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© 2008
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Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Heshvan 10, 5769 – November
07/08, 2008 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:22 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:18 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:25 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:19 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:54 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:49 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:16 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:17 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:24 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:22 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:53 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:4 PM |
|
Miami,
Florida, US Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:17 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:10 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:29 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:20 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:10 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:10 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 6:39 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 7:29 PM |
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:11 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 6:08 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 5:08 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:59 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:28 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:33 PM |
Port Elizabeth, South Africa Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 6:38 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 7:38 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 4:33 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 5:33 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday Nov. 7, 2008 – Candles at 6:32 PM Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 – Havdalah 7:22 PM |
For
other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His
Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and
beloved wife HH Giberet Batsehva bat Sarah,
His
Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His
Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,
Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
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beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing
the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their
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Scholars, amen ve amen!
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|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
אֵלֶּה,
תּוֹלְדֹת
נֹחַ |
|
|
|
“ELEH TOL’DOT NOACH” |
Reader 1 – B’Resheet 6:9-12 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 8:1-5 |
|
“These are the generations of Noah” |
Reader 2 – B’Resheet 6:13-16 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 8:6-9 |
|
“Estas son las generaciones de Noé” |
Reader 3 – B’Resheet 6:17-22 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 8:10-14 |
|
B’resheet (Gen.) 6:9 – 7:24 |
Reader 4 – B’Resheet 7:1-5 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 54:9-17 +
55:5 |
Reader 5 – B’Resheet 7:6-9 |
|
|
|
Reader 6 – B’Resheet 7:10-16 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 8:1-5 |
|
Psalms 5 |
Reader 7 – B’Resheet 7:17-24 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 8:6-9 |
|
N.C.: Mark 1:16-20 |
Maftir: B’Resheet 7:21-24 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 8:10-14 |
|
Mishle (Proverbs) 1:29-33 |
Isaiah 54:9-17 + 55:5 |
|
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Resheet (Gen.) 6:9 – 7:24
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
9.
This is the history of Noach. Noach was a righteous/generous man, flawless in
his generation; Noach walked with Elohim. |
9.
These are the genealogies of the race of Noah. Noah was a just man, complete
in good works in his generation, (and) in the fear of the Lord walked Noah. |
|
10.
Noach fathered three sons, Shem, Cham and Yafet. |
10.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Cham, and Japheth. |
|
11.
The earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violent
crime. |
11.
And the earth was corrupted through the inhabitants thereof, who had declined
from the ways of righteousness/generosity before the Lord; and the earth was
filled with rapine. [JERUSALEM. And the earth was filled with violences and
frauds.] |
|
12.
Elohim saw the earth and beheld that it was corrupt, for all flesh had
corrupted its way on the earth. |
12.
And the Lord beheld the earth; and, lo, it was corrupt; for all flesh had
every one corrupted his way upon the earth. |
|
13.
Elohim said to Noach, The end of all flesh has come before Me. The earth is
filled with violent crime because of them, and so, I will destroy them with
the earth. |
13.
And the Lord said to Noah, The end of all flesh cometh before Me, because the
earth is filled with rapine by their evil works; and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth. |
|
14.
Make for yourself an ark of cedar wood. Make the ark into compartments and
caulk the inside and outside with tar. |
14.
Make for yourself an ark of the wood of cedars; and you will protect it
within and without with pitch. |
|
15.
This is how you should make it; the ark's length shall be three hundred
amohs, its width fifty amohs and its height thirty amohs. |
15.
a hundred and fifty cells will you make to the ark in its left side, and
thirty and six in its breadth; and ten cabins in the midst, to lay up in them
provision; and five repositories on the right, and five on the left; |
|
16.
Make a skylight for the ark, and finish it to one amoh at the top. Place the
opening of the ark in its side. Make a lower deck, a second and a third deck. |
16.
Go you unto Phison, and take from thence a precious stone, and fix it in the
ark to illuminate you: with the measure of a cubit (or span) will you
complete it above. And a door will you set in the side of the ark; and with
dwelling-places, inferior, second, and third, will you make it. |
|
17.
Behold I am bringing the flood waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh in
which there is the breath of life, from under the heavens. Everything that is
on the land will perish. |
17.
And I, behold, I bring a flood of waters upon the earth to swallow up all
flesh which has in it the spirit of life from under the heavens: whatever is
upon the earth will be swept away. |
|
18.
I will establish my covenant with you. You shall go into the ark, you, your
sons, your wife and your son's wives, with you. |
18.
But I will establish my covenant with you; and you will go into the ark, you,
and your sons, and your wife, and the wives of your sons with you. |
|
19.
From all living things, from all flesh, two of each shall you bring to the
ark, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. |
19.
And of all that lives of all flesh, two of every (kind) will go into the ark,
to be preserved alive with you: male and female will they be. |
|
20.
From the birds of their kind, from the animals of their kind, from every
creeping thing of the earth of its kind, two of each will come to you to be
kept alive. |
20.
Of the fowl after its kind, and of all cattle after its kind, and of every
reptile of the earth after its kind, two of every (sort) will enter to you by
the hand of the angel, who will take and cause them to enter to you, to be
preserved. |
|
21.
You shall take for yourself from all [the] foods that are eaten, and gather
it to yourself, and it will be food for you and for them. |
21.
And you, take to yourself of all food that is eaten, and let it be to you and
to them for food. |
|
22.
Noach did so. All that he was commanded by El-him, he did. |
22.
And Noah did according to all that the Lord had instructed him. |
|
|
|
|
1.
Adonai said to Noach, Come into the ark, you and your household, for I have
seen that you are righteous/generous before Me, in this generation. |
1.
And the Lord said to Noah, Enter, you, and every one of your house, into the
ark; for you have I seen righteous/generous before Me in this generation. |
|
2.
Of every [ritually] clean animal, take to yourself seven pairs, male and its
mate. Of every animal that is not clean, [take] two, the male and its mate. |
2.
Of all clean cattle take you seven by seven, male and female, and of all
cattle not clean, two (and two), male and female. |
|
3.
Also of the birds of the heaven, [take] seven pairs, male and female; to keep
seed alive upon the face of the earth. |
3.
But of birds of the heaven, seven by seven, male and female, to preserve from
them seed upon the earth. |
|
4.
Because in another seven days I will bring rain on the earth [and it will
rain] forty days and forty nights, and I will obliterate every living
substance that I have made, from the face of the earth. |
4.
For, behold, I give you space of seven days; if they will be converted, it
will be forgiven them; but if they will not be converted, after a time of
days yet seven, I will cause rain to come down upon the earth forty days and
forty nights, and will destroy all bodies of man and of beast upon the earth.
|
|
5.
Noach did all that Adonai commanded him. |
5.
And Noah did acccording to all that the Lord had commanded him. |
|
6.
Noach was six hundred years old when the flood waters were on the earth. |
6.
And Noah was the son of six hundred years when the deluge of waters was upon
the earth. |
|
7.
Noach went in, and his sons, his wife, and his son's wives, with him, into
the ark, because of the waters of the Flood. |
7.
And Noah entered, with his sons and his wife and the wives of his sons with
him, into the ark, from before the waters of the deluge. |
|
8.
Of the [ritually] clean animals, and the animals that are not [ritually]
clean, of the birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth. |
8.
Of all cattle clean, and of cattle unclean, of birds, and of whatever creeps
upon the earth, |
|
9.
Two by two they came to Noach into the ark, male and female, as Elohim had
commanded Noach. |
9.
two and two they entered unto Noah into the ark, male and female, as the Lord
had instructed Noah. |
|
10.
Seven days had passed, and the flood waters were on the earth. |
10.
And it was at the time of seven days after the conclusion of the mourning for
Methushelach, that the Lord beheld, and, lo, the sons of men had not turned.
And the waters of the deluge came down hotly from the heavens upon the earth.
|
|
11.
In the six hundredth year of Noach's life, in the second month, on the
seventeenth day of the month, on that day, all the wellsprings of the great
deep, burst open, and the windows of the heavens were opened. |
11.
In the six-hundredth year of the life of Noah, in the second month, which was
the month of Marchesvan, for hitherto the months had been numbered from
Tishri which was the beginning of the year at the completion of the world, in
the seventeenth day of the month, in that day were all the fountains of the
great deep broken up. And the giants were gathered there together with their
sons and perturbed them, and afterwards the windows of heaven were opened.
[JERUSALEM. And the windows of heaven were opened.] |
|
12.
There was rain on the earth forty days and forty nights. |
12.
And the rain came down upon the earth forty days and forty nights. |
|
13.
On that very day, Noach came along with Shem, Cham, and Yafet, the sons of
Noach; Noach's wife and the three wives of his sons, with them, into the ark. |
13.
In that same day entered Noah, and Shem, and Cham, and Yapheth, the sons of
Noah, and the wife of Noah, and the three wives of his sons with him, into
the ark: |
|
14.
They, and every beast of its kind, and every animal of its kind, and every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth of its kind; and every flying
creature of its kind, every bird, every winged creature. |
14.
they, and every animal after his kind, and all cattle after their kind, and
every reptile that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl
after its kind, every bird which flieth. |
|
15.
They came to Noach, to the ark, two by two of all the flesh in which there
was a breath of life. |
15.
And they entered to Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh in which was
the breath of life. |
|
16.
Those that came were male and female, of all flesh they came, as Elohim had
commanded him. Adonai then [protectively] shut him in [the ark.] |
16.
And they coming entered, male and female, of all flesh unto him, as the Lord
had instructed him; and the Word of the Lord covered over the door of the ark
upon the face thereof. [JERUSALEM. And the Word of the Lord was merciful upon
him.] |
|
17.
There was a Flood on the earth for forty days. The waters increased and
lifted the ark, and it rose [high] above the earth. |
17.
And there was a flood forty days upon the earth, and the waters were
multiplied and bare up the ark, and it was lifted from the earth. |
|
18.
The waters were powerful and increased greatly over the earth, and the ark
moved on the surface of the waters. |
18.
And the waters waxed mighty and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark
went floating upon the face of the waters. |
|
19.
The waters were very powerful over the earth, and they covered all the high
mountains which were under all the heavens. |
19.
And the waters prevailed greatly upon the earth, and all the high hills which
were under the heavens were covered: |
|
20.
Fifteen amohs above them [the mountains] did the waters prevail and they
covered the mountains. |
20.
fifteen cubits higher did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered.
|
|
21.
All flesh that moved on the earth perished; birds, animals, beasts, and all
creeping creatures that creep on the earth and every man. |
21.
And all flesh expired which moves upon the earth; of fowl, and of cattle, and
of wild beasts, and every moving thing that moves upon the earth, and all the
sons of men,-- |
|
22.
All that has a breath of the spirit of life--- everything on dry land---died. |
22.
everything in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all on the dry land,
died. |
|
23.
[He] obliterated every being that was on the surface of the ground; from man
to animals, to creeping creatures, and to the birds of the heaven. They were
obliterated from the earth. Only Noach and those with him in the ark
survived. |
23.
And all the bodies of men and of beasts upon the face of the earth, from man
to cattle, to creeping thing, and to the fowl which wings in the air of
heaven, perished from the earth; and Noah only was left, and they who were
with him in the ark. |
|
24.
The waters prevailed over the earth for one hundred and fifty days. |
24.
And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days. |
|
|
|
Reading Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
27-32
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol I
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
I, pp. 337-364
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In
order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of
the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to
produce a catechetical output, whereby a questions is raised and an answer is
given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of
Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.
The
Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1.
Ḳal va-ḥomer:
"Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus";
corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.
2.
Gezerah shavah:
Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are
subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions
and applications.
3.
Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage
only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain
the provision in question.
4.
Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim:
The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two
Biblical passages.
5.
Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the
particular, and of the particular by the general.
6.
Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another
Scriptural passage.
7.
Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano:
Interpretation deduced from the context.
Without
further ado, let us now immerse ourselves into this wonderful world of P’shat.
In Genesis 6:9, Rashi (R. Shelomo ben Yitzchaq; Troyes, France 1040 -1105) the
King of P’shat (simple/literal) exegesis of the Torah writes:
Verse
9: Question 1
Response:
אֵלֶּה,
תּוֹלְדֹת
נֹחַ This is the progeny of Noach. Since [the text]
mentions him, it tells of his praiseworthiness. As it is said: “The mention of
a righteous/generous person is a blessing” (Prov. 10:7). An alternate
explanation: This (.e., the fact that after saying, “These are the progeny of
Noach,” it does not immediately mention the names of the children) teaches that
the main progeny of the righteous/generous are their good deeds (Ber. Rab. 30,
6).
Verse
9: Question 2 - What about other generations?
Response:
בְּדֹרֹתָיו In his generation. There are those among
our Sages who infer from it to his praise (i.e., he was righteous/generous even
in his generation when everyone else was not). Certainly, had he lived in a
righteous/generous generation he would have been [even] more righteous/genrous.
There are others who infer from it to his discredit (i.e., only in his
generations would he be considered righteous/generous). Relative to his
generation he was righteous/generous, but had he lived in the generation of Abraham
he would not have been considered significant (Ber. Rab. 30, 9).
Verse
9: Question 3
Response:
אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים,
הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ Noach walked with Elohim. Whereas, concerning
Abraham [Scripture] says: [“G-d,] before whom I walked” (Ber. 24, 40). [This is
because] Noach required [G-d's] support to uphold him [in his righteousness/generosity]
whereas, Abraham drew strength from within himself and walked in his
righteousness/generosity by himself.
Verse
9: Question 4
Response:
הִתְהַלֶּךְ Walked.
[HIT’HALEKH,
here is] in the past tense. That is the usage of the Hithpael form. One form
can be used for future and for past. [For example,] “Arise, walk!” (Gen. 13:17)
is future (the imperative being in the future since it calls for an action in
the future), “Noach walked” is past. “Pray for your servants,” (2 Sam. 14:19)
is future. “Come and pray in this house” (1 Kings 8:42) is past, but the vav at
the beginning [of the word changes the tense] to the future (according to the
rule that a vav at the beginning of a verb in the past tense changes it to the
future tense).
Verse
11: Question 5
Response:
וַתִּשָּׁחֵת
הָאָרֶץ The
earth was corrupt. Meaning
lewdness and idolatry (wherever Scripture refers to sin as TISHACHAT it refers
to lewdness and idolatry - Sanhedrin 56b v. Rashi ibid.), as in the verse: “Lest
you become corrupt” (Deut. 4:16); “All flesh had become corrupted” (Gen. 6:12).
Verse
11: Question 6
Response:
וַתִּמָּלֵא
הָאָרֶץ,
חָמָס And
the earth was filled with violent crime. [Meaning] robbery.
Verse
12: Question 7 - Why does it not say KOL HA-ADAM ---all people?
Response:
כִּי-הִשְׁחִית
כָּל-בָּשָׂר For
all flesh had corrupted.
Even cattle, beasts and fowl consorted with dissimilar species (Sanhedrin 108a,
Tanchuma Noach 12).
Verse
13: Question 8 - It is inconceivable
that absolutely all flesh became corrupt, why then does the Torah say “all
flesh”?
Response:
קֵץ
כָּל-בָּשָׂר The
end of all flesh.
Wherever you find lewdness and idolatry upheaval comes upon the world killing
the good and the bad [alike] (Ber. Rab. 26, 5).
Verse
13: Question 9 - If mankind was totally corrupt, why is only robbery singled
out?
Response:
כִּי-מָלְאָה
הָאָרֶץ
חָמָס The
earth was filled with violent crime. Their fate was sealed only
because of robbery (Sanhedrin 108a).
Verse
14: Question 9 There are many ways to bring relief and deliverance available to
Him. Why, then, did He burden him [Noach] with this construction [of the ark]?
Response:
עֲשֵׂה
לְךָ תֵּבַת Make
yourself an ark. So
that the people of the Flood generation see that he is occupied by it for one
hundred twenty years and ask him “For what do you need this?” And he would
respond to them: “G-d is destined to bring a flood upon the world. Perhaps they
will repent” (Tanchuma 58).
Cf. Hakham Tsefet’s
comment: “who sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering
(patience) of God did wait, in [the] days of Noah--an ark being preparing--in
which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water” (1 Pet. 3:20).
Verse
14: Question 10 - Why from this specie [גֹפֶר
- GOFER]?
Response:
עֲצֵי-גֹפֶר Of
cedar wood. Because
of its name relating to GOFERIT [sulfur] with which it was decreed that they be
destroyed (the waters of the flood were boiling hot, heated by sulphur).
Verse
14: Question 11
Response:
קִנִּים Compartments.
Separate
compartments for every animal and beast (Ber. Rab. 31, 10).
Verse
14: Question 12
Response:
בַּכֹּפֶר With
tar. This
is the Aramaic word for tar. We find in the Talmud the same noun [for tar]
(Shabbat 67a). Where the ark [cradle] of Moshe was concerned, because the
waters were calm, it was sufficient to have clay on the inside and tar on the
outside (Ber. Rab. 31, 10). Another reason (that there was no tar on the inside
of Moshe's ark): so that that righteous/generous man [Moshe] not be subjected
to the foul odour of tar, But, here [at the Flood], because of the force of the
water, he tarred it on the inside and the outside.
Verse
16: Question 13
Response:
צֹהַר A
skylight. Some
say this was a window. Others say it was a precious stone that supplied them
with light (Ber. Rab. 31, 11; Sanhedrin 108b. The latter opinion holds that a
window would have served no purpose since the sun and moon provided no light during
the flood).
Verse
17: Question 14
Response:
וַאֲנִי,
הִנְנִי
מֵבִיא Behold
I am bringing. [Meaning:]
“I am now prepared to agree with those (i.e. the angels) who urged me long ago
(when I was about to create man) “What is man that You should consider him” (Tehillim
8, 5; Ber. Rab. 31, 12).
Verse
17: Question 15
Response:
אֶת-הַמַּבּוּל Flood waters. There are three
versions for the etymology of MABUL:
1)
It
ruined everything, [בלה],
2)
It
confused everything, [בלל],
3)
It
brought everything from higher levels to lower levels [הוביל].
This
(the last version) is the basis for Onkelos translation because it caused
everything to float and brought it to Babylon which is a low-lying land. It is
for this reason that it is called SHINAR because there were “shaken out” all
those who died in the flood (Ber. Rab. 37, 4; Shabbat 113b).
Verse
18: Question 16
Response:
וַהֲקִמֹתִי
אֶת-בְּרִיתִי And
I will establish my covenant. A covenant was necessary for the fruits, so that
they not rot and become putrid and so that the evil people of that generation
not kill him (Ber. Rab. 31, 12).
Verse
18: Question 17
Response:
אַתָּה,
וּבָנֶיךָ
וְאִשְׁתְּךָ You,
your sons, your wife. The
men separate and the women separate. [we derive] from this that marital relations
were prohibited to them during their confinement in the ark [While in the ark.
It would be unseemly to propagate while the world is being destroyed.
(Sanhedrin 108b, Ber. Rab. 31, 12; Tanchuma 11)].
Verse
1: Question 18
Response:
כִּי-אֹתְךָ
רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק For
I have seen that you are righteous/generous. Here it does not state
“righteous/generous and wholehearted”! [We learn] from this that we tell only
part of a man's qualities in his presence, and all of them when he is not
present (above when the Torah tells us of Noach it relates all his qualities,
“righteous/generous and wholehearted,” but here, G-d is addressing Noach and,
therefore, tells him only some of his qualities, omitting. “wholehearted.”
Verse
2: Question 19
Response:
הַטְּהוֹרָה [Ritually]
clean.
[The distinction between the “clean” and “unclean” animals was not made until
the giving of the Torah!] I.e., that is destined to be “clean” [and permitted]
for Israel. We learn [from this] that Noach studied Torah (Zevachim 116a.
Otherwise, how could Noach have known which are “clean”?).
Verse
2: Question 20 - Why were more of the clean animals saved in the ark?
Response:
שִׁבְעָה
שִׁבְעָה Seven
pairs. So
that he might use some as sacrifices upon leaving [the ark] (Ber. Rab. 34, 9).
Verse
3: Question 21 - Earlier (6:20) it states that there were two of each and now
seven, how do we explain this difference?
Response:
גַּם
מֵעוֹף
הַשָּׁמַיִםAlso of the birds of
the heaven, etc. This
verse is speaking of the “clean” [fowl] in following the [Mishnaic] principle
that states: what is not explicit can be learned from that which is explicit.
[Though, here Scripture does not state which of the fowl were saved seven per
specie. We derive this from v. 2 where we see that only the "clean"
animals were saved, seven per specie.]
Verse
4: Question 22 - Why the "extra" word עוֹד ? The inference is
that an additional seven days were given.
Response:
כִּי
לְיָמִים
עוֹד
שִׁבְעָה Because
in another seven days.
This refers to the seven days of mourning for Metushelach, the righteous/generous
one, for whose honour G-d had regard and postponed punishment [so that there
will be someone to eulogize him. (Sanhedrin 108b)]. Go and calculate the years
of Metushelach and you will find that they ended during the six hundredth year
of Noach's life [The year of the Flood. Let us calculate: Metushelach was 187
when Lemech was born. Lemech was 82 when Noach was born. Thus, Metushelach was
369 when Noach, his grandson, was born. Metushelach was 969 at his death,
making Noach 600 years old at the death of Metushelach.] [We may learn all this
from the additional word עוֹד].
Verse
4: Question 23 - Why
[the word] עוֹד ?
Response:
כִּי
לְיָמִים
עוֹד
שִׁבְעָה Because
in another seven days.
[It is] a period of time following a period of time, that which was added to
the 120 years.
Verse
4: Question 24 - Why
[the word] עוֹד ?
Response:
אַרְבָּעִים
יוֹם Forty
days. This
corresponds to the period of a fetus' formation for they had sinned by
troubling their Creator to form embryos for illegitimate children (Nidah 83a).
Verse
11: Question 25 – Which month precisely?
Response:
בַּחֹדֶשׁ
הַשֵּׁנִי In
the second month.
R. Eliezer says: this refers to Cheshvan (Cheshvan is second to Tishri). R.
Yehoshua says: this refers to Iyar (Iyar is second to Nissan. This is based on
their argument in Rosh Hashanah 11b. R. Eliezer holds that the world was
created in Tishri, R. Yehoshua---Nissan).
Verse
11: Question 26
Response:
נִבְקְעוּ Burst
open. To
release their waters.
Verse
11: Question 27
Response:
תְּהוֹם
רַבָּה The
great deep. [A
punishment] measure for measure; they sinned with “Great is the evil of man”
(Gen. 6:5) and they were punished with “the Great deep” (Sanhedrin 108a).
Verse
12: Question 28 - Why further on (v.17) it states: “And the Flood was”?
Response:
וַיְהִי
הַגֶּשֶׁם,
עַל-הָאָרֶץ There
was rain on the earth. But,
[it should be explained thusly:] When He [G-d] brought them [flood waters] down
He [first] brought them down mercifully so that if they repent they would yet
be rains of blessing. And when they did not repent they became flood waters (Ber.
Rab. 31, 12).
Verse
12: Question 29
Response:
אַרְבָּעִים
יוֹם Forty
days The
first day is not included in this number because its night (i.e., the preceding
night which is considered as the beginning of the following day) was not
included with it, for it is written: [v. 11] “On that day all the wellsprings
... burst open” (Meaning literally during the daytime. Thus, during the first
night there was no flood.). Consequently, the forty days ended on the
twenty-eighth day of Kislev according to R. Eliezer's [opinion] – [See verse
11. According to R. Yehoshua the forty days ended 28 Sivan], for when the
months are counted regularly [then] one is complete and one deficient [the
lunar month can have either 30 days---("complete") or 29 days---
("deficient")], so, there are 12 days of Cheshvan (i.e., it rained 12
days in Cheshvan for it rained from the 17th of Cheshvan until the 29th)
and 28 days of Kislev.
Verse
13: Question 30 - Why would it have been insufficient to just say "On this
day"? Why the addition of B’ETSEM?
Response:
בְּעֶצֶם
הַיּוֹם
הַזֶּה On
that very day. Scripture
teaches that the people of his generation were saying: “If we see him entering
the ark we will break it up and kill him.” So G-d said: “I will bring him in
before the eyes of everyone, then we will see whose word prevails” (Sifri,
Ha'azinu 337; Ber. Rab. 32, 8).
Verse
16: Question 31 - 1) Why did not Noach himself close the ark? 2) Why the
stress, that the ark was closed for Noach's sake?
Response:
וַיִּסְגֹּר
יְהוָה,
בַּעֲדוֹ Ha-Shem
shut him in. He
protected it so they would not break it (cf. v.13). He surrounded the ark with
bears an lions which killed some of them (Ber. Rab. 32, 8). The simple
explanation of the verse is that He shut the door before him against the
waters.
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 5
|
JPS TRANSLATION |
TARGUM |
|
1. For the Leader;
upon the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David. |
1. ¶ For praise, with dancing. A hymn of David. |
|
2. Give ear to my
words, O LORD, consider my meditation. |
2. Hear my utterance, O LORD, consider my murmuring. |
|
3. Hearken unto the
voice of my cry, my King, and my God; for unto You do I pray. |
3. Hear the sound of my petition, my king and God, for I
will pray in Your presence. |
|
4. O LORD, in the
morning will You hear my voice; in the morning will I order my prayer unto
You, and will look forward. |
4. O LORD, in the morning hear my voice; in the morning I
set myself before You and keep watch. |
|
5. For You are not a
God that has pleasure in Lawlessness; evil will not sojourn with You. |
5. Because You are not a God who takes pleasure in
wickedness/Lawlessness; evil does not abide with You. |
|
6. The boasters will
not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of Lawlessness. |
6. Scoffers will not stand before Your eyes; You hate all
deeds of falsehood. |
|
7. You destroy them
that speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the man of blood and of deceit. |
7. ¶ You will destroy tellers of lies; the LORD
will loath the man who sheds innocent blood and the deceiver. |
|
8. But as for me, in
the abundance of Your loving-kindness will I come into Your house; I will bow
down toward Your holy temple in the fear of You. |
8. And I, through Your great goodness, will enter Your
house; I will bow down to Your holy temple in awe of you. |
|
9. O LORD, lead me in
Your righteousness/ generosity because of them that lie in wait for me; make
Your way straight before my face. |
9. O LORD, guide me by your righteousness/ generosity;
because of my hymn, make firm Your paths before me. |
|
10. For there is no
sincerity in their mouth; their inward part is a yawning gulf, their throat
is an open sepulchre; they make smooth their tongue. |
10. Because there is no reliability in the mouths of the
wicked/Lawless; their bodies are full of tumult; like Sheol, their throat is
open; their tongues flatter. |
|
11. Hold them guilty,
O God, let them fall by their own counsels; cast them down in the multitude
of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against You. |
11. God has accused them; they will be done away with by
their counsel; for their great sin He overturned them, for they rebelled
against Your command. |
|
12. So will all
those that take refuge in You rejoice, they will ever shout for joy, and You
will shelter them; let them also that love Your name exult in You. |
12. And all who trust in Your Word will rejoice forever;
they will give praise and You will protect them; and those who love Your Name
will rejoice in You. |
|
13. For You do bless
the righteous/generous; O LORD, You do encompass him with favor as with a
shield. |
13. Because You will bless the righteous/generous, O LORD;
as with a shield, You will crown him with good will. |
|
|
|
RASHI’S COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Psalm
Five
1.
ON NEHILOTH.
Menahem [b. Jacob Ibn Saruq] explained that all of the terms nehiloth, alamoth
(Ps. 46:1), gittith (Ps. 8:1; 81:1; 84:1), and Jeduthun (Ps. 39:1; 62:1; 77:1)
are names of musical instruments and that the melody for the psalm was made
appropriate to the music characteristic of the particular instrument named in
the title of the particular psalm. An aggadic midrash on the Book [of Psalms]
interpreted nehiloth as a synonym of nachalah “inheritance,” but
this is not the meaning of the word. Moreover, the subject matter of the psalm
does not refer to inheritance. It is possible to interpret nehiloth as a
synonym of gayasót “military troops” as is suggested by the expression nachil
shel deborim “swarm of bees.” [Thus our psalm could be understood as] a
prayer referring to enemy troops who attack Israel. The poet has composed this
psalm on behalf of all Israel.
2a.
GIVE EAR TO MY SPEECH
when 1 have the strength to ask of You what I need, but when I do not have the
strength to pray to You and anguish is locked in my heart
2b.
UNDERSTAND MY THOUGHT
[i.e.], understand the thought of my heart; so is it interpreted in a midrash.
Throughout the Bible every example of [the verb] bináh has the stress under the
bét [i.e., on the penultimate syllable].
3a.
HEAR MY VOICE ... AT DAYBREAK. AT DAYBREAK I call to You concerning them
because that is the time appointed for the punishment of the wicked/Lawless
just as it is said, “Each morning I will destroy all the wicked/Lawless of the
land” (Ps. 101:8); “Be their arm every morning” (Isa. 33:2); “Each morning it
[disaster] will pass by” (Is. 28:19).
3b.
AT DAYBREAK I PLEAD BEFORE YOU concerning this, AND WAIT for You to punish
them.
5a.
FOR YOU ARE NOT... WHO DESIRES WICKEDNESS/LAWLESSNESS, and it pleases You
to eliminate the wicked/Lawless from the world.
5b.
EVIL CANNOT ABIDE WITH YOU.
It will not abide near You.
6.
holelim “MAD PEOPLE.”
[I.e.], “people who act like imbeciles.”
7.
MURDEROUS, DECEITFUL MEN.
This refers to Esau and his progeny.
8.
BUT I, THROUGH YOUR ABUNDANT LOVE, ENTER YOUR HOUSE to bow down to acknowledge You FOR
YOUR ABUNDANT LOVE that You have worked wonders for us so as to cause us to
experience vindication from them [Esau and his progeny].
9.
MY WATCHFUL FOES.
[I.e.], those who look at me with enmity [oyenai] watching to see if we
[Israel] will rebel against You so that You will abandon us. [The word] shor’rai
“ΜΥ WATCHFUL FOES” comes from the same root as [the verb ashurennu “I
will see him” in Num. 24:17]: “I will see him but not soon.”
10.
FOR THERE IS NO SINCERITY ON THEIR LIPS. They appear to be friends, but
they are enemies. THEIR HEART IS MALICE. Their design is treachery. THEIR
THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE [ready] to swallow the wealth of other persons like
a grave, which swallows the body. THEIR TONGUE MAKES SMOOTH TALK [i.e.],
words of flattery.
11.
BY THEIR OWN DEVICES,
which they devise against Israel, and
l2a.
then ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN YOU WILL REJOICE.
12c.
AS YOU SHELTER THEM
[i.e.], as You put a shield and a canopy over them.
12d.
WILL EXULT IN YOU
when they see that
13a.
YOU BLESS THE RIGHTEOUS MAN
[i.e.], Jacob and his progeny.
13c
LIKE A SHIELD,
which encompasses three sides of a person, ratsόn “FAVOR” [i.e.], nachalat
ruach “satisfaction;”
13b.
ENCOMPASSING HIM
[i.e.], You encircle him. The verb employed here is the same verb as is
employed in “Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men ...” (1 Sam.
23:2).
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 54:9-17 + 55:5
9.
For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters
of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be
angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10.
For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness will
not depart from you, neither will My covenant of peace be removed, says the
LORD that has compassion on you. {S}
11.
O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set your
stones in fair colours, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12.
And I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of carbuncles, and all
your border of precious stones.
13.
And all your children will be taught of the LORD; and great will be the peace
of your children.
14.
In righteousness/generosity will you be established; be you far from
oppression, for you will not fear, and from ruin, for it will not come near you.
15.
Behold, they may gather together, but not by Me; whosoever will gather together
against you will fall because of you.
16.
Behold, I have created the smith that blows the fire of coals, and brings forth
a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17.
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that will
rise against you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the
servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, says the LORD. {S}
1. Ho, every one that thirsts,
come you for water, and he that has no money; come you, buy, and eat; yes,
come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2. Wherefore do you spend money
for that which is not bread? and your gain for that which satisfies not? Hearken
diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness.
3. Incline your ear, and come unto
Me; hear, and your soul will live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with
you, even the sure mercies of David.
4. Behold, I have given him for a
witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples.
5.
Behold, you will call a nation that you know not, and a nation that knew you
not will run unto you; because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of
Israel, for He has glorified you. {S}
Mark (Mordechai) 1: 16-20
16.
And, walking by the Yam Kineret (Sea of Kineret), he saw Shim’on
bar Yonah, and Adam bar Yonah his brother, casting [their nets] into the sea,
[for they were fishermen],
17.
And Yeshuah said to them, ‘Follow after me, and I will make you to become
fishers of men;’
18.
And immediately, having left their nets, they followed him.
19.
And having gone on a little farther, he saw Ya’aqob ben Zabdeyel,
and Yochanan ben Zabdeyel his brother, and they were in a Galil-class BOAT
refitting the nets,
20.
And immediately he called them, and, having left their father
Zabdeyel in the Galil-class BOAT with the hired servants, they went away
after him.
Notes:
Fishing was a vital
industry around the Sea of Kineret at that time. Adon Zabdeyel is presented as
a fisherman who has hired servants to work with him (cf. 1:20). This suggests
that his sons Ya’aqob and Yochanan do not belong to the lower class, but rather
is a business owner which would place him in the middle class.
Since these two sons
of Zabdeyel are places within the same pericope and in close proximity with
Shim’on bar Yonah and his brother Adam bar Yonah we can apply the principle
that by close association what is applicable to one case is also applicable to
the other case – i.e. that the Bar Yonah brothers were also owners of their own
fishing business and therefore of the middle class.
Note that before the
calling of the two groups of brothers to become TALMIDIM (Rabbinic
Disciples/Apprentices), both of these callings are preceded by the verb “he
saw.” This means that the Master “saw” (i.e. prophesied) that these four
men had the qualities and potential to become great Hakhamim.
Again we meet the
Greek word ευθεως
– “EUTHEOUS” translated as “immediately” or “straightaway” at the beginning of
verses 18 and 20 to denote that this is the quintessential characteristic of a
true TALMID (Rabbinic Disciple/Apprentice), and the much the more of a Nazarean
TALMID (Nazarean Rabbinic Disciple/Apprentice)!
Finally, following the
same principle of proximity, since Ya’aqob and Yochanan ben Zabdeyel were in a
Galil-class boat, we can also infer that Shim’on and Adam bar Yonah were also
casting their nets from a Galil-class boat. Thus we have:
a)
the
two pair of brothers were fishermen who owned their own fishing business (or
their fathers owned it),
b)
both
pairs of brothers (or their fathers) had hired servants who could take care of
the business in their absence,
c)
both
pairs of brothers were called whilst they were in a boat (as Noach was in a
boat/ark),
d)
both
pair of brothers are called to follow the Master
e)
both
pair of brothers responded by “immediately” left their business in the care of
their family and hired servants, and followed after the Master.
We must also note here
an echo of the reading of the book of Yonah during the past fast of Yom Kippur.
We can observe here that:
a)
the
father of the first two brothers called was named Yonah;
b)
both
pair of brothers were in a boat pursuing their business, and Yonah was inside a
the belly of a whale for escaping from pursuing G-d’s business;
c)
both
pair of brothers answer “immediately” the call to become
apprentice/Rabbis, but Yonah needed a couple of strong persuasions to engage in
G-d’s calling.
Further, we need to
urgently note, that there is a heresy passed around that a man does not need to
go on training to become a Rabbi (or a woman to become a Torah Counsellor)
since that is a matter of vocation, the person needs to receive a special call
to the ministry. This is nothing but a gross perversion of Scripture (i.e.
nothing but hog wash). When a person received the calling to be a follower of
the Messiah ipso facto he/she also received “immediately” the
call to follow after a qualified Hakham and train to become either a Rabbi or a
Torah Counsellor. There is no “special” ministerial vocation, if one has
accepted King Mashiach as his/her King and Israel as his/her people/nation then
he/she has also received the calling or vocation to become a Rabbi or Torah
Counsellor as we read in another place – “A Rabbinic disciple is not above
his Master, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his
Master” (Luke/Hillel 6:40). We are called to become like Yeshuah, walk like
him, behave like him, obey like him, talk like him, and live like him, but in
order to do this we all are under the sacred covenantal obligation to become “fully
trained” under a Master Hakham, otherwise we are just flirting with the
Master but in reality we are no followers of the Master. Dear reader what then
is your answer to the call of the Master: “Follow after me, and I will make
you to become fishers of men”? May I ask, what are we “saved” for,
to rot inside a boat or the belly of a whale or to become Hakhamim?
MISHLE (Proverbs) 1:29-35
G-d’s Punishment for Not Obeying The
Call Of Wisdom
v.
29 Because they hated knowledge – this being the level of the fools, as
stated above (22) “and fools hate knowledge.” Because of their lust they do not
desire knowledge at all. We have already explained that though the mandates of
wisdom are not subject to empirical proof, they are still knowable through
mussar (intellectual discipline) and fear of the LORD; for through fear of the
LORD the statutes of wisdom will be fixed in one's heart and they will become
as clear to him as something perceived through the senses or by deduction. But
they did not choose fear of the LORD, for, pandering to their lusts, they did
not desire fear of the LORD, which would bring them to knowledge, as it is
written (Ibid. 13:19): “Lust broken is sweet to the soul, but turning away from
it is abomination to the fools.”
v.
30 They did not desire my counsel – They did not wish to accept the dictates
of wisdom, both in respect to rational counsel and in respect to fear of
punishment, for they spurned all of my chastisement as stated above (25)
“You flouted all my counsel and did not desire my chastisement.”
v.
31 And they will eat
– Therefore, they will be punished both for the fruits of their ways, that is,
the deeds resulting from their corrupt ways, and for their counsel in denying
the articles of wisdom and faith. In respect to the latter it is written “and
they will be sated by their counsels,” satiety being more than eating. Since
their evil deeds were prompted by counsel, their punishment will be more
severe.
v. 32 For the unruliness of the
simple will kill them
– The simple do not know the dictates of wisdom, and, in this respect, their
intellect may be regarded as characterized by unruliness, which will kill them.
The fools, on the other hand, know the dictates of wisdom and are not unruly in
their intellects, but they depart from the path of wisdom because of their
lusts and because they desire tranquillity and the pleasures of the world.
Therefore, “the tranquillity of the fools will cause them to go lost.”
This [pursuit of] tranquillity will cause them to go lost both in this world
and in the next. Going lost is more than being killed, the latter being limited
to this world alone. For the simple sin inadvertently and have a share in the
world to come, unlike the fools, who sin wilfully.
v. 33 But the one who heeds me
will dwell secure –
secure in his heart by virtue of his wisdom, and at ease from fear of evil,
wisdom guarding him against all outside fears, no evil befalling him.
Questions
for Reflection:
1.
What
are the 31 questions raised by Rashi on the Seder for this week?
2.
What
question are addressed in Mark (Mordechai) 1:16-20
3.
How
is the Torah Seder related to:
(a)
The
Psalm for this week?
(b)
The
Ashlamatah for this week?
(c)
Mark
(Mordechai) 1:16-20?
(d)
Proverbs
1:29-35?
4.
After
taking into consideration all the above texts and our Torah Seder, what would
you say is the general message from the Scriptures for this coming week?
5.
We
learned in a previous reading of Mark (Mordechai) that Yeshua went to be tested
for forty days in the wilderness, we will also read later in the Torah that the
Israelites were tested for forty years in the wilderness, and here in Genesis
Chapter 7 we have the first mention of “forty” in the Bible. How are these
forty’s related to each other?
Shabbat
Shalom!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai