Sivan 11, 5765

Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

B’ resheet (Genesis) 12:1 – 13:18

XII. AND the Lord said to Abram, Get out from your land; separate yourself from your kindred; go forth from the house of your father; go into the land which I will show you. And I will make you into a great people, and will bless you, and magnify your name, and you shall be blessed.

[JERUSALEM. And I will constitute you into a great people, and I will bless you; and Abram shall be strengthened with many blessings.]

And I will bless the priests who will spread forth their hands in prayer, and bless your sons; and Bileam, who will curse them, I will curse, and they shall kill him with the mouth of the sword; and in you shall be blessed (grafted in) all the generations of the earth. [JERUSALEM. And I will bless him who blesses you, and he who curses you will be accursed; and in your righteousness shall all the generations of the earth be blessed (grafted in).] And Abram went, according as the Lord had spoken with him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was the son of seventy-five years at his going forth from Haran. And Abram took Sara his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance which they had acquired, and the souls whom they had proselytized in Haran, and went forth to go to the land of Kenaan. And they came to the land of Kenaan. [JERUSALEM. And the souls of the proselytes.] And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shekhem, unto the plain which had been showed to him. [JERUSALEM. The plain (or valley) of vision.] And the Kenaanites were then in the land; for the time had not yet come that the sons of Israel should possess it. And the Lord was revealed unto Abram, and said, To your sons will I give this land. And he built there an altar before the Lord, who was revealed to him. And he went up from there to a mountain which was eastward of Bethel, and outspread his tent, having Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and he built there an altar before the Lord, and prayed in the Name of the Lord. And Abram migrated, going and migrating unto the south.

And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Mizraim to be a dweller there, because the famine was strong in the land. And it was, as he approached to enter the limit of Mizraim, and they had come to the river, and were uncovering their flesh to pass over, that Abram, said to Sara his wife, Behold, until this I have not beheld your flesh; but now I know that you are a woman of great beauty. It will be, therefore, when the Mizraee see you, and view your beauty, that they will say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, and you will they keep alive. Say, I pray, that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my life may be spared on your account. And it was when Abram had entered Mizraim, the Mizraee saw the woman to be very beautiful; and the princes of Pharoh beheld her, and praised her to Pharoh; and the woman was conducted to the royal house of Pharoh. [JERUSALEM. And the woman was conducted to the palace of Pharoh.] And Pharoh did good to Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and asses, and servants, and handmaids, and she-asses, and camels. And the Word of the Lord sent great plagues against Pharoh and the men of his house, on account of Sara, Abram's wife. And Pharoh called Abram, and said, What is this that you have done to me? Why did you say, She is my sister? When I would take her to me to wife, plagues were at once sent against me, and I went not unto her. And now behold your wife, take (her) and go. And Pharoh commanded men concerning him, and they led him forth, and his wife, and all that he had.

XIII. And Abram went up from Mizraim, he and his wife (and) all that he had; and Lot with him, to go to the south. And Abram had become very strong in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he proceeded in his journeys from the south unto Bethel, and returned to the place where he had outspread his tabernacle at the first, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at the beginning; and Abram prayed there in the Name of the Lord. And also unto Lot, who was remembered through the righteousness of Abram, there were sheep and oxen and tents. And the land could not sustain them to dwell together, because their possessions were great, and they were not able to dwell together. And contentions arose between the shepherds of Abram's flock, and the shepherds of the flocks of Lot; for the shepherds of Abram had been instructed by him not to go among the Kenaanaee and the Pherizaee, who, as yet, had power in the land, and to restrain the cattle that they should make no depredation in going to the place of their pasture: but the shepherds of Lot would go and feed in the grounds of the Kenaanaee and Pherizaee who yet dwelt in the land. [JERUSALEM. 6. Their treasures. 7. And there was strife between the shepherds of Abram's cattle and the shepherds of the cattle of Lot. The shepherds of Abram restrained their beasts until the time of their coming to the place of their pasture; but the shepherds of Lot did not restrain their beasts, but turned them free, and went. But Abram's shepherds had been instructed by Abram their righteous master, Go not to the Kenaanaee and Pherizaee; for as yet they have possession in the land.]

And Abram said to Lot, Between me and you let there not now be controversy, nor between my shepherds and your shepherds; for we are kinsmen. Is not all the land before you? Separate then from me. If you go to the north, I will go to the south: if you go to the south, I will go to the north. And Lot uplifted his eyes towards (the place of) fornication; and beheld all the plain of Jardena that it was altogether well watered, before the Lord in his wrath had destroyed Sedom and Amorah; a land admirable for trees, as the garden of the Lord, and for fruitage, as the land of Mizraim as you go up to Zoar. And Lot chose to him all the plain of Jardena; and Lot journeyed from the east, and they separated the one man from his brother. Abram dwelt in the land of Kenaan, and Lot dwelt in the towns of the plain, and spread his tabernacle towards Sedom. And the men of Sedom were depraved in their wealth one with another, and they sinned in their bodies; they sinned with open nakedness, and the shedding of innocent blood, and practiced strange worship, and rebelled greatly against the name of the Lord.

And the Lord said to Abram, after that Lot had separated from him, Lift up now your eyes, and look, from the place where you are, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west: for all the land that you see will I give unto you, and to your sons, for ever. And I will make your sons manifold as the dust of the earth, as that, as it is impossible for a man to number the dust of the earth, so also it will be impossible to number thy sons. Arise journey in the land, and make occupation of it in length and breadth; for to you will I give it. And Abram stretched his tent (and made folds) for oxen and sheep, and came and dwelt in the vale of Mamre which is in Hebron, and built there an altar before the Lord.

Ashlamatah:

Joshua 24:3-10 + 14

1. ¶ And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders of Israel, their heads, their judges, and their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

2 And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says Adonai the God of Israel: Your fathers (Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor) dwelt on the other side of the River in ancient times; and they served other gods.

3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac.

4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to what I have done among them. Afterward I have brought you out.

6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.

7 And they cried out unto Adonai; and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon them, and covered them. And your eyes saw what I have done in Egypt. And you dwelt in the wilderness many days.

8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you. But I gave them into your hand, that you might possess their land, and I destroyed them before you.

9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.

10 But I was not willing to heed Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. And I delivered you out of his hand.

11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the lords of Jericho fought against you; also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I delivered them into your hand.

12 I sent the hornet before you which drove them out before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword or with your bow.

13 I have given you a land for which you have not labored, and cities which you have not built, and you dwell in them; you are eating of the vineyards and olive groves which you have not planted.

14 Now therefore, fear Adonai, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers have served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve Adonai!

Targum

Psalm 8

1. ¶ For praise, on the lyre that he brought from Gath. A hymn of David.

2. O God our master, how lofty is your name and praiseworthy in all the earth, you who have placed your splendor above the heavens.

3. ¶ From the mouth of children and infants you have established strength because of your oppressors, to bring to naught the enemy and the violent man.

4. Because I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have fixed in place,

5. What is a son of man, because you will remember his deeds, and a son of man, because you will punish him?

6. And you have made him a little less than the angels, and you will crown him with glory and brightness.

7. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; all things you have placed under his feet.

8. Sheep and oxen, all of them, and also the beasts of the field.

9. The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and Leviathan, who passes along the paths of the sea.

10. O God our master, how lofty and praiseworthy is your name in all the earth!

Pirqe Abot

“All Israel have a share in the World to Come, as it is stated: And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which to take pride.”

Pirqe Abot I:9

Shemayah and Abtalion received from them. The former was in the habit of saying: "Love work and hate to attain superiority, and see to it that your name be not known to the government."

Tosephtha--Aboth of R. Nathan.

"Love work." How so? That is, one should love work; at all events, he ought not to hate it, for as the Torah was given in a covenant, so was labor, as it is written [Ex. 20:9-10]: "Six days shall you labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath in honor of the Lord your God."

Said R. Aqiba: There comes a time when one does his work, and thereby escapes death; and on the other band there comes a time when one does no work, and incurs the penalty of death by heaven. How so? One who is idle the whole week and has nothing to eat on the eve of Sabbath, but having in his possession consecrated money misappropriates it for his own use, incurs the penalty of death by heaven; but if he was making repairs in the Temple, and is paid with consecrated money and uses it, he escapes the death penalty.

R. Dostai said: "How can it happen that one who did no work all the six days shall finally be compelled to labor all seven days? Strange as this appears, yet it may happen. For instance, a man who did no work during the week, Friday comes and he has nothing to eat. He starts to look for work, but is seized by conscription officers, who, holding him by an iron chain, compel him to make up on Sabbath for what he neglected during the six days."

R. Simeon b. Elazar said: Even Adam the First tasted nothing before he performed some work, as it is written [Gen. 2:15]: "And put him into the garden of Eden, to, till it and to keep it"; and afterward he was commanded: "Of every tree in the garden you may freely eat" [ibid., ibid. 16].

R. Tarphon said: Even the Holy One, blessed be He, rested not His Shekhina in the midst of Israel before some work was performed by them, as is; written [Ex. 25:9]: "And they shall make me a sanctuary; and I will dwell in the midst of them."

Rabbi Jehudah b. Bathyra said: What shall one do who is without work? (Let him seek it, and he will find it.) Let him see whether there is no demolition in his yard or field, and employ himself in that manner, as it is written [ibid. 20:9]: "Six days shall you labor, and do all your work." Wherefore is it said, "And do all your work"? R. Tarphon said: One is doomed to death only through idleness. R. Jose the Galilean explained (the saying of R.. Tarphon) thus: If one through idleness stood upon the edge of a roof, castle, or building, or upon the edge of a river and fell down and died, his death was caused through idleness.

R. Nathan said: Moses worked at the Tabernacle without consulting the princes of Israel, who right along thought that at any moment he might solicit their cooperation. When they heard the voice which went throughout the camp proclaiming that the material prepared was sufficient for all the work, they cried: "Woe to us, that we have not participated in the work of the holy Tabernacle." They, therefore, rose and added a great thing of their own accord, as it is written [Ex. 35:27]: And the princes brought the onyx stones."

"Do not care for superiority." It means that one must not place the crown merited by him upon his own head, but should let others do it, as it is written [Prov. 27:2]: "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a. stranger, and not your own lips."

R. Aqiba said: One that makes himself superior to the Law is compared to a putrefied carcass which lies in the road, so that every passer-by puts his hand to his; nose and hastens away, as it is written [Prov. 30:32]: "If you have become degraded by lifting up yourself, or if you have devised evil, put your hand to your mouth." Said Ben Azai to him: The sense of this passage seems to be thus: One who degrades himself for the sake of the Law, and eats decayed dates, and dresses in worn-out clothes, and is watching at the door of the sages, the passers-by call him an idiot, but be sure that in the end it will be found that he is full of knowledge. This is what people say: One who makes himself superior to the Law will finally be put down, and one who lowers himself for the sake of the Law will finally be greatly elevated.

"And see to it that your name be not known to the government." One should not have the ambition to be prominent among government officials, otherwise they will become jealous of him, slay him, and confiscate his property. Neither shall one proclaim his neighbor's name to the government; that is, one shall not say: "May the Lord protect so and so, from whose house to-day went out a hundred oxen, a hundred ewes, and a hundred goats," etc., as it may happen that just at that time the officer passes by and hears this and reports it to his chief, and the latter surrounds his house and takes away all he has. As to this, the following passage applies [Prov. 27:14]: "When one salutes his friend with a loud voice ... it will be counted a curse to him." According to others, the word Rashuth means not the government but publicity, and the passage is to be construed thus: If one's friends say publicly in the market: "May God protect so and so; to-day he brought into his house many measures of wheat and barley," etc., etc., robbers may hear of it and come in the night, surround the house, and take away all he possesses, and in the morning he has nothing left. Of him it is said in Scripture: "When one salutes his friend with a loud voice," etc.

Others, again, say that it means the government, and the expression "he shall not announce," etc., means one shall not endeavor to be a solicitor for the governor of the city or his vice, for they rob the money of Israel.

Still another explanation is: One shall not seek any governing power, for although in the beginning it appears very pleasing, in the end he will find it very burdensome.

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 2:1-6

1 ¶ Now after Yehoshua was born in Bet Lekhem of Yehudah, Israel, in the days of King Herod the Great, behold Hakhamim (Rabbis) came to Yerushalayim from the east

2 saying, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Yehudim? For we saw his celestial sign in the east and have come to pay homage to him.

3 When Herod the Great heard of it, he and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim were dismayed.

4 Then, having gathered together all the chief Kohanim and Soferim and the kinsmen (descendants of David), he inquired of them where the Mashiach would be born.

5 They replied to him, “In Bet Lekhem of Yehudah, Israel, as it is written in Mikha the prophet – 6 “But you, Beth-Lekhem Ephratah, which are junior among the thousands of Yehudah, out of you shall one come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:1).

Commentary

Many today are deceived by a gospel of easy believe-ism, prosperity, etc. etc., all products of gross mistranslations of the Scriptures. Hakham (Rabbi) Shaul provides for the obedient a rule of thumb to avoid any deviation from the truth. He sates:

“Now these things happened unto them (the Patriarchs and ancient Israel) by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” – 1 Corinthians 10:11

Therefore taking this rule of thumb and applying it to our Torah Seder we find that those that are “grafted in” into the Torah obedient family of Abraham need to follow in the steps of our father of faithful obedience. They must:

They must “get out” of their country and become “sojourners”

“Now [in Haran] Ha-Shem said to Abram, Get up and get out [for your own advantage] away from your country …” Gen. 12:1

“Through faithful obedience Abraham obeyed when he was called to get out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not understanding where he was going. Through faithful obedience he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has a foundation, whose builder and maker is G-d.” Hebrews 11:8-10

They must “get out” from relatives and father’s house

“Now [in Haran] Ha-Shem said to Abram, Get up and get out [for your own advantage] away … from your relatives and your father's house …” Genesis 12:1

“If anyone comes to Me and does not love less his [own] father and mother and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters than G-d, [yes] and even his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come and follow Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, wishing to build a farm building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost [to see] whether he has sufficient means to finish it? Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is unable to complete [the building], all who see it will begin to mock and jeer at him, saying, This man began to build and was not able (worth enough) to finish. Or what king, going out to engage in war with another king, will not first sit down and consider and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand [men] to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot [do so], when the other king is still a great way off, he sends an envoy and asks the terms of peace. So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (1 Lukas (Luke) 14:26-33)

They must be able to go to a land (place) where G-d will show

“Now [in Haran] Ha-Shem said to Abram, Get up and get out [for your own advantage] … to the land (place) that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

“[Urged on] by faith obedience Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go.” Hebrews 11:8

Be willing to be molded and trained by G-d to become competent and useful in His service

“And I will make of you a great nation …” Genesis 12:2

Now to locate ourselves in the picture, please understand that prior to G-d, most blessed be He commanding Abram the above with the famous statement of “Lekh Lekha!!!” (“Get up and get out!!!” Abram had by a logical process rejected idolatry and have come to the understanding that there is only one G-d, most blessed be He! Further, he was tried for his faith and thrown into a pit of fire from which G-d saved him. Then he went about to convert and train all the members of his household, including men-servants and maid-servants, and even his nephew Lot and his household. It is after all of this that G-d speaks to Abram and says “Lekh Lekha!!!”

Then he gets out and comes into the land. But he is not fooled by appearances. He adopts the posture that much later G-d, most blessed be He commanded the Israelites to adopt:

“The land shall not be sold into perpetual ownership, for the land is Mine; you are [only] strangers and temporary residents with Me.” (Leviticus 25:23)

And Hakham Shaul comments on this regard:

“These all died controlled and sustained by their faithful obedience, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of [G-d's] promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faithful obedience, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)

And Hakham Tsefet (Peter) states:

“Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify G-d in the day of inspection [when G-d shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock]. Be submissive to every (Jewish) human institution and authority for the sake of the Messiah, whether it be to the king, or to governors as sent by him to bring vengeance (punishment, justice) to those who do wrong and to encourage those who do good service. For it is G-d's will and intention that by doing right [your good deeds] you will silence (muzzle, gag) the ignorant charges and ill-informed criticisms of foolish persons. [Live] as free people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for lawlessness; but [live at all times] as servants of G-d. Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Greatly love (cherish) the brotherhood (of Nazarean Jews). Reverence G-d. Honor the king.” (1 Tsefet (Peter) 2:11-17

Upon much profound meditation on the text of our Seder (i.e. Genesis 12:1 – 13:18), King David the Messiah writes about Abram and those worthy of being his natural children or “grafted into him” (by adoption):

“When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, what is man (Hebrew: “Enosh”) that You are mindful of him, and the son of man (Hebrew: “ben Adam”) that You care for him?” (Psalms 8:4-5)

Now in Hebrew the name “Enosh” means normally "a human being." As a historical person he was a son of Seth and a grandson of Adam in the genealogies in the book of Genesis (4:26). Now this verse is interesting, it reads:

“And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”

The Rambam, (i.e. Rabbi Maimonides) in Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry, 1:1-2, explains this verse thusly:

“It was in the days of Enosh, the grandson of Adam. The wise men of the time understood that the One God had created these stars and planets to control the workings of the world. They saw that He had placed them on high and given them such glory, for they are His officers and attending ministers…… With the passage of time, there arose false prophets who claimed that God had commanded them to worship a particular planet or all of the different constellations, to bring them specific offerings and libations, to build them temples and to make statues of the "form" of the star or planet in order that the common people, women and children would be able to worship it... Cults of various kinds began to spread throughout the entire world. As time went on the entire world became totally unaware of God… Their wise men imagined there was no other God besides the stars and constellations on whose account these statues had been made. With the exception of a few individuals, such as Enoch, Noah, Shem and Ever, no one knew or recognized the Creator of all the worlds… This was the way the world was until the birth of the pillar of the world: our father Abraham.”

Now in Psalm 8:4-5, the Hebrew term “ben Adam” (son of man) means normally “a human being,” however here it is speaking of a human Messiah – the first Adam before the fall, and the prototype Adam (Hebrew Adam Kadmon) or “Second Adam.” Thus the Psalm could be read as:

“When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, what is a returning man (“Enosh”) that You are mindful of him, and a regal man (“ben Adam”) that You care for him?” (Psalms 8:4-5)

[Please note how the Rambam above has paraphrased and interpreted the words of Psalm 8:4-5!]

The Psalmist continues:

“Yet You have made him but little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.” Psalms 8:6-7

But who is the “Regal Man” that the Psalmist is alluding to? To understand this we need to go to the genealogy of Jewish Kings, and what bettr place to start that in Matityahu (Mathew) chapter one, where we read:

“The book of the genealogy of Yehoshua the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham; Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. … and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon … And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Yeshoshua who is called the Messiah.”

Note that in this Royal Blood genealogy, Abraham stands as the first King or Messiah of Israel. Abraham was the first man to become the founder of a very special royal house. He is that “Regal Man” that is described in Psalm 8:5 – the “Ben Adam”, yet before this he was a man returning to G-d – calling upon the name of G-d – an Enosh.

Now Hakham Shaul in Bereans (Hebrews) 1:6-13 writes about the Messiah:

“For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is (a returning) man (“Enosh”) that You are mindful of him, or the son of man (regal man – “ben Adam”) that You look upon him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all things in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But at this time we do not yet see all things subjected under him. But we see Yehoshua, who was made a little less than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Author of their salvation complete through sufferings.

For both He who separates and those who are separated are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You” (Psalm 22:23). And again: “I will put my trust in Him.” And again: “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me shall be for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells in mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:17).

Truly we can see in our father Abraham a “model” a “road-map” which we need to imitate if we really want to be called “true sons of Abraham” and “true daughters of Sarah”! We need to start by returning to G-d, calling upon the name of G-d as Enosh, and then progress towards becoming a “Regal Man” as Abraham did. Thus we see that in truth: “Now these things happened unto them (the Patriarchs and ancient Israel) by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come” – 1 Corinthians 10:11.

The Midrash Yelammedenu approaches our Seder from what made Abraham great and to merit to become the founding father of Israel and the first person from which the genealogies of the Kings of Israel would commence. The Yelammedenu starts the first discourse for our Seder with the following words:

“May it please our Master to teach us whether an Israelite is permitted to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom (i.e. to recite and confess the Shema) whilst traveling? R. Idi and R. Huna said in the name of R. Judah, and R. Yose said in the name of R. Samuel: An Israelite is forbidden to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom whilst traveling. He is required to stand still, directing his heart to heavenward in trepidation and fear, in trembling and reverence, whilst proclaiming the oneness of G-d: Hear, O Israel, Ha-Shem our G-d, Ha-Shem is One (Deuteronomy 6:4). He must speak each word with heartfelt sincerity, and then add (the benediction) “Blessed be His name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever!” However, when he commences (to recite) the portion “And you will love Ha-Shem your G-d,” he may either walk, stand, or sit, as he desires, for it is written: When you sit in your house, when you go on your way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:7).

You find that anyone who observes the commandments meticulously and generously is rewarded fully. For example, because Abraham observed the commandments meticulously and generously, he was called the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The seed of Abraham, My beloved (Isaiah 41:8). R. Samuel the son of Nahmani quoted R. Jonathan as saying that in Abraham’s home, even the commandments prohibiting the preparation of the Sabbath meals on a holy day that occurred on a Friday was carefully observed [A dish prepared on Thursday is allowed to lay over until eaten on the Sabbath. By this, all cooking for the Sabbath performed on a Friday that is a holy day is considered a continuation of the preparations started on a Thursday.], as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws (Genesis 26:5). Are there a variety of laws that Scripture should say My laws? Has it not already been stated: One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that sojourns with you (Exodus 12:49), and was it not previously written: One law and one ordinance (Numbers 15:16)? The word My laws employed in the above verse refers (solely) to the minutiae of the law which Abraham observed meticulously and generously. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Though you do observe My laws scrupulously and with generosity, yet you dwell amongst idolaters; thus Get up and get out of your country.”

Observe that the homily began with the question of whether one may recite the Shema “whilst walking” (Hebrew: MeHolekh). The homilist had in mind the consideration that Abraham built altars in the land of Canaan and “called upon the name of Ha-Shem” (cf. Genesis 12:7-8), a sort of “taking upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom” and inviting others to do the same. The point of the required interruption in one’s walk (journey) in order to concentrate fully on the confession of the Shema is tantamount to being generous and particular about the carrying out of a Mitzvah (commandment). In G-d viewing that Abraham was extremely generous and punctilious in the commandments, He instructs him to leave his land (place) with its idolaters. This we learn not only from the Torah but also from the words of Joshua in our Ashlamatah:

“Thus says Adonai the God of Israel: Your fathers (Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor) dwelt on the other side of the River in ancient times; and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac.” (Joshua 24:2-3)

A Chinese proverb has it that a journey of many miles starts with the first step. This week we are called to go over our lives and hold Abraham our father of “faithful obedience” as a mirror or measuring stick and see where we lack, or where we have gone wrong. Please do remember that separating ourselves and consecrating ourselves to G-d must be done in a community of the faithful. Hear the echo of G-d’s voice to you: “LEKH LEKHA !!!” Hear the echo of Joshuas words in our Ashlamatah: “Now therefore, fear Adonai, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers have served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve Adonai!”

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Shabbat:	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
לך לך
“Lekh Lekha!!!”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 12:1-5	Reader 1 – B’resheet 14:1-3
“Get up and get out!!!”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 12:6-9	Reader 2 – B’resheet 14:4--6
“¡¡¡Levántate y vete!!!”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 12:10-13	Reader 3 – B’resheet 14:7-9
B’ resheet (Genesis) 12:1 – 13:18	Reader 4 – B’resheet 12:14-20
Joshua 24:3-10 + 14	Reader 5 – B’resheet 13:1-4
	Reader 6 – B’resheet 13:5-12	Reader 1 – B’resheet 14:10-12
Psalm 8	Reader 7 – B’resheet 13:13-18	Reader 2 – B’resheet 12:13-15
Pirke Abot I:9	Maftir – B’resheet 13:16-18	Reader 3 – B’resheet 12:16-18
N.C.: Matityahu 2:1-6	Joshua 24:3-10 + 14