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

 

 

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times: https://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.htm

 

Roll of Honor:

This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great generosity of:

 

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

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Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved family

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His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham

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His Excellency Adon Bill Haynes and beloved wife HE Giberet Diane Haynes

Her Excellency Giberet Krysta Wallrauch & beloved family

 

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that GOD’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.

 

Blessings Before Torah Study

 

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!

 

Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

 

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

 

Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:

 

May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you and grant you peace. – Amen!

 

This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."

 

These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when performing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

 

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honoring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

 

A Prayer for Israel

 

Our Father in Heaven, Rock, and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.

 

Lead them, swiftly and upright, to Your city Zion and to Jerusalem, the abode of Your Name, as is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses: “Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And the Lord your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers.” Draw our hearts together to revere and venerate Your name and to observe all the precepts of Your Torah, and send us quickly the Messiah son of David, agent of Your vindication, to redeem those who await Your deliverance.

 

Shabbat: “HaAzinu HaShamayim” – “Give ear, O heavens”

 

 

Contents of the Torah Seder

 

·        The Song of Moses – Deut. 32:1-44

o   Appeal to the Universe for Attention – Deut. 32:1-3

o   God’s Faithfulness and Israel’s Folly – Deut. 32:4-6

o   The Lesson of History – Deut,.32:7-14

o   Israel’s Ingratitude – Deut. 32:15-18

o   The Merited Punishment – Deut. 32:19-25

o   The Stay of God’s Vengeance – Deut. 32:26-33

o   The Lot of Israel’s Enemies – Deut. 32:34-42

o   Conclusion of the Song – Deut. 32:43

·        The Law is Israel’s Life – Deut. 32:45-47

·        Moses Ordered to Ascend Mt. Nebo – Deut. 32:48-52

·        The Blessing of Moses Over All Israel – Deut. 33:1-29

o   Introduction – Deut. 33:1-5

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Reuben – Deut. 33:6

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Judah – Deut. 33:7

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Levi – Deut. 33:8-11

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Benjamin – Deut. 33:12

o   Blessing of the Twin Tribe of Josehp (Ephraim & Manasseh) – Deut. 33:13-17

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Zebulun – Deut. 33:18a

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Issachar – Deut. 33:18b-19

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Gad – Deut. 33:20-21

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Dan – Deut. 33:22

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Naphtali – Deut 33:23

o   Blessing of the Tribe of Asher – Deut. 33:24-25

o   Epilogue – Deut 33:26-29

·        The Death of Mosheh Rabbenu – Deut. 34:1-12

·        Origin of the Universe – Gen. 1:1-2

·        First Day: Creation of Light – Gen. 1:3-5

·        Creation of the Firmament between the waters – Gen. 1:6-8

 

Reading Assignment:

 

 

JPS & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Devarim (Deut.) 32:1 – 34:12‎ &

Bereshit (Genesis) 1:1-5‎

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1 – 34:12

 

1 Listen, O heavens that I am warning Israel, and you shall be witnesses in this matter, for I have already told Israel that you will be witnesses. And so is [the clause] “And let the earth hear” [to be similarly understood]. Now why did [Moses] call upon heaven and earth to be witnesses [for warning Israel]? Moses said: “I am [just] flesh and blood. Tomorrow I will die. If Israel says, ‘We never accepted the covenant,’ who will come and refute them?” Therefore, he called upon heaven and earth as witnesses for Israel—witnesses that endure forever. Furthermore, if they [Israel] act meritoriously, the witnesses will come and reward them: “The vine will give its fruit, the earth will yield its produce, and the heavens will give their dew” (Zech. 8:12). And if [Israel] acts sinfully, the hand of the witnesses will be upon them first [to inflict punishment upon them]: “And He will close off the heaven that there will be no rain, and the soil will not give its produce” (Deut. 11:17), and then [the verse continues]: "and you will perish quickly"—through [the attacks of] the nations.-[Sifrei 32:1]

 

2 My lesson will drip like rain This is the testimony that you shall testify, that in your presence, I declare, "The Torah (לִקְחִי) , which I gave to Israel, which provides life to the world, is just like this rain, which provides life to the world, [i.e.,] when the heavens drip down dew and rain. - [Sifrei 32:2]

 

will drip Heb. יַעֲרֽף, meaning, “dripping.” Similar to this [are the verses]: and “will drip (יִרְעֲפוּן) fatness” (Ps. 65:12), [where the root רעף is equivalent to ערף ]; “will drip (יַעַרְפוּ) dew” (Deut. 33:28).

 

will flow like dew with which everyone rejoices, [unlike] the rain [which occasionally] causes anguish to people, such as travelers, or one whose pit [into which he presses his grapes] is full of wine [which is spoiled by the rain]. - [Sifrei 32:2]

 

like storm winds Heb. כִּשְׂעִירִם . This is an expression similar to, “storm (סְעָרָה) wind” [since ס and שׂ are interchangeable. Accordingly,] the Targum renders [ כִּשְׂעִירִם as]: כְּרוּחֵי מִטְרָא , “like winds [that bring] rain.” [The metaphor is explained as follows:] Just as these [stormy, rainy] winds maintain the plants and promote their growth, so too, the words of the Torah cause those who study them to grow.

 

like raindrops Heb. וְכִרְבִיבִים , drops of rain. It appears to me that [a raindrop] is called רְבִיב because it shoots (רוֹבֶה) down like an arrow, as Scripture states, “an archer רוֹבֶה קַשָּׁת ” (Gen. 21:20).

 

vegetation Erbediz [in Old French, like the English: herbage]. This is [the general term for] the mantle of the earth covered with vegetation. grass Heb. עֵשֶׂב . A single stalk is called עֵשֶׂב and each species is called עֵשֶׂב [while דֶּשֶׁא denotes vegetation in general].

 

3 When I call out the name of the Lord Here the word כִּי means “when”, just as [it also means “when” in the verse]: “When (כִּי) you come to the land...” (Lev. 23:10). [The meaning of our verse is therefore:] When I call out and make mention of the Lord’s name, you shall ascribe greatness to our God, and bless His name. From here, our Rabbis derived [the rule] that [the listeners] should respond: “Blessed be the Name of His glorious Kingdom [forever and ever]!” after [every] blessing [recited] in the Temple [instead of “Amen,” which is the response outside the Temple]. - [Ta’anith 16b]

 

4 The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect Even though God is strong [like a rock], when He brings retribution upon those who transgress His will, He does not bring it in a flood [of anger], but [rather] with justice because “His deeds are perfect.”

 

a faithful God [Faithful] to reward the righteous their due in the world-to-come. And even though He defers their reward, in the end He will fulfill (לְאַמֵּן) His words.

 

without injustice Even to the wicked, God rewards them in this world for [any] meritorious deeds [they might have performed]. - [Sifrei 32:4]

 

He is righteous and upright All acknowledge God’s judgment meted out to them to be just (צַדִּיק) , and therefore fitting and upright (יָשָׁר) for them. [That is, God is declared] just (צַדִּיק) by people, and He is upright (יָשָׁר) , and it is fitting to declare God as righteous.

 

5 Destruction is not His Heb. שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא, [to be understood] as the Targum renders it: חַבִּילוּ לְהוֹן לָא לֵיהּ , “Destruction is theirs, not His!”

 

it is His children’s defect They were God’s children, and the destruction they wrought is their blemish.

 

it is His children’s defect The destruction was His children’s blemish, not His blemish.

 

crooked generation Heb. דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתּֽל , a crooked and perverted [generation]. [The word עִקֵּשׁ is] similar [in meaning] to [the verse], “and pervert (יְעַקְשׁוּ) all honesty” (Micah 3:9). We find [a similar expression] in the language of the Mishnah: "a weasel... because its teeth are bent (עֲקוּמוּת) and crooked (עֲקוּשׁוּת) . - [Chul. 56a]

 

and twisted antortiliyez [in Old French, like the English “tortuous”], just as [in the manufacture of a candle,] the wick (פְּתִיל) is braided and [then it] is “twisted” around a [central] strand. The word פְתַלְתּֽל falls under the category of word stems that contain doubled letters [i.e., where the two last letters of the root are doubled], such as: “dark green (יְרַקְרַק) ... dark red (אֲדַמְדָם) ” (Lev. 13:49), “engulfed (סְחַרְחַר) ” (Psalms 38:11), and “round (סְגַלְגַל) ” (Targum Jonathan on I Kings 7:23, Ned. 66b).

 

6 Is this how you repay the Lord This should be read as a question: "[Why] are you doing such saddening things before God? He has the power to punish you, [nevertheless] He has bestowed all these favors upon you. [Is this the way you repay Him for those favors?]"- [Sifrei 32:6]

 

you disgraceful... people who have forgotten all that has been done for them.

 

unwise [because you do not] understand the outcome, since it is in God’s power to do them good or evil [according to their actions]. - [Sifrei 32:6]

 

Is He not your father, your Master? [The word קָּנֶךָ means:] Who acquired (קָנָה) you; [alternatively it means:] Who nested you (קִנְנֶךָ) in a nest (קַן) of rocks and in a strong land; [alternatively it means:] Who has rectified you (תִּקְּנֶךָ) with every type of reparation (תַּקָּנָה) .

 

He made you A [special] nation among nations,

 

and established you After [making you a special nation, God established you] upon every kind of firm base and foundation (כַּן) [i.e., made you self-contained]: your kohanim are from among yourselves; your prophets are from among yourselves, and your kings are from among yourselves. [Indeed, you are like] a city from which all [resources] are [drawn]. - [Sifrei 32:6]

 

7 Remember the days of old what God did to past generations who provoked Him to anger.

 

reflect upon the years of [other] generations [I.e.,] the generation of Enosh, whom [God] inundated with the waters of the ocean, and the generation of the Flood, whom [God] washed away. Another explanation is: [If] you have not set your attention to the past, then “reflect upon the years of generations,” i.e., to recognize the future, that He has the power to bestow good upon you and to give you as an inheritance the days of the Messiah and the world-to-come. - [Sifrei 32:6]

 

Ask your father These are the prophets, who are called “fathers,” as Scripture states regarding [Elisha’s crying out to] Elijah, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel!” (II Kings 2:12).

 

your elders These are the Sages. - [Sifrei 32:7]

 

and they will inform you the events of the former times.

 

8 When the Most High gave nations their lot When the Holy One, Blessed is He, gave those who provoked Him to anger their portion, He flooded them and drowned them [i.e., that was their lot].

 

when He separated the sons of man When [God] scattered the Generation of the Dispersion [which built the tower of Babel], He had the power to remove them from the world [altogether], but He did not do so. Rather, “He set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e.,] He let them remain in existence and did not destroy them.

 

according to the number of the children of Israel [God let man remain in existence] for the sake of a [small] number of the children of Israel who were destined to descend from the children of Shem, and [the sake of] the number of the seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, He “set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e., He separated man into seventy nations with] seventy languages.

 

9 Because the Lord’s portion is His people And why did God go to all this effort [to save mankind]? “Because the Lord’s portion” was hidden within them [i.e., mankind] and was destined to come forth. And who is God’s portion? “His people.” And who is His people? Jacob, the lot of His inheritance And he is the third among the Patriarchs. He is endowed with a threefold [parcel] of merits: The merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit—thus, totaling three, like a rope (חֶבֶל) composed of three strands [twined together for added strength (Sifrei 32:9)]. Thus, it was [only] Jacob and his sons who became God’s inheritance, not Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and not Esau, the son of Isaac.

 

10 He found them in a desert land God found them [i.e., Jacob’s sons] faithful to Him in a desert land, for they accepted His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke upon themselves—something that Ishmael and Esau did not do, as Scripture states, “The Lord... shone forth from Seir to them and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [The Sages (Sifrei Deut. 33:2, Tanchuma Beracha 4) explain this to mean: God first went to the children of Esau (Seir) and offered them the Torah, but they refused to accept it; then He went and offered it to the children of Ishmael (Paran), and they also refused. See Rashi on that verse.]

 

and in a desolate, howling wasteland An arid, desolate land, a place of howling (יְלֵל) jackals and ostriches. Yet even there, Israel followed their faith. They did not say to Moses, “How can we go out into the deserts, a place of drought and desolation?” The verse attests to this: “When you went after Me in the desert” (Jer. 2:2).

 

He encompassed them There [in the desert], [God] encompassed [Israel], surrounding them by [protective] clouds; He surrounded them with divisions in four directions, and He surrounded them with the underside of the mountain [Sinai], which He overturned [i.e., suspending it] over them like a tub [see Rashi on Exod. 19:17]. -[Sifrei 32:10]

 

and bestowed understanding upon them There [God bestowed upon them] Torah and understanding.

 

He protected them from snakes, serpents, and scorpions, and from [hostile] nations.

 

as the pupil of his eye This refers to the black part of the eye, from which the light is reflected outward. Now, Onkelos renders יִמְצָאֵהוּ as: “He provided their needs,” that is, God provided Israel with all their needs in the desert. [The use of the word מָצָא is] similar to [its use in the verses], “[Will flock and cattle be slaughtered for them] to provide (וּמָצָא) them?” (Num. 11:22), and “The mountain is not enough (יִמָּצֵא) for us” (Josh. 17:16).

 

He encompassed them [Rendered by Onkelos:] "He made them encamp round about His Divine Presence"—the Tent of Meeting [where the Divine Presence rested] was in the middle [of the camp] and the four divisions [i.e., the tribal camps, surrounded it] from all four directions.

 

11 As an eagle awakens its nest He guided them [Israel] with mercy and compassion like an eagle, which is merciful towards its own fledglings and does not enter its nest suddenly. [Rather,] it beats and flaps its wings above its young between one tree and another, between one branch and another, in order that its young should awaken and have the strength to receive it.

 

awakens its nest [I.e.,] it awakens its fledglings.

 

hovering over its fledglings [The eagle] does not impose its [whole] body upon them. Rather, it hovers above them, touching them and yet not quite touching them. So too, is the Holy One, Blessed is He. [As in the verse:] “We did not find the Almighty great in power” (Job 37:23). When He came to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction [thus concentrating His power at one point, as it were], but rather, from four directions, as Scripture states, “The Lord came from Sinai, and shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [This accounts for three directions.] The fourth direction is referred to in [the verse], “God comes from Teman” (Hab. 3:3). - [Sifrei 32:11]

 

spreading its wings, taking them When it [the eagle] comes to move [its fledglings] from place to place, it does not pick them up with its feet, as do other birds. Other birds are afraid of the eagle, which soars very high and flies above them. For this reason, it [the other bird] carries them with its feet because of the eagle [above them]. The eagle, however, is afraid only of an arrow. Therefore, it carries its young on its wings, saying, “It is better that an arrow pierces me, rather than pierce my young.” So too, the Holy One, Blessed is He, [says]: “I carried you on eagles’ wings” (Exod. 19:4). [I.e.,] when the Egyptians pursued [the children of Israel] and overtook them at the [Red] Sea, they cast arrows and catapulted rocks [at Israel]. Immediately, “The angel of God moved... [behind them... and the pillar of cloud] came between the camp of Egypt [and the camp of Israel]” (Exod. 14:19-20) [for Israel’s protection]. -[Mechilta 19:4] 12 [So]

 

the Lord guided them alone God guided them safely and alone in the desert.

 

and there was no alien deity with him Not one of the deities of the nations had the power to display its might and to wage war with them [i.e., with Israel]. Our Rabbis, however, explained [this whole verse] as referring to the future [i.e., “(So) the Lord will guide them....”] (Sifrei 32:12), and Onkelos renders [this verse] likewise. But I say that these are words of reproof. [Moses] called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, and this song [i.e., parashath Ha’azinu] would [also] be a witness, that eventually [Israel] would betray [God], and they would neither remember what God did for them in the past [generations], nor [would they bear in mind] what He was destined to do to them. Hence, this [verse] should be understood to refer to both [the past and the future]. And [therefore] this whole passage is apropos of [the phrase]: “Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations” (verse 7)—thus [God] did for them, and thus will He do for them in the future. [The passage is admonishing Israel:] They should have remembered all this.

 

13 He made them ride upon the high places of the earth This entire verse is to be understood as rendered by the Targum [i.e., referring to the Land of Israel].

 

He made them ride [upon the high places] [referring to] the Land of Israel, because it is higher than all other countries. - [Sifrei 32:13]

 

that they would eat the produce of the field These are the fruits of the Land of Israel which are quicker to bud (נוּב) and to ripen than any of the fruits of [other] countries.

 

He let them suck honey from a rock It once happened in [a place in Israel called] Sichni, that a man said to his son, “Bring me pressed figs from that barrel.” The son went [to the barrel, but instead of finding pressed figs,] he found honey flowing over its brim. The son retorted, “But this is [a barrel] of honey [not figs]!” His father responded, “Dig your hand deep into the barrel, and you will bring up pressed figs from it!” [Pressed figs are as hard as a rock. Thus, we have an illustration in the Land of Israel of “sucking honey from a rock.”]-[Sifrei 32:13]

 

upon the high places of the earth Heb. בָָּמֳותֵי . [This is] an expression denoting height.

 

of the field Heb. שָׂדָי , like שָׂדֶה , field.

 

from the mighty part of the crag meaning: The hard and strong part of a rock. [Rashi now proves that the word חַלְמִישׁ is in the construct state, thus rendered as “the might part of.”] When [חַלְמִישׁ] is not connected with the word that follows it [i.e., in the absolute state], it is vowelized: “ חַלָמִישׁ .” However, when it is connected to the word that follows it [i.e., in the construct state, as here], it is vowelized: חַלְמִישׁ 

 

and oil from the mighty part of the crag This refers to the olives of [the place in Galilee called] Giscala. - [Sifrei 32:13]

 

14 The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states: "[And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of...] ten fat cattle (בָּקָר) , and twenty cattle (בָּקָר) from the pasture, and one hundred sheep (צֽאן) " (I Kings 5:2-3). - [Sifrei 32:14]

 

with the fat of lambs This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel], as Scripture states: “And who eat lambs (כָּרִים) from the flock” (Amos 6:4). - [Sifrei 32: 14]

 

fat kidneys of wheat This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states: “And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of [thirty kor of fine flour...]” (I Kings 5:2). - [Sifrei 32:14]

 

and it [...] would drink the blood of grapes [...] as the finest wine [This took place] in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel, as Scripture states]: “Who drink [wine] in wine-casks” (Amos 6:6). - [Sifrei 32:14]

 

The cream of cattle Heb. חֶמְאַת בָּקָר . This is the cream, which is scooped from the top of the milk.

 

and the milk of sheep Heb. וַחֲלֵב צֽאן , the milk of sheep. [The word for milk here is in the construct state. Accordingly,] when it is connected [to the word that follows it, as in our verse: “the milk of sheep,”] it is vowelized: חֲלֵב , as in “in the milk of (בַּחֲלֵב) its mother” (Deut. 14:21).

 

lambs Heb. כָּרִים , lambs.

 

and rams Heb. וְאֵילִים , [to be understood] according to its apparent meaning. [In certain contexts, the word אֵילִים refers to lambs, but since here the previous word (כָּרִים) means lambs, the word אֵילִים has its usual meaning, i.e., rams].

 

rams of Bashan [The rams bred in Bashan] were fat.

 

kidneys of wheat Wheat as fat as the fat of kidneys (כְּלָיוֹת) , and whose kernels are as large as kidneys. - [Sifrei 32:14]

 

the blood of grapes They would drink good wine, the flavor would be that of a wine of high esteem.

 

[which was] as the finest wine Heb. חָמֶר , wine in Aramaic. This is not a noun, but rather [an adjective], meaning: “superlative in taste,” vinos in Old French, good, strong, foaming. [In addition to the explanation of these verses (13-14) above,] one may alternatively understand these two verses according to the Targum of Onkelos: אַשְׁרִנוּן עַל תּוּקְפֵי אַרְעָא וְגוֹ' , “He made them dwell upon the strong places of the earth....” [See Onkelos for the full rendition.]

 

15 you grew...thick Heb. עָבִיתָ , an expression stemming from the word עוֹבִי , “thickness.”

 

you grew...rotund Heb. כָּשִׂיתָ , similar to the word כָּסִיתָ ["cover," since ס and שׂ are interchangeable]. This has the same meaning as in the verse, “For he has covered (כִסָּה) his face with his fat” (Job 15:27), like a person who is full of fat inside and whose flanks therefore have folds [of fat] outside. This is like [the continuation of that verse], “and he made folds of fat upon his flanks.” (Job 15:27). - [Sifrei 32:15]

 

you grew... rotund [The root form כסה or כשׂה ] can take on a simple conjugation meaning “to cover.” As [the verse], “But a prudent man covers (וְכֽסֶה) shame” (Prov. 12:16). However, if כָּשִׂיתָ had been written with a dagesh [in the “sin”], this would [represent the piel conjugation, i.e., making the verb transitive in form and thus] have the meaning: “You have covered someone [or something] else.” As in [the previously quoted verse], “For he has covered his face” (Job 15:27) [where the word “covered” is written as כִסָּה , with a dagesh in the “samech.” Thus here, since there is no dagesh in the “sin,” the verb is intransitive, and literally means: “You are covered with fat folds.”]

 

and spurned the [Mighty] rock of their salvation They disgraced and despised Him, as Scripture states, “[about twenty-five men] with their backs towards the Heichal of the Lord...” (Ezek.8:16). [The prophet Ezekiel was shown these treacherous men, who had their backs to the Temple in the west and were bowing down to the sun in the east. He was shown other abominable acts as well. However,] there can be no more despicable act than this. - [Sifrei 32:16]

 

16 They provoked his zeal Heb. יַקְנִאֻהוּ , they provoked His anger and His zeal (קִנְאָה) .

 

with abominations With abominable deeds, such as homosexuality and sorcery, which are described [by Scripture] as תּוֹעֵבָה , “abominations.”- [Sifrei 32:16]

 

17 which have no power Heb. לֹא אֱלֹהַּ . As the Targum renders it: “which have no power.” For if they had power, God’s jealousy would not have been doubled as it is now. - [see Sifrei 32:17]

 

new things that only recently came [These deities were so recent, that] even the heathen nations were not familiar with them. Indeed, if a heathen saw them, he would say, “This is a Jewish idol!”- [Sifrei 32:17]

 

which your forefathers did not fear Heb. לֹא שְׂעָרוּם . This means: Which your forefathers did not fear. [More literally, it means:] “Their hair (שֵׂעָר) did not stand up on end because of these deities.” It is the nature of a person’s hair to stand up out of fear. Thus [the word שְׂעָרוּם ] is explained in Sifrei (32:17). The word שְׂעָרוּם may also be explained as stemming from [the word שְׂעִירִים in the verse]: “And שְׂעִירִים will dance there” (Isa. 13:21), where שְׂעִירִים are demons. [Thus, our verse means:] “Your forefathers did not make such demons.”

 

18 You forgot Heb. תֶּשִׁי , you have forgotten. However, our Rabbis explained this word homiletically to mean: When God comes to bestow good upon you, you provoke Him to anger, and weaken (מַתִּישִׁין) His power, as it were, to do you good."- [Sifrei 32:18]

 

the God Who delivered you Heb. מְחֽלְלֶךָ . God Who brought you out of the womb. It has the same meaning as the verse, “[The voice of the Lord] makes hinds bring forth young (יְחוֹלֵל) ” (Ps.29:9), and “pangs (חִיל) like those of a woman in confinement” (Ps. 48:7).

 

20 I will see what their end will be [i.e., I will see] what will befall them in the end.

 

for they are a generation of changes i.e., they change My good will into anger.

 

they are not [recognizable]... whom I have reared Heb. אֵמֻן . My rearing [them] is not recognizable in them, for I taught them a good way, but they deviated from it. אֵמֻן is an expression related to “And he reared (אֽמֵן) [Hadassah]” (Esther 2:7), nourriture in French. Another explanation of אֵמֻן : It is an expression of אֱמוּנָה , faithfulness, which is how the Targum renders it [literally, “children who have no faithfulness”]. At Sinai, they said, “We will do and we will hear,” and a short while later, they broke their promise and made the golden calf!"- [Sifrei 32:20]

 

21 have provoked my jealousy They kindled My anger.

 

with a non-god With something that is not a god.

 

with a non-people With a nation that has no name, as Scripture states, “This land of the Chaldeans—this people was not” (Isa. 23:13). And regarding Esau, Scripture states, “You are very despised” (Obad. 1:2).

 

I will... provoke their anger with a foolish nation These are the heretics. So, Scripture states, “The fool (נָבָל) said in his heart, There is no God!” (Ps. 14:1). - [Sifrei 32:21]

 

22 blazed Heb. קָדְחָה , burned.

 

and burned within you, to the very foundation.

 

It consumed the land and its produce i.e., your land and its produce.

 

setting aflame Jerusalem, which has her foundations set upon the mountains, as Scripture states: “Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains” (Ps. 125:2). - [Sifrei 32:22]

 

23 I will link evils upon them Heb. אַסְפֶּה , I will link evil upon evil. [This expression is] similar to the verse, “join (סְפוּ) year upon year,” (Isa. 29:1) and “add (סְפוֹת) the punishment of the unintentional sins,” (Deut. 29:18) and, “Add (סְפוּ) your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices.” (Jer. 7:21). Another explanation: אַסְפֶּהmeans, I will consume. This is similar to the verse, “lest you be consumed (תִּסָּפֶּה) ” (Gen. 19:15) [thus, our verse here would mean: “I will use up all evils on them”].

 

I will use up my arrows on them I will finish up all My arrows on them [i.e., until there are no arrows left, as it were]. This curse, according to [the usual way] retribution [is expressed], is really a [n implied] blessing, namely: [God says,] "My arrows may come to an end, but Israel will not come to an end [i.e., they will never be annihilated].

 

24 They will sprout hair from famine Heb. מְזֵי רָעָב . Onkelos renders this as: “swollen from famine,” but I have no evidence from Scripture for this [translation]. In the name of Rabbi Moses Hadarshan of Toulouse, however, I heard that the expression מְזֵי רָעָב is equivalent to שְׂעִירֵי רָעָב , “hairy from famine,” for an emaciated person grows hair on his skin. מְזֵי is Aramaic for hair, as the term מַזְיָא [in the clause]: דַּהֲוָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּמַזְיָא , meaning “turning over his hair.”-[Meg. 18a]

 

attacked by demons Heb. וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף Demons fought (לחם) against them, as Scripture states: “and flying creatures (בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף) fly upwards” (Job 5:7). These are demons.

 

excised by Meriri Heb. וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי , and excision caused by a demon named מְרִירִי .

 

excised by Heb. קֶטֶב means excision, similar to, “I will decree the grave upon you (קָטָבְךָ) !” (Hos. 13:14) [In Hebrew, the word for decree is גְּזֵרָה , the root of which is גזר , to cut. Hence, its primary meaning is “to cut.” There are many such roots in Hebrew, in the Bible, the Mishnah, and the Targum. They all bear the first meaning of cutting, and the second meaning of a final, permanent decision or ruling. Among them are the following: פסק , חקק , גזר , צמת , חרץ , כרת , חלט .]

 

the teeth of livestock It indeed once happened that sheep were biting people to death. - [Sifrei 32:24]

 

with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust Heb. זֽחֲלֵי עָפָר , the venom of snakes, which crawl on their bellies on the dust. - [Sifrei 32:24] [They crawl] just as the water flows (זחל) upon the ground. The word זְחִילָה denotes the slithering action of water upon the dust [of the ground], and similarly, the way anything slithers and shuffles across the ground to move along [is described as זְחִילָה ].

 

25 From outside, the sword will bereave Outside the city, the sword of hostile troops will bereave them.

 

and terror from within When you flee, escaping from the sword, the inner recesses (חֲדָרִים) of your heart will pound within you out of terror, and you will gradually die from this.-[Sifrei 32:25] Another explanation [ וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה ]: Within your house, there will be the terror of [impending] fear of plague, as Scripture states, “For death has come up into our windows” (Jer. 9:20). Onkelos renders this in this way. Another explanation of "Outside, the sword will bereave"- [They will be killed by the sword] on account of what they did in the streets (חוּצוֹת) , as Scripture states, “Corresponding to the number of streets in Jerusalem, you set up altars to the shameful thing.” (Jer. 11:13) [And along the same lines,] וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה means: On account of that which they did in the innermost chambers of their houses, as Scripture states, “[Have you seen] what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each one in his paved chambers?” (Ezek. 8:12) - [Sifrei 32:25]

 

26 I said that I would make an end of them Heb. אַפְאֵיהֶם . I said in My heart, “I will make an end (אַפְאֶה) of them.” One may also explain אַפְאֵיהֶם to mean: I would make them as פֵּאָה [the corners of one’s field which are left as ownerless for the poor to collect]; i.e., I will cast them away as ownerless. We find a similarity to this [expression] in Ezra (Neh. 9:22), “And You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and You separated them as ownerless things לְפֵאָה .” Menachem [ben Saruk] (Machbereth pp. 29, 140) also classified it in this way. [Note that Nehemiah is officially part of the book of Ezra, as in San. 93b. Note also that Menachem’s interpretation is not identical with Rashi’s.] Others, however, explain the expression according to the rendition of the Targum: My wrath (אַף) will fall upon them [thereby assuming that the word אַפְאֵיהֶם stems from the root אף , anger]. But this is incorrect, for if this were so, our verse should have been written: אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם[with two alephs], one aleph to serve [as the pronominal prefix for “I will,”] and the other aleph as a root letter, like, “I will strengthen you (אֲאַזֶרְךָ) ” (Isa. 45:5); and, “I would encourage you (אֲאַמִּצְכֶם) with my mouth” (Job 16:5). Moreover, the aleph in the middle of the word אַפְאֵיהֶם is completely inappropriate there. [Thus, we can see that Onkelos, in rendering his translation here, could not have meant that the word is simply a form of the stem אף . So how does he justify this translation?] Onkelos rendered this expression in accordance with the explanation of the Baraitha [a Talmudic source not included in the canon of the Mishnah], which is taught in Sifrei (32:26), This Baraitha divides the word אַפְאֵיהֶם into three separate words, to read: אַף אֵי הֶם , which has the meaning, “I said in My anger (אַף) that I would make them as if they were naught,” so that those who behold them would say about them, “Where are they הֵם אַיֵּה ?”

 

27 Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up Heb. אָגוּר . Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up (אָגוּר) against them to destroy them, and if the enemy would succeed in overtaking them and destroying them, he would attribute the greatness to himself and to his deity, but he would not attribute the greatness to Me [says God]. This, then, is the meaning of...

 

lest their adversaries distort Heb. פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ , lest they misconstrue the matter by attributing their might to an alien (נָכְרִי) , to whom the greatness does not belong. Lest they claim, Our hand was triumphant...!

 

29 For that nation is

 

a nation devoid of counsel, and they have no understanding for if they were wise people...

 

they would understand this namely: “How could one [person] pursue [a thousand...]?” (verse 30)

 

they would reflect upon their fate They would turn their attention towards thinking carefully about the end of Israel’s troubles [that the whole cause is God’s punishing Israel, rather than attributing Israel’s defeat to their own power].

 

30 How could one [person] of us

 

pursue a thousand of Israel?!"

 

unless their [Mighty] Rock has sold them out, and the Lord has given them over i.e., has sold them out, and given them over into our hands, delivrer in Old French [like the English: to deliver].

 

31 For their rock is not like our [Mighty] Rock The enemies should have understood all the above, that the Lord gave Israel over [to them], and that victory must not be attributed to them or to their deities. For until now, their deities have achieved nothing against our Rock. Because their rock is not like our Rock. The word צוּר in Scripture is always an expression meaning סֶלַע , rock.

 

nevertheless, our enemies sit in judgment Nevertheless, now our enemies are judging us. It must be then, that our Rock has given us over to them.

 

32 For their vine is the vine of Sodom [This verse is] connected to the above [verse 26. The continuity of these verses thus reads as follows:] "I said to Myself that I would make an end of them, eradicate their remembrance from mankind—because their deeds are those of Sodom and Amorah...".

 

and the field of Heb. וּמִשַּׁדְמוֹת , grain field. It is similar to the verse, “and the field (וּשְׁדֵמוֹת) will yield no food” (Hab. 3:17); and “in the field (בְּשַׁדְמוֹת) of Kidron” (II Kings 23:4).

 

grapes of rosh [The word רוֹשׁ ] means: A bitter herb. [This has been variantly translated as the cultured poppy, from which opium is extracted, colocynth, and hemlock. See Nature & Man in the Bible, by Yehuda Feliks.]

 

and they have bitter clusters A bitter drink, which is appropriate for them; their punishment corresponds to their deeds. Onkelos also renders this phrase likewise: “And the punishment of their deeds is like their bitterness.”

 

33 Their wine is the bitterness of serpents [Understand this] as the Targum renders it: כּֽס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִינַיָא, which means, “Indeed the cup of their drink of punishment is like the bitterness of serpents.”

 

and the bitterness of [ruthless] cobras is their cup. [The cobra] is ruthless when it bites; [thus, this verse is referring to] a ruthless enemy, who will come and seek out their retribution.

 

34 Is it not stored up with Me As the Targum renders it, “They think that I have forgotten their [evil] deeds, but these deeds are all locked away and preserved before Me.”

 

Is it not [stored] The fruit of their [bitter] vine and the [bitter] produce of their field are stored up with Me.

 

35 Vengeance is poised with Me, and it will pay Heb. וְשִׁלֵּם . The retribution of vengeance is with Me, prepared and held in readiness, and it will pay out punishment to them, according to their deeds. [That is to say,] Vengeance will pay the punishment they deserve. [Thus, the word וְשִׁלֵּם is to be understood as a verb.] However, some explain the word וְשִׁלֵּם as a noun, equivalent to וְשִׁלּוּם , and recompense, the same grammatical form as [the noun in the phrase], “And the [prophetic] word (וְהַדִּבֵּר) is not in them,” (Jer. 5:13) where the word is equivalent to וְהַדִּבּוּר [i.e., a noun]. And when will I pay them [their punishment]?

 

at the time their foot stumbles namely, when the merit of their forefathers expires, the merit upon which they are relying.

 

For the appointed day [of their reckoning] is near As soon as I desire to bring the day of their disaster upon them, this day is near and in readiness before Me, to be brought about by many agents.

 

and what is destined for them hastens And the things that are destined to come hasten [in coming].

 

hastens Heb. וְחָשׁ , as in the verse, “Let him hurry, hasten (יְחִישָׁה) ” (Isa. 5:19). Until here, Moses testified against them with words of reproof, that this Song should be a witness for Israel’s reproof, i.e., when punishment would come upon Israel, they would know that I told them about this from the very beginning. From here onwards, he testifies to Israel with words of comfort, about things that would come upon them at the conclusion of the retribution, like everything he stated earlier: “And it will be, when all these words happen to you—the blessing and the curse... then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles...” (Deut. 30:1-3).

 

36 When the Lord will judge His people i.e., When God will exact judgment upon Israel by bringing upon them these aforementioned sufferings. Similar to this is the verse, “For through these He judges (יָדִין) peoples” (Job 36:31), i.e., He chastises peoples. The word כִּי here does not mean “because,” giving the reason for the preceding statements, but rather, it introduces a new passage [i.e., it means “when”], as in the verse, “When (כִּי) you come to the land” (Lev. 25:2). [The meaning of our verse is:] When these judgments will come upon them, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reconsider concerning His servants to return [to them] and to have mercy upon them....

 

will reconsider Heb. יִתְנֶחָם . [This word] denotes changing one’s mind, whether for good or for evil.

 

when He will see that the power is growing i.e., when God sees that the enemy’s power is becoming stronger and stronger against Israel, and none among them is controlled or strengthened.

 

controlled Heb. עָצוּר . One who is rescued by an officer (עוֹצֵר) or a ruler who would confine (יַעֲצוֹר) the people.

 

or strengthened Heb. עָזוּב , [One saved] by an עוֹזֵב , one who gives strength [to someone else]. An עוֹצֵר is a ruler who confines his people [within certain boundaries], so that they will not go out in scattered groups when they go to war against the enemy, mentenedor in Old French [like the English, maintain. Consequently:] עָצוּר [the passive noun from the root עצר ] means: One saved through the confinement (מַעֲצוֹר) of a ruler. עָזוּב Strengthened, like “and they fortified (וַיַּעַזְבוֹ) Jerusalem until the... wall” (Neh. 3:8); and “How is the city of praise not fortified (עֻזְּבָה) ” (Jer. 49:25). עָצוּר is mentenude in Old French, and עָזוּב is enforze, fortified.

 

37 Then He will say The Holy One, Blessed is He, will say about them [Israel]: “Where is their deity which they worshipped [now]?”

 

the rock in which they trusted [The word צוּר ] means: The rock. [This figuratively means: The rock under which] they used to shelter themselves from the sun and the cold. That is to say, [the deity] in which they had placed their trust to protect them against any harm.

 

38 who ate the fat of their sacrifices i.e., these deities would eat up [the fat] and would drink up the wine of their libations when they offered the sacrifices before them.

 

Let them be your shelter! Let that same rock [you worshipped] be a refuge and shelter (מִסְתּוֹר) for you.

 

39 See now Understand from the punishment that I brought upon you, from which no one can rescue you, and from the salvation with which I will save you, and that there is no one to stop Me, that

 

It is I! I am the One -"It is I" Who can bring someone down, and “I am the One” Who can lift someone up.

 

and there is no god with Me! [There is no deity] which can stand up against Me, to stop Me.

 

with Me resembling Me, like Me.

 

and no one can save from My Hand those who sin against Me.

 

40 For I raise up My hand to heaven For in My fury, I will raise up My hand to Myself, making an oath.

 

and say, “As I live...” This is the expression of an oath, like the verse, “’As I live,’ says the Lord, 'if not for that which you have spoken in My ears’” (Num. 14:28). So too, here in our verse [the meaning is]: "I swear, just as I live [forever]...".

 

41 When I sharpen the blade of My sword If I sharpen the blade of My sword, so that it will shine (בְּרַק) [The word בְּרַק ,  lightning, literally means shine or flash] (see Ezek. 21:15), flandor in Old French.

 

and My hand grasps judgment leaving the attribute of mercy [and applying the attribute of justice] on My enemies who harmed Israel, for “I was angry only a little, but they helped to do harm” (Zech. 1:15). Another explanation: My hand will grasp the attribute of justice, sustaining it and exacting vengeance with it.

 

I will bring vengeance upon My adversaries Our Rabbis learned in the Aggadah (Mechilta Shemoth 14:3): By virtue of the expression in the verse, “and grasp judgment in My hand,” we understand that the nature of a human being is not like that of the Holy One, Blessed is He. For it is the nature of a human to cast an arrow, but he is unable to retrieve it. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, shoots His arrows and He can indeed retrieve them, as if He were holding them in His hand. Now, lightning is His arrow, [alluded to here] by the phrase בְּרַק חַרְבִּי , literally “the lightning of My sword,” [and the verse continues,] “and grasping judgment in My hand.” here, “judgment” refers to retribution; justize in Old French.

 

42 I will intoxicate My arrows with blood of the enemy.

 

and My sword will consume flesh their flesh [i.e., of the enemy].

 

from the blood of the slain and the captives [All] this will happen to them, because of the sin of the blood of Israel’s slain, and of the captives they took from them.

 

from the first breach of the enemy From the very first breach the enemy made. For when the Holy One, Blessed is He, inflicts punishment upon the nations, He visits upon them their own sin and the sins of their ancestors, from the very first breach they made in Israel. - [Sifrei 32:42]

 

43 Sing out praise, O you nations, for His people At that time, the nations will praise Israel, saying: "You see, now, what the praise of this nation is! That they cleaved to the Holy One, Blessed is He, through all the sufferings that befell them, and they did not forsake Him! They appreciated His goodness and His praise!

 

and He will avenge the blood of His servants i.e., [God will avenge] the shedding of their blood, as the phrase literally means.

 

inflict revenge upon His adversaries for the robbery and the violence [which they perpetrated against Israel], like the matter that is stated, “Egypt will be a desolation and Edom as a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah...” (Joel 4:19); and Scripture also states, “For the violence against your brother Jacob...” (Obad. 1:10).

 

and appease His land and His people And He will appease His land and His people for the distresses that they experienced, and that the enemy perpetrated against them.

 

and appease Heb. וְכִפֵּר , an expression of conciliation and appeasement, as in the verse, אֲכַפְּרָה פָּנָיו , which is rendered in the Targum as: “I will appease his anger” (Gen. 32:21).

 

and appease His land And what is His land? His people. When His nation is comforted, His land is also comforted. Thus, Scripture says, “O Lord, You have appeased Your land” (Ps. 85:2). How have You appeased Your land? [That same verse continues:] “You have returned the captivity of Jacob.” This [section] is explained in different ways in Sifrei. Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah differed regarding its explanation: Rabbi Judah explains the whole section as referring to Israel, while Rabbi Nehemiah explains the whole section as referring to the other nations. [Now Rashi proceeds to explain this whole section according to the two approaches.] Rabbi Judah explains it as referring to Israel, as follows: From “I said that I would make an end of them,” until “The Lord did none of this!” [verses 26-27], as I have explained above. [Verse 28:] “For that nation is lacking counsel” means that Israel lacks My Torah, because the Torah provides Israel with sound counsel; “and they have no understanding” means that they do not reflect on how one individual of the nations could pursue one thousand of them, unless it is because their Rock had sold them over" (verse 30); “for their rock is not like our [Mighty] Rock” (verse 31). Everything is as I have explained it until the end. Rabbi Nehemiah explains the section as referring to the other nations, [as follows]: [Verse 28:] “For they are a nation devoid of counsel,” until “Nevertheless, our enemies sit in judgment” (verses 28-31), he explains as I explained. [32]

 

For their vine is of the vine of Sodom That of the nations,

 

and of the field of Gemorrah... And the nations do not give any thought to attribute the greatness to Me.

 

their grapes are grapes of rosh This is what Scripture says, “Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up (verse 27)” against Israel, to poison and embitter them, and therefore (verse 32), “they have bitter clusters,” and they will be forced to eat them because of what they did to My children. [33]

 

their wine is the bitterness of serpents ready to give them [the nations] to drink because of what they did to them [Israel]. [34]

 

[Is it not] stored up with Me i.e., this cup [of poison], as Scripture states, “For a cup is in the hand of the Lord [...which all the wicked of the world will...drink]” (Ps. 75:9). [35]

 

at the time their foot trips [i.e., when the nations’ foot trips] as Scripture says, “A foot will trample it,” [referring to the downfall of the wicked] (Isa. 26:6) [36]

 

For the Lord will judge His people when explaining the section according to this [Rabbi Nehemiah’s] explanation, [the word כִּי in the expression] כִּי יָדִין does mean “because,” and the judgment spoken of here, does not refer to sufferings [of Israel], but rather, the verse means: Because God will plead the cause of Israel against those who have oppressed her, when “He sees that the [nations’] power is increasing...” [37]

 

Then he will say, “Where is their Deity?” The enemy will say, “Where is Israel’s God?” just as the wicked Titus said, when he rent the veil [of the Holy Temple] (see Gittin 56b), as Scripture states, “And my enemy will see [God’s righteousness], and shame will cover her, who says to me, 'Where is the Lord, your God?’” (Micah 7:10). [39]

 

See now that it is I! Then the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reveal His salvation and say: “Now you see that it is I! I am the One!” From Me the evil befell you, and from Me good will come upon you.

 

and no one can rescue from My Hand i.e., who will rescue you from the disaster I will bring upon you. [40]

 

For I raise up My place to heaven Heb. כִּי אֶשָּׂא אֶל שָׁמַיִם יָדִי . This is to be understood as, “I have raised up (נָשָׂאתִי) ,” My Divine Presence has always dwelt in the heaven, as the Targum renders it. And even if a weak one is above, and a strong one is below, the fear of the one above is upon the one below. How much more is this so, since the Mighty One is above, and the weak one is below?! [According to this explanation, the word] יָדִי means “the [dwelling] place of My Divine Presence,” as in the verse, “every man in his place (יָדוֹ) ” (Num. 2:17). [Continues God:] Now, it was within My power to punish you [nations] immediately, but I said, “As I live forever,” I will not hasten to exact punishment—there is time for this, because I live forever! I will exact the punishment [from the nations] in the latter generations. Furthermore, I have the power to exact punishment both from the living and the dead. A mortal king, who may die at any moment, hastens to avenge himself during his lifetime, because either he or his enemy may die, without seeing his punishment being meted out upon him, but I [says God,] live forever, so that if the enemy dies and I have not yet exacted punishment upon them, I will exact punishment from them when they are dead. [41]

 

When I sharpen the blade of my sword There are instances in Scripture where the word אִם is not used conditionally [i.e., it does not mean "if". Here, אִם means “when,” and thus, the verse means:] “When I sharpen the blade of My sword, and My hand grasps judgment...,” and all these remaining verses are as I have explained them above.

 

44 He and Hoshea the son of Nun It was the Sabbath upon which there were two leaders [because the office was being transferred to Joshua, i.e.,] authority was taken from one and given to the other.-[Sotah 13b] Moses appointed a meturgeman [literally, an interpreter, here a spokesman] for Joshua, [to relay to the public what Joshua said,] so that Joshua could expound [on the Torah] in Moses’ lifetime, so that Israel would not say [to Joshua], “During your teacher’s lifetime you did not dare to raise your head!”-[Sifrei 31:1] And why does Scripture here call him Hoshea [for his name had long since been changed to Joshua (see Numb. 13:16). To imply [lit., to say] that Joshua did not become haughty, for although he was given high status, he humbled himself as he was at the beginning [when he was still called Hoshea]. - [Sifrei 32:44]

 

46 Set your hearts A person must direct his eyes, his heart, and his ears to the words of the Torah, for Scripture states (Ezek. 40:4),"Son of man, see with your eyes, and listen with your ears, and set your heart [upon all that I show you]" [namely, the plan of the Holy Temple]. Now, here, we have an inference from major to minor: If in the case of the plan of the Holy Temple, which is visible to the eyes and which is measured with a measuring-rod, a person must direct his eyes, ears, and heart to understand, how much more so must he do so to understand the words of the Torah, which are likened to “mountains suspended by a hair” [i.e., numerous laws derived from a single word of the Torah]?!-[Sifrei 32:45]

 

47 For it is not an empty thing for you You do not labor over it in vain, for a great reward is contingent upon it, for “it is your life” [that is, the reward is life itself]. Another explanation: There is not one empty [i.e., superfluous] word in the Torah which, if properly expounded upon, will not have a reward attached to it. You must know this, for [as an illustration:] our Rabbis teach, Scripture states, “And Lotan’s sister was Timna” (Gen. 36:22). [What, one might ask, is the purpose of telling us this? Furthermore, an earlier verse states,] “and Timna was a concubine [to Eliphaz the son of Esau]” (Gen. 36:12). [Is it necessary for the Torah to state this at all? But our Rabbis explain, as follows:] Because Timna said, “If I am unworthy to become Eliphaz’s wife, I hope, at least, to become his concubine!” So why does Scripture enter into all these details [of her birth and marriage]? To teach us the greatness of Abraham, that rulers and kings yearned to cleave to his seed. [Lotan was a prince of Seir; thus, the verse tells us that Timna was of noble ancestry; and yet, she preferred to be a mere concubine to Eliphaz, Abraham’s great grandson, rather than become a princess in her own nation.] - [Sifrei 32:46]

 

48 And the Lord spoke to Moses on that very day Heb. בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה . In three places Scripture employs the phrase: בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה [which has the meaning, “at the strongest light of the day”]. First, regarding Noah, Scripture states, “On that very day (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) Noah entered [... the ark]” (Gen. 7:13), which means in the glare of full daylight. Noah’s contemporaries said: "We swear by such and such, that if we notice him about to enter the ark, we will not let him proceed! Moreover, we will take axes and hatchets and split open the ark!" So, the Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “I will have Noah enter at midday, and let anyone who has the power to prevent it, come and prevent it!” Second, regarding Egypt, Scripture states, “On that very day, the Lord brought [the children of Israel] out [of the land of Egypt]” (Exod. 12:51). The Egyptians said: "We swear by such and such, that if we notice them about to leave, we will stop them! And not only that, but we will take swords and other weapons, and kill them!" So, the Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “I will bring them out in the middle of the day, and let anyone who has power to prevent it, come and prevent it!” Likewise, here, regarding Moses’ death, Scripture states, “on that very day (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) .” The children of Israel said, "We swear by such and such, that if we notice Moses [ascending the mountain to die], we will not let him do so! The man who brought us out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea for us, brought the manna down for us, made flocks of quails fly over to us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah—we will not let him!" Thereupon, the Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “I will have Moses ascend the mountain [to his resting place] in the middle of the day!”- [Sifrei 32:47]

 

50 Just as your brother Aaron died [God said to Moses:] "Die with the same death that you witnessed and longed for, that Moses removed Aaron’s first [i.e., upper] garment and dressed Eleazar [Aaron’s son] with it. Then, Moses did the same with the second garment, and the third. Aaron then saw his son in his glory [of his new office]. Moses then said to him: “Aaron my brother! Go up onto the couch,” and Aaron went up. “Stretch out your hands,” and Aaron stretched [out his hands]. “Stretch out your legs,” and Aaron stretched [out his legs]. “Close your eyes,” and Aaron closed [his eyes]; “Close your mouth,” and Aaron closed [his mouth], and he passed away. Thereupon, Moses said, “Fortunate is the one who dies a death like this!”- [Sifrei 32:49]

 

51 Because you betrayed Me You caused the people to rebel against Me.

 

because you did not sanctify Me [Says God to Israel:] You caused Me not to be sanctified [see Yalkut, end of Ha’azinu]: I said to you “Speak to the rock” [to provide you with water in the desert (see Num. 20:8)], but instead, they hit the rock, and so, they had to hit it twice [in order to extract water]. Had they, however, spoken to it [as I told them], so that the rock would have given forth water without being hit, the Name of Heaven would have been sanctified, for the Israelites would have said, "If the rock, which is subject neither to reward nor punishment, for if it acts meritoriously [i.e., fulfills God’s will,] it receives no reward, and if it sins [i.e., not fulfilling God’s will,] it is not punished, and yet [without any of these incentives] the rock fulfills the command of its Creator [by producing water when spoken to], how much more so should we [who do have the incentives of reward and punishment fulfill our Creator’s will]!

 

52 from afar Heb. כִּי מִנֶּגֶד from afar.

 

you will see [the Land] For if you do not see the Land now, you will no longer see it in your lifetime.

 

but you will not come there But I know that the Land is dear to you. That is why I say to you, "Go up [the mountain] and see [it]!"

 

Chapter 33

 

1 And this is the blessing... [just] before his death Very close to the time of his death. - [see Sifrei 33:1] “For, if not now, when?”

 

2 He said: The Lord came from Sinai Moses initiated his blessing by praising the Omnipresent, and then he addressed the needs of Israel. - [Sifrei 33:2] The praise with which Moses commenced, mentions the merit of Israel. All this was a way of conciliation, as if to say, “These people are worthy that a blessing should rest upon them.”

 

came from Sinai He came out toward them when they came to stand at the foot of the mountain, as a bridegroom goes forth to greet his bride, as it is said, “[And Moses brought the people forth] toward God” (Exod. 19: 17). We learn from this, that God came out toward them (Mechilta 19:17).

 

and shone forth from Seir to them [Why did He come from Seir?] Because God first offered the children of Esau [who dwelled in Seir] that they accept the Torah, but they did not want [to accept it].

 

He appeared to them [Israel]

 

from Mount Paran [Why did God then come from Paran?] Because He went there and offered the children of Ishmael [who dwelled in Paran] to accept the Torah, but they [also] did not want [to accept it]. - [A.Z. 2b]

 

and came to Israel.

 

with some holy myriads With God were only some of the myriads of His holy angels, but not all of them, nor [even] most of them. This is unlike the manner of a mortal, who displays all the splendor of his riches and his glory on his wedding day. - [Sifrei 33:2]

 

a fiery law for them It was originally written before God in [letters of] black fire upon [a background of] white fire. - [Tanchuma Bereishith 1] He gave it to them on tablets, inscribed, [as it were,] by His right hand [thus it is said here, “from His right hand”]. Another explanation of אֵשׁ דָּת : As the Targum renders it, that He gave it to them from amidst the fire.

 

3 Indeed, You showed love for peoples [God] also displayed great affection to the tribes, each one of whom were known as a people, for only Benjamin was destined to be born when the Holy One, blessed is He, said to Jacob, “A nation and a multitude of nations shall come into existence from you” (Genesis 35:11). [Thus, we see that Benjamin alone was called “a nation.” "A multitude of nations" refers to Ephraim and Manasseh. See Rashi on Gen. 35:11, 48:4.] - [Gen. Rabbah 82:4]

 

all his holy ones are in Your hand [This refers to] the souls of the righteous, which are hidden away with God, as It is said, “But my lord’s soul shall be bound up in the bundle of life, with the Lord, your God” (I Sam. 25:29). - [Sifrei 33:3]

 

for they [...] be centered at Your feet And Israel is indeed worthy of this [privilege to have their souls hidden away with God], because they placed themselves right in the middle (תּוֹךְ) of the bottom of the mountain at Your feet [figuratively speaking] at Sinai. The word תֻּכּוּ is in the passive conjugation, which has the meaning: הִתְוַכּוּ , “They [allowed themselves] to be placed right in the middle (תּוֹךְ) ” [of the underside of the mountain], between Your feet.

 

bearing Your utterances, They bore upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah. - [Sifrei 33:3]

 

Your Torah Heb. מִדַּבְּרֽתֶיךָ . The mem in it [i.e., in this word] is somewhat of a root letter [rather than a prefix], as in, “And he heard the voice speaking (מִדַּבֵּר) to him” (Num. 7:89); and, “And I heard what was being spoken (מִדַּבֵּר) to me” (Ezek. 2:2). This form is similar to מִתְדַּבֵּר אֵלַי , [speaking to Himself for me to hear, see Rashi on Num. 7:89]. This too, namely, the word מִדַּבְּרֽתֶיךָ , means: “what You were speaking to let me know what to tell the children of Israel.” Tes porparledurs in Old French. Onkelos, however, renders [the phrase יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֽתֶיךָ as: “they traveled ( יִשָּׂא like יִסַּע ) according to Your commands (דַּבְּרֽתֶיךָ) .” Thus, the mem is a servile prefix, with the meaning of מִן , from. [Thus, according to Onkelos, the word מִדַּבְּרֽתֶיךָ literally means, from Your utterances.] Another explanation [of this verse is as follows]: Indeed, You showed love for peoples—Even when You displayed Your affection towards the nations of the world, showing them a smiling [friendly] face, and You delivered Israel into their hands,

 

all his holy ones are in Your hand All Israel’s righteous/generous and good people clung to You; they did not turn away from You, and You guarded them. - [B.B. 8a)]

 

for they let themselves be centered at your feet And they placed themselves right in the middle of, and entered beneath Your [protective] shadow;

 

bearing your utterances And they gladly accepted Your decrees and Your laws. - [see Tanchuma 5] And these were their words:

 

4 The Torah that Moses commanded us is a legacy for the congregation of Jacob We have taken hold of it, and we will not forsake it!

 

5 And He was i.e., the Holy One, blessed is He,

 

was King in Jeshurun i.e., the yoke of God’s sovereignty was always upon them.

 

whenever the sum total of the people were gathered At every gathering of רָאשֵׁי - meaning, whenever their number is gathered. רָאשֵׁי as in the verse, “When you take the count (רֽאשׁ) of the children of Israel” (Exod. 30:12). These people are worthy that I should bless them. Another explanation: When Israel is gathered together in a unified group, and there is peace among them, God is their King—but not when their is strife among them. - [Sifrei 33:5]

 

6 May Reuben live in this world,

 

and not die in the world-to-come, that the incident involving Bilhah not be remembered against him. - [see Rashi Gen. 35:22; Sifrei 33:6]

 

and may his people be counted in the number May Reuben be counted along with the enumeration of the rest of his brothers. This [matter, that the incident involving Bilhah should not exclude Reuben from being counted together with his brothers] is similar to what is said: “[And Reuben went] and lay with Bilhah... and Jacob’s sons were twelve” (Gen. 35:22), [indicating] that he was not excluded from the number [of Jacob’s sons, on account of this incident].

 

7 May this [also be] for Judah He juxtaposed Judah to Reuben, because they both confessed to the wrong, they had done, as it is said, “that wise men have told... to them alone... and no stranger passed between them” (Job 15:18-19). [This verse alludes to the confession of Reuben and Judah ("that wise men have told"), and how they were consequently blessed here together ("them alone"); although Levi was next in line chronologically to Reuben, nevertheless here, in the context of this blessing, Levi did not come between them ("no stranger came between them"), but rather, he was blessed immediately afterwards (verses 8-11).]-[see Rashi Job 15:19] Our Rabbis further explained that during the entire forty years that Israel was in the desert, Judah’s bones were rolling in his coffin, because of the excommunication which he had accepted upon himself [when he took responsibility for Benjamin], as it is said, “If I will not bring him to you... then I have sinned against you all of the days” (Gen. 43:9). [So], Moses said, "Who caused Reuben to [publicly] confess his sin? It was Judah..."(see Sotah 7b) [and thus, by placing Judah together with Reuben, Moses alluded to this merit of Judah, and, in effect, “May the Lord listen to Judah’s voice,” is a prayer that Judah’s bones would finally come to rest].

 

O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice [I.e., Also, hear the prayer of Judah’s descendants:] The prayer of David and Solomon, and the prayer of Asa because of the Ethiopians, and that of Jehoshaphat on account of the Ammonites, and that of Hezekiah because of Sennacherib. - [see Sifrei 33:7]

 

and bring him to his people in peace, from war.

 

his hands will do battle for him May his hands fight his battle (רִיבוֹ) , and may they exact his vengeance.

 

and may You be a help against his adversaries [Moses here,] was praying for [Judah’s descendant] Jehoshaphat, concerning the battle of Ramoth Gilead, [as Scripture states,] “Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him (עֲזָרוֹ) ” (II Chron. 18:31). Another explanation:

 

O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice Here, included within Judah’s blessing, Moses alluded to [and incorporated] a blessing for Simeon [the allusion being in the word שְׁמַע , the very root of שִׁמְעוֹן ]. Also [in accordance with this incorporation of Simeon within Judah], when they divided Eretz Israel [among the tribes], Simeon received [his portion] out of the lot of Judah, as Scripture states, “Out of the lot of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon” (Josh. 19:9). - [Sifrei 33:7] Now why did Moses not devote a separate blessing for him? Because he held against him what he had done in Shittim [referring to the sin of Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of the tribe of Simeon (see Num. 25:1-14)]. So it is written in the Aggadah of Psalms. - [Shocher Tov 90]

 

8 And of Levi he said Heb. וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר , And of Levi, he said....

 

Your Tummim and Urim Here, Moses is addressing the Shechinah.

 

whom You tested at Massah [spoken in praise of the Levites,] for they did not complain with the others who complained.

 

and whom You tried... [This is to be understood] as the Targum renders it [namely, “You tested him (Levi) at the Waters of Meribah, and he came out faithful”]. Another explanation:

 

whom you tried at the waters of Meribah You made false accusations against him [Levi], for if Moses [was punished with death and not permitted to enter the Land of Israel because he] said to Israel, “Listen now, you rebels!” (see Num. 20:10), then [how do we understand why] Aaron and Miriam [were also punished with death and were not permitted to enter the Land of Israel]—what did they do [to deserve this]? - [Sifrei 33:8]

 

9 who said of his father and his mother, 'I do not see him...’ [Moses says:] When they [Israel] sinned with the calf, and I said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” (Exod. 32:26), all the sons of Levi assembled to me, and I ordered them to kill [those guilty of worshipping the golden calf, even] one’s mother’s father, if he was an [ordinary] Israelite [and not a Levite], or his brother from his mother [if his brother’s father was not a Levite], or the son of his daughter [whose husband was not a Levite], and they did so. It is, however, impossible to explain [that it means literally his father and his brother from his father, and likewise, literally his sons, because all these were Levites, and not one of the tribe of Levi sinned, as it is said, “and all the sons of Levi [gathered to him]” (Exod. 32: 26). - [Sifrei 33:9]

 

for they observed Your word namely, “You shall have no other gods [before Me]” (Exod. 20:3). - [Sifrei 33:9]

 

and kept Your covenant namely, the covenant of circumcision. - [Sifrei 33:9] For the [ordinary] Israelites who were born in the desert did not circumcise their sons, whereas the Levites were [not only] circumcised themselves, [but they] also circumcised their sons. - [Sifrei Bemidbar 9:18]

 

10 They shall teach Your ordinances [because] they are worthy of doing this.

 

and burnt-offerings Heb. וְכָלִיל , a burnt-offering [which is completely (כָּלִיל) consumed on the altar]. - [Yoma 26a]

 

11 strike the loins of those who rise up against him Strike those who rise up against him, in the loins. This is similar to what is said, “Constantly cause their loins to slip” (Ps. 69:24). Here, Moses was referring to those who contested the priesthood. - [Sifrei 33:11] Another explanation: Moses saw [prophetically] that the Hasmonean and his sons were destined to wage war with the Greeks. He therefore prayed for them, because they were few in number, namely, the twelve sons of the Hasmonean and Eleazar, against many myriads [of the enemy]. Hence, Moses said here: “May the Lord bless his army (חֵילוֹ) and favorably accept the work of his hands.”- [See Tanchuma Vayechi 14; Gen. Rabbah 99:2; Otzar Midrashim, Ma’aseh Hanukkah second version, p. 191; Midrash LaHanukkah, p. 193]

 

and his enemies so that they will not recover Strike the loins of those who rise up against him and of his enemies, so that they will have no recovery.

 

12 And of Benjamin he said Since Levi’s blessing pertains to the sacrificial service, and Benjamin’s blessing pertains to building the Holy Temple within his territory, Moses juxtaposed one to the other. He then juxtaposes Joseph immediately after him [Benjamin] because Joseph too [had a sanctuary built within his territory, namely] the Mishkan of Shiloh was erected in his territory, as is said: “He rejected the tent of Joseph” (Ps. 78:67). And because the Holy Temple is dearer [to God] than [the Mishkan of] Shiloh, he mentioned [the blessing of] Benjamin before [that of] Joseph [even though Joseph was older.].

 

He protects him Heb. חֽפֵף , covers him and protects him.

 

all day long i.e., forever. Since [the time] Jerusalem was chosen [for the building of the Holy Temple], the Divine Presence has never dwelt elsewhere. - [Mechilta 12:4]

 

and dwells between his shoulders The Holy Temple was built on the highest point of his [Benjamin’s] land, except that it was twenty-three cubits below the Eitam Well (see Yoma 31a). Now, it was David’s intention to build it there [at the level of the Eitam Well], as is taught in Shechitath Kodashim [Zev. 54b]: [However,] they said to David: "Let us build it a little lower, for Scripture states, ‘and He dwells between his shoulders’ [which are lower than the head]—and there is no part of an ox more beautiful than its shoulders."

 

13 His land shall be blessed by the Lord For throughout the inheritance of all the tribes, there was no land more full of goodness than Joseph’s land. - [Sifrei 33:13]

 

and with the sweetness Heb. מִמֶּגֶד [This word denotes] delicacies and sweetness.

 

the deep The [waters which lie in] the depth [of the earth] ascend and moisten the land from below. You find that in the case of each tribe, Moses’ blessing resembles Jacob’s blessing [to the same tribe. For instance, Jacob blessed Joseph also with the וּמִתְּהוֹם רֽבֶצֶת תָּחַת ] (Gen. 49:25).

 

14 and with the sweetness of the produce of the sun for Joseph’s land was exposed to the sun, which sweetened its fruit. - [Sifrei 33:14]

 

the moon’s yield Heb. יְרָחִים גֶּרֶשׁ . Some fruits are ripened by the moon (יָרֵחַ) . -[Sifrei 33:14] These are cucumbers and gourds. Another explanation: [This refers to fruits] which the earth expels (מְגָרֶשֶׁת) and brings out [from itself] month (יֶרַח) by month. - [Targum Onkelos]

 

15 and with the crops of early mountains And blessed with the fruits that are first (רֽאשׁ) to ripen, for its mountains advance (קֶדֶם) the ripening of their fruits [thus, “the early mountains”]. Another explanation: [This verse] teaches [us] that their creation [that of the mountains in the territory of Joseph] preceded (קֶדֶם) that of all other mountains. - [Sifrei 33:15]

 

the sweetness of perennial hills - גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם . Hills which produce fruit continuously (עוֹלָם) and do not cease [to produce fruit even] because of lack of rain.

 

16 and through the contentment of the One Who dwells in the thornbush Heb. שֽׁכְנִי סְנֶה , equivalent to שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה , the One Who dwells in the bush. [Thus, the verse means:] "And may his land be blessed through the favorable acceptance and contentment of the Holy One, blessed is He, Who first revealed Himself to me in a thornbush (סְנֶה).

 

through the contentment Heb. וּרְצוֹן . Contentment and appeasement. Similarly, every instance of [the word] רָצוֹן in Scripture.

 

may it come i.e.; this blessing will come upon Joseph’s head.

 

the one separated from his brothers [Joseph] who was separated from his brothers through his being sold.

 

17 to his firstborn ox Heb. בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ [In addition to the simple meaning of “firstborn,”] there are some instances in which the word בְּכוֹר has the meaning of “greatness” and “majesty,” as it is said, “I will also make him a great man (בְּכוֹר) [the highest of the kings on earth]” (Ps. 89:28); and similarly, “Israel is My son, my firstborn (בְּכוֹרִי) ” [denoting high status] (Exod. 4:22). [Thus:] בְּכוֹר here: The king who will descend from Joseph, namely, Joshua.

 

his ox whose strength is as mighty as that of an ox, to conquer many kings.

 

is [given] glory [Literally, “glory is his,”] was given to him [when Moses transferred some of his attribute of majesty to Joshua when he became leader], as it is said, [God said to Moses:] “And you shall give some of your majesty to him” [Joshua] (Num. 27:20).

 

and his horns are the horns of a re’em The ox is powerful, but its horns are not beautiful; [on the other hand,] a re’em has beautiful horns, but it is not powerful. [Moses thus] blessed Joshua with the power of an ox and the beauty of a re’em 's horns. - [Sifrei 33:17]

 

the ends of the earth [This refers to] the thirty- one kings [whom Joshua conquered in the Land of Israel]. Is it possible that these kings were all from the Land of Israel? [The answer is that] there was not one king or ruler who did not acquire for himself a palace and a holding in the Land of Israel [even though he belonged to another country]. [And why so?] Because the Land of Israel was considered distinguished to all of them, as it is said [of the Land of Israel], “The finest inheritance of the hosts of nations” (Jer. 3:19). - [Sifrei 33:17] [For this reason, the thirty-one kings are referred to as “the ends of the earth.”

 

these are the myriads of Ephraim The ones who are to be gored are the myriads who were killed by Joshua who was descended from Ephraim [Joseph’s son].

 

and these are the thousands of Manasseh They are the thousands killed in Midian by Gideon, [who was descended from Manasseh, Joseph’s other son], as it is said, “Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor...” (Jud. 8:10) [and the verse continues to enumerate many thousands of hosts which were there].

 

18 And to Zebulun he said These five tribes whom [Moses] blessed last, namely, Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naftali and Asher, have their names repeated [e.g., “And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun...”], in order to instill them with strength and power, for they were the weakest of all the tribes. And indeed [for this reason,] they were the ones Joseph introduced to Pharaoh, as it is said, “And from among his brothers, he took five men” (Gen. 47: 2). [Joseph took these brothers and not the others,] because they looked weak, so that Pharaoh should not appoint them as his war officers. - [B.K. 92a]

 

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents Zebulun and Issachar entered into a partnership [with the following agreement]: Zebulun would dwell at the seashore and go out in ships, to trade and make profit. He would thereby provide food for Issachar, and they would sit and occupy themselves with the study of Torah. Consequently, Moses mentioned Zebulun before Issachar [even though the latter was the elder of the two], because Issachar’s Torah came through [the provisions of] Zebulun. - [Gen. Rabbah 99:9]

 

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure Prosper when you go out to trade.

 

and Issachar Prosper when you sit in your tents to study the Torah, to sit [in the Sanhedrin] and to [calculate and] proclaim leap years, and to fix the months, as it is said, “And from the sons of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times” (I Chron. 12:32) [and then the verse continues,] "their chiefs were two hundred"—the chiefs of the Sanhedrin occupied themselves with this, and in accordance with them, the seasons and leap years were fixed [for all Israel]. 19 Peoples of the tribes of Israel.

 

They will call [peoples] to the Mountain I.e., [people from the tribes of Israel] will assemble at Mount Moriah [on the Pilgrimage Festivals]. Every assembly took place through a “calling” [i.e., a summoning of the people. This is why the verse speaks of the assembly of the people in terms of “They will call”]. And there [at Mount Moriah, in the Holy Temple], the people will offer up righteous sacrifices on the Pilgrimage Festivals.

 

for they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas i.e., Issachar and Zebulun [will be nourished], and thereby, they will have spare time to study the Torah.

 

and by the treasures hidden in the sand Things covered up and hidden by the sand—the tarit [or “torino,” a kind of fish], the snail [from which a sky-blue dye was obtained], and “white glass,” all of which come from the sea or the sand. These were found in the territory of Issachar and Zebulun, as is taught in Tractate Megillah (6a): [Scripture says, “Zebulun is a people who jeopardized his life to die” (Jud. 5:18). [And why?] Because [as that verse continues], “Naftali is on the high places of the field,” i.e., Zebulun complained [to God] about his territory, saying, “To my brothers, You have given fields and vineyards [... while to me, You have given seas and rivers]!” [In reply, God told Zebulun that the other brothers will seek him out because of the hidden treasures contained within the seas and the sands.]

 

the treasures Heb. וּשְׂפֻנֵי An expression meaning a covering, as it is said, “And he covered (וַיִּסְפּֽן) the house” (I Kings 6:9); and וְסָפֻן בָאֶרֶז , which the Targum renders as: “And it was covered with a covering of cedar” (I Kings 7:3). Another explanation: they will call people to the mountain: Through Zebulun’s commerce, merchants of the world’s nations will come to his land. Now Zebulun is located at the border, so these merchants will say, “Since we have taken so much trouble to reach here, let us go to Jerusalem and see what the God of this nation is like and what they do.” And they see all Israel worshipping one God and eating one kind of food [i.e., only what is permissible to them, and they will be astonished], because [among] the nations, the deity of one is not like the deity of another, and the food of one is not like the food of another. So, they will say, “There is no nation as worthy as this one!” Consequently, they will convert to Judaism there, as our verse says, “there, they will offer up righteous sacrifices” [and all of this will be due to Zebulun’s commerce]. - [Sifrei 33:19]

 

for they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas Zebulun and Issachar [will be nourished], that is to say, the sea will lavish them with wealth.

 

20 Blessed is He Who grants expanse to Gad This teaches us that Gad’s territory extended far eastward. - [Sifrei 33: 20]

 

He dwells like a lion Because Zebulun was near the border, he is therefore compared to lions, for all those who are located near the border must be mighty [like lions, in order to protect themselves from attack]. - [Sifrei 33:20]

 

tearing the arm [of his prey, together] with the head Anyone slain by the Gadites could be readily identified: they used to cut off the head together with the arm in one blow. - [Jonathan Ben Uziel]

 

21 He saw the first portion for himself He saw fit to take for himself territory in the land of Sihon and Og, whose land was the beginning (רֵאשִׁית) of the conquest of the Land.

 

because there, the portion of the lawgiver is hidden For Gad knew [through Divine transmission,] that within his territory would be contained a portion of the field designated for the burial of “the lawgiver,” namely Moses. - [Sotah 13b]

 

of the lawgiver That portion [of the field, where Moses was buried,] was hidden (סָפוּן) and concealed from every creature, as it is said, “And no man knows his burial place” (Deut. 34:6).

 

And he came i.e., Gad came.

 

at the head of the people The Gadites marched before the armed forces in the conquest of the Land, because the Gadites were powerful, and so it is said [of them], “Pass over, armed, before your brothers” (Deut. 3:18).

 

He did what is righteous for the Lord Because the Gadites substantiated their words, keeping their promise to cross the Jordan [and remain there to help their brothers] until Israel had conquered and divided [the Land among the tribes]. Another explanation: And he came—And Moses came. [Similarly, the remaining clauses:] “At the head of the people,” and “He did what is righteous for the Lord,” also refer to Moses. - [Sifrei 33:21]

 

22 Dan is a young lion Dan was also located close to the border, and so [like Gad], he is compared to lions. - [Sifrei 33:22]

 

streaming from Bashan [This is to be understood] as the Targum [Onkelos] renders it ["His land drinks from the rivers that flow from Bashan"]. For the Jordan [river] comes out from Dan’s territory, from the Paneas cave, which is [a place called] Leshem, within the territory of Dan. [The children of Dan conquered Leshem and incorporated it into their territory, calling it Dan after their father,] as it is said, “And they called Leshem, Dan” (Joshua 19:47). -[Bech. 55a] And its source (זִנּוּק) and flow is from Bashan. Another explanation [of הַבָּשָׁן יְזַנֵּק מִן־ ] is: Just as a water flow (זִנּוּק) issues from one place and divides itself [afterwards] into two directions, similarly, the tribe of Dan [started with one territory and ended up] taking a portion in two places. First, they took the northwest [of the Land of Israel], namely, Ekron and its surroundings. But this did not suffice them. So, they came and fought against Leshem, which is Paneas, located in the north-east [of the Land of Israel]. [Now Rashi demarcates these two areas geographically:] For the Jordan comes out of the Paneas [or Banias] cave, which is in the east [and at the northern extremity] of the Land of Israel, and then the river flows from the north [straight down] to the south, ending at the edge of the Salt Sea ["Dead Sea"], which in turn, is in the east of Judah’s territory, Judah having taken his territory in the southern part of the Land of Israel, as is delineated in the book of Joshua (19:47). This is the meaning of what is stated there: “And the border of the children of Dan went out from them, so the children of Dan arose and fought against Leshem [and took possession of it].” [So when this verse says “And the border of the children of Dan went out from them,” it means:] Their border was bursting outwards [as it were,] along that whole [eastern flank of the Land] where they originally took their inheritance. [Hence, whereas Dan started out with one territory, he ended up with two, just like a water flow (זִנּוּק) is one, and divides into two]. - [Sifrei 33:22] 23

 

favorably satisfied Naftali’s land would fully satisfy all its inhabitants.

 

Possess the sea and the south The sea of Kinnereth fell within Naftali’s portion; moreover, he took a rope’s length of fishing-coast on its south[ern shore] for spreading out his nets and trawls. - [B.K. 81b] Possess Heb. יְרָשָׁה . This word is in the imperative form and is equivalent to [the simple command רֵשׁ ] in “Go up and possess (רֵשׁ) ” (Deut. 1:21). The fact that the accent is placed on next to the last syllable in the word, namely on the reish, proves this point, like the words: יְרַשׁ (possess!), יְדַע (know!), לְקַח (take!) and שְׁמַע (listen!). Now, when one adds a hey at the end of this [simple command] form, the accent is on next to the last syllable of the word to become: לְקָחָה סְלָחָה יְדָעָה שְׁמָעָה Here also, יְרָשָׁה is an imperative form. Accordingly, in the Masoreth Gedolah, we find this in the alphabetically arranged imperative forms of verbs, which have their accents on next to the last syllable.

 

24 May Asher be blessed with sons I saw in Sifrei the following (33:24): “Among all of the tribes, you will not find one that is blessed with sons as Asher was.” But I do not know in which regard.

 

He will be pleasing to his brothers Asher pleased his brothers with “Onpakinon oil” [oil of unripe olives, used for anointing one’s skin] and tasty foods (?), and they please him [by repaying him] with grain. Another explanation of “He will be pleasing to his brothers”: Because the women who came from Asher were beautiful [and were sought after for marriage]. This is the meaning of what is stated in Chronicles (I Chron. 7:31). [when it speaks of Malchiel, Asher’s grandson] “he was the father בִּרְזָיִת [literally, olive-child]” that is to say, his daughters were married to Kohanim Gedolim [and kings], who were anointed with olive oil (זַיִת) . - [Gen. Rabbah 71:10]

 

and immerse his foot in oil for his land flowed like a spring with oil. It once happened, that the people of Laodicea were in need of oil, and they appointed an agent [who was sent from place to place, until he found an olive farmer. The latter brought this agent to his home, and there, the olive farmer washed himself and then dipped his hands and feet, thereby fulfilling our verse here: “And dip his foot in oil.” Then, he supplied the agent from Laodicea with one million, one hundred and eighteen thousand maneh worth of olive oil!]. - [Tractate Men. 85b]

 

25 Your locks are iron and copper Now he [Moses] addresses all Israel, whose strong men dwelled in the border cities and would “lock up” the Land [as it were, with their protection], so that the enemies would be unable to enter. It was as if the Land was closed up with locks and bolts made of iron and copper. Another explanation: Your locks are iron and copper—Your land is “locked in” by mountains, from which iron and copper are mined. [In this respect] Asher’s territory was [considered] the "lock of the Land of Israel". - [Sifrei 33:25]

 

and the days of your old age will be like the days of your youth Heb. וּכְיָמֶיךָ דָּבְאֶךָ . Like the days that are your best, namely, your first days, the days of your youth—so will be the days of your old age, days which [ordinarily] flow away (דּוֹאֲבִים) , are painful, and decline. Another explanation of וּכְיָמֶיךָ דָּבְאֶךָ is: וּכְיָמֶיךָ - the days which can be enumerated as your good days, namely, all those days on which you fulfilled the will of the Omnipresent דָּבְאֶךָ , so will be “your flowing,” i.e., all the countries [in the world] will make silver and gold flow into the Land of Israel. For Israel will be blessed with fruits, so that all the countries will be supplied by it, consequently pouring their silver and gold into it, ascorant Old French. Moreover, the world’s silver and gold will be depleted, because they will pour it into your Land. - [Sifrei 33:25]

 

26 Jeshurun There is none like God—Jeshurun, you should know that there is none like God among all the gods of the peoples, and that their rock is not like your Rock.

 

He Who rides the heavens is the same God Who is at your assistance, and with His majesty, He rides the skies.

 

27 which are the abode for God Who precedes all The skies are an abode for God who preceded (קֶדֶם) all other deities. He selected the skies [above] as His residence and abode, while all the strong men live below Him.

 

are the mighty ones of the world [Literally, “The arms of the world.” This refers to] Sihon, Og, and the kings of Canaan, who were [considered] the strength and might of the world. Therefore, despite themselves, they will tremble and quake, and their power will dwindle before God—the fear of one above always falls upon the one below, and thus, He to whom power and might belong-

 

drove out the enemy from before you And said to you, “Destroy them!” מְעֽנָה Every word that requires a lamed as a prefix [meaning “for” or “to”], can instead have a hey as a suffix [and the meaning is identical. Thus, here, the word מְעֽנָה is equivalent to לַמָּעֽן , meaning “for an abode”]. - [Yev. 13b]

 

28 safely and alone Every single individual [will dwell safely]-each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. [And their security will be so sound, that] they will have no need to live together in one group, because of the enemy.

 

as Jacob [blessed] Heb. עֵין יַעֲקֽב . [The word עֵין , has the same meaning here] like [referring to the manna], “And its appearance (וְעֵינוֹ) was like the appearance of (כְּעֵין) crystal” (Num. 11:7). [So, our verse comes to teach us that the blessing here, of Israel dwelling בָּדָד ] is like the appearance of the blessing that Jacob blessed, and not like the [meaning of the word] בָָּדָד used by Jeremiah, “I dwelled alone (בָָּדָד) ” (Jer. 15:17), but like the appearance of the promise [of secure dwelling] that Jacob made to them [Joseph and his brothers], “And God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your forefathers” (Gen. 48:21). - [Sifrei 33:28]

 

will drip Heb. יַעַרְפוּ [like] יִרְעֲפוּ , will drip.

 

also, their heavens will drip dew [Why does the verse say "also"? It means:] Also, Isaac’s blessing will be added to that of Jacob, which states, “And the God will give you from the dew of the heavens” (Gen. 27:28). - [Sifrei 33:28]

 

29 Fortunate are you, O Israel After Moses specified the blessings to Israel, he said to them, “Why do I have to specify all the details? In general: Everything is yours!”

 

Fortunate are you, O Israel. Who is like you...! Your salvation depends on God, Who is the Shield that helps you and the Sword of your majesty.

 

Your enemies will lie to you Like, for instance, the Gibeonites, who said, “Your servants have come from a... distant land...” (Josh. 9:9).

 

and you will tread upon their heights [The meaning here is: “And you will crush their neck underfoot,”] similar to “Place your feet upon the necks of these kings!” (Josh. 10:24).

 

Chapter 34

 

1 from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo There were many levels [leading up from the plain to the summit], but Moses covered them with one step. - [Sotah 13b]

 

all the Land He showed Him the entire Land of Israel in its tranquility, and the oppressors who were destined to oppress it. - [Sifrei 33:30]

 

until Dan He showed Him the children of Dan practicing idolatry, as Scripture states, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image” (Jud. 18:30), and He showed him Samson, who was destined to issue from him [Dan] as a savior [for Israel]. - [ibid.] 2

 

And all [the land of] Naftali He showed him his land in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him Deborah and Barak of Kedesh-Naftali, waging war against Sisera and his troops. - [Sifrei 33:31]

 

and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh He showed him their land in its tranquility and in its destruction; and He showed him Joshua, who was descended from Ephraim, waging war against the kings of Canaan, and Gideon, who was descended from Manasseh, waging war against Midian and Amalek. - [Sifrei 33:31]

 

and all the land of Judah in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him the kingdom of the house of David and their victories. - [Sifrei 33:31]

 

until the western sea Heb. עַד הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן , the land in the west [of Israel], in its tranquility and in its destruction. [Here, the sea referred to is the Mediterranean Sea, which represents the westernmost flank of the Land of Israel.] Another explanation: Do not understand the verse as stating הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן , but read it, as though it had said הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן , “until the very last day,” meaning that the Holy One, blessed is He, showed Him all the incidents that were destined to happen to Israel [until “the last day,” namely,] until the time that the dead would return to life.- [Sifrei 33:31]

 

3 and the south Heb. הַנֶּגֶב , the southland [of the Land of Israel]. Another explanation: the Machpelah Cave [which is in Hebron, in the south of Israel], as Scripture states, “And they went up to the south בַנֶּגֶב , and they came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22). - [Sifrei 33:32]

 

and the plain He showed Him Solomon molding the vessels of the Holy Temple, as Scripture states, “In the plain (כִּכָּר) of the Jordan, the king molded them in thick clay” (I Kings 7: 46). - [Sifrei 33:31]

 

4 saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring,’ I have let you see it so that you [Moses] can go and say to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, “The oath that the Holy One, blessed is He, swore to you—He has fulfilled it!” This is what is meant by the word “saying” [i.e., Moses should say this to them] (Ber. 18b)."For this reason," [God says to Moses,] "I have shown it to you. However, a decree has been made before Me, that you shall not cross over there, for otherwise, I would keep you alive until you would see Israel implanted and settled in the Land, and then you would go and tell them [the forefathers]."

 

5 And Moses... died there Is it possible that Moses died, and [then] wrote, "And Moses... died there"? But [the answer is:] Moses wrote up to that juncture, and Joshua wrote from then on. Says Rabbi Meir: But is it possible that the Torah Scroll would be lacking anything at all, and yet Scripture states (Deut. 31:26),"Take this Torah Scroll" [and Moses commanded this to the Levites; so, according to the above opinion, is it possible that the Torah Scroll referred to there was an incomplete one, up to the juncture of Moses’s death? This cannot be!] Rather, [continues Rabbi Meir, we must say that] The Holy One, blessed is He, dictated this [i.e., the verse "And Moses... died there"], and Moses wrote it in tears. - [B.B. 15b, Sifrei 33:34]

 

by the mouth of the Lord [i.e., Moses died] by a Divine kiss. - [B.B. 17a]

 

6 And He buried him i.e., The Holy One, blessed is He, Himself, in His very glory [buried Moses]. - [Sotah 14a] Rabbi Ishmael, however, says that [the words “And he buried him” mean that] Moses buried himself. And this אֶת in the phrase here וַיִּקְבּֽר אוֹתוֹ is one of the three instances of the אֶת in Scripture which Rabbi Ishmael expounded on in this way [i.e., where the suffix attached אֶת is understood to be reflexive, meaning “to himself”, “to themselves”, and so on]. And similar to this case [are the following two instances]: “On the day when his Nazirite vow is completed, he must bring him (אֽתוֹ) ” (Num. 6:13), which means, “he shall bring himself” [i.e., present himself]. And likewise, “And they cause them (אוֹתָם) to bear the sin of their guilt” (Lev. 22:16). Surely does this refer to others causing them to bear that sin? Rather, the verse must mean that they cause themselves to bear the sin. - [Sifrei Nasso 32:124]

 

opposite Beth Pe’or His burial site was ready there [at Beth Pe’or], since the six days of Creation, to atone for the [sinful] act of Pe’or.-[see Num. 25:1-8; Sotah 14a] This [Moses’s burial site] was one of the things created at twilight, on the eve of [the first] Sabbath. - [Avoth 5:6]

 

7 His eye had not dimmed Even after he died. - [see Sifrei 33:36]

 

nor had he lost his [natural] freshness [The word לֵחֽה refers to his [body’s] moisture. [Thus, the phrase means:] “[Even after his death,] decomposition did not take over his body, nor did the appearance of his face change.”

 

8 The sons of Israel [ordinarily meaning the children of Israel, male and female. But here, it refers only to] the males [who wept for Moses]. However, concerning [the passing of] Aaron, since he used to pursue peace and bring peace between a man and his fellow and between a woman and her husband, it is said [at Aaron’s passing], “The whole house of Israel [wept for him]” (Num. 20:29), meaning both males and females. - [Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer 17]

 

10 whom the Lord knew face to face For he was quite familiar with Him, speaking with Him at any time he wished, as it is said, “So now I will go up to the Lord” (Exod. 32:30), and “You stand still, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you” (Num. 9:8).

 

12 and all the strong hand [This refers to] his receiving the Torah on tablets with his hands.

 

And all the great awe [This refers to the] miracles and mighty deeds [that were performed for Israel] in the great and awesome wilderness. - [Sifrei 33:41]

 

before the eyes of all Israel [This expression alludes to the incident, where] His heart stirred him up to smash the tablets before their eyes, as it is said, “and I shattered them before your eyes” (Deut. 9:17). - [Sifrei 33:41] And [regarding Moses shattering the Tablets,] the Holy One Blessed is He gave His approval, as Scripture states, “[the first Tablets] which you shattered” (Exod. 34:1); [God said to Moses:] “Well done for shattering them!”- [Shab.. 87a]

 

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 146:1-149:9

 

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) ‎‎146:1-149:9

 

2 as long as I exist Heb. בעודי .

 

4 his thoughts Heb. עשתונותיו his thoughts.

 

5 Praiseworthy is he in whose help is the God of Jacob, for the Holy One, blessed be He, promised him (Gen. 28:15): “Behold I am with you, and I shall guard You, etc., and I shall return you.” Now why is He praiseworthy? Because He made heaven and earth and the sea, and since all is His, He has the power to guard him on the sea and on dry land; but a mortal king, although he watches him on dry land, cannot watch him on the sea.

 

6 Who keeps truth forever To the end of many generations, He fulfills and keeps the truth of His promise.

 

9 strengthens Heb. יעודד , an expression of strength.

 

10 The Lord will reign forever He will perpetuate His kingdom (governance) with the redemption of His children.

 

Chapter 147

 

1 For it is good to sing For it is good to sing to Him.

 

9 its food Heb. לחמה , lit. its bread.

 

to the young ravens Our Sages explained that he [the raven] is cruel to his offspring, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has pity on them and prepares for them gnats from their excrement, which enter their mouths.

 

10 He does not desire the might of the horse [i.e.,] the Holy One, blessed be He.

 

nor does He take pleasure in the legs of man nor does He want the swiftness of the running of the legs of man.

 

14 the best of the wheat Heb. חלב , lit. fat. The best, fat wheat kernels.

 

16 hoarfrost Heb. כפור , jelede in Old French.

 

17 He hurls His ice like crumbs The water congeals and becomes crumbs. [According to] Midrash Aggadah:

 

like crumbs Everything [is] according to the burden of the people: the poor man according to his lack of clothing, He is lenient with him. Who can stand that he should not become chilled from His cold?

 

18 He sends His word and melts them those crumbs.

 

 

Meditation on Tehillim (Psalms)

Psalms 146 -149

By Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

 

Psalms chapter 146 is a hymn of hope and encouragement for the oppressed Jews in exile.^[1] The Psalmist feared that the travails and suffering of the exile might make the wandering Jews forget to praise G-d under all circumstances. Therefore, speaking for all the exiles, the Psalmist declares, Praise G-d! Praise HaShem, O my Soul! I will praise HaShem while I live, I will hymn to my G-d while I exist.^[2]

 

Moreover, the exiles might come to feel dependent upon the good graces of the powers who tolerate the presence of Jews in their lands. Therefore, the Psalmist warns, Do not rely on nobles, nor on a human being who holds no salvation.^[3]

 

Indeed, this is the main lesson of exile, to teach Israel to rely on none but the Almighty; whose hope is placed in HaShem, his G-d.^[4]

 

In the merit of their strong faith in Hashem, the exiles will be redeemed and returned permanently to the Land of Israel, where they will pay homage to no ruler other than HaShem, the Eternal: HaShem, shall reign forever, Your G-d, O Zion; from generation to generation. Praise G-d!^[5]

 

The psalmist who wrote this psalm did not leave a hint about himself except to tell us that those who are downtrodden in exile need to recognize that he has a pure and lofty soul and for this he should continuously praise G-d.^[6] Never the less, Alshich sees clues to suggest that this psalm was composed by King David.^[7]

 

The preceding psalm concludes: HaShem shall reign forever, He is Your G-d, O Zion, from generation to generation. Praise HaShem! Psalms chapter 147 takes up this theme and demonstrates G-d’s personal concern for Zion and Jerusalem, the world’s holiest site, from whence Israel’s future redemption will emanate.

 

The Builder of Jerusalem is HaShem, He will gather in the outcasts of Israel.^[8] Just as the Holy One, Blessed is He, was crowned with praises and songs, so is Jerusalem destined to be rebuilt with praises and songs.^[9] The songs will be sung by the exiles who had been cast out of Jerusalem. Midrash Tanchuma^[10] cites a tradition that Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until all the Jewish exiles are gathered there.

 

Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Bereshit (Genesis) 8:16 R. Samuel the son of Nahmani stated: There is an aggadic tradition which states that Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until the dispersed of Israel are gathered together. However, if one should tell you: The exiles are already gathered together and Jerusalem still hath not been rebuilt, believe him not, for it is written: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, and after that Scripture says: He gathered together the dispersed of Israel.^[11]

 

Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, has not Jerusalem already been rebuilt and destroyed?¹⁸ And He replied: It was destroyed and you were exiled from it, because of your sins, but in the future I will rebuild it and it will never be destroyed again, as it is said: When the Lord hath built up Zion ... He hath appeared in His glory.^[12]

 

Despite the fact that our generation enjoys the privilege of witnessing the physical reconstruction of Jerusalem, the city remains far from complete restoration to its former grandeur. Jerusalem is destined to be a spiritual center whose inhabitants harmoniously strive to offer praise to HaShem.^[13]

 

When Israel recognizes G-d’s overflowing blessings in Jerusalem, Jews will appreciate the unique treatment they enjoy at the hand of the Almighty. They will comprehend the teachings of the Torah with unprecedented clarity, and they will gain an unequaled appreciation of G-d’s deeds, for: He did not do so for any nation, such judgments, they know them not. Praise G-d!^[14]

 

This psalm takes up the theme of the preceding psalm as it demonstrates G-d’s personal concern for Jerusalem from which the future redemption will emanate.^[15] Me’am Lo’ez ascribes this psalm to King David though it has no internal authorship.

 

I would like to look a little closer at a seminal pasuk in this chapter of Psalms:

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 147:2 HaShem doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel;

 

Let’s begin by examining the Temple and Jerusalem – The eternal contact point to the Torah, of the Jewish soul.

 

Jerusalem represents the center of the center, the focal point of Eretz Israel: “All roads lead to Jerusalem”.

 

Anatomically, Jerusalem represents the heart. Just as pilgrims entered through one door and exited out a different door, so also does blood enter through one chamber (and valve) and exit through a different chamber (and valve). Just as blood represents the life^[16] to the heart, so also do the people represent life in the Temple. Just as the Temple has many doors and many chambers, so also does the Temple have many gates and many chambers.

 

The heart is in the center of the body that is between the belt and the shoulders. It is centered left to right, top to bottom, and front to back in the area normally covered by the shirt or blouse.

 

The heart has two basics pumps. One pumps blood through the lungs, and one pumps to the rest of the body. This pictures the ‘pumping’ of life from the Jerusalem above (to the lungs) and the circulating of that life to the Jerusalem below.

 

Torah is also the heart of the world and the quintessential depiction of the Torah is the Luchot which are depicted as a heart.

 

The word “Jerusalem” is a combination of two Hebrew words: Yireh and Salem. Yireh, fear, is what Avraham called this place when he was binding Isaac. Salem, the place of peace, is what Melchizedek called this place when he met Avraham after the first major war. HaShem would not give offence to either Abraham or Shem; He united the two names and called the city by the name of Jerusalem.^[17]

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place HaShem-Yireh: as it is said [to] this day, in the mount of HaShem it shall be seen.

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 14:18-20 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high G-d. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high G-d, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high G-d, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

 

This first use of the “Jerusalem” then suggests that Jerusalem is our contact with HaShem and His Word. Jerusalem is thus the eternal contact point of the Jewish soul with the Torah.

 

The prophet confirmed this understanding:

 

Micah 4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, and to the house of the G-d of Yaaqov; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem.

 

King David faced a modern decision: Where to put Israel’s capital?

 

He had ruled the tribe of Judah for seven years, from Hebron, when finally, the ten northern tribes came down and anointed David king over all Israel. With sacred oil yet clinging inside his beard, King David led the people straight from Hebron to Jerusalem. Why leave the tomb of Avraham for the fortress of the Jebusites? David had geographical reasons for singing, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion.” First, Jerusalem unites Israel. Second, Jerusalem controls the Judean Plateau. Third, Jerusalem depends on the Judean Plateau for support.

 

While Hebron could unite only Judah, Jerusalem could unite all the tribes.^[18] Notice that Jerusalem sits smack on the Israeli Mason-Dixon Line: With Judah to her south and the Ten Northern Tribes to her north, she commands a neutral center. So, all Israel went up with King David to Jerusalem, a city none of them owned.

 

King David invited everyone along to watch, but who attacked? Only the king’s men. The king did the job with his own crew. David set up a royal city no tribe had owned, no tribe had conquered, and where every tribe was the king’s guest:

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 5:6-10 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. 10 And David went on, and grew great, and HaShem G-d of hosts was with him.

 

Years later, King David brought a plague on Israel by counting his soldiers. The plague was halted with a sacrifice on the threshing floor that would become the Temple.^[19] The Temple mount was purchased by David HaMelech, for fifty shekels, to stay the judgment of his census.

 

II Shmuel (Samuel) 24:18-24 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto HaShem in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as HaShem commanded. And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor of thee, to build an altar unto HaShem, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what [seemeth] good unto him: behold, [here be] oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and [other] instruments of the oxen for wood. All these [things] did Araunah, [as] a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, HaShem thy G-d accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy [it] of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto HaShem my G-d of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

 

David’s first act, after purchasing the threshing floor, is to build an altar. This is the site where King Solomon would build the Temple.

 

In the Oral Torah we also find various names for the Temple. In the Midrash Rabbah the Temple is called a “neck“:

 

Midrash Rabbah - Genesis XCIII:12 AND HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN’S NECKS (XLV, 14). Did Benjamin then have two necks? In fact, said R. Eleazar, he foresaw through the Holy Spirit that two Temples would be built in Benjamin‘s portion, and both would be destroyed. AND BENJAMIN WEPT UPON HIS NECK: he saw that the Tabernacle of Shiloh would be built in Yosef HaTzaddik’s portion and would be destroyed.

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 45:14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin‘s necks, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

 

(As a side note, Rambam suggests that the 3 phrases in Bereshit 33:12 refer to HaShem’s relationship to the three Temples.)

 

The Midrash also explains the Torah when it tells us that the Temple is equated to the neck:

 

Midrash Rabbah - Genesis XCIII:6 Here that it is on account of a man, the beloved of the eyes, the one who gives hospitality to the Holy One, blessed be He-as it says, Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; He covereth him all the day, and He dwelleth between his shoulders (Deut. XXXIII, 12) --how much the more so!’

 

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:12 Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of HaShem shall dwell in safety by him; shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

 

The Temple was built within the portion of land allocated to Benjamin. The neck, which is between the shoulders, alludes, therefore, to the Temple.

 

One of the major trade routes, the route from Beersheba to Damascus, went through Hebron, Jerusalem, and Shechem, and, crossing the Jordan at Bethshean, followed the river to the Sea of Galilee, thence running northeastward to Damascus. This trade route suggests that the center of Israel was a major connection between trading centers. Thus, Jerusalem was strategic for trade.

 

One cannot separate the Land from the Torah. Without eretz Israel there is no Torah, and without the Torah there is no eretz Israel. All attempts to separate the two can only end in failure. The nation, armed with the wisdom of such experiences, clings to its Torah and continues on its way. In the first case, that of the metei midbar,^[20] the nation continued on its way in the direction of the Promised Land; in the second case, after Betar, wandering stick in hand, into the exile. And the mistake, once it takes the form of a lesson to be learned from, is no longer frightening; the mourning itself contains something encouraging. Yes, Israel knows no day so glorious as Tu B'Av.

 

Berachoth 5a It has been taught: R. Simeon b. Yohai says: The Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel three precious gifts, and all of them were given only through sufferings. These are: The Torah, the Land of Israel and the world to come. Whence do we know this of the Torah? Because it is said: Happy is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of Thy law. Whence of the Land of Israel? Because it is written: As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy G-d chasteneth thee, and after that it is written: For the Lord thy G-d bringeth thee into a good land. Whence of the world to come? Because it is written: For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light, and reproofs of sufferings are the way of life.

 

Our pasuk says:

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 147:2 HaShem doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel;

 

The ingathering of the exiles, consisting as it does of the complete return of all the exiles, is regarded as belonging to the messianic age. The Talmud states that "the day of the Ingathering of the Exiles (kibbutz galiyot) is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created"^[21] Rashi to Debarim (Deuteronomy) 30:3 says, "Great is the day of the In-gathering of the Exiles and it will come about with difficulty as though God Himself will be obliged to grasp each one actually in his hand, each one from his place".

 

kibbutz galiyot occurs, and it is the official name given to the tenth blessing of the daily Amidah. "Why is kibbutz galiyot mentioned after the blessing of the years", and the messianic aspect is reflected in the passage which follows, "When the Ingathering of the Exiles takes place judgment will be visited on the wicked". Basing itself on Isaiah 27:13 the formula is: "Sound the great shofar for our freedom, and raise the ensign to gather our exiles and gather us from the four corners of the earth to our land", and concludes, "Blessed art thou, HaShem, who gatherest the dispersed of Thy people Israel". The theme is repeated both in the prayer for the New Moon and in the Musaf Amida for the festivals.

 

The process begins, with the ingathering of Klal Israel, with Yehezekel’s words:

 

Yehezekel (Ezekiel) 20:33-34 I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered--with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the desert of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you.

 

Question:  What will come first, the קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת - kibbutz galiyot,^[22] the ingathering of the exiles or the rebuilding of the Holy Temple?

 

Answer:  There is a difference of opinion between the Zohar and the Midrash, over which will take place first. The difference is based on differing interpretations of a verse in Psalms (147:2), “G-d will rebuild Jerusalem, He will gather in the dispersed of Israel.” The Zohar interprets this verse in the order it is written: first G-d will rebuild Jerusalem, and then He will gather in the dispersed. However, the Midrash Tanchuma (and other sources) explain differently. G-d will rebuild Jerusalem, having already gathered in the dispersed of Israel.

 

Halachically, Maimonides rules according to the Zohar. In Hilchot Melachim, Maimonides writes a description of the Messianic era, in which he writes: “He will rebuild the Holy Temple in its place and gather in the dispersed in Israel.” However, the Lubavitcher Rebbe refers to the principle that “These and these are the words of a living G-d.” In other words, whenever contradictions are found between sayings of our sages, each one is expressing a different truth, and they are not mutually exclusive.

 

The two opinions can be reconciled as follows: First there will be an ingathering of exiles, as per the Midrash, and then the rebuilding of the Temple. However, the initial ingathering will not be complete. The process will be finalized only after the building of the Temple, according to the view of the Zohar.

 

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains a lesson in Divine service that this teaches us. “The beginning of our Divine service is to collect the sparks of holiness of one’s soul that have been dispersed in foreign, distant places. Only then can we complete the task of building the Holy Temple in the external world. However, so long as we have not perfected ourselves, we cannot achieve complete perfection in the external world.

 

“However, although the general rule is that we first perfect ourselves and then attempt to ‘fix’ others,^[23] there are at times special cases, when the service of building the Temple takes precedence over self-perfection (ingathering of exiles). When, by Divine Providence, one is given the opportunity to perfect something outside of himself, this is an indication that it is his task to perfect it, even though he himself is not yet perfect.”^[24]

 

Now, let’s examine the ingathering of the exiles from a more mystical perspective.

 

In an introduction to Sefer HaChinuch, the author singles out six mitzvot^[25] that one is obligated to fulfill on a constant basis. These mitzvot, he writes, should not be absent from a person’s consciousness for even one second of his life. The six constant mitzvot are:

 

–        Faith in Hashem

–        The prohibition against idolatry

–        HaShem’s Oneness

–        Loving HaShem

–        Fearing HaShem

–        Do not stray after your eyes and your heart

 

If the idea of HaShem’s oneness must be with us constantly, then we understand that it is extremely important. One classic example of reminding ourselves about the oneness of HaShem is found in the shema.^[26] The shema forms a central part of our prayers. The opening pasuk says, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (echad - אֶחָד)”. One might also paraphrase the next pasuk as, “You will pursue oneness,^[27] with all your heart, with all your life and with all your strength”.^[28] “The proclamation of oneness that we declare each day in saying, shema Israel, needs to be understood as it truly is. The meaning of “Adonai is one” is not that He is the only God, negating other gods (though this, too, is true!), but the meaning is deeper than that: There is nothing else but HaShem.

 

The number thirteen is among the holiest of the numbers because it is closely associated with HaShem. To help us understand the relationship between HaShem and His oneness, HaShem gave us the Hebrew language. Part of this language is the fact that each letter not only has intrinsic meaning, but each letter also has a numeric value, as we learned in our study of the Hebrew letters. We have learned that the numerical value of the Hebrew letters that form echad (אחד) and love (אהבה), whose meaning is one, has the gematria of thirteen.

 

The faculty employed by the shema for making oneness is hearing. To help us understand the making of many into one, HaShem gave us the sense of hearing. If we understand what it means to hear, we can understand what it means to declare HaShem’s oneness. Hearing is a sense which requires us to assemble the sounds from another person, into a cohesive picture. Thus, we would say that hearing is the forming of disparate parts into a single idea or picture. Literally we make many (sounds) into one (idea). Ears hear things inside of oneself. The way we hear is one sound at a time. By the time we hear the second sound, the first sound is just a memory. And so it goes with each subsequent sound. We then combine the sounds to make syllables inside our head. Our brain then assembles the syllables into words and the words into sentences. The sentences are assembled into paragraphs and the paragraphs are assembled into the final picture. By the time we have assembled the whole picture, there is no more sound. All of the sounds are just a memory. Since sounds must be assembled by the hearer, hearing is very much a subjective art. Hearing depends on the person and his background. No two persons build the same picture from the words of a speaker. We hear in the darkness. Sound characterizes this world, the world of movement. In this world we struggle to develop the art of hearing. Those who wrestle with the Gemara are trying to reconstruct the fractured pieces of this world. For this reason, the Babylonian Talmud often says, “Come and hear”. The Talmud wants us to take the broken pieces and reconstruct them in the same way that we reconstruct another person’s speech.

 

We see this in the Al Chet prayers we do on Yom Kippurim where we list all the sins that any Jew may have done during the year, and we pray as though they are our personal sins. And they are our personal sins because we stand before HaShem as a community, not as an individual. On the days of judgment of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippurim we sit among our people,^[29] we do not stand alone. We gather for judgment to be judged as a community. Yom Kippur represents the oneness of time, space and consciousness. As such, it is a day when our essence has real potential to be revealed. It is a day when we have the ability, more than ever, to transcend material limitations and connect with the essence of who we are.

 

Pesach with all of its requirements, is the quintessential demonstration of oneness. We are required to work with a single lamb that is one year old. Now lambs, by nature are a herding animal which wants to stay in its flock. This lamb is to be roasted, not boiled, so that all of the pieces stay together. None of its bones may be broken. It must be eaten with matza and maror which are all made into a single sandwich. Those who eat it must be enrolled before the slaughter of the animal. They must eat the lamb together in one house at one meal. We conclude the seder with the question, “Who knows One”?

 

Everywhere you look in Judaism, this message is conveyed in the language of ritual, in the language of ethics, and in the rhythms of life. Echad, one, is the oneness of harmony: not a oneness which negates plurality (and which plurality therefore obscures), but a oneness that employs plurality as the implement of unity. To help visualize this idea, think of music. When an orchestra makes music, they all sound a single note which they join to other notes. Though each note is just noise, the end result soothes and moves the soul. It is no longer just noise, it is music! As we look at other examples of oneness, keep this idea of plurality in mind, as the Ramchal teaches, “without the perspective of parts, their can be no oneness”.^[30] The definition of oneness depends on parts.

 

G-d purposely created the world in six days with ten sayings in order to teach us that this world is composed of parts, yet they are all part of HaShem’s oneness. He expects us to look behind the disparate parts and see how they form a world which is in Him. This is one of the significant parts of the ingathering of the exiles. He expects us to note that until we are gathered many of the mitzvot cannot be performed. Until we are gathered, we do not show His oneness.

 

What is the end result of the ingathering? At a superficial level, we have a lot of Jews living in Israel. A deeper look would also suggest that we are looking at a picture of oneness. From the opening words of the shema we understand that there is nothing besides the Oneness of HaShem. That idea means that all of creation must be working towards oneness. Think about that for a moment. Now look around and notice how many things seem to want to join in order to be one. This is most obvious in marriage where we seek to become ‘one flesh’.^[31] But this same concept extends to a family which wants to be together. In a lesser way we want to be joined to a chavurah,^[32] a community, a city, a state, and a country. "Better death", teaches the Talmud, "than a life without others".^[33] In fact, klal Israel is often likened to a single body, composed of people who function like the different organs of an individual person. The leaders of each generation are called roshim / heads, because they function in the same elevated role of importance as the head does to the rest of the body. There are others who look ahead at the best interests of the people, and determine policy. They are called the “eyes of the congregation”. Similarly, some function as the heart, and indeed like other parts of the body. When bound together, all Jews function synergistically, like the organ systems of a person working together in concert.

 

Beyond a family, we see that gravity wants everything to be a part of the earth. Looking beyond the earth, we see that all of the stars and planets are drawn together by gravity. Scientists are aware of this oneness to a certain extent. For example, they are searching for a ‘Grand Unifying Theory’.^[34] Their studies of physics have shown that there must be a mathematical way to unify the three forces that they have discovered, into a single force. To further complete this perspective, physicists are searching for a theory of everything (TOE or ToE), final theory, ultimate theory, or master theory is a hypothetical single, all-encompassing, coherent theoretical framework of physics that fully explains and links together all physical aspects of the universe. Finding a ToE is one of the major unsolved problems in physics.

 

Other manifestations of oneness as it is found in our world include hearing, energy, and probably everything in our world (if I could only understand).

 

We see that man is made from the dust of the earth and we will one day return to dust. Jews further this concept with a minyan which is the joining of ten men into a congregation fit for prayer. This joining is expanded in the Esnoga where we might find multiple minyanim. Each Esnoga joins with other Esnogas for charitable works. In all of the examples above, the goal is that man not be alone.  Everything in creation is tob, is beneficial. The only thing in creation condemned as lo tob, not good, is human loneliness.^[35]

 

The ingathering of the exiles makes Klal Israel a single people physically. We also want to see them ‘stand as one man’^[36] like they did at Mt. Sinai in the days of Moshe. It is for this reason that the ten commandments are formulated in the singular, as if speaking to one person. In effect, HaShem was speaking to a single individual, the collective of Klal Israel. The people had encamped at the mountain united in purpose. Having become like a single person, with all the different organs and parts working well together, they were ready to receive the Torah, elevated through their connection to Moshe.

 

We are one with the poor, the oppressed, the pariah, the sick, the homeless, the helpless, the hungry. His suffering is my suffering. His plight is my plight. His destiny is my destiny; therefore, I am commanded to meet his needs with an open hand. My extra money is his money given to me in trust.

 

Our world is composed of parts, but we are supposed to begin seeing that the parts are really all part of a larger Oneness. This idea is brought vividly home by our experience with our bodies. When we view others, we see arms and legs and body and head – we see parts. When we ‘see’ ourselves, we see only one, we see ‘ourselves’ as a single entity. Even though we have different faculties within our brains, such as:  imagination, rational thought, thoughtfulness, etc., never the less we do not view our brains as made up as parts. Our concept of ourselves is oneness.

 

Our pasuk says:

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 147:2 HaShem doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel;

 

It is my prayer that you have a glimpse into the world of oneness which will be brought about through the ingathering of the exiles.

 

The last six psalms (145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150) that conclude the Book of Psalms should be regarded as a distinct collection, a collection of songs of praise, for each psalm contains a command or admonition to praise God, in addition to the cry, “praise the Lord (Halleluiah)”, which opens and closes each of the last five psalms.^[37]

 

Ashlamata:  Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 1:2-9 + 16-27

 

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 1:2-9, 16-27

 

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth And Moses said, “Give ear, O heavens, ...and may the earth hear” (Deut. 32:1). Why did Isaiah change the wording? Our masters taught concerning this matter, [and] many midrashim [are] in the section entitled “Ha’azinu” in Sifrei, but the Sages disagreed with them and said: A matter is not so unless witnesses come and testify. If their words coincide, their testimony is fulfilled; if not, their testimony is not fulfilled. Had Isaiah not addressed the heavens with giving ear and the earth with hearing, the heavens would testify and say, ‘When we were called to this testimony in Moses’ time, when he said, (Deut. 30:19) “I call heaven and earth to witness against you,” we heard with an expression of giving ear,’ and the earth would testify, ‘I was called with an expression of hearing,’ hence their testimony would not coincide. [Therefore,] Isaiah came and reversed the matter. Consequently, both are found to testify with an expression of giving ear and with an expression of hearing.

 

for the Lord has spoken That you should be witnesses in this matter when I warned them in Moses’ time. Therefore, come and hear what I reason with them, for they transgressed the warning, I did not sin against them, but I raised them and exalted them, yet they rebelled against me. [Another version reads:] That you should be witnesses in this matter. Now, where did He speak? “Give ear, O heavens and I will speak” (ibid. 32:1). [So, this was taught] in Mechilta (Bo 12).

 

3 his owner Heb. קֽנֵהוּ [is] like מְתַקְּנוֹ , the one who affixes him to the ploughshare for ploughing by day, and since he has accustomed him to this, he knows him. The dull donkey, however, does not recognize his master until he feeds him. Israel was not intelligent like the ox, to know, when I called him and said, “Israel will be your name” (Gen. 35:10), and I informed them of several of My statutes, yet they deserted Me, as is related in Ezekiel (20:39): “Let each one go and worship his idols.” Even after I took them out of Egypt and fed them the manna and called them, “My people, the children of Israel,” they did not consider even as a donkey. Another explanation is:

 

An ox knows its owner An ox recognizes his owner so that his fear is upon him. He did not deviate from what I decreed upon him, by saying, I will not plough today. Neither did a donkey say to his owner, I will not bear burdens today. Now, these [creatures,] who were created to serve you, and are not destined to receive reward if they merit, or to be punished if they sin, did not change their manner, which I decreed upon them. Israel, however, who, if they merit receive reward, and if they sin are punished.

 

does not know i.e., did not want to know; they knew but trod with their heels, and my people did not take heart to consider.

 

4 Woe Every instance of הוֹי in Scripture is an expression of complaining and lamenting, like a person who sighs from his heart and cries, “Alas!” There are, however, several, which are an expression of a cry, the vocative voice, e.g., “Ho, ho, flee from the land of the north” (Zech. 2:10), which the Targum renders, אַכְלוּ , an expression of announcing.

 

Woe There is a reason to cry about a holy nation that turned into a sinful nation, and a people referred to by the expression, “for you are a holy people” (Deut. 7:6), turned into a people with iniquity.

 

a people heavy with iniquity The heaviness of iniquity. The word denotes a person who is heavy, pesant in French, ponderous. The word כֶבֶד is a substantive of heaviness, pesantoma in French, and is in the construct state, and is connected with the word עָוֹן , iniquity.

 

evildoing seed And they were seed whom the Lord blessed (Isa. 61:9). Similarly, they were children of the Holy One, blessed be He, and they became corrupt.

 

they provoked Heb. נִאֲצוּ , they angered.

 

they drew backwards [The root נְזִירָה ,] wherever it appears, is only an expression of separation. Similarly, Scripture states: “And they shall separate (וְיִנָּזְרוּ) from the holy things of the children of Israel” (Lev. 22: 2), “the one separated (נְזִיר) from his brothers” (Gen. 49:26). Here too, they drew away from being near the Omnipresent.

 

5 Why are you beaten... A person who was punished (lit. beaten) and repeats his sin his friend admonishes him and says to him, For this you have been punished, yet you do not take heart to say, ‘For this I have been punished. I will not repeat it again.’ Here too, why are you beaten since you continue disobedience, to turn away from following the Omnipresent? Is not every head afflicted with illness and every heart with malaise? Why then do you not understand?

 

6 soundness An expression of perfection, sound without pain.

 

wounds Heb. פֶּצַע, i.e., a wound of a sword.

 

contusions Heb. חַבּוּרָה, an expression of a bruise. [Some editions read:] Other bruises.

 

and lacerated sores Jonathan renders: מְרַסְסָא , lacerated and crushed.

 

and lacerated sores demarcejjre, in O.F., and in the language of the Talmud, we find, “he bumped (טַרְיֵה) his head” (Chullin 45b). Menahem explained it as an expression of moisture, i.e., moist, and wet, always oozing [muyte in O.F.].

 

they have not been sprinkled These lesions were not sprinkled with medicinal powders by physicians. This is an expression of: (Job 18:15) “Sulphur shall be sprinkled (יְזֽרֶה) on his dwelling.” Menahem explained it as an expression of healing, as in (Jeremiah 30:13): “No one pronounced your judgment for healing (לְמָזוֹר) .”

 

neither was it softened with oil Their wound was not softened with oil, as is customary with other wounds. It would be inappropriate to say here, “They were not softened with oil,” for they soften only the place of the sore, not the wound and the contusion but the sprinkling and the bandaging applies to all three, [i.e., the wound, the contusion, and the lacerated sore.] Therefore, the plural number applies to them; the lesions were not sprinkled and not bandaged. Jonathan interprets the entire verse figuratively, referring to the fact that they were soiled and afflicted with iniquity. Accordingly, he rendered, “From the sole of the foot until the head,” from the smallest to the greatest, there is no soundness. There is none good among them, wounds and contusions, rebellious deeds, iniquities, and inadvertent sins.

 

they have not been sprinkled... i.e., they have not been healed by repenting wholeheartedly, nor has it been softened with oil, not even a trace of repentant thought has entered their heart.

 

7 in your presence, strangers devour it Before your eyes, your enemies will devour it.

 

and desolate of you as a heritage turned over to strangers, which is desolate of its owners. Jonathan renders in this manner.

 

8 And the daughter of Zion shall be left devoid of its inhabitants, for they will be exiled from its midst, as a hut in a vineyard, made by a watchman, and when the produce of the vineyard is gathered, he leaves his hut and goes away, after they gather it.

 

like a lodge in a cucumber field As the lodge, which the watchman made at the end of a cucumber field, to watch its cucumber, is left, for after it is gathered, he leaves it and goes away; the one in the vineyard is called a hut since he lives in it day and night; by day, he guards it from the birds and by night from the thieves, but cucumbers are hard, and there is no fear of the birds, and one need not watch them by day. It is, therefore, called a lodge since it is a place of lodging at night. Jonathan renders: Like a bed in a lodge (again repeated in Hebrew), [in] a cucumber field, in a cucumber field after it has been picked (בָּתַר דְאַבְעָיוּהִי) , after it has been picked. [This is the expression of the Mishnah] (Peah 4:5): “There are three gatherings (אַבְעָיוֹת) a day.”

 

like a besieged city Like a city which was besieged, and they make huts around it to hide the troops, and when they give up the siege [lit., when they go away from it], they leave them and go away. All this is Jonathan’s translation.

 

9 Had not the Lord of Hosts left us a remnant by His own volition and with His mercy, not because of our merits.

 

we would soon be like Sodom All of us would be destroyed.

 

16 Wash, cleanse yourselves Voweled with a ‘patach,’ the imperative form, since it is derived from רְחַץ , but רָחֲצוּ , [in the past tense, is voweled with a ‘kamatz’ because it is derived from רָחַץ ].

 

Wash, cleanse yourselves, remove, learn, seek, strengthen, perform justice, plead, go Ten exhortations of the expression of repentance are [listed] here, corresponding to the Ten Days of Penitence and to the ten verses of Kingship, Remembrances, and Shofaroth [in the musaf service of Rosh Hashanah].

 

cease to do evil Desist from your evil deeds.

 

to do evil Heb. הרע, like לְהָרֵעַ , to do evil. [Rashi explains this because the preposition is absent in Hebrew.] Scripture does not have to write מֵהָרֵעַ , desist from doing evil, for so does the Biblical language treat the expression of חֲדָלָה , stopping, [e.g.,] “and he failed to make (לַעֲשׂוֹת) the Pesach” (Num. 9:13); “until he stopped counting (לִסְפּֽר) ” (Gen. 41:49). That is to say, the counting stopped, the making failed, here too, stop the evildoing.

 

17 Learn It is punctuated ‘raphe,’ weak, without a dagesh. This is from the form לָמֽד , learn to do good. One who teaches himself is of the ‘kal’ form. Therefore, its imperative plural is voweled with a ‘chirik’ like אִמְרוּ , שִׁמְעוּ , but one who teaches others is of the form of the ‘heavy conjugation’ (pi’el) with a ‘dagesh,’ and if one comes to command a number of people, the word is voweled לַמְּדוּ . And so, דִּרְשׁוּ , from the form דְרשׁ , but אַשְּׁרוּ in which the ‘shin’ has a ‘dagesh,’ is from the ‘heavy conjugation,’ and from the form אַשֵּׁר ; therefore, the imperative plural is voweled with a ‘patach’ like בַּשְּׂרוּ , סַפְּרוּ , דַּבְּרוּ .

 

strengthen the robbed Heb. חָמוֹץ אַשְּׁרוּ . This is a Mishnaic term, אֲשַׁרְנוּהִי , “we have verified it” (Ketuboth 21a); “if I had strength (אֲיַשֵּׁר) ” (Gittin 30b); “May your strength be strengthened (יִישַׁר) ” (Shabbath 87a). Another explanation is: Lead him in the path of truth to acquire what rightfully belongs to him. An expression of: (Job 23:11) “My foot held its path (בֲּאֲשׁוּרוֹ) ”; (Prov. 23:19) “And go (וְאַשֵׁר) in the way of your heart.”

 

(perform justice So-and-so is innocent and so-and-so is guilty.

 

plead the case of the widow Endeavor in their quarrel to plead for her, for she cannot go out to pursue her opponents.)

 

the robbed Heb. חָמוֹץ , similar to (Ps. 71:4) “from the hand of the unrighteous and the robber (וּמְחַמֵּץ) .”

 

18 Come now, let us debate together, I and you, and we will know who offended whom, and if you offended Me, I still give you hope to repent.

 

If your sins prove to be like crimson Stained before Me like crimson red, I will make them as white as snow.

 

says the Lord [The verb is in the future form to denote that] He always says this to you, like: (Num. 9:20) “By the word of the Lord they would camp (יַחֲנוּ) ,” also a future form. Another explanation is: Come now, let us debate. What is written above this? “Cease to do evil; learn to do good.” And after you return to Me, come now, and let us debate together, to notify Me, “We have done what is incumbent upon us; You do what is incumbent upon You;” and I say, “If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow...”

 

as crimson dye Heb. תּוֹלָע , lit. a worm. Dye with which they dye fabrics red. They are kernels, each one of which has a worm inside it. Hence the name תּוֹלָע .

 

20 for the mouth of the Lord spoke Where did He speak? (Lev. 26:25) “And I will bring upon you a sword.”

 

21 a harlot Astray from her God.

 

city which was faithful and full of justice, and righteousness would lodge therein, but now murderers.

 

full of justice Heb. מְלֵאֲתִי מִשְׁפָּט [equivalent to מְלֵאַתמִשְׁפָּט , the ‘yud’ being superfluous,] as in (Lamentations 1:1) רַבָּתִי עָם , “great in population” [equivalent to רַבַּתעָם ].

 

in which righteousness would lodge The daily dawn sacrifice would atone for the sins [committed] at night, and the daily afternoon [sacrifice] would atone for those of the day. Another explanation is that they would allow capital cases to rest overnight when they could find no merit for him, [i.e., for the defendant;] they would not conclude his verdict until the morrow, perhaps they would find a merit for him, and now they have become murderers. [We find in] Pesikta [d’Rav Kahana p. 121a]: Rabbi Menahem bar Oshia [according to Parshandatha,] Rabbi Phinehas in the name of Rabbi Oshia said: Four hundred eighty-one synagogues were in Jerusalem, corresponding to the numerical value of מְלֵאֲתִי .

 

and now murderers They killed Uriah; they killed Zechariah.

 

22 Your silver has become dross They would make copper coins and plate them with silver, in order to cheat with them.

 

your wine is diluted with water Your drinks are mixed with water, as is stated in Pesikta (122b). [The word] means ‘mixed,’ although there is no similar word in Scripture to prove it, but the Midrash Aggadah explains (Ecc. 2:2): “Of laughter I said, it makes one mad (מְהוֹלָל) ” to mean that it is confused or mixed up.

 

23 rebellious Deviating from the straight path.

 

and runs after payments This word is similar to the Talmudic תַּשְׁלוּמִין . Jonathan paraphrases: One man says to another, Do me a favor in my case, and I will repay you in your case. This refers to a judge who was a robber, and the robbery victim complains about him before another judge. This one says to him, Declare me innocent today, and I will repay you when they complain about you before me. This is the meaning of running after payments.

 

and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them The widow comes to complain, and the orphan is coming out, when this one meets him and asks him, What did you accomplish in your case? He replies, All day long I toiled at work, but I did not accomplish anything. And this one turns around and says, If this one, who is a man, did not accomplish anything, surely I will not. This is the meaning of, “the orphan they do not judge, and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them” at all.

 

24 says the Master Who possesses everything, and in Whose power it is to uproot you from your land and to settle others in it.

 

the Mighty One of Israel the strength of Israel.

 

Oh Heb. הוי . An expression of preparation and announcement, and similar to this is (Zech. 2:10): “Ho, ho, (הוי הוי) flee from the land of the north.” And let all know that I will console Myself of My adversaries, who angered Me with their deeds.

 

25 And I will return My hand upon you One blow after another, until the transgressors have been completely destroyed.

 

as with lye This is an expression meaning soap [sbon in O.F., savon (in modern French)]. Its deviation is an expression of cleanliness, similar to (Ps. 24:4): “and pure (בַּר) of heart,” since it cleanses the garment of its stains.

 

your dross mentioned above, as: “Your silver has become dross”; a mixture of silver with copper is called dross. Here too, a mixture of the wicked with the righteous. I will destroy the transgressors, who are all dross.

 

all your tin The tin mixed with silver, that is to say, the wicked among you. בְדִיל is called estejjn [etain] in O.F. [tin].

 

26 as at first I will appoint for you pious judges.

 

City of Righteousness As in the beginning, righteousness/generosity will lodge therein.

 

27 shall be redeemed through justice Since there will be in it people who practice justice.

 

shall be redeemed from her iniquities.

 

and her penitent those penitent among them.

 

through righteousness through those who make themselves righteous through justice and through righteousness that are in her midst [or,] among them.)

 

Commentary on the Ashlamatah of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 1:2-9, 16-27

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

 

The vision of Isaiah, “Concerning Judah and Jerusalem.”  Our opening verse refers to the vision of this chapter, not to the entire book, for scripture is not written as a chronological history. The first time this prophecy was said was before the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and the exile of the ten tribes; Isaiah was retelling it here.^[38]  “Isaiah has painted a sad picture of Judea's internal conditions. The sins of our Idolatry, superstition, drunkenness, the selfish greed of the rich, bribery, and corruption of the judges were just some of the evils the Prophet denounced. The children of Israel were being misled by their intoxicated prophets, and they disregarded the appeals of the true messengers of God and relied for their safety on warlike preparations and military measures. The sanctuaries were crowded with worshippers. The altars were piled high with sacrifices, while injustice, oppression, adultery, and even murder were rife and unchecked. Religion did not affect their conduct, and the people failed to understand that public as well as private life must be based on the religious belief and right conduct if stability was to be secured.”^[39]

 

Bible Scholars tell us that chapter one is not the first of Isaiah's prophecies. His prophecies start in chapter six. But the position of this chapter at the beginning of the book is explained because it sets forth the fundamental ideas and principles of the Prophet's teaching. Scholars believed the date of the first part of this chapter, verses 3 through 17, is at the time of Sennacherib’s campaign in 701 BCE. Or maybe a few years later, at the invasion of Judah, about 735.^[40] Isaiah starts by admonishing the people; he is telling us that having a negative attitude toward evil is not enough. It must be accompanied by right actions, positive acts of righteousness. For us to have positive acts of righteousness, we must come to understand what constitutes positive acts of righteousness, or otherwise, we create our own righteousness. We must then be willing and obedient to follow and practice those acts of righteousness as taught by the Torah of Moses and those ordained to be our teachers.

 

The first half of Isaiah chapter one is an indictment of the people's sin, but also a message of hope. The formal accusation is laced with complaints, threats, and the call for repentance. The date is assumed to be at the time of Sennacherib’s campaign in approximately 701 B.C.E. or of the invasion of Judea in 735 B.C.E.^[41] The two greatest superpowers of the time, Assyria from the north or northeast and Egypt from the south or southwest, were struggling for dominance.^[42]  Isaiah has been described as the prophet of faith and hope, and he worked to convince the people that the divine government of the world was based on morality, justice, and equity.^[43]  The nation has failed to carry out its mission as given at Mt. Sinai, and Isaiah opens with “the LORD has spoken” (v. 2). When Isaiah uses this language, he implies that judgment is inevitable, and this seems to be the language of all the prophets.^[44] The theme in our reading is the unfaithfulness of the covenant people, the announcement of both doom and salvation, the significance of Jerusalem (or Zion) in God’s plan, and the role and future of the remnant, those who will be saved…. the message of the prophet is twofold: judgment against God’s people, but also the offer of hope beyond the judgment. ^[45]  Isaiah was a prophet of the southern kingdom who prophesied to both houses. The ten tribes have been exiled from the land, and standing in Judea, he is telling Judea and Jerusalem what they are soon going to experience if they fail to repent. Uncannily, Isaiah’s day sounds just like our day, and one wonders if Isaiah’s prophecy reaches this far into the future, what, if any, effects this prophecy could have on us, and how they will play out in our time. The language of the rebuke is very abrupt and conveys a harsh tone as Isaiah begins by calling the heavens and the earth to testify as a witness against the people. Isaiah calls the witness of the creation to see what Israel has done regarding their relationship with God and to what God said he would do, as has been set forth by the prophet. (Deut. 32:18-20).

 

Isaiah speaks like a prosecutor in a covenant lawsuit (riv), accusing Israel of violating its relationship with God. Rashi notes that the harshness is purposeful: Israel has become so dulled that only strong language can break through. Despite the severity, the emotional undercurrent is sorrow, not rage. Radak emphasizes that God speaks “as a father rebuking a beloved but wayward child.” The general tone and expression would here seem to suggest all the people were guilty of gross sin; however, this was not the case then, nor is it now. All Jews share a joint responsibility for the conduct of even a small minority of sinners. This follows the principle that all Jews are responsible for one another.^[46] The Talmud teaches that this applies when one can protest and prevent sinful conduct, yet refrains from doing so.^[47]  We are witnessing so many of our religious leaders and our secular leaders completely ignore and then openly condone sin today.  This is not good for our nation; judgment will soon follow.

 

During the time of the four Kings mentioned in verse one, Isaiah delivers his message to the people of Israel and pleads with them to repent and return, but they refuse to listen. The people are as dumb as an ox. (v. 3) a nation laden with iniquity, offspring of evil doers, and demoralized children. Isaiah continues, not only do they sin occasionally, but they are also continually evildoers. They are people who sin against humanity, a nation. Iniquitous against God, an unfaithful people. They have forsaken God, and the devastation of the land (vv. 7–9) is described as already visible. Ibn Ezra reads this as a wake-up call: the people should interpret their suffering as a sign to change and, once again, begin fulfilling his statutes and commandments. They have turned their backs on HaShem and transgressed His prohibitions.^[48] Israel, Judea, and Jerusalem are told: Your land shall be desolate, and your cities burnt to a cinder. (v. 7) Isaiah's preaching was intended to urge the whole family of Israel to repent and turn back to God, and in reference to Judah, to repent, lest you suffer the same fate that has been divinely appointed for the ten tribes of the north.^[49] What was the purpose of God's chastisement upon his people? The purpose of the pain and distress is to bring one closer to Him. Isaiah tells them, you are sick from head to foot. The people do not contribute their afflictions to God and seek out healing from Him…  They fail to realize and understand that their suffering is directly linked to and is because of the sin in their lives. All you do is complain, says the prophet. The children of Israel ask, why are we smitten? HaShem says: Why will you continue to rebel? Me'am, Lo’ez, says here the word ‘continue’ has a double meaning in Hebrew. The verb יָסַף  yāsap̱ ^[50]  can mean to increase, to do it again, or to continue. The other meaning when the verb is negated, means to do something, no more. For example, as when Cain sinned, and the ground would no longer yield its fruits abundantly, as in Gen.4:12.^[51]

 

In the historical setting, the kingdom of Judah was attacked and pillaged by Israel, Syria, Edom, the Philistines, and Assyria. The “Edomites made raids and carried away captives.” The Philistines did the same, and even Ahaz took a portion from the temple. The king and the princes paid tribute, but it did not help. For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz, king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD. (2 Chr.28:19) Judah still would not repent. Their sin brought them many troubles, as they were put through the fires of the smelter, but they preferred their sin, with all its impending doom, rather than submitting to the LORD (Hashem) their God; they continued in their unfaithfulness. Now in the time of his distress, King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. (2 Chr. 28) How many people do we know that the more distress they suffer, the farther they walk from HaShem's ways? A simple reading of scriptures should convince a person of average intelligence that ordering one's life and actions in line with God's word will bring a much more enjoyable experience while here on this earth. No one is perfect and correct all the time in their practice or beliefs, but one will never receive credit for what they do not attempt to do.

 

The prophet Isaiah now turns his attention to the leaders and calls them officers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah. He demands they give ear unto the Law, the Torah of our God. (v.10). He then directs their attention to the following four verses (v.16-20). There is no attack on the sacrifices that are made in the temple. The problem is not with the sacrifices. The problem was with the servants. They were observant in the Temple, but they had neglected the Torah in their daily lives. If one neglects the Torah, what use are the sacrifices? That was the striking conclusion the people missed then, and so many people, leaders, and Bible teachers miss today. Another metaphorical expression used by Isaiah. When you spread your hands forth, I will hide my eyes from you. And when you make many prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. (v.15) Following the same logic of the afore-mentioned people, leaders, and Bible teachers, according to this verse, there is no need to pray, because God has hidden his face from us, and he will not hear our prayers! How is it possible for one to correct this problem? The people are encouraged to cleanse themselves, purify themselves, and remove the wickedness of their actions. Do good! Insist on justice! Set straight that which is wrong! It sounds like the correction is in keeping, following, and practicing the ways of the Torah, and this is not something HaShem does for us, but it is the actions and practices that we must begin first if we are to correct our relationship with the Father.

 

By the time we read to verse 20, if you are willing (אָבָה  āḇāh:)^[52] and obedient,( שָׁמַע šāma)^[53]   You shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isa.1:19) Notice our text ’willing and obedient’ if we are ‘Abah’ in our desire or hunger for God and inclined to respond to his authority, and if we are ‘Sama’ inclined to listen and to hear, then we shall eat the good of the land. Our other option is to be eaten by the sword. What does it mean to be “devoured by the sword” (v.20) and not killed by the sword? Our word ‘Sword’ is חֶרֶב  ḥereḇ. A feminine noun meaning a sword, or a knife, a cutting tool. The word frequently pictures the sword, along with the bow and shield, as the standard fighting equipment of the times (Gen. 48:22; Ps. 76:3[4]; Hos. 1:7). Warriors are referred to as those drawing the sword (Judg. 20; 1 Chr. 21:5). The sword may also stand for a larger unit of military power, sometimes pictured as coming on a people or land (Lev.26:25)  The sword is also a symbol of judgment executed by God (Gen. 3:24; Deut. 32:41; Jer. 47:6); or His people (Ps. 149:6).^[54]  Here we have another connection with our torah reading. (v.25) We are told that we will be devoured by the sword. But what is the purpose of this retribution? God inflicts Judgment and suffering on his children to induce the individual to consider his waywardness and realize that he must repent and turn back to God. Just as historically, the whole Kingdom of Israel has been punished. One would think that a thoughtful and rational person would have recognized long ago that when faced with adversity, the hand of God was at work in their lives, calling them to return to him. Isaiah's admonition is that there is hope. He tells them now if you will only stop, think, repent, and return. God will forgive all your sins. If we are willing to respond in a positive manner to God's judgments, we will be saved from those who will plunder the land around us. But if you persist in your rebellion and disobedience, your plight will only worsen. Eventually, some people will realize that through God's righteous acts of justice, he is working to draw them to himself, and their survival depends on whether they repent and return to God. For others, they will continue to seek further beatings. (v.5)

 

Isaiah begins to reflect on Judah and Jerusalem and the unlikelihood that the rulers will turn back to Hashem and repent. He goes on to draw several examples. He said they were once a faithful city, but they are now a harlot. They were once filled with justice, and they had righteous deeds or “righteousness dwelt there.”  Now you are just murderers, and your silver has turned to dross. Your wine has been cut with water. Isaiah goes on to tell the people how he is going to wreak vengeance on them. Hashem is going to turn his hand against them. I will smelt out the dross as with lye…  I will remove your slag (v.25). The imagery is of a smelting furnace; Israel will be put through the furnace till the impurities are burnt out and skimmed off, implying a slow process of correcting OUR unrighteous and faithless behavior. As any good Metallurgical engineer will tell you, smelting metal is just a function of ‘time and temperature,’ and it is the same with your soul. If you choose to listen and choose life, the ‘time’ of your affliction will decrease, and the ‘temperature’ will go down.

 

Just like our leaders today, the leaders of Israel were rebellious and associates of thieves. The leaders are responsible for guiding the people to do what is correct, but instead, they have rebelled against the Torah, and they distort the law for themselves rather than protecting the people. The leaders collude with one another because each of them loves bribery. The leaders and the judges sell themselves to the highest bidder, and these corrupt leaders each have a conspiracy with the other. ‘If you will abdicate my case they say, and find me innocent, then I will repay the same to you. This sounds like old news, but it is the same today. Have you noticed our corrupt leaders, politicians, and judges are hardly ever found guilty and have to pay for their crimes against society? But do not lose hope. Keep reading because we soon learn that God's spiritual house is going to be restored, and the sinners and the unrighteous are going to be destroyed as part of the messianic process to destroy injustice and corruption. One might argue that this is speaking of ancient Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem and has nothing to do with our modern world. But I would beg to differ. As Solomon once said. There is nothing new under the sun. If HaShem holds his people to a moral and righteous standard, why would anyone think the rest of humanity will get off scot-free living in ways that are opposed to His Holy Torah?

 

God says I will restore your judges, as at the first. The corrupt will be replaced by the righteous, and this will happen in messianic times. Therefore, the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:^[55]   I will restore your magistrates as of old…  and your counselors. After that, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be saved(redeemed) in Judgement, (justice) מִשְׁפָּט  mišpāṭ^[56] and her repentant ones in retribution, צְדָקָה  ṣ^eḏāqāh^[57] righteousness (V.26-27). The Prophet Zephaniah tells us; Seek ye the Lord, all ye humble of the earth, which have executed His ordinance; seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be ye shall be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.^[58]  HaShem is pleading with his people if only they will follow him in faithfulness. If this message were active thousands of years ago, why would one think God does not require the same of us today? Currently, there are about nine million Judeans (Jews) living in the land of Israel and an equal number in America. Those of Israel, the ten tribes, are scattered throughout the world. The largest numbers are possibly in the western world, with many not knowing who they are, and most have not listened to the call to return and repent. Are all God's children righteous and obedient? Have the nations submitted themselves to HaShem's rule? Has the whole house of Israel, both the Northern and Southern tribes, reunited in the land? The only conclusion is that judgment is still pending unless the people repent and return to HaShem’s ways.

 

In this discussion, many commentators say that in the context of the previous passage, which described the leaders for their lack of righteousness, they render ‘Tzedakah’ here as a rebirth of righteous conduct. The previous passage (v.26), our word righteous is not ‘Tzedakah’ but another word צֶדֶק  ṣeḏeq: A masculine noun meaning a right relation to an ethical or legal standard. The Hebrew word occurs most often in the Psalms and Isaiah. The word is frequently connected with the term justice (Ps. 119:106; Isa. 58:2). Kings, judges, and other leaders were to execute their duties based on righteous standards (Deut. 1:16; Prov. 8:15; Isa. 32:1). God Himself acts in righteousness both in judgment and deliverance (Psa.119:75) ^[59]   For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness (צֶדֶק ṣeḏeq) goes forth as brightness, (emanates like a bright light) and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, ( צֶדֶק ṣeḏeq) and all the kings your glory. ^[60]

 

A difference is explained; Zion is another name for Jerusalem, and according to Malbim, the names Zion and Jerusalem refer to various aspects of the Holy City. Zion refers to the aspect of justice and therefore refers to the Temple Mount, and Jerusalem refers to the aspect of divine redemption and therefore applies to the general population.^[61]  It is curious to note that chapter one starts the same way as chapter two. The vision that the prophet Isaiah has concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And according to Chapter 2, it shall come to pass in the end of days. This is concerning Judah and Jerusalem. But where is Israel? The larger context gives us Israel, the ten lost, exiled tribes in the prophecy, concerning Judah and Jerusalem, and all those friends and companions that the prophets speak of that will be associated with them when they return. Malbim, I believe, is correct when he points out that Zion refers to the Temple Mount, and that Jerusalem is referencing the general population. Which then speaks to all Israel (1:3), and here we see HaShem working both aspects of his people at the same time.

 

Rashi says, “As great as these miracles were, the miracles which will occur on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the future will greatly surpass them all.”^[62]  The Jewish people will return to their land, and the people will be the people of God, with a new name. (Isa.62:2) They will put his Torah into practice, fulfill his word, and live up to their charge to be a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Abarbanel expounds on this and says that this prophecy concerning Judah and Jerusalem is actually concerning the entire world, it is just centered in Jerusalem and Judea. Israel will be the exalted nation to which all the other nations will stream to Jerusalem to learn the word of God. When the scripture speaks of all nations shall flow to Jerusalem, the Hebrew signifies streams like a river, similar to the verses, a few weeks ago, that spoke of streams in the desert and the highway in the desert that would lead us back to our Homeland. (Isa.35) The Vilna Gaon suggests that the nations will stream to the temple. Alternatively, the word ‘flow’ or rivers literally refers not only to the flow of water, but also to the flow of a stream of light. Rabbi Hirsh comments on this (Psa. 34:5). Therefore, the nations of the world will hasten toward that spiritual light that radiates out from the temple.^[63]

 

Bible commentators consistently identify three ideas in Isaiah 1. First, Religious life has become superficial. The people continue to bring sacrifices, but their society is filled with injustice, corruption, and violence. There are plenty of religious rituals, but rituals without ethics are worthless. 2.) God’s relationship with Israel is like a parent betrayed by a child. Midrash Tanchuma tells us that God’s pain is like a parent whose child has turned away. 3.) National calamity is a symptom of spiritual and moral failure. Verses 5–8 describe a wounded nation, cities burned, and land desolate. Radak says, this is not a metaphor; it reflects real political and military disaster. Metzudot brings: The physical wounds mirror the moral wounds, and suffering is not random—it is a call to return.

 

The mountain, the house, ‘Har Habayit,’ is to be established, and it will be the mountain that all the nations come to. It is the same mountain we find in (Isaiah 56:7), which is to be the location of the House of prayer for all nations. The nations and many people shall come and say let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us of his ways. What is the purpose of God teaching us His ways? So that mankind may walk in his path, this is the purpose of the nation (Israel) coming to the House of God.^[64]  For out of Zion, will go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:1-3) What is the purpose of this instruction in the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem? This answer seems so obvious. The Torah is for religious and moral instruction to instruct, train, and teach mankind to walk in all the ways of HaShem.

 

Verbal Tallies

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1 – 34:12

Tehillim (Psalms) 146:1 - 149:9

Isaiah 1:2-9 + 16-27

 

Looking at the Hebrew of Devarim  32:1 and Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 1:2, what is the verbal / lexical tally that connects these two passages?

 

The verbal and lexical tally connecting these two passages is the verb "to hear" or "to listen" (root: שמע).

In Deuteronomy 32:1, Moses calls the Earth to "hear" (תִּשְׁמַע). In Isaiah 1:2, Isaiah calls the Heavens to "hear" (שִׁמְעוּ).

 

Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear [תִּשְׁמַע, Strong's H8085] the words of my mouth.

 

Isaiah 1:2 Hear [שִׁמְעוּ, Strong's H8085], O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: Children I have reared, and brought up, and they have rebelled against Me.

 

The Tally: Both verses utilize the root שמע (Shama, Strong's H8085) in conjunction with the pair Heavens (שמים) and Earth (ארץ).The Reversal: Chazal (Sifrei) note that Moses, being "closer to heaven," tells the heavens to "give ear" and the earth to "hear." Isaiah, being "closer to earth," reverses this, telling the heavens to "hear" and the earth to "give ear."

 

* * *

 

What is/are the thematic connection(s) between Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1 – 34:12, and Tehillim (Psalms) 146:1 - 149:9?

 

The thematic connections between the conclusion of the Torah (Deuteronomy 32:1 – 34:12) and the final Halleluyah psalms (Psalms 146 – 149) center on the transition from the mortal leader to the eternal Sovereignty of God, and the unique status of the Nation of Israel.

 

1. Deuteronomy: Records the death of Moses (34:5). It emphasizes that despite his greatness, he is a "servant" who must pass away.

 

2. Psalm 146: Explicitly warns, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help" (146:3), and concludes, "HaShem shall reign forever" (146:10).

 

Connection: The Torah ends by proving the mortality of the greatest leader to ensure the people’s ultimate trust is placed in the eternal King celebrated in the Psalms.

 

1. Deuteronomy (Ha'azinu): Moses calls upon the Heavens and Earth to witness his words (32:1) and compares the Torah to rain and dew (32:2).

 

2. Psalm 147: Praises HaShem who "covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth" (147:8) and sends "His commandment unto the earth" (147:15).

 

Connection: Both sections use the mechanics of the natural world (rain, snow, heavens) as evidence of God’s direct governance and the efficacy of His Word.

 

1. Deuteronomy: Moses views the Land from Nebo but cannot enter; he blesses the tribes (33:1) and anticipates their dwelling in safety.

 

2. Psalm 147: Celebrates the actualization: "HaShem doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel" (147:2).

 

Connection: The "Hope" and "Blessing" of the end of the Torah find their "realization" and "praise" in the concluding Hallel psalms.

 

1. Deuteronomy: Ends with the declaration, "Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee?" (33:29) and the "signs and wonders" done in the sight of all Israel.

 

2. Psalm 147/149: Echoes this exclusivity: "He declareth His word unto Jacob... He hath not dealt so with any nation" (147:19-20) and "He hath lifted up a horn for His people... a praise for all His saints" (148:14).

 

Connection: Both conclude their respective sections by distinguishing Israel from other nations based on their unique relationship with the Divine Law.

 

* * *

 

The connection between the Torah seder and the Ashlamata, though seemingly strictly verbal, is in addition eschatological.  The messianic kingdom, rather than the related contents of the Torah lesson, is the dominant theme of the Ashlamata.

 

The eschatological message of Isaiah 1, as interpreted by the Meforshem such as Rashi, the Radak, and the Malbim, focuses on the refining fire of the Messianic era. It moves from the "end of days" of the corrupt kingdom to the "restoration of the beginning."

 

The core message in verses 22–25 is the removal of the dross). Radak explains that in the final redemption, HaShem will not destroy the entire nation but will "smelt" them. He will remove the corrupt leadership and the "alloy" of assimilated values to leave behind a pure, refined core. This involves the Judgment mentioned in verse 27, where suffering serves as a transformative process to return the people to their original spiritual state.

 

The climax of the passage (verse 26) is the promise: "I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning". Rashi and the Malbim state that the Messianic era is not a move toward something "new", but a return to the spiritual peak of Moses and Joshua.

 

The true sign of the "End of Days" is the restoration of the Sanhedrin (the "Judges") and the return of objective Torah justice, which must precede the full manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven. The passage concludes with the famous principle in verse 27: "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness". The Sfat Emet and Chassidic sources teach that the final redemption is not a free gift, but an outcome of Divine law and charity.

 

The Choice: Verses 16–20 present the eschatological choice: if the people wash themselves of evil (verse 16), they will eat the "good of the land"; if they refuse, they are "devoured by the sword." The end-state of Zion depends on this ethical alignment.

 

Nazarean Talmud

Sidra of D’varim (Deuteronomy) 32:1 – 34:12

Sabbath “HaAzinu HaShamayim”- “Give ear, O heavens”

By: Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

School of Hakham Shaul’s Tosefta Luqas (LK)

School of Hakham Tsefet’s Peshat Mordechai (Mk)

And the seventy (talmidim) returned with joy saying, “master, even the demons are obedient to us through your authority!" But he said to them, "I saw the adversary falling from the heavens like lightning. Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the abilities of the enemy, and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are inscribed in the heavens."

But these signs will accompany the faithfully obedient: by my authority they will cast out demons, they will speak in new languages,[65] they will elevate serpents (Hakhamim). And if they drink anything deadly they will not be hurt; they (the Hakhamim) will press their hands on the weak and will be praiseworthy.[66]

 

Then (Yeshua) said to them, These words are the Mesorah that I taught orally transmitted – handed down you concerning everything written about me (Messiah) in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms (Tanakh), which must be accomplished. Then (he) taught them the meaning and significance of all these Scriptures (opened their eyes to understand), and he said to them, “therefore what is written is that Messiah is to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to the Gentiles on his (Messiah’s) authority, beginning at Yerushalayim. You are witnesses to these things. And behold I am sending to you what my Father proclaimed; that you are to stay here in the city until you are clothed with power (authority) from above.”   Then (he) lead them out as far as Bet Pagah and lifting his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he departed from them and was carried into the heavens. And they (Yeshua’s talmidim) extolled him, and returned to Yerushalayim with great joy; and they were constantly in the Bet HaMikdash (Temple) worshiping God.

So when the Master (Yeshua) had finished speaking to them (the talmidim) Yeshua was taken up into the heavens and sat at God’s right [hand]. And they (Yeshua’s talmidim) went out proclaiming the Mesorah of the Master everywhere while the Lord worked with them and established the Mesorah by signs that accompanied (them).

 

Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder

 

 

Commentary on Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

 

B’resheet (Genesis) 11:1 Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words. ^2And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. ^3They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them hard” —Brick served them as stone, and bitumen served them as mortar.— ⁴And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.” ⁵The Lord came down to look at the city and tower that the sons of man had built,^[67]

 

The singularity of “speech” and “language” here depicts unanimous opposition against G-d. Another translation of this passage reads, “Their speech was directed against the Sole One of the universe.”^[68] The varied “nations” spoke one to another saying, “let us make brick.”^[69] The Sages of blessed memory teach us that all “seventy nations” plotted against the “Sole One”^[70] of the universe i.e., G-d. The “sons of man” from B’resheet (Genesis) 11:5 are the sons of the “ungrateful man” who said “the woman You gave me to be with.”^[71] The ingratitude of humanity, B’resheet (Genesis) 11, had reached man’s intellect, whereby he desired to demonstrate his contempt for G-d and His sovereignty over the earth.

 

But these signs will accompany the faithfully obedient: by my authority, they will cast out demons, they will speak new languages…

 

How is it that the Talmidim (the faithful, obedient) will speak “new languages”? Firstly, we must assert that the confusion of languages in the B’resheet (Genesis) chapter 11 narrative necessitates 'speaking in new languages' if the Talmidim are to proclaim the Mesorah to the 'entire world. Because the Master commissioned the talmidim to spread his Mesorah to the 'entire world,' they must speak in new languages. Because G-d confused the languages of the nations, the talmidim must acquire the skills of the Meturgeman, who translates and interprets the Torah into the languages of the Gentiles. I find it noteworthy that the obtuse attitude of the ungrateful wanted singularity. G-d’s initial commission to Adam was to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth.^[72] Because the ungrateful inhabitants of Babel did not want to “fill the earth” in opposition to G-d’s command, G-d confounded their language.

 

Yeshua’s commission, “Go to the entire world and proclaim my Mesorah everywhere,” is similar to the initial mitzvah of G-d, “fill the earth.” Before there can be a proclamation of the Master’s Mesorah, there must be a mastery of that Mesorah. Consequently, we only achieve this when Hakhamim teach the Master’s Mesorah in relation to the Torah. Herein, this relation to the Torah readings must align with the appropriate 'time' of their reading schedule. In other words, we must read the Torah at its specifically designated time. It appears that the most accurate Torah reading schedule is the Triennial Torah reading cycle. Therefore, Hakhamim, understanding the times and seasons, are to be elevated. Consequently, it is only the Triennial Torah reading cycle with its accompanying readings that makes this truth clear.

 

D’barim 32:8 When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. 

 

THEY WILL ELEVATE SERPENTS (HAKHAMIM)…

Why do we translate the above portion of the passage as such? Because the “Hakham” is to be as wise as the “serpent” (cf. Mat 10:16). Or I might further that the Hakham must be “wiser” than the serpent of Gan Eden. Regardless of the mental conception of negativity, the serpent often represents healing. It is these “serpents,” “Hakhamim” that will press their hands on the weak (younger talmidim), making them “praiseworthy.”^[73] The “pressing of hands” is the Jewish system of ordination, “Semikha”. “Ordination” produces elevation of status, thereby elevating the weak to a “praiseworthy” position. The serpent as a symbol of healing perfectly fits the notion of the Hakhamim laying hands on the weak and they (their disciples) becoming praiseworthy. Consequently, the “sign” σημεῖον semeion is making talmidim to “stand.”^[74] Rather than a plethora of serpents, poisons, and sickly people being “cured.” The cure for all the evils of the world is the Torah, Oral Torah (Mesorah of the Master) from the mouth of the Hakhamim.

 

THESE SIGNS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FAITHFULLY OBEDIENT…

These “signs” are not the result of Prophetic/Apostolic/Charismatic skill or ability. Nor are these “signs” the product of “miracle workers” who wish to foster charismatic agendas. These σημεῖον semeion are the result of faithful obedience to the Torah and relative mitzvot. I will add that the talmid of Yeshua must also adhere to the Mesorah of the Master as taught by Nazarean Hakhamim, as well as keep specific Torah-mandated mitzvoth. The “casting out” or “sending away” demons most likely are spirits, which are vehemently opposed to the Mesorah of the Master. With the acceptance of the Master’s Mesorah, these “spirits” depart.

 

PERORATION

The “signs” of our Markan passages focus on “faithful obedience” and maturity (Hakhamim). The weak (younger talmidim) must submit to the teachings of the Nazarean Hakhamim. To refuse to adhere to the Mesorah of the Messiah as taught by the Nazarean Hakhamim is tantamount to blasphemy and open rebellion (witchcraft). Antinomian doctrines nowadays have permeated every level of Yeshua’s talmidim. This antinomian attitude is rooted in the idea of singularity. Rather than belong to a Nazarean community. Many “Lone Rangers” have cast off the yoke of the Mesorah, believing only in “faith” and “grace” with no fundamental understanding of what these terms actually mean. Just as no one knew the identity of the Lone Ranger except Tonto, we have talmidim without real identities because they have abandoned the Hakhamim. We saw Hakham Tsefet temporarily abandoning the Master a few weeks ago. However, in his great wisdom, Hakham Tsefet knew how to promptly repent, return to G-d, and submit to his master. It is time to repent and turn to G-d, submit to the authority of the Hakhamim, and become praiseworthy in G-d’s sight. It is time to seek the Hakhamim with signs following rather than seeking signs, lying serpents, and poisonous drinks as pseudo-proofs of authenticity.

 

Commentary on Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

Mk 16:19-20

 

As is usually the case, one always becomes amazed at the Genius of Hakham Tsefet. Scholars have tried to say that the present pericope of Mordechai (Mark) was not a part of the original Markan text. However, after careful analysis, the present materials prove beyond a shadow of doubt that they are Petrine (from Hakham Tsefet) in origin.^[75] The final pericope brings the Markan text to its end; nevertheless, the end is only the beginning.^[76] Neither Yeshua nor Hakham Tsefet saw the ascension as an end of the Master’s Mesorah and ministry. They both saw the ascension as the beginning of the mission of the Master’s talmidim. Therefore, we have a declaration of mission as it pertains to Yeshua’s talmidim. As will be unfolded in the commentary for this week, these materials are vital to the Nazarean interpretation of this Torah Seder. Therefore, we must consider these texts to be a valid and essential part of the Master’s Mesorah.

 

אש דת - a fiery Law One can easily see Hakham Tsefet equating the Mesorah of the master with the “fiery law” (since the Oral Torah is very much part of that “Fiery Law”) mentioned in the present Torah Seder in D’barim 33:2. The “fiery law” proceeds from the right hand of G-d, or from the Master who is the complete embodiment of the Torah.^[77]  If we are to understand the Torah, we must understand the “fiery law” of the Master. Hakham Shaul’s letter to Rome tells us that G-d gave his Hokhmah through Yeshua to G-d’s glory. However, what Hakham Tsefet has “hidden” beneath the surface of his text remains awe-inspiring. The Master designed his 'hidden' materials for the Remes hermeneutic to uncover, as we will discuss below. This “hidden” material is encoded in the Peshat perspective of the Torah, alluding to more profound truths concerning Messiah as the Torah reveals him.

 

Signs - There is a great deal of hysteria surrounding these passages in conjunction with the previous pericope of Mordechai on snakes and poison. While the Hebrew אוֹת ot (Signs) can mean miracle, this is not a fitting interpretation of the text and its context. The signs accompanying the proclamation of the Mesorah occurred when the audience accepted the Master’s materials. Because no prophet can undermine or abrogate the words of Moshe Rabbenu, we must ascertain that the acceptance of the Master’s Mesorah was in and of itself a “sign.” The Rambam makes it very clear that Yeshua’s talmidim could not alter the Oral or Written Torah in their “evangelism.”

 

Furthermore, “signs” in Judaism refer to the wearing of tefillin and circumcision, only to name two of them. Therefore, we must determine that the talmidim saw conversions to Nazarean Judaism^[78] as we learn from Second Lukas (Acts). Hakham Shaul’s letter to Rome reiterates this very point, “Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my (interpretation of the) Mesorah and the proclamation of Yeshua HaMashiach.” Therefore, the “sign” is not only acceptance of the Mesorah but also the administration of the Mesorah in the lives of those who received it.

 

PERORATION

So, how can we tell if a professing believer is a real believer in Messiah?

 

1. If the “talmid” tells us that we do not have to keep the 613 mitzvoth, can he be a believer in the Messiah?

 

2. If the “talmid” tells us that we do not have to listen to the words of the sages (Hakhamim), keep the Oral Torah, can he be a believer in the Messiah?

 

3. If the “talmid” tells us that we should make marks on our forehead or hand rather than wear the tefillin can he be a believer in Messiah?

 

Blessing After Torah Study

 

Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,

Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.

Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!

Blessed is Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe,

Who has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.

Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

“Now unto Him who is able to preserve you faultless, and spotless, and to establish you without a blemish,

 

Next Shabbat: Shevat 27, 5786: “HaSheqel Machatsit” - “Half a Shekel”

Mevar’chim HaChodesh – Proclamation of the New Moon of Adar

Tuesday evening 17th of February and Wednesday 18th of February

 

 

 

Contents of the Torah Seder – Sh’mot (Exodus) 30:1-38

 

·        The Altar of Incense – Exodus 30:1-10

·        The Law of the Half Shekel – Exodus 30:11-16

·        The Laver – Exodus 30:17-21

·        The Anointing Oil – Exodus 30:22-33

·        The Holy Incense – Exodus 30:34-38

 

Reading Assignment

 

 

 

Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

Edited by HH Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham

A special thank you to HH Giberet Giborah bat Sarah and Giberet Sarai bat Sarah for their diligence in proof-reading.