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Esnoga Bet Emunah 1101 Surrey Trace SE, Tumwater, WA 98501 United
States of America © 2012 E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com |
|
Esnoga Bet El 102
Broken Arrow Dr. Paris
TN 38242 United
States of America © 2012 E-Mail: waltoakley@charter.net |
Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) /
Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and
1/2 year Lectionary Readings |
Fourth Year of the Reading
Cycle |
|
Iyar 13, 5772 – May 04/05, 2012 |
Fourth Year of the Shmita
Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:
|
Conroe &
Austin, TX, U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 7:53 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 8:50 PM |
Brisbane,
Australia Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 4:56 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 5:49 PM |
Bucharest,
Romania Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 8:05 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 9:14 PM |
|
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 8:11 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 9:11 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 5:28 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 6:18 PM |
Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 5:56 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 6:47 PM |
|
Miami,
FL, U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 7:36 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 8:31 PM |
Olympia,
WA, U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 8:09 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 9:20 PM |
Murray,
KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 7:28 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 8:30 PM |
|
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 7:40 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 8:47 PM |
Singapore,
Singapore Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 6:48 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 7:38 PM |
St.
Louis, MO, U.S. Fri.
May 04 2012 – Candles at 7:38 PM Sat.
May 05 2012 – Habdalah 8:40 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 Batsheva bat Sarah
His Honor
Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His Honor
Paqid Adon David ben Abraham
Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family
His Excellency
Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family
His Excellency
Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife
His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
His
Excellency Dr. Adon Yeshayahu ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia
Foster
His
Excellency Adon Yisrael ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat
Sarah
His
Excellency Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Vardit bat
Sarah
Her
Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor
His Honor
Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat
Sarah
Her
Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved family
Her
Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved family
His
Excellency Adon Albert Carlsson and beloved wife Giberet Lorraine Carlsson
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing
the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their
lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah
Scholars, amen ve amen!
Also a
great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list
about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that
you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to
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Sabbath: “Tol’dot Adam – The
generations of Adam”
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
תּוֹלְדֹת
אָדָם |
|
|
|
“Tol’dot Adam” |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 5:1-5 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 6:9-11 |
|
“The generations of Adam” |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 5:6-11 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 6:10-12 |
|
“Las generaciones de Adam” |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 5:12-17 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 6:9-12 |
|
B’resheet (Gen.) Gen. 5:1 –
6:8 |
Reader 4 – B’resheet 5:18-24 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Is. 29:18-24; 30:15 |
Reader 5 – B’resheet 5:25-31 |
|
|
|
Reader 6 – B’resheet 5:32 –
6:4 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 6:9-11 |
|
Psalms 4:1-9 |
Reader 7 – B’resheet 6:5-8 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 6:10-12 |
|
|
Maftir – B’resheet 6:5-8 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 6:9-12 |
|
N.C.: Mark 1:9-11 Luke 3:21-38 & Acts
1:15-26 |
Is. 29:18-24; 30:15 |
|
Blessing Before Torah Study
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who
has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study
Torah. Amen!
Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, sweeten the words of Your Torah in
our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our
offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people,
the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah
for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches
Torah to His people Israel. Amen!
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who
chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem,
Giver of the Torah. Amen!
Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment.
"Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following Commandment:
This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:
May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be
kind to you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and grant you peace. –
Amen!
This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites,
and I will bless them."
These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate
specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the
field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy
Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple
three times a year; how much one must do when doing acts of kindness; and there
is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.
These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy
even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They
are: Honoring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance
at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to
guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride;
escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two
people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all
of them together. Amen!
Contents of the Torah Seder
·
Descendants of Seth – Genesis 5:1-32
·
The Growing Corruption of Mankind – Genesis 6:1-8
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’resheet 5:1 – 6:8
|
Rashi’s Translation |
Targum Pseudo Jonathan |
|
1. This is the narrative of the
generations of man; on the day that God created man, in the likeness of God
He created him. |
1. This is
the book of the genealogy of Man. In the day that the Lord created man, in
the likeness of the Lord He made him. |
|
2. Male and female He created them, and He blessed them, and He named them
man (Adam) on the day they were created. |
2. Male and
female He created them, and blessed them in the name of His Word; and He
called their name Man in the day they were created. |
|
3. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and he begot in his likeness
after his image, and he named him Seth. |
3. And Adam
lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat Sheth, who had the likeness of his image and
of his similitude: for before had Hava born Kain, who was not like to him;
and Habel was killed by his hand. And Kain was cast out; neither is his seed
genealogized in the book of the genealogy of Adam. But afterwards there was
born one like him, and he called his name Sheth. |
|
4. And the days of Adam after he begot Seth were eight hundred years, and he
begot sons and daughters. |
4. And the
days of Adam after he begat Sheth were eight hundred years, and he begat sons
and daughters. JERUSALEM: Eight
hundred years; and in those years he begat sons and daughters. |
|
5. And all the days of Adam that he lived were nine hundred and thirty
years, and he died. |
5. - - - JERUSALEM: And
he died, and was gathered from the midst of the world. |
|
6. And Seth lived one hundred and five years, and he begot Enosh. |
6. - - - |
|
7. And Seth lived after he had begotten Enosh eight hundred and seven years,
and he begot sons and daughters. |
7. - - - |
|
8. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. |
8. And all
the days of Sheth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. |
|
9. And Enosh lived ninety years, and he begot Kenan. |
9. And Enosh
lived ninety years, and begat Kenan. |
|
10. And Enosh lived after he had begotten Kenan eight hundred and fifteen
years, and he begot sons and daughters. |
10. And Enosh
lived after he had begotten Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat
sons and daughters. |
|
11. And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died. |
11. And all
the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died. |
|
12. And Kenan lived seventy years, and he begot Mahalalel. |
12. And Kenan
lived seventy years and begat Mahalalel. |
|
13. And Kenan lived after he had begotten Mahalalel eight hundred and forty
years, and he begot sons and daughters. |
13. And Kenan
lived after he had begotten Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and
begat sons and daughters. |
|
14. And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died. |
14. And all
the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died. |
|
15. And Mahalalel lived sixty five years, and he begot Jared. |
15. And
Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begat Jared. |
|
16. And Mahalalel lived after he had begotten Jared eight hundred and thirty
years, and he begot sons and daughters. |
16. And
Mahalalel lived after he had begotten Jared eight hundred and thirty years,
and begat sons and daughters. |
|
17. And all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety five years,
and he died. |
17. And all
the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died. |
|
18. And Jared lived a hundred and sixty two years, and he begot Enoch. |
18. And Jared
lived a hundred and sixty-two years, and begat Hanok. |
|
19. And Jared lived after he had begotten Enoch eight hundred years, and he
begot sons and daughters. |
19. And Jared
lived after he had begotten Hanok eight hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters. |
|
20. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty two years, and he
died. |
20. And all
the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. |
|
21. And Enoch lived sixty five years, and he begot Methuselah. |
21. And Hanok
lived sixty-five years, and begat Methushelach. |
|
22. And Enoch walked with God after
he had begotten Methuselah, three hundred years, and he begot sons and
daughters. |
22. And Hanok
worshipped in truth before the LORD after he had begotten Methushelach three
hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. |
|
23. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years. |
23. And all
the days of Hanok with the sojourners of the earth were three hundred and
sixty-five years. |
|
24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer, for God had taken him. |
24. And Hanok
served in the truth before the LORD; and, behold, he was not with the
sojourners of the earth; for he was withdrawn, and he ascended to the firmament
by the Word before the LORD, and his name was called Metatron the Great
Saphra. JERUSALEM: And
Hanok served in the truth before the LORD; and, behold, he was not; for he
was withdrawn by the Word from before the LORD. |
|
25. And Methuselah lived a hundred and eighty seven years, and he begot |
25. And
Methushelach lived a hundred and eighty-seven years, and begat Lemek. |
|
26. And Methuselah lived after he had begotten Lamech, seven hundred and
eighty two years, and he begot sons and daughters. |
26. And
Methushelach lived after he had begotten Lemek seven hundred and eighty-two
years, and begat sons and daughters. |
|
27. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty nine years,
and he died. |
27. And all
the days of Methushelach were nine hundred and two and sixty and nine years;
and he died. |
|
28. And Lamech lived a hundred and eighty two years, and he begot a son. |
28. And Lemek
lived a hundred and eighty-two years, and begat a son; |
|
29. And he named him Noah, saying, "This one will give us rest from our
work and from the toil of our hands from the ground, which the Lord has
cursed." |
29. and he
called his name Noah, (Consolation,) saying, This shall console us for our
works that are not prosperous, and for the labour of our hands with the earth
which the Lord hath cursed on account of the guilt of the sons of men. |
|
30. And Lamech lived after he had begotten Noah, five hundred and ninety five
years, and he begot sons and daughters. |
30. And Lemek
lived after he had begotten Noah five hundred and ninety and five years, and
begat sons and daughters. |
|
31. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy seven years,
and he died. |
31. And all
the days of Lemek were seven hundred and seventy and seven years; and he
died. |
|
32. And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and
Japheth. |
32. And Noah
was the son of five hundred years, and Noah begat Shem, Cham, and Japhet. |
|
|
|
|
1. And it came to pass when man
commenced to multiply upon the face of the earth, and daughters were born to
them. |
1. And it was
when the sons of men began to multiply upon the face of the earth, and fair
daughters were born to them; |
|
2. That the sons of the nobles saw the daughters of man when they were
beautifying themselves, and they took for themselves wives from whomever they
chose. |
2. and the
sons of the great saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and painted,
and curled, walking with revelation of the flesh, and with imaginations of
wickedness; that they took them wives of all who pleased them. |
|
3. And the Lord said, "Let My spirit not quarrel forever concerning
man, because he is also flesh, and his days shall be a hundred and twenty
years." |
3. And the
LORD said by His Word, All the generations of the wicked which are to arise
will not be purged after the order of the judgments of the generation of the
deluge, which will be destroyed and exterminated from the midst of the world.
Have I not imparted
My Holy Spirit to them, (or, placed My Holy Spirit in them,) that they may
work good works? And, behold, their works are wicked. Behold, I
will give them a prolongment of a hundred and twenty years, that they may
work repentance, and not perish. JERUSALEM:
And the Word of the LORD said, The generations which are to arise will not be
judged after (the manner of) the generation of the deluge, (which is) to be
destroyed, and exterminated, and finally blotted out. Have I not imparted My Spirit
to the sons of men, because they are flesh, that they may work good works?
But they do works of evil. Behold, I have given them a prolongment of a
hundred and twenty years, that they may work repentance; but they have not
done it. |
|
4. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when
the sons of the nobles would come to the daughters of man, and they would
bear for them; they are the mighty men, who were of old, the men of renown. |
4. Schamchazai
and Uzziel, who fell from heaven, were on the earth in those days; and also,
after the sons of the Great had gone in with the daughters of men, they bare
to them: and these are they who are called men who are of the world, men of
names. |
|
5. And the Lord saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every
imagination of his heart was only evil all the time. |
5. And the
LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and all the
imagery of the thought of his heart was only evil every day. |
|
6. And the Lord regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became
grieved in His heart. |
6. And it
repented the LORD in His Word that He had made man upon the earth; and He
passed judgment upon them by His Word. JERUSALEM: And
there was repentance before the LORD in His Word that He had made man upon
the earth. |
|
7. And the Lord said, "I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon
the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of
the heavens, for I regret that I made them." |
7. And the
LORD said, I will abolish by My Word man, whom I have created upon the face
of the earth, from man to cattle, to the reptile, and to the fowl of the
heavens; because I have repented in My Word that I have made them. JERUSALEM: And
He said, and judged in His heart. |
|
8. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. |
8. But Noah,
who was righteous/generous, found favour before the LORD. JERUSALEM: But
Noah, because he was righteous/ generous in his generation, found favour and
mercy before the LORD. |
|
|
|
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 question/s is/are raised and an answer/a is/are 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.
Reading Assignment:
The Torah Anthology:
Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol 1: Genesis
By: Rabbi Yaaqov Culi,
Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Published by: Moznaim Publishing
Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol. 1 – “Genesis,”
pp. 305-334.
Rashi’s
Commentary for: B’resheet
(Genesis) 5:1 – 6:8
1 This is the narrative of the generations of man Heb. סֵפֶר . This is the narrative of the generations
of man, and there are many Aggadic midrashim.
on the day that God created, etc. This tells us that on the day that he was created,
he begot children.-[from Gen. Rabbah 24:7]
3 one hundred and thirty years Until then, he had separated from his
wife.-[Tanchuma Buber, Bereishith 26].
24 And Enoch walked He was a righteous/generous man, but he could
easily be swayed to return to do evil. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He,
hastened and took him away and caused him to die before his time. For this
reason, Scripture changed [the wording] in [the account of] his demise and
wrote, “and he was no longer” in the world to complete his years.-[from Gen.
Rabbah 25:1]
for God had taken him Before his time, like (Ezek. 24:16): “behold I am
taking from you the desire of your eyes.”-[from Gen. Rabbah 25: 1]
28 and he begot a son Heb. בֵּן , from whom the world was built (נִבְנָה) . -[from Tanchuma Bereishith 11]
29 This one will give us rest Heb. יְנַחֲמֵנוּ He will give us rest (יָנַח
מִמֶנוּ) from the toil of our hands. Before Noah came, they did not
have plowshares, and he prepared [these tools] for them. And the land was
producing thorns and thistles when they sowed wheat, because of the curse of
the first man (Adam), but in Noah’s time, it [the curse] subsided. This is the
meaning of יְנַחֲמֵנוּ . If you do not explain it that way,
however (but from the root (נחם) , the sense of the word does not fit the
name, [ נֽחַ ], and you would have to name him Menachem.-[See Gen. Rabbah
25:2] [i.e., If we explain the word according to its apparent meaning, “this
one will console us,” the child should have been called Menachem, the
consoler.]
32 five hundred years old Said Rabbi Judan: What is the reason that all the
generations begot children at [the age of approximately] one hundred years and
this one [Noah, had children] at [the age of] five hundred years? Said the Holy
One, blessed be He, “If they [his children] are wicked, they will perish in the
[flood] water, and it will be bad for this righteous/generous man, and if they
are righteous/generous, I will have to burden him with making many arks.” He
closed his fountain, and he did not beget [children] until the age of five
hundred years, so that Japheth, his eldest son, should not be liable for
punishment before the Flood, as it is written (Isa. 65:20): “For the youth who
is one hundred years old shall die.” [This means: at the age when he] will be
liable for punishment in the future, and so it was before the giving of the
Torah.-[from Gen. Rabbah 26:2]
Shem, Ham, and Japheth Now was not Japheth the eldest? [i.e., Why is he
mentioned last?] But first you talk about the one who was righteous/generous,
born circumcised, and from whom Abraham was descended, etc.-[from Gen. Rabbah
26:3]
Chapter 6
2 the sons of the nobles Heb. בְָּנֵי הָאֱלֽהִים , the sons of the princes (Targumim) and
the judges (Gen. Rabbah 26:5). Another explanation: בָּנֵי
הָאֱלֽהִים are the princes who go as messengers of
the Omnipresent. They too mingled with them (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 22). Every אֱלֽהִים in Scripture is an expression of authority,
and the following proves it (Exod. 4:16): “And you shall be to him as a lord (לֵאלֹהִים) ”; (ibid. 7:1): “See, I have made you a
lord ( אֶלֹהִים ).”
when they were beautifying themselves Heb., טֽבֽת . Said Rabbi Judan: It is written טבת
[i.e., instead of טובות . Thus it can be טָבַת , meaning to beautify.] When they would
beautify her, adorned to enter the nuptial canopy, a noble would enter and have
relations with her first (Gen. Rabbah 26:5).
from whomever they chose Even a married woman, even males and animals (Gen.
Rabbah ad loc.).
3 Let My spirit not quarrel forever Let My spirit not complain and quarrel because of
man.
forever for a long time. Behold My spirit is quarreling within Me whether to
destroy or to have mercy. Let this quarrel in My spirit not endure forever,
i.e., for a long time.
because he is also flesh Heb. בְּשַׁגּם , like בְָּשֶׁגַם i.e., because this is also in him that he
is [only] flesh, and nevertheless, he does not subordinate himself before Me.
What if he were fire or a hard substance? [i.e., How much greater would his
insubordination be!] Similar to this, (Jud. 5:7): “Until I Deborah arose ( שַׁקַמְתִּי )”, as if it were written שֶׁקַמְתִּי and similarly, (ibid. 6:17): “that You (שָׁאַתָּה) are speaking with me,” as if it were
written שֶׁאַתָּה so too בְּשַׁגָָּם is like בְּשֶׁגַָּם
and his days shall be Until a hundred and twenty years I will delay My
wrath towards them, but if they do not repent, I will bring a flood upon them.
Now if you ask: from the time that Japheth was born until the Flood are only a
hundred years, [I will answer that] there is no [sequence of] earlier and later
events in the Torah. This decree had already been issued twenty years before
Noah begot children, and so we find in Seder Olam (ch. 28). There are many
Aggadic midrashim on the words לֹא
יָדוֹן , but this is its clear, simple explanation.
4 The Nephilim [They
were called נְפִילִים because they fell (נָפְלוּ) and caused the world to fall (הִפִּילוּ) (Gen. Rabbah 26:7), and in the Hebrew
language it means giants (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch.22). and Targum Jonathan.
in those days in
the days of the generation of Enosh and the children of Cain.
and also afterward Although they had seen the destruction of the
generation of Enosh, when the ocean rose up and inundated a third of the world,
the generation of the Flood did not humble themselves to learn from them.-[from
Mechilta Yithro, Massechta Bachodesh 6; Sifrei Ekev §43]
when...would come They
[the mothers] would bear giants like them [the fathers].-[from Gen. Rabbah
26:7]
mighty men to rebel against the
Omnipresent.-[Yelammednu, Batei Midrashoth, p. 148]
the men of renown Heb. אַנְשֵׁי
הַשֵׁם Those who were called by name: Irad, Mechuiael, Methushael, who
were so named because of their destruction, for they were wiped out ( מְחוּיָאֵל from נִמוֹחוּ ) and uprooted ( מְתוּשָׁאֵל from הוּתָּשׁוּ ). Another explanation: men of desolation
(שִׁמָמוֹן) , who made the world desolate.-[from Gen.
Rabbah 26:7]
6 And the Lord regretted that He had made Heb. וַיִנָּחֶם . It was a consolation to Him that He had
created him [man] of the earthly beings, for had he been one of the heavenly
beings, he would have caused them to rebel. [This appears in Genesis Rabbah
(27:40).
and He became grieved [I.e.,] man [became grieved] in His heart-[the
heart] of the Omnipresent. It entered the thought of God to cause him [man]
grief. This is the translation of Onkelos [i.e., Onkeles supports the view that
וַיִתְעַצֵב refers to man]. Another explanation of וַיִנָחֶם : The thought of the Omnipresent turned
from the standard of clemency to the standard of justice. It entered His
thoughts to reconsider what to do with man, whom He had made upon the earth.
And similarly, every expression of נִחוּם in Scripture is an expression of
reconsidering what to do. [For example] (Num. 23:19): “Nor the son of man that
He should change His mind (וַיִתְנֶחָם) ”; (Deut. 32:36): “And concerning His
servants He will change His mind (יִתְנֶחָם) ”; (Exod. 32:14): “And the Lord changed
His intent concerning the evil (וַיִנָחֶם) ”; (I Sam. 15:11): “I regret (נִחַמְתִּי) that I made [Saul] king.” These are all
an expression of having second thoughts.
and He became grieved Heb. וַיִתְעַצֵב He mourned over the destruction of His
handiwork, [i.e., according to this second view, וַיִתְעַצֵב refers to God], like (II Sam. 19:3): “The
king is saddened (נֶעֶצַב) over his son.” This I wrote to refute the
heretics: A gentile asked Rabbi Joshua ben Korchah, “Do you not admit that the
Holy One, blessed be He, foresees the future?” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied to
him, “Yes.” He retorted, “But it is written: and He became grieved in His
heart!” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied, “Was a son ever born to you?” “Yes,” he [the
gentile] replied. “And what did you do?” he [Rabbi Joshua] asked. He replied,
“I rejoiced and made everyone rejoice.” “But did you not know that he was
destined to die?” he asked. He [the gentile] replied, “At the time of joy, joy;
at the time of mourning, mourning.” He [Rabbi Joshua] said to him, “So is it
with the work of the Holy One, blessed be He; even though it was revealed
before Him that they would ultimately sin, and He would destroy them, He did
not refrain from creating them, for the sake of the righteous men who were
destined to arise from them.”-[from Gen. Rabbah 27:4]
7 And the Lord said, “I will blot out man He is dust, and I will bring water upon him, and I
will blot him out. Therefore, the expression מִחוּי is used.-[from Tan. Buber, Noah 4]
from man to cattle They too corrupted their way (Gen. Rabbah 28:8).
Another explanation: Everything was created for man’s sake, and since he will
be annihilated, what need is there for these [the animals]? (Sanh. 108a).
for I regret that I made them I am thinking what to do about having made them.
Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis
Thirteen
rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the
elucidation of the Torah and for making halakic deductions from it. They are,
strictly speaking, mere amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and
are collected in the Baraita of R. Ishmael,
forming the introduction to the Sifra and reading a follows:
- Ḳal wa-ḥomer:
Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
- Gezerah shawah:
Identical with the second rule of Hillel.
- Binyan ab: Rules
deduced from a single passage of Scripture and rules deduced from two
passages. This rule is a combination of the third and fourth rules of
Hillel.
- Kelal u-Peraṭ:
The general and the particular.
- u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The
particular and the general.
- Kelal u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The
general, the particular, and the general.
- The general which
requires elucidation by the particular, and the particular which requires
elucidation by the general.
- The particular implied
in the general and excepted from it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the
general as well as the particular.
- The particular implied in the general
and excepted from it on account of the special regulation which
corresponds in concept to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather
than to increase the rigidity of its application.
- The particular implied in the general and
excepted from it on account of some other special regulation which does
not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated either to
decrease or to increase the rigidity of its application.
- The particular implied in the general and
excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision can be referred
to the general only in case the passage under consideration makes an
explicit reference to it.
- Deduction from the context.
- When two Biblical passages contradict each
other the contradiction in question must be
solved by reference to a third passage.
Rules
seven to eleven are formed by a subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule
twelve corresponds to the seventh rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain
particulars; rule thirteen does not occur in Hillel, while, on the other hand,
the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and
their application in general. These rules are found also on the morning prayers
of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.
Ramban’s
Commentary for: B’resheet
(Genesis) 5:1 – 6:8
5:1. THIS IS THE BOOK OF THE GENERATIONS OF
ADAM.
These
are the children He will mention in the chapter.[1] In my opinion, this
alludes to the entire Torah, for the entire Torah is the book of the generations
of Adam. Therefore, He says here "book" and does not say, "And
these are the generations of Adam," as He says in other places, e.g.
And these are the generations of Ishmael;[2] And these are the
generations of Isaac,[3] and so in all such cases.
IN
THE DAY G-D CREATED MAN. This is connected with what follows it: [in the likeness of G-d
He made him]. He begins with Adam himself,
mentioning that he was created from nothing, and therefore Scripture says: in
the day G-d created - out of nothing - that man mentioned,
in the likeness of G-d He made him. Scripture thus explains that man was
the work of G-d and in the likeness of G-d, and further mentions
that just as He created him out of nothing, so He created his wife.
2.
AND HE BLESSED THEM. This means that He gave them the power of procreation, to be
blessed forever with very many sons and daughters.
The intent is to state that begetting offspring comes as a blessing of G-d, for
Adam and Eve were not born but were created from nothing
and they were blessed to do so [to beget offspring].
AND
HE CALLED THEIR NAME ADAM. Since the name Adam (man) is a generic name for the whole human
species, Scripture mentions that G-d called the first pair by that name because all generations
were potentially in him. It is with reference to them that Scripture says, This
is the book of the generations of Adam.[4]
Rabbenu
Sherira Gaon[5]
wrote[6] that the Sages transmitted
to one another [the principles of knowledge concerning] "the recognition
of faces" and the arrangements of the lines in the face. Some of
these principles are stated in the order of the words of the verse, This is
the book of the generations of Adam,[7] and some in the order of
the following verse, Male and female He created them.[8] But the secrets and mysteries
of the Torah are transmitted only to those in whom we see signs indicating that
he is worthy of it. These are the words of the Gaon, but
we have not merited to understand them.
3.
AND HE BEGOT A SON IN HIS OWN LIKENESS, AFTER HIS OWN IMAGE. It
is known that all who are born from the living are in the likeness and
in the image of those who give birth to them, [so why was this verse necessary?]
However, because Adam was elevated in his likeness and
image in that Scripture said of him, In the likeness of G-d He made him,[9] Scripture explains that
his offspring were also in this ennobled likeness.
Scripture did not state this concerning Cain and Abel for it did not want to
prolong the discussion of them. It explains it, however, in the
case of Seth because the world was founded from him, [Noah being his direct descendant].
Or it may be that because Adam was created with
absolutely perfect form, Scripture relates concerning Seth that he was like him
[Adam] in strength and beauty.
4.
AND THE DAYS OF ADAM AFTER HE BEGOT SETH WERE EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS.
Because of the long lives of these first men, Scripture
states their ages before they begot children and also afterwards, and then sums
them all up in the end until the generations which followed
the flood.
The
reason for their longevity is that the first man, the handiwork of the Holy
One, blessed be He, was made in absolute perfection as regards beauty,
strength, and height. Even after it was decreed upon him that he be mortal, it
was in his nature to live a long time. But when the flood came
upon the earth, the atmosphere became tainted, and as a result their days kept
on decreasing. Until the flood, their days were about the length
of Adam's; some even lived longer than Adam.[10] And Shem [Noah's son],
who was born before the flood, lived six hundred years;[11] he
benefitted from his innate strength, but the tainted air after the flood caused
him harm, [hence he died at a younger age than that attained by
the preceding generations]. The days of his sons who were born after the flood
were still more shortened until they came down to four hundred
years.[12] You can see that this
degree of longevity remained with them until the
generation of the Dispersion, when the change of climates caused by the
Dispersion affected them, and their days were again shortened.
Thus you find that the life of Peleg, in whose days the earth was divided,[13] came down to half their
days, i.e., two hundred years.[14]
It
would appear that in the generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, people lived
seventy and eighty years, just as Moses, our teacher, mentioned
in his prayer.[15]
But as for the righteous/generous ones in their generations, The fear of the
Eternal prolongs days[16] for them. For Pharaoh
wondered about Jacob's old age, and Jacob in turn spoke to him about the long
days of his fathers, even as he said, And they have not
attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of
their sojournings.[17]
Now
what the Rabbi[18]
has written in the Moreh Nebuchim[19] does not seem right to
me, namely, that the longevity was only in those individuals
mentioned, while the rest of the people in those generations lived lives of
ordinary natural length. He further said that this exception was
due to the mode of living and food of such people or by way of a miracle. But
these are words without substance. Why should this miracle have
happened to them since they were neither prophets nor righteous/generous, nor
worthy that a miracle be done for them, especially for generation after
generation. And how could a proper mode of living and proper food prolong their
years to the extent that they are so many times greater than
that of the entire generation? It is possible that there were also others who
observed such a mode of living, in which case all or most of them
should have attained similar longevity. And how did it happen that enough of
the wisdom concerning this good mode of living did not come
down to just one of all the sons of Noah after the flood [to enable him to match
the longevity of his ancestors], for there was among them
a little wisdom of their ancestors even though it steadily decreased from
generation to generation?
MULTIPLY
ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. When Scripture mentioned Noah and his sons and wanted to begin the
account of the flood, it said that as soon as men began to multiply they began to sin,
and they continued their sinful ways for many years until Noah was four hundred
and eighty years[20]
of age. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed against them that "His
spirit will not abide in them forever ...[21] but that He will prolong
their years until their measure of sin is full, for such is the way of G-d's
judgment.
2. B’NE
HA'ELOHIM. The sons of princes and rulers. This is the language of Rashi, and
so it is in Beresheet Rabbah.[22] If so, Scripture relates
that the judges whose duty it was to administer justice among them committed
open violence without anyone interfering.
'KI'
(WHEN) THEY WERE FAIR. [The meaning of the word KI here] is the same as in the verses: 'Ki'
(when) you see the ass of him that hates
you;[23] 'ki'
(when) a bird's nest chance to be before you.[24] When the daughters of men
were fair, they would take them forcibly as
wives for themselves. Thus Scripture tells of the violence and mentions
further, whomsoever they chose, in order to include those who were married
to others. Scripture, however, did not mention the prohibition concerning them
clearly, and the punishment decreed upon them was only
because of the violence,[25] because this is a
reasoned concept and does not require the Torah to prohibit it.
3.
'BESHAGAM' (FOR THAT ALSO) HE IS FLESH. It is as if beshagam
were written beshegam with a segol under the shin. And Rashi explained:
"This quality is also in him, that he is only flesh, and yet he is not
humble before Me. What would he do if he were made of fire or some
hard substance." This explanation has neither rhyme nor reason.
Rabbi
Abraham ibn Ezra explained that G-d said, "My spirit will not abide in man
forever because of this violence and also because man is flesh,
and when he reaches a certain age he disintegrates." Ibn Ezra thus
understands the verse as if it said, gam beshehu basar (also because he
is flesh). But what need is there for stating this contention when it is known
that they were but flesh.[26] and death had been
decreed on them, as it says, For dust you are, and unto dust will you
return?[27]
The
correct interpretation appears to me to be that G-d said: "My spirit will
not abide in man forever because man also is flesh as all flesh that creeps
upon the earth in the forms of fowl and cattle and beast, and it is not fitting
that the spirit of G-d be within him." The purport is to state that
G-d made man upright[28] to be like the
ministering angels by virtue of the soul He gave him. But he was drawn after
the flesh and corporeal desires; he is like the beasts that perish,[29] and therefore the spirit
of G-d will no longer be sheathed in him for he is corporeal and not
godly. However, He will prolong for them [this withdrawal of spirit] if they
repent. The sense of this verse is thus similar to [the verse in Psalm
49]: So He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and
comes not again.
4.
THE NEPHILIM. Rashi comments: "[They were called nephilim because]
they fell (naphlu) and caused the downfall (hipilu) of the
world." This is found in Beresheet Rabbah.[30] The masters of language[31] say that they [the
Nephilim [were so called because the heart of man fell from
fear of them. The same applies to the word ha'eimim.[32]
IN
THOSE DAYS. Rashi comments: "in the days of the generation of Enosh. AND
ALSO AFTER THAT. Although they witnessed the destruction
of the generation of Enosh when the ocean rose
and flooded a third of the world, still they did not humble themselves and take
a lesson from them."
Rabbi
Abraham ibn Ezra explained: "also after the flood, since the sons of Anak[33] were of the family of B’ne
Ha'Elohim." If so, we must say that
either the wives of Noah's sons were of their [the Nephilim 's] descendants and
resembled them or that ibn Ezra will accept the statement of
the Rabbi[34]
who advanced the interpretation that Og[35] escaped from the flood,
to which Rabbi Abraham will add that others too escaped
with him [since the verse states: "The 'Nephilim' - (in the
plural) - were in the earth ... and also after that", which Ibn
Ezra interprets as meaning after the flood].
The
correct interpretation appears to me to be that Adam and his wife are called B’ne
Ha'Elohim because they were G-d's handiwork and He was
their father; they had no father besides Him. And he [Adam] begot many
children, as it is written, And he begot sons and daughters.[36] Now
these men, first to be born of a father and mother, were of great perfection in
height and strength because they were born in the likeness of
their father, as it is written concerning Seth, And he [Adam} begot a son in
his own likeness, after his image.[37]
And it is possible that all the children of the first generations - Adam, Seth, Enosh - were
called B’ne Ha'Elohim because these three men were in the likeness of
G-d. But then the worship of idols commenced, and there came upon men a
weakness and slackness.
And
so they said in Beresheet Rabba:[38] "This is the book
of the generations of Adam.[39] Are not the first ones Tol’dot
(offspring)! But what are they? [They are in the image and likeness of] G-d. They raised
a question before Aba Kohen Bardela: 'Adam, Seth, Enosh?' At first, he was silent,
but then he said to them: 'Up to here [Seth) they were in the image and
likeness of G-d; after that, Kenan, vexers.'”[40]
Now
when men began to multiply and daughters were born to them, the men of these
first generations were in their strength, and because of their
great desire they would choose the beautiful women of tall stature and good
health. Now first Scripture tells that by force they took them unto
themselves as wives, and afterwards it tells that they came in a promiscuous
manner to the daughters of men who were not of that high degree,
and the matter was not known until they begot children for them, and everyone
recognized that they were not the offspring of other people
but that they had been born to these B’ne Ha'Elohim because these
children were very tall. They were, however, inferior to their fathers in
height and strength, [This is the meaning of the name Nephilim -
inferior ones], just as the word Nephilim is used in the expression: I
am not 'nophel' (inferior) to you.[41] Still they were mighty
men in comparison with the rest of the people. And Scripture tells that this
happened in the first generation to those who were called B’ne Ha'Elohim
because they were of absolute perfection, and it is they who caused the
daughters of men to beget Nephilim (inferior ones); and also after that,
for the Nephilim themselves begot Nephilim from them.
The
meaning of the expression, that were of old, is that after the flood,
the men, upon seeing the mighty, would remember these Nephilim and say:
"There have already been mightier men than these in the ages which were
before us." They were the men of renown in all generations afterward.
This is a fitting explanation of this chapter. But the Midrash of Rabbi Eliezer
the Great,[42]
in the chapters concerning the angels that fell from
their place of holiness in heaven - as is mentioned in the Gemara of Tractate Y
oma[43] - fits into the language
of the verse more than all other interpretations. But it would necessitate delving at
length into the secret of this subject.
6.
AND THE ETERNAL REPENTED ... AND IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART. The
Torah speaks in the language of men. The purport is that
they rebelled, and grieved His holy spirit[44] with their sins. The
sense of the expression at His heart is that He did not tell
this to a prophet, a messenger of G-d. This expression is also found with
respect to thinking, just as: to speak to my heart,[45] and other similar
expressions.
In
Beresheet Rabba[46]
there is a significant matter concerning this, expressed by a parable which the
Rabbis bring of an agent and an architect.[47] This constitutes a great
secret which is not permitted to be written down. The one who knows it will
understand why here the Tetragrammaton is written while in the whole of the rest of the
chapter and the account of the flood, the name Elohim is used.
8.
BUT NOAH FOUND GRACE IN THE EYES OF THE ETERNAL. The meaning
thereof is that all his deeds were pleasing and sweet before
Him. Similarly: For you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.[48] This is like the verses: And
He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison;[49] And Esther obtained
favor in the sight of all of them that looked upon her.[50] Scripture mentions
this in contrast to what it said concerning his [Noah's] generation, namely,
that all their deeds brought grief before Him, blessed be
He. But of Noah it says that he found grace in His eyes, and afterwards it
tells[51] why he was pleasing
before G-d: because he was a perfectly righteous/generous man.
Ketubim: Psalms 4:1-9
|
Rashi’s Translation |
Targum |
|
1. To the conductor with melodies,
a song of David. |
1. For praise, with melodies. A hymn of
David. |
|
2. When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness; in my distress You
have relieved me, be gracious to me and hearken to my prayer. |
2. At the time
of my prayer, accept it from me, O God of my righteousness/generosity; at the
time of distress, You relieved me; pity me and accept my prayer. |
|
3. Sons of man, how long will my honor be disgraced? [How long] will you
love futility? [How long] will you constantly seek lies? |
3. O sons of
men, why is my glory for humiliation? You will love vanity; you will seek
falsehood forever. |
|
4. You shall know that the Lord has set apart the pious man for Himself; the
Lord shall hear when I call out to Him. |
4. And they
will know, for the LORD has separated the righteous/generous man for Himself;
the LORD will accept the prayer of David when He calls to him. |
|
5. Quake and do not sin; say [this] in your heart on your bed and be forever
silent. |
5. Tremble for
Him, and do not sin; utter your petition with your mouth and your request in
your heart; and pray upon your beds and remember the days of death forever. |
|
6. Offer up sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord. |
6. Subdue your
impulses and it will be reckoned to you as a righteous/generous sacrifice;
and hope in the LORD. |
|
7. Many say, "Who will show us goodness?" Raise up over us the
light of Your countenance, O Lord. |
7. Many say,
"Who will show us good?" Lift on us the light of Your countenance,
O LORD. |
|
8. You gave joy into my heart from
the time that their corn and their wine increased. |
8. You have placed joy in my heart when their grain and
their wine has increased. |
|
9. In peace together, I would lie down and sleep, for You, O Lord, would
make me dwell alone in safety. |
9. In peace I
both lay down and sleep, because You alone are the LORD; in security You will
make me dwell. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary on Psalm 4:1-9
1 To
the conductor with melodies David established this psalm so that the Levites
who conduct the melodies when singing on the platform should recite it. The
expression of נצוח denotes those who apply themselves to the
service, as the matter is stated (Ezra 3:8): “and appointed the Levites from
twenty years old and upwards to conduct the work of the house of the Lord.”
2 in
my distress You have relieved me in the days that have passed
over me. From now on, be gracious to me and hearken to my prayer.
3 Sons
of man The sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are called
man. About Abraham it is stated (in Gen. 20:7): “Restore the man’s wife.” About
Isaac it is stated (ibid. 24: 65): “Who is that man...?” About Jacob, it is
stated (ibid. 25:27): “and Jacob was a plain man.”
how
long will my honor be disgraced How long will you disgrace me? (I Sam. 20:30):
“that you choose the son of Jesse”; (ibid. 22: 8), “when my son made a covenant
with the son of Jesse”; (ibid. verse 9), “I saw the son of Jesse”; (ibid. 25:
10), “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse?” I have no name.
will
you constantly seek lies Will you chase to find lies, e.g., the Ziphites,
who inform on me, yet show me friendliness, and other informers like them who
were in Saul’s time (I Sam. 23:19): “Is David not hiding...in the hill of
Hachilah?” And so, many.
4 has
set apart Heb. הפלה , has separated.
5
Quake Tremble before the Holy One, blessed be He, and do not sin.
say
[this] in your heart on your bed and be forever silent Bring
back to your heart [the thought] that the Holy One, blessed be He, admonished
[you] concerning that.
6
Offer up sacrifices of righteousness Perform righteous deeds, and it will be as if you
are offering up sacrifices.
and
trust in the Lord to lavish upon you goodness, and do not sin against
Him for money, in the hope that you will be rewarded by Saul.
7 Many
say, “Who will show us goodness?” There are many Jews who see the nations of the
world in wealth and tranquility, and say, “Who will show us goodness,” to be
wealthy and achieve desires like these people?
Raise
up over us Heb. נסה Raise up over us for a banner the light of
Your countenance, an expression of (Isa. 62:10): “lift up a banner (נס)
”;(ibid. 49:22), “I will raise My standard (נסי) .” Another interpretation: נסה
is reflordir(?) (resplendir) in Old French, gleam, as (Zech. 9:16), “crown
stones gleam (מתנוססות) .” But I do not envy them, for joy has
been given into my heart from the time that the corn and the wine of the
nations have increased. I am confident that if those who anger Him [have] such
[tranquility], how much more will those who perform His will have it in the
future, which is the day of the reception of their reward!
9 In
peace together, I would lie down and sleep If Israel were in peace
together with me, I would lie down and sleep in confidence, and I would not
fear any adversary or enemy.
alone
in safety As (in Deut. 33:28): “secure and alone, the
fountain of Jacob.” It is an expression of safety and tranquility, that he need
not station troops with him.
Meditation from the Psalms
Psalm
4:1-9
By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel
ben David
Psalm
four was, like Psalm three, also composed by His Majesty King David while he
was fleeing from his son Absalom. In Psalm three, David called to HaShem for
salvation. In this psalm he addresses his enemies, lecturing them to improve
their morals and ethics.[52] It is clear that his
lecture was based on the triennial Torah reading for our portion, as I will
soon demonstrate.
Psalm
four is the first of fifty-seven psalms which will be introduced by the phrase
‘for the conductor’. This means that these psalms were recited by the Levites,
in the Temple, with a specific tune,
while the sacrificial service was being offered.[53] A tune elevates the
status of a prayer. Radak writes:
“It seems that the (menatzeach - מנצח) conductor was the one in charge of the singers,
and all the psalms were recited and chanted as directed by the conductor.”
When
the conductor read this psalm, one of the thing he would note is that v.2 uses
the word “Shema”. This pasuk asks that HaShem would hear his prayer. When the
Bne Israel say the Shema they are asking that they themselves would ‘hear’. The Talmud teaches that this psalm, in
v.5, contains a hint to the bedtime Shema:
Berachot 4b R. Joshua b. Levi says: Though a man has recited the Shema’ in the
synagogue, it is a religious act to recite it again upon his bed. R. Assi says:
Which verse [may be cited in support]? Tremble and sin not; commune with your
own heart upon your bed, and be still, Selah.[54]
The
Targum echoes this connection in v.2:
Tehillim
(Psalm) 4:2 At
the time of my prayer, accept [it] from me, O God of my righteousness /
generosity; at the time of distress, You relieved me; pity me and accept my
prayer.
Now let’s examine our Torah portion in light
of our psalm. Let’s see King David’s thoughts on our Torah portion. To
accomplish this, we need to first examine the overall structure of Beresheet.
The Structure of Bereshit as defined by the TOL’DOT, generations.
|
HaShem Deals With Man |
|
|
Genesis Chapter |
Topic |
|
1:1 – 2:3 |
The story
of the seven days of creation. |
|
2:4 |
The Tol’dot
of the heaven and the earth. |
|
|
|
|
5:1 |
Tol’dot Adam |
|
|
|
|
6:9 |
Tol’dot Noach |
|
|
|
|
10:1-32 |
Tol’dot Sons of Noach – The 70
nations. |
From
this structure we can see that each of these Tol’dot, these generations are
handled by a separate septennial seder. We can also see that the Tol’dot seem
to be progressing from highest to lowest. The world, and the men in it, is
diminishing in stature and is heading for destruction by the deluge. The
contraction of the world, in our current seder, is focused on Adam and his
direct progeny. Adam was to be the pinnacle of creation. Yet, by the time of
our seder he is already been diminished substantially because of his sin. His
progeny have continued in Adam’s path and they are corrupting the world. His
progeny have already committed murder and are going to diminish to the point of
destruction. It is to this sad state of affairs that King David pens the
following words:
Tehillim
(Psalm) 4:3 O
you sons of men, how long will my glory be put to shame, in that you love
vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah
As
the text of our seder mentions many of the men in this Tol’dot with the
briefest of words, so we realise that these men’s deeds were not only
insufficient, but in many ways detrimental. Their mention in our seder sounds
like we are reading the epitaph’s of most folks on their grave stones. They
lived, had progeny, and died. Not much of a life. Yet, we do find a few who are
raised above the others by their walk with HaShem. Since they are few I will
mention them: Chanoch and Noach. It is to these righteous/generous men that
King David looks as he penned the following words.
Tehillim
(Psalm) 4:4 But
know that HaShem has set apart the godly man as His own; HaShem will hear when
I call unto Him.
Thus
our seder repeats itself to tell us of the wickedness that prevailed at the end
of our seder and the one man (Noach)
who stands apart and thereby finds favor in the sight of HaShem. It is this Tol’dot,
this generation, that has reached the time of the bedtime Shema. It is Noach
alone who says the final words of our psalm:
Tehillim
(Psalm) 4:9 In
peace will I both lay me down and sleep; for You, HaShem, make me dwell alone
in safety.
It is Noach alone who is capable of saying the bedtime Shema.
In
our next seder we will see how Noach is set apart from the other men of this Tol’dot.
In fact, we will see that Noach gets his own Tol’dot. It is as though Adam has
been given a second chance to start over, through Noach.
Finally,
some have observed that two of the three blessings of the Aaronic benediction
are found in this psalm. In v.7 we see the two blessings found in the Aaronic
benediction.[55]
|
Aaronic
Benediction |
Psalm 4 |
|
May HaShem bless you and keep you. |
|
|
May HaShem make His face shine
upon you and be gracious to you. |
7. Many there
are that say: ‘Oh that we could see some good!’ |
|
May HaShem lift up His
countenance upon you and give you His peace! |
7. HaShem,
lift You up the light of Your countenance upon us. |
What
is conspicuously missing is any reference to the first blessing. To help
understand this omission we need to understand a bit about the priests who say
this blessing. The first use of the word ‘priest’ is found in:
Beresheet
(Genesis) 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth
bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
In
the pasuk (verse) above we see a reference to Melchizedek whom are Sages tell
us is Noach’s son Shem.
Nedarim 32b R. Zechariah said on R. Ishmael's authority: The Holy One, blessed
be He, intended to bring forth the priesthood from Shem, as it is written, And
he [sc. Melchizedek] was the priest of the most high God.
The
first use of ‘Shem’ is found in our Torah portion in Beresheet (Genesis) 5:32.
I believe that this explains why King David gave us a hint to the Priestly
Blessing. Perhaps the absence of the first blessing is related to the fact that
the priesthood was taken from Shem and the firstborn at the incident of the
golden calf. In the end of our Torah portion we see HaShem’s decision to
obliterate the wicked of the world. In the same way, Moshe called for the
destruction of those who worshipped the golden calf, when he took the
priesthood from the firstborn and gave it Aaron and his sons.
Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah)
29:18-24; 30:15
|
Rashi’s Translation |
Targum |
|
9. ¶ Stop and wonder; they became
blind and they blinded. They were intoxicated but not from wine; they reeled
but not from strong wine. |
9. Delay, be astounded, be confused and
appalled! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with old
wine! |
|
10. For the Lord has poured upon
you a spirit of deep sleep, and He has closed your eyes; the prophets and
your heads who stargaze, He has covered. |
10. For the LORD cast among you a spirit of deception, and has
hidden Himself from you, the prophets, the scribes and the teachers who were
teaching you the teaching of the Law He has hidden. |
|
11. And the vision of everything
has been to you like the words of a sealed book, which they give to one who
can read, saying, "Now read this," and he shall say, "I
cannot, for it is sealed." |
11. And all prophecy has become to you like the words of a book
that is sealed. When men give it to one who knows the book, saying,
"Read this," he will say, "I cannot, for it is sealed." |
|
12. And if the book is given to one
who cannot read, saying, "Now read this," he shall say, "I
cannot read." {S} |
12. And the book will be given to one who does not know the book, saying,
"Read this," and he will say, "I do not know the book." |
|
13. And the Lord said:
"Because this people has come near; with their mouth and with their lips
they honor Me, but their heart they draw far away from Me, and their fear of
Me has become a command of people, which has been taught. |
13. And the LORD said: "Because this people exalts itself with their mouth
and honour before Me with their lips, while their heart is far from My fear,
and their fear before Me is as a commandment of men who teach; |
|
14. Therefore, I will continue to
perform obscurity to this people, obscurity upon obscurity, and the wisdom of
his wise men shall be lost, and the understanding of his geniuses shall be
hidden. {S} |
14. therefore, behold, I will again strike this people with comprehensive
strokes; and the wisdom from their wise men will perish, and the discernment from
their understanding will be hid." |
|
15. Woe to those who think deeply
to hide counsel from the Lord, and their deeds are in the dark. And they
said, "Who sees us and who knows us?" |
15. Woe to those who try to hide counsel before the LORD, and
their deeds are as in the dark, and who say, "No one sees us. and no one
knows our deeds." |
|
16. Shall your perversion be
regarded like the potter's clay? Shall the thing made say of him who made it,
"He did not make me," and the impulse say to the One Who formed it,
"He does not understand"? |
16. Are you seeking to turn your deeds upside down? Behold. as
the clay in the potters hand. so are you regarded
before Me! Is it possible that the clay should say to its maker, "You
did not make me;" or the creature say to its creator, "You have
no understanding of me"? |
|
17. Indeed, in a short time, the
Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall
be regarded as a forest. |
17. Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon will return
to be as a fruitful field, and the fruitful field
will cause many cities to be inhabited? |
|
18. And on that day the deaf shall
hear the words of the book, and out of the obscurity and out of darkness
shall the eyes of the blind see. |
18. And in that time those who are as deaf will hear the sayings of a
book, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. |
|
19. And those who suffered shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the
impoverished people shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. |
19. And those
who have accepted mortification will obtain fresh joy in the Memra of
the LORD, and the needy sons of men will exult in the Memra of the Holy One
of Israel. |
|
20. For the tyrants have ended and the scornful have been destroyed, and all those eager to commit
violence shall be cut off. |
20. For the
one who distresses ceases and the plunderer is destroyed, and all who watch to rob cease, |
|
21. Those who cause man to sin by a
word, and him who reproves in the gate they trap, and they mislead the
righteous through fraud. {P} |
21. who by their sayings make the
sons of men sinners and seek the stumbling of him who reproves them in the
judgment house with words of the Law, and with deceit turn aside the judgment
of the innocent. |
|
22. ¶ Therefore, so said the Lord to the House of Jacob, Who redeemed Abraham,
"Now Jacob shall not be ashamed, and now his face shall not pale. |
22. Therefore
thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "From now on those of the house of Jacob
will not be ashamed, and from now on their face will not be changed. |
|
23. For, when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, who
shall hallow My name, and they shall hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and the
God of Israel they shall revere. |
23. For when
he sees the prodigies which is done for his sons, the benefits of Abraham for
his seed after him upon their land, in their midst,
they will sanctify My name and say. The Holy One of Jacob is holy, and will
say concerning the God of Israel, He is strong. |
|
24. And those of straying spirit shall know understanding, and grumblers
shall learn instruction. {S} |
24. And those who have not learned
a spirit of understanding will know, and those who say. All these things are
not, will listen to teaching." |
|
|
|
|
1. "Woe to rebellious
children," says the Lord, "to take counsel but not from Me, and to
appoint a ruler but not of My spirit, in order to add sin upon sin. |
1. "Woe
to the rebellious sons," says the LORD, "who make a plan, but not
of My Memra; and who take counsel, but do not ask of My prophets, that
they may add sins to the sins of their soul; |
|
2. Those who go to descend to Egypt, and they have not asked of My mouth, to
strengthen themselves with the strength of Pharaoh and to take shelter in the
shade of Egypt. |
2. who set
out to go down to Egypt, without asking of the words of My prophets, to strengthen
themselves with the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! |
|
3. And the strength of Pharaoh shall be to you for shame, and the shelter in
the shade of Egypt for disgrace. |
3. And the
strength of Pharaoh will turn to your shame,
and trust in the shadow of Egypt to humiliation. |
|
4. For his princes were in Zoan and his emissaries reached Hanes. |
4. For though
his princes are in Zoan and his messengers reach Hanes, |
|
5. They all disgraced themselves because of a people that will not avail
them, neither for aid nor for avail, but for shame and also for disgrace. {S} |
5. all of them
go to be ashamed. to the people who will not profit them, that brings neither
help nor profit, but shame and disgraces." |
|
6. The burden of the beasts of the southland, in a land of trouble and
anguish, the awesome lion and the crushing lion among them, the viper and the
flying serpent; they carry their wealth on the shoulders of young donkeys and
their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that will not avail. |
6. They bear upon
their beasts in the way of the south through a land of trouble and anguish, a
place of the lion, of a son of lions. and of poisonous, wounding
serpents, they carry their possessions on the backs of asses, and bring what
is in their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people
that cannot profit them. |
|
7. And the Egyptians help in vain and to no purpose, therefore, I called
this, "They are haughty, idlers." |
7. For the
Egyptians are nothing and their help is emptiness, therefore I have summoned
from them the slain; I will bring the appointed ones upon them. |
|
8. Now, come write it on a tablet with them, and on a book engrave it, and
it shall be for the last day, forever to eternity. |
8. Now, go,
write in their midst on a tablet, and in lines of a book inscribe, that it
may be for a day of judgment as a witness before Me forever. |
|
9. For a rebellious people are
they, lying children, children who would not hearken to the Lord's
instruction. |
9. For they are a disobedient people, lying
sons, sons who will not listen to teaching of the Law from the LORD; |
|
10. Who said to the seers,
"You shall not see," and to the prophets, "You shall not
prophesy for us true things. Speak to us with smooth talk; prophesy mockery. |
10. who say to the prophets, "Do not
prophesy;" and to the teachers, "Do not teach us the Law; speak
with us sweet things, recount to us
alterations, |
|
11. Turn away from the road, turn away from the path, cease from before us
the Holy One of Israel." {S} |
11. turn us
aside from the correct way, make us cease from the tradition, remove from
before us the Memra of the Holy One of Israel." |
|
12. Therefore, so said the Holy One
of Israel, "Because you have despised this matter, and you have put your
trust in oppression and a perverse one, and you have relied upon it. |
12. Therefore thus says the Holy
One of Israel, "Because you despise this word, and trust in deceit and
oppression and rely on them; |
|
13. Therefore, this iniquity shall be to you as a breach of a falling [wall],
revealed in a fortified wall, whose breach will come suddenly." |
13. therefore this sin will be to
you like a fortress that is desolate and ruined, like a reinforced wall whose
crash comes down suddenly, in an instant; |
|
14. And He shall break it like the breaking of a potter's jug, crushed
without pity, and in its crushing shall not be found a shard, to scoop fire
from a hearth, or to scoop water from a cistern. {S} |
14. and its
breaking is like that of pottery which is smashed so ruthlessly that among
its fragments not a shard is found to rake fire from a hearth, or to dip up water from a
brook." |
|
15. For so said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; "With tranquility
and restfulness shall you be saved, with quietude and trust shall be your
might; but you did not want. |
15. For thus
said the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel, "I thought, You will
return to my Law, rest, be saved, be quiet, lie in safety, be mighty."
And you would not, |
|
16. And you said, 'No, but on horses will we flee.' Therefore, you shall
flee. 'And on swift [steeds] will we ride.' Therefore, your pursuers shall be
swift. |
16. but you
said, "No! We will flee upon horses,"
therefore you will flee; and, "We will ride upon swift steeds,"
therefore your pursuers will be swift. |
|
17. One thousand, because of the shout of one, because of the shout of five,
shall you flee, until you remain like a mast on a mountaintop and like a
flagpole on a hill." |
17. A
thousand at the threat of one, at the threat of five you will flee, until you are left
like a bonfire on the mountain top, like a signal on a hill. |
|
18. Therefore, the Lord shall wait to be gracious to you, and therefore, He
shall withdraw to have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of justice;
fortunate are all who wait for Him. {P} |
18. Therefore
the LORD is about to pity them; and He who will have mercy on you is strong.
For the LORD is the God who performs the judgment;
blessed are the righteous/generous who hope for His deliverance. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s
Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 29:18-24; 30:15
18 And
on that day...shall hear, etc. And the curse stated above (v. 10 14): “For the
Lord has poured upon you, etc....And the vision of everything has been to you,
etc....And the wisdom of his wise men shall be lost,” shall be repealed.
19 And
those who suffered The suffering ones, who bore the yoke of the Holy
One, blessed be He, and His decrees.
20
those eager to commit violence Those who hurry and give thought how they will
commit violence.
21
Those who cause man to sin by a word They are the false prophets.
and
him who reproves in the gate they trap ( יְקשׁוּן . Jonathan renders:) And for the one who
reproves them, they seek for him a stumblingblock. ( יְקשׁוּן is) an expression related to מוֹקֵשׁ , a trap.
and
they mislead the righteous through fraud And they pervert with
fraud the cause of the just [from Jonathan].
22 Who
redeemed Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees.
Now
Jacob shall not be ashamed of his father.
and
now his face shall not pale because of his father’s father, for no
imperfection has been found in his bed, and his bed is perfect.
23
For, when he sees his children who will be the work of My hands,
i.e., righteous men, in his midst, for when he sees in his midst that his
children, the work of My hands, shall hallow My name, e.g., Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah (see Dan. 3), therefore, his face shall not pale.
24 and
grumblers shall learn instruction (וְרוֹגְנִים) an expression similar to (Deut. 1:27)
“And you grumbled (וַתְּרָגְנוּ) in your tents.” Those who were
complaining and grumbling about the words of the prophets shall learn
instruction.
15 For
so said the Holy One, blessed be He, to you long ago, “You need not
seek for yourselves the strength of Egypt and waste your money, for with
tranquility and restfulness you shall have salvation, without any toil, if you
listen to Me.”
with
tranquility (בְּשׁוּבָה) an expression of restfulness and
tranquility, Comp. (Num. 10:36): “Rest (שׁוּבָה) , O Lord, with the ten thousands of the
thousands of Israel.”
with
quietude that comes to you from Me, and with trust, shall
be your might.
Verbal Tallies
By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben
David
& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Bereshit
(Genesis) 5:1 – 6:8
Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 29:18-24 + 30:15
Tehillim
(Psalm) 4
Mk
1:9-11, Lk 3:21-22, Lk 3:23-28, Acts 1:15-26
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:
Book
- ספר, Strong’s number 05612.
Day
- יום, Stong’s number 03117.
God
- אלהים, Strong’s number 0430.
Adam
/ Man / Men - אדם, Strong’s number 0120.
Name
- שם, Strong’s number 08034.
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:
God
- אלהים, Strong’s number 0430.
Called
/ Call - קרא, Strong’s number 07121.
Bereshit (Genesis) 5:1-2 This is the book <05612> of the generations of Adam. In
the day <03117> that God <0430> created man
<0120>, in the likeness of God
<0430> made he him;
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed
them, and called <07121> (8799) their name <08034> Adam <0120>, in the day <03117> when they were created.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 29:18 And in that day <03117> shall the deaf hear the words of
the book <05612>, and the eyes of the
blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 29:19 The meek also
shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men <0120> shall rejoice in the Holy One of
Israel.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 29:23 But when he
seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall
sanctify my name <08034>, and sanctify
the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God
<0430> of Israel.
Tehillim (Psalm) 4:1 « To the chief Musician on
Neginoth, A Psalm of David. » Hear me when I call
<07121> (8800), O God <0430> of
my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon
me, and hear my prayer.
Hebrew:
|
Hebrew |
English |
Torah Seder Gen 5:1-6:8 |
Psalms Psa 4:1-9 |
Ashlamatah Isa
29:18-24 + 30:15 |
|
~d'a' |
man |
Gen 5:1 |
|
|
|
~yhil{a/ |
GOD |
Gen 5:1 |
Ps 4:1 |
Isa 29:23 |
|
rm;a' |
saying |
Gen 5:29 |
Ps 4:4 |
Isa 29:22 |
|
!Be |
sons |
Gen 5:4 |
Ps 4:2 |
|
|
ajx |
sin |
Ps 4:4 |
Isa 29:21 |
|
|
bAj |
fair, good |
Gen 6:2 |
Ps 4:6 |
|
|
dy" |
hands |
Gen 5:29 |
Isa 29:23 |
|
|
[dy |
know |
Ps 4:3 |
Isa 29:24 |
|
|
hw"hoy> |
LORD |
Gen 5:29 |
Ps 4:3 |
sa 29:19 |
|
~Ay |
day |
Gen 5:1 |
Isa 29:18 |
|
|
ble |
heart |
Gen 6:5 |
Ps 4:7 |
|
|
hf,[]m; |
work, deed |
Gen 5:29 |
Isa 29:23 |
|
|
rp,se |
book |
Gen 5:1 |
Isa 29:18 |
|
|
d[; |
how long, as far as |
Gen 6:7 |
Ps 4:2 |
|
|
!yI[; |
eyes |
Gen 6:8 |
Isa 29:18 |
|
|
~ynIP' |
face |
Gen 6:1 |
|
Isa 29:22 |
|
ar'q' |
called |
Gen 5:2 |
Ps 4:1 |
|
|
ha'r' |
saw |
Gen 6:2 |
Ps 4:6 |
Isa 29:18 |
|
br; |
great |
Gen 6:5 |
Ps 4:6 |
|
|
bb;r' |
multiply |
Gen 6:1 |
Ps 4:7 |
|
|
x;Wr |
spirit |
Gen 6:3 |
Isa 29:24 |
|
|
~ve |
name |
Gen 5:2 |
Isa 29:23 |
|
|
hx'm.fi |
gladness |
Ps 4:7 |
Isa 29:19 |
|
|
[m;v' |
hear |
Ps 4:1 |
Isa 29:18 |
Greek:
|
Greek |
English |
Torah Seder Gen 5:1-6:8 |
Psalms Ps 4:1-9 |
Ashlamatah Isa 29:18-24 +
30:15 |
Peshat Mk/Jude/Pet Mk 1: 9-11 |
Remes 1 Luke Lu 3:21-38 |
Remes 2 Acts/Romans Acts 1:15-26 |
|
ἀγαπητός |
beloved |
|
|
|
Mar 1:11 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
ἅγιον |
holy |
|
|
Isa 29:23 |
|
Luk 3:22 |
Act 1:16 |
|
ἀνήρ |
man |
|
|
|
|
|
Act 1:16 |
|
ἄρχομαι |
began beginning |
Gen 6:1 |
|
|
|
Luk 3:23 |
Act 1:22 |
|
πρός |
immersed |
|
|
|
Mar 1:9 |
Luk 3:21 |
|
|
βίβλος |
book |
Gen 5:1 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:20 |
|
γεννάω |
procreated, begotten., engendered |
Gen 5:3 Gen 5:4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
γίνομαι |
become, came |
Gen 5:4 Gen 5:5
|
|
Isa 30:15 |
Mar 1:9 |
Luk 3:21 |
Act 1:16 |
|
δίδωμι |
put, gave |
|
Psa 4:7 |
|
|
|
Act 1:26 |
|
δύο |
two |
Gen 5:18 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:23 |
|
εἴδω |
beheld, behold |
Gen 6:2 |
|
Isa 29:23 |
Mar 1:10 |
|
|
|
εἴκοσι |
twenty |
Gen 6:3 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:15 |
|
ἑκατόν |
hundred |
Gen 5:9 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:15 |
|
ἐκλέγομαι |
chose |
Gen 6:2 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:24 |
|
ἐπικαλέομαι |
call upon, calling |
|
Psa 4:1 |
|
|
|
Act 1:23 |
|
ἔπω |
said |
Gen 6:3 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:15 |
|
ἔτος |
years |
Gen 5:3 Gen 5:4
|
|
|
|
Luk 3:23 |
|
|
εὐδοκέω |
pleasure |
|
|
|
Mar 1:11 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
ἡμέρα |
days |
Gen 5:1 Gen 5:2
|
|
Isa 29:18 |
Mar 1:13 |
|
Act 1:15 |
|
καταβαίνω |
came down |
|
|
|
Mar 1:10 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
κύριος |
LORD |
Gen 5:29 |
Psa 4:3 |
Isa 29:19 |
|
|
Act 1:21 |
|
λαμβάνω |
took, receive |
Gen 6:2 |
|
|
|
|
Act 1:20 |
|
λέγω |
called, saying |
Gen 5:29 |
Psa 4:4 |
Isa 29:22
Isa 30:15 |
|
Luk 1:24 |
|
|
ὄνομα |
name |
Gen 5:2 |
|
Isa 29:23 |
|
|
Act 1:15 |
|
οὐρανός |
heavens |
|
|
|
Mar 1:10 |
Luk 3:21 |
|
|
πᾶς |
all |
Gen 5:5 Gen 5:8
|
|
Isa 29:21 |
|
|
Act 1:18 |
|
περιστερά |
dove |
|
|
|
Mar 1:10 |
Luk 2:24 |
|
|
πνεῦμα |
spirit |
Gen 6:3 |
|
Isa 29:24 |
Mar 1:10 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
προσεύχομαι |
praying |
|
|
|
|
Luk 3:21 |
Act 1:24 |
|
τριάκοντα |
thirty |
Gen 5:3 |
|
|
|
Luk 3:23 |
|
|
υἱός |
sons |
Gen 5:4 Gen 5:7
|
Psa 4:2 |
|
Mar 1:11 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
φωνή |
voice |
|
|
|
Mar 1:11 |
Luk 3:22 |
|
|
ψαλμός |
psalms |
|
Psa 4:0 |
|
|
|
Act 1:20 |
PIRQE ABOT
(Chapters
of the Fathers)
Mishnah
1:4
From:
Chapters
of the Sages: A Psychological Commentary on Pirqe Abot
By:
Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka
Jason
Aronson, Inc., © 1993, p. 59.
He [Raban Gamaliel] used to
say: Do His will as if it were your own will, so that He may do your will as if
it were His will. Nullify your will before His will, so that He may nullify the
will of others before your will.
If
the public servant is not to rely on the friendship of the ruling authority,
shaky as such reliance is, reliance on God is another matter. Reliance on
God is the foundation of the community, but God relates to the community and to
the individual as a mirror reflection. One who incorporates
the will of God into the self, such that all actions are consistent with and
express the perceived will of God, is likely to find that God relates
in the same way, actualizing the will of the devoted servant as if it were
God's will.
The
amalgamation of God's will unto the self comes in two stages. The first stage
is Do His will as if it were your own will. This stage is one of
consistent expression, where the person's desires and God's wishes are in
harmony. What the person does is what God wants for the person, and
also what the person wants, so that God's will is easily absorbed into the
self.
The
second stage is Nullify your will before His will. This
is the more difficult stage, as it involves a clash of desires; God's desire on
one side, and the individual's desire on the other. Here what the individual
wants is not what God wants, and the individual is called upon to acknowl¬edge
that what God wants is better for the person. Nullification of the person's
will is not a sacrifice, but a positive decision based on faith in God's
omniscience. The result of this act of the will is that God
may do your will as if it were His will and also may nullify the will of others
before your will.
Herein
is expressed the idea that to the extent to which the individual resides in the
Divine dimension, to that extent God resides in the human dimension.
NAZAREAN
TALMUD
Sidra
Of B’resheet (Gen.) Gen. 5:1 – 6:8
“Tol’dot
Adam” - “The generations of Adam”
By:
Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham &
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
|
SCHOOL
OF HAKHAM SHAUL Tosefta (Luke
3:21-28) Mishnah א |
School of Hakham Tsefet Peshat (Mark 1:9-11) Mishnah א |
