Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2009
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Shebat 20, 5769 – February
13/14, 2009 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 6:01 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:58 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 6:03 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:58 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:33 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:28 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:00 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:03 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:05 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:04 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 6:17 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 7:10 PM |
|
Miami,
Florida, US Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:54 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:48 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:59 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:48 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 4:53 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 5:54 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 7:10 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 7:59 PM |
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:52 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:49 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:42 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:32 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:14 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:20 PM |
Port Elizabeth, South Africa Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 7:00 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 7:56 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 5:16 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 6:16 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday Feb. 13, 2009 – Candles at 7:03 PM Saturday Feb. 14, 2009 – Havdalah 7:53 PM |
For
other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His
Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and
beloved wife HH Giberet Batsehva bat Sarah,
His
Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His
Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,
Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing
the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their
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
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Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
וָאָבֹא
הַיּוֹם |
|
|
|
“VaAbo HaYom” |
Reader 1 – B’Resheet 24:42-49 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 25:19-21 |
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“And I came today” |
Reader 2 – B’Resheet 24:50-58 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 25:22-24 |
|
“Y llegué hoy” |
Reader 3 – B’Resheet 24:59-61 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 25:25-27 |
|
B’resheet (Gen.) 24:42-67 & 25:1-18 |
Reader 4 – B’Resheet 24:62-67 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Is. 12:3 – 13:4
+ 14:1-2 |
Reader 5 – B’Resheet 25:1-6 |
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|
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Reader 6 – B’Resheet 25:7-11 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 25:19-21 |
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Psalms 18 |
Reader 7 – B’Resheet 25:12-18 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 25:22-24 |
|
N.C.: Mark 3:13-19a |
Maftir: B’Resheet 25:16-18 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 25:25-27 |
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Mishle (Proverbs) 6:1-5 |
Is. 12:3 – 13:4 + 14:1-2 |
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|
|
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Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Resheet (Gen.) 24:42 – 25:18
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
42.
I came this day to the well, and I said, 'Adonai, G-d of my
master, Avraham, if You will grant success to my journey on which I am going.
|
42.
And I came today to the fountain, and said, Lord God of my
master Abraham, if now You have prospered the journey upon which I have come,
|
|
43.
Behold, here I stand at the well of water. When a girl comes
out to draw water, I will say to her, 'Please let me drink a
little water from your pitcher.' |
43.
behold, I stand at the fountain of water,--let the damsel who
may come forth to fill, to whom I will say, Give me now a little water to drink
from your pitcher, |
|
44.
If she says to me, 'You too may drink, and I will also draw water
for your camels,' then she is the one whom Adonai has determined for the son
of my master. |
44.
and she say, Drink, and for your camels also will I draw, be
the wife whom the Lord has prepared by His decree for my master's son. |
|
45.
Before I had finished speaking thus in my heart, when suddenly Rivkah came
out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the well and drew
water; and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink,' |
45.
I had not yet finished speaking in the thoughts of my heart, when, behold,
Rivekah came forth with the pitcher upon (her) shoulder, and went down to the
fountain, and filled. And I said, Let me now drink. |
|
46.
She quickly lowered her pitcher and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your
camels to drink.' I drank and she also gave the camels to drink. |
46.
And she hastened and let down her pitcher from her, and said, Drink, and I
will also give your camels drink. |
|
47.
I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She replied, 'The daughter of
Bethuel, son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore unto him.' I [then] placed a nose
ring on her face and bracelets upon her hands. |
47.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter
of Bethuel, the son of Nachor, whom Milcha bare to him. And I set the jewel
upon her brow, and the bracelets on her hand, |
|
48.
I bowed and prostrated myself to Adonai, and I blessed Adonai, G-d of my
master Avraham, Who led me on the true path [in order] to take the daughter
of my master's brother for his son. |
48.
and bowed and worshipped before the Lord; and I blessed the Lord, the God of
my master Abraham, who had led me in the true way to take the daughter of
master's brother for his son. |
|
49.
Now if you want to do what is kind and true to my master, tell me. If not,
tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left." |
49.
And now, if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if
not, tell me, that I may turn to the south or to the north. |
|
50.
Lavan and Bethuel answered and said, "This is from Adonai, we cannot say
anything to you, bad or good. |
50.
And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing has come forth from before
the Lord that Rivekah should be given to Izhak, and we cannot say to you
either evil or good. |
|
51.
Here, Rivkah is before you, take her and go. Let her be a wife to your
master's son, as Adonai has spoken." |
51.
Behold, Rivekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your
master's son, as the Lord has spoken. |
|
52.
When Abraham's servant heard their words, he prostrated himself to the ground
to Adonai. |
52.
And when Abraham's servant heard these words, he worshipped on the ground
before the Lord. |
|
53.
The servant took out articles of silver, articles of gold and garments, and
gave them to Rivkah. To her brother and mother, he gave precious fruits. |
53.
And the servant brought forth vessels of silver and of gold, and vestments,
and gave them to Rivekah; and he gave presents to her brother and to her
mother. |
|
54.
They [then] ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and they stayed
overnight. They got up in the morning and he said, "Send me off to my
master." |
54.
And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and passed the
night. And he arose in the morning, and said, Send me away to my master. |
|
55.
Her brother and mother said, "Let the girl abide with us a year or ten
months, then she can go." |
55.
But as they were talking in the evening, Bethuel had eaten of that prepared
food; and in the morning they found that he was dead. And the brother and
mother said therefore, Let the damsel dwell with us the days of one year or
ten months, and then she will go. |
|
56.
He said to them, "Do not detain me, for Adonai has made my journey successful.
Send me off, so that I can go to my master." |
56.
And he said, Hinder me not, when the Lord has prospered my way; let me
depart, and I will go to my master. |
|
57.
They said, "Let us call the girl and ask her." |
57.
And they said, We will call Rivekah, and hear what she says. |
|
58.
They called Rivkah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"
She said, "I will go." |
58.
And they called Rivekah, and said to her, Will you go with this man? And she
said, I will go. |
|
59.
They sent off Rivkah their sister, along with her nurse, and with Abraham's
servant and his men. |
59.
And they let Rivekah their sister go, and her nurse, and the servant of
Abraham, and his men. |
|
60.
They blessed Rivkah and said to her, "Our sister, may you become
thousands of myriads, and may your descendants inherit the gate of his
foes." |
60.
And they blessed Rivekah, and said to her, Hitherto you were our sister; and
now you are going and are wedded to the righteous/generous; so prosper you,
that from you may come thousands of myriads; and may your sons inherit the
cities of those who hate them. |
|
61.
Rivkah and her maidens set off. They rode on the camels and followed the man.
The servant took Rivkah and left. |
61.
And Rivekah arose, and her damsel, and they rode upon camels, and went after
the man. And the servant took Rivekah with him and journeyed. And as the way
was shortened to him in his journey to Padan Aram, so was it shortened to him
in his return, that in one day he went, and in one day he returned. |
|
62.
Yitzchak had just come from the well [called] Lachai Ro'i, for
he lived in the land of the Negev. |
62.
And Izhak was coming from the school of the Rabba Shem, by the way of the fountain
where had been revealed to him the Living and Eternal One, who sees, and is
not seen; and he resided in the land of the south. [JERUSALEM.
And Izhak was coming from the school of the Rabba Shem, at the fountain
where had been revealed to him the Shekinah of the Lord; and he dwelt in the
land of the south.] |
|
63.
Yitzchak went out to meditate in the field towards evening. He raised his
eyes and suddenly saw camels approaching. |
63.
And Izhak went forth to pray upon the face of the field at the time of
evening; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were
approaching. |
|
64.
Rivkah raised her eyes and saw Yitzchak. She let herself down from the camel. |
64.
And Rivekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Izhak, and she bowed upon the camel. |
|
65.
She said to the servant, "Who is that man walking through the field
towards us?" The servant said, "He is my master." She then
took the veil and covered herself. |
65.
And she said to the servant, Who is the man (so) majestic and graceful, who
walks in the field before us? And the servant said, He is my master. And she
took a veil and covered herself. [JERUSALEM. And she took a veil, and wrapped
herself in it.] |
|
66.
The servant told Yitzchak all the things he had done. |
66.
And the servant related to Izhak everything he had done. |
|
67.
Yitzchak brought her into the tent of his mother, Sarah. He married Rivkah,
and she became his wife, and he loved her. Yitzchak was then consoled for the
loss of his mother. |
67.
And Izhak introduced her into the tabernacle of Sarah his mother, and
thereupon the light (again) shined which had gone out at the time of Sarah's
death. And he took Rivekah, and she was his wife, and he loved her; for he
saw her works that they were upright/generous as the works of his mother. And
Izhak was consoled after his mother's death. |
|
|
|
|
1.
Abraham again took a wife. Her name was Keturah. |
1.
And Abraham added and took a wife, and her name was Keturah; she is Hagar,
who had been bound to him from the beginning. [JERUSALEM. She is Hagar, who
had been tied to him from the beginning.] |
|
2.
She bore him Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak, and Shuach. |
2.
And she bare to him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midyan, and Yishbak,
and Shovack. |
|
3.
Yokshan fathered Shevah and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Ashurim, Letushim
and Leumim. |
3.
And Jokshan begat Sheva and Dedan; and the sons of Dedan were merchants, and
negotiators, and chiefs of peoples. [JERUSALEM.
Merchants, and artificers, and chiefs of peoples.] |
|
4.
The sons of Midian were Eiphah, Eipher, Chanoch, Avidah and Eldoah. All these
were children of Keturah. |
4.
And the sons of Midyan, Eipher, and Ephher, and Honok, and Abida, and Aldaah,
all these were the sons of Keturah. |
|
5.
Abraham gave all that he possessed to Yitzchak. |
5.
And Abraham gave the gift of all he had to Izhak. |
|
6.
To the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts. He sent
them away from Yitzchak, his son, while he [Abraham] was still alive. [He
sent them] eastward to the Land of the East. |
6.
And to the sons of the concubines of Abraham, Abraham gave riches and
moveable property as gifts, and sent them away from Izhak his son while he
(yet) lived; and they went and dwelt eastward in the land of the orient. |
|
7.
These are the days of the years of Abraham which he lived, one hundred years,
seventy years and five years. |
7.
And this is the number of the days of the life of Abraham, who lived a
hundred and seventy and five years. |
|
8.
Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was
gathered to his people. |
8.
And Abraham expired, and died in a good old age, aged and satisfied with all
good. (Also Ishmael wrought repentance in his days, and afterwards was
gathered to his people.) |
|
9.
His sons Yitzchak and Yishmael buried him in the Machpelah cave, in the field
of Ephron, son of Tzochar, the Chitite, which faces Mamrei. |
9.
And Izhak and Ishmael his sons buried him in the double cavern, at the field
of Ephran bar Zochar, the Hittite, which is before Mamre; |
|
10.
[This was] the field that Avraham purchased from the sons of Chet. Abraham
and his wife, Sarah, were buried there. |
10.
the field that Abraham purchased of the sons of Hittah: there was Abraham
buried and Sarah his wife. |
|
11.
After Abraham died, Elohim blessed his son Yitzchak. Yitzchak lived near Be'er
Lachai Ro'i. |
11.
And because Abraham had not designed to bless Ishmael, therefore he blessed
not Izhak; for had he blessed Izhak and not Ishmael, it would have kept them
in enmity. But, after the death of Abraham, the Lord blessed Izhak; and Izhak
dwelt near the well at which was revealed the glory of the Living
and Eternal One, who sees and is not seen. |
|
12.
These are the descendants of Yishmael son of Avraham, whom Hagar, the Egyptian,
Sarah's slave, bore to Abraham. |
12.
And these are the generations of Ishmael bar Abraham, whom Hagar the
Mizreitha, the handmaid of Sarah, bare unto Abraham. |
|
13.
These are the names of Yishmael's sons, by their names according to their
birth. Nebayot was Yishmael's first born, [he also had] Kedar, Adbeil and
Mivsam, |
13.
And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names, according to
their generations. The firstborn of Ishmael, Neboi, and Arab, and Abdeel, and
Mibsham,-- |
|
14.
Mishma, Dumah and Masa, |
14.
Hearing, Silence, Patience, and Sharpness: |
|
15.
Chadad, Teima, Yetur, Nafish and Kedmah |
15.
and Tema, Yetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. |
|
16.
These are the sons of Yishmael, and these are their names in their open
villages and in their fortified strongholds, twelve princes in their nations.
|
16.
These were the sons of Ishmael, and these their names in their villages, and
in their fenced dwellings, twelve chiefs of their peoples. [JERUSALEM.
In their villages, and in their fenced dwellings (or encampments). Twelve
chiefs of their peoples.] |
|
17.
These are the years of Yishmael's life, one hundred years, thirty years and
seven years. He expired and died and was gathered to his people. |
17.
And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and
seven years; and he was converted in repentance, and expired, and was
gathered to his people. |
|
18.
They lived from Chavilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards
Asshur. He lived in the presence of all his brethren. |
And
they dwelt from Hindiki unto Chalutsa, which is in face of Mizraim from going
up to Athur. Before the face of all his brethren he dwelt in his possession. [JERUSALEM.
And they dwelt from Hindekaia unto Chalutsa, which is by the side of Mizraim,
from thy going up towards Arthur. Before all his brethren he dwelt.] |
|
|
|
Reading Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
107-113.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol II: The Patriarchs
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
II, pp. 414-443.
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.
Rashi’s Commentary on B’Resheet (Gen.) 24:42
– 25:18
42 So I came today –
Today I left, and today I arrived. From here we learn that the earth shrank for
him [i.e., his journey was miraculously shortened]. Rabbi Acha said: The
ordinary conversation of the servants of the Patriarchs is more beloved before
the Omnipresent than the Torah of their sons, for the section dealing with
Eliezer is repeated in the Torah, whereas many fundamentals of the Torah were
given only through allusions.-[Gen.
Rabbah 60:8]
44 You too [The
word] גַּם (also), includes the people who
were with him.
designated [Meaning]: He clarified and made known, and likewise,
every expression of הוׄכָחָה in Scripture denotes
clarification of a matter.
45 I had not yet
finished - טֶרֶם
אֲכַלֶּה [Meaning]:
“I was not yet finishing.” And similarly, wherever the present tense is called
for, sometimes the past tense is used, and it could have been written טֶרֶם
כִּלִתִי (past tense), “I had not yet
finished;” and sometimes the future tense is used. An example [that a verb
denoting continuous action is sometimes expressed in the past and sometimes in
the future] is (Job 1:5): “for Job would say” (אָמַר): this is in the past tense.
“So would Job do” (יַעֲשֶׂה): this is in the future
tense. But the meaning of both is in the present tense, [namely] “for so would
Job say: Perhaps my sons have sinned? And so he would do this” [in a continuous
fashion].
47 And I asked...and
I placed He reversed the sequence of events, because, in fact, he had first
given [her the jewelry] and then asked [about her family]. But [he changed the
order] lest they catch him in his words and say, “How did you give her [the
jewelry] when you did not yet know who she was?”
to the right [This refers to a wife] from the daughters of Ishmael.
to the left [This refers to a wife] from the daughters of Lot, who
dwelt to the left of Abraham (Gen. Rabbah
60:9).
50 And Laban and
Bethuel answered He [Laban] was wicked/Lawless and jumped to reply before
his father.
We cannot speak to you to refuse in this matter, either with an unfavorable
reply, or with an appropriate reply, because it is obvious that the matter has
emanated from the LORD, according to your words, that He designated her for
you.
52 that he
prostrated himself on the ground From here [we learn] that we must give
thanks upon hearing good news.
53 and... delicacies
Heb. וּמִגְדָּנֹת. An expression of sweet
fruits (מְגָדִים), for he had brought with him
various kinds of fruits of the Land of Israel.
54 and they lodged
Wherever lodging is mentioned in Scripture, it refers to one night’s lodging.
55 And her brother
and her mother said And where was Bethuel? He wanted to stop [Rebecca’s
marriage]; so an angel came and slew him.-[Gen.
Rabbah 60:12]
a year - יָמִים [means]
a year, as in (Lev. 25:29): “the time of its redemption shall be one full year (יָמִים).” For a maiden is granted a
period of twelve months to outfit herself with ornaments.-[Kethuboth 57].
or ten [Meaning] ten months, for if you say that יָמִים is [to be understood literally
as] days, it is not customary for people who make requests to request a small
thing and [to say,] “If you are unwilling, give us more than that.”-[Kethuboth 57].
57 And ask her
From here we learn that we may not marry off a woman except with her consent.-[Gen. Rabbah 60:12]
58 and she said, “I
will go.” of my own accord, even if you do not desire it.
60 may you become
thousands of myriads May you and your seed receive that blessing that was
stated to Abraham on Mount Moriah (above 22:17): “and I will surely multiply
your seed, etc.” “May it be His will that those children shall be from you and
not from another woman.”
62 coming from Be’er
Lachai Ro’i where he had gone to bring Hagar to Abraham his father, that he
should marry her (Gen. Rabbah 60:14).
and he dwelt in the land of the
south Near that well, as it is said (above 20:1): “And
Abraham traveled from there to the south land, and he dwelt between Kadesh and
Shur,” and there the well was located, as it is said (above 16:14): “Behold it
is between Kadesh and Bered.”
63 to pray - לָשׂוּחַ is an expression of prayer,
as in (Ps. 102:1): “He pours out his prayer (שִׂיחוֹ).”-[Gen. Rabbah 60: 14, Ber. 26b]
64
and saw Isaac She saw his majestic appearance, and she was astounded
by him (Gen. Rabbah 60:14).
and she let herself down She slipped off toward the earth, as the Targum כִינַת, “and she leaned.” She leaned
towards the earth but did not reach the ground, as (above verse 14): “Please
lower (הַטִּי) your pitcher,” [which the Targum renders:] אַרְכִינִי [tilt]. Similar to this, (II Sam.
22:10): “And He bent (וַיֵּט) the heavens,” [which the Targum renders:] אַרכִין, an expression of leaning
towards the earth, and similarly (Ps. 37:24): “Though he falls (יִפֹּל), he will not be cast down,”
meaning that if he falls toward the earth, he will not reach the ground.
65 and covered
herself - וַתִּתְכָּס is in the reflexive form, as
in (below 35:8) וַתִּקָּבֵר (and she was buried); (I Sam.
4:18) וַתִּשָּׁבֵר (and it was broken).
66 And the servant
told -(Gen. Rabbah 60:15) He
revealed to him [Isaac] the miracles that were wrought for him, that the earth
had shrunk for him and that Rebecca had come to him providentially as a result
of his prayer.
67 to the tent of
Sarah his mother He brought her to the tent, and behold, she was Sarah his
mother; i.e., she became the likeness of Sarah his mother, for as long as Sarah
was alive, a candle burned from one Sabbath eve to the next, a blessing was
found in the dough, and a cloud was attached to the tent. When she died, these
things ceased, and when Rebecca arrived, they resumed (Gen. Rabbah 60:16).
for…his mother It is the way of the world that, as long as a person’s
mother is alive, he is attached to her, but as soon as she dies, he finds
comfort in his wife.-[Pirkei d’Rabbi
Eliezer, ch. 32.]
1 Keturah -(Gen. Rabbah 61:4) This is Hagar. She was
called Keturah because her deeds were as beautiful as incense (קְטֺרֶת), and because she tied (קָטְרָה, the Aramaic for “tied”) her opening, for
she was not intimate with any man from the day she separated from Abraham.
3 Ashurim and
Letushim the names of the heads of nations (Gen. Rabbah 61:5). But I cannot reconcile the translation of Onkelos with the language of the verse
[who translated אַשּׁוּרִם as לְמַשִׁירְיָן, meaning “camps.” And if you
say that it is not so, because the “aleph” is not part of the root, we do have
words that do not commence with an “aleph,” yet are prefixed with an “aleph.”
For example (Amos 7:7): חוֹמַת
אֲנָךְ (a wall made by a plumb-line),
which is derived from [the same root as] (II Sam. 4:4) נְכֵה
רַגְלָיִם (“lame in his feet”); and
like (II Kings 4:2) אָסוּךְ
שָׁמֶן (“a jug of oil”), which is derived
from [the same root as] (Ruth 3:3) וְרָחַצְתְּ
וָסַכְתְּ (“and you shall bathe and
anoint yourself”).
and Letushim They are tent dwellers who spread hither and thither,
and travel each in “his palatial tents,” (using the expression from Dan.
11:45), and so Scripture states (I Sam. 30:16): “and behold, they are scattered
(נְטֻשִׁים) over the entire earth,” for
“lammed” and “nun” are interchangeable.]
5 And Abraham gave,
etc. -(Gen. Rabbah 61:6) R.
Nechemiah said: He gave him a permanent blessing, for the Holy One, blessed be
He, had said to Abraham (above 12:2) “and you will be a blessing,” i.e., the
blessings are delivered into your hand to bless whomever you wish. And Abraham
gave them over to Isaac.-[Mid. Ps.
1:5]
6 concubines -(Gen. Rabbah 61:4) This [the word [פִּילַגְשִׁים] is spelled defectively
[missing the letter “yud”], because there was only one concubine. That was
Hagar, who was identical with Keturah. [The “yud,” denoting the plural, is
absent, hence Rashi understands that the word פִּילַגְשִׁים denotes the singular. In our
Torah scrolls, the plene spelling appears.] Wives are those who have a marriage
contract, whereas concubines have no marriage contract, as is explained in Sanhedrin (21a) regarding David’s wives
and concubines.
Abraham gave gifts Our Sages explained that he gave them “the name of
impurity” (Sanh. 91a). Another
explanation: All that was given to him because of Sarah and the other gifts
that were given to him, all these he gave to them, for he did not wish to
benefit from them.
7 one hundred years
and seventy years and five years When he was one hundred years old, he was
as one who is seventy years old, and when he was seventy years old, he was as
one who is five years old, without sin.
9 Isaac and Ishmael
-(Gen. Rabbah 30:4, 38:12) From here
[we may deduce] that Ishmael repented and let Isaac go before him, and that is
the meaning of “a good old age” which is stated regarding Abraham (above
15:15). -[B.B. 16b]
11 Now it came to
pass after Abraham’s death, that God blessed, etc. He consoled him with the
consolations of the mourners (Sotah
14b). Another explanation: Even though the Holy One, blessed be He, delivered
the blessings to Abraham, he was afraid to bless Isaac because he foresaw Esau
emanating from him. So he said, “May the Master of blessings come and bless
whomever He pleases.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, came and blessed him. -[Tan. Lech Lecha 4]
13 by their names,
according to their births in the order of their birth, one after the other.
16 in their open
cities [These are] unwalled cities, and the Targum renders: בְּפַצְחֵיהוֺן, for they are מְפֻצָחִים meaning open, as in (Ps.
98:4): “Open [your mouths] (פִּצְחוּ) and sing praises.”
17 And these are the
years of the life of Ishmael, etc. Said Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba: Why were
Ishmael’s years counted? In order to trace through them the years of Jacob.
From the years of Ishmael we learn that Jacob studied in the academy of Eber
for fourteen years after he left his father before arriving to Laban, for when
Jacob left his father, Ishmael died, as it is said (below 28:9): “And Esau went
to Ishmael, etc.”, as is delineated at the end of [the chapter entitled] “The
Megillah is read” (Meg. 16b, 17a).
and he expired Heb. וַיִּגְוַע [The term] גְוִיעָה is mentioned only regarding
the righteous/generous.-[B.B. 16b]
18 he dwelt [נָפָל means] “he dwelt” as in (Jud.
7:12): “Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all those of the East dwelt (נֹפְלִים) in the valley.” Here Scripture
uses the term נְפִילָה, (falling), whereas there
(above 16:12) it states: “And before all his brothers he will dwell (יִשְׁכֹּן).” Before Abraham died, “he
dwelt”; after Abraham died, “he fell.” -[Gen.
Rabbah 62:5]
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 18
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JUDAICA PRESS TRANSLATION |
TARGUM |
|
1. For the conductor; of the servant of the LORD, of
David, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day that the LORD delivered
him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. |
1. For praise. About the miracles that occurred
to the servant of the LORD, David, who sang in prophecy in the presence of
the LORD the words of this song about all the days that the LORD delivered
him from the hand of all his enemies and from the sword of Saul. |
|
2. And he said, "I love You,
O LORD, my strength. |
2. And he said: I will love you, O LORD, my strength. |
|
3. O LORD, my rock (Heb.: סַלְעִי – Sal’i) and my fortress
and my rescuer; my God, my rock (Heb.: צוּרִי – Tsuri), I will take
refuge in Him; my shield and the horn of my salvation (Heb.: יִשְׁעִי – Yish’i), my refuge. |
3. O LORD, my strength and my security and the One who
delivers me; the God who has chosen me has brought me near to fear Him; my shield, from
whose presence is given me strength and redemption over my enemies; my
security. |
|
4. With praise I call to the LORD,
and from my enemies I will be saved (Heb.: אִוָּשֵׁעַ - Ivaushea). |
4. David said in praise: “I pray in the LORD’s presence,
and from my enemies he redeems me.” |
|
5. Bands of death have encompassed
me, and streams of scoundrels would affright me. |
5. Distress has surrounded me, like a woman who
sits on the birth-stool and has no strength to give birth and so is in danger
of death; a band of abusive men have terrified me. |
|
6. Bands of the nether world have
surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. |
6. Armies of sinners have surrounded me; those armed with
deadly weapons have confronted me. |
|
7. When I am in distress, I call
upon the LORD; yes, I cry out to my God; out of His temple He hears my voice, and my cry
comes before Him in His ears. |
7. When I am in distress, I pray in the presence of the
LORD; and in the presence of my God I make supplication; and He accepts my
prayer from His temple, and my petition in His presence is received by His
ears, and is granted. |
|
8. The earth shook and quaked, the
foundations of the mountains did tremble; and they were shaken
when He was angered. |
8. The earth trembled and shook and the foundations of the
mountains tottered, and split, for He was angry with it. |
|
9. Smoke went up in His nostrils,
and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him. |
9. The arrogance of Pharaoh went up like smoke; then He
sent His anger like a burning fire that consumes before Him; His rebuke burns
at His utterance like coals of fire. |
|
10. And He bent the heavens, and He
came down, and thick darkness was under His feet. |
10. And He bent down the heavens, and His glory was
manifested, a dark cloud a path before Him. |
|
11. And He rode on a cherub and did fly; He swooped on the
wings of the wind. |
11. So He was manifested in His strength over swift
cherubs; and He proceeded in might on the wings of the storm-wind. |
|
12. He made darkness His
hiding-place about Him as His booth; the darkness of waters, thick clouds of
the skies. |
12. And He made His presence dwell in the mist, and
surrounded Himself with the clouds of his glory as a covering; and He made
favourable rains to fall on His people, and mighty waters from the massed
clouds of darkness on the wicked/Lawless from the eternal heights. |
|
13. From the brightness before Him,
His thick cloud passed, hail and coals of fire. |
13. From the splendour of His glory the clouds of heaven
passed by in rebuke like the coals of fire and burning hail from His Word. |
|
14. The LORD thundered from Heaven;
and the Most High gave forth His voice with hail and coals of fire. |
14. And the LORD gave a shout from heaven, and the Most
High raised up His utterance; He cast hail and coals of fire. |
|
15. And He sent out arrows and He scattered them; He shot
lightning and He discomfited them. |
15. And He sent His Word like arrows, and scattered them;
[He sent] many lightning bolts, and confounded them. |
|
16. And the depths of the water
appeared; the foundations of the world were laid bare by Your rebuke, O LORD,
by the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. |
16. And the depths of the sea became visible, and the
pillars of the world were uncovered at the rebuke of the LORD, from the
utterance of Your mighty wrath. |
|
17. He sent forth from on high [and] He took me; He
drew me out of many waters. |
17. He sent His prophets, [He who is] a mighty king who
reigns in strength; He took me [and] delivered me from many Gentiles. |
|
18. He delivered me from my mighty
enemy, and from those that hated me, for they were too powerful for me. |
18. He delivered me from my enemies, for they are strong;
from my foes, for they prevailed against me. |
|
19. They confronted me on the day
of my calamity, but the LORD was a support to me. |
19. They confronted me in the day of my wandering; but the
Word of the LORD was my support. |
|
20. And He brought me forth into a
wide space; He delivered me because He took delight in me |
20. And He brought me out to a broad place, He delivered me
because He was pleased with me. |
|
21. The LORD rewarded me according
to my righteousness/generosity; according to the cleanness of my hands He
recompensed me. |
21. The LORD will requite me according to my merit;
according to the cleanness of my hands He will answer me. |
|
22. For I have kept the ways of the
LORD and have not wickedly/Lawlessly departed from [the commandments of] my God. |
22. For I have kept the proper ways in the LORD’s presence;
and I have not walked in evil before the LORD. |
|
23. For all His ordinances (Heb.: מִשְׁפָּטָיו – Mishpataiv) were
before me; and His statutes (Heb.: וְחֻקֹּתָיו – V’Chuqotaiv) I will not
remove from myself. |
23. For all His judgments are revealed in my sight, to do
them; and His covenants I will not remove from me. |
|
24. And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself
from my iniquity/Lawlessness. |
24. And I was blameless in fear of Him; and I kept my soul
from sins. |
|
25. And the LORD has recompensed me
according to my righteousness/generosity, according to the cleanness of my
hands before His eyes. |
25. And the LORD rewarded me according to my merit;
according to the cleanness of my hands in the presence of His Word. |
|
26. With a kind one, You show
Yourself kind, with a sincere man, You show
Yourself sincere. |
26. With Abraham, who was found pious in Your presence, You
showed much mercy; with his seed, Isaac, who was complete in fear of You, You
completed your favourable Word. |
|
27. With a pure one, You show
Yourself pure, but with a crooked one, You deal crookedly. |
27. With Jacob, who
was pure in Your presence, You chose his sons from all the Gentiles, and
separated his seed from all that is unfit; but with Pharaoh and his seed, and
the Egyptians who thought evil thoughts against Your people, You confounded
them in their thoughts. |
|
28. For You do save (Heb.: תוֹשִׁיעַ – Toshia) a humble people,
and You humble haughty eyes. |
28. Because You are
going to redeem the people, the house of Israel, who are esteemed among the
peoples in exile; and by Your Word You will abase the mighty nations who
prevail over them. |
|
29. For You light my lamp; the LORD,
my God, does light my darkness. |
29. For You will light
the lamp of Israel that was extinguished in the exile, for You are the lord of
the light of Israel. The LORD my God will bring me out of darkness into
light; He will show me His eternal consolation which is to come to the
righteous/generous. |
|
30. For by You I run upon a troop, and by my God I scale a
wall. |
30. For by Your Word I
will pass through armies; and by the Word of my God I will subdue mighty
citadels. |
|
31. [He is] the God Whose way is
perfect; the Word of the LORD is refined; He is a shield to all who trust in
Him. |
31. God [is he] whose
ways are true; the Torah of the LORD is pure; He is a shield to all who trust
in Him. |
|
32. For who is God save the LORD?
And who is a Rock (Heb.: צוּר – Tsur), save our God? |
32. For because of
the miracle and deliverance that You will perform for Your Messiah, and for
the remnants of Your people who will remain, all the Gentiles, nations, and
tongues will confess and say, There is no God but the LORD, for there is none
besides You; and Your people will say, There is none mighty except our God. |
|
33. The God is He Who girds me with strength; and He makes
my way perfect. |
33. God, Who girds on
me a belt in strength, and makes blameless my way. |
|
34. He makes my feet like hinds, and sets me upon my high
places. |
34. Who makes my feet
like hinds’; and He will sustain me in my stronghold. |
|
35. He trains my hands for war so
that a copper bow is bent by my arms. |
35. Who teaches my
hands to do battle, and who makes my arms as strong as a bronze bow. |
|
36. You have given me the shield of
Your salvation (Heb.: מָגֵן
יִשְׁעֶךָ – Magen Yesh’ekha); Your
right hand has supported me, and You have treated me with great humility. |
36. And You have given
me strength and redemption; and Your right hand will help me; and by Your
Word You have multiplied me. |
|
37. You have enlarged my step[s] beneath me, and my ankles have not slipped. |
37. You have broadened my steps in my
place, and my knee has not buckled. |
|
38. I have pursued my enemies and
overtaken them, never turning back until they were consumed. |
38. I will pursue my
enemies; [now] have I destroyed them, and I did not return until I finished
them off. |
|
39. I have crushed them so that
they cannot rise; yes, they are fallen under my feet. |
39. I will destroy
them, and they are unable to rise; and the slain have fallen under the soles
of my feet. |
|
40. For You have girded me with
strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those that rose up against
me. |
40. And You have girded
me with strength as a belt to do battle; You have defeated beneath me the
Gentiles who rise up to do me harm. |
|
41. And of my enemies, You have
given me the back of their necks; those that hate me, that I may cut them
off. |
41. And my foes You
have broken in my presence; You have made them turn tail; [thus] my enemies I
will destroy. |
|
42. They pray but no one saves them (Heb.: מוֹשִׁיעַ – Moshia); [even] to the
LORD, but He answered them not. |
42. They seek help,
but they have no redeemer; they pray in the presence of the LORD, but He does
not accept their prayer. |
|
43. Then I ground them as dust
before the wind; as the mud in the streets I did pour them. |
43. I have crushed
them like clods of earth before the storm-wind; and like the mud of the
streets I have trodden them. |
|
44. You allowed me to escape from
the contenders of the people; You will make me the head over gentiles (Heb.: גּוֹיִם – Goyim,); may a people
that I do not know serve me. |
44. You will deliver
me from the discords of the Gentiles; You will keep me by my destiny a
benefactor at the head of the Gentiles; a people that I did not know will
serve me. |
|
45. As soon as they hear they will
obey me; foreigners will lie to me. |
45. At the hearing of
the ear, they will obey me; the sons of the peoples will desert in my
presence. |
|
46. Foreigners will wither, and
they will fear their imprisonments. |
46. The sons of the
peoples above will perish, and will go into exile from their palaces. |
|
47. The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock (Heb.: צוּרִי – Tsuri), and exalted be
the God of my salvation (Heb.: יִשְׁעִי – Yish’i). |
47. The LORD lives,
and blessed is the mighty One; for from His presence strength and redemption
are given to me; and exalted is God, the strength of my redemption. |
|
48. The God Who grants me vengeance
and destroys peoples instead of me. |
48. It is God who
works retribution for me, and defeats beneath me the Gentiles who arise to do
me harm. |
|
49. Who delivers me
from my enemies; even above those that rise against me You have lifted me;
from the [royal] man (Heb.: מֵאִישׁ
– MeIsh) of violence (Heb.: חָמָס
– Chamas) You deliver me. |
49. He delivers me
from my foes; indeed against those who arise to do me harm You will make me
prevail; You will deliver me from Gog and the armies of rapacious Gentiles
with him. |
|
50. Therefore, I will give thanks
to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles (Heb.: בַגּוֹיִם –BaGoyim), and to Your name
I will sing praises. |
50. Because of this, I
will give praise in Your presence among the Gentiles, O LORD; and I will sing
praises to Your name. |
|
51. He gives great salvations
(Heb.: יְשׁוּעוֹת – Y’shuot) to His king, and He performs kindness to His
Messiah (Heb.: לִמְשִׁיחוֹ – LiM’shicho) to David and to his seed forever. |
51. He works abundant
redemption with His king, and shows favor to His Messiah, to David and his
seed forever. |
|
|
|
RASHI’S COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Psalm Eighteen
1 on the day the
Lord saved him etc. When he became old and all his troubles had already
passed over him and he was saved from them.
and from the hand of Saul Was not Saul included? But [he is mentioned
specifically] because he was the harshest to him and pursued him more than all
of them. Similarly, you say (in Josh. 2:1): “see the land and Jericho.”
2 I love You
Heb. אֶרְחָמְךָ, I love You, as the Targum
renders (Lev. 19:18): “and you will love your neighbor,” ותרחם.
3 my rock For
You saved me at the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:28), when I was trapped
between Saul and his men, to be caught, as it is stated (in I Sam. 23:26): “but
Saul and his men were encircling to David and his men etc.”
and my fortress Heb. וּמְצוּדָתִי, an expression of a fortress.
my rock Heb. צוּרִי an expression of a rock.
I will take refuge Abrier in French (to protect, cover; cf. Rashi to Isa.
30:2, Joel 4:16).
I will take refuge in Him I will take shelter in His shade, as the matter is
stated (in Job 24:8): “and without shelter (מַחְסֶה) they embrace the rocks,”
because the rocks are a shelter and a shield for the travelers from the winds
and from the downpour of rains.
4 With praise I
call to the LORD With praises I call Him and pray before Him constantly,
i.e., even before the salvation I praise Him, because I am confident that I
will be saved from my enemies.
5 Bands of death
have encompassed me On many occasions wicked/Lawless men have surrounded
me. אֲפָפוּנִי is like סבבוני. Similarly (below 40:13), “For countless evils...have
encompassed (אָפְפוּ) me.”
Bands of death Heb. חֶבְלֵי, camps of enemies, as (in I
Sam. 10:5): “a band (חֶבֶל) of prophets.” But Jonathan
renders: as a woman who sits on a birth-stool, an expression of the pangs (חֶבְלֵי) of a woman in confinement.
and streams of scoundrels That too is an expression of troops that flood like a
stream.
6 Bands of the
nether world Like “bands of death,” camps of wicked/Lawless men, and I - what
did I do?
7 When I am in
distress, I call I would always call upon the LORD.
8 The earth shook
and quaked This is not connected to the preceding verse, but its beginning
is connected to its end; i.e., when He was angered, the earth shook and quaked.
[The word] כִּי is used as an expression of “when.”
When He was angered and came to wreak the vengeance of His people, His
servants, on Pharaoh and his people, the earth shook and quaked.
9 Smoke went up in
His nostrils (En ses nariles in Old French, in his nostrils.) So is the
custom of every anger, to cause smoke to ascend from his nostrils.
10 And He bent the
heavens, and He came down to pass through the land of Egypt. “He came down”
is to be understood in its simple meaning. Another explanation is “i atonvit” in
Old French, to flatten, as (in Exod. 39:3).
11 He swooped
Heb. וַיֵּדֶא, He flew, as (in Deut.
28:49), “as the eagle swoops (יִדְאֶה).”
12 the darkness of
waters that are in the thick clouds of the skies are the darkness that is
about Him. Lest you say that within the darkness there is no light, Scripture
tells us: From the brightness before Him, and from within His partition, His
thick clouds that are about Him are split, and hail and coals of fire pass
through them.
13 passed Heb. עָבְרוּ, trepasant in Old French,
passed. The hail split and passes through onto the Egyptians at the Sea of
Reeds.
16 And the depths of
the water appeared when the sea split.
the foundations of the world were
laid bare for all the waters in the world
split.
by the blast from the blowing.
17 He sent forth
from on high His angels to save Israel from the sea and from the Egyptians.
He drew me out Heb. ipyni, an expression of drawing out, as (in Exod.
2:10), “I drew him out (edziyn) of the water.”
19 They confronted
me My enemies would hasten and attack me early on the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was, etc.
21 according to my
righteousness/generosity According to the righteousness of my following Him
in the desert.
according to the cleanness Heb. כְּבֹר, an expression of cleanness,
as (below 24:4), “and pure of heart.” Another explanation: He sent forth from
on high [and] He took me. [David] said this about himself, concerning the angel
who came to the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:27) to turn Saul away from
him, as it is stated: “And an angel came to Saul, etc.”
according to my righteousness/generosity that I did not slay him when I sliced off the skirt of
his coat. [Obviously, Rashi explains verses 8-17 as referring to Israel’s
departure from Egypt. Only in verse 17 does he suggest the explanation that
David refers to his own experiences.]
23 For all His
ordinances were before me I always placed them before my eyes.
26 With a kind one,
You show Yourself kind Because so are His ways, to pay a measure for a
measure. Kind...sincere...pure, corresponding to the three patriarchs.
27 With a pure one
a faithful one.
but with a crooked one alluding to Pharaoh.
29 For You light my
lamp when he fought at night with the Amalekite troop that attacked Ziklag,
as it is stated (in I Sam. 30:17): “And David smote them from evening until
evening to their morrow.”
30 For by You By
Your assurance.
and by my God I scale a wall When he came to wage war against Jebus, and he said (in
I Chron. 11: 6): “Whoever smites the Jebusites, etc. will be a leader and a
prince.” Joab brought a green juniper tree, bent it over, suspended himself on
it, and scaled the wall. Said David (in Ps. 141:5): “May a righteous/generous
man smite me with loving-kindness,” and the Holy one, blessed be He, lowered
the wall, and he scaled it (Mid. Ps. 18:24).
31 refined Pure.
He promises and He does.
33 and He makes my
way perfect He removed all obstacles from my way until it became perfect
and paved.
34 He makes my feet
like hinds The feet of the females stand straighter than those of the
males.
35 so that a copper
bow is bent by my arms Heb. וְנִחֲתָה, an expression of treading
the bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נִחֲתוּ) into me.” Its radical [or
its active voice] is נחת. When it is used in the
passive voice, a dagesh comes and causes the “nun” to drop out. Hence נִחֲתָה is derived from ננחתה as (below 69:4): “My throat is
dried (נִחַר),” derived from ננחר as (in Jer. 6:29): “The bellows is
heated (נָחַר) ”; נִדָּף, rattling (in Lev. 26:36) is
derived from ננדף; “My eyes stream (נִגְּרָה) ” (in Lam. 3:49), is like ננגרה; “was given (נִתְּנָה)” (Gen. 38:14) is like ננתנה. Another explanation: and a copper
bow is bent by my arms: חית is an expression of treading
a bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נִחֲתוּ).” The “nun” is not of the
radical but it is like נִחֲלוּ “gave for inheritance” (in Jos.
14:1), and the copper bow was bent by my arms. Copper bows were hanging in
David’s house. The kings of the nations would see them and say to each other,
“Do you think that David has the strength to bend them? This is only to frighten
us.” But he would hear [them] and bend the bows before them.
36 and You have
treated me with great humility You have dealt with me with great humility.
37 You have enlarged
my step[s] beneath me One who widens his steps does not fall easily. Similarly,
Scripture states (in Prov. 4:12): “When you walk, your steps will not be
hampered (יֵצַר).”
slipped Heb. מָעֲדוּ aluverjert in Old French, to
slip.
my ankles Heb. קַרְסֻלָּי. They are the feet from the
ankle which is called keville (cheville) in Old French and below [to the heel].
41 You have given me
the back of their necks They would turn the back of their necks to me and
flee.
42 They pray to
their idols.
but no one saves them Because it [their prayer] has no power, and they return
and call upon the LORD, but He does not answer them.
43 Then I ground
them Heb. וְאֶשְׁחָקֵם, an expression of crushing.
I did pour them like loose mud, which is not thick, as (in Gen. 42:35):
“when they emptied (מְרִיקִים) their sacks”; (in Jer.
48:11), “has not been poured (הוּרַק) from one vessel to another
vessel.”
44 You allowed me to
escape from the contenders of the people so that I should not be punished
according to Jewish law, for perverting justice or for subjugating an Israelite
more than is permitted.
You will make me the head over
nations for whom there is no punishment.
45 As soon as they
hear Even in my absence, as long as they hear my message.
they will obey me They will give heed to my bidding and obey my orders.
will lie to me out of fright.
46 will wither
Heb. יִבֹּלוּ. They will become weary, as
(in Exod. 18:18): “you will surely wither (נָבֹל תִּבֹּל),” which the Targum renders:
you will surely weary. Menachem (Machbereth p. 45) explains it as (in Gen.
18:12): “after I have become old (בְלֹתִי),” and he explained תִּבֹּל נָבֹל in the same manner.
and they will fear Heb. וְיַחְרְגוּ, an expression of fear; (in
Deut. 32:25) “and terror from within,” the Targum renders: חרגת, fear of death.
their imprisonments Because of the tortures of the imprisonments in the
dungeon where I imprison them and where they torture them. Menachem (p. 94)
interprets it as an expression of loosening the girdle, and so he explains it:
and they will be loosened of their girdles [meaning they will be frightened or
weakened]. Dunash interprets וְיַחְרְגוּ
מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם, and they will be lamed from
their shackles, which are placed on their feet. The meaning of וְיַחְרְגוּ is: they will become lame, as the Aramaic for a lame
person is חגר.
47 The LORD lives
He Who does all this for me.
48 Who grants me
vengeance Who gives me strength to avenge myself upon my enemies.
and destroys Heb. וַיַּדְבֵּר, and He slew, an expression
of דבר, pestilence. Another
explanation: as (in Exod. 3:1): “and he led (וַיִּנְהַג),” which is translated into
Aramaic as וּדְבַר. Menachem (p. 61) too
associated it in this manner. Likewise, he associated (below 47:4), “He leads (יַדְבֵּר) peoples under us.”
instead of me Heb. תַּחְתָּי, in my place and in my stead,
as the matter is stated (in Isa. 43:4): “and I give men in your stead (תַּחְתֶּיךָ), (verse 3), “I have given
Egypt as your ransom [Cush and Seba in your stead (תַּחְתֶּיךָ)].”
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 12:3 – 13:4 + 14:1-2
1. And in that day you will say:
‘I will give thanks unto You, O LORD; for though You were angry with me, Your
anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
2. Behold, God is my salvation
(Heb.: יְשׁוּעָתִי - Y’shuati); I will trust, and will not be afraid; for GOD the
LORD is my strength and song; and He is become my salvation (Heb.: לִישׁוּעָה – Lishuah.’
3.
Therefore with joy will you draw water out of the wells
of salvation (Heb.: הַיְשׁוּעָה – HaY’shuah).
4.
And in that day will you say: ‘Give thanks unto the LORD, proclaim His name,
declare His doings among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted.
5.
Sing unto the LORD; for He has done gloriously; this is made known in all the
land.
6.
Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion, for great is the “Holy One of
Israel” (Heb.: קְדוֹשׁ
יִשְׂרָאֵל – Q’dosh Yisrael) in the midst of you.’ {S}
1.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2.
Set up an ensign (Heb. נֵס – Nes) upon
a bare mountain (Heb.: הַר-נִשְׁפֶּה – Har-Nisfeh), lift up the voice unto them, wave the
hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3.
I have commanded My consecrated ones, yes, I have called My mighty ones for
mine anger, even My proudly exulting ones.
4.
Hark, a tumult in the mountains, like as of a great people! Hark, the uproar of
the kingdoms (Heb.: מַמְלְכוֹת – Maml’khot) of the nations (Heb.: גּוֹיִם –
Goyim) gathered together! The LORD of hosts musters the host of the battle.
5. They come from a far country,
from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, to
destroy the whole earth. {S}
6. Howl; for the day of the LORD
is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty will it come.
7. Therefore will all hands be slack,
and every heart of man will melt.
8. And they will be affrighted;
pangs and throes will take hold of them; they will be in pain as a woman in
travail; they will look aghast one at another; their faces will be faces of
flame.
9. Behold, the day of the LORD
comes, cruel, and full of wrath and fierce anger; to make the earth a
desolation, and to destroy the sinners (Law-breakers) thereof out of it,
10. For the stars of heaven and
the constellations thereof will not give their light; the sun will be darkened
in his going forth, and the moon will not cause her light to shine.
11. And I will visit upon the
world their evil, and upon the wicked/Lawless their iniquity/Lawlessness; and I
will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the
haughtiness of the tyrants.
12. I will make man more rare
than fine gold, even man than the pure gold of Ophir.
13. Therefore I will make the
heavens to tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of her place, for the
wrath of the LORD of hosts, and for the day of His fierce anger.
14. And it will come to pass,
that as the chased gazelle, and as sheep that no man gathers, they will turn
every man to his own people, and will flee every man to his own land.
15. Every one that is found will
be thrust through; and every one that is caught will fall by the sword.
16. Their babes also will be
dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be spoiled, and their
wives ravished.
17. Behold, I will stir up the
Medes against them, who will not regard silver, and as for gold, they will not
delight in it.
18. And their bows will dash the
young men in pieces; and they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their
eye will not spare children.
19. And Babylon, the glory of
kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, will be as when God overthrew
Sodom and Gomorrah.
20. It will never be inhabited,
neither will it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither will the
Arabian pitch tent there; neither will the shepherds make their fold there.
21. But wild-cats will lie there;
and their houses will be full of ferrets; and ostriches will dwell there, and
satyrs will dance there.
22. And jackals will howl in
their castles, and wild-dogs in the pleasant palaces; and her time is near to
come, and her days will not be prolonged.
1.
For the LORD will have compassion (Heb.: יְרַחֵם –
Y’Rachem) on Jacob, and will yet choose (Heb.: וּבָחַר – UVachar) Israel, and
set them in their own land; and the stranger (Heb.: הַגֵּר – HaGer) shall join himself with them, and they will cleave to
the house of Jacob.
2.
And the peoples will take them, and bring them to their place; and the house of
Israel will possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and for
handmaids; and they will take them captive, whose captives they were; and they
will rule over their oppressors. {S}
Mark 3:13-19a
Delitzsch Hebrew Rendition:
13 וַיַּעַל אֶל־הָהָר
וַיִּקְּרָא אֶל־אֲשֶׁר
הוּא חָפֵץ וַיָּבֹאוּ
אֵלָיו׃
14 וַיְמַן
שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר
אִישׁ לִהְיוֹת
אִתּוֹ וּלְשַׁלְּחָם
לִקְרֹא׃
15 וְהָיָה
לָהֶם הַשָּׁלְטָן
לִרְפֹּא אֶת־הַתַּחֲלֻאִים
וּלְגָרֵשׁ אֶת־הַשֵּׁדִים׃
16 (וַיָשֶּׁם
אֶת־שְׁנֵים הֶעָשָׂר)
וַיְכַנֶּה אֶת־שִׁמְעוֹן
בְּשֵׁם פֶּטְרוֹס׃
17 וְאֶת־יַעֲקֹב
בֶּן־זַבְדַּי
וְאֵת יוֹחָנָן
אֲחִי יַעֲקֹב
וַיְכַנֶּה אֹתָם
בְּשֵׁם בְּנֵי־רְגוֹשׂ
הוּא בְּנֵי־רָעַם׃
18 וְאֵת
אַנְדְּרַי וְאֵת
פִילִפּוֹס וְאֵת
בַּר־תַּלְמַי
וְאֵת מַתַּי וְאֶת־תּוֹמָא
וְאֶת־יַעֲקֹב
בֶּן־חַלְפַי
וְאֶת־תַּדַּי
וְאֶת שִׁמְעוֹן
הַקַּנָּי׃
19 וְאֵת־יְהוּדָה
אִישׁ קְרִיּוֹת
אֲשֶׁר הִסְגִּיר
אֹתוֹ׃
Hakham’s
Rendition:
13.
And he (Yeshua) goes up to the mountain, and does call near whom
he willed, and they went away to him;
14.
And he (Yeshua) appointed twelve, that they may be with him, and that he may
send them forth to proclaim,
15.
And to have authority to heal the sicknesses, and to cast out the demons.
16.
And he put on Shimon bar Yonah the name [of] Tsefet (a stone
that joins two columns);
17.
And Ya’aqob (James) ben Zavdeyel, and Yochanan (John) the brother of Ya’aqob
ben Zavdeyel, and he put on them [the] name – Ben Rogaz, that is, “The
Irascible;”
18.
And Adam (Andrew) bar Yonah, and Peresh (Philip – cf. 1 Chronicles 7:16), and Bar-Telem
(Bartholomew – cf. Joshua 15:24 & Ezra 10:24), and Matityahu (Matthew) ben
Chalfai HaLevi, and T’om (Thomas – twin/Gemini) ben Chalfai HaLevi, and Ya’aqob
(James) ben Chalfai HaLevi, and Yehudah (Thaddeus) ben Ya’aqob, and Shim’on (Simon)
HaK’na’ani (the Cananite (Jew from Phoenicia - Sidon),
19.
And Yehudah (Judas) ben Shim’on Ish Q’riyot (Iscariot), who did also deliver
him up;
Comments:
v.
13 - And he (Yeshua) goes up to the mountain - Here we have a comment
(fulfilment) of our Ashlamatah in Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 14:2 –
Set up an ensign (Heb.
נֵס – Nes) upon
a bare mountain (Heb.: הַר-נִשְׁפֶּה – Har-Nisfeh), lift up the voice unto them, wave the
hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
This
also corroborates the principle that Jewish Synagogues and Academies should be
built (where possible) on a high ground (hill or mountain) above the rest of
the city dwellings. This is to parallel what is said in Yeshayahu 2:3 –
“And many people will
go and say: 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house
of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His
paths.' For out of [Mount] Tziyon will go forth the Torah, and the Word of the
LORD from Yerushalayim.
And
in Micah 4:2 –
“And many Gentiles
will go and say: 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to
the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will
walk in His paths'; for out of Tziyon will go forth the Torah, and the Word of
the LORD from Yerushalayim.”
Esnogas
and Yeshibot (Rabbinic Academies) are in themselves architectural
representations of three important places in the history of humanity: Gan
(Garden of) Eden, Har (Mt.) Sinai, and the Bet HaMiqdash (Holy Temple) at
Yerushalayim. And therein (at the Esnogas and Yeshibot) are re-enacted similar
forms of worship and revelation that took place on those two historical
sites.
and
does call near whom he willed, and they went away to him -
Yochanan
writing his Kabbalistic treatise puts it this way (John 15:16):
“You did not choose
me, but I chose you, and did appoint you, that you might go away, and might
bear fruit, and your fruit might remain, that whatever you may ask of the
Father in my authority, He may give you.”
It
is G-d, most blessed be He, Who has chosen Yisrael out of the rest of the
nations and peoples, and not that Israel decided to choose G-d! Similarly,
whilst a person may petition a Hakham to teach him/her in the end, it is the
Hakham who chooses in the name of G-d to teach or not to teach, to mentor or
not to mentor any individual. This is well explained in a wonderful book called
“God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism” by: R. Abraham
Joshua Heschel of blessed memory.
Similarly,
the commandment and obligation to get married falls upon the man and not on the
woman, for ultimately it is the man who chooses a wife and not the other way
around. This principle teaches us something very important. The relationship
between a Talmid (Rabbinic Disciple) and his Master is very similar to that of
a husband and wife (bar the sexual intimacy part). This is indicated in our
verse by the phrase “call near.” A wife like a Rabbinic Disciple who
does not lovingly submit, obey, cherish, assist, and develop an intimate relationship
with his Hakham can not be a wife nor a Talmid.
Therefore,
Rabbinic training is very different to College, Seminary or University
training. It is more demanding, more comprehensive, more exacting, more
intimate, and most definitely producing much better end-results than any other
form of training.
v.
14 - And he (Yeshua) appointed twelve
Before
we learned that the Master “called,” certain “to follow after him” and a
suitable period of time has elapsed as “probationers.” Now the time has arrived
to “appoint them” as Talmidim (Trainees for the Rabbinate). The word here “appointed”
is misunderstood and misconstrued by many as “ordained” in the Hebrew sense of
receiving “Smikha.” This is totally incorrect. Then sense here is that of being
appointed as a “candidate” or “trainee” and not “ordained”! He appointed 12
Trainees to become Hakhamim. The number 12 is here symbolic, and representing
the whole nation of Yisrael (composed of 12 Tribes) who will go forth to become
a light, and to teach Torah to the Gentiles.
This
appointment as trainees for the Rabbinate of necessity therefore requires
another symbol: that of a mountain – a high elevation, for which the candidates
themselves can see themselves as “ensigns” to Israel and the Gentiles, as we read
in our Ashlamatah for this week. Dr. Marie Noonnan Sabin aptly comments here[1]:
“Mark tells us that
Yeshua “appointed twelve” in order that “he might send them forth to preach and
to have authority [or power] to drive out demons.” When Mark describes Yeshua
ascending a mountain to do this, he evokes the memory of Moses; when he
emphasizes the number twelve, he evokes the twelve tribes of Israel. He thus
implies That Yeshua’s gathering and sending forth of the twelve followers is
an act of continuity with Jewish tradition.”
that
they may be with him – this is again a repetition of what we read above in
v.13 – “call near.”
and
that he may send them forth to proclaim – Rabbinical training is very much
a mixture of academic training to the highest standards, as well on-hands
practical training, personal and
inter-personal formation/transformation. All parts of the human being need to
be thoroughly permeated by the Torah: the mind, the body, the soul and the
spirit. This is why it si so indispensable for a Talmid to be submissive and
obedient to his Hakham, for he needs to understand that this period of training
is not only for the purpose of acquiring special knowledge and skills, but also
a time for personal transformation and re-moulding. If the desired changes are
not taking place then the Hakham is wasting his time as well as the
Talmid!
The
Greek term used here for “proclaim” is “κηρυσσειν”
Kirusein – and meaning a person with authority to act as a trusted official
spokesperson who makes public proclamation of weighty affairs. In this case,
the weighty affairs are the affairs of G-d’s Governance by means of Torah
Written and Oral.
v.
15 - And to have authority to heal the sicknesses, and to cast out the demons –
Rabbinic
training is also comprehensive and Encyclopaedic, it demands good knowledge of
Veterinary Science, Kashrut (dietary Laws), Medicine, Chemistry, Social
Science, Education, Economics, Psychology and Psychiatry, not to mention Torah
Law and Gentile Law Systems. Since Torah covers all spheres of life it is
necessary for one who is a Hakham to have in-depth knowledge of all of these
spheres.
I
find it repulsive to say the least, that some who profess to be followers of
the Master seem to intimate that the Master went around with a magic wand and
dispensed all this body of knowledge to his Rabbinic disciples by a simple
touch. But, hey to this very day some want to believe in fairy tales and fables
as the Pagans did and in total disregards to the Laws of G-d as understood and
practiced by our people.
Pastors
and priests can pray all they want and can lay hands on people as much as they
want, but if people are not eating kosher, and living kosher in the fear of
G-d, and according to Torah, what is good is that healing if people after being
healed will immediately revert again to a Lawless life-style? The Torah (Exodus
15:26) makes it abundantly clear when it states:
“and He said, ‘If you
do really (sincerely and thoroughly) hearken to the voice of Ha-Shem your God,
and do that which is right in His eyes (not your eyes), and has hearkened to
His commandments, and kept all His statutes: none of the sickness/diseases
which I laid on the Egyptians do I lay on you, for I, Ha-Shem, am healing you
[through your Torah obedience].”
And
again:
Deu 7:11 You will
therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I
command you this day, to do them.
Deu 7:12 And it will
come to pass, because you hearken to these ordinances, and keep, and do them,
that the Ha-Shem your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which
He swore unto your fathers,
Deu 7:13 And He will
love you, and bless you, and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your
body and the fruit of your land, your corn and your wine and your oil, the
increase of your kine and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore
unto your fathers to give you.
Deu 7:14 You will be
blessed above all peoples; there will not be male or female barren among you,
or among your cattle.
Deu 7:15 And Ha-Shem
will take away from you all sickness; and He will put none of the evil diseases
of Egypt, which you know, upon you, but will lay them upon all them that hate
you.
vv.
16-19
– see my rendition to English above of these verses.
MISHLE (Proverbs) 6:1-5
The Folly of Becoming Surety for a
Stranger
Questions
for Reflection:
1.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:42?
2.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:45?
3.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:47?
4.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:50?
5.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:55?
6.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:62?
7.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:63?
8.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:65?
9.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 24:67?
10.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 25:6?
11.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 25:9?
12.
What question/s lie
behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 25:17?
13.
How did the death
at the hands of G-d of Bethuel avoided him fulfilling the “droit de
Seignior”?
14.
Why did Abraham
say to Eliezer: "Take
care, not to bring my son back there”?
15.
When should a
person recite SheHeCheyanu according to this Torah Seder?
16.
How
is the Torah Seder related to:
(a)
Psalm
Eighteen for this week?
(b)
The
Ashlamatah of Isaiah 12:3 – 13:4 + 14:1-2 for this week?
(c)
Mark
(Mordechai) 3:12-19a?
(d)
Proverbs
6:1-5?
17.
After taking into
consideration all the above texts and our Torah Seder, what would you say is
the general message from the Scriptures for this coming week?
Always remember
that the goal is not to be correct or incorrect in answering the questions but
to participate and give it your best!
Shalom Shabbat and
much courage and guidance of G-d’s Wisdom in answering the above questions!
Hakham Dr. Yosef
ben Haggai
Next Shabbat: Shebat 27, 5769
(February 20/21, 2009)
“Shabbat Shekalim” & “Shabbat
Mevar’chin HaChodesh Adar”
“Sabbath of the Shekels” & “Sabbath
of the Proclamation of the New Month of Adar”
For further study see: http://www.betemunah.org/chodesh.html
& http://www.inner.org/times/adar/adar.htm
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
מַחֲצִית
הַשֶּׁקֶל |
|
|
|
“MaChatsit
HaSheqel” |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
30:1-5 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 25:19-21 |
|
“Half
a Shekel” |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
30:6-10 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 25:22-24 |
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“Medio Shequel” |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
30:11-16 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 25:25-27 |
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Sh’mot (Exodus) 30:1-38 B’midbar (Num 28:9-15) |
Reader 4 – Sh’mot
30:17-21 |
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Ashlamatah: II
Kings 12:1-17 |
Reader 5 – Sh’mot
30:22-25 |
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Special: I Samuel
20:18, 42 |
Reader 6 – Sh’mot
30:26-33 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 25:19-21 |
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Psalms 104:1-35 |
Reader 7 – Sh’mot
30:34-38 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 25:22-24 |
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N.C.: Matthew 17:24-27 |
Maftir: B’midbar
28:9-15 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 25:25-27 |
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Mishle (Proverbs) Proverbs
7:1-27 |
II Kings
12:1-17 |
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I Samuel 20:18, 42 |
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