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

Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

B’resheet 33:18 – 35:8

Then came Jacob in peace with all that he had to the city of Shekhem, in the land of Kenaan, in his coming from Padan Aram; and he dwelt near the city, and bought the possession of a field where lie spread his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor father of Shekhem, for a hundred pearls. And he raised there an altar, and there he gave the tithes which he had set apart of all that he had before God, the God of Israel.

XXXIV. And Dinah the daughter of Leah whom she bare to Jacob, went forth to see the manners of the daughters of the people of the land And Shekhem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the land, saw her, and took her by force, and lay with her and afflicted her. And his soul delighted in Dinah the daughter of Jacob; and he loved the girl, and spoke kindly to the heart of the girl. And Shekhem spoke to Hamor his father saying, Take for me this damsel to wife. But Jacob had heard that he had polluted Dinah his daughter, and his sons were with the flocks in the field, and Jacob was silent until they came.

And Hamor the father of Shekhem came forth to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob had come up from the field when they heard. And the men were indignant, and very violently moved, because Shekhem had wrought dishonor in Israel in lying with the daughter of Jacob; for so it was not right to have been done.

And Hamor spoke with them, saying, The soul of Shekhem my son delights in your daughter: give her, I pray, to him to wife; and conjoin yourselves by marriage with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to you; and dwell with us, and the land shall be before you, to dwell where you please and do business in it and possess it. And Shekhem said to her father and to her brethren, Let me find grace in your sight, and what you shall tell me I will give. Multiply upon me greatly dowry and gift, and I will give as you shall tell me; only give me the damsel to wife. [JERUSALEM. Dotation and marriage portion.] But the sons of Jacob answered Shekhem and Hamor his father with subtilty, and so spoke, because he had polluted Dinah their sister, and said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, because that would be a disgrace to us. But in this we will accede to you, if you will be as we are by circumcising every male. And we will give our daughters to you, and will take your daughters to us, and dwell with you, and be one people. But if you will not hearken to us to be circumcised, we will take our daughter by force and will go. And their words were pleasing in the eyes of Hamor, and in the eyes of Shekhem, the son of Hamor. And the young man delayed not to do the thing; because he wished for the daughter of Jacob; and he was more honorable than all his father's house.

And Hamor and Shekhem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of the gate of their city, saying, These men are friendly with us; and they may dwell in the land and do business in it; and the land, behold, it is broad (in) limits before them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and give our daughters to them. But in this only will the men accede to us, to dwell with us, and to be one people, by every male of us being circumcised as they are. Their flocks, and their substance, and all their cattle, will they not be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us. And all they who came out of the gate of his city received from Hamor and from Shekhem, his son; and they circumcised every male, all who came out of the gate of the city.

And it was on the third day, when they were weak from the pain of their circumcision, two of the sons of Jacob, Shimeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, took each man his sword, and came upon the city, which was dwelling securely and killed every male. And Hamor and Shekhem his son they killed with the edge of the sword; and they took Dinah from the house of Shekhem, and went forth. And the rest of the sons of Jacob came to the spoil of the slain, and they sacked the city because they had polluted their sister in the midst of it. Their flocks, and oxen, and asses, and whatever was in the city or in the field they spoiled; and all their wealth and all their little ones they took and spoiled, and all that was in the houses.

And Jacob said to Shimeon and Levi, You have made my name to go forth as evil among the inhabitants of the land, among the Kenaanites and Phezerites. And I am a people of (small) number, and they will gather together against me, and destroy me and the men of my house. And Shimeon and Levi answered, It would not have been fit to be said in the congregations of Israel that the uncircumcised polluted the virgin, and the worshippers of idols debased the daughter of Jacob: but it is fit that it should be said, The uncircumcised were slain on account of the virgin, and the worshippers of idols on account of the daughter of Jacob. Shekhem bar Hamor will not (now) deride us with his words; for as a whorish woman and an outcast who has no avenger would he have made our sister, if we had not done this thing.

[JERUSALEM. The two sons of Jacob answered together, and said to Israel their father, It would not be fit to be said in the congregations of Israel, in their house of instruction, that the uncircumcised polluted the virgin, and the worshippers of idols the daughter of Jacob; but it is fit that it be said in the congregations of Israel and in their house of instruction, that the uncircumcised were put to death for the sake of the virgin, and the worshippers of idols because they had defiled Dinah the daughter of Jacob. And Shekhem bar Hamor will not boast in his heart and say, As a woman who hath no man to avenge her injury, so has Dinah the daughter of Jacob been made. And they said, as an impure woman and an outcast would he have accounted our sister.]

XXXV. And the Lord said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there, and make there an altar unto Eloha, who revealed Himself to you in your flight from before Esau your brother. And Jacob said to the men of his house, and to all who were with him, Put away the idols of the peoples which are among you which you took from the temple of Shekhem, and purify yourselves from the uncleanness of the slain whom you have and change your raiment. And we will arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto Eloha, who heard my prayer in the day when I was afflicted, and whose Word was my helper in the way that I went.

And they delivered into Jacob's hand all the idols of the people which were in their hands which they had taken from the temple of Shekhem, and the jewels that had been in the ears of the inhabitants of the city of Shekhem, in which was portrayed the likeness of their images; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth that was near to the city of Shekhem.

And they journeyed from thence, offering praise and prayer before the Lord. And there was a tremor from before the Lord upon the people of the cities round about them, and they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz in the land of Kenaan, which is Bethel, he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and named that place, To God, who made His Shekinah to dwell in Bethel, because there had been revealed to him the angels of the Lord, in his flight from before Esau his brother.

And Deborah, the nurse of Rivkah, died, and was buried below Bethel, in the field of the plain.

Midrash Tanchuma Yelammedenu

B’resheet 33:18 – 35:8

5. And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out (Gen. 34:1).

May it please our master to teach us whether a woman is permitted to walk about on the Sabbath while adorned with jewelry (gold medallions)? Thus do our masters teach us: A woman is prohibited from walking about on the Sabbath with a gold medallion suspended about her neck, with a signet ring upon her finger, or wearing an eyeless hairpin in her hair. If she wears any of these adornments in the public thoroughfare, she must bring a sin offering. In the courtyard of her home, however, she is permitted to wear them.

Our sages maintain that she is forbidden to wear them in public even on a weekday, for people would stare at her if she did so, and that is discreditable to a woman. Ornaments were given to woman to wear only inside her home. After all, if one must not tempt a righteous person, how much less should one not tempt a thief. R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: Observe what is written concerning Job: I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then shall I look upon a maid? (Job 31:1). Here indeed is evidence of Job's righteousness. If (he would not look at) an unmarried woman, whom a man is permitted to look at, as he might marry her himself or match her with his son or his brothers, (then) all the more so would Job not look at a married woman. Hence a woman must remain in her home and not promenade about in the street lest she sin herself and cause men to sin through tempting them to look at the wife of another man. R. Judah the son of Shalum said: You know this to be so, as well, from the scriptural verse: And God blessed them and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue her” (Gen. 1:39). The word subdue her is written (without a vav) as a singular imperative, for it is the male that subdues the female, while the female does not subdue the male. Similarly, the male subdues the earth and the female does not. Hence, a woman must not meander about lest tragedy befall her. That is what happened to Dinah, Jacob's daughter. She wandered about alone and was disgraced. Whence do we know this? We know it from what we read in the portion And Dinah went out.

6. And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out (Gen. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: All honor to the king's daughter within the palace (Ps. 45:14). R. Yose asserted: If a woman conducts herself modestly in her home, she is worthy of marrying a high priest, and of rearing high priests, as is written: All honor to the king's daughter, etc. If she behaves honorably in her home, Her raiment is of chequer work (ibid.); that is, she will marry a man about whom Scripture says: And thou shalt weave a tunic in chequer work (Exod. 28:39). [Referring to the priestly vestments, which were of checkered work.]

R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, declared: A woman who is modest in her home atones for her household, just as the altar brings atonement, as it is said: Thy wife shall be a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of thy house (Ps. 128:3). The word innermost refers here to the altar, as is stated: And he shall kill it on the innermost side of the altar (Lev. 1:11).

Another comment on Thy wife shall be a fruitful vine. When is a wife considered a fruitful vine? When she remains secluded in the innermost parts of thy house (Ps. 128:3). If she does so, Thy children shall be like olive Plants about thy table (ibid.), that is, she will rear children who will be anointed with the oil of installation.

7. And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out to see (Gen. 34: 1). Was she not also Jacob's daughter? Indeed, but Scripture associates her name with that of her mother. Leah's daughter (Dinah) loved to roam about just as her mother did. How do we know this about Leah? It is written: And Leah went out to meet him (Gen. 30:16). Ezekiel declared: Behold, everyone that uses proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying: As the mother, so her daughter (Ezek. 16:44). See should be read as "to be seen," for though she went out to see, she was, in fact, seen, as it is said: And Shechem the son of Hamor ... saw her (Gen. 34:2).

And Shechem spoke unto his father Hamor, saying: "Get me this damsel to wife" (ibid., v. 4). He (Hamor) went to Jacob and said: Ask me ever so much dowry and gift (ibid., v. 7). And he said: I know that her grandfather Abraham was a prince, but I am also a prince. Jacob replied: He was not called a prince, but an ox, as is said: And Abraham ran to the oxen (ibid. 18:7) and Much grain (can be harvested) through the strength of ox (Prov. 14:4), but you are an ass (hamor), and it is impossible for an ox and an ass to plow together, as it is said: Thou must not Plow with an ox and an ass together (Deut. 22:10). The prophet declared: You seek your own misfortune, as is said: The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying: "Give thy daughter to my son to wife"; and there passed by the wild beasts that were in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle (II Kings 14:9).

The thistle refers to Hamor, and the cedar that was in Lebanon alludes to Jacob, who was compared to a cedar, as is said" He shall grow as a cedar in Lebanon (Ps. 92:13). Give thy daughter to my son for a wife refers to Shechem, for he said to him: The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter (Gen. 34:8).

And there passed by the wild beasts. These are the sons of Jacob, who were compared to beasts: Judah is a lion's whelp (Gen. 49:9); Dan is a young lion (Deut. 33:22); NaPhtali is a hind let loose (Gen. 49:21); and likewise all the others. And trod down the thistle confirms what is stated in the verse And came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem, - his son, with the edge of the sword (Gen. 34:25-26).

When Jacob's sons learned what had transpired: The men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter (ibid., v. 7). And they said unto them: "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised (ibid. v. 14), Go! Circumcise yourselves. They departed and circumcised themselves, as is said: And unto Hamor ... harkened all (ibid., v. 24). And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain (ibid., v. 25). The prophet cried out: And as troops of robbers wait for man, so does the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem, yea, they commit enormity (Hos. 6:9). As troops of robbers wait for man (ish) refers to Jacob, who was a righteous man (ish tam), and he was forced to await the return of his sons from their pillaging.

A company of priests alludes to the sons of Jacob, who had been called a kingdom of priests. Why does Scripture say: They murder in the way to Shechem? Because they committed an immoral act. Upon their return, Jacob began to chastise Simeon and Levi, saying: You have troubled me, to make me odious (Gen. 34:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be not afraid, no one can harm you, as it is said: And a terror of God was upon the cities (ibid. 35:5).

8. And God said unto Jacob: Arise, go up to Beth El" (Gen. 35: 1). May our master teach us: How many times is a man's “account book” [the heavenly ledger wherein man's deeds are recorded], open? Thus did our masters teach us: A man's account book is opened three times: when he journeys alone upon a highway; when he resides in a dilapidated house; when he vows and fails to fulfill. R. Aha the son of Jacob deduced the first statement from the biblical verse If harm befall him by the way (Gen. 42:3). R. Eliezer the son of R. Yose the Galilean stated: If you should discover that a righteous man is setting out on a journey, leave three days earlier or three days later in order to travel with him. But if you should see a wicked man setting out on a journey, leave three days earlier or three days later in order not to go with him, as it is said: Set thou a wicked man over him; and let an adversary stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6). A righteous man, however, is accompanied by angels of peace, as it is said: For He will give his angels charge over you (ibid. 91:11).

The opinion that Satan denounces any man who dwells in a dilapidated house, and that his account book is opened when he does so, is derived from the Mishnah [Y. Nedarim 1:36d, Y. Shabbat 11:5b]. How do we know about the man who vows and does not pay? It is written in Scripture: When you shall vow a vow unto the Lord your God, you shall not be slack to pay it (Deut. 23:22), and it is written elsewhere: It is a snare to a man rashly to say: "Holy," and after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25). The words after vows to make inquiry signify that a man's account book is opened and that angels testify against him by enumerating his sins. R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: Everyone who borrows and fails to repay brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If you have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? (ibid. 22:27). Moses warned Israel about this, as is written: When you shall vow a vow unto the Lord your God, you shall not be slack to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you (Deut. 23:22). Why is the word require repeated in this verse (i.e., written in the intensive form, darash yidreshenu)? It teaches us that He will require (i.e. inquire) of him with regard to what he has borrowed, and He will (also) require concerning his other sins, as it says: And after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25).

R. Yannai asserted: The account book of the man who makes a vow which he fails to fulfill is examined in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. He asks: Where is that person who made a vow on a certain day? Observe that it is written concerning the time that Jacob went to Aram-naha-raim: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: "If God be with me" (Gen. 28:20). At first He granted his every request. He went there and became wealthy, but when he returned without fulfilling his vow, He turned Esau against him, and Esau sought to kill him. And though Esau took the two hundred she-goats from him, Jacob did not trouble to perform his vow. Whereupon He turned the angel against him and they wrestled together, but still he did not take note, as it is said: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him (ibid. 32:26). It was Samael, Esau's guardian angel, who wanted to kill him, as is said: When he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh (ibid., v. 27). When he still was not persuaded to fulfill his vow, the anguish occasioned by Dinah's experience befell him, as is said: And Dinah went out. When he continued to refrain from carrying out his vow, the tragedy of Rachel's death occurred, as it is said And Rachel died and was buried (ibid. 35:19). This confirms the opinion of R. Samuel the son of Nahman that one who vows and fails to fulfill his vow brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If you have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? (Prov. 22:27).

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How long shall this righteous man continue to be punished without comprehending the sin for which he is being afflicted? Indeed, I will inform him. And it is written: God said unto Jacob: “arise, go up to Beth-El, and dwell there" (Gen. 35: 1). R. Aibu said: When your sieve is clogged, strike it [proverb telling us that Jacob's mind had become clogged, causing him to forget his vow, and so God beat upon it by causing him to suffer]. The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: These trials have befallen you only because you have not fulfilled your vow. If you do not wish to experience other afflictions, Arise, go up to Beth-El, dwell there, and erect an altar, at the very place at which you made your vow. I am the God of Beth-El, where you did anoint a Pillar, where you did vow a vow unto Me (ibid. 31:13). R. Abba the son of Kahana stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: When a man has problems he will make a vow, but when he is enjoying ease and comfort he will quickly disregard his vow. When you were in difficulty you made a vow, but after you attained security you forgot it. Then Jacob ... said unto his household, and to all that were with him: "Let us arise, and go up to Beth-El" (ibid. 35:2-3).

What did he say when he made his vow? If God will be with me (ibid. 28:20); that is, so that I shall not go astray after idolatry; and will keep me (ibid.), from committing acts of lewdness; in this way (ibid.), from being guilty of spilling blood. Because he delayed fulfilling his vow, he was smitten by all three. How do we know about idolatry? It is written: Put away the strange gods (ibid. 35:2). We know about lewdness from the episode of Dinah, and about bloodshed from the fact that they killed all the males. This teaches us that procrastination in the fulfillment of a vow is the most serious of all three. Because he neglected to fulfill his vow he experienced all three.

Better is it that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay (Eccles. 5:4). R. Meir maintained: Better than either of these is that one should not vow at all. A man should bring his lamb to the Temple court and sacrifice it instead. R. Judah was of the opinion that to make a vow and fulfill it was preferable to the other two, since it is said: Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God (Ps. 76:12). He who makes a vow and performs it is rewarded both for the vow and its fulfillment.

R. Huna said: It is told that a certain man made a vow which he failed to keep, and as a result, when he set out to cross the sea, the ship he was sailing in sank and he perished. R. Ammi explained: Anyone who fails to keep a vow that he has made is responsible for his own death, as it is said: The Lord your God will surely require it of you (Deut. 23:22). That is, the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact retribution from that person and not from his possessions. Ben Sira taught: Before you make a vow, consider that vow carefully lest you go astray. Suffer not your mouth to bring your flesh into guilt, neither say before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at your … voice, and destroy the work of your hands? (Eccles. 5:5). R. Aba explained this verse as follows: Suffer not your mouth to bring your flesh into guilt refers to the one who makes a vow; neither say before the messenger, that it was an error indicates that one must not say to the sexton: "I did not intend to vow at all"; wherefore should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? alludes to the lesser commandments you fulfilled and the good deeds you performed.

9. And God said unto Jacob (Gen. 35: 1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: You are not a God that has pleasure in wickedness; evil shall not sojourn with You (Ps. 5:5). What is meant by evil shall not sojourn with You? It means that no impure words ever emanate from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says: The words of the Lord are pure words (Ps. 12:4). You know this to be so from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Noah: Of every clean beast ... and of the beasts that are not clean (Gen. 7:2). Observe that Scripture does not say "unclean beasts" but rather beasts that are not clean. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, resorts to a circumlocution of two and three words in the Torah rather than utter an impure word [The verse mentions the pure characteristics of the animal even though it may not be eaten. It avoids mentioning the impure aspects of an animal]. And so you find that when He introduced the matter of cleft hoofs lacking in impure beasts, he mentioned the signs of their purity first, as is said: The camel, because he chews the cud, etc. (Lev. 11:4). This is a sign of purity in an animal. Likewise in the case of the pig, He said: The swine, because he parts the hoof (ibid. v. 7). This too is a sign of purity. Why did He do this? So that He would not be forced to utter an unclean word. Hence, Evil shall not sojourn with You.

Another comment on For You are not a God that has Pleasure in wickedness (Ps. 5:5). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, maintained: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire to prove His creatures guilty, He would. rather that they pray unto Him so that he might accept them. R. Isaac propounded the query: Now that we have no prophet, no priest, no sacrifice, no Temple, no altar, who will atone for us? And He explained: Even though the Temple is no more, prayer remains available to us, as Scripture states: O Lord, hear, O Lord forgive (Dan. 9:19). And did you not say: Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually (I Kings 9:3).

Observe what is written: Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail,' for now you shall go forth out of the city and shall dwell in the field (Micah 4:10). The ketiv (traditional spelling) is "I shall dwell" (rather than the Masoretic "you shall dwell" as in the preceding quotation) to indicate that though I shall exile you from its midst, my Shekhinah will not depart from the city. The field mentioned here alludes only to Zion, as it is said: Zion unto a field will be plowed (ibid. 3:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: You shall pray unto Me in the direction of the Holy City, and I will hearken from heaven and heal your land. Therefore Jacob said to his sons: Let us arise, and go up to Beth-El. What shall we do there? they asked. And he answered: The Holy One, blessed be He, ha commanded me to arise, go up to Beth-El and dwell there.

Ashlamatah:

Nahum 1:12 – 2:6 + 14

12 Thus says the LORD: Though they be in full strength, and likewise many, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

13 And now will I break his yoke from off you, and will burst your bonds asunder.

14 And the LORD has given commandment concerning you, that no more of your name be sown; out of the house of your god will I cut off the graven image and the molten image; I will make your grave; for you are become worthless.

15 (2-1) Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings, that announces peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah, perform your vows; for the wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

1 ¶ (2-2) A maul is come up before your face; guard the defenses, watch the way, make your loins strong, fortify your power mightily!—

2 (2-3) For the LORD restores the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel; for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine-branches.—

3 (2-4) The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet; the chariots are fire of steel in the day of his preparation, and the cypress spears are made to quiver.

4 (2-5) The chariots rush madly in the streets, they jostle one against another in the broad places; the appearance of them is like torches, they run to and fro like the lightnings.

5 (2-6) He bethinks himself of his worthies; they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared.

6 (2-7) The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved.

7 (2-8) And the queen is uncovered, she is carried away, and her handmaids moan as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.

8 (2-9) But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water; yet they flee away; ‘Stand, stand’; but none looks back.

9 (2-10) Take the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold; for there is no end of the store, rich with all precious vessels.

10 (2-11) She is empty, and void, and waste; and the heart melts, and the knees smite together, and convulsion is in all loins, and the faces of them all have gathered blackness.

11 ¶ (2-12) Where is the den of the lions, which was the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?

12 (2-13) The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his caves with prey, and his dens with ravin.

13 (2-14) Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.

Ketubim

Midrash Psalm 28

I. A Psalm of David. Unto You, O Lord, do I call (Ps. 28:1). These words are to be considered in the light of the verse "The Lord is my portion" says my soul (Lam. 3:24). The people of Israel say: We have no portion except in the Holy One, blessed be He, to whom we say, "The Lord is my portion." And the Holy One, blessed be He, declares: I have no portion except the people of Israel, as Moses said, The portion of the Lord is His people (Deut. 32:9). Accordingly, when the people of Israel call to God, He hears them, as is said Unto Thee, O Lord, do I call; my Rock, be not You deaf unto me (Ps. 28:1).

2. Another comment on Unto You, O Lord, do I call ... Draw me not away with the wicked (Ps. 28:3). These words are to be considered in the light of the verse O Lord our God, other lords beside You wished to have dominion over us (be'alunu) (Isa. 26:13). What is the literal meaning of be'alunu? "Crushed as with a pestle," as in "Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle (ba'eli) among groats" (Prov. 27:22). But R. Judah taught in the name of R. Simai: Be'alunu is derived from ba'al ("husband"): Thus, like a husband who draws his wife to sexual union, so would they draw us to union with their idols.

The end of the verse Even without You we make mention of Your name alone (Isa. 26:13) means that the children of Israel said: Even at a time when You did not confer Your name upon us and did not perform miracles for us, we hallowed Your name: thus when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar ordered us to worship his idols and to bow before his image, we were willing to die rather than disavow You. And the proof? The verse Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said: “O king Nebuchadnezzar ... If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, He will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace ... But if not, be it known unto you ... that we will not serve your gods" (Dan. 3:16-18). Since they called him king, why also Nebuchadnezzar? And if they called him Nebuchadnezzar, why also king? This, however, is what they meant by calling him both: As regards the levies, the polls, and the income taxes which you commanded us to pay, we shall call you king; but as regards the gods, which you command us to serve, you and a dog are alike to us: we will not serve unto your gods. Whereupon, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, as is said Then was Nebuchadnezzar filled with fury (ibid. 3:19). R. Johanan said: At once Nebuchadnezzar commanded that if the furnace had been heated with one bundle of firewood, it should now be heated with seven bundles. The Rabbis said: At once Nebuchadnezzar commanded that if the furnace had been heated with seven bundles, it should now be heated with forty-nine bundles, as is said He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated (ibid.).

Thereupon, to hallow the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah threw themselves into the fiery furnace. From what verse did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah infer that they were to throwaway their lives for the hallowing of the Name? They drew the inference from the verse concerning the frogs in Egypt. What is written of the frogs? The river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into ... your ovens, and into your dough (Ex. 7:28): Now when is dough placed near an oven? When the oven is hot. Accordingly this verse proves that frogs came and threw themselves into ovens in order to hallow the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. And how did the Holy One, blessed be He, reward the frogs? All other frogs in Egypt died, as is said The frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields (Ex. 8:9), but the frogs which went into the ovens to fulfill the decree of the Holy One, blessed be He, did not die, because they were willing to be burnt. And so the frogs sprang up alive out of the ovens and went back into the river, for it is said They alone shall remain in the river (ibid. 8:7).

Theudas of Rome taught that the inference of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah was this: Since frogs, which do not have the merit of the fathers, were saved because they offered their lives for the hallowing of the Name, how much more are we obliged to offer our lives for the hallowing of the Name? - we, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who have been given the precept of hallowing the Name, and whom God will reward in full.

Palton of Rome taught: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah drew the inference from a verse in Deuteronomy, which says, But if from thence you will seek the Lord your God, you shall find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut.4:29).

The Rabbis taught: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah drew the inference from a verse in Jeremiah, which says And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart (Jer.29:13).

[In another interpretation the verse is read:] But by You alone do we make mention of Your name (Isa. 26:13). What is meant by the word by You alone? They mean "in Your presence" that is, we bless You and mention Your name to You alone, and not to any other God.

3. Another comment: Unto You, O Lord, do I call, etc. ... Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity (Ps. 28:1-3). Solomon said: Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the humble, than to divide the spoil with the proud (Prov. 16:19). Blessed is the man who takes his portion with the humble! Woe unto him who takes his portion with the wicked! For the wicked take what is theirs, and then go out of the world, as is said And yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be ... But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace (Ps. 37:10-11). Thus the Holy One. blessed be He, declared: The wicked have but a single hour. They eat what is theirs in this world; then they pass away and go down into Gehenna - they, their retainers, and anyone who had anything to do with them. Of the like of them, Scripture says, But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself; his seed is spoiled, and his brethren and his neighbors, and he is not (Jer. 49:10). Hence David said: I shall not eat of their meal, so that I shall not go down into the pit with them, as it is said A Psalm of David. Unto You, O Lord, do I call; my Rock, be not You deaf unto me; lest, if You be silent unto me, I become like them that go down into the pit (Ps. 28:1).

4. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity; who speak peace with their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts (Ps. 28:3). R. Abba bar Ze'era said: Even in the shortcomings of the tribes you discover their worth, for it is said of them They hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him (Gen. 37:4) - that is, what was in their hearts was also in their mouths. Of others, however, as of Absalom, it is said Absalom spoke unto Amnon neither good nor bad (2 Sam. 13:22); that is, what was in Absalom's heart was not in his mouth.

5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands (Ps. 28:5). According to Hezekiah, works of the Lord alludes to calculations of the courses of the stars. According to R. Joshua, it alludes to homiletic interpretations of Scripture. According to the Rabbis, it alludes to the Shenia, which is preceded by the prayer beginning "Who forms light," and concluding, "Blessed art You, a Lord, Creator of the luminaries."

Operation of His hands alludes to the new moons, of which it is said God made ... the lesser light to rule the night (Gen. I:16), and of which it is also written He operates the moon for seasons (Ps. 104:19). The words They regard not allude to unbelievers who calculate neither the new moons nor the courses of the stars.

He will break them down and not build them up (Ps. 28:5): that is to say, He will break them down in this world; and not build them up in the world-to-come.

6. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped (Ps. 28:7). R. Simon told a parable of a king who had a single pearl. When his son came and said to him: "Give it to me," the king answered: "It is not yours." But when the son wearied him with begging, the king gave it to his son. Just so, Israel singing a song at the Red Sea to the Holy One, blessed be He, and saying May strength be mine, and the Lord's the song (Ex. 15:2), entreated Him to give them the Torah. Thereupon, God said to them: "It is not yours. It belongs to those above." But when they wearied him with begging, He gave it to them, as is said The Lord gave strength unto His people (Ps. 29:7).

According to R. Johanan, Israel then said: Let us repay God with the songs of praise which He gave us; as Scripture says, Therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise Him (Ps. 28:7).

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 5:13-16

13. You are the salt of the land; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14. You are the light of the hosts. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15. Nor do they light an oil-fed-lamp and put it under a basket, but on a Menorah, and it shines for all who are in the house.

16. Let your light so shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.

Commentary

The unity of all readings for this Shabbat on our 3 and ½ year lectionary is remarkable indeed. And the Midrash of Matityahu is now pointing to the next festival of Chanukah. The interpretation that the Midrash of Matityahu makes of the children of Ya’aqov in relation to the problem of their sister Dinah is quite profound. Ya’aqov and his sons were indeed the salt of the “land” (Hebrew: Ha-Aretz – the promised land). And so we are called also by our Master to be the salt amongst our noble people of Yisrael, otherwise we are only worth to be trampled over by others. As Nazareans we need to be the very best, the very best in our behaviors, the very best in teaching, and the fountain of preservation of the Written and Oral Torah, as well as the traditions of the Master of Nazareth. If we are not found to be the very best despite whatever obstacles be in our way, then we surely have failed in our mission and our calling. It is not quantity what is here called for but rather quality.

Whilst salt is described in relation to “land of Israel,” the object of light is spoken of in more universal terms, starting with the household (Israel) and ending up with all “men.” Salt preserves but it also corrodes (i.e. leaves a lasting impression). Light on the other hand, particularly in its metaphorical sense (teaching, instruction, example) lasts for all time. In fact a good friend of mine used to say – “no man whose mind has been enlarged by the illumination of truth can return totally back to its original dimension.” So, this week we are reminded that we as Nazareans need to be the best teachers and imparters of Torah learning (both written and oral), as well as example, that the world can find. Surely it is tough calling to be a Nazarean Jew! May G-d, most blessed be He help us to fulfill our calling till our last breath, amen ve amen!

“What shall we then do?” – Towards a Nazarean Halakhic Code.

Long overdue is a Code of Law or as Bockmuehl[1] calls it a code of “Public Ethics” that binds all those who are disciples of the Master of Nazareth. This work has been possible as the figure of Rabbi Yeshuah of Nazareth has been to a large or lesser degree taken away from its long held Greco-Roman milieu and returned to its original Jewish environment in the course of the last two decades. Not that there has not been a code of law or of public ethics in the minds of those who follow the Master of Nazareth, the problem is that for over the last two thousand years such codes have been understood orally, and varying wildly from place to place and from group to group.

The present code, is an attempt to put into writing those behaviors and laws that a person who declares him/herself to be a follower of the Master of Nazareth must do or practice. Three propositions underlie such undertaking. First is the premise that he or she who receives G-d’s Word is also give a strong desire and need to take certain courses of action and refrain from others. Second, that when a person becomes a “genuine” disciple of the Master of Nazareth he or she receives a calling and inner compulsion to behave and do just as the Master of Nazareth behaved and did whilst he was living in this world, as it is written: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord” (Matityahu 20:25). And thirdly, that he or she who is a “genuine” disciple of the Master of Nazareth has been implanted a strong desire void of power and control seeking, greed, and filthy lucre to seek the unity amongst the Nazarean brethren as it is stated: “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made complete in one, and that the world may know that You sent Me, and love them as You love Me” (Yochanan 17:22-23).

These three propositions or fundamental premises, therefore calls us to the elaboration of this code of law or of “Public Ethics” in an effort to bring about the objectives contained in them. It is a humbling call to be involved in this task, nevertheless the time is pressing for all Nazareans to be involved in such a sacred task, the more the time is approaching for the coming of our Messiah who is seeking for a congregation that is “without spot, or blameless” (2 Peter 3:14).

1. He who receives G-d’s Word is called to perform or refrain from certain actions in obedience to it.

From a Jewish perspective, the reception of G-d’s Word by any individual more than producing contemplative or mystical effects, it binds such a person to either engage in a definite course of action and/or to refrain from others. Thus, for example, when the children of Israel were confronted with the presence of G-d, a certain fear came upon them, causing them to flee and state: “we will listen and do.”

“And all the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. And they said unto Moses, You speak with us, and we will listen and do; but let not God speak with us, that we not die. And Moses said to the people, Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, that you not sin. And the people stood at a distance, and Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:18-21)

A similar repetition of this response, albeit in a different context can be found in the Nazarean Codicil, when on the day of the festival of Shabuot (Pentecost), Hakham Tsefet (Apostle Peter) stood up and delivered his homily to explain the miracle that had just taken place, of those that understood the text states:

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Tsefet (Peter) and the rest of the Hakhamim (apostles), Men and brethren, what shall we do? (2 Lukas 2:37).

In other words, the Word of G-d, whether it be spoken directly by G-d, or by His servants the sages of Israel, binds a person to a certain course of action. That is why it is stated of G-d’s Word that it is a living word, as it is stated:

“This is he (Moses) who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living Words to give to us.” (2 Lukas 7:38)

Why is the revelation of the Torah called “living Words”? Simply, because he or she who receives them is implanted with the strong desire and natural compulsion to follow a certain course of action. Thus, the Torah is a living Torah, G-d’s Word that calls to action. Torah without action produces a dead religion as Hakham Ya’aqov (apostle James) states:

“But are you willing to understand, O vain man, that faithful obedience apart from works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified from works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see how faithful obedience was working together with his works, and from works faithful obedience was made complete? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called, Friend of God. You see then that a man is justified from works, and not by belief only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified from works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faithful obedience apart from works is dead also.” James 2 20:26

This concept that a living Word calls to action, is called in Hebrew “EMUNAH,” and which is being translated in many Bibles as “FAITH” but in reality a better translation should be “FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE.”

This idea can be seen quite clearly in the passage of the Nazarean Codicil which is called by some as the “Gallery of Faith Heroes.” There (Hebrews chapter 11) we read:

“Now, faithful obedience (Emunah):

Is the certainty of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders bore witness.