’azor,
“to help me,” an abstract noun being used in place of an adverbial phrase, as
in: “To love [l’ahavah] the Lord.”
3. Let those who seek my soul be disappointed and confounded. This is a prayer: May
it be Your will that the enemies who are seeking my soul (i.e., who are trying
to kill me) may be disappointed in their hopes. The term bushah, in
biblical Hebrew is used in connection with a person whose desires have not been
fulfilled, so that he has become disappointed in his hopes. The words yevoshu
and yachp’ru, are similar in meaning and are joined together here for
emphasis, as is..common in the poetic sections of the Bible. Let those
who desire my harm be turned backward and put to confusion. May it be
Your will that the enemies who desire my harm may be turned back from their
fighting against me and put to confusion. The word v’yikkal’mu, “and let
them be put to confusion” parallels the word yevoshu, “let them be
disappointed.” Similarly (Psalm 69:7): “Let those who trust in You, O Lord God of
hosts, not be ashamed [yevoshu] for my sake. Let those who seek You, O
God of Israel, not be humiliated [yihkal’mu] for my sake.
4. Let those who say, Aha, aha. Let those who rejoice
at my troubles and call out to me: “Aha, aha,” go back on the heel of their
shame. The word he’ach, “aha,” is cry of joy, and is also used to convey
derision and to express joy over someone else’s misfortune. The double form,
“aha, aha,” may refer specifically to joy over someone else’s misfortune (see
Psalm 35:21). Go back on the heel of their shame. Let them return
from their war against me, stepping on the heel that has caused their shame.
The psalmist uses a figure of speech according to which the heels of their feet
are a source of shame for those in retreat, for their steps are dependent upon
the strength of their heels. Another explanation: The word ekev, “heel,”
refers to the path on which the footprints of those going out to war were
imprinted. After they were defeated in battle, they returned along the same
path as that on which they had come. This path, which had at first been the
source of their pride, became the source of their shame. Another explanation:
The words ‘al-ékev, mean “because”: Let them go back because of their
shame, because of their defeat and humiliation.
5 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, and let those
who love Your salvation always say, Let God be magnified.
6 But I am poor and needy. O God hasten to me. You are my help and my rescuer.
O Lord do not delay.
5. Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. This is a prayer:
May it be Your will that all those who seek You — those who fear You, pray to
You, and try to fulfill Your will — will rejoice and be glad in You. Let them
be glad that You are their God and their savior. The words yasisu, “let
them rejoice,” and yism’chu, “let them be glad,” are synonymous, and are used
together for the sake of emphasis. And let those who love Your salvation
always say, Let God be magnified. And may it be Your will that those
who love Your salvation will always be privileged to say: Let God be magnified.
This is an expression of praise, meaning: God is great, or a prayer, meaning:
May God’s name be great and praised. “Those who love Your salvation” are the
God-fearing people who love to tell of God’s act of salvation and marvels.
Another interpretation: They are those who fervently wait in hope of God’s
salvation. Another explanation: ohavei y’shu’atekha, means: Your loved ones
whom You have saved. The blessing given to the righteous/generous in this verse
corresponds to the curses laid upon the wicked in the previous verses: “Let all
those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You,” corresponds to: “Let those who
seek my soul be disappointed and confounded.” The word b’kha, “in You,”
intimates that the righteous/generous man’s primary joy is in God, and not in
the downfall of his enemies. The words, “and let them always say, Let God be
magnified,” correspond to “those who say, Aha, aha.” The words, “those who love
Your salvation,” correspond to “those who desire my harm.”
6. But I am poor and needy. The vav, “but,” in the word ‘mi,
va’ani, “but I,” is used here to signify the opposite of what was stated in
the previous verse: After having described the joy that will accompany the
coming salvation, the psalmist reverts to describing the distress in which he
himself is currently found. The words ‘oni, and ev’yon, “poor”
and “needy,” are synonymous terms joined together for emphasis. They are used
here in the general sense of “afflicted,” and not in the narrow sense of
“lacking material wealth.” O God, hasten to me. Please, God, come
quickly to me. You are my help and my rescuer. You are He who
helps me and You are He who rescues me from distress. O Lord, do not
delay. This is a cry: O Lord, do not delay to deliver me, for I find
myself in great distress. This verse expands upon the cry voiced in verse 2: “O
God, hasten to deliver me. O Lord, hasten to help me.”
Ketubim
Midrash Psalm 70
To whom may David be likened? [To the shepherd in the story of] the
king who had a flock of sheep. When the king became vexed with them, he turned
out the flock, tore down the shed, and let the shepherd go. After a time the
king gathered the sheep and rebuilt the shed, but he did not bring the shepherd
to remembrance. The shepherd said: Behold, the sheep are gathered, the shed is
rebuilt, and I—I am not brought to remembrance. Just so, in the previous Psalm,
David said: God will save
II. Woe unto the wicked/lawless who in the world-to-come will die out of
envy of what they see, and out of anger, as is said For anger kills the
foolish man, and envy slays the silly one (Job 5:2). They will waste away
on account of their envy and anger, as is said Let them be ashamed and
confounded that seek after my soul; let them be turned backward and put to confusion
that delight in my hurt (Ps. 70:3-4).
III. But I am poor and needy; O God, make haste unto me (Ps. 70:6).
In a previous Psalm, David said But I am poor and needy, may the Lord think
of me (Ps. 40:18). What David was saying, however, in the two verses to the
Holy One, blessed be He, was: “Master of the universe, think of me in my
poverty and in my need, and You will then make haste to deliver me, for You
are my help and my deliverer.” And what is meant by the words O Lord,
tarry not (Ps. 70:6, 40:18)? They mean that it is for You to deliver me,
whether today or tomorrow. Hence You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord,
tarry not.
IV. Isaiah said: Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice
of His servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the
name of the Lord, and stay upon his God (Isa. 50:10). This is as if God
said: “Who among you was in trouble and called upon Me, that I did not answer?
Who was in darkness, that I did not give light to?” So Nebuchadnezzar said: Blessed
be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel, and
delivered His servants that trusted in Him (Dan. 3:28). And Darius said: Daniel
was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because
he had trusted in his God (ibid. 6:24). And Scripture says, Trust you in
the Lord for ever, for the Lord is God, an everlasting Rock (Isa. 26:4).
Hence, David said, “Surely this is the divine promise: I, too, will trust in
You—do not put me to shame.”
Ashlamatah:
Isaiah 41:19-27 + 42:21
Isa 41:19 I will plant cedar in
the wilderness, acacia, and myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set fir, pine and
boxwood together in the desert;
Isa 41:20 so that they may see,
and know, and set up, and understand together, that the hand of Adonai has done
this; and the Holy One of Israel has created it. {P}
Isa 41:21 Bring your cause, says Adonai; let your strong reasons come
near, says the King of Jacob.
Isa 41:22 Let them draw near and tell us what will happen; the former
things, let them reveal what they are, that we may set our heart and know their
end; or declare to us the coming things.
Isa 41:23 Reveal the near things hereafter, so that we may know that
you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may gaze and see together.
Isa 41:24 Behold, you are of nothing; and your work of nothing; he who
chooses you is an abomination. {P}
Isa 41:25 I have raised up one from the north; and he will come from
the east; he will call on My name. And he will come upon rulers as on mortar,
and as a potter tramples clay.
Isa 41:26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know; and
before, that we may say, He is right? Yes, no one declares; yes, no one
proclaims; yes, there is no one who hears your words.
Isa 41:27 At first to
Isa 41:28
But I saw, and there was not a man; and of these, there was not a
counselor, that I may ask them, and they could return a word.
Isa 41:29
Behold, they are all evil; their works are nothing; their images are
wind and vanity. {P}
Isa 42:1
Behold My Servant; I will uphold Him; My Elect in whom My soul delights!
I have put My spirit on him; he will bring forth justice to the gentiles.
Isa 42:2
He will not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the
street.
Isa 42:3
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking wick he will not quench;
He will bring forth justice according to the truth.
Isa 42:4
He will not fail nor be crushed until he has set justice in the earth;
and the coasts will wait for his Torah. {P}
Isa 42:5
So says Adonai God, creating the heavens and stretching them out;
spreading out the earth and its offspring, giving breath to the people on it,
and spirit to those walking in it.
Isa 42:6
I, Adonai, have called you in righteousness/generosity, and will hold
your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a
Light of the gentiles;
Isa 42:7
to open blind eyes, to lead out the prisoner from the prison; those who
sit in darkness from the prison.
Isa 42:8
I am Adonai; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another,
nor My praise to engraved images.
Isa 42:9
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and I declare new things
before they happen, I cause you to hear. {P}
Isa 42:10 Sing a new song to Adonai; His praise
from the end of the earth, you who go to sea, and all that is in it; the coasts
and their people.
Isa 42:11 Let the wilderness and its cities
lift up, the villages where Kedar lives. Let those dwelling in the rock sing;
let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Isa 42:12 They give glory to Adonai and declare
His praise in the coastlands.
Isa 42:13 Adonai will go out as a warrior; and
He will stir up His zeal like a man of war; He will shout, yes, roar; He will
act mightily on His enemies.
Isa 42:14 I have forever kept silence; I have
been quiet and refrained Myself; I will groan like a woman in travail; I will
pant and gasp at once.
Isa 42:15 I will make mountains and hills
become a waste, and dry up all their plants. And I will make the rivers
coastlands, and I will dry up pools.
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way
that they did not know. I will make them go in paths they never knew. I will
make darkness go into light before them, and crooked places a level place. I do
these things to them and do not forsake them;
Isa 42:17 they are turned back; they are
ashamed with shame, those trusting in the carved image, who say to cast images,
You are our gods.{P}
Isa 42:18 O deaf ones, hear! And O blind ones,
look to see!
Isa 42:19 Who is blind but My servant? Or deaf,
as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, and blind as
Adonai's servant?
Isa 42:20 You see many things, but do not
observe; your ears are open, but not any hears.
Isa 42:21 Adonai is delighted for His righteousness'/generosity’s sake;
He will magnify the Law and make it honorable.
Midrash
of Matityahu (Matthew) 12:9-14
9.
¶ It came to pass at the end of the days that Yeshuah
crossed over from there and went to the local Synagogue.
10. And behold, one man
was there with a withered hand. They asked Yeshuah if it was allowable to cure
people on Shabbat (for the purpose of slandering him).
11. He said to them, Who
among you is a man that, if one of your sheep or goats falls into a cistern on
Shabbat, will not take hold of it and lift it out from the cistern?
12. If then there is
permission to do good on Shabbat, then how much more so is a human being better
than one of your livestock? So one should do good on Shabbat.
13. Then He said to the
man, Extend your hand! And he extended it and it was restored like the other
hand.
14. 14. Then the Painted
Pharisees went out and held a consultation and plotted how to bring about his
death..
The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic
Study
One of the most prophetic tools available to man today is the Torah
Lectionary, particularly in its Septennial or Shmita Cycle of readings. This
week we read from our Torah Seder: “Betzalel made the ark of acacia wood, two
and one-half amot long, one and one-half amot wide, and one and one-half amot
high. He covered it with pure gold from inside and out. He made for it a golden
crown-like rim around (its top) – Exod. 37:1-2. And our most wise Sages
comment: “From here we learn that a scholar’s “inside” should be as his
exterior (i.e., he should not be a hypocrite), since it is said: You will
overlay it with pure gold, within and without will you overlay it.”
Over the last month we have heard of a number of politicians making noises in
the right direction but living secretly totally opposite to what they speak. We
have also heard just this week about a pastor of one of the mega-churches in
the
The story gets even worse, as the pastor has confessed with his very
own mouth: “There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've
been warring against it all of my adult life.”He married in 1978 and the
problems were revealed in 2006. Now the question that I ask is how is it
possible that this man is elevated to the ministry, has a congregation with
14,000 members and none of his members, fellow pastors, nor his wife knew
nothing about this double life for the last 30 odd years?
The Torah Seder, Psalm, Ashlamatah and Pericope of the Midrash of
Matityahu offers pertinent answers to this question. The heart of the master
starts with the way ministerial formation takes place in
I found it interesting that when Betzalel starts his work, he did not
start with the building, but he started with the chief utensil to be put inside
the Tabernacle – The Holy Ark! Under this philosophy mental formation goes hand
in hand with spiritual formation. And by “spiritual formation” we do not mean
“chapel hours, counseling hours, spiritual yoga exercises, or whatever,” but
what we mean is hours spent working, serving, learning and living under the
close supervision of one’s Torah teacher. Where one’s master makes a great
effort to see that his students inside (morally and intellectually) is clearly
shown by their outside.
Second if one looks at the G-d given dimensions of the Tabernacle –
this was no mega-church at all! And yet these false teachers keep on promoting
mega-churches. I once met a Pentecostal pastor of a Mega-Church and asked him
what model did he use for his ecclesiastical complex. Without a pause he
answered me – Jethro’s Model (Exodus 18:19-22). I answered him that the passage
says that this a Judicial model and not an ecclesiastical one. To that he
answered if I was born-again. Speaking of taking passages of Scripture out of
context for political, control, or economical gain!
You see according to this “industrial” model members of a congregation
are not living stones of a spiritual Temple/Tabernacle, they are commodities.
People come to this industrial barn and are made to sit on their brains and
intellect, so that the minister is facing thousands of rear ends looking at him
without signs of protest as to error of his teachings. Now and then because of
the uncomfortable position, people are in, they have to jump up and down,
whilst the ushers hurry to collect the gold coins that slip out of the pockets
of the people – mind you I must confess, that people sitting on their brains is
a good position to collect money. People in these mega congregations are told
that the intellect is something you sit on it, because it is not spiritual.
This is contrary to what Scripture teaches. The Scriptures clearly
state that G-d created the rear end to sit and study Torah! People give out of
the generosity and gratitude of their heart, not because they are sitting
up-side down forcing their coins to slip easily out of their pockets.
I have always taught, as my father taught me, that a congregation over
50-90 families is no longer a congregation but a circus. [Note that we Jews
count membership by families not by individual people.] It has been reported
that the congregation that this gentleman presided over has more than 14,000
members!
Now, let us make some numbers here. Say that a Jewish family has an
average of five members. Ninety families at five members each is 450
individuals. That means that if that industrial barn is dismantled and brought
down to Scriptural proportions, 14,000 individuals would equal to about 32
congregations or more. If you had in that locality 32 congregations with 32
good Torah teachers I am sure that the spiritual and intellectual condition of
that community would be very different, and even if we had a minister going
mad, it would not have had the same effect as what happened in that
mega-congregation.
So what does the problem boils down to? Simply, the Master’s commission
is not to make converts, as most Xtians understand it to mean, but he said to
“make disciples.” Now, in the Hebrew parlance when we speak about “making
disciples” we mean “making Rabbis under the old indenture model” – that is, the
way attorneys were in the past produced. You would be indentured to a good
master attorney, work for him as an apprentice, learn from him and/or attend
part-time classes at some college, and present yourself to the bar for periodic
exams. And this for 6-10 years until one passed the final bar exam. And this is
the way fortunately that the majority of Orthodox Rabbis are produced still to
this very day.
Synagogues are not worshipping industrial barns, but workshops where we
make Rabbis and lay leaders. It so happens that we also worship in that place,
but learning and teaching Torah is the chief priority of every Jewish
congregation. Leadership in a Jewish Congregation is also collegiate not
pyramidal – for further information on this subject see: http://www.betemunah.org/teacher.html and http://www.betemunah.org/synagog.html. The emphasis is on making out of people of
good will, great Rabbis, husbands, and family priests. This emphasis is
metaphorically described by Matityahu as: “Then He said to the man, Extend your
hand! And he extended it and it was restored like the other hand” (12:13).There
is little inclination to have a massive number of people sitting on their
brains in an industrial complex. The emphasis is in making disciples make it in
their vocation and calling before G-d – in making the withered hand productive
again for G-d’s glory! And for this to happen, we need to take recourse of the
philosophy – “small is beautiful more intimate and almost impossible to hide
gross hypocrisy.”
Another important aspect of Jewish Congregations is that it is a
philanthropic institution, not a corporate money making venture. In Isaiah
55:1-3 it is written:
Isa 55:1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the
water; and he who has no silver, come buy grain and eat. Yes, come buy grain,
wine and milk without silver and with no price.
Isa 55:2 Why do you weigh out silver for that
which is not bread, and your labor for what never satisfies? Listen carefully
to Me and eat the good; and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isa 55:3 Bend your ear and come to Me; hear,
and your soul shall live; and I will cut an everlasting covenant with you, the
faithful mercies of David.
And our wise Sages instruct us in the portion of the Midrash Tanhuma
Yelammedenu: “And just as one who desires to drink should be able to drink
without cost, so all who desire to learn the law should be able to learn
without cost and without price, as it is said: Yes, come without money and
without price” (Isa. 55:1).
Both Psalm 70 and Matityahu 12:9-14 teaches us about what happens when
hypocrisy [i.e when the ark (an allegory for the heart and mind) is no longer
gold within and without] - takes place at leadership and congregational levels.
In the end, like all sin the logical conclusion is injustice to the point of
murder. In a Jewish congregation headed by Torah Scholars, there is allowance
for differences of opinion, much like in academia (although universities are
slowly curtailing this coveted freedom). In these ecclesiastical industrial
mega barns there is only one opinion allowed, much like the “old” army. The
problem is that even the army, had to change from mega combat units to smaller
more effective ones! Today’s best armies are based on highly trained and
multi-skilled, highly mobile, and small but lethal units that can instill more
fear on the enemy that the sight of one thousand brigades. In other words
modern armies have understood that quality and small are much, much, better
than cannon fodder and big.
So here are some questions for this week from our Torah Seder:
·
Is your Torah Teacher/Pastor interested like the
Master from
·
Is the organization of your congregation and/or
community pyramidal or collegiate?
·
Is “discipleship” in your congregation thought of in
terms of making converts or making people into great Torah Scholars?
·
Does your Congregation have more than 90 families, and
does it have a congregational school for the children under strict parental
control and input?
·
Is the Rabbi’s/Pastor’s home, and the office in his
home open to all in the congregation, and is it a place where you can drop in
at any time for a chat, counsel, cup of coffee, good read (spy out the
Rabbi’s/Pastor‘s library and new acquisitions), or Torah study? Or is the
Rabbi’s/Pastor’s home out of reach to all members of the congregation.
·
Is your Rabbi’s/Pastor’s home a model of hospitality,
generosity, and Torah living, as was the home of our Patriarch Abraham?
·
Is you Rabbi/Pastor keeping you busy studying and
teaching Torah, as well as being involved in deeds of loving kindness on behalf
of our congregation?
If this is so, treasure your Rabbi or Pastor! If not, we suggest you
move on as your present leadership surely is a poison to your spiritual health
and maturity and that of your family.
May we all make sure that we are like the ark of the covenant – both gold
within and without, and instrument for G-d’s praise and for G-d’s light to
illumine the whole world, together with all our most noble people Yisrael, amen
ve amen!
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai