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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Tammuz 10, 5772 – June 29/30, 2012	Fourth Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:

Conroe & Austin, TX, U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:19 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 9:18 PM	Brisbane, Australia Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 4:46 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 5:42 PM	Bucharest, Romania Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:46 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 10:00 PM
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:41 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 9:44 PM	Jakarta, Indonesia Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 5:32 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 6:23 PM	Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 6:11 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 7:04 PM
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 7:58 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 8:55 PM	Olympia, WA, U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:53 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 10:11 PM	Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:00 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 9:05 PM
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:19 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 9:31 PM	Singapore, Singapore Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 6:56 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 7:47 PM	St. Louis, MO, U.S. Fri. Jun 29 2012 – Candles at 8:11 PM Sat. Jun 30 2012 – Habdalah 9:17 PM

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

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:

His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Excellency Dr. Adon Yeshayahu ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia Foster

His Excellency Adon Yisrael ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Vardit bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor

His Honor Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved family

Her Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Albert Carlsson and beloved wife Giberet Lorraine Carlsson

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!

Also a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.

If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Sabbath: “Vayera”

“And appeared”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וַיֵּרָא
“Vayera”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 18:1-5	Reader 1 – B’resheet 19:1-3
“And appeared”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 18:6-8	Reader 2 – B’resheet 19:4-7
“Y se le apareció”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 18:9-14	Reader 3 – B’resheet 19:8-10
B’resheet (Gen.) Gen. 18:1-33	Reader 4 – B’resheet 18:15-19
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 33:17-24 + 35:2	Reader 5 – B’resheet 18:20-22
	Reader 6 – B’resheet 18:23-25	Reader 1 – B’resheet 19:1-3
Psalms 13:1-6	Reader 7 – B’resheet 18:26-33	Reader 2 – B’resheet 19:4-7
	Maftir – B’resheet 18:31-33	Reader 3 – B’resheet 19:8-10
N.C.: Mark 1:40-45 Luke 5:12-16 & Acts 4:13-22	Isaiah 33:17-24 + 35:2

Blessing Before Torah Study

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

Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, 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 desire. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, 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 doing 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!

Contents of the Torah Seder

· Visit of the Angels – Genesis 18:1-16

· Abraham’s Intercession for Sodom – Genesis 18:17-33

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: B’resheet 18:1-33

Rashi’s Translation	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
1. Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot	1. AND the glory of the LORD was revealed to him in the valley of Mamre; and he, being ill from the pain of circumcision, sat at the door of the tabernacle in the fervour (or strength) of the day.
2. And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground.	2. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three angels in the resemblance of men were standing before him; (angels) who had been sent from the necessity of three things;--because it is not possible for a ministering angel to be sent for more than one purpose at a time;--one, then, had come to make known to him that Sarah should bear a man-child; one had come to deliver Lot; and one to overthrow Sedom and Amorah. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself on the earth. JERUSALEM: Three angels were sent to our father Abraham; and the three were sent for three things; because it is not possible that one of the high angels should be sent for more things than one. The first angel was sent to announce to our father Abraham, that, behold, Sarah would bear Izhak; the second angel was sent to deliver Lot from the midst of the overthrow; the third angel was sent to overthrow Sedom and Amorah, Admah and Zeboim. Therefore was there a word of prophecy from before the LORD unto Abraham the Just, and the Word of the LORD was revealed to him in the valley of vision; and he sat in the door of the tabernacle, comforting himself from his circumcision in the fervour (or strength) of the day.
3. And he said, "My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant.	3. And he said, I beseech, by the mercies (that are) before You, O LORD, if now I have found favour before You, that the glory of Your Shekina may not now ascend from Your servant, until I have set forth provisions
4. Please let a little water be taken and bathe your feet and recline under the tree.	4. Abraham again said to these men, Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree.
5. And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your hearts; after[wards] you shall pass on, because you have passed by your servant." And they said, "So shall you do, as you have spoken."	5. And I will bring food of bread, that you may strengthen your hearts, and give thanks in the Name of the Word of the LORD, and afterwards pass on. For therefore at the time of repast are you come, and have turned aside to your servant to take food. And they said, You have spoken well; do according to your word.
6. And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and he said, "Hasten three seah of meal[and]fine flour; knead and make cakes."	6. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said to her, Hasten three measures of flour-meal, mix and make cakes.
7. And to the cattle did Abraham run, and he took a calf, tender and good, and he gave it to the youth, and he hastened to prepare it.	7. And unto the flock ran Abraham, and took a calf, tender and fat, and gave to a young man, and hastened to make prepared meats;
8. And he took cream and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and he placed[them]before them, and he was standing over them under the tree, and they ate.	8. and he took rich cream and milk and the calf which the young man had made into prepared meats, and set them before them, according to the way and conduct (hilkath) of the creatures of the world; and he served before them, and they sat under the tree; and he quieted himself (to see) whether they would eat.
9. And they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "Behold in the tent."	9. And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, Behold, she is in the tent. JERUSALEM: And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, Behold, she is in the tent.
10. And he said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son." And Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, and it was behind him.	10. And one of them said, Returning I will return to you in the coming year; and you will be revived, and, behold, Sarah your wife will have a son. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her, and marked what the Angel said. JERUSALEM: And He said, Returning I will return to you at that time, to revive you, and, behold, Sarah your wife will have a male child. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her.
11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years; Sarah had ceased to have the way of the women.	11. But Abraham and Sarah were old, they had mounted in days, and with Sarah the way of women had ceased.
12. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have become worn out, will I have smooth flesh? And also, my master is old."	12. And Sarah wondered in her heart, saying After that I am old will I have conceptions, and my lord Abraham is old? JERUSALEM: And Sarah derided in her heart, saying, After that I am old, is it possible to return to the days of my youth, for me to have conception, and my lord Abraham is old?
13. And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Is it really true that I will give birth, although I am old?'	13. And the LORD said to Abraham, Why has Sarah so laughed, saying, Can it be in truth that I will bear, being old?
14. Is anything hidden from the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, at this time next year and Sarah will have a son."	14. Is it possible to hide anything from before the LORD? At the gracious time I will return to you, in the time when you will be revived, and Sarah will have a son.
15. And Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you laughed."	15. And Sarah denied and said, I wondered not; for she was afraid. And the Angel said, Fear not: yet in truth you did laugh.
16. And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom, and Abraham went with them to escort them,	16. And the angels, who had the likeness of men, arose from thence, and the one who had made known the tidings to Sarah ascended to the high heavens; and two of them looked toward Sedom; and Abraham went with them. JERUSALEM: And they looked towards.
17. And the Lord said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?	17. And the LORD said, with His Word, I cannot hide from Abraham that which I am about to do; and it is right that before I do it, I should make it known to him. JERUSALEM: And the LORD with His Word said, Will I hide from Abraham, My friend, that which I am about to do? Forasmuch as the town of Sedom is among the gifts that I have given to him, it is just that I should not overthrow it, till I have made it known to him.
18. And Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the world will be blessed in him.	18. For Abraham is to be a great and mighty people, and through him will all the peoples of the earth be blessed.
19. For I have known him because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord to perform righteousness and justice, in order that the Lord bring upon Abraham that which He spoke concerning him."	19. Because his holiness (piety) is manifest before Me, (and) that he will instruct his sons, and the men of his house after him, to keep the ways that are right before the LORD, to do justice and judgment, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him.
20. And the Lord said, "Since the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and since their sin has become very grave,	20. And the LORD said to the ministering angels, The cry of Sedom and Amorah, because they oppress the poor, and decree that whosoever gives a morsel to the needy will be burned with fire, is therefore great, and their guilt exceedingly weighty.
21. I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry, which has come to Me, they have done;[I will wreak] destruction[upon them]; and if not, I will know."	21. I will now appear, and see whether, as the cry of a damsel torn away, which ascends before Me, they have made completion of their sins; (or, whether they have made an end of their sins;) and if they have wrought repentance, will they not be as (if) innocent before Me? and as if not knowing, I will not punish. JERUSALEM: Now will I appear and see, according as the cry of the people of Sedom and Amorah has ascended before Me, whether they have made a complete end. It may be, that some among these sinners do not know that their works of evil are manifest before Me. And if they seek to work repentance, behold, they will be considered before Me as if those works had not been known.
22. And the men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord.	22. And the angels who had the likeness of men, turned thence and went towards Sedom. And Abraham now supplicated mercy for Lot, and ministered in prayer before the LORD.
23. And Abraham approached and said, "Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?	23. And Abraham prayed and said, Will You destroy in Your displeasure the innocent with the guilty?
24. Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst?	24. Perhaps there are fifty innocent persons within the city, who pray before You,--ten for every city, of all the five cities of Sedom, Amorah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar. Wilt You in Your displeasure destroy and not forgive the country, on account of the fifty innocent ones who are in it? Unholy would it be before You to do according to this word, to slay the innocent with the guilty, and to make the innocent to be as the guilty!
25. Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?"	25. That be unholy with You. It cannot be that One who is the Judge of all the earth should not do justice.
26. And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake."	26. And the LORD said, If I find in Sedom fifty innocent in the midst of the city who pray before Me, I will forgive all the land on their account.
27. And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now I have commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.	27. And Abraham responded, and said, I pray for mercy. Behold, now, I have begun to speak before the LORD; I, who am as dust and ashes.
28. Perhaps the fifty righteous men will be missing five. Will You destroy the entire city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy if I find there forty-five."	28. Perhaps of the fifty innocent persons, five may be wanting. On account of the five who may be wanting to Zoar, will You destroy the whole city? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.
29. And he continued further to speak to Him, and he said, "Perhaps forty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."	29. And he added yet to speak before Him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there; ten for each city of the four cities, and Zoar, whose guilt is lighter, forgive You for Your mercy's sake. And he said, I will not make an end for the sake of the forty innocent ones.
30. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."	30. And he said, Let not the displeasure of the LORD, the LORD of all the world, wax strong against me, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty who pray may be found there, ten for each of the three cities, and Zeboim and Zoar forgive them for Your mercy's sake. And He said, I will not make an end if I find thirty there.
31. And he said, "Behold now I have desired to speak to the Lord, perhaps twenty will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty."	31. And he said, Imploring mercy, I have now begun to speak before the LORD, the LORD of all the world. Perhaps twenty who pray may be found; ten in each of the two cities, and forgive You for Your mercy's sake! And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty innocent.
32. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak yet this time, perhaps ten will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten."	32. And he said, I implore mercy before You! Let not the anger of the LORD, the LORD of all the world, grow strong, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten may be found there; and I and they will pray for mercy upon all the land, and You will forgive them. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the ten who may be innocent.
33. And the Lord departed when He finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.	33. And the majesty of the (Shekinah of the) LORD went up when He had ceased to speak with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis

In order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised and an answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.

The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows

[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:

1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.

2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.

3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain the provision in question.

4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages.

5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the general.

6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.

7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol II: The Patriarchs

By: Rabbi Yaaqov Culi, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)

Vol. 2 – “The Patriarchs,” pp. 157-219

Rashi’s Commentary for: B’resheet (Genesis) 18:1-33

1 And [the Lord] appeared to him to visit the sick (Tan. Buber, Vayera 1). Said Rabbi Chama the son of Chanina: It was the third day from his circumcision, and the Holy One, blessed be He, came and inquired about his welfare (B. M. 86b).

in the plains of Mamre He [Mamre] was the one who counseled him about circumcision. Therefore, He appeared to him [Abraham] in his [Mamre’s] territory.-[from Tan. Vayera 3]

was sitting It is written יֽשֵׁב [without a “vav,” and may therefore be read: “he sat”]. He wished to stand. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Sit and I will stand, and you will be a sign for your children that I am destined to stand in the congregation of the judges, and they will sit,” as it is said (Ps. 82:1): “God stands in the Divine assembly.”-[from Gen. Rabbah 48:7]

at the entrance of the tent to see whether there were any passersby whom he would bring into his house.-[from B.M. 86b]

when the day was hot -(B.M. 86b) The Holy One, blessed be He, took the sun out of its sheath so as not to trouble him with wayfarers, but since He saw that he was troubled that no wayfarers were coming, He brought the angels to him in the likeness of men.-[from Gen. Rabbah 48:9, Exod. Rabbah 25:2]

2 and behold, three men One to bring the news [of Isaac’s birth] to Sarah, and one to overturn Sodom, and one to heal Abraham, for one angel does not perform two errands (Gen. Rabbah 50:2). You should know that [this is true] because throughout the entire chapter, Scripture mentions them in the plural, e.g., (below verse 8): “and they ate”; (ibid. verse 9): “and they said to him.” Concerning the announcement, however, it says (ibid. verse 10): “And he said: I will surely return to you.” And concerning the overturning of Sodom, it says (below 19:22): “For I will not be able to do anything”; (ibid. verse 21): “I will not overturn” (Gen. Rabbah 50:11). And Raphael, who healed Abraham, went from there to save Lot. This is what is stated: “And it came to pass when they took them outside, that he [the angel] said, ‘Flee for your life.’“ You learn that only one acted as a deliverer.

were standing beside him Heb. עָלָיו , lit. over him. Before him, like (Num. 2:20): “And next to him (וְעָלָיו) , the tribe of Manasseh,” but it is a euphemism in reference to the angels.

and he saw Why is וַיַרְא written twice [in this verse?] The first is to be understood according to its apparent meaning [i.e., and he saw], and the second means “understanding.” He observed that they were standing in one place, and he understood that they did not wish to burden him. And although they knew that he would come out toward them, they stood in their place out of respect for him, to show him that they did not wish to trouble him, and he went out first and ran toward them. (This is the reading in an old Rashi ms.) In Bava Metzia (ad loc.) it is written: “standing beside him,” and then it is written: “and he ran toward them!” When they saw that he was untying and tying [his bandages], they separated from him. Immediately, “he ran toward them.”

3 And he said, “My lords, if only I have, etc.” To the chief one he said this, and he called them all lords, and to the chief one he said, “Please do not pass by,” because if he would not pass by, his companions would stay with him. According to this version, it (אֲדֽנָי) is profane (Shev. 35b) (i. e., it does not refer to God). Another explanation: It (אֲדֽנָי) is holy, and he was telling the Holy One, blessed be He, to wait for him until he would run and bring in the wayfarers. And although this [“Do not pass by”] is written after, “and ran toward them,” the statement [to God, “do not pass by”] preceded it. It is customary for the verses to speak in this manner, as I explained in reference to (above 6:3): “Let My spirit not quarrel forever concerning man” [the decree that God would wait 120 years before bringing the Flood] which was written after (5:32): “And Noah begot.” But it is impossible to say otherwise than that the decree preceded the birth [of Japhet] by 20 years. And the two interpretations [of אֲדֽנָי as being profane and holy in this context] are in Genesis Rabbah.

Please let...be taken through a messenger, and the Holy One, blessed be He, rewarded his [Abraham’s] children through a messenger, as it is said (Num. 20:11): “And Moses raised his hand, and he struck the rock.”-[from B.M. 86b]

and bathe your feet He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate themselves to the dust of their feet, and he was strict not to allow any idolatry into his house. But Lot, who was not strict, mentioned lodging before washing, as it is said (below 19: 2): “and lodge and bathe your feet.”-[from Gen. Rabbah 54:4]

under the tree under the tree.-[from Targumim]

5 and sustain your hearts In the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographa, we find that bread is the sustenance of the heart. In the Torah-”and sustain your hearts”; in the Prophets-(Jud. 19:5): “Sustain your heart with a morsel of bread”; in the Hagiographa-(Ps. 104:15): “and bread sustains man’s heart.” Said Rabbi Chama: לְבַבְכֶם is not written here, but לִבְָּכֶם . This teaches us that the evil inclination does not rule over the angels.-[from Gen. Rabbah 48:11]

after[wards] you shall pass on Afterwards, you shall go.

because you have passed by For I request this from you [i.e., to sustain your hearts] because you have passed by me [i.e., have stopped in my home] to honor me.

because - כִּי עַל כֵּן is like עַל אֲשֶׁר , because, and so is every כִּי עַל כֵּן in Scripture, e.g., (below 19:8): “because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) they have come in the shadow of my roof”; (below 33:10): “because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I have seen your countenance”; (below 38: 26): “because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I have not given her”; (Num. 10:31): “because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) you know our encamping.”

6 meal [and] fine flour The fine flour for the cakes [and] the meal for the starch used by cooks to cover the pot, to draw out the scum.-[from B.M. 86b]

7 a calf, tender and good There were three calves, in order to feed them three tongues with mustard.-[from B.M. 86b]

to the youth This was Ishmael, to train him to perform mitzvoth.-[from Aboth d’Rabbi Nathan, ch. 13]

8 And he took cream and milk, etc. But he did not bring bread, because Sarah became menstruous, for the manner of the women returned to her on that day, and the dough became ritually unclean.-[from B.M. 87a] cream the fat of the milk that is skimmed off the top.

and the calf that he had prepared that he had prepared. Each one that he prepared, he took and brought before them.-[from B.M. 86b]

and they ate They appeared to be eating.-[from here we learn that a person should not deviate from custom.-[from B.M. ad loc., Gen. Rabbah 48:14, Targum Jonathan]

9 And they said to him Heb. אֵלָיו . There are dots over the letters איו in the word אֵלָיו . And we learned: Rabbi Simeon the son of Eleazar says: “Wherever the [undotted] letters are more than the dotted ones, you must expound on the [undotted] letters, etc.” And here, the dotted letters are more than the [undotted] letters, and you must expound on the dotted [letters]. [The meaning is that] they also asked Sarah, “Where (אַיוֹ) is Abraham?” (Gen. Rabbah 48:15) We learn that a person should ask in his lodging place of the husband about the wife, and of the wife about the husband (B.M. 87a). In Bava Metzia (ad loc.) it is said: The ministering angels knew where our mother Sarah was, but [they asked in order] to make known that she was modest, in order to endear her to her husband. Said Rabbi Joseph the son of Chanina: In order to send her a cup of blessing (i.e., the cup of wine upon which the Grace after Meals is recited).

Behold in the tent She is modest.-[from B.M. ad loc., Mid. Ps. 128:3]

10 at this time next year At this time, next year. It was Passover, and on the following Passover, Isaac was born, since we do not כְּעֵת [at “a” time] כָּעֵת [at “this” time]. כָּעֵת חַיָה means: at this time, when there will be life for you, when you will all be alive and well.-[from Targum Yerushalmi, Targum Jonathan]

I will surely return The angel did not announce that he [himself] would return to him, but he was speaking to him as an emissary of the Omnipresent. Similarly (above 16:10): “And the angel said to her: I will greatly multiply [your seed]” but he [the angel] did not have the power to multiply [her children], but he spoke as an emissary of the Omnipresent. Here too, it was as an emissary of the Omnipresent that he said this to him. (Elisha said to the Shunamite woman (II Kings 4:16): “At this season, at this time next year, you will be embracing a son.” And she said, “No my lord, O man of God, do not fail your maidservant. Those angels who announced to Sarah, said (below verse 14): ‘At the appointed time, I will return,’“ [but Elisha did not promise to return]. Elisha replied, “Those angels, who live and endure forever, said, ‘At the appointed time, I will return.’ But I am flesh and blood, alive today and dead tomorrow. Whether I shall be alive or dead, ‘At this time, etc. [you will embrace a son.’“] (Gen. Rabbah 53:2).

and it was behind him The entrance was behind the angel.

11 ceased to have It had ceased from her.-[from Gen Rabbah 48:16]

the way of the women the menstrual cycle.

12 within herself She looked at her insides and said, “Is it possible that these insides will carry a child; that these breasts, which have dried up, will give forth milk?”-[from Tan. Shoftim 18] smooth flesh Heb. עֶדְנָה , smoothness of flesh, and in the language of the Mishnah (Meg. 13a, Men. 86a): “It causes the hair to fall out and smooths (מְעַדֵָּן) the flesh.” Another explanation: an expression of time (עִידָן) , the time of the menstrual period.-[from Gen. Rabbah 48:17]

13 Is it really true Is it really true that I will give birth?-

although I am old Scripture altered [her statement] for the sake of peace, for she had said, “and my master is old.”-[from B.M. 87a]

14 Is...hidden Heb. הֲיִפָָלֵא , as the Targum renders: הַיִתְכַּסֵי . Is anything too hidden and separated and concealed from Me [to prevent Me] from doing My will?

At the appointed time At that time that was appointed, that I set for you yesterday, [when I said] (17:21): “at this time next year.”

15 because she was afraid...but you laughed The first כִּי serves as an expression of “because,” for it gives the reason for the matter: “And Sarah denied...because she was afraid,” and the second כִּי serves as an expression of “but.” And He said, “It is not as you say, but you did laugh.” For our Sages said: כִּי has four different meanings: if, perhaps, but, and because.-[from R.H. 3a]

16 and they looked Heb. וַיַשְׁקִיפוּ . Whenever the word הַשְׁקָפָה occurs in Scripture, it denotes evil, except (Deut. 26:15): “ Look (הַשְׁקִיפָה) from Your holy dwelling,” for the power of gifts to the poor is so great that it converts the Divine attribute of wrath to mercy.- [from Tan. Ki Thissa 14]

to escort them Heb. לְשַׁלְחָם , to escort them. He thought that they were wayfarers.-[from Zohar, vol. 1, 104a]

17 Shall I conceal Heb. הַמְכַסֶה ? This is a question.[i.e., The “hey” is not the definite article but the interrogative “hey.”]

what I am doing in Sodom? It would be improper for Me to do this thing without his knowledge. I gave him this land, and these five cities are his, as it is said (10:19): “And the border of the Canaanite was from Sidon..., as you come to Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.” I called him Abraham, the father of a multitude of nations. Now, can I destroy the sons without informing the father, who loves Me?-[from Gen. Rabbah 49:2, Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 25]

18 And Abraham will become [According to] a Midrash Aggadah (Yoma 38b) (Prov. 10: 7): “The mention of a righteous man is for a blessing.” Since He mentioned him, He blessed him. Its simple meaning is, however: Shall I conceal this from him? He is so dear to Me as to become a great nation, and through him will be blessed all the nations of the earth.

19 For I have known him Heb. יְדַעְתִּיו , an expression of love, like (Ruth 2:1): “a kinsman (מוֹדַע) of her husband”; (ibid. 3:2): “And now, Boaz our kinsman (מוֹדַעְתָּנוּ) ”; (Exod. 33:17): “and I shall know you (וָאֵדָעֲךָ) by name.” But, in fact, the primary meaning of them all is none other than an expression of knowing, for if one loves a person, he draws him near to himself and knows him and is familiar with him. Now why do I love him? “Because he commands”... for he commands his sons concerning Me, to keep My ways. But if you explain it as the Targum renders: “I know about him that he will command his sons, etc.,” the word לְמַעַן does not fit into the sense [of the verse].

because he commands Heb. יְצַוֶּה , a present tense, (i.e., a habitual action) like (Job 1: 5): “So would Job do (יַעֲשֶׂה) ”; [(Num. 9:20): “in accordance to the utterance of the Lord they would camp” (יַחֲנוּ) ].

in order that [the Lord] bring So would he command his sons, “Keep the way of the Lord in order that the Lord bring upon Abraham, etc.” It does not say “upon the house of Abraham” but “upon Abraham.” We learn from this that whoever raises a righteous son is considered as though he does not die.-[from Gen. Rabbah 49:4]

20 And the Lord said to Abraham, for He did as He had said, that He would not conceal from him.

since [it] has become great Wherever רָבָָּה appears in Scripture, the accent is on the last syllable, on the “beth,” because they are translated: “great”, or “becoming great.” But this one has its accent on the first syllable, on the “resh,” because it is to be translated: “has already become great,” as I have explained regarding (above 15:17): “Now it came to pass that the sun had set (בָּאָָה) ”; (Ruth 1:15): “Lo, your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָָה) .”

21 I will descend now This teaches judges that they should not decide capital punishment cases unless they see it [i.e., they must go to the site of the crime and investigate the matter.]-[Divrei David]) Everything is as I explained in the chapter dealing with the dispersion (Tan. Noah 18). Another explanation: I will descend to the end of their deeds (to fathom the results thereof). -[Be’er Mayim Chayim]).

whether according to her cry [i.e., the cry] of the land.

which has come to Me, they have done And [if] they remain in their state of rebellion, I will wreak destruction upon them, but if they do not remain in their state of rebellion, I will know what I will do, to punish them with suffering, but I will not destroy them. Similar to this we find elsewhere (Exod. 33:5): “But now, leave off your ornament from yourself, so that I may know what to do to you.” Therefore, there is a pause marked by the cantillation sign of a פּסִיק between עָשָׂוּ and כָָּלָה , in order to separate one word from another. Our Sages, however, interpreted הַכְָּצַעֲקָתָה to refer to the cry of a certain girl, whom they killed with an unusual death because she gave food to a poor man, as is delineated in [chapter] Chelek. (Sanh. 109b)

22 And [the men] turned from there from the place to which Abraham had escorted them.

and Abraham was still standing, etc. But is it not so that he did not go to stand before Him, but the Holy One, blessed be He, came to him and said to him (above verse 20): “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, etc.,” and it should have been written here: “and the Lord was still standing beside Abraham?” But this is an emendation of the Scribes (Gen. Rabbah 49:7). (The Sages of blessed memory changed the text and wrote it in this manner) [to avoid an irreverent expression, i.e., it would be offensive to God to say that He was standing before Abraham!]

23 And Abraham approached and said We find [the expression]”approaching” for war (II Sam. 10:13): “And Joab drew forward, etc.”; and “approaching” for placating (below 44:8): “And Judah approached him”; and “approaching” for prayer (I Kings 18:36): “And Elijah the prophet came near.” For all these, Abraham approached: to speak harshly [i.e., when he requested justice], to placate, and to pray.-[from Gen. Rabbah 49:8]

Will You even destroy Heb. הַאַף . Will You also destroy? And according to the translation of Onkelos, who rendered אַף as an expression of wrath, this is its interpretation: Will wrath entice You that You should destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous men ten righteous men for each city, because there were five places.-[from Targum Jonathan]

25 Far be it from You And if You say that the righteous will not save the wicked, why should You kill the righteous?-[from Gen. Rabbah 49:8]

Far be it from You Heb. חָלִילָה . It is profane (חוּלִין) , [i.e., unfitting] for You. They will say, “So is His craft. He inundates everyone, righteous and wicked.” So You did to the Generation of the Flood and to the Generation of the Dispersion.-[from Tan. Vayera 8]

a thing such as this Neither this nor anything similar to it.-

Far be it from You for the World to Come.-[from Tan. Buber]

Will the Judge of the entire earth The “hey” of הֲשֽׁפֵט is vowelized with a “chataf pattach,” as an expression of wonder: Will He Who judges not perform true justice?!

26 “If I find in Sodom, etc., the entire place [Sodom refers to] all the cities, but because Sodom was the metropolis and the most important of them all, Scripture ascribes [the fifty righteous men] to it.

27 although I am dust and ashes I was already fit to be dust at the hands of the kings and ashes at the hands of Nimrod, were it not for Your mercies that stood by me.

28 Will You destroy because of five Will there not be nine for each city? And You, the Righteous One of the world, will be counted with them.-[from Gen. Rabbah 49:9]

29 Perhaps forty will be found there And four cities will be saved, and so thirty will save three of them, or twenty will save two of them, or ten will save one of them.-[from Zohar, vol. 1, omissions, 255b]

31 Behold now I have desired Heb. הוֹאַלְתִּי . I have desired, as in (Exod. 2:21): “And Moses was willing (וַיוֹאֶל) .”

32 perhaps ten will be found there For fewer [than ten] he did not ask. He said, “In the Generation of the Flood, there were eight: Noah and his sons, and their wives, but they did not save their generation.” And for nine, together with counting [God] he had already asked, but did not find.

33 And the Lord departed, etc. Since the defender was silent, the Judge left.

and Abraham returned to his place The Judge left, the defender left, and the prosecutor is accusing. Therefore: ”And the two angels came to Sodom,” to destroy (Gen. Rabbah 49:14) One to destroy Sodom and one to save Lot, and he [the latter] is the same one who came to heal Abraham, but the third one, who came to announce [Isaac’s birth] to Sarah, since he had performed his mission, he departed (Tan. Vayera 8).

Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis

Thirteen rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the elucidation of the Torah and for making halakic deductions from it. They are, strictly speaking, mere amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and are collected in the Baraita of R. Ishmael, forming the introduction to the Sifra and reading a follows:

1. Ḳal wa-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
2. Gezerah shawah: Identical with the second rule of Hillel.
3. Binyan ab: Rules deduced from a single passage of Scripture and rules deduced from two passages. This rule is a combination of the third and fourth rules of Hillel.
4. Kelal u-Peraṭ: The general and the particular.
5. u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The particular and the general.
6. Kelal u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The general, the particular, and the general.
7. The general which requires elucidation by the particular, and the particular which requires elucidation by the general.
8. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the general as well as the particular.
9. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of the special regulation which corresponds in concept to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather than to increase the rigidity of its application.
10. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of some other special regulation which does not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated either to decrease or to increase the rigidity of its application.
11. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision can be referred to the general only in case the passage under consideration makes an explicit reference to it.
12. Deduction from the context.
13. When two Biblical passages contradict each other the contradiction in question must be solved by reference to a third passage.

Rules seven to eleven are formed by a subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule twelve corresponds to the seventh rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain particulars; rule thirteen does not occur in Hillel, while, on the other hand, the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and their application in general. These rules are found also on the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.

Ramban’s Commentary for: B’resheet (Genesis) 18:1-33

18:1. AND HE APPEARED TO HIM. Rashi comments: "To visit the sick man. Said Rabbi Chama the son of Chanina, 'It was the third day after his circumcision, and the Holy One, blessed be He, came and inquired after him.'[1] And, lo, three men:[2] angels who came to him in the form of men. Three: one to announce to Sarah that she would bear a son, one to heal Abraham, and one to overthrow Sodom. Raphael who healed Abraham went from there to rescue Lot" for these do not constitute two commissions.[3] This is because the second mission was in another place, and he was commanded thereon after [he had completed his first mission].[4] Perhaps it is because the two missions had rescue as their common goal.[5] "And they did eat:[6] they appeared to be eating."

In the book Moreh Nebuchim[7] it is said that this portion of Scripture consists of a general statement followed by a detailed description. Thus Scripture first says that the Eternal appeared to Abraham in the form of prophetic visions, and then explains in what manner this vision took place, namely, that he [Abraham] lifted up his eyes in the vision, and lo, three men stood by him,[8] and he said, If now I have found favor in Your eyes.[9] This is the account of what he said in the prophetic vision to one of them, namely, their chief.

Now if in the vision there appeared to Abraham only men partaking of food, how then does Scripture say, And the Eternal appeared to him, as G-d did not appear to him in vision or in thought?[10] Such is not found with respect to all the prophecies. And according to his[11] words, Sarah did not knead cakes, nor did Abraham prepare a bullock, and also, Sarah did not laugh. It was all a vision! If so, this dream came through a multitude of business,[12] like dreams of falsehood, for what is the purpose of showing him all this![13] Similarly did the author of the Moreh Nebuchirn say in the case of the verse, And a man wrestled with him,[14] that it was all a prophetic vision. But if this be the case, I do not know why Jacob limped on his thigh when he awoke! And why did Jacob say, For I have seen an angel face to face, and my life is preserved?[15] The prophets did not fear that they might die on account of having experienced prophetic visions. Jacob, moreover, had already seen a greater and more distinguished vision than this since many times, in prophetic visions, he had also seen the Revered Divinity.[16] Now according to this author's opinion, he will find it necessary for the sake of consistency to say similarly in the affair of Lot that the angels did not come to his house, nor did he bake for them unleavened bread and they did eat.[17] Rather, it was all a vision! But if Lot could ascend to the height of a prophetic vision, how did the wicked and sinful people of Sodom become prophets? Who told them that men had come into Lot's house? And if all these [i.e., the actions of the inhabitants of Sodom], were part of prophetic visions, then it follows that the account related in the verses, And the angels hastened Lot, saying: Arise take your wife ... And he said, Escape for your life ... See, I have accepted you,[18] as well as the entire chapter is but a vision, and if so, Lot could have remained in Sodom! But the author of the Moreh Nebuchim thinks that the events took place of themselves, but the conversations relating to all matters were in a vision! But such words contradict Scripture. It is forbidden to listen to them, all the more to believe in them!

In truth,[19] wherever Scripture mentions an angel being seen or heard speaking it is in a vision or in a dream for the human senses cannot perceive the angels. But these are not visions of prophecy since he who attains the vision of an angel or the hearing of his speech is not yet a prophet. For the matter is not as the Rabbi[20] pronounced, i.e., that every prophet, Moses our teacher excepted, received his prophecy through the medium of an angel. The Sages have already said[21] concerning Daniel: "They[22] were greater than he for they were prophets and he was not a prophet." His book, likewise, was not grouped together[23] with the books of the prophets since his affair was with the angel Gabriel, even though he appeared to him and spoke with him when he was awake, as it is said in the vision concerning the second Temple: Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, etc.[24] The vision concerning the ultimate redemption[25] also occurred when

Daniel was awake as he walked with his friends beside the Tigris River.[26] Hagar the Egyptian[27] is not included in the group of prophetesses.[28] It is also clear that hers was not a case of the bath kol (prophetic echo),[29] as the Rabbi would have it. Scripture, furthermore, sets apart the prophecy of Moses our teacher from that of the patriarchs, as it is said, And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] G-d Almighty,[30] this name being one of the sacred names for the Creator, and not a designation for an angel. Our Rabbis also taught concerning the difference in the degree of prophecy between Moses and the other prophets, and they said:[31] "What is the difference between Moses and all the prophets? The Rabbis say that all prophets saw through unclear vision. It is to this matter that Scripture refers in saying, And I have multiplied visions, and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes.[32] Moses saw through a clear vision. It is to this matter that Scripture refers in saying, And the similitudes of the Eternal does he behold,[33] as is explained in Vayikra Rabba 1:14 and other places. But in no place did the Sages attribute the prophecy of the prophets to an angel.

Do not expose yourself to argument by quoting the verse, I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the Eternal, saying,[34] since its meaning is as follows: "I also am a prophet as you are, and I know that the angel who spoke to me was by word of G-d, this being one of the degrees of prophecy, as the man of G-d said, For so was it charged me by the word of the Eternal,[35] and he further said, For it was said to me by the word of the Eternal.[36]

Our Rabbis have further stated[37] in the matter of Balaam, who said, Now, therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back,[38] [that is as if Balaam commented]: "I did not go [with the messengers of Balak] until the Holy One, blessed be He, told me, Rise up, go with them,[39] and you [i.e., an angel], tell me that I should return. Such is His conduct! Did He not tell Abraham to sacrifice his son, after which the angel of the Eternal called to Abraham, And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad.[40] He is accustomed to saying something and to have an angel revoke it, etc." Thus the Sages were prompted to say that the prophecy comprising the first charge where G-d is mentioned is not like the second charge of which it is said that it was through an angel, only this was not unusual, for it is customary with the prophets that He would command by a prophecy and revoke the command through an angel since the prophet knew that the revocation was the word of G-d.

In the beginning of Vayikra Rabba[41] the Sages have said: "And He called to Moses,[42] unlike Abraham. Concerning Abraham it is written, And the angel of the Eternal called unto Abraham a second time au t of heaven.[43] The angel called, and G-d spoke the word, but here with respect to Moses, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'It is I Who called, and it is I Who spoke the word.' " That is to say, Abraham did not attain prophecy until he prepared his soul first to perceive an angel, and from that degree he ascended to attain the word of prophecy, but Moses was prepared for prophecy at all times.

Thus the Sages were prompted to inform us everywhere that seeing an angel is not prophecy, and those who see angels and speak with them are not included among the prophets, as I have mentioned concerning Daniel. Rather, this is only a vision called "opening of eyes," as in the verse: And the Eternal opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Eternal;[44] similarly: And Elisha prayed, and said, O Eternal, I pray to you, open his eyes, that he may see.[45] But where Scripture mentions the angels as men, as is the case in this portion, and the portion concerning Lot - likewise, And a man wrestled with him, And a certain man found him,[46] in the opinion of our Rabbis[47] - in all these cases there was a special glory created in the angels, called among those who know the mysteries of the Torah "a garment," perceptible to the human vision of such pure persons as the pious and the disciples of the prophets, and I cannot explain any further. And in those places in Scripture where you find the sight of G-d and the speech of an angel, or the sight of an angel and the speech of G-d, as is written concerning Moses at the outset of his prophecy,[48] and in the words of Zechariah.[49] I will yet disclose words of the living G-d in allusions.

Concerning on the matter of the verse, And they did eat, the Sages have said:[50] "One course after the other disappeared.”[51] The matter of "disappearance" you will understand from the account about Manoah,[52] if you will be worthy to attain it.

Now here is the interpretation of this portion of Scripture. After it says that In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised,[53] Scripture says that G-d appeared to him while he was sick from the circumcision as he was sitting and cooling himself in his tent door on account of the heat of the day which weakened him. Scripture mentions this in order to inform us that Abraham had no intention for prophecy. He had neither fallen on his face nor prayed, yet this vision did come to him.

IN THE OAKS OF MAMRE. This is to inform us of the place wherein he was circumcised.

Now this revelation of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) came to Abraham as a mark of distinction and honor, even as it is said in connection with the dedication of the Tabernacle, And they [Moses and Aaron] came out, and blessed the people, and the glory of the Eternal appeared unto all the people,[54] as it was on account of their effort in fulfilling the commandment of building the Tabernacle that they merited seeing the Shechinah. Now the revelation of the Shechinah here and there was not at all for the purpose of charging them with some commandment or to impart some communication. Instead, it was a reward for the commandment which had already been performed, and it informed them that their deeds have G-d's approval, even as it says, As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness/generosity; I will be satisfied, when I awake, with Your likeness.[55] Similarly, in connection with Jacob, Scripture says, And the angels of G-d met him,[56] and yet we find no communication there, nor is any new matter conveyed. Instead, the verse only informs us that he merited seeing angels of the Supreme One, and thus he knew that his deeds had His approval. And so it was with Abraham: the seeing of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) was both merit [for his having performed the commandment of circumcision] and assurance of G-d's approval.

Similarly did the Sages say[57] of those who passed through the Red Sea and said, This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him:[58] "A handmaid saw at the sea what Ezekiel the prophet never saw." This they merited at the time of the great miracle because they believed in the Eternal, and in Moses his servant.[59]

At times the appearance of the Shechinah comes in a moment of anger, as mentioned in the verse: And the whole congregation bade stone them with stones, when the glory of the Eternal appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the children of Israel.[60] That was for the protection of His righteous servants and their honor.

Now do not be concerned about the interruption of the portion[61] since the subject is after all connected. It is for this reason that the verse says, And He appeared to him, and it does not say, "And the Eternal appeared to Abraham." But in this present chapter Scripture wishes to give an account of the honor that was bestowed upon him [Abraham] at the time he performed the circumcision, and it tells that the Shechinah appeared to him and sent him His angels to inform his wife [that she would give birth to a son], and also to save his relative Lot on his account. Abraham had already been informed by the Shechinah concerning the birth of a son,[62] and Sarah was now informed by word of the angel who spoke with Abraham in order that Sarah should hear, even as it says, And Sarah heard.[63]

This is the intent of the Sages' saying,[64] "G-d came to visit the sick man," meaning that it was not for the purpose of some utterance but as a mark of honor to him.

They have also said,[65] "An altar of earth you will make unto Me.[66] Now if any person just built an altar to My name, he is assured that I will appear unto him and bless him.[67] All the more is such assurance given to Abraham who circumcised himself for My name."

It is possible that the Sages may have further intended to say [by their remark, "He came to visit the sick man,"] that the vision of the Shechinah was a cure for his sickness on account of the circumcision, for so it should be, as it is written, In the light of the King's countenance is life.[68]

2. STOOD OVER HIM. The purport thereof is that they were standing opposite Abraham and looking at him, the expression being similar to: that stood over the reapers;[69] the chief officers that stood over the work.[70] And due to the fact that he [Abraham] was sitting and they were standing and looking at him, the verse says, "over him." This is also the meaning of the expression, And he saw, and ran to meet them, for as he saw them standing opposite him and not continuing their journey, he ran to meet them in order to bring them to his house.

The sense of the expression, From the tent door, is that Abraham was still sitting there after the vision of the Shechinah. had departed from him.

It is possible that the expression "over him" refers to the tent, i.e., that they were near it on the side which was not opposite the door, and there they stood and did not approach Abraham, just as in the verse, encamping 'at' (on) the sea.[71]

3. 'ADONAY,' IF NOW I HAVE FOUND FAVOR IN YOUR EYES. We find the word Adonay here in the books marked with a kamatz.[72] Thus it must be that he called them by the name of their Master, i.e., with the Aleph Datet,[73] as he recognized them to be angels of the Supreme One, even as they are called elohim and eilim.[74] For this reason he bowed down to the earth to them.

PASS NOT AWAY, I PRAY, FROM YOUR SERVANT. Abraham spoke to each one of the angels, as is the way of the whole Torah: You will keep all My statutes ... and do them;[75] The nakedness of your father, and the nakedness of your mother, you will not uncover;[76] And when you reap the harvest of your land, you will not wholly reap the corner of your field;[77] And from thence you will seek the Eternal your G-d, and you will find Him, If you search after Him with all your heart and with all you soul.[78] The greater part of the Mishneh Torah[79] is written in this manner. A counter-example to the above is the verse: Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.[80]

Now our Rabbis have said,[81] "Abraham spoke to the chief of the angels ...[82] It is also possible that he said to the chief, "Pass not away, I pray , [in the singular sense], and you and your companions who will remain with you wash your feet," [the verb "wash" being in the plural form] .

The correct interpretation appears to me to be that he called them all "lords," and he turned to each individual, saying to the first one: If now I have found favor in your eyes, pass not away, and to the second one he said the same, and the same to the third one. He begged each one individually: If now I have found favor in your eyes, pass not away, and, let now a little water be fetched, and all of you wash your feet.[83] This was by way of ethical conduct and respect out of his great desire to show kindness towards them. Now he recognized them as transients who did not have the desire to lodge there. This is why he asked of them only that a little water be fetched to wash their feet a little from the heat, to give cold waters to a faint soul,[84] and that they recline under the tree in the cool of the day without coming into the tent and the tabernacle.

5. FORASMUCH AS YOU PASSED BY. Since your path crossed near me, it is not proper that you should not rest a little with me.

So do, as you have said. This is an ethical expression indicating that a morsel of bread will be sufficient.[85] Thus the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra.

It may be that the verse is stating, "So will you do to us, that we recline under the tree and pass immediately as we are messengers, and therefore do not detain us by making us come into the tent or lodge with you."

6. MEAL, FINE FLOUR. The fine flour for the cakes; the meal for the dough used by cooks to place over the pot to absorb the scum. Thus the words of Rashi. And so it is found in Beresheet Rabba.[86] Now there the Sages explained that there were three measures of meal and three measures of fine flour for each one of the guests. But we do not know why he served so much bread for three men. Perhaps he was aware of how the food disappeared successively,[87] and it was as if he was offering more Burnt-offerings upon the altar, or perhaps because in their honor chiefs of his house dined with them.

By way of the simple meaning [of Scripture, the verse is to be interpreted as follows: Make ready quickly three measures of meal to make of them fine flour. Thus from the entire three measures of meal, they extracted a bit of fine flour.

7. AND ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD. The purport thereof is to tell us of his great desire to bestow kindness. This great man had three hundred and eighteen men[88] in his house, each one a swordsman, and he was very old and weakened by his circumcision, yet he went personally to Sarah's tent to urge her in the making of the bread, and afterwards he ran to the place of the herd to chose a calf, tender and good, to prepare for his guests, and he did not have all these done by means of one of his servants who stood ready to serve him.

10. I WILL CERTAINLY RETURN UNTO YOU WHEN THE SEASON COMES AROUND. Rashi comments, "The angel was not announcing that he would return to him, but he was speaking to him as G-d's agent, [meaning that G-d would return]. This is similar to the verse: And the angel of the Eternal said to her [Hagar], I will multiply your seed exceedingly.[89] But he [the angel] has no power to multiply, and he was therefore speaking as G-d's agent. So also here, he spoke as G-d's agent."

Now the Rabbi[90] found it necessary to say so because the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham here, At the set time I will return unto you.[91] However, whether it be a reference to the angel or to the Holy One, blessed be He, we do not find it recorded that at the set time He returned. Perhaps a reference to this return is included in the expression, And the Eternal remembered Sarah, as He had said, and the Eternal did unto Sarah as He had spoken.[92]

Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the verse beginning, And the Eternal said to Abraham,[93] means that the angel said it in the name of Him Who sent him, and he did return at the set time which he had told him, even though it is not written in Scripture.

The correct interpretation appears to me to be that [the expression, shov ashuv (I will certainly return)], is akin to the phrase, liteshuvath hashanah (at the return of the year).[94] The verse is thus stating: "I will surely bring back to you a time as this time, that you will be alive and Sarah your wife will have a son." This is similar to what was said to Abraham, At this set time in the next year.[95] The word ashuv will then be like, 'Veshav' (And) the Eternal your G-d (will bring back) your captivity and have compassion upon you and will return and gather you.[96]

11. 'BA'IM BAYAMIM' (ADVANCED IN DAYS). In his youthful days a man is called "standing in days," and they are referred to as "his days" because they belong to him, just as in verse The number of your days will I fulfil.[97] But when he gets old and has lived longer than most people of his generation, it is said of him that he is ba bayamim, [literally, "came into days"], because it is as if he came into another land, travelling from and arriving in a city each and every day.

IT HAD CEASED TO BE WITH SARAH AFTER THE MANNER OF WOMEN. This is the time of pregnancy, for after menstruation has ceased due to old age, a woman will not become pregnant.

13. I BEING OLD. This is the explanation of Sarah's words, after 1 am waxed o1d.[98] And G-d's words [that Sarah had said, "I being old"], were true, but for the sake of peace He did not reveal what she also said, namely, My lord being old also, for [if He were quoting Sarah], He should have said, "I and my lord are old," as Sarah had laughed concerning both of them.

14. IS ANYTHING TOO HARD ('HAYIPALEI') FOR THE ETERNAL? Is anything too hard and improbable for G-d to cause it to happen? This expression is similar to the verse, For all things come of You, and of Your own have we given You.[99] Likewise, Out of Asher his fat bread,[100] meaning "Out of Asher will come fat bread."

Onkelos translated: "Is anything hidden?" He interpreted it as similar to the expression, If there arise a matter hidden (‘yipalei’) for thee in judgment.[101] If so, there is a hidden secret here.

Rashi's language: "Hayipalei, is anything apart and hidden from Me that I cannot do as I would wish?" Rashi has thus grafted together in [the word hayipalei] two separate concepts.[102]

15. AND SARAH DENIED, SAYING. I wonder about the righteous/generous prophetess:[103] How did she deny that which G-d had said to the prophet,[104] and also, why did she not believe in the words of G-d's angels?

The answer appears to me to be that these angels who appeared as men came to Abraham, and he, in his wisdom, recognized them. They announced to him, "I will certainly return unto you,[105] and Sarah will have a son." And Sarah heard it, but she did not know that they were angels of the Supreme One, as was the case with the wife of Manoah.[106] It is even possible that she did not see them at all. Therefore she laughed within herself in derision, just [as the word "laugh" is used in the verse]: He that sits in heaven laughs, the Eternal has them in derision.[107] For joyous laughter is [expressed in Hebrew as originating] in the mouth - Then was our mouth filled with laughter[108] - but laughter originating in the heart is not spoken of as joyous. Now the Holy One, blessed be He, accused her before Abraham as to why the matter appeared to her to be impossible. It was fitting for her to believe, or she should have said, "Amen, G-d do so!" Now Abraham said to her, "Why did you laugh? Is anything too hard for the Eternal?" He did not explain to her that G-d had revealed her secret to him. And she, because of Abraham's fear of G-d, denied it for she thought that Abraham had said so through recognition of the expressions on her face or because she had kept quiet and gave no expression of praise and thanksgiving or joy. And he said to her, No, but you did laugh. Then she understood that it was told to him in a prophecy, and so she remained quiet and did not answer a word.

It is proper that we also say that Abraham had not revealed to her what had originally been told to him: Indeed, Sarah, your wife will bear you a son.[109] Perhaps he waited until G-d would send her the announcement on the following day for he knew that the Eternal G-d will do nothing, but He revealed His counsel unto His servants the prophets.[110] It may be that due to his great diligence in fulfilling commandments, he was occupied with his circumcision and the circumcision of the many people in his house. Afterward, on account of his weakness, he sat at the doorway of the tent, and the angels came before he had told her anything.

17. AND THE ETERNAL SAID. I.e., to the host of heaven standing by Him,[111] or to the angel messengers. It is possible that the word amar (He said) refers to thought, meaning that He thought He should not keep it hidden from Abraham on account of these reasons. Similarly: I 'said,' in the noontide of my days I will go;[112] And he 'said' to slay David.[113] Likewise all expressions of speaking within the heart refer to thought.[114]

18. AND ABRAHAM WILL SURELY BECOME. A Midrash Agadah comments: The memory of the righteous/ generous will be for a blessing.[115] Since He mentioned Abraham, He blessed him. The simple meaning of the verse though is, "Will I conceal it from him since he is so beloved by Me to become a mighty nation?" Thus the language of Rashi.

The correct interpretation is that G-d, blessed be He, spoke of the honor of Abraham, saying: "Behold, he is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and his memory will be a blessing among his seed and all nations of the earth. Therefore, I will not conceal it from him for the future generations will say, "How could He hide it from him?' or, 'How could the righteous/generous one[116] be so callous about his close neighbors and have no mercy on them, not praying at all in their behalf, and that which was known to him, [i.e., that the cities will be destroyed], was good and pleasing!' For I know that he recognizes and is cognizant that I the Eternal loves righteousness/ generosity and justice,[117] that is to say, that I do justice only with righteousness/generosity, and therefore he will command his children and his household after him[118] to follow in his path. Now if it is possible in keeping with righteousness/generosity and justice to free the cities from destruction, he will pray before Me to let them go, and it will be well and good. And if they are completely guilty, he too will want their judgment. Therefore, it is proper that he enter in the council of G-d."[119]

19. FOR I HAVE KNOWN HIM ('YEDATIV'), TO THE END ('LEMA'AN') THAT HE MAY COMMAND HIS CHILDREN. Rashi comments: "For I have known him, as the Targum takes it, is an expression denoting affection, just as A kinsman (‘moda’) of her husband's;[120] And I know you.[121] Still the main connotation of all these expressions is that of knowing, for he who holds a person in affection and draws him to himself knows him well and is familiar with him. But if you explain it as the Targum does - i.e., "I know that he will command his children" - then the word lema'an (to the end) does not fit into the sense."[122]

It is possible that the word yedativ means "I have raised him and elevated him so that he will command his children after him to do that which is right before Me, and therefore I will make him a great and mighty nation so that he should serve Me. In a similar sense are the verses: I know you (‘yedaticha') by name;[123] What is man, that You know him?[124] Or the verse may be stating, I know that he will command,[125] and in a similar sense is the verse, So that your ox and your ass may have rest (lema'an yanuach),[126] meaning that he may have rest.

The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the word yedativ literally means "knowing." He is thus alluding that G-d's knowledge, which is synonymous with His Providence in the lower world, is to guard the species, and even the children of men are subject despite it to the circumstantial evil occurrences until the time of their visitation comes. But as regards His pious, He directs His Providence to know each one individually so that His watch constantly attaches to him, His knowledge and remembrance of him never departs, as it says: He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous/generous.[127] There are many verses on this theme, as it is written, Behold, the eye of the Eternal is toward them that fear Him,[128] and other verses besides.

20. AND THE ETERNAL SAID, THE CRY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. Rashi comments: "And the Eternal said to Abraham, thus doing what He had said, i.e., that He would not conceal the matter from him."

And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the verse, And the men turned from there,[129] was inserted in the middle of the account[130] in order to let us know that at the time the angels arrived in Sodom, then G-d said to Abraham: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great.

The opinion of all commentators is likewise that G-d was speaking with Abraham. Now according to this, the correct interpretation of the verse, And the men turned from there, is that when G-d said to Abraham after the men journeyed from him, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, Abraham stood in prayer and supplication before Him to forgive them and to give him permission to speak. And he prolonged his prayer until the men came to Sodom, and then Abraham drew near and said, Will You also sweep away the righteous/generous with the wicked?[131] Or the explanation may be that Scripture itself returns to clarify the expression, Abraham stood yet before the Eternal,[132] as meaning that Abraham drew near and said, Will You also sweep away the righteous/ generous with the wicked? Thus he prolonged his supplication before Him, saying each time, "Let not the anger of the Eternal blaze,"[133] and directing the intent of his mind each time towards prophecy until he heard an answer to his words direct from the Holy One, blessed be He. They continued in this manner the entire day [until, as the verse says], the Eternal finished speaking with Abraham,[134] and the two angels came to Sodom.

THE CRY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. This is the cry of the oppressed, crying out and begging for help from the arm of their wickedness. It would have been proper for Scripture to say, "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah I heard because it is great," or "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very heavy." But the purport of the verse is to state that "I will go down and see the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah and their sin which have become very great. If they have all sinned, I will bring the Law to bear down on them, and if not, I will know who are the sinners."

Concerning the matter of "going down and seeing," Rashi said by way of drash:[135] "This teaches that judges are not to give decisions in cases involving capital punishment except after having carefully looked into the matter."

According to the simple meaning of Scripture, the explanation is as follows: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to reveal to Abraham the matter of Sodom and to inform him that there was none among them who did good, He said to him "Because it is great, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah will I go down to see, meaning I have come to judge. If they have sinned, I will make an end of them, and if not, I shall know what I shall do to them: Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes."[136] He thus informed him that their judgment was not yet complete for now He will visit their sin and judge them. This is like the verse: The Eternal looks from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after G-d. They are all corrupt; they are together become impure.[137]

Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said concerning this[138] ["going down and seeing"] a mystery [i.e., a mysterious explanation], pleasing himself with foreign offspring.[139] I shall now intimate to you the opinion of those who received the truth. Our Rabbis have exposited[140] from the verse, For behold, the Eternal comes forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth:[141] "He comes forth and goes from attribute to attribute; He comes forth from the attribute of mercy, and goes to the attribute of justice." We interpret this matter similarly. And the Eternal said in His heart, "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it is great, I will go down from the attribute of mercy to the attribute of justice, and I will see in mercy If they have done according to the cry of it which is come unto Me through the attribute of justice, and if so, punishment; and If not, I will know and I will show mercy," just as in the verse, And G-d knew.[142] Now after Scripture tells of the knowledge of the Most High, it returns to the first matter and relates the story of how the men who glanced towards Sodom with the intention of going there and whom Abraham sent away arrived there. And Abraham, from the moment they left him until they arrived there, still stood before the Eternal for He called him and told him that the angels were those messengers who would destroy the place, as He had said. It was not necessary for Scripture to explain when Abraham stood before Him for from the moment He said, Will I conceal it from Abraham,[143] it is known that He told him.

23. AND ABRAHAM DREW NEAR AND SAID, WILL YOU ALSO SWEEP AWAY THE RIGHTEOUS/ GENEROUS WITH THE WICKED? The anger[144] of the Holy One, blessed be He, is His attribute of justice. Now Abraham thought that this would sweep away the righteous/generous with the wicked, not knowing of G-d's thoughts in which He thought of them with His mercies, as I have explained.[145]

Therefore, Abraham said that it is proper and good that He should forgive the entire place because of the fifty righteous/generous inhabitants, but it is inconceivable even according to the Divine attribute of Justice to slay the righteous/generous with the wicked,[146] for if so the righteous/generous will be as the wicked, and they will say, It is vain to serve G-d.[147] And all the more is this inconceivable according to the Divine attribute of Mercy since He is the Judge of all the earth, and He does justice[148] even as it is said, And the Eternal of Hosts is exalted through justice,[149] and we say in our prayers, "The King of judgment."[150] This is the significance of the double use of the expression, It is unworthy of You.[151] And the Holy One, blessed be He, conceded that He would forgive the entire place for the sake of the fifty righteous/generous, for He will conduct Himself towards them with the attribute of Mercy.

What informs you of all this[152] is the fact that Vayomer HaShem (And the Eternal said)[153] is written with the Tetragrammaton, and all references by Abraham to the Divine Name are written Adonay.[154] This has now been clarified.

24. FIFTY RIGHTEOUS/GENEROUS. Rashi wrote: "Ten righteous/generous men for each city. Will You destroy on account of the five.[155] Nine for each city, and You, the All-Righteous One of the Universe, will be counted with them [to make up the original number of ten]. Perhaps there will be found there forty.[156] Then let four cities be saved. So, too, thirty will save three of them, twenty will save two of them, and ten will save one of them. And he did not plead for less than ten since in the generation of the flood there were eight righteous/generous people,[157] and they could not save their generation. For nine, in association with G-d, he had already pleaded but found no acceptance." All these are the words of the Rabbi, of blessed memory.

But I wonder: If so, what is this prayer and supplication which he pleads each and every time, saying, oh let not the Lord be angry;[158] Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak?[159] It is proper that forty should save four cities, and thirty and twenty should save in proportion, just as fifty would save five! Similarly, concerning that which Rashi said, "for nine in association with G-d he had already pleaded but found no acceptance," it may be asked: When he pleaded about forty-five, [i.e., to save all five cities by having nine righteous men for each city] in association [with G-d to make up ten], and he did not find forty-five, but perhaps he might have found there nine![160] Now it would seem that the intention of the Rabbi[161] is that many righteous/generous people can effect a proportionately greater salvation than a few righteous/generous people can, just as the Sages have said:[162] "A few who fulfil the commandments of the Torah cannot compare with the many who fulfil the commandments of the Torah." And thus,[163] the Holy One, blessed be He, having conceded that forty-five righteous men in association with the All-Righteous/Generous One of the Universe would save all the five cities just as if there were the entire fifty, it follows that if forty could save four cities - in association with the Righteous One, praised be He - they would also save with even thirty and twenty, since He already conceded this association. [Thus, thirty-six would save four, twenty-seven three, eighteen two, and nine one]. And in case you say that He conceded only the case of forty-five because they are many, and perhaps He might not concede the principle of association with the few, as we have said, the refutation is that it is proper for the righteousness/generosity of G-d to associate even with the few and save [as many of the cities as possible] since He had conceded the principle of association, for He would not distinguish between the many and the few.[164] This is the opinion of the Rabbi.

But the way of the simple meaning of the verses is smooth.[165] First Abraham said fifty in order to give a perfect number of ten for each city, and then he decreased the number as much as possible, and each time he thought to save all five cities. And I do not know who brought the Rabbi to that which he said.

26. WITIIIN THE CITY. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that [these men for whose sake the cities were to be saved] fear G-d publicly. In a similar sense is the verse: Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem.[166]

The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Abraham said, within the city, meaning that even if they are strangers therein, it is fitting that they save it. He said this on account of Lot, and he thought that perhaps there are others there.

28. I WILL NOT DESTROY IT IF I FIND THERE. He assured him that He would not destroy it if that number of righteous/generous men will be found there. And He did not tell him, "Know that there is not such a number there as you said," since their trial had not been completed, just as He said, I will go down now, and see.[167]

Now Abraham did not know what would be done to them. Therefore, he rose early in the morning and looked towards Sodom,[168] and upon seeing that they were destroyed, he knew that the required number of righteous/ generous men had not been there.

Ketubim: Psalms 13:1-6

Rashi’s Translation	Targum
1. To the conductor, a song of David.	1. For praise, a hymn of David.
2. How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?	2. How long, O LORD, will You neglect me forever? How long will You hide the splendor of Your face from me?
3. How long will I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart by day; how long will my enemy have the upper hand over me?	3. How long will I put warnings in my soul, suffering in my heart daily? How long will my enemy vaunt himself over me?
4. Look and answer me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.	4. Pay heed and receive my prayer, O LORD my God; illumine my eyes by Your Torah, lest I sin and sleep with those who deserve death.
5. Lest my enemy say, "I have overwhelmed him"; my adversaries will rejoice when I totter.	5. Lest the evil impulse should say, "I have taken control of him," lest my oppressors rejoice because I stray from Your paths.
6. But I trusted in Your loving-kindness, my heart will rejoice in Your salvation; I will sing to the Lord for He has bestowed [it] upon me.	6. But I have placed my trust in Your goodness, my heart will rejoice in Your redemption; I will give praise in the LORD's presence because He rewards me with good things.

Rashi’s Commentary on Psalm 13:1-6

1 How long Four times, corresponding to the four kingdoms [Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Edom] and it is stated concerning all Israel.

4 lest I sleep the sleep of death For death is called sleep, (as in Jer. 51:39): “and sleep a perpetual sleep.”

Meditation from the Psalms

Psalm 13:1-6

By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

The superscription of this psalm attributes it to David. Both Rashi and Radak maintain that this psalm is dedicated to the future misery of the entire Jewish people when they are sent into exile.[169] In contrast to most of our earlier psalms,[170] this psalm does not speak of any musical instrument, nor does it make any connection to some personal event in David’s life.[171]

Our short psalm, of six pesukim (verses), mirrors the pathos of our Torah portion with conciseness and order, as we can see from the following table:

Torah	Psalm 13
For the leader – Avraham (Genesis 17:26)	1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
HaShem visits his friend Avraham to let him know that He has remembered him. (Genesis 18:1-8)	2 How long, HaShem, wilt Thou forget me for ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? 3 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart by day?{N} How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Avraham is answered: Sarah thy wife shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10-14)	4 Behold Thou, and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 5 Lest mine enemy say: 'I have prevailed against him'; lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.
Avraham pleads for the salvation of Sodom (Genesis 18:15-33)	6 But as for me, in Thy mercy do I trust; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. {N} I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me. {P}

Our verbal tally[172] also provides a point of comparison between our Torah portion and our psalm. In our psalm, David’s eyes are heavy with the fear of death while in our Torah portion Avraham’s eyes are bowed in pain.[173] In both cases it is HaShem who lightens David’s eyes and causes Avraham to raise his eyes.

In our psalm, David speaks of the salvation of HaShem, in verse 6. Clearly he was looking at our Torah portion as it contains one of the most profound cases of salvation that is to be found anywhere in the Tanakh. It is the salvation of Lot and his daughters. It is the salvation of the Moabites and the Ammonites. Finally, it is the genesis of the salvation of the Gentiles. So, please follow me as I unpack an incident in our Torah portion. (I apologise for the long length of this explanation, but, I believe that the insight is worth the read.)

The Torah describes an unusual incident that happened to Avraham that bears directly on the Torah’s prohibition against Moabites and Ammonites marrying Jews.[174] Since the Talmud indicates that the reason that Moabite women, and Ammonite women, are allowed to marry Jews, is because they were not expected to show hospitality to strangers.

Yevamot 76b ‘We learned: An Ammonite, but not an Ammonitess; A Moabite, but not a Moabitess! But in that case a bastard would’ imply: But not a female bastard?’ — ‘It is written mamzer [Which implies] anyone objectionable’. ‘Does then Egyptian exclude the Egyptian woman’? — ‘Here it is different, since the reason for the Scriptural text is explicitly stated: Because they met you not with bread and with water; it is customary for a man to meet [wayfarers]; It is not, however, customary for a woman to meet [them]’. ‘The men should have met the men and the women the women!’

How do we know that Moabite and Ammonite women were not expected to show hospitality to strangers? This halakhic ruling was given to us by Avraham Avinu who was the Gadol HaDor, the posek of his generation. He is the judge of his generation. If HaShem needs to have a judge render a decision on earth, then Avraham is the man. The Torah describes the incident where this ruling was made.

Bereshit 17:26 – 18:2 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. 1 And HaShem appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground …

The Zohar teaches us that these “men” were really angels:

Soncino Zohar, Beresheet, Section 1, Page 101b At first he took them for men, but afterwards he became aware that they were holy angels who had been sent on a mission to him.

The Midrash[175] and Talmud[176] tell us about these three angels had separate missions and names:

Midrash Rabbah - Genesis L:2 THEN THE TWO ANGELS CAME, etc. But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? and what His soul desireth, even that He doeth (Job XXIII, 13). It was taught: One angel does not perform two missions, nor do two angels together perform one mission, yet you read that two [angels came to Sodom]? The fact is, however, that Michael announced his tidings [to Abraham] and departed: Gabriel was sent to overturn Sodom, and Rafael to rescue Lot; hence, THEN THE TWO ANGELS CAME, etc.

1. One angel came to prophesy [Yitzhak's birth] to Avraham and Sarah and to rescue Lot (Michael).
2. One to heal Avraham and later, on a new mission, to rescue Lot (Raphael).
3. One who destroyed Sodom (Gavriel).

It is appropriate that the destruction of Sodom and Gomora is carried out by Gavriel. However, one could easily ask: Why is he here with Avraham and Sarah? His mission had nothing to do with Avraham and Sarah. Why would he not be in Sodom instead? After all, they had a job to do, why not get to it? Sodom is the place where he has a mission.

We can get some insight into their presence at Avraham’s tent by noting a very curious question in the Torah. Keep in mind that these three “strangers” have been invited to dinner and the dinner has been set before them. At this point, the first thing out of their mouths is a disturbing question.

Beresheet (Genesis) 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

Baba Metzia 87a And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, She is in the tent: this is to inform us that she was modest.[177] Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The Ministering Angels knew that our mother Sarah was in the tent, but why [bring out the fact that she was] in her tent? In order to make her beloved to her husband.[178] R. Jose son of R. Hanina said: In order to send her the wine-cup of Benediction.[179]

Midrash Rabbah - Numbers III:13 Another instance: And they said unto him (אליו): Where is Sarah?[180] There are points over the aleph, yod, and vaw of ‘אליו’, to indicate that they knew where she was, yet made inquiries about her.[181]

Now imagine that you are in Avraham’s place. You have a modest wife who does not normally interact with strange men. Men who, by the way, have no business with Sarah. Their only business is with Avraham. The first thing these strange men ask is, “Where is Sarah?” This is very strange. Further, instead of becoming indignant with these strangers, Avraham answers their question.

Beresheet (Genesis) 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

So, HaShem and His messengers ask their halachic question: Where is Sarah?

We have HaShem and three of HaShem’s mightiest angels who are sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to hear the answer to a most important halakhic question. Does Avraham understand that he is rendering an halakhic, legal, decision that will affect humanity for a the rest of time?

Because Avraham was close to HaShem we can be sure that Avraham realizes the import of this question.

In Beresheet (Genesis) 18:9, we see Avraham answering: ‘Behold in the tent’. Thus we see that Sarah remained indoors attending to the duties of her household, even though there were visitors whom Abraham was entertaining in the open under the tree.

Beresheet (Genesis) 18:1-5 And HaShem appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

This simple answer will affect humanity for the rest of time. What does it mean? Why is this question, and its answer, so important that it is the first priority for HaShem and His three mighty angels, on their visit to Avraham?

It is important to note that Avraham is going to plead with HaShem to save the people of Sodom and to save Lot in Beresheet (Genesis) 18:23-33. Avraham was genuinely concerned for Lot and the people of the cities associated with Sodom.

Did Lot deserve to be saved?

Beresheet (Genesis) 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.

The text tells us that he was saved only because “G-d remembered Avraham and He sent Lot out …”. The merit of Avraham saved Lot. Lot's salvation was an act of mercy, not justice. Furthermore, for Lot to be saved required a much greater degree of divine intervention. If not for Lot, G-d would have simply sent Gavriel to destroy the city.

Avraham’s pleading managed to only save Lot and His family.

Why did HaShem and the three angels want to know Sarah’s whereabouts? To put it another way: Why are three strange men asking about a woman they had never met and with whom they had no mission or message?

We have two questions before us:

1. Why is Gavriel in Mamre, with Avraham, and not Sodom?
2. Why are the three angels asking Avraham to tell them Sarah’s location?

What is going on here? The answer is quite profound and bears directly on the issue of the legitimacy of King David.

The two angels have a mission in Sodom. The fact that they are here with Avraham means that their question has immediate relevance to their mission. What is the relevance?

When strangers came to Avraham’s house, did Sarah greet the strangers with food and water? No, Avraham greeted them with food and water. This question and it’s answer were critical to the deliverance of Lot and his daughters because the reason given, in Debarim (Deuteronomy) 23:3-4, for the exclusion of the Ammonites and Moabites is that they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Since the Ammonites and Moabites (Ruth and Naamah[182]) would become the descendants of Lot and his daughters, it was necessary to know whether the woman (Sarah) would greet the strangers with food and water.

Avraham provided a legal ruling when he said that Sarah was in the tent. His ruling was that women are responsible for hospitality inside the home and NOT outside!

Because of this ruling, Gavriel determined that Lot must be delivered from Sodom because from him would descend Ruth the Moabitess. Thus we understand that Gavriel did not proceed directly to Sodom because he needed to know whether Lot should be saved when he destroyed Sodom. He could only learn this when Avraham made his ruling.

Once the two angels knew that Avraham and Sarah did not have a custom to let Sarah greet the strangers, they knew that they must save Lot and His daughters because they would become legitimate converts that would be responsible for the birth of King David and King Mashiach. The leader of the generation, Avraham, had ruled that the woman’s modesty prevented them from greeting strangers. Therefore, Ruth and Naamah could enter the congregation of Israel and their progenitors, Lot and his daughters, must be preserved.[183]

In spite of Avraham’s efforts for Lot and his family, Lot’s descendents, the Moabites, do not greet the Israelites with food and water when they needed it.

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 23:3-4 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of HaShem; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of HaShem for ever: 4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

Because the Moabites were ungrateful and inhospitable, HaShem tells us that a Moabite cannot enter the congregation of Israel. This means that no Moabite can marry a Jew. This poses a big problem!

The problem is that Ruth is a Moabite and she is an integral part of the Messianic line. If she is disqualified from marrying a Jew, then her son, Oved, cannot be Jewish. His son, Yishai, can not be a Jew. His son, David, cannot be a Jew and therefore cannot be King in Israel. His descendent, Mashiach, can not be Jewish and cannot be King. He cannot be The Mashiach! This is a big problem!

Shmuel the prophet would rule that Ruth was able to enter the congregation of Israel because of Avraham’s ruling. Because Avraham said that Sarah was “in the tent”, Ruth the Moabitess was able to enter the congregation and become a progenitor of the Messianic line.

Shmuel, the Prophet, was the one who anointed David as the King over Israel, at the command of HaShem. He was also the one who wrote the Megilla of Ruth, which shows the genealogy of David. The book of Ruth was written to help address this problem. Never the less, without the oral law this is a problem which cannot be resolved. The written Torah never addresses this issue.

Thus we see that the salvation of Lot and his daughter, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, as well as all Gentiles depends on Sarah being in the tent! This is the salvation that causes David to rejoice in verse 6. You see, this is David’s salvation as well!

Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:17-24 + 35:2

Rashi’s Translation	Targum
13. ¶ Hearken, you far-off ones, what I did, and know, you near ones, My might.	13. ¶ Hear, you righteous/generous, who have kept My Law from the beginning, what I have done; and you penitent, who have repented to the Law recently, acknowledge My might.
14. Sinners in Zion were afraid; trembling seized the flatterers, 'Who will stand up for us against a consuming fire? Who will stand up for us against the everlasting fires?'	14. Sinners in Zion are shattered; fear has seized them. To the wicked whose ways are thieving they say, "Who can dwell for us in Zion, where the splendour of the Shekhinah is like a devouring fire? Who can sojourn for us in Jerusalem, where the wicked are about to be judged and handed over to Gehenna, everlasting burning?"
15. He who walks righteously, and speaks honestly, who contemns gain of oppression, who shakes his hands from taking hold of bribe, closes his ear from hearing of blood, and closes his eyes from seeing evil.	15. The prophet said, The righteous/generous will sojourn in it, everyone who walks in innocence and speaks uprightly, who despises mammon of deceit, who removes his soul from oppressors, who withholds his hands, lest they accept a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing those who spill innocent blood and averts his eyes from looking upon those who do evil,
16. He shall dwell on high; rocky fortresses shall be his defense; his bread shall be given [him], his water sure.	16. He, his camping place will be in a high and exalted place, the sanctuary; his soul will amply provide his food; his water will be sure as a spring of waters whose waters do not cease.
17. The King in His beauty shall your eyes behold; they shall see [from] a distant land.	17. Your eyes will see the glory of the Shekhinah of the eternal king in his celebrity; you will consider and behold those who go down to the land of Gehenna.
18. Your heart shall meditate [in] fear; where is he who counts, where is he who weighs, where is he who counts the towers?	18. Your mind will reckon up great things: "Where are the scribes, where are the reckoners?" Let them come if they are able to reckon the number of the slain heads of the armies of the mighty ones.
19. A people of a strange tongue you shall not see, a people of speech too obscure to comprehend, of stammering tongue, without meaning.	19. You will no more see the mastery of a strong people, the people whose obscure speech you cannot comprehend, scoffing with their tongue because there is no understanding among them.
20. See Zion, the city of our gathering; your eyes shall see Jerusalem, a tranquil dwelling, a tent that shall not fall, whose pegs shall never be moved, and all of whose ropes shall not be torn.	20. You will look upon their downfall. Zion, city of our assemblies! Your eyes will see the consolation of Jerusalem in its prosperity, in its contentedness, like a tent which is not loosed, whose stakes are never plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
21. But there, the Lord is mighty for us; a place of broad rivers and streams, where a galley with oars shall not go, and a great ship shall not pass.	21. But from there the might of the LORD will be revealed to do good for us, from a place of rivers going forth, overflowing, broad, where no fishermen's ship can go, nor any great sailboat can pass through.
22. For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our ruler; the Lord is our king; He shall save us.	22. For the LORD is our judge, who brought us by His might out of Egypt, the LORD is our teacher, who gave us the teaching of His Law from Sinai, the LORD is our king; He will save us and take just retribution for us from the armies of Gog.
23. Your ropes are loosed, not to strengthen their mast properly; they did not spread out a sail; then plunder [and] booty were divided by many; the lame takes the prey.	23. In that time the Gentiles will be broken of their strength, and will resemble a ship whose ropes are cut, which has no strength in their mast, which has been cut, and it is not possible to spread a sail on it. Then the house of Israel will divide the possessions of the Gentiles, booty and spoil in abundance; although there are blind and lame among them, even they will divide booty and spoil in abundance.
24. And the neighbor shall not say, "I am sick." The people dwelling therein is forgiven of sin. {S}	24. From now on they will not say to the people who dwell in safety all around the Shekhinah, "From You a stroke of sickness has come upon us"; the people, the house of Israel, will be gathered and return to their place, forgiven of their sins. {S}
1. Nations, come near to hear, and kingdoms, hearken. The earth and the fullness thereof, the world and all its offspring.	1. Draw near, O peoples, to hear, and hearken, O kingdoms! Let the earth listen, and all that fills it; the world, and all that reside in it.
2. For the Lord has indignation against all the nations and wrath against all their host. He has destroyed them; He has given them to the slaughter.	2. For there is anger before the LORD against all the Gentiles, and slaughter against all their armies, He has declared them sinners, handed them over for slaughter.
3. And their slain ones shall be thrown, and their corpses-their stench shall rise, and mountains shall melt from their blood.	3. Their slain will be cast out, and the smoke of their corpses will rise; the mountains will flow with their blood.
4. And all the host of heaven shall melt, and the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll, and all their host shall wither as a leaf withers from a vine, and as a withered [fig] from a fig tree.	4. All the forces of heaven will melt completely and be wiped from under the skies just as was said concerning them in the scroll. All their armies will come to an end as leaves fall from a vine, like what is withered from a fig.
5. For My sword has become sated in the heaven. Behold, it shall descend upon Edom, and upon the nation with whom I contend, for judgment.	5. For My sword will be revealed in the heavens; behold it will be revealed for the judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have declared sinners.
6. The Lord's sword has become full of blood, made fat with fatness, from the blood of lambs and goats, from the fat of the kidneys of rams, for the Lord has a slaughter in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.	6. The sword from the LORD is sated with blood, it is gorged with fat, with the blood of kings and rulers, with the fat of the kidneys of princes. For there is slaughter from the LORD in Bozrah, and great sacrifice in the land of Edom.
7. And wild oxen shall go down with them, and bulls with fat bulls, and their land shall be sated from blood, and their dust shall become saturated from fat.	7. Mighty ones will be killed with them, and rulers with tyrants. Their land will be soaked with their blood, and their soil made rich with their fat.
8. For it is a day of vengeance for the Lord, a year of retribution for the plea of Zion.	8. For there is a day of vengeance before the LORD, a year of recompense, to take just retribution for the mortification of Zion.
9. And its streams shall turn into pitch and its dust into sulfur, and its land shall become burning pitch.	9. And the streams of Rome will be turned into pitch, and her soil into brimstone; her land will become burning pitch.
10. By night and by day, it shall not be extinguished; its smoke shall ascend forever and ever; from generation to generation it shall be waste, to eternity, no one passing through it.	10. Night and day it will not be quenched; its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation it will be desolate; none will pass through it forever and ever.
11. Pelican and owl shall inherit it, and night owl and raven shall dwell therein, and He shall stretch over it a line of waste, and weights of destruction.	11. But pelicans and porcupines will possess it, owls and ravens will dwell in it. The line of desolation and the plummet of devastation will be stretched over it.
12. As for its nobles, there are none who proclaim the kingdom, and all its princes shall be nothing.	12. They were saying, We are free, and did not wish to accept a kingdom over them, and all its princes will be for nothing.
13. And its palaces shall grow thorns, thistles and briers in its fortresses, and it shall be the habitat of jackals, an abode for ostriches.	13. Thorns will grow over its palaces, and nettles and thistles in the stronghold of its fortresses. It will be a haunt of jackals, a place for ostriches.
14. And martens shall meet cats, and a satyr shall call his friend, but there the lilith rests and has found for herself a resting place.	14. And wild beasts will meet with cats, demons will play, one with his fellow; yea, there will night hags lie, and find for themselves a resting place.
15. There the owl has made its nest, and she has laid eggs and hatched them, and gathered its young under its shadow, but there have the vultures gathered, each one to her friend.	15. There will a porcupine nest and lay and their young mew in her shadow; yea, thence will kites be gathered, each one with her mate.
16. Seek out of the Book of the Lord and read; not one of them is missing, one did not miss her friend, for My mouth it has commanded, and its breath it has gathered them.	16. Seek and search in the book of the LORD: not one of these is missing; no female is without her mate. For by His Memra they will be gathered, and by His pleasure they will draw near.
17. And He cast lots for them, and His hand distributed it to them with a line; forever they shall inherit it, to every generation they shall inhabit it. {S}	17. He by His Memra has cast the lot for them, by His pleasure He has portioned it out to them with the line; they will possess it forever, from generation to generation they will dwell in it. {S}
1. Desert and wasteland shall rejoice over them, and the plain shall rejoice and shall blossom like a rose.	1. Those who dwell in the wilderness, in a thirsty land, will be glad, those who settle in the desert will rejoice and blossom like lilies.
2. It shall blossom and rejoice, even to rejoice and to sing; the glory of the Lebanon has been given to her, the beauty of the Karmel and the Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, the beauty of our God. {P}	2. They will exult abundantly, and rejoice with joy and gladness. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the brilliance of Carmel and Sharon. The house of Israel- these things are said to them - they will see the glory of the LORD, the brilliance of the celebrity of our God. {P}

Rashi’s Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:17-24 + 35:2

13 you far-off ones Those who believe in Me and do My will from their youth.

you near ones Repentant sinners who have recently drawn near to Me.

14 Sinners in Zion were afraid How they would find an opening to repent.

Who will stand up for us against a consuming fire? (lit., Who will live for us a consuming fire?) I.e., who will stand up for us to appease burning wrath? Alternatively, who among us will dwell, i.e., who among us will dwell in Zion with the Rock, Who is a consuming fire? And he replies, “He who walks righteously, etc.”

15 He who walks righteously Who will be found? One who walks righteously.

who shakes his hands (eskot in O.F.).

closes his ear (אֽטֵם) Comp. (I Kings 6:4) “transparent but closed (אֲטֻמִים) .”

and closes (וְעֽצֵם) Comp. (supra 29:10) “And He has closed (וַיְעַצֵּם) your eyes.”

16 his bread shall be given He will not seek bread, for it will be supplied to him from heaven.

his water sure The source of his water will not fail. I.e., his seed will become great, and all his wants will be supplied.

17 The King in His beauty shall your eyes behold (The Holy One, blessed be He, Who is a King, Him you shall see from a distant land where you are standing. You shall see the miracles and the greatness that I will perform for you, and a people of a strange tongue, of obscure speech, shall not see the Shechinah of the King in His beauty. [This does not appear in many editions.]) The King in His beauty shall your eyes behold. To you, O righteous man, I say that you shall merit to see the splendor of the Shechinah of the Omnipresent.

they shall see [from] a distant land Jonathan renders: You shall look and see those who go down to the land of Gehinnom.

18 Your heart shall meditate [in] fear When you see the princes and the savants of the heathens, who ruled during their lifetime, and who are now being judged in Gehinnom, your heart will meditate in terror, and you will say, “Where is the wisdom and the greatness of these men? Where is the one who, during his lifetime, would count and weigh every word of wisdom, for they would ask him every counsel of the kingdom?

Where is he who counts the towers This too is a matter of the kingdom. He is appointed over the houses of the kingdom, how many they are, and how many towers a certain city requires. Comp. (Ps. 48:13) “Encircle Zion and surround it, count its towers,” how many towers it requires.

19 A people of a strange tongue (נוֹעָז) like לוֹעֵז . These are all the heathens, whose language is not the holy tongue. ([Other editions read:] These are Assyria and Babylon, whose language is not the holy tongue.) ([Manuscripts read:] These are all the nations whose language is not the holy tongue.)

you shall not see You shall not esteem in your heart, for they shall all be dark and humble.

speech...obscure ( שָׂפָה , lit. lip.) Comp. (Gen. 11:1) “And all the land was one speech (שָׂפָה) .”

of stammering tongue (נִלְעָג לָשׁוֹן) . Comp. (32:4) “The tongue of the stammerers עִלְּגִים) (לְשׁוֹן ,” (and of obscure speech. All this is a foreign language, for they do not understand the holy tongue.)

20 See Zion But whom will you see in your heart to be regarded as a kingdom and a ruling power? Zion, which is the city of our meeting place.

that shall not fall (יִצְעָן) shall not be lowered. Comp. (Jud. 4:11) “Elon-bezaanannim בְּצַעֲנַנִּים) (אֵלוֹן ,” which is rendered as: the plain of pits (מִישׁוֹר אַגְנַיָּא) , which are pits in the fields, called kombes in O.F. Comp. (Baba Kamma 61b) “The pits of the earth (אַגְנֵי דְאַרְעָא) they are considered,” where water gathers from the mountains and the hills. I believe that the ‘beth’ of the word בְּצַעֲנַנִּים is not radical, but is a prefix.

whose pegs shall never be moved (יִסַּע) The pegs with which they tie the ropes of the tent he shall not move them from the earth, from the place into which they are thrust. Comp. (I Kings 5:31) “And they quarried (וַיַּסִּעוּ) great stones.” Also (Jud. 16: 3), “And he plucked them (וַיִּסּעֵם) together with the bolt,” an expression of uprooting.

21 But there ‘But’ refers back to ‘whose pegs shall never be moved,’ and ‘shall not be torn.’ The evil shall not be, only the good. There the Lord shall be mighty for us, and the city shall be a place of rivers and streams, in the manner it is said in Ezekiel (47: 4f.): “And He measured a thousand (cubits), and He led me...a stream that I could not cross.” And so did Joel prophesy (4:18) “And a spring shall emanate from the house of the Lord,” that it shall become progressively stronger.

a galley with oars a ship that floats on the water.

and a great ship (וְצִי אַדִּיר) and a great ship [from Jonathan].

22 For the Lord is our judge Our prince and judge.

23 Your ropes that draw the ship, you sinful city. ([Mss. yield:] you, sinful Rome.)

properly prepared well.

a sail Heb. נס , the sail of a ship.

they did not spread out a sail They will not be able to spread the sail that guides the boat.

then plunder [and] booty were divided (עד) related to עֲדָאָה , plunder, in Aramaic.

by many Many will divide the plunder of the heathens. ([Mss. yield:] the plunder of Edom.) ([Others:] the nations.) ([Still others:] Sennacherib.)

lame Israel, who were weak until now.

24 And the neighbor shall not say (I.e., the neighbor of) Israel.

“I am sick” Because of this nation, this misfortune has befallen me, for

The people Israel, who is called a people, that dwells in Jerusalem, shall be forgiven of sin.

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4 And all the host of heaven shall melt They shall be frightened when I cast down the princes of the heathens.([Mss. yield:] the princes of the nations.) ([Warsaw edition:] of Assyria and Babylon.)

shall be rolled (וְנָגֽלּוּ) an expression of rolling. And the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll. Jonathan renders: And they shall be erased from beneath the heavens, as it is stated about them in the Book. But I explain it according to the context, for now, the kingdoms of the Ishmaelites (the nations [ms.]) (the wicked [Warsaw ed.]) have fortune and light. When they are erased and destroyed, it will be as though the world has darkened for them, as though the sun and the light are rolled up like the rolling of a scroll.

withers (יִבּוֹל) withers.

and as a withered [fig] from a fig tree The withered fruit of a tree is called נוֹבְלוֹת . This is what our Rabbis (Ber. 40b) explained: What are ‘noveloth’? Fruit ripened in the heater, that become ripe in the heater. After they are picked, he gathers them and they become heated and ripen.

5 For My sword has become sated in the heaven To slay the heavenly princes, and afterward it shall descend on the nation Ishmael ([mss. and Kli Paz:] Edom) ([Warsaw ed.:] Babylonians) below, for no nation suffers until its prince suffers in heaven.

the nation with whom I contend (עַם חֶרמִי) , the nation with whom I battle. This is a Mishnaic expression: (Keth. 17b) They taught this in connection with time of strife (חֵרוּם) . Comp. (I Kings 20:42) “The man with whom I contend חֶרְמִי) (אִישׁ ,” referring to Ahab.

6 lambs and goats princes and governors.

in Bozrah It is from the land of Moab, but since it supplied a king for Edom, as it is stated (Gen. 36:33): “And Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead,” it will, therefore, suffer with them. This is found in Pesikta.

7 wild oxen with them Kings with governors, wild oxen with the goats mentioned above.

fat bulls (אַבִּירִים) fat and large bulls, as it is stated (Ps. 22:13): “Fat bulls (אַבִּירֵי) of Bashan surrounded me.”

8 retribution for the plea of Zion That He will mete out punishment (lit., pay a reward) for the plea of Zion, who cries before Him to judge her from those who harm her.

9 And its streams shall turn (I.e., the streams) of the heathens. ([Mss. yield:] of Edom.)

10 from generation to generation From that generation until the last generation. Another explanation is that this is Moses’ curse (Ex. 17:16): “The Lord has a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” From Moses’ generation to Saul’s generation, and from there to Mordecai’s generation, and from there to the generation of the King Messiah.

11 owl (קִפּֽד) a bird that flies at night (chouette in French), an owl.

a line of waste A judgment of desolation.

and weights of destruction Weights of the judgment of destruction. ( אַבְנֵי , lit., stones.) Comp. (Deut. 25:15) “a whole weight (אֶבֶן) .”

12 As for its nobles, there are none who proclaim the kingdom Its princes stand, and none of them calls upon himself the name of ruling and kingdom.

nothing Destruction.

13 And its palaces shall grow thorns So is the nature of ruins to grow thorns and briers, and that is ‘kimosh’ and that is ‘choach’; they are all types of thorns, e.g., ortias, (nettles,) and the like.

the habitat of jackals (תַּנִּים) That is a desert, which is usually frequented by ‘tannim,’ which is a species of wild animal.

14 And martens shall meet cats And martens shall meet with cats. In this matter Jonathan rendered it. תַּמְוָן is נִמִּיּוֹת (martrines in O.F.), martens.

and a satyr A demon.

rests (הִרְגִּיעָה) an expression related to מַרְגּוֹעַ , rest.

lilith The name of a female demon.

15 has made its nest (קִנְּנָה) an expression related to ‘a bird’s nest’ (קַן) (Deut. 22:6).

owl (קִפּוֹז) that is the owl (קִפּֽד) .

and she has laid She laid eggs.

and hatched This is the emerging of the chicks from the egg. Comp. (below 59:5) The eggs of the viper have hatched.

and gathered This is the call that the bird calls with its throat to draw the chicks after it, gloussera in French. Comp. (Jer. 17:11) “A cuckoo gathers (דָגָר) what it did not lay.”

vultures (דַיּוֹת) voltojjrs in O.F.

each one to her friend (lit., each one her friend,) like to her friend.

16 Seek out of the Book of the Lord Read out of the Book of Genesis; when He brought the Flood, He decreed that all the creatures gather in the Ark, male and female, and none of them was missing. How much more will this be so when He decrees this upon them, to gather to drink blood and to eat flesh and fat!

did not miss (פָקָדוּ) Comp. (Num. 31: 49) “Not a man was missing (נִפְקַד) of us.”

for My mouth it has commanded that they come, and the breath of My mouth it gathered them. The antecedent of ‘its breath’ is ‘My mouth.’ Comp. (Ps. 33:6) “And with the breath of His mouth all their host.” Here too, the breath of My mouth it gathered them.

17 And He cast...for them Now the prophet says concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, “And He cast lots for them,” for all those beasts and fowl, that these shall fall to their share.

Chapter 35

1 shall rejoice over them (יְשֻׂשׂוּם) This is usually the sign of the direct object, inappropriate here in the case of an intransitive verb. (like יָשׂוּשׂוּ מֵהֶם , shall rejoice from them). Comp. (Jer. 10:20) “My sons have gone away from me (יְצָאֻנִי) .” Also, (I Kings 19:21) “He cooked the meat for them (בִּשְּׁלָם) ,” equivalent to בִּשֵּׁל לָהֶם , “He cooked the meat for them.”

Desert and wasteland Jerusalem, called ‘wasteland,’ and Zion, called ‘desert,’ they shall rejoice over the downfall of the mighty of the heathens and Persia ([Manuscripts yield:] of Edom and Bozrah). ([The Warsaw edition reads:] the mighty of Seir (and Bozrah).)

and the plain shall rejoice the plain of Jerusalem.

2 and to sing (lit., and sing,) like: and to sing.

the Lebanon The Temple. the beauty of His glory will be given to Zion.

Verbal Tallies

By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Beresheet (Genesis) 18:1-33

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:17-24 + 35:2

Tehillim (Psalm) 13

Mk 1:40-45, Lk 5:12-16, Acts 4:13-22

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Appeared / behold / look / saw - ראה, Strong’s number 07200.

Sat / dwell - ישב, Strong’s number 03427.

Tent / tabernacle - אהל, Strong’s 05869.

Eyes - עין, Strong’s number 05869.

Lift up / forgiven - נשא, Strong’s number 05375.

Ground / land - ארץ, Strong’s number 0776.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Eyes - עין, Strong’s number 05869.

Beresheet (Genesis) 18:1 And the LORD <03068> appeared <07200> (8735) unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat <03427> (8802) in the tent <0168> door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up <05375> (8799) his eyes <05869> and looked <07200> (8799), and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw <07200> (8799) them, he ran to meet them from the tent <0168> door, and bowed himself toward the ground <0776>,

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:17 Thine eyes <05869> shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold <07200> (8799) the land <0776> that is very far off.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle <0168> that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:21 But there the glorious LORD <03068> will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell <03427> (8802) therein shall be forgiven <05375> (8803) their iniquity.

Tehillim (Psalm) 13:1 « To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD <03068>? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

Tehillim (Psalm) 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD <03068> my God: lighten mine eyes <05869>, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Hebrew:

Hebrew	English	Torah Seder Gen 18:1-33	Psalms Psa 13:1-6	Ashlamatah Is. 33:14-17 + 35:10
lk;a'	ate, eat	Gen 18:8		Isa 33:14
rm;a'	said, speak, say	Gen 18:3 Gen 18:5 Gen 18:6 Gen 18:9 Gen 18:10 Gen 18:12 Gen 18:13 Gen 18:15 Gen 18:17 Gen 18:20 Gen 18:23 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:27 Gen 18:28 Gen 18:29 Gen 18:30 Gen 18:31 Gen 18:32	Ps 13:4
#r,a,	earth	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:18 Gen 18:25		Isa 33:17
aAB	advanced, come, bring	Gen 18:11 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:21		Isa 35:10
rb;D'	said, words	Gen 18:5 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:27 Gen 18:29 Gen 18:30 Gen 18:31 Gen 18:32 Gen 18:33		Isa 33:15
%l;h'	walking	Gen 18:16 Gen 18:22 Gen 18:33		Isa 33:15
!Agy"	sorrow, grief		Ps 13:2	Isa 35:10
hwhy	LORD	Gen 18:1 Gen 18:13 Gen 18:14 Gen 18:17 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:20 Gen 18:22 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:33	Ps 13:1 Ps 13:3 Ps 13:6	Isa 35:10
yKi	since, that	Gen 18:5 Gen 18:20	Ps 13:4
ble	yourselves, heart	Gen 18:5	Ps 13:5
~x,l,	bread	Gen 18:5		Isa 33:16
~yIm;	water	Gen 18:4		Isa 33:16
!mi	to, so	Gen 18:14		Isa 33:15
!t;n"	gave, given	Gen 18:7 Gen 18:8		Isa 33:16
!yI[;	eyes	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:3	Ps 13:3	Isa 33:15 Isa 33:17
l[;	opposite, toward, since	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:5 Gen 18:16 Gen 18:19	Ps 13:2
~ynIP'	before. Face	Gen 18:8 Gen 18:16 Gen 18:22	Ps 13:1
hq'd'c	righteousness	Gen 18:19		Isa 33:15
ha'r'	appeared, looked, see, behold	Gen 18:1 Gen 18:2 Gen 18:21		Isa 33:15 Isa 33:17
bWv	return	Gen 18:10 Gen 18:14 Gen 18:33		Isa 35:10
[m;v'	listen, hear	Gen 18:10		Isa 33:15
hn"['	replied, answer	Gen 18:27	Ps 13:3

Greek:

Greek	English	Torah Seder Gen 18:1-33	Psalms Psa 13:1-6	Ashlamatah Is. 33:14-17 + 35:10	Peshat Mk/Jude/Pet Mk 1:40-45	Remes 1 Luke Lk 5:12-16	Remes 2 Acts/Romans Acts 4:13-22
ἀκούω	heard	Gen 18:10		Isa 33:15		Luk 5:15	Act 4:19 Act 4:20
ἀνήρ	men	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:16 Gen 18:22				Luk 5:12
ἀπέρχομαι	went forth	Gen 18:33			Mar 1:42	Luk 5:13 Luk 5:14	Act 4:15
ἀποκρίνομαι	responding, answering	Gen 18:9 Gen 18:27					Act 4:19
ἅπτομαι	touched				Mar 1:41	Luk 5:13
ἀρνέομαι	denied	Gen 18:15					Act 4:16
ἄρχομαι	began	Gen 18:27			Mar 1:45
γίνομαι	came to pass	Gen 18:11 Gen 18:12 Gen 18:18				Luk 5:12	Act 4:16 Act 4:21
δεικνύω	show				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
δίκαιος	righteous, just	Gen 18:23 Gen 18:24 Gen 18:25 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:28					Act 4:19
δύναμαι	able				Mar 1:45	Luk 5:12	Act 4:16 Act 4:20
ἐγγίζω	approaches	Gen 18:23
εἴδω	see, known	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:19		Isa 33:15		Luk 5:12	Act 4:20
ἐκτείνω	stretch out				Mar 1:41	Luk 5:13
ἔξω	outside				Mar 1:45		Act 4:15
ἔπω	speak, say, spoken	Gen 18:3 Gen 18:5 Gen 18:6 Gen 18:9 Gen 18:10 Gen 18:13 Gen 18:15 Gen 18:17 Gen 18:20 Gen 18:23 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:27 Gen 18:28 Gen 18:29 Gen 18:30 Gen 18:31 Gen 18:32	Psa 13:4		Mar 1:42 Mar 1:44	Luk 5:13 Luk 5:14	Act 4:19
ἔρημος	wilderness				Mar 1:45	Luk 5:16
ἔρχομαι	come	Gen 18:21 Gen 18:22			Mar 1:40 Mar 1:45
εὐθέως	immediately				Mar 1:42 Mar 1:43	Luk 5:13
εὐθύς	straight			Isa 33:15
εὑρίσκω	found	Gen 18:3 Gen 18:28 Gen 18:29 Gen 18:30 Gen 18:31 Gen 18:32					Act 4:21
ἡμέρα	day	Gen 18:11	Psa 13:2
θέλω	want				Mar 1:40 Mar 1:41	Luk 5:12 Luk 5:13
θεός	GOD	Gen 18:1	Psa 13:3				Act 4:21
θεραπεύω	cured					Luk 5:15	Act 4:14
ἰδού	behold	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:9				Luk 5:12
ἱερεύς	priest				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
ἵστημι	to stand	Gen 18:2 Gen 18:22					Act 4:14
καθαρίζω	cleanse				Mar 1:40 Mar 1:41 Mar 1:42	Luk 5:12 Luk 5:13
καθαρισμός	cleansing				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
καταλαμβάνω	taking it in, overtake			Isa 35:10			Act 4:13
κηρύσσω	proclaiming				Mar 1:45
κρίνω	judge	Gen 18:25					Act 4:19
κύριος	LORD	Gen 18:1 Gen 18:13 Gen 18:14 Gen 18:17 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:20 Gen 18:22 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:33	Ps 13:1 Ps 13:3 Ps 13:6	Isa 35:10		Luk 5:12
λαλέω	speaking	Gen 18:19 Gen 18:27 Gen 18:29 Gen 18:30 Gen 18:31 Gen 18:32 Gen 18:33		Isa 33:15			Act 4:17 Act 4:20
λέγω	saying	Gen 18:12 Gen 18:13 Gen 18:15			Mar 1:40 Mar 1:41 Mar 1:44	Luk 5:12	Act 4:16
λέπρα	leprosy				Mar 1:42	Luk 5:12
λόγος	word				Mar 1:45	Luk 5:15
μᾶλλον	more, rather					Luk 5:15	Act 4:19
μαρτύριον	testimony				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
μηκέτι	no longer				Mar 1:45		Act 4:17
ὁδός	way	Gen 18:5 Gen 18:19		Isa 33:15
ὄνομα	name		Psa 13:6				Act 4:17 Act 4:18
ὁράω	appeared	Gen 18:1 Gen 18:21		Isa 33:17	Mar 1:44
παραγγέλλω	exhorted					Luk 5:14	Act 4:18
πᾶς	all, things	Gen 18:18 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:24 Gen 18:25 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:28					Act 4:16 Act 4:21
ποιέω	made, make	Gen 18:5 Gen 18:6 Gen 18:7 Gen 18:8 Gen 18:17 Gen 18:19 Gen 18:25					Act 4:16
πόλις	city	Gen 18:24 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:28			Mar 1:45	Luk 5:12
προστάσσω	assigned				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
προσφέρω	offer				Mar 1:44	Luk 5:14
πρόσωπον	face	Gen 18:16	Psa 13:1			Luk 5:12
τεσσαράκοντα	forty	Gen 8:6 Gen 18:29
τόπος	place	Gen 18:24 Gen 18:26 Gen 18:33		Isa 33:14	Mar 1:45
χείρ	hand			Isa 33:15	Mar 1:41	Luk 5:13

Pirqe Abot – MeAm Lo’ez

Pereq Alef

Mishnayot 15 & 16

By:

Rabbi Yitschaq Magriso

1:15 Shammai said: Make your Torah [study] a fixed practice; say little and do much; and receive every person with a nice, pleasant countenance.

Sharnmai's byword was, "Make your Torah study a regular obligation." This means that you should not allow your Torah study to become a superfluous burden. You should not place the emphasis on your profession or business, and when you have a few minutes, take a sacred book in hand and study Torah as if it were something superfluous and unimportant.

Instead, you must make the Torah your main occupation, the most important thing in your life. It was for this that you were created. Place all the emphasis on your study of Torah. Then, if you have some time left over, you can engage in a business or profession. Always keep in mind, that it is your business or profession that is part of your life that is superfluous and unimportant in an ultimate sense.

Other commentaries interpret the maxim, "Make your Torah study a fixed obligation," to mean that you must set aside certain study hours as a fixed obligation each day. If you must spend much time earning a living, you should set aside at least an hour each day and an hour each night.

During this special period, you should learn whatever you can. You may read Psalms, or study the Midrash, Eyn Yaakov. Resheet Chokhmah, or MeAm Lo'ez.

One of the first questions that a person is asked in the next world is, "Have you set aside times for Torah?" (Qavats’ta I’itim LaTorah?). It is taught, "Do not say, 'When I have leisure I will learn,' for you might not have leisure" (Pirqe Abot 2:5).

Therefore, a person should set aside an hour for Torah study, and when that hour comes, he should drop everything, and fulfill his obligation. Even if he has an important business deal, he should set it aside to study Torah during that hour.

Of course, there are some times when it is absolutely impossible to study during one's appointed hour. In such a case, one should be sure to make it up by night, studying his set amount. He should never go to sleep at night owing such a debt.

Shammai also said, "Say little and do much." When you commit yourself to do someone else a favor, do not over-commit yourself. Do not promise much and deliver little. It is better to promise less, and then do more than you promised. This is the way of the good Jew.

We thus find that when the angels visited Abraham, he said, "I will fetch a morsel of bread, and you will refresh yourselves" (Genesis 18:5). All Abraham offered the angels was a small piece of bread. But once they stopped, he prepared a sumptuous meal for them (Genesis 18:8).

There may be times when you do not have the means to accommodate guests properly. Shammai says that in such a case, you should at least "receive every person with a cheerful face." Even if you cannot accommodate a wayfarer, at least receive him graciously and welcome him with kind words. The guest would rather have these than all the dainties in the world.

Some commentaries interpret the statement, "say little and do much" to refer to vows (nedarim). He is speaking of those who vow large sums for charity, but end up giving very little.

There are many people who, when called up to the Torah, make a pledge to the congregation known as a Mi SheBerakh and promise to donate considerable sums. But when it comes to paying, they conveniently forget.

The Mi SheBerakh prayer and pledge is made before the entire congregation, before the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) itself. It is recited before the Torah scroll, most usually on the Sabbath or a festival. In any case, it is a sin to promise something and not make it good. How much more certainly so is this true when the promise is made before the Torah scroll on the Sabbath or on a sacred festival! The pen cannot describe the enormity of such a sin.

Here the person promises to make a donation to show off his love for his fellow man, and instructs the cantor (chazan) to declare that he is donating a generous sum. Then when he does not give what he is promised, he causes himself indescribable damage, both physically and spiritually. He also harms his children, since the sin of not keeping a vow can even cause one's children to die. Any oral promise has the status of a vow (neder).

If a person wishes to savor the honor of making a donation, let it be a small thing, such as for oil for the synagogue lamps for a few days. If he wishes to give a donation, let it be commensurate with his means. For if he promises a major donation on the spur of the moment, and then ignores it, then the promise will weigh heavily on his soul, and will be a stumbling block for him.

Other commentaries maintain that Shammai's statement "Say little and do much," is directed toward those who preach in public. If you wish to preach to the public and admonish them to walk in righteous/generous paths, see to it that you do not tell them to do more than you do yourself. Do not tell others to do things that you yourself do not observe. Otherwise, people will justifiably tell you to practice what you preach before admonishing others.

1:16 Rabban Gamaliel said: Make yourself a master, keep yourself away from uncertainty, and do not be excessive in tithing by estimate.

Rabban Gamaliel was the grandson of the above mentioned Hillel. His byword was, "Make yourself a master, and keep yourself away from uncertainty." This means, that when a case comes before you, and you are uncertain of the Law, do not judge it alone. Rather, discuss it with another Torah Scholar or Rabbi, and let him be your master.

The Talmud relates that when a case would come before Rav Huna, he would not judge it without gathering ten Rabbis from the academy and discussing it with them. He used to say that he did this so that all together they would bear the weight of the beam. This means that if they erred in their judgment, all would share the responsibility.

Similarly, when there was a question whether or not an animal was kosher, Rav Ashi would consult with all the learned ritual slaughterers (shochetim) before rendering a decision.

It is in this context that Rabban Gamaliel said, "make yourself a master, and keep yourself away from uncertainty." When you are judging a case, and are uncertain as to the Law, do not judge it alone. Discuss the case with other Rabbis and experts until there is no longer any uncertainty.

Do not be excessive in tithing by estimate ...

Here, the master is referring to the laws of agricultural offerings and tithes. When a person harvests a food crop, such as wheat, he must give an offering known as Terumah to a Cohen-priest (Numbers 18:24). The amount of Terumah that one must give to the Cohen-priest, however, is not prescribed by the Torah. Even a single stalk for an entire field is sufficient.

Nevertheless, our Sages have prescribed a set amount for Terumah. If one gives generously (Eyin Yaffah), he gives the Cohen one part out of forty of his harvest. A normal (Beinoni) gift is one part out of fifty. A stingy (Eyin Ra'ah) gift is one part out of sixty.

Since the Torah does not prescribe a set amount for the Terumah offering, it is permitted to estimate the amount that is being given. The Sages did not require that it be weighed or measured.

After separating Terumah for the Cohen. it is then required that one separate out the tithe (Ma’aser) for the Levite. In the case of this tithe, the Torah states that it must be 10% of the harvest, and no less (Numbers 18:21).

Since the Torah specifically states that the Ma’aser must consist of ten percent of the harvest, it cannot be separated by estimation as in the case of Terumah. It is necessary to measure and weigh the entire harvest, and then measure out a ten percent tithe as Ma’aser.

It is for this reason that the master said that we should not tithe by estimate. Although it is permitted to separate Terumah by estimate, this is not permitted in the case of tithes.

One might question the wording of this Mishnah. According to the Law that we have explained, it should have simply said, "Do not tithe by estimate." Why does it say, "Do not be excessive in tithing by estimate"? This would appear to imply that one may tithe by estimate occasionally, as long as one does not do so excessively. But according to what we have said, one should never tithe by estimate.

But a person may wish to avoid the trouble of measuring his entire crop, and decide to tithe in excess of what is required by the Torah. In this manner, he feels that he is certain to give enough. Although this may be done occasionally, it should not be done as a regular practice. If one develops the habit of tithing by estimate, there will be times when he will end up taking less than required by the Law of G-d.

NAZAREAN TALMUD

Sidra Of B’resheet (Gen.) Gen. 18:1-33

“Vayera” “And appeared”

By: Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham &

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

SCHOOL OF HAKHAM SHAUL Tosefta (Luqas 5:12-16) Mishnah :יגה	School of Hakham Tsefet Peshat (Mark 1:40-45) Mishnah יג: א
And now it happened when he (Yeshua) was in one of the cities there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Yeshua, he fell on his face begging him saying “Master if you choose (desire) you have the power to make me clean. Then Yeshua stretched his hand over him, to send him away (to the Kohanim) saying to him, “My will (desire) for you is to be clean.” and saying to him see that you never speak [Lashon HaRa – gossip] against anyone; Go and show yourself to the Kohen (Priest) and offer for your cleansing what Moshe [in the Torah and Oral Torah] has commanded as a witness [of teshuba] for them” Now after these events the reputation[184] of Yeshua spread throughout the region and many congregations gathered to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he (Yeshua) would withdraw to isolated places for prayer.[185]	And a leper came[186] to him (Yeshua) begging him on his knees, [Master][187] if you so desire, you have the power to make me clean.[188] And Yeshua being moved with indignation stretched his hand out towards him, to send him away[189] [to the Kohanim] saying[190] to him, “My will[191] (desire) for you is to be clean.” And immediately the leprosy went from[192] him and he was clean.[193] And after harshly reprimanding[194] him [for gossip – Lashon HaRa] he (Yeshua) sent him away[195] immediately,[196] saying see[197] never speak [Lashon HaRa – gossip] against anyone;[198] now go show yourself to the Kohen (Priest) and offer for your cleansing what Moshe [in the Torah and Oral Torah] has commanded as a witness [of teshuba] for them” (the Kohanim). And he (Yeshua) went out and publicized the chief principles of the Mesorah so much that Yeshua could not openly appear in the city, but was constrained to staying in remote places [where he devoted time to the prayers], [because] people came to him from everywhere.
School of Hakham Shaul Remes (2 Luqas – Acts 4:13-22) Pereq ד:יג
When they (the Kohanim - Priests) of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees) saw the boldness of Hakham Tsefet and Hakham Yochanan [and] they said[199] these are not soferim (scribes), and these are but am-ha-eretz (common and uneducated), [and] they were surprised, [and] they recognized that these had been companions (talmidim) of Yeshua. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them they had nothing to say. But they commanded them to leave the council (of the Kohanim - Priests) of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees) while they discussed the situation with one another. They questioned saying “What will we do with them? It is clearly known to everyone living in Yerushalayim that this evident sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. Therefore, let us warn (threaten) them from further spreading this any further among the people, and not to speak to anyone with this authority.[200] But Hakham Tsefet and Hakham Yochanan replied saying “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you be your own judge; because we cannot keep silence about what we have seen and heard[201].” After threatening them again they let them go finding no legal way to punish them because the people praised God for what had happened, because, the man who received the healing was over forty years old.

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

Yeshua and the Torah

C.S. Mann notes Yeshua’s consonant moral attitude and relation to the “Law” [Torah].[202] While Mann finds this a revelation, we see it as normative to daily life within the circles of Yeshua’s influence. The present materials tell us that Yeshua upheld the Torah, Oral Torah and its ritual requirements along with its ceremonial aspects, since all is but one indivisible Torah.

Compassion or Reprimand?

And a leper came to him (Yeshua) begging him on his knees, [Master] if you so desire, you have the power to make me clean.

And now it happened when he (Yeshua) was in one of the cities there was man full of leprosy.

Scholars find trouble with Yeshua’s indignation.[203] They cannot understand the great difficulty found in interaction with a leper. The most reasonable answer to this problem is “remember what the Lord God did to Miriam’ (Deut. 24:8).” If Miriam the sister of Moshe was excommunicated from interaction with the B’ne Yisrael and the Divine Presence how much the more should a lowly leper from the regions of the Galil be rejected and reprimanded. Hooker[204] joins in with Marcus[205] in their explanation that this leper had a shade – demon due to similar Greek expressions. While this is not entirely impossible we do not find the language of exorcism in the present text with the exception of the Greek word ἐκβάλλω (ekballo). Due to the harsh language and attitude Yeshua possesses in this pericope we do not find this evidence strong enough to concur with their assessment. This phrase strengthens the nature of Yeshua’s indignation towards the leper who has appeared in public amidst the congregation. If the leper is repentant, we do not see any indication in the text. Neusner citing (Sifra CLV:i.8) says …

(Sifra CLV:i.8): “…saying” (Lev. 14:35) — The priest will say to him words of reproach: “My son, plagues come only because of gossip, as it is said, ‘Take heed of the plague of leprosy to keep very much and to do, remember what the Lord God did to Miriam’ (Deut. 24:8).[206]

If, in the cited text we see the indignation and “reproach” by the Kohanim (Priests) how much the more should we note the consternation of Yeshua HaMashiach concerning this slanderous plague. The Lukan Tosefta further illustrates reason for consternation. “And now it happened when he (Yeshua) was in one of the cities.”

Lev 14:45 "He will therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he will take them outside the city to an unclean place.

Here we see that the contents of the house and the leper are relegated to their place “outside the city.” The Lukan Tosefta sees the leper in violation of Halakhah mandated in the Torah. His entry into the city is a desecration of Torah prohibition with further disregard for others. This demonstrates the deep disregard for G-d, Torah and humanity. Firstly, because he has spoken Lashon HaRra against his neighbor, and, secondly because he jeopardizes others with his contagious condition both physically and spiritually.

The Leper comes to Yeshua in need of “mercy. He also comes in simple trust that Yeshua will have compassion on him in his situation. Simple “trust” or “faith” as some would have it is not enough to merit forgiveness and cleansing. Many translations suggest that Yeshua was in fact “compassionate” towards the leper. Close scrutiny of the text does not lend itself to this translation. The text clearly demonstrates Yeshua’s indignation. Consequently, we see Yeshua’s balanced approach as an authorized Hakham. He is perfectly capable of demonstrating compassion in those cases where it is merited. Yet, in the present case he sternly reprimands (rebukes) the leper for his violation of Torah. Yeshua as a representative of the Torah, Oral and Written would naturally find offense in those who freely violated its commands.

And after harshly reprimanding him [for gossip – Lashon HaRa]

Scholars stumble over the Greek phrase ἐμβριμάομαι (embrimaomai). They try to translate and interpret this phrase from classical secular Greek sources. Their idiotic explanations try to make Yeshua growl like a dog or snort like a horse.[207] The phrase is a hyperbole to demonstrate the extreme disdain for the cause that brings this miraculous leprosy and his reprimand of the leper’s avoidance of Torah obligations. This is because ἐμβριμάομαι (embrimaomai) finds no suitable translation into English.

While some scholars suggest that the cleansed leper is disobedient to the reprimand of Yeshua we find no such case in the present materials. Most translations have Yeshua saying “do not tell anyone” to the leper however, this phrase should be translated “never speak [Lashon HaRa – gossip] against anyone.” [208] While we have noted above that the leper meets the consternation of Yeshua, we see the language of rebuke rather than an indication of disobedience to Yeshua’s command. This is not to suggest that it is impossible for the leper to have disregarded Yeshua’s command. We are simply not given that information noting that he is commanded NOT to speak Lashon HaRa.

Yeshua, a Hands On Hakham?

[Master] if you so desire, you have the power to make me clean. And Yeshua being moved with indignation stretched his hand out towards him, to send him away [to the Kohanim] saying to him, “My will (desire) for you is to be clean.” And immediately the leprosy went from him and he was clean. And after harshly reprimanding him [for gossip – Lashon HaRa] he (Yeshua) sent him away immediately,

Traditional readings of the materials of Hakham Tsefet and Luqas would indicate that Yeshua placed his hands on the leper to confer upon him a cleansing/healing. As we have noted in the footnotes above this cannot be the case in the present context. Aπτω (haptomai) by its literal “Greek” definition means to touch something or someone, which should well fit our Peshat text. However, we CANNOT accept that Yeshua, an authorized Rabbi (Hakham) would willingly touch a leper, making himself unclean unless the situation absolutely mandated it. Therefore, we are forced by hermeneutic principle to see how ἅπτω (haptomai) is used in the LXX. Cross – linguistic hermeneutics can be used to determine the truth of what Yeshua does. Cross – linguistic hermeneutics is the exegesis of a piece of Scripture in one language i.e. Greek or Hebrew, trying to determine its meaning from the Hebrew Tanakh, understanding that all things must be interpreted from the Torah. This principle builds on Hillel's 3rd rule, Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad and the 4th Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages. Application of this hermeneutic demonstrates that the Greek word ἅπτω (haptomai) in mirrored in the Hebrew word H7971 שָׁלַח (shalach) meaning to send away. Therefore, Yeshua does “stretch forth” his hand, only to point for the leper’s departure. The “compassion” attributed to Yeshua may very well have been compassion for the congregation he was speaking to. The infectious disease of Lashon HaRa shows up as soon as the leper makes his entry. Yeshua’s compassion is that of a Hakham for his talmidim. The pandemic plague must not be permitted entry to the city of scholars.

“My will (desire) for you is to be clean”

It is true that Yeshua desired ritual purity for the leper. This is because as a personification of the Torah Yeshua wanted this leper to do teshuba and return in faithful obedience to Torah observance. Therefore, the will of the Master is such that he wants immediate conformity to Torah Oral and Written. As such, he “desires” the cleansing/healing of the leper. Consequently, Yeshua’s desire of “cleansing” for the leper may very well have been preventative medicine for the congregation rather than the leper himself.

Peroration

The criminal offense of Lashon HaRa is punished with a greater punishment than its deed.

m. Arakhin 3:5 It turns out that the one who says something with his mouth [suffers] more than the one who actually does a deed. For so we find that the decree against our forefathers in the wilderness was sealed only on account of evil speech [Num. 13:32],^[209]

b. Arakhin 15a It was taught: R. Eleazar b. Perata said, Come and see how great the power of an evil tongue is! Whence do we know [its power]? From the spies: for if it happens thus to those who bring up an evil report against wood and stones, how much more will it happen to him who brings up an evil report against his neighbour! But whence [follows] that? Perhaps it is as explained by R. Hanina b. Papa; for R. Hanina b. Papa said: A stark thing did the spies say in that hour, as it is written: For they are stronger than we. Do not read: than we but then He: as it were, even the Master of the house cannot remove his utensils from here! Rather, said Rabbah in the name of Resh Lakish: Scripture said, Even those men that did bring up an evil report against the land, died by the plague against the Lord, i.e., [they died just] because of the evil report which they had brought up.

We cannot help but notice that the typical phrase “Come and hear” has been replaced by the Kabbalistic phrase “Come and See.” We understand that the phrase is teaching us just how vicious the sin of Lashon HaRa actually is. Furthermore, we find here Yeshua in agreeance with this Mishnah and Gemara. While we are not given the details of the leper’s Lashon HaRa we can aptly see that Yeshua abhors this criminal offence.

Remes Commentary to Hakham Shaul

“The Riddler on the Roof”

Five hundred years b.c.e., Heraclitus of Ephesus, known as "the Riddler" and "the Obscure," who was the eldest son of a leading aristocratic family, purported that creation was the result of natural evolution and that the cosmos was devoid of any Creator. His views were very agnostic suggesting that “it is impossible to have any knowledge of the sensible (spiritual) world.”[210]

And a leper came to him (Yeshua) begging him on his knees, [Master] if you so desire, you have the power to make me clean.

Our pun “the Riddler on the Roof” can only be understood by those who have seen the movie “Fiddler on the Roof” understanding his precarious position. The allegorical interpretation of the leper is that of a person full of darkness, such as “the Riddler,” lacking any spiritual vision or ability to conceptualize spiritual matters. This person, “the Riddler,” has truly placed himself in a precarious position. This is illustrated well in Hakham Shaul’s allegory of the “trial” of Hakham Tsefet and Hakham Yochanan in 2 Luqas 4:13-22.[211] The Kohanim (Priests) of the Tz’dukim – Sadducees having no ability to perceive spiritual truth but seek to restrain and control those who have the ability to apprehend the abstract world. They suggest that Yeshua’s talmidim are ignorant and unlearned. This was the bias shown to those from the Galil by the aristocratic ranks of the Tz’dukim. Philo suggests that these men, the Kohanim (Priests) of the Tz’dukim – Sadducees are “fugitives” from Divine Company.[212] Philo further associates leprosy with the impurity of the soul and those who flee from the authority of G-d.[213]

Hakham Shaul depicts the leper of our Nazarean Talmud as a “man full of leprosy.” Therefore, we would surmise that this “leprous” man was full of his own deceit. His situation is the result of contempt for G-d and fellow humans. He is rebuked by authentic Kohanim and the Master. The Kohanim of our Nazarean Talmud are themselves lepers in that they must use political expediency rather than seeking the full council of G-d.

But they commanded them to leave the council (of the Kohanim - Priests) of the Tz’dukim – Sadducees while they discussed the situation with one another.

Furthermore, these men retreat from G-d and G-dly council i.e. the Oral Torah rather than “stand in the place of the Lord.” [214] Here we see a reference to the Amidah and a verbal connection between the Torah Seder and the Nazarean Talmud. How does the Amidah relate to a leper?

And a leper came to him (Yeshua) begging him on his knees,

A leper may not enter the camp or city. The leper of the Nazarean Talmud violates these Halakhic prohibitions. Furthermore, he has no ability to access G-d, save through an intermediary. Herein we see that the leper is also allegorically analogous of the gentiles who must have the Master as their intermediary. Abraham “stands,” prays directly to G-d. The Targum Pseudo Yonatan depicts Abraham in the door of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) praying.[215] That he is covered with his “tent” is an allegorical reference to the Tallit resting on him. We find both Yeshua and Abraham “standing” in prayer before the Shekinah of G-d. Both Abraham and Yeshua are vested with the Messianic neshamah and mission. Therefore, we may look upon the characteristics of one and see the other and visa-versa. In other words, Abraham is Messiah and Yeshua is Abraham. By combining the two characters Hakham Shaul and Hakham Tsefet are able to allegorically illuminate the Messianic Mission.

Does the Abrahamic Messiah plead the case of the gentile/leper when he intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah? This statement is too general to answer. We must qualify the type of “gentile” before we can answer this question. Abraham does not pray for the “gentile/leper” in general. Abraham prays for the righteous/generous among the gentiles/lepers of Sodom and Gomarrah. Abraham seeks those souls which are capable of redemption, having the possibility of relationship or a restored relationship with the Divine. When the world becomes devoid of ten righteous/generous men it is incapable of being sustained. The world is sustained by the prayers of righteous/generous men and the holy breath (speaking the Oral Torah) and acts of chessed (loving-kindness).

The leper, like the gentile cannot approach G-d directly. He must have an intermediary. Just as Abraham intercedes for the possible righteous/generous of Sodom and Gomorrah, Yeshua intercedes for the leper in our Nazarean Codicil.

Pure speech vs. impure speech

Why is it that the leper/gentile cannot approach G-d on personal merit? They cannot approach G-d because of their impure speech. The leper cannot pray to G-d because he has been excommunicated from the Shekinah of the Divine. Only when the gentile is taught to stand[216] for himself, can he “Pray” for himself. This is illustrated in the Remes of Hakham Shaul 2 Luqas 10:1-5.

2 Luqas 10:3 About the ninth hour (time for the evening prayer – 3:00 PM) of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel (messenger) of God who had come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, master?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Cornelius, a G-d-fearing man had been taught to “stand” by attending Synagogue with Orthodox Jews. This fact stands as a contradiction to Christian theology which says that G-d does not hear the prayers of a person until he “accepts Jesus.” G-d does hear the prayers of Cornelius and rewards him for his prayer and righteous/generosity. Or we might argue that man is justified by Prayer and Chessed. However, we must reiterate that the gentile MUST be taught to Pray (stand) by a Jewish intermediary.

The Siddur (Oral Torah) our Paraklete (Intercessor)

The above statement is illustrated in Hakham Shaul’s letter to the Romans.

Rom 8:26 In the same way the Breath – Oral Torah (Siddur) also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray (stand) as we should, but the Oral Torah (Siddur) himself[217] intercedes for us with deep sighs;[218] and he (the Oral Torah – Siddur), which causes men to searches their hearts (minds), knows the Da’at,[219] [the intimate workings] of the Oral Torah, because he (the Oral Torah – Siddur) intercedes for the Tsaddiq according to God’s desire.

The leper allegorically stands as the vulgarity of men’s untrained mouths, as well as the men who refuse the authority of the Hakhamim (Oral Torah). The leper of the present pericope of our Nazarean Talmud must acquiesce to the Master before he dies of his own plague. Likewise, the gentile must come to the Master before he dies of his own pandemic nature. Consequently, the leper is one who does not have the right to pray or “Stand” before G-d. The leprous allegorically is analogous of the Kohanim in our Nazarean Talmud who represent those who refuse to submit to the authority of the Oral Torah. As we have noted in a previous commentary.

“And there is ability to approach God in nothing else but the Oral Torah, for there is no other authority under the heavens except the Oral Torah given among men where we find spiritual restoration."[220]

The damage of the leprous mouth leaves marks on the soul that is nearly irreparable. Only the balm of the Oral Torah can eradicate these marks and bring about peace/shalom.

The Divine Paraklete – Oral Torah

The present Torah Seder has one underlying theme and message. That message is that the world is sustained by the Divine Paraklete – The Oral Torah. Contained within its words are ALL the secrets of life. The present materials compare the prayers of Abraham with those of the Master. In both of these messianic souls we see the Divine Paraklete personified. Hakham Shaul places some of the most sublime allegorical words in Hakham Tsefet’s mouth when he addressed the Leprous Kohanim.

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you be your own judge; because we cannot keep silence about what we have seen and heard.”

Again, these words refer to the Oral Torah. The Torah heard is the Oral Torah and the Talmud, that which is “seen” is the Midrash and Zohar. On these matters we cannot remain silent because they are the Divine Paraklete of humanity.

Peroration

And he (Yeshua) went out and publicized the chief principles of the Mesorah…

This passage is usually translated “and he began to freely publicize the gospel (news)”… As can be seen we have translated the Greek word ἀρχή, (arche) (ἄρχω – archo in the present case) as “chief principles.” This passage can also be translated…

And he (Yeshua) went out and publicized the chief principles of the Mesorah…

This is because Sefer Mordechai (the book of Mark) is in fact a Mesorah of the chief principles, ἀρχή (arche) of the Oral Traditions of our Jewish forefathers as elucidated by the Master. The present materials show Yeshua’s support and undergirding of these thoughts and truths. Hakham Tsefet used the leper in contrast to Abraham Abinu and Yeshua HaMashiach. Note that in both Mordechai and Luqas the Pericope begins with a person of negative speech, i.e. the leper and concludes with an illustration of good speech, i.e. the Mesorah. Hakham Tsefet knows that the leper is someone who has spoken Lashon HaRa. Therefore, he contrasts the Lashon HaRa – the Leper with the Lashon HaTob i.e. the personification of the Mesorah i.e. Yeshua. Our Torah Seder contrasts the righteous/generous person Abraham against the unrighteous gentiles of Sodom and Gomorrah. Hakham Shaul masterfully weaves the whole leprous theme into his view of the corruption of the Kohanim (Priests) of the Tz’dukim – Sadducees. The leper is someone who does not have the Oral Torah in his mouth, but rather speaks curses, speaks Lashon HaRa of the Oral Torah. If the spies who were sent to spy out the land spoke evil of rocks and trees were forbidden entry into the Promised Land, how much the more will be the punishment of those who speak against the Oral Torah.

Remember what the Lord God did to Miriam (Deut. 24:8).

Amen v’amen

Connections to the Torah and related Readings

verbal connections are footnoted throughout the commentary and text.

Mitzvoth

Mk 1:40 – 45	It is the duty of the Nazarean Jew to refrain from speaking Lashon HaRa against another Jew.
2 Luqas 4:13-22	It is the religious duty of the Nazarean Jew to speak the Mesorah – the things he has seen and heard.

Questions for Understanding and Reflection

1. From all the readings for this Shabbat which verse or verses impressed your heart and fired your imagination?
2. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:1?
3. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:9?
4. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:10?
5. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:15?
6. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:16?
7. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:18?
8. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:19?
9. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Gen. 18:24?
10. What important and key halakhic ruling was made by Abraham Abinu in our Torah Seder, and why is ithis ruling so important to Nazarean Jews?
11. Compare Hos. 12:11 (KJV 12:10) with Numbers 12:8. What important truths can we learn from this comparisson of Hebrew words used in these two verses?
12. Why does Abraham’s vision of the Shechinah was a cure for his sickness on account of the circumcision? Please explain your answer.
13. The angel said to Abraham: “I will certainly return unto you when the season ( ) comes around.” Has an angel such authority to say this? Please explain.
14. The Ramban connects the Hebrew term “seeing” (Ra’ah) with mercy (Chessed). Why?
15. What is the bare minimum of Torah study required in order to fulfil this critical Mitzvah (commandment)?
16. In your opinion, what the “chief principles” of the Mesorah?
17. In Jeremiah 33:17 and 20, twice is repeated the phrase “your eyes will see” and in 35:2 the Prophet concludes with “They will see.” What is the Prophet hinting with these three statements about “seeing”?
18. In the pericope of Mark this week we read: “And a leper came to him (Yeshua) begging him on his knees." From a Hebraic perspective, what is immediately wrong with this statement?
19. Read John 14:16. What is this "comforter" promissed by the Master?
20. Taking into consideration all the readings for this Shabbat what is the prophetic statement for this week?

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,

before His majesty, with joy, [namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer, by means of Yeshua the Messiah our Master, be praise, and dominion, and honor, and majesty, both now and in all ages. Amen!”

Tammuz 17, 5772

Next Sabbath: “VayaVou Sh’nei HaMal’akhim”

“And came the two angels”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים
“VayaVou Sh’nei HaMal’akhim”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 19:1-9	Reader 1 – B’resheet 21:1-3
“And came the two angels”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 19:10-17	Reader 2 – B’resheet 21:4-6
“Llegaron, pues, los dos ángeles”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 19:18-23	Reader 3 – B’resheet 21:7-9
B’resheet (Gen.) Gen. 19:1 – 20:18	Reader 4 – B’resheet 19:24-30
Ashlamatah: Judges 19:16-24 + 20:27	Reader 5 – B’resheet 19:31-38
	Reader 6 – B’resheet 20:1-9	Reader 1 – B’resheet 21:1-3
Psalms 14:1-7	Reader 7 – B’resheet 20:10-18	Reader 2 – B’resheet 21:4-6
	Maftir – B’resheet 20:15-18	Reader 3 – B’resheet 21:7-9
N.C.: Mark 2:1-12 Luke 5:17-26 & Acts 4:23-31	Judges 19:16-24 + 20:27

Coming Fast:

Fast of the 18^th of Tammuz

(Sunday July 08, 2012)

For further study and information see:

http://www.betemunah.org/mourning.html & http://www.betemunah.org/tamuz17.html

Shabbat Shalom!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

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[1] "After him." In our text of Rashi: "after the state of his health."

[2] Verse 2 here.

[3] "One angel does not carry out two commissions." (Beresheet Rabba 50:2 and mentioned in Rashi here.) But, continues Rarnban, these two missions given to the angel Raphael - healing Abraham and rescuing Lot from Sodom - do not violate the principle. See text.

[4] It is as if he was sent on a new mission in another place after he had completed his mission in a different place. For it is clear that the principle of one angel not carrying out two commissions applies only to two simultaneous commissions, as explained in Mizrachi's commentary on Rashi.

[5] Since healing and rescue are missions with a common purpose, one angel could be charged with both missions.

[6] Verse 8 here.

[7] Ibn Tibbon's translation, 11,42: in Al Charizi, Chapter 43.

[8] Verse 2 here.

[9] Verse 3 here.

[10] In other words, why does Scripture begin the chapter with the statement, And the Eternal appeared to him, when in the detailed account of the vision it is explained that he saw only angels?

[11] The author of the Moreh Nehuchim.

[12] See Ecclesiastes 5:2.

[13] Since the vision concerning the preparation and the eating of the meal were not relevant to the prophecy of the birth of Isaac.

[14] Further, 32:25. The reference deals with Jacob wrestling with the angel.

[15] Ibid" Verse 31.

[16] Ibid., 28:13.

[17] Ibid., 19:3.

[18] Ibid., Verses 17-21.

[19] Ramban partially agrees with Rambam's position. He says that wherever seeing or hearing an angel is mentioned in Scripture, it refers to a vision since the human senses cannot perceive an angel. However, wherever Scripture ascribes human appearances to the angels, as in the case of Abraham, then their presence is sensually perceived. Other differences of opinion between Ramban and Rambam regarding prophecy are mentioned further on in the text.

[20] Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides).

[21] Moreh Nebuchim , 11,41.

[22] Megillah 3 a.

[23] Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi-three prophets who lived at the beginning of the second Temple. The Men of the Great Assembly redacted the books of the Bible. See Baba Bathra 15 a. They placed the book of Daniel in the section of the Writings. (Ibid., 14 b).

[24] Daniel 9: 1.

[25] From the beginning of Chapter 10 there.

[26] Ibid., 10:4. As for his friends, see ibid., Verse 7. Tradition specifies that these were Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. (Megillah 3a.)

[27] She was not a prophetess even though angels appeared to her. (Above, 16:7). Ramban thus differs with Rambam, who had said that all prophets received the prophecy through the medium of an angel. Rambam's position is defended as fol1ows: Rambam's intent was not that whenever an angel is seen it is an instance of prophecy. Rather his intent was that whenever prophecy comes to any of the prophets it comes through an angel. However, it is possible that an angel may appear for the purpose of conveying information to one who is not a prophet. This was the case with Daniel and Hagar.

[28] In Megillah 14a, the Rabbis list seven prophetesses who arose in Israel: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah and Esther. Hagar however was not listed among them.

[29] Guide of the Perplexed, II, 42. See Friedlander's note on bath kol, p. 199, n.2.

[30] Exodus 6:3.

[31] Vayikra Rabba 1:14.

[32] Hosea 12:11.

[33] Numbers 12:8.

[34] I Kings 13:18. From this you might argue that the prophets themselves attributed their prophecy to an angel. This is not correct, as is explained in the text.

[35] Ibid., Verse 9.

[36] Ibid., Verse 17.

[37] Bamidbar Rabba 20:13.

[38] Numbers 22:34.

[39] Ibid., 22:20.

[40] Further, 22:12.

[41] 1:9.

[42] Leviticus 1:1.

[43] Further, 22:15.

[44] Numbers 22:3l.

[45] II Kings 6:17.

[46] Further, 37:15.

[47] According to the Sages the man who wrestled with Jacob was the angel of Esau (Beresheet Rabba 77:2), and the man who found Joseph was the angel Gabriel (Tanchuma Vayeshev 2).

[48] Exodus 3:2.

[49] Zechariah 1 :14, etc.

[50] Beresheet Rabba 48:16.

[51] That is, the angels really did not eat. Rather as soon as a dish of food was brought, it was consumed by fire.

[52] Judges 13:19.

[53] Above, 17:26.

[54] Leviticus 9:23.

[55] Psalms 17:15.

[56] Further, 32:2.

[57] Mechilta Shirah 3.

[58] Exodus 15:2.

[59] Ibid., 14:31.

[60] Numbers 14:10.

[61] Since, as Ramban explains, the appearance of the Eternal to Abraham was in the merit of his having fulfilled the commandment of circumcision, one might ask: Why then are these two events presented in two different sections rather than in one consecutive chapter? It is to this point that Ramban now addresses himself. "Now do not be concerned, etc.," for the events are after all connected.

[62] Above, 17:19.

[63] Verse 10 here.

[64] Baba Metziah 86b. Also quoted in Rashi above.

[65] Beresheet Rabba 48:4.

[66] Exodus 20:24.

[67] As Scripture concludes: I will come unto you and bless you. (Exodus 20:25.)

[68] Proverbs 16:15.

[69] Ruth 2:6.

[70] I Kings 5:30.

[71] Exodus 14:9. Meaning "encamping alongside the sea." Here too alav means "standing alongside him."

[72] A word whose end is voweled with a kamatz stands by itself and is not in construct form. This is not the case with a word whose end is voweled with a patach. Thus, Adonay voweled with a kamatz; must have reference only to G-d, but Adonay voweled with a patach, has a "profane" sense and does not refer to G-d. Ramban continues: Since we find the word in this verse written in the books with a kamatz; and Abraham was speaking to the angels, it must be because he referred to them by the name of their Master.

[73] Adonay.

[74] See Ramban, Exodus 20:3 and Leviticus 18:27.

[75] Leviticus 20:22. According to the author of Kesef Mezukak, the verse here should be [ibid. 18:5]: You will keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do .... Here, as in the succeeding examples, the verse begins with a plural and ends with a singular because the Torah speaks to each person.

[76] Ibid.; 18:7.

[77] Ibid., 19:9.

[78] Deuteronomy 4:29.

[79] The book of Deuteronomy. See ibid., 17:18, for origin of the expression.

[80] Ibid., 11 :26. Here He speaks to the whole congregation as a unit and not to each person individually.

[81] Beresheet Rabba 48:9.

[82] According to this opinion, the word Adonay does not refer to G-d.

[83] Verse 4 here.

[84] Proverbs 25:25.

[85] Since it should have stated, "We will do as you have said," and instead it says, "So you do, as you have said," Abraham ibn Ezra takes it to mean "So do, as you have spoken: And I will take a morsel of bread, and do not trouble yourself for more."

[86] 48:13, with changes.

[87] See above.

[88] Above, 14:14.

[89] Ibid., 16:10.

[90] Rashi. See Seder Beresheet,

[91] Verse 14 here. The words of the angel, in Verse 10 here, I will certainly return unto you.

[92] Further, 21:1.

[93] Verse 14 here. It ends with the promise: At the same time I will return unto you.

[94] II Samuel 11:1.

[95] Above, 17:21.

[96] Deuteronomy 30:3. Ramban's intent is as follows: The word ve'shov there means "and He will bring back." Here too the word ashuv means "I will bring back a time, like the present, in which you will be alive, and in which time, in addition to your being alive, Sarah will have a son."

[97] Exodus 23:26.

[98] Verse 12 here.

[99] I Chronicles 29:14. Here the word "come" is not found in the Hebrew but is added to complete the thought. Likewise, Ramban suggests, in our own verse here, the expression "to cause it to happen" is to be added: "Is anything too hard for G-d to cause it to happen?"

[100] Further, 49:20,

[101] Deuteronomy 17:8.

[102] Hidden and apart.

[103] See above note, that Sarah was regarded as a prophetess.

[104] Abraham. In Megillah 14a, Rashi quotes the Hilchoth Gedoloth listing the forty-eight prophets who arose in Israel, and the three patriarchs are listed among them.

[105] Verse 10 here.

[106] Judges 13:6.

[107] Psalms 2:4.

[108] Ibid., 126:2.

[109] Above, 17:19.

[110] Amos 3:7.

[111]See I Kings 22:19.

[112] Isaiah 38:10. The word "said" here means "thought."

[113] II Samuel 21 :16. Here too the word "said" means "thought."

[114] E.g., And Esau said in his heart, further, 27:41. See Ramban there.

[115] Proverbs 10:7.

[116] Abraham.

[117] Psalms 33:5.

[118] Verse 19 here.

[119] Jeremiah 23:18.

[120] Ruth 2:1.

[121] Exodus 33:17.

[122] Our Rashi has a different text. See notes in my Hebrew commentary, p. 110. See also Note 125 further.

[123] Exodus 33: 12. The sense would thus be: "I have made you great in name."

[124] Psalms 144 :3. The sense here then would be: "What is man before You that You have given him greatness?"

[125] Ramban thus differs with Rashi, who said that if you take the sense of the verse to be, "I know of him that he will command," then the word lema'an does not fit the context. Ramban proceeds to show from Exodus 23:12 that the words lema'an yanuach mean she'yanuach (that he may rest); here likewise, lema'an asher yetzaveh means she'yetzaveh (that he will command). Thus, the word lema'an is seen to fit into the context.

[126] Exodus 23:12. See Note above.

[127] Job 36:7.

[128] Psalms 33:18. See Moreh Nebuchim III, 51, where Rambam's theory on Divine Providence is seen to be similar to that which Ramban expresses here.

[129] Verse 22 here.

[130] According to Ibn Ezra, Verse 22, which states, And the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, and Abraham stood yet before the Eternal, actually took place before our present verse for it was after the angels had walked toward Sodom that G-d said to Abraham, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah ... However, Verse 22 was entered later in the account in order to let us know the time of G-d's word to Abraham - the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. - was when they came to Sodom.

[131] Verse 23 here.

[132] Verse 22 here. According to this interpretation, Abraham did not pray before he began saying, Will You also sweep away.

[133] See Exodus 32:22.

[134] Verse 33 here.

[135] The homiletical interpretation of Scripture.

[136] Psalms 89:33.

[137] Ibid., 14:2-3.

[138] Ibn Ezra's comment is found in Verse 21 here.

[139] See Isaiah 2:6. Ramban says that "the mystery" suggested here by Ibn Ezra as an explanation of the verse comes to him from the philosophers who please themselves with theories which are "the offspring of aliens." Ibn Ezra's "mystery" explanation is that G-d's knowledge of earthly matters is general, rather than detailed. Ramban rejects this concept as "foreign" to the Torah.

[140] Yerushalmi Ta'anith II, 1.

[141] Micah 1:3.

[142] Exodus 2:25. He knew of the suffering of the children of Israel and directed His mercy upon them. Here, likewise, Ramban teaches that the word eida'ah (I will know) bespeaks Divine mercy.

[143] Verse 17 here.

[144] Ramban understood the verse as Onkelos rendered it, namely, that the word ha'aph does not mean "will also", but it means "the anger." The verse reads: "will the anger of G-d sweep away." See Rashi.

[145] At the end of Verse 20 here.

[146] Verse 25 here.

[147] Malachi 3:14.

[148] With righteousness/generosity. (Tur quoting and interpreting Ramban.)

[149] Isaiah 5:16.

[150] Literally, "the king, the Justice," implying that the King is Justice. (See my Hebrew commentary, p. 112.) This prayer is said on the ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. (Berachoth 12b).

[151] In Verse 24 here. One for the attribute of justice, and one for mercy, as explained above.

[152] That Abraham thought that they would be judged only by Divine justice, and G-d told him that they would be judged with Divine mercy.

[153] Verse 26 here.

[154] The Tetragrammaton signifies Divine mercy, while the Name beginning with Aleph Dnlet signifies Divine justice.

[155] Verse 28 here.

[156] Verse 29 here.

[157] Noah, his three sons, and their wives. (Rashi).

[158] Verse 30 here.

[159] Verse 31 here.

[160] Why then did Abraham not plead for nine men who, in association with G-d, would be ten, and thus save one city, for the principle of using G-d as a tenth was not declared invalid; rather, it was previously inapplicable since there were not forty-five righteous inhabitants.

[161] Rashi.

[162] Sifra, Leviticus 26:8. The wording of the quotations used here is that of Rashi in his commentary to the Torah. (Ibid).

[163] "And thus." The Tur quoting Ramban writes, "Perhaps."

[164] In other words, having admitted the principle of association in the case of forty-five, there could not be any difference between a larger and smaller group of righteous/generous men with respect to the principle of association. Hence Abraham did not have to ask for nine, for in association with G-d there would be ten, and one city would be saved. But without the principle of association there might be a difference between a larger and smaller group. Hence Abraham had to ask for forty, thirty, twenty and ten. All this is to satisfactorily explain the interpretation of Rashi. Ramban's own position is made clear further in the text.

[165] See Proverbs 15:19.

[166] Jeremiah 5:1. If you can find a man, if there be any that does justly.

[167] Verse 21 here.

[168] Further, 19:27-28.

[169] The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman.

[170] Note that we see musical instruments in 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 8:1, and 9:1.

[171] Da’ath Sofrim, Commentary to the book of Psalms, by Rabbi Chaim Dov Rabinowitz, translated from Hebrew by Rabbi Y.Starrett, edited by Shalom Kaplan.

[172] HaShem - יהוה, Eyes – עין.

[173] From his recent circumcision.

[174] Debarim (Deuteronomy) 23:3.

[175] Beresheet Rabbah 50:2

[176] Bava Metzia 86b

[177] And therefore kept herself secluded.

[178] By impressing him with her modesty.

[179] The wine-cup over which the Grace after meals is recited and which is partaken by all the guests. V. Ber. 51a.

[180] Beresheet (Genesis) 18:9

[181] For the sake of domestic harmony; Bava Metzia 87a; Gen. R. 48:15.

[182] Melachim Alef (I Kings) 14:21.

[183] Chidushei HaRim in Mayana shel Torah

[184] Verbal connection to B’resheet 18:10, Yeshayahu 33:15

[185] Thematic connection to B’resheet 18:22

[186] Verbal connection to B’resheet 18:21

[187] Some manuscripts have the address of “Sir” i.e. Master before the query.

[188] The requirement of cultic purity had inner value and justification as a symbol pointing to something more profound. Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. (3:417). καθαρίζω (katharizo) here implies 1. Healing and consequent 2. Cleansing. We note here that the notion of being “made” clean does not fit the translation, being absent from the text. Therefore, we must translate this phrase contextually from the principle of Torah mitzvoth and hermeneutic principle of Rov. Furthermore, we cannot find here anything more that an authorized Rabbi who inspects a leper to see if he is “clean” – ritually pure.

[189] ἅπτω (haptomai) by its literal “Greek” definition means to touch something or someone. However, we CANNOT accept that Yeshua an authorized Rabbi would willingly touch a leper, making himself unclean. Therefore, we are forced by hermeneutic principle to see how ἅπτω (haptomai) is used in the LXX. Cross – linguistic hermeneutics is the exegesis of a piece of Scripture in one language i.e. Greek or Hebrew, trying to determine its meaning from the Hebrew Tanakh. Understanding that all things must be interpreted from the Torah. This principle builds on Hillel's 3rd rule, Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad and the 4th Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages. Application of this hermeneutic demonstrates that the Greek word ἅπτω (haptomai) in mirrored in the Hebrew word H7971 שָׁלַח (shalach) meaning to send away.

[190] Verbal connection to B’resheet 18:3 and Psalms 13:4

[191] The play on Hebrew words here as it would have appeared in the original Hebrew text is a play on words. It is my desire (רֹצֶה) bears the idea of “running towards something.” Therefore, we might see the immediacy of the next phrase, Greek (εὐθύς (euthus) “immediately”. Furthermore, in this notion we see a verbal/thematic connection to B’resheet 18:2, “Abraham (רוּץ ruts) ran from his tent”…

[192] Verbal connection to B’resheet 18:22

[193] The connotation here is that the leper is clean – ritually pure. However, we should understand that he is “pure” of the disease. Yet, he is still in a state of ritual impurity until he is pronounced clean by the appropriate Kohen (Priest). We also note here that there is an allusion to the restoration of the priesthood to the firstborn.

[194] First let us take up the matter of punishment for specific sins or crimes. Here is a clear statement that individuals shape their own fate. The person afflicted with the ailment described at Lev. 13–14, here translated as “plagues” or “plague of leprosy,” has brought the illness upon himself by gossiping, and Scripture contains ample proof of that fact…

(Sifra CLV:i.8): “…saying” (Lev. 14:35) — The priest will say to him words of reproach: “My son, plagues come only because of gossip, as it is said, ‘Take heed of the plague of leprosy to keep very much and to do, remember what the Lord God did to Miriam’ (Deut. 24:8). “And what has one thing to do with the other?” “But this teaches that she was punished only because of gossip.” “And is it not an argument a fortiori?” “If Miriam, who did not speak before Moses’ presence, suffered so, one who speaks ill of his fellow in his very presence, how much the more so?”

Not only gossip, but other sins bring on specific penalties, arrogance too:

R. Simeon b. Eleazar says, “Also because of arrogance do plagues come, for so do we find concerning Uzziah, “as it is said, ‘And he rebelled against the Lord his God and he came to the Temple of the Lord to offer on the altar incense and Azariah the priest came after him and with him priests of the Lord, eighty strong men, and they stood against Uzziah and said to him, It is not for you to do, Uzziah, to offer to the Lord, for only the priests the sons of Aaron who are sanctified do so. So forth from the sanctuary. And Uzziah was angry,’ etc. (2 Chron. 26:16).”

Gossip is penalized by an attack of whatever disease, if any, is represented by the word “plagues” or by the skin-ailment under discussion here. God has spelled out in the Torah both sins and the penalty attaching to them. (Sifra CLV:i.8): “…saying” (Lev. 14:35) — The priest will say to him words of reproach: “My son, plagues come only because of gossip, as it is said, ‘Take heed of the plague of leprosy to keep very much and to do, remember what the Lord God did to Miriam’ (Deut. 24:8).

[195] The Greek language is harsh here further indicating Yeshua’s displeasure in the leper. ἐκβάλλω (ekballo) is translated “cast out” more often than not. The leper is ejected, cast out of the presence of the Tsaddiq.

[196] Thematic connection to B’resheet 18:2, 6, 7

[197] Verbal/thematic connection B’resheet 18:1 See/Appear. The Greek word ὁράω (horao) make allusion to So’od materials buried in the vocabulary of the Peshat. Here “seeing”- ὁράω (horao) contains the idea of coming to a spiritual awareness of the root of his leprosy.

[198] Cf. Lev 19:16

[199] While it is true what was said it does not mean what they said was true.

[200] This teaches us that the Tz’dukim did not recognize the authority of Shammai, Hillel or Yeshua.

[201] Verbal connection to B’resheet 18:10, Yesha’yahu 33:15

[202] Mann, C. (1986). Mark, A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (The Anchor Bible). New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc. p. 218

[203] arcus, J. (2000). Mark 1 - 8, A new translation with commentary (The Anchor Bible Series ed.). New Haven: Doubleday (Yale University). p. 209

[204] Hooker, M. D. (1991). Black’s New Testament Commentaries: The Gospel According to Saint Mark. London: A & C Black Publishers Ltd. pp. 78ff

[205] Marcus, J. (2000). Mark 1 - 8, A new translation with commentary (The Anchor Bible Series ed.). New Haven: Doubleday (Yale University). pp. 205ff

[206] Neusner, J., Neusner, J., Avery-Peck, A. J., Green, W. S., & Museum of Jewish Heritage (New York, N. Y. (2000). The encyclopedia of Judaism. "Published in collaboration with the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York." (3:1412). Brill "With more than 100 lengthy essays, this exceptional work on Judaism covers more than its historical framework. The Encyclopedia of Judaism provides complete and accurate coverage of Judaism--everything from its history, beliefs, and observances, from the beginning to modern times. It is an excellent source written by scholars."--"Outstanding Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2001.

[207] Stein, R. H. (2008). Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament: Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic. p. 107

[208] Cf. Lev 19:16

^[209]Neusner, J. (1988). The Mishnah: A new translation. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 813

[210] http://faculty.evansville.edu/tb2/trip/heraclitus.htm

[211] Cf. 2 Luqas – Acts 4:13-22

[212] Philo. (1993). The Works of Philo, Complete and Unabridged in one volume. (N. U. Edition, Ed., & C. Yonge, Trans.) Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. Allegorical Interpretation, III p. 50

[213] Ibid

[214] Cf. B’resheet 18:22

[215] Cf. B’resheet 18:1

[216] Here we refer to Abot 1:1 where we are taught to make talmidim “stand” (Amad) pray for themselves.

[217] Hakham Shaul speaks in allegory as if the Oral were a person in the same way the Hakham Yochanan speaks of the Torah as if it were a person.

[218] According to Hakham Shaul the earth – cosmos makes these same sound “sighing” as it waits the final redemption.

[219] φρόνημα (phronema) should be translated as Da’at intimate knowledge of the Oral Torah. TDNT 9:221

[220] Our reworking of the translation of Acts 4:12