Esnoga Bet Emunah

1101 Surrey Trace SE, Tumwater, WA 98501

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Reading Cycle
Tammuz 14, 5771 – July 15/16, 2011	Second Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:

Conroe & Austin, TX, U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 8:16 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 9:14 PM

Brisbane, Australia

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 4:52 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 5:48 PM

Bucharest, Romania

Fri. July 15, 2011 – Candles at 8:40 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdal. 9:51 PM

Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 8:38 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 9:39 PM

Jakarta, Indonesia

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 5:35 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 6:26 PM

Manila & Cebu, Philippines

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 6:11 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 7:04 PM

Miami, FL, U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 7:57 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 8:52 PM

Olympia, WA, U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 8:46 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdal. 10:01 PM

Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 7:57 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 8:59 PM

Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 8:13 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 9:23 PM

Singapore, Singapore

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 6:58 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 7:49 PM

St. Louis, MO, U.S.

Fri. July 15. 2011 – Candles at 8:07 PM

Sat. July 16. 2011 – Havdalah 9:11 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

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.

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First Sabbath of Penitence

Shabbat “V’Yad Adonai”

& Shabbat “Pin’chas”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
פִּינְחָס
“Pin’chas”	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 25:10-15	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 26:52-54
“Phinehas”	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 25:16-18	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 26:54-56
“Finees”	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 26:1-11	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 26:52-56
B’Midbar (Num.) 25:10 – 26:51	Reader 4 – B’Midbar 26:12-22
Ashlamatah: Mal. 2:5-7+3:1-6,10	Reader 5 – B’Midbar 26:23-34
Special: I Kings 18:46 - 19:21	Reader 6 – B’Midbar 26:35-43	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 26:52-54
Psalm 105:7-11	Reader 7 – B’Midbar 26:44-51	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 26:54-56
Pirqe Abot V:6	Maftir: B’Midbar 26:48-51	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 26:52-56
N.C.: Mordechai 12:35-37a	- I Kings 18:46 - 19:21

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: Honouring 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!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: B’midbar (Numbers) ‎25:10 – 26:51‎

Rashi	Targum Pseudo Jonathan
10. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	10. AND the LORD spoke with Mosheh, saying:
11. Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal.	11. Phinehas the zealous, the son of Elazar bar Aharon, the priest, has turned away mine anger from the children of Israel, in that, when zealous with My zeal, he has slain the sinners who were among them; and for his sake I have not destroyed the children of Israel in My indignation.
12. Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace.	12. Swearing by My Name, I say to him, Behold, I decree to him My covenant of peace, and will make him an angel of the covenant, that he may ever live, to announce the Redemption at the end of the days.
13. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel."	13. And because they defamed him, saying, Is he not the son of Phuti, the Midianite? behold, I will make him to possess the high priesthood; and because he took the lance with his arm, and struck the Midianitess in her body, and prayed with his mouth for the people of the house of Israel, the priests will be held worthy of the three gifts of the shoulder, the cheek-bone, and the inwards; and it will be to him, and to his sons after him, an everlasting covenant of consecration, because he was zealous for the LORD, and propitiated for the children of Israel.
14. The name of the Israelite man who was killed, who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house.	14. Now the name of the man of Israel who was slain with the Midianitha was Zimri bar Salu, a chief of the house of his fathers of the tribe of Shimeon.
15. And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a national leader of a paternal house in Midian.	15. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Kosbi, daughter of Zur, who was called Shelonae, a daughter of Balak, the prince of the people of Moab, whose dwelling-place was in Midian.
16. The Lord spoke to Moses saying:	16. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh, saying:
17. Distress the Midianites, and you shall smite them.	17. Trouble the Midianites and slay them,
18. For they distress you with their plots which they contrived against you in the incident of Peor and in the incident of Cozbi their sister, the daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was slain on the day of the plague [that had come] because of Peor.	18. because they troubled you by their deceitful counsels when they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and of Kosbi their sister, daughter of the prince of Midian, who was slain in the day of the plague for the matter of Peor.
	19. And it came to pass after the plague, that the compassions of the heavens were turned to avenge ‎His people with judgment.‎

1. It was after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, saying:	1. And the LORD spoke to Mosheh and Elazar bar Aharon the priest, saying:
2. Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upwards, following their fathers' houses, all that are fit to go out to war in Israel.	2. Take the sum of the account of the whole congregation of the Bene Israel, from twenty years old and upward, according to the house of their fathers, of every one who goes forth with the host in Israel.
3. Moses and Eleazar the kohen spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying:	3. And Mosheh and Elazar the priest spoke with the leaders, and commanded that they should number them in the plain of Moab, by the Jordan (over against) Jericho, saying
4. "From the age of twenty and upward, as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel who had come out of Egypt."	4. (You are to number them) from a son of twenty years and upward, as the LORD commanded Mosheh and the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Mizraim.
5. Reuben, Israel's firstborn: The descendants of Reuben were: the family of the Hanochites from Hanoch; the family of the Paluites from Palu,	5. Reuben, the first-born of Israel: the sons of Reuben, Hanok, the family of Hanok; of Phallu, the family of Phallu;
6. the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, and the family of the Carmites from Carmi.	6. of Hezron, the family of Hezron; of Karmi, the family of Karmi.
7. These were the families of the Reubenites, and they numbered forty three thousand, seven hundred and thirty.	7. These are the families of Reuben, and their numbers were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Phallu Eliab;
8. The sons of Palu were Eliab.	8. -
9. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram they are Dathan and Abiram, the chosen of the congregation who incited against Moses and Aaron in the assembly of Korah, when they incited against the Lord.	9. the sons of Eliab, Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. The same were Dathan and Abiram who brought together the congregation that gathered and made the division against Mosheh and Aharon in the congregation of Korach, when they gathered together and made division against the LORD,
10. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korah, when that assembly died, and when fire destroyed two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.	10. and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them and Korach, when the congregation of the wicked died, when the fire devoured the two hundred and fifty men, and they were made an example.
11. Korah's sons, however, did not die.	11. But the sons of Korach were not in the counsel of their father, but followed the doctrine of Mosheh the prophet; and therefore they died not by the plague, nor were smitten by the fire, nor engulfed in the yawning of the earth.
12. The descendants of Simeon according to their families: the family of the Nemuelites from Nemuel, the family of the Jaminites from Jamin, the family of the Jachinites from Jachin,	12. The Bene Shimeon, Nemuel, Jamin, Jakin, Zerach,
13. the family of the Zerahites from Zerah, the family of the Shaulites from Shaul.	13. ___ Shaul, with their families,
14. These were the families of the Simeonites twenty two thousand and two hundred.	14. ___ twenty-two thousand two hundred.
15. The descendants of Gad according to their families: the family of the Zefonites from Zefon, the family of the Haggites from Haggi, the family of the Shunites from Shuni,	15. Of Gad, the families of Zephon, Haggi, Suni,
16. the family of the Oznites from Ozni, the family of the Erites from Eri,	16. Ozni, Heri, _
17. the family of the Arodites from Arod, the family of the Arelites from Areli. 18 These were families of Gad according to those of them counted, forty thousand and five hundred.	17. Arod, _ Areli,
18. These were families of Gad according to those of them counted, forty thousand and five hundred.	18. _ forty thousand five hundred.
19. The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.	19. Of Jehudah, Her and Onan. But Her and Onan died, on account of their sins, in the land of Kenaan.
20. The descendants of Judah according to their families: the family of the Shelanites from Shelah, the family of the Perezites from Perez, the family of the Zerahites from Zerah.	20. Of the Bene Jehudah, the families of Shela, Pherez, Zerach.
21. The descendants of Perez were: the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, the family of the Hamulites from Hamul.	21. The sons of Pherez, Hezron, Amul.
22. These were the families of Judah according to those of them counted, seventy six thousand and five hundred.	22. The numbers of the families of Jehudah, seventy-six thousand five hundred.
23. The descendants of Issachar according to their families: the family of the Tolaites from Tola, the family of the Punites from Puvah,	23. Of Issakar, the families of Thola, Puah,
24. the family of the Jashubites from Jashub, the family of the Shimronites from Shimron.	24. _ Jashub, Shimron,
25. These were the families of Issachar according to those of them counted: sixty four thousand and three hundred.	25. _ sixty-four thousand three hundred.
26. The descendants of Zebulun according to their families: the family of the Sardites from Sered, the family of the Elonites from Elon, the family of the Jahleelites from Jahleel.	26. Of Zebulon, the families of Sered, Elon, Jahleel, _
27. These were the families of Zebulun according to those of them counted, sixty thousand and five hundred.	27. _ sixty thousand five hundred.
28. The descendants of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim.	28. Of Joseph, ___
29. The descendants of Manasseh: the family of the Machirites from Machir and Machir's son was Gilead; the family of the Gileadites from Gilead.	29. the Bene Menasheh, Makir, Gilead, _
30. These were the family of the descendants of Gilead: The family of the Iezerites from Iezer, the family of the Helekites from Helek,	30. _ Thezar, Helek,
31. the family of the Asrielites from Asriel, the family of the Shechemites from Shechem,	31. _ Asriel, Shekem,
32. the family of the Shemidaites from Shemida, the family of the Hepherites from Hepher.	32. _ Shemida, Hepher.
33. Now Zelophehad the son of Hefer had no sons, only daughters, and the names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.	33. But Zelophehad bar Hepher had no sons, but daughters only; and the names of the daughters of Zelophebad were, Mahelah, Nohah, Hogelah, Milchah, and Thirzah.
34. These were families of Manasseh, and those of them counted were fifty two thousand and seven hundred.	34. These are the families of Menasheh, and their number fifty-two thousand seven hundred.
35. These were the descendants of Ephraim according to their families: the family of the Shuthalhites from Shuthelah, the family of the Bachrites from Becher, the family of the Tahanites from Tahan.	35. The Bene Ephraim, Shuthelah, Bekir, Tachan, _
36. And these were the descendants of Shuthelah: the family of the Eranites from Eran.	36. _ Heran the son of Shuthelah, _
37. These were the families of the descendants of Ephraim according to those of them counted, thirty two thousand and five hundred; these were the descendants of Joseph according to their families.	37. _ their numbers thirty-two thousand five hundred. _
38. The descendants of Benjamin according to their families: the family of the Belaites from Bela, the family of the Ashbelites from Ashbel, the family of the Ahiramites from Ahiram,	38. The families of Benjamin, Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, _
39. the family of the Shuphamites from Shupham, the family of the Huphamites from Hupham.	39. _ Shephuphia, _
40. The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman; the family of the Ardites [from Ard], the family of the Naamites from Naaman.	40. (the sons of Bela, Ared and Naaman,)
41. These were the descendants of Benjamin according to their families, and those of them counted were forty five thousand and six hundred.	41. _ forty-five thousand six hundred.
42. The descendants of Dan according to their families: the family of the Shuhamites from Shuham. These were the families of Dan.	42. The Bene Dan, the families of Shuham, _
43. All the Shuhamite families according to those of them counted, were sixty four thousand and four hundred.	43. _ sixty-four thousand four hundred.
44. The descendants of Asher according to their families: the family of Jimnah from Jimnah, the family of the Ishvites from Ishvi, the family of the Beriites from Beriah.	44. Those of Asher, Jimnah, Jishvah, Beriah,
45. The descendants of Beriah: the family of the Heberites from Heber, the family of the Malchielites from Malchiel.	45. and of the sons of Beriah, _ Heber and Malkiel.
46. The name of Asher's daughter was Serah.	46. The name of the daughter of Asher was Sarach, who was conducted by six myriads of angels, and taken into the Garden of Eden alive, because she had made known to Jacob that Joseph was living.
47. These were the families of the descendants of Asher according to those of them counted, fifty three thousand and four hundred.	47. _ The numbers of Asher, fiftythree thousand four hundred.
48. The descendants of Naphtali according to their families: the family of the Jahzeelites from Jahzeel, the family of the Gunites from Guni.	48. The Bene Naphtali, according to their families, Jaczeel, Guni,
49. The Jezerites from Jezer, the family of the Shillemites from Shillem.	49. _ Jezer, Shillem,
50. These were the families of Naphtali according to their families, and those of them counted were forty five thousand and four hundred.	50. _ forty-five thousand four hundred.
51. These are those counted of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand and seven hundred and thirty.	51. These are the numbers of the sons of Israel, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol 14: Numbers – II – Final Wonderings

By: Rabbi Yitzchaq Magriso

Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1983)

Vol. 14 – “Numbers – II – Final Wonderings,” pp. 223-246.

Summary of the Torah Seder - B’Midbar (Num.) ‎25:10 – 26:51‎‎

· Phinehas’ reward – Numbers 25:10-15

· War declared against the Midianites – Numbers 25:16-18

· The Second Census – Numbers 25:19 – 26:3

· Census taken from all the tribes with the exception of Levi – Numbers 26:5-51

Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis

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

The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rashi Commentary for: ‎ B’Midbar (Num.) 25:10 – 26:51

11 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen Since the tribes were disparaging him, saying, Have you seen the son of Puti, whose mother’s father [Jethro] fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idols (See Rashi, Exod. 6:25), and who killed a chieftain of an Israelite tribe? For this reason, Scripture traces his pedigree to Aaron.-[Sanh. 82b, Num. Rabbah 21:3, Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2]

by his zealously avenging Me Heb. בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִי , by his avenging My vengeance, by his releasing the wrath that I should have released. The term קִנְאָה always denotes someone motivated to take vengeance for some matter, in old French, enprenemant.

12 My covenant of peace That it should be a covenant of peace for him. Just as a man owes gratitude and favor to someone who did him a favor, so here God expressed to him His feelings of peace.

13 It shall be This covenant of Mine [mentioned in the previous verse] shall be for him.

an eternal covenant of kehunah Although the kehunah had already been given to Aaron’s descendants, it had been given only to Aaron and his sons who were anointed with him, and to their children whom they would beget after their anointment. Phinehas, however, who was born before that and had never been anointed, had not been included in the kehunah until now. And so, we learn in [Tractate] Zevachim [101b], “Phinehas was not made a kohen until he killed Zimri.”

for his God Heb. לֵאלֹהָיו , for the sake of his God, as in (11:29),"Are you zealous for my sake (לִי) ?" and (Zech. 8:2),"I am zealous for Zion (לְצִיּוֹן) "-for the sake of Zion.

14 The name of the Israelite man In the place it [Scripture] traces the lineage of the righteous man for praise, it traces the lineage of the wicked man for shame.-[Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3]

the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house Of one of the five paternal houses belonging to the tribe of Simeon. Another interpretation: To proclaim the praise of Phinehas, for although he [Zimri] was a chieftain, he [Phinehas] did not refrain from acting zealously against a profanation of the Divine Name. This is why Scripture tells us the name of the one who was slain.-[Mid. Aggadah]

15 The name of the slain... woman... To inform you of the hatred of the Midianites [toward Israel], for they submitted a princess to prostitution to entice Israel into sin.-[Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3]

a national leader One of the five Midianite kings: “Evi, Rekem, Zur...” (31:8). He was the most prominent of them all, as it says, “a national leader.” But because he degraded himself by abandoning his daughter, he is listed only as the third [king].-[Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2]

a paternal house There were five paternal houses in Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Elda’ah (Gen. 25:4). This was the king of one of them.

17 Distress Heb. צָרוֹר , like זָכוֹר , ‘remember,’ (Exod. 20:8), and שָׁמוֹר , ‘keep’ (Deut. 5:12); a term describing a continual action [as if to say,] You must [constantly] show hostility toward them.

18 For they distress you... in the incident of Cozbi By submitting their daughters for prostitution so as to entice you to stray after Peor. He did not order the destruction of Moab for the sake of Ruth, who was destined to issue from them, as is stated in [Tractate] Bava Kamma [38b].

Chapter 26

1 It was after the plague This can be compared to a shepherd whose flock was intruded by wolves who killed some of them [his sheep]. He counted them to know how many were left. Another interpretation: When they left Egypt and were entrusted to Moses, they were delivered to him with a number. Now that he was close to death and would soon have to return his flock, he returns them with a number.-[Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 4, Num. Rabbah 21:7]

2 following their fathers’ houses Their lineage followed their father’s tribe, not their mother’s.-[B.B. 109b]

3 Moses and Eleazar the kohen spoke with them They spoke with them concerning this, namely that the Omnipresent had commanded to count them.

saying They said to them, “You must be counted.”

4 From the age of twenty and upward, as the Lord commanded... that they be counted from the age of twenty and upwards, as it says, “Everyone who goes through the counting, [from the age of twenty and upward]” (Exod. 30:14).

5 the family of the Hanochites Heb. מִשְׁפַּחַת הַחֲנֽכִי . Since the nations were denigrating them and saying, "How can they trace their lineage by their tribes? Do they think that the Egyptians did not exploit their mothers? If they mastered their bodies, all the more so [did they exercise authority over] their wives. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed is he, appended His Name to them, the [letter] ‘hey’ to one side and the ‘yud’ to the other side, as if to say, “I bear witness for them, that these are the sons of their fathers.” This is stated explicitly by David, “the tribes of God, (יָהּ) testimony to Israel” (Ps. 122: 4)—this Name (יָהּ) testifies for them regarding their tribes. For this reason, in each of them Scripture writes, הַחֲנֽכִי , הַפַּלֻּאֵי [the Hanochites, the Paluites in which each name begins with a ‘hey’ and ends with a 'yud’] (Song Rabbah 4:12; Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p.82b, 93a), but in the case of Jimnah יִמְנָה , it is unnecessary for it to say [for the family of the Jimnites,] מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנִי [only מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנָה ], since the Divine Name is already affixed to it—the ‘yud’ at the beginning and the ‘hey’ at the end.- [Mid. Aggadah]

9 who incited Israel against Moses and Aaron.

when they incited The people against the Lord.

incited Heb. הִצּוּ . They enticed Israel to quarrel with Moses, a causative term.

10 and they became a sign A sign and a reminder, “so that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, shall approach” (above 17:5) to dispute the kehunah any more.

11 Korah’s sons, however, did not die They were originally involved in the conspiracy, but during the dispute they contemplated repentance; therefore, an elevated area was set apart for them in Gehinnom, and they stayed there.-[Sanh. 110b]

13 from Zerah This was Zohar [see Exod. 6:15], a name derived from the word צֽהַר , which means shining [a synonym of זֶרַח , Zerah]. However, the family of Ohad [mentioned in Exodus] died out, as did five from the tribe of Benjamin. For he came to Egypt with ten sons, but only five are listed here. So it was with Ezbon of the tribe of Gad, so [altogether] seven families [no longer existed]. I found [the reason for this] in the Talmud Yerushalmi [Sotah 1:1]. When Aaron died, the clouds of glory withdrew, and the Canaanites came to fight against Israel. They [the Israelites] set their hearts on returning to Egypt, and they went back eight stages of their journey [compare 21:4], from Mount Hor to Moserah, as it says, “The children of Israel journeyed from the wells of Bene Yaakan to Moserah; there Aaron died” (Deut. 10:6). Now did he not die at Mount Hor? And [furthermore,] going back from Moserah to Mount Hor there are eight stages in the journey! However, they turned back, and the Levites pursued them to bring them back, killing seven of their families. The Levites lost four families [in the battle]: the families of the Shimeites and the Uzzielites, and of the three sons of Izhar, only the family of the Korahites is mentioned. I do not know [the identity of] the fourth one. R. Tanchuma expounds that they [the seven Israelite families] fell in the plague in connection with Balaam [see 25:9] (Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 5), but [this cannot be, for] according to the number missing from the tribe of Simeon in this census compared with the first census [which took place] in the Sinai desert, it would appear that all twenty-four thousand who fell [in the plague] were from the tribe of Simeon. -[Mid. Tanchuma Vayechi 10]

16 from Ozni I believe that this was the family of Ezbon (see Gen. 46:16), but I do not know why his family was not called after him.

24 from Jashub This is Iob listed among those who migrated to Egypt (Gen. 46:13), for all the families were named after those who migrated to Egypt, but as for those born from that time on, their families were not called after them except for the families of Ephraim and Manasseh—all of whom were born in Egypt—and Ard and Naaman, the sons of Bela the son of Benjamin. I found in the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher], that their [Ard and Naaman’s] mother migrated to Egypt while she was pregnant with them, and that is why they formed separate families just as did Hezron and Hamul—who were Judah’s grandsons—and Heber and Malchiel, who were Asher’s grandchildren. If this is an Aggadah, all well and good, [we must accept it,] but if not, I maintain that Bela had numerous grandchildren, and from two of them—Ard and Naaman—two large families issued, and the descendants of all the other children were called after Bela’s name, whereas the descendants of these two were called after them [i.e. Ard and Naaman]. Similarly, I maintain that the sons of Machir were divided into two families, one was called after him and one was called after his son Gilead. Five families are missing from the sons of Benjamin, and here the prophecy of his mother [Rachel] was partially fulfilled. She called him Ben Oni, the son of my mourning. As a result of the incident of the concubine at Gibeah (see Jud. 20:35), it was completely fulfilled [as nearly the entire tribe was wiped out]. I found this in the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher].

36 And these were the descendants of Shuthelah... The descendants of the other sons of Shuthelah were called after Shuthelah. A large family issued from Eran, so they were called after him. Thus, the descendants of Shuthelah were considered two families. Go and figure it out and you will find that fifty-seven families [are listed] in this chapter, together with eight from the sons of Levi, totaling sixty- five. This is the meaning of what is said, “For you are the least (הַמְעַט) of all the peoples” (Deut. 7:7). [The word הַמְעַט denotes ‘five’ (ה) ‘less’ (מְעַט) .] You are five less than the families of all the nations, since they are seventy [and you are sixty-five]. This too I expounded from the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher], but I had to delete some of his words and add to them. -[Mid. Aggadah.]

38 from Ahiram This is Ehi, who migrated to Egypt. Since he was named after Joseph, who was his [Benjamin’s] brother (אֲחִי) , and greater (רָם) than he, he was called Ahiram (אֲחִירָם) . -[Mid. Aggadah.]

39 from Shupham This is Muppim, so named because Joseph was humbled (שָׁפוּף) among the nations.

42 From Shuham This is Hushim (see Gen. 46:23).

46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah Because she was still alive, she is mentioned here.-[Sotah 13a, Mid. Aggadah]

Ketubim: Psalm 105:7-11

Rashi	Targum
1. Give thanks to the Lord, call out in His name; make His deeds known among the peoples.	1. Sing praise in the presence of the LORD, call on His name; tell of His deeds among the Gentiles.
2. Sing to Him, play music to Him, speak of all His wonders.	2. Sing praise in His presence, make music in His presence; speak of all His wonders.
3. Boast of His holy name; may the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.	3. Sing praise in His holy name; may the heart of those who seek instruction from the presence of the LORD be glad.
4. Search for the Lord and His might; seek His presence constantly.	4. Seek the teaching of the LORD, and His Torah; welcome His face continually.
5. Remember His wonders, which He performed, His miracles and the judgments of His mouth.	5. Call to mind the wonders that he has done; his miracles, and the judgments of his mouth.
6. The seed of Abraham His servant, the children of Jacob, His chosen ones.	6. O seed of Abraham His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
7. He is the Lord our God; throughout all the earth are His judgments.	7. He is the LORD our God; His judgments are extended over all the earth.
8. He remembered His covenant forever, the word He had commanded to the thousandth generation,	8. He remembered His covenant forever; He commanded a word for a thousand generations.
9. Which He had made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac,	9. That which He made with Abraham, and His covenant with Isaac.
10. And He set it up to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,	10. And He established it for Jacob as a decree, for Israel as a perpetual covenant.
11. Saying, "To you I shall give the land of Canaan, the portion of your heritage."	11. Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the lot of your inheritance."

Rashi’s Commentary to Psalm 105:7-11

8 the word He had commanded to the thousandth generation The Torah, which He commanded to make known in the world after a thousand generations, but He saw that the world could not exist without Torah, so he skipped 974 generations of them. It may also be interpreted according to its simple meaning: He remembered for Israel His covenant, which He commanded and promised to keep for them for a thousand generations, as the matter of (Deut. 7:9): “Who keeps the covenant and the kindness for those who love Him and who keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.”

11 Saying, “To you I shall give, etc.” That is the covenant that He made for them.

Ashlamatah: Mal. 2:5-7+3:1-6,10‎

Rashi	Targum
1. And now, to you is this commandment, O priests.	1. "And now this commandment is for you, O priests.
2. If you do not heed, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My Name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed I have [already] cursed it, for you do not take it to heart.	2. If you do not hearken, and if you do not lay my fear upon (your) heart so as to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse among you and I will curse your blessings; and I will indeed curse them, for you are not laying my fearl upon (your) heart.
3. Behold! I rebuke the seed because of you, and I will scatter dung upon your face- the dung of your festive sacrifices, and it shall take you to itself.	3. Behold, I am about to rebuke your increase from the land, and I will reveal the shame of your sins upon your faces, and I will put an end to the glory of your festivals, and your share will be withheld from it.
4. And you shall know that I have sent you this commandment, that My covenant be with Levi, says the Lord of Hosts.	4. And you will know that I have sent this commandment to you that My covenant which was with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts.
5. My covenant was with him, life and peace, and I gave them to him [with] fear; and he feared Me, and because of My Name, he was over-awed.	5. My covenant was with him (for) life and peace, and I gave him the perfect teaching of My law and he feared from before Me and feared from before My name.
6. True teaching was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. In peace and equity he went with Me, and he brought back many from iniquity.	6. True instruction was in his mouth and deceit was not found on his lips; in peace and in uprightness did he walk before Me, and he turned many back from sin.
7. For a priest's lips shall guard knowledge, and teaching should be sought from his mouth, for he is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts.	7. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and men seek instruction from his mouth; for he serves before the LORD of hosts.
8. But you have turned aside from the way. You caused many to stumble in the Torah. You corrupted the covenant of the Levites, said the Lord of Hosts.	8. But you have strayed from the way; you have caused many to stumble by (your) instruction; you have corrupted the covenant which was with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
9. And now I, too, have made you contemptible and low to the entire people according to how you do not keep My ways and [how] you show favoritism in the Torah. {P}	9. And moreover, I have made you despised and enfeebled before all the people, inasmuch as you do not follow paths that are good before Me but show partiality in (your) instruction.”

1. Behold I send My angel, and he will clear a way before Me. And suddenly, the Lord Whom you seek will come to His Temple. And behold! The angel of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.	1. "Behold, I am about to send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me, and suddenly the Lord whom you seek shall enter his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
2. Now who can abide the day of his coming, and who will stand when he appears, for it is like fire that refines and like fullers' soap.	2. But who may endure the day of his coming and who will stand when he is revealed? For his anger dissolves like fire and (is) like soap which is used for cleansing,
3. And he shall sit refining and purifying silver, and he shall purify the children of Levi. And he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering up an offering to the Lord with righteousness.	3. *And he will be revealed* to test and to purify as a man who tests and purifies silver*; and he will purify the sons of Levi and will refine them like gold and silver, and they will be presenting an offering in righteousness/ generosity before* the LORD.
4. And then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and former years.	4. And the offering of the people Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be accepted before the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
5. And I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely; and also against those who withhold the wages of the day laborers, of the widow and fatherless, and those who pervert [the rights of] the stranger, [and those who] fear Me not, says the Lord of Hosts.	5. 5. And I will reveal myself against you to exercise Judgment, and My Memra will be for a swift witness among you, against the sorcerers and adulterers, and against those who swear falsely and those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and who pervert the judgement of the stranger, and have not feared from before Me, says the LORD of hosts.
6. For I, the Lord, have not changed; and you, the sons of Jacob, have not reached the end.	6. For I the Lord have not changed my covenant which is from of old; but you, o house of Israel, you think that if a man dies in this world his judgment has ceased."
7. From the days of your fathers you have departed from My laws and have not kept [them]. "Return to Me, and I will return to you," said the Lord of Hosts, but you said, "With what have we to return?"	7. From the days of your fathers you have wandered from My statutes and have not observed (them). Return to My service and I will return by My Memra to do good for you, says the LORD of hosts. And if you say, 'How will we return?'--
8. Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me, and you say, "With what have we robbed You?"-With tithes and with the terumah-levy.	8. will a man provoke before a judge? But you are provoking before Me. And if you say, *‘How have we provoked before* you?’ - in tithes and offerings**."
9. You are cursed with a curse, but you rob Me, the whole nation!	9. You are cursed with a curse, *and you are provoking before* Me,** the whole nation of you.
10. Bring the whole of the tithes into the treasury so that there may be nourishment in My House, and test Me now therewith, says the Lord of Hosts, [to see] if I will not open for you the sluices of heaven and pour down for you blessing until there be no room to suffice for it.	10. Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse and there will be provision for those who serve in my Sanctuary; and make trial now before Me in this, says the LORD of hosts, to see whether I will not open to you the windows of heaven and send down blessings to you, until you say, ‘Enough!’
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he will not destroy the fruits of your land; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord of Hosts.	11. And I will rebuke the destroyer for you and it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field fail to bear fruit for you, says the LORD of hosts.
12. And then all the nations shall praise you, for you shall be a desirable land, says the Lord of Hosts. {P}	12. And all nations will praise you, for you will be dwelling in the land of the house of My Shekinah and will be fulfilling My will in it, says the LORD of hosts.

Rashi’s Commentary to Mal. 2:5-7+3:1-6,10‎

Chapter 2

1 to you, etc., O priests I charge you with this commandment, that you shall not sacrifice these on My altar.

2 and I will curse And I will curse your blessings; how I should bless the grain, the wine, and the oil for you.

Indeed I have [already] cursed it Indeed, it is unnecessary to have the matter depend on the condition upon which I made it depend: if they do not obey. For I know that you will not obey. Therefore, I have already cursed it - from now.

3 and I will scatter dung of the animals of your festive sacrifices; that is to say, you will not receive reward from Me, but [you will receive a curse] for harm and shame. And I will rebuke the seed of the field because of you. and it shall take you to itself The dung of your sacrificial animals will take you to itself to [make you] cheap and despised, as it is.

4 that My covenant be with Levi for I wish that you will exist with Me with the covenant that I formed for the tribe of Levi.

5 life and peace As it was said to Phinehas (Num. 25:12): “My covenant of peace”; and it was promised to him and to his seed after him, thus indicating that his seed will be alive.

and I gave them to him that he accept them with fear, and so he did, and he feared Me.

he was over-awed an expression of חִתַּת , fear; he was afraid.

6 In peace and equity he went with Me Aaron, Eleazar, and Phinehas and so in the episode of the calf, they brought back all their tribe from iniquity, as it is said (Ex. 32:26), “all the children of Levi gathered to him.”

7 For a priest’s lips It is incumbent upon them to guard knowledge. Why? Because...

teaching should be sought from his mouth This matter has already (Deut. 33:10) been delivered to them. “They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob.”

for he is a messenger the agent of the Holy One, blessed be He; like the ministering angels, to serve Him and to enter into His compartment. [I.e., into the place where God’s presence is manifest.]

Chapter 3

1 Behold I send My messenger to put the wicked away.

and he will clear a way of the wicked.

the Lord Whom you seek The God of justice.

and the angel of the covenant who avenges the revenge of the covenant.

2 Now who can abide This is synonymous with; וּמִי יָכִיל

and who will stand Will be able to stand.

and like fullers’ soap Like soap used by the fullers, which removes the entire stain. So will he remove all the wickedness.

and like soap It is an herb which removes stains, erbe savonijere in Old French, probably soapwort. The word בּֽרִית signifies a thing that cleans and purifies, as in (Ps. 73:1), “to the pure of heart.”

3 And he shall sit refining He will free himself from all his affairs to be like a refiner, who refines and purifies silver.

6 For I, the Lord, have not changed Although I keep back My anger for a long time, My mind has not changed from the way it was originally, to love evil and to hate good.

and you, the sons of Jacob Although you die in your evil, and I have not requited the wicked in their lifetime

you have not reached the end You are not finished from before Me, for I have left over the souls to be requited in Gehinnom. And so did Jonathan render. And you of the House of Jacob, who think that whoever dies in this world, his verdict has already ended, that is to say, you think that My verdict has been nullified, that he will no longer be punished. Our Sages (Sotah 9a), however, explained it: לֹא שָׁנִיתִי - I did not strike a nation and repeat a blow to it; but as for you, I have kept you up after much punishment, and My arrows are ended, but you are not ended.

8 Will a man rob Our Sages explained this as an expression of robbery, and it is an Aramaism.

With tithes and with the terumah levy The tithes and the terumah - levy that you steal from the priests and the Levites is tantamount to robbing Me.

9 You are cursed with a curse because of this iniquity, for which I send a curse into the work of your hands; but nevertheless, you rob Me.

10 so that there may be nourishment in My House There shall be food accessible for My servants.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake The finishing locusts and the shearing locusts, which devour the grain of your field and your vines.

12 a desirable land A land that I desire.

Special Ashlamatah: I Kings 18:46 - 19:21‎

Rashi	Targum
46. And a spirit of strength from the Lord was with Elijah, and he girded his loins and ran before Ahab until coming to Jezreel.	46. And a spirit of power from before the LORD was with Elijah, and he girded his loins and ran before Ahb until he came to Jezreel.

1. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and all that he had killed all of the prophets with the sword.	1. And Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah did and everything about how he killed all the false prophets by the sword.
2. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, "So may the gods do and so may they continue unless at this time tomorrow, I will make your life like the life of one of them.	2. And Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying: “Thus may the deities do and thus may they add to it unless about this time tomorrow I make your life like the life of one of them.”
3. And he saw, and he arose and went for his life, and he came to Beer Sheba which belonged to Judah. And he left his servant there.	3. And he saw and arose and went to save his life, and he came to Beersheba, which belongs to the tribe of Judah, and he left his young man there.
4. He went to the desert, a distance of one day's travel, and he came and sat under a juniper and requested that his soul die, He said, "Enough, now Lord take my soul as I am not better than my forefathers."	4. And he was walking in the wilderness a day's journey, and he came and sat beneath a single broom-tree, and he asked his life to die, and he said: “It is long enough for me. How long am I being knocked about like this? Now, O LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5. He lay and slept underneath one juniper, and behold! an angel touched him and said to him: "Rise and eat."	5. And he lay down and slept beneath the single broom-tree, and behold this angel drew near to him and said to him: "Rise up, eat."
6. And he looked, and at his head there was a cake baked on hot coals, and a flask of water. He ate and drank and again he lay down.	6. And he looked around, and behold at his head were a baked cake and a flask of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.
7. And the angel of the Lord returned to him again and touched him and said, "Arise and eat as the journey is too much for you."	7. And the angel of the LORD returned a second time and drew near to him and said: "Rise up, eat, for the way will be too much for you."
8. And he arose and ate and drank, and he went with the strength of this meal forty days and forty nights up to the mountain of the Lord, Horeb.	8. And he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights until he came to the mountain upon which the glory of the LORD had been revealed. to Horeb.
9. And he came there to the cave, and he lodged there. And behold! The word of the Lord came to him. And He said to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"	9. And he went in there to the cave, and he lodged there, and behold the word of the LORD was with him and said to him: “What is there for you here, Elijah?”
10. And he said: "I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have torn down Your altars and they have killed Your prophets by the sword, and I have remained alone, and they seek my life to take it.	10. And he said: “I have been very jealous before the LORD God of hosts, for the sons of Israel abandoned your covenant, they destroyed Your altars, and they killed Your prophets by the sword; and I alone am left and they seek my life to kill me.”
11. And He said: "Go out and stand in the mountain before the Lord, Behold! the Lord passes, and a great and strong wind splitting mountains and shattering boulders before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake - not in the earthquake was the Lord.	11. And he said: “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold the LORD was revealing himself, and before him were armies of the angels of the wind breaking apart the mountains and shattering the rocks before the LORD; not in the army of the angels of the wind was the Shekinah of the LORD. And after the army of the angels of the wind was the army of the angels of the earthquake; not in the army of the angels of earthquake was the Shekinah of the LORD.
12. After the earthquake fire, not in the fire was the Lord, and after the fire a still small sound.	12. And after the army of the angels of the earthquake was the arm of the angels of fire; not in the army of the angels of the fire was the Shekinah of the LORD and after the army of the angels of the fire was the voice of those who were praising softly.
13. And as Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and he went out and stood at the entrance to the cave, and behold a voice came to him and said: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"	13. And when Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went forth and stood at the entrance of the cave; and behold the voice was with him, and it said “What is there for you here, Elijah?”
14. And he said, "I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the Children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, they have torn down Your altars, and they have killed Your prophets by the sword, and I alone remain, and they seek my soul to take it."	14. And he said: “I have been very jealous before the LORD God of hosts, for the sons of Israel abandoned your covenant, they destroyed Your altars, and they killed Your prophets by the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to kill me.”
15. And the Lord said to him: "Go, return to your way to the desert of Damascus and you shall come and anoint Hazael to be king over Aram.	15. And the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and you will come and anoint Hazael to be the king over Aram.
16. And Jehu, the son of Nimshi, you shall anoint as king over Israel, and Elisha, the son of Shafat from Abel Meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your stead."	16. And you will anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be the king over Israel. and you will anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat from the plain of Meholah to be the prophet in place of you.
17. And it will be, those who escape the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill, and those who escape the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.	17. And whoever will escape from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever will escape from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
18. And I will leave over in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that did not kneel to the Baal and every mouth that did not kiss him."	18. And I will leave in Israel 7,000, all the knees that did not bend to Baal, and every mouth that was not kissing him.”
19. And he went from there, and he found Elisha, the son of Shafat, as he was plowing; twelve yoke were before him and he was with the twelfth, and Elijah went over to him and threw his mantle over him.	19. And he went from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, and he was driving twelve yokes of oxen yoked before him; and he was on one of the twelve. And Elijah passed unto him and threw his cloak on him.
20. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said: "Let me, please, kiss my father and my mother, and I will go after you," and he said to him, "Go, return, for what have I done to you?"	20. And he abandoned the oxen and ran after Elijah, and he said: "Let me kiss now my father and my mother, and I will come after you." And he said to him: "Go, return, for what have I done to you?"
21. And he returned from after him, and he took the yoke of oxen and slaughtered them, and with the gear of the oxen he cooked the meat for them, and he gave the people and they ate, and he rose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.	21. And he returned from after him and took the yoke of oxen and cut it up, and with the implements of the oxen he boiled the flesh for them and gave it to the people, and they ate. And he arose and went after Elijah and served him.

Verbal Tallies

By: HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

B’Midbar (Numbers) 25:10 – 26:51

Ashlamata: Malachi 2:5-7+3:1-6,10

Special Ashlamata: I Melachin (Kings) 18:46 - 19:21

Tehillim (Psalm) 105:7-11

Mordechai (Mark) 12:35-37a

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Saying / Saith - אמר, Strong’s number 0559.

Children / sons - בן, Strong’s number 01121.

Priest(s) - כהן, Strong’s number 03548.

Turn / Away / Again - שוב, Strong’s number 07725.

Consumed - כלה, Strong’s number 03615.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Special Ashlamata:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Saying / Saith - אמר, Strong’s number 0559.

Children / sons - בן, Strong’s number 01121.

Turn / Away / Again - שוב, Strong’s number 07725.

Israel - ישראל, Strong’s number 03478.

Jealous / zealous - קנא, Strong’s number 07065.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Saying / Saith - אמר, Strong’s number 0559.

Israel - ישראל, Strong’s number 03478.

B’Midbar (Numbers) 25:10 And the LORD <03068> spake unto Moses, saying <0559> (8800),

11 Phinehas, the son <01121> of Eleazar, the son <01121> of Aaron the priest <03548>, hath turned <07725> <00> my wrath away <07725> (8689) from the children <01121> of Israel <03478>, while he was zealous <07065> (8763) for my sake among them, that I consumed <03615> (8765) not the children <01121> of Israel <03478> in my jealousy.

Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn <07725> <00> many away <07725> (8689) from iniquity.

Malachi 2:7 For the priest’s <03548> lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD <03068> of hosts.

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith <0559> (8804) the LORD <03068> of hosts.

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons <01121> of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD <03068> an offering in righteousness.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD <03068>, I change not; therefore ye sons <01121> of Jacob are not consumed <03615> (8804).

I Melachin (Kings) 18:46 And the hand of the LORD <03068> was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

I Melachin (Kings) 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying <0559> (8800), So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

I Melachin (Kings) 19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again <07725> (8799).

I Melachin (Kings) 19:10 And he said <0559> (8799), I have been very <07065> (8763) jealous <07065> (8765) for the LORD <03068> God of hosts: for the children <01121> of Israel <03478> have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Tehillim (Psalm) 105:7 He is the LORD <03068> our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

Tehillim (Psalm) 105:10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel <03478> for an everlasting covenant:

Tehillim (Psalm) 105:11 Saying <0559> (8800), Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

Hebrew:

Hebrew	English	Torah Seder Num 25:10-26:51	Psalms Psa 105:7-11	Ashlamatah Mal 2:5-7 + 3:1-6, 10	S. Ashlamatah I Kings 18:46 - 19:21
אָב	father	Num 25:14			1 Kgs 19:4
אַחַר	after	Num 25:13			1 Kgs 19:11
אָכַל	devour, eat	Num 26:10			1 Kgs 19:5
~yhil{a/	GOD	Num 25:13	Ps 105:7		1 Kgs 19:2
אֶלֶף	one, one thousand	Num 26:7	Ps 105:8		1 Kgs 19:18
אִם	if, only	Num 26:33		Mal 3:10
אָמַר	saying	Num 25:10	Ps 105:11	Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:2
אַרְבָּעִים	forth	Num 26:7			1 Kgs 19:8
אֶרֶץ	land, earth	Num 26:4	Ps 105:7
אֵשׁ	fire	Num 26:10		Mal 3:2	1 Kgs 19:12
אֲשֶׁר	because, which, whom	Num 25:13	Ps 105:9	Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:1
בּוֹא	came, come			Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:3
בַּיִת	household, storehouse	Num 25:14		Mal 3:10
בֵּן	son	Num 25:11		Mal 3:3	1 Kgs 19:10
בָּקַשׁ	seek			Mal 2:7	1 Kgs 19:10
בְּרִית	covenant	Num 25:12	Ps 105:8	Mal 2:5	1 Kgs 19:10
דָּבָר	affair, word	Num 25:18	Ps 105:8		1 Kgs 19:9
דֶּרֶךְ	journey			Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:4
הִיא	who	Num 25:15			1 Kgs 19:4
הָיָה	came, come	Num 26:1			1 Kgs 19:17
הָלַךְ	ran, walk			Mal 2:6	1 Kgs 19:3
הִנֵּה	behold	Num 25:12		Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:3
זֶה	this, that			Mal 3:10	1 Kgs 19:5
יְהוּדָה	Judah	Num 26:19		Mal 3:4	1 Kgs 19:3
יהוה	LORD	Num 25:10	Ps 105:7	Mal 2:7	1 Kgs 18:46
יוֹם	day	Num 25:18		Mal 3:2	1 Kgs 19:4
יָצָא	go	Num 26:2			1 Kgs 19:11
יַעֲקֹב	Jacob		Ps 105:10	Mal 3:6
יָשַׁב	sat down			Mal 3:3	1 Kgs 19:4
יִשְׂרָאֵל	Israel	Num 25:11	Ps 105:10		1 Kgs 19:10
כֹּהֵן	priest	Num 25:11		Mal 2:7
כֹּל	whoever, in all, whole	Num 26:2	Ps 105:7	Mal 3:10	1 Kgs 19:1
כָּלָה	destroy, consumed	Num 25:11		Mal 3:6
מוּת	die, dead	Num 26:11			1 Kgs 19:4
מַלְאָךְ	messenger			Mal 2:7	1 Kgs 19:2
מָצָא	found			Mal 2:6	1 Kgs 19:19
מִשְׁפָּט	judgments		Ps 105:7	Mal 3:5
נָא	please, now			Mal 3:10	1 Kgs 19:20
נָתַן	give, gave	Num 25:12	Ps 105:11	Mal 2:5	1 Kgs 19:21
עוֹלָם	perpetual, forever,	Num 25:13	Ps 105:8	Mal 3:4
עַל	because, over	Num 25:18			1 Kgs 19:15
עָמַד	confirmed, stand		Ps 105:10	Mal 3:2	1 Kgs 19:11
פֶּה	mouth	Num 26:10		Mal 2:6	1 Kgs 19:18
פָּנֶה	outran, before			Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 18:46
צָבָא	out to war, of hosts	Num 26:2		Mal 2:7
צָוָה	commanded	Num 26:4	Ps 105:8
קָנָא	jealous, zealous	Num 25:11			1 Kgs 19:10
שֶׁבַע	seven	Num 26:7			1 Kgs 19:18
שׁוּב	turned	Num 25:11		Mal 2:6	1 Kgs 19:6
שָׁלוֹם	peace	Num 25:12		Mal 2:5
שָׁלַח	send, sent			Mal 3:1	1 Kgs 19:2
שֵׁם	name	Num 25:14		Mal 2:5
שָׁנָה	years	Num 26:2		Mal 3:4
שְׁנַיִם	two	Num 26:14			1 Kgs 19:19
תַּחַת	under, because	Num 25:13			1 Kgs 19:4
arey"	afraid, revered			Mal 2:5	1 Kgs 19:3
![;n"K.	Canaan	Num 26:19	Ps 105:11
xt;P'	opened	Num 26:10		Mal 3:10
br'	enough, many			Mal 2:6	1 Kgs 19:4

Greek:

Greek	English	Torah Seder	Psalms	Ashlamatah	S. Ashlamatah	NC
ἔπω	said, say	Num 25:12			1Ki 19:2	Mar 12:36
κύριος	LORD	Num 25:10	Psa 105:7	Mal 2:7	1Ki 18:46	Mar 12:36
λέγω	saying, said	Num 25:10	Psa 105:11	Mal 3:1		Mar 12:35
πνεῦμα	spirit, wind				1Ki 18:12	Mar 12:36
τίθημι	put, make				1Ki 19:2	Mar 12:36
υἱός	sons	Num 25:11			1Ki 19:10	Mar 12:35

Mishnah Pirqe Abot V:6

“Ten things were created on the eve of the [first] Shabbat at twilight and these are they: the mouth of the earth, the mouth of the well, the mouth ‎of the she-ass, the rainbow, the manna, the rod, the Shamir, the letters, the writing, and the Tablets [of stonel, Some say also: The evil spirits and ‎the sepulchre of Moshe and the ram of Abraham our father. Some add: The tongs made with tongs.‎"

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 339-350)

Abarbanel points out that the interpretation of this Mishnah is very problematic and will require close scrutiny. He therefore suggests that the best way to begin is to list the ten things according to their plain meaning, after which he will point out the difficulties and try to solve them.

The ten things are:

1. The mouth of the earth that was destined to open and swallow Korah and his followers for questioning the leadership of Moshe and Aaron (Numbers 2) was prepared on the eve of the first Shabbat at twilight.

2. The mouth of the well (Numbers 21:17). One opinion has it that this refers to the rock which Moshe smote to bring forth water. Abarbanel rejects this interpretation and insists that it refers to the well of Miriam which accompanied the Children of Israel in the wilderness. This well ceased flowing at the death of Miriam and was reactivated by the prayers of Moshe. The waters again ceased when Moshe died.

3. The mouth of the she-ass. This refers to the donkey upon which Balaam rode on his way to curse the Children of Israel (Numbers 22:28). The uniqueness of this phenomenon was the fact that the donkey would answer "Yes" when a positive answer was expected, and "Nay" when a negative reply was anticipated. Abarbanel claims that the donkey actually spoke and that the incident was not just a part of Balaam's prophetic vision.

4. The rainbow (Genesis 9:1). This refers to the multi-colored rainbow which appears on rainy days.

5. The manna. This was the food that God provided for the Children of Israel in the desert for forty years and was a product of the air in the form of a thin hail.

6. The rod. Abarbanel gives two interpretations: It refers to the rod of Aaron that sprouted blossoms and almonds to demonstrate to the masses that God had chosen him to be the priest, and the tribe of Levi to assist him. A second interpretation: It refers to the rod with which Moshe performed miracles before Pharaoh. According to this, the rod symbolizes all the miracles which occurred in Egypt.

7. The Shamir. This was an undisclosed species of a worm that could hew through the hardest materials without difficulty. With the Shamir Moshe engraved the names of the tribes on the precious stones which were set into the breastplate of the high priest, and Solomon used it to quarry the stone used in building the Temple. Metal implements were forbidden to be used because metal represents death (the sword) and the Temple represents life and peace. What Solomon did was to delineate the size of stones required. The Shamir followed the outline and cut the stones.

8. The letters;

9. The writing;

10. The Tablets.

These are three separate items. Abarbanel first gives us Rashi's interpretation: ketav refers to the form of the letters that were inscribed on the tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. It is true that the Torah existed even before the creation of the world, but at that time the words were written in black fire on a background of white fire. On the eve of the first Shabbat the formal letters were created. Mikhtav should be read as makhtev, the writing instruments. Finally, the tablets mentioned refer to the first set which was one of the things created on the eve of the Shabbat; the second tablets were merely a replica of the first.

Abarbanel quotes another interpretation, according to which ketav refers to the Torah, mikhtav refers to the Ten Commandments and luhot to the tablets on which they were inscribed.

Abarbanel's own opinion is that these three items are enumerated in order to distinguish between the first tablets and the second tablets; ketav refers to the writing on the second tablets; the creation of those tablets was not miraculous, since the Torah explicitly states that Moshe hewed them. The only miracle was that God wrote on them. Mikhtav and luhot both refer to the first tablets, since both the writing and the very creation of the tablets were God's handiwork.

The fact that the miracle of the second tablets appears in the list before the miracle of the first tablets is not a valid objection to this interpretation, since the list is not in chronological order.

Abarbanel parenthetically refers us to Me'iri who opines that ketav implies the actual art of writing, and mikhtav relates to language.

Ram of Abraham (Genesis 22:13). On the eve of the first Shabbat at twilight God created a ram that would later serve as a substitute for Isaac on the occasion of the Akedah.

The grave of Moshe (Deuteronomy 34:6). This grave had a mystical quality. It could not be pinpointed at any specific locale. The Talmud relates that a king sent a commission to discover the grave of Moshe. Those that stood in the valley observed it on a hill, and those on the hill, saw it in the valley. This grave, too, was prepared before the first Shabbat began.

Evil spirits: Abarbanel accepts the view of Ramban that the mazikim were composed of fire and air and were created for the sole purpose of inflicting harm on the wicked.

Tongs made by tongs: In order to handle red hot metal we require tongs. But tongs themselves are made from the glowing metal. Who created the first tongs? The Talmud (Pesahim 54a) answers that the first tongs were created in Heaven, although this is questioned by one sage who argued that God's intervention was not necessary since the molten metal could have been poured into a mold.

Abarbanel then goes into a lengthy discussion of Talmudic sources from which it is obvious that the Sages believed that many other items were created on the eve of the first Shabbat at twilight, as well as before the process of the creation of the world began. These include: the cave in which Moshe and Elijah took refuge, fire, the mule, purgatory, Torah, repentance, paradise, the Chair of Glory, and the name of the Messiah. For all of them, Biblical proof-verses are given.

There is also a midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 5:4) which says that God made a condition with the sea when it was created that it should permit itself to be divided when the Children of Israel were ready to cross it. And Rabbi Yirmiyah ben Eliezer claims that not only with the sea did God make a provision, but with everything which He created he stipulated that it would change its nature when the time would come for Him to perform miracles. Thus the sun and the moon were told that. they would have to stand still when Joshua needed the extra daylight. Similarly, the ravens were told that they would have to feed Elijah; fire was told that it would have to refrain from burning Hananyah, Mishael and Azaryah; the lions were told not to harm Daniel; and the whale was told to expectorate Jonah.

These citations of Talmudic and rabbinical sources naturally lead Abarbanel into a discussion of the nature of miracles.

Rambam, Yehudah Halevi in his Kuzari and others strongly argue that there is no such thing as God making a new decision after the original act of creation. Even those incidents that we observe that seem to us to be unexplainable were implanted in the scheme of creation as natural phenomena. For example, when the earth opened to swallow Korah and his followers, it was part of the creative process that the earth should open its mouth when the occasion arose. But, if everything that was to happen was so programmed at the very beginning, why did our Mishnah single out only ten things? The answer that these philosophers propose is to underscore that although everything else derives from the act of creation, the ten enumerated by our sage were created at the last moment before the Sabbath.

Abarbanel brings a long quotation from Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed (II:29) where he explains that the phenomenon of prophecy is that when something extraordinary has to happen, God informs the prophet when it will happen and the former merely announces God's plan.

Abarbanel summarizes the view of Rambam and those who follow him: All miracles that have happened and will ever happen until the end of time are already programmed into the act of creation and do not indicate that God has "changed His mind," or made a new decision. Abarbanel comments that from Rambam's formulation it is clear that he realized that his theory does not easily represent the Torah view. He also cites Ralbag (Levi ben Gershon) who follows the view of Rambam and quotes the former's formulation of the theory almost verbatim.

Abarbanel claims that this theory destroys many of the fundamentals of Torah theology and criticizes Rambam for accepting a theory that originated with the Greek philosophers. "How can Rambam," objects Abarbanel, "be influenced by a line of thinking that believes that the creation of the world flowed from God of natural necessity and was not an act of His divine will?" Abarbanel is alarmed that Rambam concurs with the Greeks, to the extent that he exudes with praise for them. Rambam should realize that their theories clearly contradict all the plain meanings of Torah.

Abarbanel goes on to illustrate his point: The deluge and the rainbow, which is mentioned in our Mishnah, materialized because of the corrupt ways of Noah's generation. If the deluge was already programmed into the natural order of things on the eve of the first Shabbat, as Rambam believes, what need was there for God and Noah to seek repentance from those wicked people. Causing the deluge, or restraining it, was preordained and not dependent on the lack of repentance. Furthermore, if it was predetermined on that Shabbat eve that the deluge would occur during the days of Noah, there was no need for God to assure Noah that there would be no deluge again because only one flood was pre-ordained. This argument is also true with regards to all the miracles performed for Abraham.

Abarbanel goes on to examine nearly all the miracles recorded in the Torah and argues with regards to each of them that if they were programmed into the creation, the circumstances of their occurrence in the Torah do not make sense.

Furthermore, how could the miracle have been programmed into the specific object at the creation of the world, when that object was not yet in existence? Otherwise, we will have to say that Balaam's ass, Aaron's rod and Abraham's ram, for example, were 3,000 years old at the time of the miracle!

Abarbanel continues his attack: No! No! It is impossible to accept these foolish theories because to do so would label all the prophets of old, who were given the gift of performing miracles, as confidence trickers who presented themselves as doing unnatural things, which they had no right to do because all their so-called miracles were already in existence!

Abarbanel reiterates that this mistaken view stems from those philosophers who taught that the creation was a necessity, just as the fact that light flows from the sun is a necessity, and that God is incapable of changing nature. This is wrong. God created the world by His absolute will and He can change anything He desires to change! To the contrary: the more spontaneous the miracle is, the more the faith in the act of creation that is generated. "Is it not possible," argues Abarbanel, "that the God who performed the first miracle in Genesis, can also perform additional miracles spontaneously at other times?" He concludes this part of his argument by quoting many Biblical verses to prove his point.

After castigating the Rambam unequivocally, and with hostility, Abarbanel becomes more conciliatory towards him and reflects that Rambam stated (Yad, Hilkhot Yesode ha-Torah, Chapter 8) that many miracles were performed because of their timely necessities. "However, I cannot harmonize both of Rambam's views very easily," says Abarbanel.

He then turns his attention to the sages of the Mishnah and with a great deal of reserve and deference he questions some of their theses. We quoted above a midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 5:4) to the effect that God made an agreement with the sea that it should divide itself when the Children of Israel had to cross it. According to Abarbanel, this statement, and the others like it, cannot be taken at face value. In daily life, when partners in a business, or even a husband and wife, make an agreement, the intention is that the parties to the agreement accept their obligations and agree not to violate any part of it. What could the sage have meant by saying that God drew up a contract with the sea when everything, including the sea, is His? Furthermore, how does one make an agreement with an inanimate object such as earth and water? Even more baffling is the dictum of Rabbi Yonatan that there was an agreement between God and the sea (ibid.). This would imply that predetermination is the logical explanation, which is untenable.

Abarbanel proffers his own thesis. God, in his infinite wisdom, took a macrocosmic view of the world He was about to create. All and everything that comprised the universe and the happenings thereon were conceived and created at one time. That the sea would rhythmically roll on but, on call, would divide itself, was the divine plan of God. Not that God designed something and then regretted it when a change had to take place, when a miracle was to be performed. Not that the sea was to roll on and a modification was made when it was divided. The division of the waters was part of the original scheme. Thus, the terms "change," "regret," "transition" are not applicable in their technical definition. It is in this sense that Rabbi Yonatan spoke about the agreement between God and the sea.

Supporting this theme, Abarbanel cites the Talmud, "Seven things were created before the world was created" (Pesahim 54b). There was no chronological time table intended. The main thrust of this statement purports to underline that God conceived and then created these seven things, such as the Torah.

We must also understand, asserts Abarbanel, why the ten wonders that were created on the eve of the Shabbat were not part of the general creative process during the first six days? Also, why were only these phenomena singled out to be brought into being at the last moment before Shabbat?

Abarbanel cites several views on the subject among which is that of Ralbag (Milhamot X:2, b): All the wonders that were created during the six days of creation were supernatural in character; those following Genesis were natural phenomena. When we speak about twilight, we are referring to a finite element of time that may be attributed to both the day that is passing and the night that is approaching. So it was with the creations at twilight before the first Shabbat. They combined elements of a predestined act, such as those during Genesis, and of those that happened after Genesis.

Another view is that of Rabbi Mattityah. He propounds almost the same line of thinking as Ralbag, but stresses the fact that twilight is not to be understood as a time element, but rather to differentiate between the unnatural and the natural. Abarbanel makes it a point to state that he cannot accept these views.

To answer the questions posed above, Abarbanel takes an innovative tack that demonstrates why only the ten things enumerated in our Mishnah had to be created before the Shabbat began. He connects them all with Adam and Eve. It is a tradition that Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day of the creation, sinned on that very day, and were expelled from the Garden of Eden. In truth, for defying God's will they should have been condemned to death. God, in His infinite wisdom, created the mouth of the earth, as though saying to Adam, “You, Adam, should have been swallowed up by the earth, but because you were the first human being who is the work of My hands, I will spare your life and use the earth to swallow the next one who defies my word, i.e., Korah and his associates.” This component of the creative process had to occur immediately after Adam was created and before the Shabbat began.

Eve, too, should have been destroyed because of her part in the original sin. But God saw that at some future date Miriam, a descendant of Eve, would speak words of wisdom and sing songs of praise to Him. God decided that the mouth of the well which gushed forth water for the Children of Israel in the desert, should be created at the last moment of Genesis out of His esteem for Miriam and He forgave Eve for her sin.

The snake, which was one of the prime movers of the tragedy of Adam and Eve, should also have been destroyed and with it the rest of the animal world, but God, in His omniscience, foresaw that another animal, the donkey of Balaarn, would do His bidding and be an instrument proclaiming God's might. He, therefore, did not act with extreme harshness towards the serpent. Thus the mouth of the earth, the mouth of the well and the mouth of the she-ass signify Adam, Eve and the snake respectively, the principal actors in the tragedy of the Garden of Eden. Another consideration for the survival of the serpent is God's awareness that in the future there would be a need for the Shamir also a crawling creature, which would be used exclusively to quarry the stones for the building of the Temple where the Children of Israel would worship God.

The rainbow materialized because Adam and all his descendants were originally destined to live forever. Death came into their lives after the original sin. In fact, the purpose of the deluge was to eliminate all of mankind because of its wickedness and waywardness. God, in His infinite charity, brought the rainbow into being to assure all of humankind of the perpetuation of the human race.

Abarbanel continues: Originally God had every intention that Adam and Eve should eat of the divine food provided for them there in peace. Due to their transgression, they were condemned to eat from the vegetation of the fields after tilling them with the sweat of their brow. However, God knew that eventually a generation would rise in the desert that would be worthy to receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai and in their honor He would send down the manna from heaven. It is this manna that was created at twilight.

The Garden of Eden was beautifully strewn with exotic trees. This, Adam and Eve lost when they were driven out. These trees should have been lost forever, but at a future date, Aaron, the high priest, would use a rod which sprouted blossoms and almonds and which by its singular appearance had the same stature as the trees in the Garden of Eden. Out of the consideration for the trees, God created the rod on the eve of Shabbat.

At this point in his presentation, Abarbanel digresses and says that the mention of the manna and the rod in the list is also intended to arouse other associations. He claims that four items in the Temple represented four aspects of the Garden of Eden. The wondrous trees of the Garden were represented by the Rod of Aaron which was kept in the Temple; the fruits of the Garden were represented by the jar of manna in the Temple; the river which ran through the Garden was represented by the Torah Scroll in the Holy Ark, since Torah is the spiritual water of life; and the wonderful pure air of the Garden was symbolized by the pure, divine atmosphere of the Holy of Holies. The first three items mentioned above were in existence for about 500 years, from soon after the Exodus until the destruction of the First Temple, and, against all the laws of nature, they remained fresh. All this is intimated by the listing of the manna and the rod in our Mishnah.

At that time God also decided to create the Shamir, to compensate for the snake which tempted Eve and led her and Adam away from God's path. The Shamir had a most important function. With it Moshe inscribed the names of the tribes on the precious stones of the Ephod and Solomon used it to cut the stones for the Temple. Thus, that worm was instrumental in enabling the Jews to serve God. Abarbanel mentions that he read in a book by a Christian scholar that in Solomon's time they used to hew rock with the blood of a certain worm. They would draw on the rock with the blood and the rock would be cut straight and sharp. This reminds Abarbanel of the fact that goat's blood can cut diamonds, which neither iron nor brass can do.

Ketav and mikhtav had to be created immediately after Adam and Eve's sin. They had been given one, single mitzvah to keep - to refrain from eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge - and failed. It was then that God determined that He must act with mercy towards Adam because his descendants would receive the Torah and observe all its commandments and laws.

All these miraculous things could be created only after Adam sinned and are directly connected with that sin. This is why only these ten creations are listed in the Mishnah and not the many others.

Abarbanel concludes his commentary on this Mishnah by addressing himself to the other opinions mentioned at the end of it and still others to be found in various Talmudic sources. He points out that the items suggested are meant to replace the rod of Aaron and the Shamir and that the number ten is absolute, representing either the Ten Commandments or the Ten Divine Spheres of Emanation [sefiroth]. Apparently the rod and the Shamir were considered expendable since they were not crucial for Jewish history.

The other items suggested are: Moshe's burial; Abraham's ram; devils; the first tongs; the cave in which Moshe and Elijah took refuge; Adam's clothes; fire; and the mule. Abarbanel manages to interpret each of these as being directly connected with Adam and Eve's sin. For example, Abraham's ram represents the Akedah, the Binding of Isaac, in which Abraham demonstrated the extreme of self-sacrifice, the opposite of Adam's self-indulgence. Moshe's death was a direct outcome of Adam's sin and the cave in which he and Elijah took refuge represents the Garden of Eden from which Adam was expelled. Adam, himself, by being the first sinner and the originator of "sinning" mankind, can be compared to the first tongs which make the manufacture of metal tools possible - he made sin possible - and by doing so, created the devils, i.e., the punishment for sin. Adam's clothes - beged in Hebrew, derives from the word beqidah, rebellion or treachery, and the Hebrew for mule is pered, which also means "separated," i.e., by Adam's sin man was separated from God.

Thus, Abarbanel manages to connect all ten items - according to all opinions in the Mishnah and other sources - to the sin of Adam, Eve and the snake, thus explaining why just these items were created at twilight on the eve of the first Shabbat, immediately after Adam's sin and expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rashbatz begins with a brief evaluation of Rarnbam's interpretation of this Mishnah. The disturbing question in our Mishnah is why these ten things were created prior to the onset of the first Shabbat after everything else had been created? Rambam (Guide for the Perplexed 11:29) argues that God wanted His world to operate according to the laws of nature. However, stones which give water and donkeys capable of speech are not natural phenomena. Therefore. God created them immediately after the creations that would function in a natural manner so that before the six days were up, they, too, could be included in a quasi-natural fashion. This had to be done because if they had not been created on the eve of Shabbat, they could not have been created later on since "There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9); everything was set in place during the six days of creation. Rambam claims that all the miracles which were to happen throughout history were already "created" in the first six days. otherwise they could not have taken place.

Rashbatz differs with Rambam regarding the "creation" of miracles and argues, like Abarbanel , that the miracles occurred because of the prayers and the supplication of the prophets who performed them. However, miracles which occur in history must have something of the nature of natural phenomena. The ten items listed in our Mishnah do not. They are not listed in the account of the creation, therefore they must have been created at the infinitesimal point in time between the six days of the creation and the first Shabbat. Rashbatz, therefore. sets out to explain why the items listed are totally unnatural.

1. The mouth of the earth: Although, a similar thing can happen in nature, such as an earthquake, the swallowing-up of Korah was entirely unnatural because the earth closed up after it swallowed him and his men and no sign of its having opened was left.

2. The mouth of the well: The "unnaturalness" of this phenomenon was that the well gave forth water it did not contain. Rashbatz cites Rashi who claims that the miracle of the well was that it opened its mouth and began to sing praises to God.

3. The mouth of the donkey: Although Balaarn's donkey did not exist as yet, it was decreed that when the occasion arose, it would speak. There is no approximation of an animal which talks during the six days of creation.

4. The rainbow: Rashbatz enters into a detailed description of how rainbows are formed. He points out that certain climatic conditions are necessary, including a specific type of cloud, which is not listed in the account of the creation. It was this cloud which was created on the eve of Shabbat.

5. The manna: Obviously, no parallel exists in the account of the creation for this wondrous substance. Rashbatz reflects that this was one of the major miracles, given the circumstances in which it appeared. For forty continuous years an abundance of manna fell in a forsaken, desolate desert and provided legions of people with their daily sustenance.

6. The rod. This staff was unlike any staff created in nature; it was inscribed with the initial letters of the Ten Plagues and Moshe used it to perform the miracles in Egypt and in the desert.

7. The Shamir has no parallel in nature, therefore it, too, had to be created just before the first Sabbath began.

8. & 9. & 10. The letters, the writing and the Tablets: The luhot (tablets) that were created on the Sabbath eve were the first set which God gave to Moshe. They were cast down by Moshe when he came down from the mountain and saw the Golden Calf, and the pieces were placed in the ark, there to remain with the second set. Both the staff of Moshe and the tablets, although made out of sapphire could miraculously be rolled up into a scroll. This, of course, has no parallel in nature and is not listed in the original creation.

With regard to the letters (ketav) and the writing (mikhtav), Rashbatz quotes Rashi's interpretation that the first refers to the actual letters, and the second to the words. Although another source also gives this interpretation, Rashbatz is at a loss to understand why they should be listed in the Mishnah as two items. He then quotes Rabbenu Yonah's interpretation that ketav means the letters of black fire written on white fire, in which the Torah was originally written, and mikhtav means the shape of the letters on the Tablets of the Ten Commandments. The totally unnatural aspect was that the writing could be read from whatever direction the reader viewed the Tablets. However, Rashbatz also rejects this interpretation, because the Torah was created before the world and not on the eve of the first Shabbat. If, however, we understand ketav to mean the shape of the letters inscribed on the Tablets and mikhtav to mean the actual writing, which could be read from all directions, these two items are in their proper place.

Rashbatz quotes another interpretation according to which ketav refers to the Ten Commandments and mikhtav to the stylus with which they were inscribed. The stylus is also called "The finger of God." They had to be created together with the Tablets, i.e., just before the onset of the first Shabbat.

The evil spirits: These spirits are not mentioned in the account of the creation and so could only have been created on the eve of the Sabbath. According to a midrash, when God created Adam and Eve He also created other spirits which "He did not have time" to complete before the Sabbath began, so they remained without bodies. The angels, however, were ereated on the first day of creation.

The sepulcher of Moshe: Rashbatz brings two versions on this subject. The first is that God Himself buried Moshe and since He did not create anything new after the six days of creation, and since there is no record of His having created the grave during the first six days, He must, therefore, have created the grave on the eve of the first Shabbat. The other view is that Moshe buried himself. According to this view, however, the grave was already in existence, so it must have been created on erev Shabbat. It is because the grave was the work of God that we can be told that no one knew its location.

The ram of Abraham: This ram was destined, on the eve of the first Sabbath. to be caught in a thicket. When Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son, Satan tried to free the ram from the thicket, in order to compel Abraham to slaughter Isaac. The miracle was that Satan could not succeed.

All these miracles were created necessarily erev Shabbat because they were totally different from anything that was created in the first six days and yet could not have been created at a later time because of the fundamental principle, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

N.C.: Mark 12:35-37a

CLV[1]	Magiera Peshitta NT[2]	Greek[3]	Delitzsch[4]
35. And answering, Jesus said, teaching in the sanctuary, "How are the scribes saying that the Christ is a Son of David?	35. And Jesus answered and said while [he was] teaching in the temple, "In what way do the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David?	35. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν διδάσκων ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ Πῶς λέγουσιν οἱ γραμματεῖς ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς υἱὸς ἐστιν Δαβίδ;	³⁵וְיֵשׁוּעַ מְלַמֵּד בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמַר אֵיךְ יֹאמְרוּ הַסּוֹפְרִים כִּי הַמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד הוּא׃
36. For he, David, said, in the holy spirit, 'Said the Lord to my Lord, "Sit at My right, Till I should be placing Thine enemies for a footstool for Thy feet."'"	36. For David spoke by the Holy Spirit: THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT ON MY RIGHT [HAND] UNTIL I PLACE YOUR ENEMIES [AS] A FOOTSTOOL UNDER YOUR FEET.	36. αὐτὸς γὰρ Δαβὶδ εἶπεν ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ Εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου	³⁶הֲלֹא דָוִד אָמַר בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נְאוּם יְהֹוָה לַאֲדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ׃
37. Then he, David, is terming Him 'Lord.' And whence is He his Son?And the vast throng hears Him with relish."	37. Since David called him, 'My Lord,' then how is he his Son?" And the whole crowd was hearing him gladly.	37. αὐτὸς οὖν Δαβὶδ λέγει αὐτὸν κύριον καὶ πόθεν υἱός αὐτοῦ ἐστιν καὶ ὁ πολὺς ὄχλος ἤκουεν αὐτοῦ ἡδέως	³⁷הִנֵּה־דָוִד בְּעַצְמוֹ קֹרֵא־לוֹ אָדוֹן וְאֵיךְ הוּא בְנוֹ וַיֶּאֱהַב רֹב הָעָם לִשְׁמֹעַ אֹתוֹ׃

HH Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu’s Rendition

35. ¶ And [while] Yeshua was teaching in the Bet Mikdash (Temple), he responded [to “Yelammedenu Rabbenu” (May our master teach us – concerning the Messenger of the Covenant)][5] by saying, How do the Soferim say that Messiah is the son of David?

36. For David himself said by the Ruach HaKodesh, “This is the word of the LORD to my master: Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (MT-Psa. 110:1; LXX-Psa. 109:1).

37a. Then David calls himself “master” (i.e. Messiah) [because the LORD said to him “sit at My right hand.”].

Hakham’s Commentary

35. ¶ And [while] Yeshua was teaching in the Bet Mikdash (Temple), he responded [to Yelammedenu Rabbenu (May our master teach us – concerning the Messenger of the Covenant)] – Now, last week Mark 12:34 (the last verse of the previous pericope) read:

34. And seeing that he (the Sofer) answered wisely [because he was a Hakham], Yeshua said to him, You are not far from [but near to] the [dynamic] governance of God. And no one was bold enough to question him anymore.

But at verse 35 we find a new pericope (paragraph) marking (i.e. ¶), and thereby indicating a new conversation. But verse 35 stars saying in the Authorized version:

35. ¶ And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

At first glance there seems to be missing either a verse or a sentence at the beginning of v. 35. To solve this problem we need to go to the Greek. The Greek word translated in this verse as “answered” is ἀποκρίνομαι (APOKRINOMAI). This Greek word, at least in this case seems to answer to the Hebrew phrase “Yelammedenu Rabbenu,” and meaning: “may our master teach us” and normally followed by a question of Halakha, or a topic from the weekly reading of the Torah.[6]

Since as we have stated a number of times, we believe that each of the pericopes in the Book of Mark and the Epistles of Jude and Peter, correspond to a Sabbath or Festival sermon or discussion at the table during the Sabbath, it follows then that Yeshua and his Talmidim (disciples) are in the Temple, and after the Sabbath ceremonies are concluded and someone (most probably one of his disciples), asks him (while in the Temple), “Yelammedenu Rabbenu (May our master teach us – concerning the Messenger of the Covenant)?” Why do I p[ropose such a question? Simply because on the morning of the Sabbath the weekly portion of the Torah was read, as well as the Ashlamata (Lesson from the Prophets). And the Master’s question and answer explains who is the “Messenger of the Covenant in our Ashlamata for this Sabbath from Malachi 2:5-7+3:1-6,10, particularly Malachi 3:1 and the phrase “Angel or Messenger of the Covenant.”

This we derive from the Peshat Hermeneutical Law # 7 Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.‎ That is, the proper context in the Septennial Lectionary for Mark 12:35-37a is none other than: B’Midbar (Num.) 25:10 – 26:51‎; Psalm 105:7-11; and Mal. 2:5-7+3:1-6,10. ‎ These are parameters that provide the context for our pericope of Mark for this week!

36. For David himself said by the Ruach HaKodesh, “This is the word of the LORD to my master: Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (MT-Psa. 110:1; LXX-Psa. 109:1). Concerning Psalm 110:1, Amos Hakham[7] comments:

This is the word of the LORD to my master. The Psalmist begins the psalm by citing words of prophecy that promise the king of Israel greatness and salvation. Before citing G-d’s actual words, he introduces them with the expression “N’um Ha-Shem Ladoni” – this is the word of the LORD to my master the king. The word “N’um”, “this is the word,” is used to describe words of prophecy. That term introduces the words of Balaam (Numbers 24:3-4, 15-16), and David’s last words (II Samuel 23:1, and see also Psalm 36:2, and our commentary there). “My master” refers to the king (David, or some other king of the house of David). The psalmist refers to the king in a respectful manner as “my master.” Similarly we find that when the prophet Nathan spoke to David, he referred to him as “my master, the king” (1 Kings 1:24-27).

Sit at my right hand. These are the words of G-d to the king of Israel. The psalmist employs an expression that would be appropriate for a powerful human king, who seats on his right the kings who submit themselves to him, an act that signifies that it is he who has authorized the conquered king to rule a country in his name. In the same way, G-d seats the king of Israel on His right side, as it were, as a sign that it is He who is giving him a portion of His majesty, and is appointing him king over His people Israel. We find a similar description in connection with King Solomon (I Chronicles 29:23-25): “And Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king ... and the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly ... and He bestowed upon him royal majesty.” The expression “sit at My right hand,” means: “you will be under My patronage” (see 1 Kings 2:19).

Thus, the words of Yeshua are perfectly correct.

37a. Then David calls himself “master” (i.e. Messiah) [because the LORD said to him “sit at My right hand.”].

Thus, v. 37a accords with the words of the commentary Da’at Mikra on Psalms. But following the Yelammedenu Rabbenu question: here is a further identification of King Messiah with “the Messenger of the Covenant.” Consequently Psalm 110:1 is used as an introduction to a sermon that explain who “the Messenger of the Covenant,” in Malachi 3:1 is.

Perhaps for reasons of further elucidation, it is good for us to read the whole Psalm from the Targum on the Psalms:

Psalm 110:1 Composed by David, a psalm. The LORD said in his decree to make me lord of all Israel, but he said to me, "Wait still for Saul of the tribe of Benjamin to die, for one reign must not encroach on another; and afterwards I will make your enemies a prop for your feet." ANOTHER TARGUM: The LORD spoke by his decree to give me the dominion in exchange for sitting in study of Torah. "Wait at my right hand until I make your enemies a prop for your feet." ANOTHER TARGUM: The LORD said in his decree to appoint me ruler over Israel, but the LORD said to me, "Wait for Saul of the tribe of Benjamin to pass away from the world; and afterwards you will inherit the kingship, and I will make your enemies a prop for your feet."

² The LORD will send from Zion the rod of your strength, and you will rule in the midst of your enemies.

³ Your people are those of the house of Israel who devote themselves to the Torah; you will be helped inthe day of your making battle with them; in the glories of holiness the mercies of God will hastentoyou like the descent of dew; your offspring dwell securely.

⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not turn aside, that you are appointed leader in the age to come, because of the merit that you were a righteous/generous king.

⁵ The presence of the LORD is at your right hand; he struck down kings on the day of his anger.

⁶ He was appointed judge over the Gentiles; the earth is full of the bodies of the slain wicked; he smote the heads of kings on the earth, very many.

⁷ He will receive instruction from the mouth of the prophet on the way; because of this, he will lift up his head.

Therefore this pericope of Mordechai is solidly connected to our Ashlamata for this Sahbbat.

Some Questions to Ponder:

From all the readings for this Shabbat, which reading touched your heart and fired your imagination?

2. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 25:11?

3. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 25:13?

4. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 25:14?

5. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 25:15?

6. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:5?

7. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:13?

8. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:24?

9. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:36?

10. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:38?

11. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:39?

12. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:42?

13. What question/s were asked of Rashi in B’Midbar 26:46?

14. In your opinion what is the intent of Hakham Tsefet’s pericope by the hand of his scribe Mordechai (Mark) for this Shabbat?

15. In what way does the Torah, Psalm, Prophetic reading of Malachi, and Mark 12:35-37a point to the fact that this is the first of three penitential Sabbaths?

16. What part of the Torah Seder fired the heart and imagination of the Psalmist for this week?

17. What part of the Torah Seder fired the heart and the imagination of the prophet this week?

18. What part of the Torah Seder fired the heart and the imagination of the prophet in the Special Ashlamata?

19. What part/s of the Torah Seder, Psalm, and the prophets fired the heart and the imagination of Hakham Tsefet for this week?

20. After taking into consideration all the above texts and our Torah Seder, what would you say is the general prophetic message from the Scriptures for this coming 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!”

Next Sabbath:

Second Sabbath of Penitence

Shabbat “Dibre Yirmeyahu”

& Shabbat “La-Eleh Techaleq”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
לָאֵלֶּה, תֵּחָלֵק
“La-Eleh Techaleq”	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 26:52-59	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 28:26-28
“To these will be divided”	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 26:60-65	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 28:29-31
“A estos se repartirá”	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 27:1-11	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 28:26-31
B’Midbar (Num.) 26:52 – 28:25	Reader 4 – B’Midbar 27:12-17
Ashlamatah: Is. 57:13-19+58:12-14	Reader 5 – B’Midbar 27:15-20
Special: Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3	Reader 6 – B’Mid. 27:21-28:9	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 28:26-28
Psalm 105:12-38	Reader 7 – B’Midbar 28:10-18	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 28:29-31
Pirqe Abot V:7	Maftir: B’Midbar 28:19-25	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 28:26-31
N.C.: Mordechai 12:37b-44	- Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3

Coming Fast: Fast of the 17^th of Tammuz

Tuesday July 19, 2011

For further study see: http://www.betemunah.org/tamuz17.html

Shalom Shabbat !

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

HH Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David

HH Paqid Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham

[1] CLV (Concordant Literal Version) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[2] Magiera, J.M. (2009), Aramaic Peshitta New Testament: Vertical Interlinear, Light of the Word Ministry, Vol. III.

[3] Greek New Testament (Stephanus Text) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[5] In the NT ἀποκρίνομαι occurs only in the mid. in the sense “to answer” etc. What is answered may be a request or a speech, not just a question. The aor. in the NT is 7 times mid. ἀπεκρινάμην and 195 times pass. ἀπεκρίθην. See: 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.) (electronic ed.) (3:944). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

[6][6] Cf. Berman, S.A. (1996), Midrash Tanhuma – Yelammedenu, Hoboken, New Jersey: Ktav Publishing House, pp. ix-xvi.

[7] Hakham, A. (2003) The Bible Psalms with the Jerusalem Commentary: An English Translation of the Hebrew Commentary Da’at Mikra, (3 vols.), Jerusalem, Israel: Mosad HaRav Kook, vol. 3, p. 134.