Torah Seder Shebat 19, 5768

Esnoga Bet Emunah

227 Millset Chase - San Antonio, Texas 78253

Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Shebat 19, 5768 – Jan. 25/26, 2008	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times

San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Brisbane, Australia:

Friday Jan. 25, 2008 – Candles at 5:48 PM Friday Jan. 25, 2008 – Candles at 6:28 PM

Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 6:44 PM Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 7:23 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday Jan.25, 2008 – Candles at 5:43 PM Friday Jan. 25, 2008 – Candles at 7:01 PM

Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 6:41 PM Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 7:51 PM

Cebu, Philippines Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday Jan. 25, 2008 – Candles at 5:33 PM Friday Jan. 25, 2008 – Candles at 5:59 PM

Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 6:25 PM Saturday Jan. 26, 2008 – Havdalah 6:50 PM

For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אֶל-רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת
“El-Roshei HaMatot”	Reader 1 – B’midbar 30:2-6	Reader 1 – B’midbar 31:25-28
“unto the heads of the tribes”	Reader 2 – B’midbar 30:7-9	Reader 2 – B’midbar 31:29-35
“a los príncipes de las tribus”	Reader 3 – B’midbar 30:10-17	Reader 3 – B’midbar 31:36-41
B’midbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 31:24	Reader 4 – B’midbar 31:1-6
Ashlamtah: Is. 45:23-25 + 46:3-5, 8-11	Reader 5 – B’midbar 31:7-12
	Reader 6 – B’midbar 31:13-20	Reader 1 – B’midbar 31:25-28
Psalm: 106:1-5	Reader 7 – B’midbar 31:21-24	Reader 2 – B’midbar 31:29-35
	Maftir – B’midbar 31:21-24	Reader 3 – B’midbar 31:36-41
N.C.: Matityahu 24:1-35	Isaiah 45:23-25 + 46:3-5, 8-11

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family, as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat Sarah. For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder.

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Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: B’midbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 31:24

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
2. Moshe spoke to the tribal leaders of B’ne Yisrael saying: "This is the word that Adonai has commanded.	2. AND Mosheh spoke with the chiefs of the Tribes of the Bene Israel, saying: This is the Word which the Lord has spoken, saying:
3. If a man makes a vow to Adonai or makes an oath; to initiate a prohibition himself; he may not profane his word. He will do all that he said.	3. A man, a son of thirteen when he will have vowed a vow before the Lord, or have sworn an oath, saying, I will withhold from such a thing which is permitted to me, will not be allowed to relax his word (at his own will): nevertheless, the house of judgment (beth dina) can absolve him; but if they absolve him not, whatsoever has gone out of his mouth he will perform.
4. [But] if a woman makes a vow to Adonai or obligates herself in her father's home while still in her youth,	4. And a female who has not passed twelve years when she has vowed a vow before the Lord, and has bound herself in her father's house until her thirteenth year;
5. and her father hears her vow or her self-imposed prohibition and remains silent, then all her vows will stand and the self-imposed prohibition will stand.	5. and her father hear her vow, and whatever bond she has bound upon her soul, and her father be acquiescent, and speak not to her; then every vow and every bond which she has bound upon her soul shall be confirmed.
6. But if her father restrained her on the day he heard it, then all her vows and self-imposed prohibitions will not stand. Adonai will forgive her because her father has restrained her.	6. But if her father prohibit her on the day that he hears, or, not being prepared to confirm, annuls after he has heard, (then) no vow or bond that she has bound upon her soul will be confirmed; but is remitted and forgiven her before the Lord, because her father has made her free from the authority of the vow, (or, nullified to her the power of the vow.)
7. If she is [married] to a man, and her vows were upon herself, or an utterance of a self-imposed prohibition,	7. And if when she has been taken by a husband a vow be upon her, or her lips have expressed that which is binding upon her soul while in her father's house, and her father had not absolved her while unmarried, then, when she has been married, it will be confirmed. But if after she is married she make a vow
8. and her husband heard about them and remained silent on the day he heard, then her vows will stand, and the self-imposed prohibitions will stand.	8. and her husband hear it, and on the day that he hears it he is minded to confirm it, and is silent to her, then the vow and the bond which she has bound upon her soul will be ratified.
9. But, if on the day her husband hears about it, he restrains her, he then annuls her vow which was upon her, and self-imposed verbal prohibitions, and Adonai will forgive her.	9. But if her husband prohibit her on the day that he hears, then the vow which is upon her, and the utterance of her lips which bound her soul, are remitted and forgiven her.
10. The vow of a widow or a divorced woman--- everything she prohibited for herself will remain incumbent upon her.	10. Yet the vow of a widow, or a divorced, whatever has bound her soul, will be confirmed upon her.
11. But, if she took the vow in her husband's home, or has taken a self-imposed prohibition upon herself, with an oath,	11. But if, while she was in her husband's house, or while she had not attained to marriage years, she had vowed, or bound her soul with the bond of an oath
12. and her husband heard and remained silent, [and] did not restrain her, then all her vows will stand, and all her self-imposed prohibitions will stand.	12. which her husband had heard of, and had neither spoken nor prohibited her, or had died before she was married, then all her vows will be confirmed, and all the obligations with which she had bound her soul be ratified, and her father will have no power to absolve her.
13. But, if her husband annuls them on the day he hears them, then, whatever emanates from her lips regarding her vows and self-imposed prohibitions will not stand. Her husband has annulled them, and Adonai will forgive her.	13. But if her husband released her [JERUSALEM. Her husband released her] on the day that he heard, then, whatever her lips had pronounced to be a vow, or a bond upon her soul, will not be confirmed; and if her husband had annulled them, [JERUSALEM. Her husband had released them,] and she, not knowing, had performed, it will be forgiven her before the Lord.
14. Every vow and every oath of self-denial, her husband can [either] let it stand, or her husband can annul it.	14. Every vow, every oath-bond to chasten the soul, her husband may ratify or annul.
15. But, if her husband remains silent from one day to the next, then he has upheld all her vows or all her prohibitions that she has assumed. He has upheld them because he remained silent on the day he heard.	15. But if her husband was silent and consented when he heard from one day to the next, then all her vows and all the bonds upon her are ratified; by his silence he has confirmed them; for he was silent to her on the day, and consented, and absolved her not on the day that he heard.
16. If he annuls them after having heard them, he must bear her transgression."	16. But if, absolving, he would absolve her one day after he had heard, there is no force in the absolution; and if he then nullify the word, her husband or her father will bear her sin.
17. These are the statutes that Adonai commanded Moshe, regarding a man and his wife, a father and his daughter in her youth, while in her father's house.	17. These are the publications of the statutes which the Lord commanded Mosheh (on these matters) between a man and his wife, and a father and his daughter in the day of her youth in her father's house; [JERUSALEM. In the time of her youth in her father's house;] but not in the time of her youth, and she be in the house of her husband.

1. Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying.	1. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
2. "Take revenge for B’ne Yisrael against the Midianites, afterward, you will be gathered to your people (die)."	2. Take retribution for the children of Israel from the Midianites; and afterward you will be gathered to your people.
3. Moshe spoke to the people, saying: "Arm men from among yourselves for the army and they will be against Midian, to bring revenge of Adonai against Midian.	3. And Moses spake with the people, saying: Arm of you men, [JERUSALEM. Arm of you,] for the host to make war against Midian, to give the people of the Lord avengement upon Midian;
4. One thousand from each tribe, one thousand from each tribe, for all of the tribes of Yisrael, you will send into the army."	4. a thousand of each tribe of all the tribes of Israel send you to the war.
5. They were handed over from among the thousands of Yisrael, one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed men for the army.	5. And of the thousands of Israel fit men were chosen who gave up themselves, a thousand of a tribe, twelve thousand, armed for the war.
6. Moshe sent, one thousand from each tribe to the army, them, and Pinchas, son of Elazar the Kohen to the army, with the sacred vessels and the trumpets in his hand.	6. And Mosheh sent them, a thousand of each tribe to the war, them and Phinehas bar Elazar the priest unto the war, with the Urim and Thumim consecrated to inquire for them, and the Jubilee trumpets in his hand for assembling, encamping, and ordering forward the host of Israel.
7. They mounted a campaign against Midian, as Adonai had commanded Moshe, and they killed every male.	7. And they warred against Midian, circumventing them from three corners, as the Lord had instructed Mosheh, and they killed every male;
8. They killed the Midianite kings upon those they had slain: Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Chur and Reva--- [the] five kings of Midian. And Bil'am son of Beor they killed with the sword.	8. and they slew the kings of the Midianites with the slain of their armies, Evi, Rekem, Zur, who is Balak, and Hur and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Bileam bar Beor they killed with the sword. And it was when Bileam the guilty saw Phinehas the priest pursuing him, he made use of his magical arts, (lit., made words of enchantment,) and flew in the air of the heavens; but Phinehas forthwith pronounced the Great and Holy Name, and flew after him, and seized him by his head, and bringing him down drew the sword, and sought to kill him; but he opened his mouth with words of deprecation, and said to Phinehas: If you will spare my life, I swear to you that all the days I live I will not curse your people. He answered him, and said: Are you not Laban the Amarite who did seek to destroy Jakob our father, who went down into Mizraim, to destroy his children, and, after they had come out of Mizraim, did send the wicked/lawless Amalek against them; and have you not now been sent to curse them? But after you had seen that your works did not prosper, and that the Word of the Lord would not hear you, you did give the evil counsel to Balak to set his daughters in the way to make them go wrong, when there fell of them twenty-four thousand. Therefore, it cannot be that your life may be spared; and at once he drew the sword and slew him.
9. B’ne Yisrael took captive the Midianite women and their children. All their livestock, flocks and wealth they took as booty.	9. And the sons of Israel led captive the wives of the Midianites, their children, their cattle, and all their flocks,
10. All their residential cities and palaces they set on fire.	10. and destroyed all their goods; and all their towns, the houses, of their rulers, and the high places of their houses of worship, they burned with fire;
11. They took all the booty, all that had been seized, of man and livestock,	11. but they took all the spoil and the prey both of men and beasts,
12. And they brought to Moshe and to Elazar the Kohen and to the entire community of B’ne Yisrael, the captives, and all that had been seized, and the booty, to the camp, at the plains of Moav, which was by the Yarden near Yericho.	12. and brought to Mosheh, Elazar the priest, and all the congregation of Israel, the captives, the prey, and the spoils, at the camp in the fields of Moab, by the Jordan, near Jericho.
13. They went out---Moshe, Elazar the Kohen and the princes of the community--- to greet them outside the camp.	13. And Mosheh and Elazar the priest, with all the heads of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
14. Moshe was angry with the commanders of the army, at the officers of the thousands and at the officers of the hundreds who had returned from the army service of the war.	14. But Mosheh was angry with the leaders appointed over the host, the chiefs of thousands and of hundreds who came from the war with the host;
15. Moshe said to them: "Did you let every female live?	15. and Mosheh said to them, Why have you spared all the women?
16. They were the very same ones who, on Bil'am's advice were involved with B’ne Yisrael to cause them to commit a betrayal against Adonai regarding the matter of Pe'or, so that the plague broke out within the community of Adonai.	16. These are they who caused the offence of the sons of Israel, by the counsel of Bileam, to do wrongly before the Lord in the matter of Peor, so that pestilence came upon the congregation of the Lord.
17. Now execute every male among the children, and every woman with intimate knowledge of a man, you will execute.	17. Now, therefore, slay every male among the children, and every woman who has known a man;
18. All the children among the females without intimate knowledge of a man, keep alive for yourselves.	18. but every female child you will stand before the Crown of Holiness, (the priest's tiara,) and look upon her: she who is not a virgin will be pallid in the face, but she who is a virgin child will blush in the face, like fire; them you shall spare.
19. You will remain outside the camp for seven days. Whoever has killed a person or touched a corpse, purify yourselves, on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives.	19. But as for you, abide without the camp seven days; whoever has slain a man, or touched the dead, you will sprinkle on the third; and on the seventh day both you and your captives,
20. Every garment, every leather article, everything made of goat products and every wooden article will undergo such purification."	20. and every garment, and whatever is made of skin, goats' hair, horn, or bone, and every vessel of wood, you will sprinkle.
21. Elazar the Kohen said to the soldiers who came to the war: "This is the statute of the Torah which Adonai commanded Moshe.	21. And Elazar the priest said to the men of the host who had returned from the war: This is the manifestation of the decree of the law which the Lord has commanded to Mosheh.
22. Only the gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and lead,	22. Nevertheless, these (articles) without their rust, the gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead, [JERUSALEM. Tin and lead,]
23. Anything placed [of these materials] on a fire, you must pass through fire, and it will be purified; however, it must be purified with sprinkling water. But anything [of these materials] that was not placed on a fire you may pass through water.	23. their vessels, but not the unformed and simple (metals), everything whose nature it is to abide the fire, of the pans, pots, spits, and gridirons, you will make to pass through fire to purify them, and afterward (sprinkle them) with water such as is used to purify the unclean; but whatever will not abide the fire coverlids, cups flagons, and utensils, you will make to pass through forty sata of water;
24. You will immerse your garments on the seventh day and become purified; afterward you may come into the camp."	24. and you will wash your raiment on the seventh day to be clean, and afterwards come into the camp.

Midrash Rabba for: B’midbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 31:24

I. AND MOSES SPOKE UNTO THE HEADS OF THE TRIBES...WHEN A MAN VOWS A VOW UNTO THE LORD (XXX, 2 f.) [Vows and oaths must be made ’Unto the Lord’, i.e. with sincerity and purity of heart]. Hence it is written, And will swear: As the Lord lives in truth, in justice, and in righteousness/generosity (Jer. IV, 2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: ' Do not imagine that you are permitted to swear by My name even in truth. You are not allowed to swear by My name unless you possess all the following attributes.’ (1) You will fear the Lord your God (Deut. X, 20), implying that you must be like those who were called God-fearing men, namely Abraham, Job, and Joseph. Abraham? As it is written, For now I know that you are a God-fearing man (Gen. XXII, 12). Job? As it is written, A wholehearted and an upright man, one that fears God (Job I, 8). Joseph? As it is written, I fear God (Gen. XLII, 18). This explains the text, ’You will fear the Lord your God.’ (2) Him will you serve (Deut. X, 20); that is to say, if you concentrate your attention upon the Torah and the performance of precepts, having no other work. Consequently it says, ‘Him will you serve.’ (3) And to Him will you cleave (ib.). But can a man cleave to the Shekhinah? Is it not already stated, For the Lord your God is a devouring fire (ib. IV, 24)? Yes, but it serves to inform you that if a man, marrying his daughter to a Rabbinic disciple who studies the Scripture and the Mishnah, engages in commerce and allows him to benefit from his wealth, such is the man of whom it says, ‘And to Him will you cleave’ [He as it were cleaves to the Eternal by helping the Rabbinical student of Torah]. If you possess all these attributes you are permitted to swear, but if not you are not permitted to swear. A story is told of King Jannai who owned two thousand towns, and they were all destroyed on account of true oaths. How? A man would say to his friend: 'On my oath, I will go and eat such-and-such a food at such-and-such a place. and I will drink such-and-such a drink at such-and-such a place!’ They would go and fulfil their oath and would be destroyed [for swearing to trifles]. If this is the fate of one who swears in truth, how much more so of one who swears to a falsehood.

II. AVENGE THE VENGEANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OF THE MIDIANITES: AFTERWARD WILL YOU BE GATHERED UNTO YOUR PEOPLE (XXXI, 2). R. Judah remarked: If Moses had wanted to live many more years he could have lived, for the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: AVENGE and AFTERWARD WILL YOU BE GATHERED, Scripture making his death dependent on the punishment of Midian. But the text apprises you of the excellence of Moses. He thought: Will Israel's vengeance be delayed merely that I may live? Instantly, MOSES SPOKE UNTO THE PEOPLE, SAYING: ARM MEN (ANASHIM) FROM AMONG YOU FOR THE WAR (ib. 3). ANASHIM signifies righteous/generous men, as it does in that other passage: Choose us out men--anashim (Ex. XVII, 9) and also in the text, When deep sleep falls on men--anashim (Job IV, 13). TO EXECUTE THE LORD'S VENGEANCE ON MIDIAN (XXXI, 3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: THE VENGEANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (ib. 2), yet Moses said: THE LORD'S VENGEANCE ON MIDIAN! The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: ‘It is you who have an account to settle with them for they caused Me to harm you.’ Moses replied: ' Sovereign of the worlds! If we had been uncircumcised, or idol worshippers, or had denied the binding force of the precepts, the Midianites would not have hated us. They only persecute us on account of the Torah and the precepts which You have given us! Consequently the vengeance is Yours; and so I say, TO EXECUTE THE LORD'S VENGEANCE.

III. A THOUSAND OF A TRIBE, A THOUSAND OF A TRIBE (XXXI, 4). Some maintain that he sent two thousand from every tribe, while others say that he sent three thousand from every tribe, of whom twelve thousand guarded their baggage--to these applies the text, Your teeth are like a flock of ewes... whereof all are paired (S.S. IV, 2)--while twelve thousand devoted themselves to prayer. How can we infer that this was so? Because it says, OF EVERY TRIBE A THOUSAND, OF EVERY TRIBE A THOUSAND [Two thousand for each of a total of twelve tribes]; this gives you twenty-four thousand. Further, AND THERE WERE DELIVERED OUT OF THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL, A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE (XXXI, 5), gives you another twelve thousand. What is the import of the expression, THERE WERE DELIVERED OUT OF THE THOUSANDS OF ISRAEL, A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE? It implies that they were delivered as pairs to each other [i.e. each thousand warriors were given a thousand guardians of the baggage]. Another exposition is that the expression THERE WERE DELIVERED signifies that it was done against their will. Seeing that Scripture had made the death of Moses dependent upon the vengeance against the Midianites, they said: ‘Will we go against Midian and let Moses die?’ So they refrained from going. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ‘Cast lots for the tribes and they will be given up of themselves’ [i.e. and they will give (themselves) up of their own accord. This perhaps means: when the lot falls on them they will find it impossible to refuse].

IV. AND MOSES SENT THEM (XXXI, 6). The Holy One, blessed be He, had told him: ’Avenge’ (ib. 2), signifying: You must do it yourself, yet he sends others! The fact is that, since he had grown up in the land of Midian he thought: It is not right that I should vex one who has done good to me. The proverb says: ‘Do not cast a stone into a cistern from which you have drunk.’ Some say that this was not the Midian where Moses grew up, for the one mentioned here is next to Moab and is desolate to the present day [while the Midian of Moses’ youth was next to Egypt and, presumably, still exists]. Why did he send Phinehas? He said: ‘The one who began the performance of the precept will finish it. It was he who turned away His wrath and smote the Midianitish woman; let him finish the sacred task! ' WITH THE HOLY VESSELS (XXXI,6). By this the ark is meant, of which it says, Because the service of the holy, etc. (Num. VII, 9).2 R. Johanan said that they were the priestly garments containing the Urim and Thummim; as may be inferred from the text, And the holy garments of Aaron (EX. XXIX, 29). AND THEY WARRED AGAINST MIDIAN, AS THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES; AND THEY SLEW EVERY MALE. AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS OF MIDIAN... BALAAM ALSO... THEY SLEW WITH THE SWORD, etc. (XXXI, 7 f.). What was Balaam doing there? He came to take his reward for the slaughter of the twenty-four thousand [i.e. Israelites who had died by the plague that followed the adultery into which they had fallen by the counsel of Balaam; v. Num. XXV, 9]. Of him it says, Whosoever digs a pit will fall therein; and he that rolls a stone, it will return upon him (Prov. XXVI, 27). AND THEY TOOK ALL THE SPOIL, AND ALL THE PREY... AND THEY BROUGHT... UNTO MOSES, AND UNTO ELEAZAR THE PRIEST (XXXI, 11 f.). This shows how well they conducted themselves, for they took nothing from the spoil without permission, but first brought it to the authorities and then took. AND MOSES, AND ELEAZAR THE PRIEST, AND ALL THE PRINCES OF THE CONGREGATION, WENT FORTH TO MEET THEM (ib. 13). This shows the humility and excellence of Moses, for they were all the disciples of his disciples [yet in spite of that he went out to meet them].

V. Another exposition of the text, AVENGE (XXXI, 2). This bears on what Scripture says: He withholds not from the righteous/generous his eyes; but with kings upon the throne (Job XXXVI, 7). What is the meaning of the expression, ’He withholds not from the righteous/generous his eyes’? The Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold from the righteous/generous man what he desires to see with his eyes. This serves to teach you that Moses longed to witness the vengeance upon the Midianites before he died, and begged of the Holy One, blessed be He, that he might behold it with his own eyes. Of Moses it says, The righteous/generous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance (Ps. LVIII, 11), namely, the vengeance upon the Midianites; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked/lawless (ib.), namely, of Balaam. Moses said to Phinehas and to the men of war: 'I know that the wicked/lawless Balaam is there, for the purpose of receiving his reward. Before the wolf comes to the flock spread a net for him. If you see that wicked/lawless man practising witchcraft and flying in the air, show him the plate upon which is inscribed the phrase, Holy to the Lord (Ex. XXVIII, 36), and he will fall down and you will kill him. AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS OF MIDIAN UPON THE REST OF THEIR SLAIN (XXXI, 8), for they were practising witchcraft together with Balaam and flying, but when they beheld the plate they fell UPON THE REST OF THEIR SLAIN.

VI. Our Rabbis said: It is written in connection with Joshua, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you (Josh. I, 5). Joshua, then, should have lived a hundred and twenty years, like Moses our Teacher. Why was his life shortened by ten years? When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, AVENGE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OF THE MIDIANITES; AFTERWARD WILL YOU BE GATHERED UNTO YOUR PEOPLE (XXXI, 2), he did not put off the matter, although he was given tidings of death, but acted with promptitude, And Moses sent them (ib. 6). Joshua, however, when his turn came to fight with the thirty-one kings, thought: If I kill them at once I will straightway die, as Moses our Teacher died. What did he do? He began to dally in the wars against them; as it says, Joshua made war a long time with all those kings (Josh. XI, 18). Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ‘So this is what you have done, is it? Behold, I will shorten your life by ten years!’ There are, said Solomon, many devices in a man's heart; but the counsel of the Lord, that will stand (Prov. XIX, 21).

Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 106:1-5

JPS Translation	TARGUM
1. Hallelujah. O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endures for ever.	1. Hallelujah! Give thanks in the presence of the Lord, for He is good, for His goodness is forever.
2. Who can express the mighty acts of the LORD, or make all His praise to be heard?	2. Who is able to utter the might of the Lord? [Who] is allowed to proclaim all His praises?
3. Happy are they that keep justice, that do righteousness/generosity at all times.	3. Happy are they who observe judgment, those who do righteousness/generosity at every time.
4. Remember me, O LORD, when You favour Your people; O think of me at Your salvation;	4. Remember me, O Lord, with good will toward Your people; call me to mind with Your redemption.
5. That I may behold the prosperity of Your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance.	5. To look on the plenty of Your chosen ones; to rejoice in the joy of Your people; to join in praise with Your inheritance.

The Midrash on Psalms (Midrash Tehillim): Psalm 106:1-5

I. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord? (Ps.106:1-2). These words are to be considered in the light of what Scripture says elsewhere: Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are to us-ward (Ps. 40:6). What is meant by the words Many ... are Your wonderful works? They mean that every day You do for us miracles and wonderful works, of which no man knows. Then who does know? You, O Lord!

R. Eleazar ben Pedat said: Mark that it is written To Him who alone does great wonders (Ps.136:4) – that is, God alone knows [the great wonders He does]! The later verse, To Him who divided the Red Sea in sunder (ibid. 136:13), implies that God's giving of sustenance is as great a wonder as the miracle at the Red Sea. It implies further that even as the world cannot exist without God's giving of sustenance, so the world cannot exist without wonders and miracles. For example, a man is lying on his bed, and not far from him there is a snake. As the man starts to get up, the snake becomes aware of him; but as the man is about to put his feet down, the snake glides away from him. A man does not know how many such wonderful works the Holy One, blessed be He, does for him. Who does know? Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things (Ps. 72:18). Why alone? Is it conceivable that anyone else would be helping Him to do wondrous things? Alone means that God alone knows how many wondrous works He does every day. Hence David said: Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are to us-ward (Ps. 40:6).

And of the words They cannot be reckoned up in order unto You (ibid.), R. Aha said: We can number neither Your wonderful works which You do, nor Your thoughts. Nor can His glory be precisely reckoned. Consider an analogy of two men, one strong and the other weak. Is it possible for the weak man to recount the glorious deeds of the strong one? No! For he can have no understanding of the glorious deeds of the strong man. But the strong man knows his own strength, and he can recount the glorious deeds of another strong man. Therefore, David asked: Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? and answered: He who can show forth all His praise (Ps. 106:2).

Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? R. Samuel said: Men like us who are occupied with Torah to the full extent of our obligation.

II. Another interpretation of Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? (Ps. 106:2). When Zophar the Naamathite said to Job: Can you fathom the deep things of God? ... The measure thereof is longer than the earth (Job 11:7, 9), he meant: "Who can fathom the things in which God reveals Himself?" Is it not said: The things which are in the heights above—what can you make of them? (Job 11:8). And what is meant by the words The things which are in the heights above—what can you make of them? They mean: Can you tell how God made the heavens and the stars? Not even Moses who went up into heaven to receive the Torah from God's hand into his own could fathom heaven's depth.

R. Huna the Priest taught in the name of R. Jeremiah, who taught in the name of R. Hiyya the Great: Then I beheld all the work of God (Eccles. 8:17)—that is, beheld the Torah, as in the words "And the tables were the work of God" (Ex. 32:16). Although some say that the end of the verse, That a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labor to seek it out, yet he will not find it; yes further, though a wise man think to know it, yet will he not be able to find it (Eccles. 8:17) speaks of the Messiah, the wise man [Hakham], in truth, is Moses, the master of wise men [Hakhamim], who, nevertheless, could not make out all the meaning of Torah.

And who sang the praise of the mighty acts of the Holy One, blessed be He? The people of Israel, who were told Yours is the song, O Israel; who is like unto you? (Deut. 33:29). Again, They who sing are they that keep justice, that do righteousness/generosity at all times (Ps. 106:3), they being the children of Israel, as is evident from the words spoken of Abraham, I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness/generosity and justice (Gen. 18:19).

How came the people of Israel to sing the praise of His mighty acts? When they went forth out of Egypt, and the Holy One, blessed be He, did wonders for them by dividing the Red Sea for them and bringing them across it onto dry land, the ministering angels came to sing praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. But the Holy One, blessed be He, did not let them, as is said And the one came not near the other all the night (Ex. 14:20), the one and the other here clearly referring to the angels and to their singing of praise, as in the verse "And one called unto the other, and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isa. 6:3). Instead, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let Moses and the children of Israel sing praises unto Me, as is said Then let Moses and the children of Israel sing (Ex. 15:1), it is not written "Then Moses sang," but Then let Moses … sing, as though a man were saying to his fellow: "Let So-and-so sing first."

Who is like unto You, O Lord, among the mighty? ... Fearful in praises (Ex. 15:11). What is meant by Fearful in praises? R. Yudan said: It means, Your fearfulness transcends all praise that can be uttered of You. A mortal king, when he enters a city, may be praised that he is^, rich, or strong, though he is often weak; or, he may be praised that he is merciful, though he is often cruel. But with the Holy One, blessed be He, it is not so. For beyond the reach of anything a man says in praise of Him is that within Him which is ineffable. His fearfulness transcends all the praise you can utter of Him.

David said: As they praise You in this world, so will they praise You in the world-to-come: This will be written for the generation to come; and a people which will be created will praise the Lord (Ps. 102:19). And we praise You: So we that are Your people and the flock of Your pasture will give You thanks forever; we will tell of Your praise to all generations (Ps. 79:13).

III. Another exposition of Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? ... Blessed are they that keep justice, and he that does righteousness/generosity at all times (Ps. 106:2-3). His disciples asked R. Tarfon: "What man is busy in righteousness/generosity at all times?" and he answered: "He that copies out sacred scrolls and lends them to other people." The disciples said to one another: "Are, then, the instructors of the young ever idle? Or is he idle who feeds an orphan in his house?" It was argued: "But the child goes naked." Thereupon, the disciples agreed: "We must have recourse to the Modaite." They were referring to what R. Eliezer the Modaite taught: Even though the orphan child be left naked, nevertheless it is the portion of bread he is given to eat that enables him to stand up. And so he that feeds an orphan is one that does righteousness/generosity at all times.

IV. Let me be in remembrance, O Lord, in the boon that You wilt extend unto Your people (Ps. 106:4).David said: Master of the universe, when You bring deliverances through Mordecai and Esther, let me be in remembrance. [The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: As you live, I will bring you to remembrance by My saying, There was a certain Judaean (Esther 2:5),a man of David's tribe, Judah, and only after that will I say that the man's name was Mordecai].

Ashlamatah: Isaiah 45:23-25 + 46:3-5, 8-11

23. By Myself have I sworn, the Word is gone forth from My mouth in righteousness/generosity, and will not come back, that unto Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear.

24. Only in the LORD, will one say of Me, is victory and strength; even to Him will men come in confusion, all they that were incensed against Him.

25. In the LORD will all the seed of Israel be justified, and will glory.

1. Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle; the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast.

2. They stoop, they bow down together, they could not deliver the burden; and themselves are gone into captivity. {P}

3. Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that are borne by Me from the birth, that are carried from the womb:

4. Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver. {S}

5. To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?

6. You that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; you that hire a goldsmith, that he make it a god, to fall down thereto, yea, to worship.

7. He is borne upon the shoulder, he is carried, and set in his place, and he stands, from his place he does not remove; yea, though one cry unto him, he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble. {S}

8. Remember this, and stand fast; bring it to mind, O you transgressors.

9. Remember the former things of old: that I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me;

10. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: 'My counsel will stand, and all My pleasure will I do';

11. Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed, I will also do it. {S}

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 24:1-35

1. Then coming out, Yeshuah from the Temple area his Talmidim (Rabbinic disciples) came near to show him the buildings of the Temple and point them out to Him.

2. But replying he said them, “Do you see all these things? Amen, I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be crashed down.”

3. As he was sitting on Har Zeytim (the Mount of Olives), the Talmidim (Rabbinic disciples) came near to him privately saying, “Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of Your Sh’khinah? And of the consummation) of the age?”

4. Then replying, Yeshuah said to them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray [deceiving you and leading you into error].

5. For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [appropriating the name/authority which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Messiah, and they will lead many astray.

6. You will hear reports of impeding wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this is needful to become, but the end is not yet.

7. For gentile peoples will rise against gentile peoples, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;

8. All of these things are but the beginning of birth pangs.

9. Then they will deliver you over into troubles and will kill you, and you will be disserted by all of the kinsmen for my name's (authority’s) sake.

10. And then many will be ensnared and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

11. And many false prophets will rise up and lead many into error.

12. And the love of most will grow cold because of the multiplied Lawlessness and iniquity,

13. But he who endures to the end will be delivered.

14. Then you will expound Midrash concerning the joyful news of the Kingdom (G-d’s governance) throughout the whole world to testify as a witness among all the Gentiles, and then the end will arrive.

15. So when you see the appalling abomination that was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:27), standing in the Holy Place—(let the [public] reader take notice and ponder and consider and heed this].

16. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the hills;

17. He who is on the housetop patio should not come down and go into the house to take anything from his house.

18. He who is in the field not turn back to get his Tallit (prayer mantle).

19. Then Oy for the women who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days!

20. Pray that your flight may not be in a winter storm or on a Sabbath.

21. For then there will be the awful day, and the period of the strait (affliction, distress, and oppression) such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now--no, and never will be [again].

22. And unless those days were terminated, no flesh would be delivered; but for the sake of the elect (God's chosen ones) those days will be interrupted.

23. If anyone says to you then, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Here He is!”--do not trust them.

24. For many false Messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (God's chosen ones).

25. Look, I have told you beforehand.

26. So if they say to you, “Behold, He is in the wilderness (desert)”--do not go out there; if they tell you, “Behold, He is in a private niche”--do not trust them.

27. For as the lightning flashes come from the east and appears unto the west, so will the Shekhinah of the Son of Man be.

28. Wherever there is a fallen body (a corpse), there the vultures (or eagles) will flock together.

29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days (Joel 4:15-16), The sun and the moon will be obscured, and the stars withdraw their shining. And the LORD will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge unto His people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

30. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens (Zechariah 12:10-12), And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look unto Me concerning whom they pierced; and they will mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. On that day wailing and breast-beating will be increased And the land will mourn, every family apart.

31. And (Daniel 7 :13-14) behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of days, and he was brought near before Him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom that which will not be destroyed. And he will send forth his messengers with a Shofar, and He will gather His elect (His chosen ones) from the four winds, [even] from one end of the universe to the other.

32. Learn the analogy from the fig tree. Already, when its tender branch has become and it puts forth leaves, you know that the end is nearing.

33. Thus, when you see all these things [all taken together and coming to pass], you know that the end is nearing the gates.

34. Amen I tell you, in no way will this generation (the whole multitude of people living at the time) have passed by until all these things will have become.

35. No one knows this day, none of the messengers, nor I who am His son. No one will know this day except G-d alone.

The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study

For those of you, who want to know how this Torah Seder fits into the general architecture of Sefer B’midbar (Book of Numbers) perhaps this small diagram from Prof. Duane L. Christensen (The Unity of the Bible: Exploring the Beauty and Structure of the Bible, New York: Paulist Press, 2003) will help.

THE THREE MENOROT [Candelabras] OF SEFER B’MIDBAR

Menorah I – Preparing to Enter the Promised Land – Num 1:1 – 12:16

A. Military census and arrangement of the wilderness camp – Num. 1:1 – 2:34

B. Census of the Levites – Num. 3:1 – 4:49

C. Purification of the camp – Num. 5:1 – 6:27

X. Offerings from tribal leaders and consecration of the Levites – Num. 7:1- 8:26

C. Second observance of Passover (at Sinai)—the journey begins – Num. 9:1-23

B. Instructions on blowing trumpets to signal Israel is on the march – Num. 10:1-10

A. The trek from Sinai to Kadesh – Num. 10:11 – 12:16

Menorah II – From an “Unholy War” to the wars of Ha-Shem – Num. 13:1 – 25:9

A. The reconnaissance of Canaan and Israel’s unholy war – Num. 13:1 – 14:45

B. Cultic regulations – Numbers 15:1-41

C. Encroachment on the part of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On – Num. 16:1-35

X. Aaron’s budding rod—shows special status of his priesthood – Num. 17:1-28

C. Responsibility of Aaronic priesthood and other Levites – Num. 18:1-32

B. Purification from contamination by a corpse – Num. 19:1-22

A. The trek from Kadesh to Shittim and the wars of Ha-Shem – Num. 20:1 – 25:9

Menorah III – Preparing for Life in the Promised Land – Num. 25:10 – 36:13

A. From sin at Peor to Zelophehad’s daughters (inheritance rights) – Num 25:10 - 27:1

B. Joshua commissioned to succeed Moses for Exodus into Cisjordan – Num. 27:12-23

C. Cultic calendar for life in the land [+ addendum on vows] – Num. 28:1 – 30:16

X. Holy war vs. Midian - cleansing the contamination of Peor – Num. 31:1-54

C. Allotment of land in Transjordan – Num. 32:1-4

B. The trek from Egypt to the Jordan for Eisodus into Cisjordan – Num. 33:1 – 35:34

A. Heiresses must marry within their clan (Zelophehad’s daughters) – Num. 36:1-13

Last Monday we had a wonderful day celebrating the New Year for the Trees by partaking in a simple Seder of the wonderful fruits of the trees of the lands of Israel, chief of which is the Pomegranate. All of you have tasted of this fruit knows well that it is loaded with seeds inside. As I ate of this fruit it came to my mind the teaching of our Master in I Luke 13:6-9:

Luk 13:6 Then He spoke this allegory: "A certain [man] had a fig tree having been planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find [any].

Luk 13:7 "Then he said to the vineyard-keeper, 'Look! Three years I [have] come looking for fruit in this fig tree and do not find [any]. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?'

Luk 13:8 "But answering, he says to him, 'Lord, let it alone this year also, until which [time] I dig around it and put piles of manure [on it].

Luk 13:9 "And if then it produces fruit [fine], but if not, in the coming [year] you will cut it down."

And then again in Matityahu 3:10 – “"But also already the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree not bearing good [top quality] fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire.”

This week we read about the destruction of the Midianites. Why were they destroyed? Because some of the trees were producing bad quality fruits and most were producing no fruit at all, and this after they had heard the Word of G-d being proclaimed to them by Jethro, the father in Law of Mosheh Rabbenu.

We, however have heard better promises than those proclaimed by Jethro, for our Master taught:

Joh 15:1 "I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper.

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me not bearing [good quality] fruit, He takes it away; and every [branch] bearing fruit, He prunes clean, so that it will be bearing more [good quality] fruit.

Joh 15:3 Already you are pruned clean because of the words which I have spoken to you.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to be bearing fruit by itself unless it will be abiding in the vine, so neither you, unless you will be abiding in me.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine; you [are] the branches. The one abiding in me, and I in him, this one bears much [good quality] fruit, because apart from Me you are not able to be doing anything.

Joh 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown out as the branch and is withered. And they gather them and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.”

What a great promise, that if we abide in the Master, and in his Torah we will bear good quality fruit in abundance. But unfortunately Messiah is in the heavens awaiting G-d’s order to return to earth. So how do we now abide in the Messiah?

The Midrash for this week raises a similar question but with different words. It asks:

And to Him will you cleave (Deut. 10:20). But can a man cleave to the Shekhinah? Is it not already stated, For the Lord your God is a devouring fire (ib. IV, 24)? Yes, but it serves to inform you that if a man, marrying his daughter to a Rabbinic disciple who studies the Scripture and the Mishnah, engages in commerce and allows him to benefit from his wealth, such is the man of whom it says, ‘And to Him will you cleave’ [He as it were cleaves to the Eternal by helping the Rabbinical student of Torah].

Rabbi Charles B. Chavel in his work “Maimonides: The Commandments” (London: Soncino Press, 1967, Vol. I, pp.9-10) commenting on the 6^th Positive Commandment states:

Cleaving to God

By this injunction we are commanded to mix and associate with wise men [Hakhamim], to be always in their company, and to join with them in every possible manner of fellowship: in eating, drinking, and business affairs, to the end that we may succeed in becoming like them in respect of their actions and in acquiring true opinions from their words. This injunction is contained in His words (exalted be He), And to Him will you cleave (Deut. 10:20), which are repeated in the verse, And to cleave unto Him (Deut. 11:22). The Sifre says: ‘And to cleave unto Him means that we should cleave to wise men [Hakhamim] and to their disciples.’

The Sages also use the words to Him you will cleave as proof that it is one's duty to marry a wise man's [Hakham’s] daughter, to give one's own daughter in marriage to a wise man [Hakham], to confer benefits on wise men [Hakhamim] and to have business relations with them. ‘Is it possible,’ they say, ‘for a man to cleave to the Divine Presence (Shekhinah), seeing that it is written, For the Lord your God is a devouring fire?’(Deut. 4:24). Hence we must conclude that whoever marries a wise man's [Hakham’s] daughter or gives his daughter in marriage to a wise man [Hakham], or confers a benefit on a wise man [Hakham] out of his possessions, is to be regarded in the light of this verse as cleaving to the Divine Presence.

NOTE

The wise man [Hakham], or as he is called in Hebrew, Talmid Hakham, 'the disciple of a wise man', interpreting and exemplifying as he does the word of God, is regarded in Jewish thought as being nearest to Him. To cleave to the wise man [Hakham] is thus to cleave to the LORD (Berakhoth 10b; Pesahim 22b).

Scripture provides a perfect example of a disciple cleaving to his master in the constant and reverential attachment of Joshua to Moses: But his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent (Ex. XXXIII, II). The Mishnah records the following saying of Jose ben Joezer of Zeredah, one of the early Fathers of the Tradition: ‘Let your house be a meeting-house for the wise [Hakhamim]; and sit amid the dust of their feet; and drink in their words with thirst’ (Pirke Abot I, 4). The Talmud abounds in illustrations of disciples going to extreme lengths in their earnest desire to learn the ways and customs, conduct and conversation of the wise men (Berakhoth 62a). To miss the society of an assembly of the wise men [Hakhamim] was/is considered an irretrievable loss: 'It is impossible that a gathering of the wise men [Hakhamim] should take place without their bringing to light some profound and fresh interpretation of the Law' (Hagigah. 3a).

Today we live in a materialistic, selfish, narcissistic and irreverent world. Even amongst those unlearned who purport to be close to G-d, serving the Hakhamim as the Scripture states, and as taught above by Hakham Charles B. Chavel, and the Sages from even long before Messiah walked through the Land of Israel, is found to be for them something in bad taste and looked upon as undesirable. Yet of these gainsayers it is written: “So you witness to yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets” (Matityahu 23:31).

In a similar vein to Hakham Chavel’s comments, Hakham Shaul (Paul) writes to his beloved Talmid (Rabbinic student):

“Be letting the elders [Hakhamim] having ruled well be counted worthy of double honour, especially the ones labouring in Word [Torah] and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17)

We may ask, what does it mean here “to be counted worthy of double honour”? Here, Hakham Shaul is alluding to the laws of inheritance as prescribed by the Torah to the firstborn (cf. Deut. 21:17). The firstborn male is to have a double portion of his father’s inheritance. And so here Hakham Shaul is indicating that Hakhamim who rule well and labour in the Torah and teaching of it, should be accorded double respect, appreciation, and if possible be rewarded with a large and honourable maintenance. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown in their Commentary on this text state: “’Double’ is used for large in general.” This is a Hebraism such as when we want to say red, we say DAM, and when we want to say that it is “very red” we repeat the word and say “DAM DAM.” That is “double” in 1 Timothy 5:17 means “large” or “great” honour. Thus, those who find it abominable to offer “great” honour to the Hakhamim in every way possible is because the Word of G-d does not dwell or shown yet in their darkened minds and hearts of which such were the Miadianites that were slaughtered by the command of G-d, most blessed be He!

Our Master said “By their [good quality] fruits they will be known [to G-d and to men].” How one treats his Hakham explains clearly the level of connection and reverence that one has to G-d and His Presence (the Shekhinah) whom some call the Holy Spirit. As Joshua went about humbling himself and doing both menial and great tasks for his Master Mosheh, so G-d later one blessed him with the highest office in Israel and with blessings he far imagined would be his. This week we are called to have a good look at ourselves and determine whether we are trees bearing much and abundant quality fruit, or are all leaves but no fruit. We are also are called to examine how we are cleaving unto G-d, and His Messiah through His Hakhamim, for the level of cleaving to our Hakhamim will determine if one is a Midianite destined to eternal damnation or a righteous/generous Israelite destined to life ternal.

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai