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Telephone: (210) 277-8649-
Three and 1/2 year Lectionary
Shebat 6, 5766 – February 3/4,
2006
First
Year of the
Fifth
Year of the Shemittah Cycle
Friday,
February 3, 2006 Light Candles at: 5:55 PM
Saturday, February
4, 2006 – Havadalah 6:51 PM
For other
places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Week Forty of
the Cycle
Coming
Semi-festival: Chamishah Asar or Tu-BiShebat
New Year of the
Trees
Shebat 15 –
Evening of February 12-13
See: http://www.betemunah.org/tubshevt.html
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Shabbat: |
Torah |
Weekday Torah |
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ויקרא
יעקב |
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“Vayiqra
Ya’aqob’” |
Reader
1 – B’resheet 49:1-4 |
Reader
1 – B’resheet 49:27-30 |
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“And
called Jacob ” |
Reader
2 – B’resheet 49:5-7 |
Reader
2 – B’resheet 49:31-33 |
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“Y llamó Jacobo” |
Reader
3 – B’resheet 49:8-12 |
Reader
3 – B’resheet 49:27-33 |
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B’resheet (Genesis) Gen. 49:1-26 |
Reader
4 – B’resheet 49:13-15 |
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Isaiah 55:3-12 + 56:8 |
Reader
5 – B’resheet 49:16-18 |
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Reader
6 – B’resheet 49:19-21 |
Reader
1 – B’resheet 49:1-3 |
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Psalm 40 |
Reader
7 – B’resheet 49:22-24 |
Reader
2 – B’resheet 49:4-6 |
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Maftir – B’resheet 49:24-26 |
Reader
3 – B’resheet 49:7-9 |
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N.C.: Matityahu 6:14-15 |
Isaiah 55:3-12 + 56:8 |
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Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to
you courtesy of His Honour Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and beloved family, as
well as that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved family and that
of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family. For their regular
and sacrificial giving, we pray G-d’s richest blessings upon their lives and
those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to my son H.E. Adon
Ariel ben Yosef for making available at short notice scanning and computing
facilities to produce this week’s Torah Commentary.
Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:
B’resheet (Gen.) 49:1-26
XLIX. And Jakob called his sons
and said to them, Purify yourselves from uncleanness, and I will show you the
hidden mysteries, the ends concealed, the recompense of reward for the
righteous, the retribution of the wicked, and the bower of
Reuben you are my firstborn, the beginning of the strength of my generation, and the chief event of my thoughts To you belonged the birthright, and the high priesthood, and the kingdom: but because you have sinned, my son, the birthright is given to Joseph, and the, kingdom to Jehuda, and the priesthood to Levi. I will liken you to a little garden in the midst of which there enter torrents swift and strong, which it cannot bear, but is overwhelmed. Be repentant then, Reuben my son, for you have sinned, and add not; that wherein you have sinned it may be forgiven you; for it is reckoned to you as if you went in to have to do with the wife of your father at the time that you did confound my bed upon which you went up.
Shimeon and Levi are brothers of
the womb; their thoughts are of sharp weapons for rapine. In their counsel my
soul has not had pleasure, and in their gathering against Shekem. to destroy it
mine honor was not united; for in their anger they slew the prince and his
ruler, and in their ill will they demolished the wall of their adversary. And
Jakob said, Accursed was the town of
Jehuda, you did make confession in the matter of Tamar: therefore shall your brethren confess you, and shall be called Jehudaim from your name. Your hand shall avenge you of your adversaries, in throwing arrows upon them when they turn their backs before you; and the sons of your fathers shall come before you with salutations. I will liken you, my son Jehuda, to a whelp, the young of a lion; for from the killing of Joseph my son you did uplift your soul, and from the judgment of Tamar you were free. He dwells quietly and in strength, as a lion; and as an old lion when he reposes, who may stir him up? Kings shall not cease, nor rulers, from the house of Jehuda, nor sopherim (scribes) teaching the law from his seed, till the time that the King the Mashiah, shall come, the youngest of his sons; and on account of him shall the peoples flow together How beautiful is the King, the Mashiah who will arise from the house of Jehuda! He has girded his loins, and descended, and arrayed the battle against his adversaries, Slaying kings with their rulers; neither is there any king or ruler who shall stand before him. The mountains become red with the blood of their slain; his garments, dipped in blood, are like the out-pressed juice of grapes. How beautiful are the eyes of the king Mashiah, as the pure wine! He cannot look upon what is unclean, nor on the shedding of the blood of the innocent; and his teeth, purer than milk, cannot eat that which is stolen or torn; and therefore his mountains are red with wine, and his hills white with corn, and with the coats of flocks.
Zebulon shall dwell upon the banks of the sea, and have dominion over the havens he will surmount the breakers of the sea with ships and his border extend unto Zidon.
Issakar is an ass in the law; a
strong tribe, knowing the order, of the times; and he lies down between the,
limits of his brethren. And he saw the rest of the world to come that it is
good, and the portion of the
From the house of Dan there is to
arise a man who will judge his people with the judgment of truth. All the
tribes of
When Jakob saw Gideon bar Joash and Shimshon bar Manovach, who were established to be deliverers, he said, I expect not the salvation of Gideon, nor look I for the salvation of Shimshon; for their salvation will be the salvation of an hour; but for Your salvation have I waited, and will look for, O Lord; for Your salvation is the salvation of eternity.
The tribe of Gad with the rest of the tribes will, armed, pass over the streams of Arnona and subdue before them the pillars of the earth, and armed will they return into their limits with much substance and dwell in peace beyond the passage of Jarden; for so will they choose, and it shall be to them to receive their inheritance.
Happy is Asher whose fruitage is plenteous, and whose land abounds in balsams and costly perfumes.
Naphatalis a swift messenger, like a hind that runs on the tops of the mountains, bringing good tidings: he it was who announced that Joseph was living; he it was who hastens to go into Mizraim, and bring the contract of the double field in which Esau had no portion; and when he shall open his mouth in the congregation of Israel to give praise, he shall be the chosen of all tongues.
Joseph, my son, you have become
great; Joseph, my son, you have become great and mighty; the end (determined)
on you was (that you should) be mighty, because you did subdue your inclination
in the matter of your mistress, and in the work of your brethren. You will I
liken to a vine planted by fountains of water, which sends forth her roots, and
overruns the ridges of stone, and covers by her branches all unfruitful trees;
even so did you my son Joseph subjected by your wisdom and your good works all
the magicians of Mizraim; and when, celebrating your praises, the daughters of
princes walking on the high places cast before you bracelets and chains of
gold, that you should lift up your eyes upon them, your eyes you would not lift
up on one of them, to become guilty in the great day of judgment. And all the
magicians of Mizraim were bitter and angry against him, and brought accusations
against him before Pharoh, expecting to bring him down from his honor They
spoke against him with the slanderous tongue which is severe as arrows. But he
returned to abide in his early strength, and would not yield himself unto sin,
and subdued his inclinations by the strong discipline he had received from
Jakob, and thence became worthy of being a ruler, and of being joined in the
engraving of the names upon the stones of
Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu
B’resheet (Gen.) 49:1-26
7. And Jacob called unto his sons (Gen. 49:1). May it please our master to teach us whether the one
who leads the congregation in prayer may respond "Amen" after the
priests. Thus did our sages teach us: The person who leads the congregation in
prayer is not permitted to respond "Amen" after the priests [He might
become confused by the interruption and err in his prayers (see Baba Batra
34a). He might also be considered inferior to the priests.]. The fact that the
person who leads the congregation in prayer may not respond "Amen"
after the priest proves how precious he is to the Holy One, blessed be He. R.
Hanan said: When ten men enter a synagogue, the one who recites the prayers
preceding the Shema is called a lily among the thorns (Song 2:2).
The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Previously I
blessed My creatures, as it is said: And God blessed Noah (Gen. 9:1),
and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (ibid. 24:1); and God
blessed Isaac, his son (ibid. 25:11), And God appeared unto Jacob again
when he came from Padan-aram and blessed him (ibid. 35:9). Henceforth, however,
the priests and the righteous ones shall bless you.
From whom did the priests receive the privilege of pronouncing
the blessing over
8. And Jacob called unto his sons (Gen. 49:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: He removes the speech
of men of trust, and takes away the sense of the elders (Job 12:20). This
verse refers to Isaac and Jacob, for both of them desired to disclose the
secrets of the Holy One, blessed be He. Concerning Isaac it is written: And
he called Esau, his eldest son (Gen. 27:1), to reveal to him what was to
transpire in the Messianic age. That was the reason the Holy One, blessed be
He, withdrew the knowledge of it from him. Jacob likewise wanted to reveal to
his sons what would occur in the Messianic age, as it is said: He called
unto his sons and said: "Gather yourselves together that I may tell
you" (ibid. 49:1).
This may be compared to a slave to whom a king entrusted
all his possessions. When the slave was about to die, he summoned his sons to
tell them where the will and writ of manumission were to be found so that they
could become free men. The king discovered this and remained at his bedside.
When he saw the king, he set aside the thing he wished to reveal to them, and
admonished them instead, saying: "You are the king's slaves, honor him as
I have all my life." Similarly when Jacob summoned his sons to reveal to
them what would transpire in the Messianic age, the Holy One, blessed be He,
appeared before him and said: You have summoned your sons, but you did not
summon Me. And thus Isaiah said: Yet you have not called Me, O Jacob;
neither have you wearied yourself about Me, O
And Jacob called unto his
sons. Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I
will cry unto God Most High; unto God that accomplishes it for me (Ps.
57:3). R. Joshua the son of Levi said: The earthly court promulgated three decrees.
And these are they: the first occurred during the time of Ezra. After their
return from
The second occurred in the days of Mordecai and Esther.
What is written there? The Jews ordained, and accepted it upon them and
their seed (Est. 9:27). How do we know that the Holy-One, blessed be He,
concurred? Because it is written: the Jews ordained and accepted. The
word accepted (kibal) is written in the singular form, thereby
indicating that the Master of the Jews concurred.
The third episode took place in the days of Joshua after
the Israelites had entered the Land. Joshua told them: And the city shall be
devoted, even it and all that is therein (Josh. 6:17). You find here that
it was not the people but Joshua who issued this decree. But how do we know
that the Holy One, blessed be He, approved it? Because it is written:
Another explanation of I will cry unto God Most
High. This refers to Jacob. When his sons entered to receive their blessing,
he began to distribute the honors among them. Whence do we know that the Holy
One, blessed be He, agreed with him? From the fact that you find that every
blessing Jacob conferred upon each of the tribes, Moses invoked upon them later
on. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, must have approved each blessing.
When did he bless them? As he was about to depart from this world. Hence, And
Jacob called unto his sons and said: "Gather yourselves together, that I
may tell you" (Gen. 49:1).
R. Phinehas the priest, the son of
Why did he say to them Gather
yourselves together, assemble yourselves (Gen. 49:1-2)? He did so to let
them realize that they would be exiled twice. After he had designated the
elders among them, he began to rebuke them, saying: Reuben, you are my
firstborn (Gen. 49:3). From that very moment
9. Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the
first fruits of my strength; the excellence of dignity, and the excellence of
power, unstable as water, you have not the excellence (Gen. 49:3-4). You are my firstborn. You are my
firstborn, the product of the first drop of semen I produced in eighty years.
In fact, I did not even experience nocturnal pollution before then. My
firstborn. Are you like me? The excellence of dignity, and the
excellence of power. Three crowns were available to you: priesthood,
kingship, and the right of the firstborn. The excellence of dignity alludes
to the priesthood, as is said: And Aaron lifted up his hands (Lev.
9:22); the excellence of power refers to kingship, as it is said: And
he will give power unto his king (I Sam. 2:10); the birthright is indicated
by the double portion he received, as is said: By giving him a double
portion (Deut. 21:17). But you have lost them all. Why? Because you are as unstable
as water, and therefore you have not the excellence.
What is the meaning of pahaz ("unstable")?
It is an abbreviation. R. Eliezer said: It is an abbreviation for pahazata ("you
were overweening"), hatatha ("you sinned"), zanitha ("you
committed adultery"). R. Joshua contended: It stands for pahazta ("you
were overweening"), hasahta ("you cast the yoke from your
neck"), za'ta ("you did recoil from sin").
R. Levi reversed the letters of the word pahaz: The
zayin stands for za'ata ("you did recoil), the heh for
haradata ("you did tremble"), and parahhet ("your
sin has flown from you"). Another comment on pahaz. Pasata ("you
trampled on the law"), hillalta ("you have degraded your
birthright"), zar ("you have made yourself a stranger like
water). What is the meaning of like water? If a man pours water from
a flask nothing remains, but if there is oil in the flask, and it is poured
out, there is a residue in the bottle. Therefore, it says: Unstable like
water, you have not the excellence (Gen. 49:4).
Because you went up to your father's bed (ibid.).
When did this occur? At the incident of the mandrakes. Leah said: Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband"? And would you
take away my son's mandrakes also? (Gen. 30:15).
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch (ibid.
49:4) [He slept with Bilah, his father's concubine]. He went up implies
that you will be rejected until Moses appears, concerning whom it is written: And
Moses went up unto God (Exod. 19:3), and he shall come, and intercede for
you, saying: Let Reuben live, and not die (Deut. 33:6). And Reuben went
out downcast. And he (Jacob) began to call out: Simeon and Levi are brothers
(Gen. 49:5). They had acted as brothers toward Dinah but not toward Joseph,
whom they had sold.
R. Simlai stated: In reference to Reuben, it is written: And
delivered him out of their hand (ibid. 37:2). Hence you learn that he was
not responsible for the selling of Joseph. Similarly
Weapons of violence. He said to
them: The weapons in your possession are weapons of violence stolen from Esau,
of whom it is said: By the sword shall you live (ibid. 27:40). These are
weapons of violence, and violence is associated with Esau, as it is said: For
the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall
be cut off forever (Obad. 10).
Mekherotehem (their kinship). This is a
Greek word. The Greeks called their swords mahirim. Others are of the
opinion that the word mekherotehem should have been written as megurothehem
("their origin"), as in the verse Your origin and your
nativity (Ezek. 16:3).
10. Let my soul not come into their council (Gen.
49:6). This relates to when Zimri came and had intercourse
with Cozbi. Let my soul not be mentioned in reference to them. And that is why
it is said: Now the name of the man of
Unto their assembly let my glory not be invited (Gen.
49:6). When Korah assembled the people to oppose Moses, Let my glory not be
invited. That is to say, let my glory not be associated with them. Hence
the verse stated: The sons of Korah, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi (Num.
16:1), but the text does not say "son of Jacob." When shall my name
be mentioned? By the priests at the altar, as it is written: The son of Izhar,
the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of
For in their anger they slew a man (Gen.
49:6). Did they slay only one man? Is it not written: And they came upon the
city unawares, and they slew all the males (ibid. 34:25)? The fact is that
they were all considered by the Holy One, blessed be He, and by them as one
man, as Scripture states: And you shall smite the Midianites as one man (Judg.
6:16). Similarly, it states: The horse and its rider has He thrown into the
sea (Exod. 15:1).
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce (Gen.
49:7). Since He cursed only their anger, Balaam said: How shall I curse whom
God has not cursed? (Num. 23:8). That is to say, inasmuch as He cursed
their anger alone, at a time when He was sorely displeased with them, how am I
able to curse them?
I will divide them in Jacob (Gen.
49:7). Twenty-four thousand men of the tribe of Simeon perished because of the
act of Zimri. He apportioned their twenty-four thousand widows, two thousand to
each tribe, as it is said: / will divide them in Jacob. Every one who is forced to go from door to door will be
of the tribe of Simeon [It would be the poorest tribe and would have to go
about begging]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: But surely the descendants
of Levi will also go about begging [Since it would not own land and would
therefore have no visible means of support]? What did He do about it? He caused
them to obtain their food honorably. He thus fulfilled Jacob's prophecy by
permitting him (the priest) to receive one of the tithes. He would go about at
threshing time, saying: "Give me my portion." Therefore he said: I
will divide them in Jacob. Thus Simeon and Levi went out with blanched
faces.
Next he began to call out:
Your hand shall be upon the neck of Your enemies (ibid.).
This refers to David, who would descend from him: You have made mine enemies
turn their backs unto me (II Sam. 22:41).
Your father's sons shall bow down before you (Gen.
49:8). Isaac had said to Jacob: Your mother's son shall bow down (ibid.
27:29) because he had only one wife. However, since Jacob had many wives, he
said to
Another comment on From the prey, my son, you are gone
up. That is, as a consequence of the episode of Tamar, you have saved four
souls from death: Tamar, her two sons, and yourself.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You saved four lives
from fire and death when you ignored the command: Bring her forth, and let her be burned (ibid. 38:24). Therefore, I
will rescue four of your descendants, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
form the furnace and the lion's den. He called
The scepter shall not depart from
Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet (Gen.
49:10). When the king will come to whom kingship belongs (i.e., the Messiah),
and concerning whom it is written: The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim
shall be trodden underfoot (Isa. 28:3).
Until Shiloh come (Gen.
49:10), for the kingdom is his [Word-play reading the place-name
And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be (ibid.).
This refers to the one who will shatter the teeth (break the power) of the
gentiles (i.e. the Messiah), as it is said: The nations shall see and be put
to shame for all their might; they shall lay their hands upon their mouth,
their ears shall be deaf (Micah 7:16).
Another comment on And unto him shall be obedience of
the peoples be (Gen. 49:10): He is the one for whom the gentiles will
assemble [The word yihkhat ("obedience") is taken as if it
were related to Hebrew mitkahalim ("assemble")], as is said: The
root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the
nations seek (Isa. 11:10).
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt
unto the choice vine (Gen. 49:11). Vine refers to
Another explanation of ass's colt. Even upon a colt,
the foal of asses (Zech. 9:9).
He washes his garments in wine (Gen.
49:11) because of the abundance of wine.
His vesture in the blood of grapes (ibid.). Sutah
("vesture") means "to err", as it is said: If your
brother ... cause you to err (Deut.
13:7). When they err in the law, it shall be cleansed (atoned for) in his
territory.
Wine alludes only to Torah, as it
is said: For Your love is better than wine (Song 1:2), and He has
brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me is love (Song
2:4).
His eyes shall be red with wine (Gen. 49:12).
You learn from this verse that he devoted himself to the study of the Torah.
The word hakhlili (red) should be read as hekh li li ("it is
tasty to me"), that is, the wine of the Torah is sweet to me. And His
teeth white with milk (ibid.). That is, if they should sin, they shall be
made as white as snow, because of the Torah (they study).
11 . Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea
(Gen. 49:13). Zebulun was
mentioned before Issachar even though Issachar was the elder. Why? Zebulun was engaged
in commercial activity, while Issachar devoted himself to the study of the
Torah, and they had agreed that Zebulun's earnings would be shared by Issachar.
That is why Moses blessed them: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and
Issachar in your tents (Deut. 33:18). Rejoice, Zebulun, in going
about to do business, for Issachar is in your tents studying the Torah. Why
should he rejoice? Because the Torah is a tree of life to them that lay hold
upon her, and happy is everyone that holds her fast (Prov. 3:8). Therefore
Zebulun preceded Issachar. If it had not been for Zebulun, Issachar could not
have studied the Torah. Since Issachar engaged exclusively in the study of the
Torah, and was not concerned with business nor did any kind of work, it is
written about him: And the children of Issachar, men that had understanding
of the times (I Chron. 12:33).
Issachar is a large-boned ass (Gen.
49:14). That is, he bears the yoke of the Torah like an ass that bears its
load, while Zebulun brings his wares in ships. Crouching down between the
sheepfolds (ibid.). This refers to his disciples, who spread the knowledge
of the Torah before the wise throughout the land, as it is said: When you
lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver (Ps.
68:14). For he saw a resting place that it was good (Gen. 49:15). This
refers to the Torah, as it is said: I am weary with my groaning, and I find
no rest (Jer. 45:3). That it was good alludes to the Torah, since it
is said: For I give you good doctrine (Prov. 4:2). And he bowed his
shoulders to bear (Gen. 49:15) the yoke of the Torah. And he became a
servant under task-work (ibid.). Task-work refers to the law. Whenever
the people erred in the law, they would seek a decision from him, as is said: And
the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; as was Issachar, so was Barak; into
the depth they rushed forth at his feet (Judg. 5:15); for he would search
deeply into the law.
12. Dan shall judge his people like one of the
tribes of
Dan shall be a serpent on the way (Gen.
49:16). All animals travel about in pairs, but the serpent goes about alone.
And just as the serpent is vengeful so too was Samson, as is said: I may
be this once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes (Judg. 16:18). When
Jacob saw him he exclaimed: I wait for Your salvation, O Lord (Gen.
49:18).
Gad, a troop shall troop upon
him; but he shall troop at the end (Gen. 49:19). That is to say,
the redeemer who will come at the end of days will descend from Gad, for he was
one of the last to come: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before
the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal. 3:23). And
Elijah descended from Gad. Hence it is said: But he shall troop in the end.
13. As for Asher, his bread shall be fat (Gen.
49:20). That is, his daughters shall be beautiful, as it is
said: For my daughters make me happy (Gen. 30:13). Blessed be Asher
above sons, let him be favored of his brethren (Deut. 33:24) because of his
daughters.
And he shall yield royal delights (Gen.
40:20). His daughters shall be worthy of kings. Hence, Scripture states: Who
clothed you in scarlet with other delights (II Sam. 1:24).
Naphtali is a hind let loose (Gen.
49:21). This refers to the
He gives goodly words for his
land is blessed, as it is said: O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full
with the blessing of the Lord (Deut. 33:23). They would serve their fruit
to kings while speaking guardedly, so that if they were ill-disposed toward
them, they would be reconciled.
Joseph is a fruitful vine (benporat) (Gen. 49:23). Because of a cow (parah) he was exalted [referring to the cows in Pharaoh’s dream]..
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 55:3-12 + 56:8
3 Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the gentiles, a prince and commander to the gentiles.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and a nation that knew you not shall run unto you; because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you. {S}
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near;
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have compassion upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, except it water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, and give seed to those who sow and bread to those who eat;
11 So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, except it accomplish that which I please, and make the thing whereto I sent it prosper.
12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. {P}
1 Thus says the LORD: Keep justice, and do righteousness/charity; for My salvation is near to come, and My favor to be revealed.
2 Happy is the man that does this, and the son of man that holds fast by it: that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. {S}
3 Neither let the alien, that has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying: 'The LORD will surely separate me from His people'; neither let the eunuch say: 'Behold, I am a dry tree.' {P}
4 For thus says the LORD concerning the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and hold fast by My covenant:
5 Even unto them will I give in My house and within My walls a monument and a memorial better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting memorial, that shall not be cut off. {S}
6 Also the aliens, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, every one that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast by My covenant:
7 Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
8 Says the Lord GOD who gathers
the dispersed of
Ketubim Targum Psalm 40
1. For praise. Of David, a psalm.
2. I truly hoped in the Lord, and He turned to me and received my supplication.
3. And He brought me up from the pit of turmoil, from the mire of filth; and He set my feet on the rock, He made my steps firm.
4. And He put in my mouth a new psalm: Let there be praise before the Lord our God, let many see and fear and hope in the word of the Lord.
5. Happy the man who made the Lord his confidence, and did not look toward the disobedient and those who speak falsehood.
6. Many are the miracles that You have done, O Lord my God; your wonders and favor towards us are impossible to set out; I will recount and speak to You Your praise; they are too great to tell.
7. You do not want sacrifice and offering; You have scooped out ears for me to hear Your redemption; You have not asked for holocaust and sin offering.
8. Then I said, “Behold, I have entered into eternal life,” whenever I occupy myself with the scroll of the book of Torah that was written for my sake.
9. I desire to do your will, O God; and Your Torah is contained in my deepest self.
10. I have proclaimed righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I will not withhold my lips; O Lord my God, You know [this].
11. I have not concealed Your righteousness in my heart, I have uttered Your truth and Your redemption; I have not kept back Your goodness and faithfulness in the great assembly.
12. Therefore You, O Lord, do not withhold Your mercy from me; may Your goodness and truth always keep me.
13. For evils are strong against me, until they are without number; my sins have overtaken me and I cannot see; they are more numerous than the hairs of my head; and my thoughts have left me.
14. Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, hasten to my aid.
15. Those who seek to destroy my soul will be ashamed and confused together; those who desire my ruin will turn back and be disgraced.
16. They will become senseless because of their shame – those who say to me, “We have rejoiced at his ruin, we rejoiced at his misery.”
17. All who seek You will rejoice and be glad in Your word; and those who love Your redemption will say continually, “Let the might of the Lord be magnified.”
18. But I am humble and poor, O Lord; let good be devised for me, You are my help and salvation; O my God, do not delay.
Ketubim Midrash Psalm 40
1. For the leader. A Psalm of David. I waited
patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry (Ps.
40:1-2). These words are to be considered in the light of the verse And it
shall be said in that day: "Lo, this is our God, for whom we waited, that
He might save us" (Isa. 25:9): It is not in the power of Israel to do
anything but wait for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem them in reward for
saying I waited patiently for the Lord, as it is written The Lord is
good unto them that wait for Him (Lam. 3:25), and also Return to the
Stronghold, you prisoners of hope (Zech. 9:12). But perhaps you say, The
harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved (Jer. 8:20);
then Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, you
wait for the Lord (Ps. 27:14). Note wait for the Lord and again wait
for the Lord—keep on waiting and waiting. So, though you wait and still are
not saved, Be strong, and let your heart take courage (ibid.): wait and
wait again. And if you say, "How long must we wait?" Long ago it was
written O
2. He brought me up also out of the tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay (Ps. 40:3). But did David ever go down into a pit or into mire? This is what David meant: I was already on the way that leads to Gehenna, which is called the tumultuous pit and the miry clay, but I prayed and waited for the reward of my worship, and won it, for the Holy One, blessed be He, did not suffer me to sink into Gehenna, as it is written You would not abandon my soul to the nether-world; neither would You suffer Your godly one to see the pit (Ps. 16:10). And it was not enough that He did not suffer me to go down into the pit; He also made me know in what way I ought to walk, as it is written You made me to know the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11), that is, the Garden of Eden. Hence David said, He brought me up also out of the tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay. Nay more: He lifted me up to a high place, as it is written He set my foot upon a rock, He established my goings (Ps. 40:3); by rock is clearly meant a very high and lofty place, as it is said He shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the fortresses of rocks (Isa. 33:16). Hence David said: He set my foot upon a rock. And why such things for me? Because of my waiting, because I waited for God: He desires neither burnt-offerings, nor whole offerings, nor sacrifices—only waiting.
They asked David: "How do we know that God did such
things for you?" David replied: "You know from the song that I sing: He
has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God" (Ps. 40:4).
They asked: "And were all your other songs not new?" David replied:
"Even as I was going down into the pit of destruction, He lifted me up,
and I said: As now You have lifted me up, so give back the Holy Spirit to
me—the verse Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and let a willing
spirit uphold me (Ps. 51:14), shows that the Holy Spirit had been taken
away from him—and God said to me: I now give you back your spirit." Thus
David explained A new song.
Many shall see and fear (Ps. 40:4):
He who wishes to repent ought to look upon David, of whom it was written Behold,
1 have given him for a witness to the peoples (Isa. 55:4). Hence it is said
Many shall see and fear; and thereupon they shall trust in the Lord (Ps.
40:4).
So, too, when
3. Blessed is the man that
makes the Lord his trust, and respects not the fraud, nor such as turn aside to
lies (Ps. 40:5): A man should not say, "Because I have sinned, there
is no mending me!" Let him rather put his trust in the Lord, and let him
repent, and the Lord will receive him. Nor should a man say, "If I repent,
I shall be left without pride." Rather let pride be hateful to him, and
let him abase himself, and return in penitence.
Such as turn aside to lies are they
who incline to schemes of deceit. So, too, Scripture says hate the works of
them that turn aside (Ps. 101:3).
4. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which
You have done, and Your thoughts which are to us-ward (Ps. 40:6). R. Hanina
bar Papa said: This verse refers to the wondrous works and thoughts You did
conceive to make Abraham choose the yoke of the kingdoms for himself, to
us-ward implying that he did so for our sake, that we might endure in this
world and also possess life in the world-to-come.
R. Yudan, and R. Idi, and R.
Hama bar Hanina taught in the name of a certain elder what he had said in the
name of R. Judah: Abraham did not know that he had to choose the yoke of the
kingdoms for himself. Indeed, the Holy One, blessed be He, chose the yoke of
the kingdoms for Abraham—left to himself, Abraham might have chosen Gehenna. Of
this, David said to the Holy One, blessed be He: You have caused men to ride
over our heads: we went through fire and through water; but You will bring us
out into a place of cool air (Ps. 66:12). By the words You have caused
men to ride over our heads David meant the yoke of the kingdoms lying upon
us; by the words fire and ... water he meant Gehenna, wherein the wicked
are punished with fire and snow and ice. Thus by the words You have caused
men to ride over our heads, David was saying that it was as though we
went through the fire and water [of Gehenna]. But You will bring us out into a
place of cool air promises: "I will redeem you: when you pass through the
waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow
you; because you walk thus, you shall not be burned in the fire, neither shall
the flame kindle upon you" (Isa. 43:2). By "When you pass through the
waters" are meant troubles which overtake one another like waves; by
"through the rivers, they shall not overflow you" are meant the
kingdoms which are like the waters of the rivers; by "because you walk
thus, you shall not be burned in the fire" is meant that you wilt not
suffer Gehenna; by. "neither shall the flame kindle upon you" is
meant the flood of flame which will burn up the wicked in the age-to-come, as
it is said The day that comes, shall burn them up (Mal. 3:19).
R. Berechiah taught: Abraham sat still and was silent all
of that day, and the Holy One, blessed be He, asked him: "How long wilt you
sit still and be silent? Bring your melancholy to an end, and choose the yoke
of kingdoms for yourself." The Holy One, blessed be He, thus brought him
to a decision in the matter, as is said In that day the Lord made a covenant
with Abram … saying (Gen. 15:18). Hence Scripture says Your wonderful
works . . . and Your thoughts which are to us-ward—that is, they are for
the sake of us so that we be not enslaved in Gehenna.
They cannot be reckoned up in order unto You (Ps. 40:5).
What man can set in order a song to tell of Your wondrous works? For Though
I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be told (Ps.
40:6).
Sacrifice and meal-offering You have no delight in;
mine ears have You opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering have You not
required (Ps. 40:7) is to be considered in the light of what
Scripture says elsewhere: "Has the Lord as great delight in
burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?" (I
Sam. 15:22).
In the words Mine ears have You opened (karita), the
literal meaning of karita is clearly "dug out" as in the verse
"If a man shall dig (yikreh} a pit" (Ex. 21:33).
Then said I: "Lo, I am come with the roll of a book which is prescribed for me . . . yea, Your Law is in my inmost parts" (Ps. 40:8-10). Book and Law refer to what is said of a king: "When he sits upon the throne of his kingdom ... he shall write him a copy of this law in a book . . . and it shall be with him . . . that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all ... these statutes to do them," etc. (Deut. 17:18-19).
Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 6:14-15
14. If you forgive even the sins of persons then your Father Who is in the heavens will forgive even your sins.
15. If you will not forgive persons (and restore them to a good relationship with you) then your Father will not forgive your sins.
Commentary
Note: For more descriptions concerning the 12 Tribes of Israel, see:
http://www.betemunah.org/tribes.html
This week I was blessed to see a BBC documentary on what is called in psychology and medicine “The Placebo effect.” Two interesting experiments were shown. In the first, a team of hospital surgeons chose a group of 50 patients with chronic knee arthritis in great pain. Half of the patients were assigned to have complete knee surgery, and the other half only had fake surgery, that is they made an incision in the knee but did nothing else but sow the incision back, although they had cameras falsely showing the patient how they were operating in the knee and were passing the surgeon instruments as if it were a real operation.
An independent team of doctors were assigned to determine the success of the operation without knowing who had the real knee operation or the fake ones. The results were astonishing. All were healed and experienced no pain afterwards, and were able to walk and exercise normally, and even dance!
In the second experiment again a group of chronic knee arthritis patients in great pain were told that they would receive a novel treatment based on a special chemical that would be injected to the knee. They placed each patient inside a special machine that measures magnetic radiation and injected a (worthless) saline solution to the knee. The photographs of brain activity showed that the brain had increased Dopamine production, after 30 mins. The patients showed remarkable improvement and most were cured completely.
The importance of these experiments is that the patients believed the doctor, and believed that they were having a treatment that would cure them. The belief was so strong that the brain of the patients re-adjusted the production of Dopamine to alleviate pain, and order the body to heal itself.
As I was seeing this documentary my mind of course was wandering in another planet. I was thinking of what G-d had said about the power of the Torah – power to heal, power to prosper, power to bring happiness, power to become wise. We know that all things were made by the Torah under G-d’s instruction. Imagine the power of Torah. The same Torah that can produce earthquakes, that can release massive continual atomic explosions as is the case with the sun, that can produce tsunamis and hurricanes, how much more power it can have when it fully dwells and is faithfully obeyed.
Such a power can be observed in
this week Torah reading, whereby the blessings that Ya’aqob uttered shaped the
destiny of each tribe in
The Midrash of Matityahu for this week takes up this idea and goes about to teach a most powerful Torah concept that can also shape our destiny and the destiny of others. This principle of course is based on another Torah principle known as “Mida KeNeged Mida” (measure for measure). And so the Master of Nazareth teaches:
14. If you
forgive even the sins of persons then your Father Who is in the heavens will
forgive even your sins.
15. If you
will not forgive persons (and restore them to a good relationship with you)
then your Father will not forgive your sins.
Yes, forgiveness is the greatest and most powerful blessing a person can utter! In so doing, we can release enormous Torah healing powers for our minds and bodies as well as for the minds and bodies of those asking our forgiveness. In the same way that Ya’aqob could utter blessings that shaped time, events, and people, so do we, particularly when we unleash the awesome power of forgiveness.
And forgiveness is one of the key
ingredients that can release or obstruct the great powers of a heart felt
recitation of the Amida! If we are not ready to forgive, G-d will not forgive,
and if G-d will not forgive then the rest of the blessings in the Amida become
void of their purpose. But with forgiveness and great devotion the mighty
powers of the Amida become are unleashed and blessed by El Shaddai – the
Almighty G-d of
Let us habitually pour our hearts before G-d in the recitation of the Amida, and join with King David the Messiah saying:
I delight to do Your will, O my G-d; yea, Your law is in my inmost parts (i.e. my mind is full of Torah). [Psalm 40:9]
Amen ve amen!
“What shall we then do?” – Towards a Nazarean Halakhic Code
Marqos 1:35-39
35. Very
early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshuah got up, left the house
and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
36. And Simon
and those with him went out looking for him (i.e. Yeshuah)
37. and
having found him, they said to him, -- `All do seek you;'
38. and he
said to them, `We will go to the next towns, that there also I may teach, for,
for this I came forth.'
39. And he
(i.e. Yeshuah) was teaching in the synagogues in all
This portion of Marqos starts with the duty of every Jew to start reciting the morning prayers before dawn He left the house so that he would not awake those asleep nor be interrupted in his prayers by those in the house. A little later Shimon got up and went searching for the Master.
The statement of Shimon: `All do seek you;’ may intimate three things:
a) That there were not 10 men to say the morning service and therefore they sought the Master’s opinion as to whether they were obliged to recite the morning prayers.
b) That Shimon went to seek the Master after those in the house had recited the morning prayers, to tell him that more people were coming that day.
c) That Shimon woke up, or was woken up by others, and not seeing the Master amongst them panicked and immediately mounted a search for the Master, and asked him why he had left since `All do seek you.’
Since in the absence of clarifying evidence we are commanded to think the best of any person or situation, we are duty bound to accept proposition “b” as the most reliable explanation.
Nevertheless, what is important to realize is that this texts contienues bringing together the subject of El Shaddai (G-d Almighty), and the Sheddim (demons = powers) as was the case in the preceding section.
With respect to this, let us start by saying that diseases which are termed "demons" in the Nazarean Codicl, can be considered to be part of God's curse on the earth to those who disobey G-d’s laws. The Nazarean Codicil portrays demons as having their own qualities, for example they speak (Marqos 1:23-25), obey G-d and tremble (Ya’aqob (James) 2:19). In fact, these things are done by those who are demon possessed, but are ascribed to the demons themselves. This may seem an odd way of expressing things in modern thinking, but is quite understandable in ancient Semitic thought and expression. For example, if a fever makes someone delirious, in Rabbinic terms the virus causing the fever and the delirium is doing the speaking.
Although demons afflict men, there are no grounds for regarding them as evil forces separate to/from G-d's creation and which are opposed to G-d. This is made clear by G-d's own very words to Moses in Shemot (Exodus) 4:11, where we read:
“And the LORD
said unto him: 'Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf,
or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD?”
As dumbness and deafness come from Ha-Shem, most blessed be He, then so too do demons, which the Rabbis and the Nazarean Codicil say cause these conditions.
Now as we have been stating the Hebrew word: “Sheddim” (demons = powers) is closely related to the Hebrew word translated "Almighty" in the phrase "God Almighty". In these phrases, "Almighty" is a translation of the Hebrew word "Shaddai". One aspect of the meaning of "Shaddai" is found in Isaiah 13:6, where we read:
“Howl; for
the day of the LORD is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall
it come.”
The word translated "destruction" (Hebrew: “Shod”) is related to that translated as "Almighty" (Hebrew: “Shaddai”). In a sense, Shaddai represents the One who brings destruction as punishment. Similarly, the related word Sheddim in Debarim (Deuteronomy) 32:17 can be regarded as things that bring destruction upon man, which are elevated in the mind of man to become gods in their own right in opposition to G-d’s commands.
“They
sacrificed unto demons, no-gods, gods that they knew not, new gods that came up
of late 9 in fashion after man’s lawless imagination), which your fathers
dreaded not.”
Dr. Luqas (“the beloved physician”) under the direction of Hakham Shaul pens down the origin of demons quite descriptively in the Epistle of Hakham Shaul to the Romans, stating:
19. For that
which is known about G-d is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness,
because G-d [Himself] has shown it to them [whilst in their womb].
20. For ever
since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is,
His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly
discernible in and through the things that have been made. So [they – the
Gentiles] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification],
21. Because
when they knew and recognized Him as G-d, they did not honor and glorify Him
as G-d nor were thankful to Him. But instead they became futile and G-dless
in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid
speculations] and their dulled minds were darkened.
22. Claiming
to be wise, [in reality] they became fools.
23. And by
them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal G-d were exchanged
for and represented by idols, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and
reptiles.
24 Therefore
G-d gave them up to the powers of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity,
to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the
degrading powers of lawlessness],
25. Because
they exchanged the truth (Hebrew: “Emet” a synonym for Torah] of G-d for a lie
and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is
blessed forever! Amen ve Amen!.
According to the above passage, “Sheddim” (demons = powers) are created, fabricated inside the mind of men, and are the product of man’s rebellion as shown by the following actions:
For this reason Hakham Shaul instructs:
And be not conformed to this world: (fashions and philosophies) but (instead) be continually transformed by the complete renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of G-d (i.e. His Torah). (Romans 12:2)
And:
For who has known the mind of the Lord (G-d), that he may (guide and) instruct Him? But we have the mind (holding the thoughts, feelings and purposes) of the Messiah. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
No one can give of what he/she has not, and unless we labor day and night to have the mind of Messiah – to think like him, to feel like him, to hold the same purposes that he has, by the continual and sacrificial study of the Torah as transmitted by our Sages, we indeed will be misrepresenting the Messiah and G-d’s Torah.
Here we find still an echo of the Amida which in its fourth blessing states:
Discernment
4. You grant knowledge to man, and teach understanding to humans; from Your own self, favor us with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Blessed are You, L-rd, giver of knowledge.
Therefore, from this passage of the Mishnah of Marqos, we learn:
Shalom Shabbat!