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

 

 

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

 

Roll of Honor:

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

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

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His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Honor Paqid Adon Tzuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Gibora bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

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His Excellency Adon Yaaqov ben David

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

Her Excellency Giberet Krysta Wallrauch & beloved family

 

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

 

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

 

                                                                            

 

Blessings Before Torah Study

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A Prayer for Israel

 

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

 

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

We pray for his Honor Adon Tzuriel ben Avraham. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may He bless and heal His Honor Paqid Tzuriel ben Avraham, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

 

Shabbat: “Ve El Halvim” – “To the Levites”

 

 

Contents of Torah Seder

 

·        The Dues of the Priests from the Levites – Numbers 18:25-32

·        The service of the Red Heifer - Numbers 19:1-10

·        The sprinkling of the ashes of the Red Heifer Numbers 19:11-22

 

Reading Assignment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Bamidbar (Numbers) 18:25 – 19:22

 

 

Rashi Commentary for: ‎ Bamidbar (Numbers.) 18:25 – 19:22

 

24 which they shall set aside for the Lord as a gift Heb. תְּרוּמָה. Scripture calls it תְּרוּמָה, a gift, until he separates a gift [for the kohanim] from the tithes [received by the Levite from an Israelite]. - [Sifrei Korach 53]

 

27 Your gift shall be considered for you, as grain from the threshing-floor Your gift separated from the tithe is forbidden to outsiders and to ritually unclean [people], and they incur the death penalty and [if eaten unintentionally] and [they are liable to pay] an additional fifth, just as in the case of the gift set aside by Israelites for the kohanim, which is called the first grain from the threshing-floor.-[Midrash Aggadah]

 

and the produce of the vat Like the gifts of wine and oil taken from the vats.

 

produce Heb. מְלֵאָה, lit., fullness, a term denoting ripening produce which has grown to its full [size].

 

vat Heb. יֶקֶב. This is the pit in front of the press into which the wine flows. The term יֶקֶב always denotes an excavation in the ground. Similarly, “the pits (יִקְבֵי) of the king” (Zech. 14:10), referring to the ocean—an excavation ‘dug’ by the King of the world. - [Peskita d’Rav Kahana p. 143; see also Song Rabbah 7:3, Mattenoth Kehunnah, Redal]

 

28 So shall you too set aside Just as the Israelites set aside [a portion] from their threshing-floors and from their wine vats [for the kohanim], so shall you, too, set aside [a portion] from your tithes, for that is your inheritance.

 

29 From all that is given to you, you shall set aside all God’s gifts Scripture refers to terumah gedolah [the gift set aside by the Israelites for the kohanim]. If the Levite preceded the kohen to the bin and accepted his tithes before the kohen took his terumah gedolah from the storage bin, the Levite must first separate one fiftieth from the tithe as terumah gedolah and then again separate another gift from the tithe. - [Shab. 127b]

 

30 When you separate its choicest part After you have separated a gift from the tithes.

 

it shall be considered The remainder shall be for the Levites and contain no sanctity whatsoever.

 

As produce from the threshing-floor For the Israelites. So that you should not say: Since Scripture calls it תְּרוּמָה, “a gift,” as it says, “For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they shall set aside for the Lord as a gift” (18:24), one might think it is completely forbidden [i.e., that it would retain its sanctity]. Thus, Scripture tells us that it shall be considered to the Levites like the produce of the threshing-floor; just as that of the Israelites is non-sacred [after the terumah gift has been set aside from it], so is that of the Levites non-sacred. - [Sifrei Korach 70]

 

31 Anywhere Even in a cemetery. - [Sifrei Korach 71, Yev. 86b]

 

32 You shall not bear any sin on account of it However, if you do not set aside [a portion], you will bear a sin. -[Yev. 89b, Rashi]

 

So that you shall not die However, if you do profane it, you shall die. - [Bech. 26b]

 

19:2 This is the statute of the Torah Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying, “What is this commandment, and what purpose does it have?” Therefore, the Torah uses the term “statute.” I have decreed it; You have no right to challenge it. - [Yoma 67b]

 

and have them take for you It will always be called on your name; 'the cow which Moses prepared in the desert.’-[Mid. Tanchuma Chukath 8, see Etz Yosef]

 

perfectly red Heb. אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה, lit., red, perfect. It shall be perfect in redness, so that two black hairs disqualify it. - [Sifrei Chukath 5]

 

3 Eleazar The mitzvah was performed by the deputy [to the kohen gadol]. - [Sifrei Chukath 8] 

 

outside the camp Outside all three camps. - [Yoma 68a] 

 

and slaughter it in his presence A non-kohen slaughters it while Eleazar watches. - [Yoma 42a]

 

4 toward the front of the Tent of Meeting [In later generations, when this rite will be performed outside the Temple in Jerusalem,] he is to stand to the east of Jerusalem and to direct his gaze toward the entrance to the Temple while sprinkling the blood. - [Sifrei Chukath 14]

 

7 enter the camp The camp of the Divine Presence, because no ritually unclean person is banished from two camps, except one who experienced a flow, one who experienced a seminal emission, or one afflicted with tzara’ath. [Hence, he is admitted to the one camp from which he was banished.] - [Pes. 67a]

 

and the kohen shall be unclean until evening Transpose it [the verse] and explain it [thus]: He shall be unclean until evening, and then he may enter the camp.

 

9 and place them outside the camp He divided it into three parts; one was put on the Mount of Olives, one was divided among all the watches, and one who put on the rampart surrounding the Temple area. The one given to the watches was outside the courtyard, allowing access to it for the inhabitants of outlying cities, whoever needed to purify himself. The one on the Mount of Olives was for the kohanim gedolim to sanctify themselves from it for use with other [red] cows. The one put on the rampart was kept as a keepsake by Scriptural ruling, as it says, "It shall be as a keepsake for the congregation of Israel. - [Sifrei Chukath 30, Parah 3:11 Tosefta Parah 3:8]

 

for sprinkling water Heb. לְמֵי נִדָּה, water used for sprinkling, as in, “they cast (וַיַּדּוּ) a stone at me” (Lam. 3:53); “to cast down (לְיַדּוֹת) the horns of the nations” (Zech. 2:4); an expression denoting throwing.

 

for purification - חַטָּאת , an expression of cleansing (חִטּוּי) , according to its simple meaning, but according to its halachoth, Scripture calls it חַטָּאת , “sin-offering,” to tell us that it is like holy objects, and using it for personal benefit is forbidden. - [Sifrei Chukath 34]

 

12 He shall cleanse himself with it With these ashes. - [Sifrei Chukath 39]

 

13 corpse of a human soul Which type of corpse? That of a human soul, to exclude an animal, that its uncleanness does not require sprinkling. Another explanation: “Of a human soul” refers to a quarter [of a log] of blood [necessary for maintaining life] - [Chul. 72a]

 

he has defiled the Mishkan of the Lord If he enters the courtyard even after [ritual] immersion, without having been sprinkled on both the third and seventh days. - [Sifrei Chukath 45]

 

his uncleanness remains Although he [ritually] immersed himself. - [Sifrei Chukath 45]

 

14 anyone entering the tent while the corpse is inside.

 

15 any open vessel Scripture refers to an earthenware vessel, whose exterior does not accept contamination, only its interior. Thus, if the seal around its top is not securely fastened, it becomes contaminated. But if there is a securely fastened seal, it remains clean. - [Sifrei Chukath 50, Chul. 25a]

 

fastened Heb. פָּתִיל , an expression meaning “fastened” in Hebrew. Similarly, “[With] divine bonds נִפְתַּלְתּי , I have been joined, with my sister” (Gen. 30:8).

 

16 in an open field The Sages expounded [on this phrase] to include the top and side of a coffin (Sifrei Chukath 56, Chul. 72a). But the simple meaning is that in an open field, where there is no tent, a corpse contaminates through contact.

 

19 and he shall cleanse him This consummates his cleansing.

 

20 If a person becomes unclean... If “Sanctuary” is stated [here], why need it say “ Mishkan ...” [in verse 13]? The answer is that if it would say “ Mishkan,” I would say that the person is punished with excision only if he enters the Mishkan in a state of uncleanness because the Mishkan was anointed with the anointing oil, but if he enters the Temple in a state of uncleanness, he would not be punished since the Temple was not anointed with the anointing oil. If it would say, “Sanctuary,” denoting the Temple, I would say that only for entering the Temple in a state of uncleanness, would he be punished by excision because its sanctity is permanent, but for entering the Mishkan in a state of uncleanness, he would not be punished because its sanctity was temporary. Therefore, it was necessary to mention both,] ... as it is stated in [Tractate] Shevuoth [16b].

 

21 and the one who sprinkles the sprinkling waters Our Rabbis said that the one who sprinkles is actually ritually clean, but this teaches us that the one who carries the purifying waters becomes defiled with a stringent uncleanness, for even the clothes he is wearing are contaminated, unlike the one who merely touches [the sprinkling waters]. Scripture uses the expression מַזֵּה , “the one who sprinkles” to teach that the waters do not contaminate until there is an amount of water adequate for sprinkling. - [Yoma 14a]

 

and the one who touches... shall be unclean but he is not required to wash his clothes.

 

22 Whatever the unclean one touches I.e., this unclean one who was defiled by a corpse [touches], “becomes unclean.”

 

and anyone touching him, that is, the one defiled by a corpse-

 

shall be unclean until evening From here we derive that a corpse is the supreme source of contamination, whereas one touching it is a primary source of contamination, who can in turn defile another person [through contact]. This is the explanation [of this passage] according to its literal meaning and the laws associated with it.

 

I have transcribed a homiletic interpretation from the commentary of R. Moshe HaDarshan [the preacher], which is as follows:

 

[2] and have them take for you From their own [possessions]; just as they removed their own golden earrings for the [golden] calf, so shall they bring this [cow] from their own [possessions] in atonement. - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

a red cow This can be compared to the son of a maidservant who soiled the king’s palace. They said, “Let his mother come and clean up the mess.” Similarly, let the cow come and atone for the calf. - [Midrash Aggadah and Tanchuma Chukath 8]

 

red Alluding to [the verse], “if they [your sins] prove to be as red as crimson dye” (Isa. 1:18), for sin is described as [being] ‘red.’ - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

perfectly An allusion to the Israelites, who were perfect, but became blemished. Let this come and atone for them so that they regain their perfection. - [See Midrash Aggadah.]

 

and upon which no yoke was laid Just as they cast off from themselves the yoke of Heaven. - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

[3] to Eleazar the kohen -just as they assembled against Aaron, who was a kohen, to make the calf, but because Aaron made the calf, this service was not performed through him, for the prosecution cannot serve as the defense. - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

[5] The cow shall then be burned just as the calf was burned. - [Midrash Aggadah

 

a piece of cedar wood, hyssop, and of crimson wool These three types [of objects] correspond to the three thousand men who fell because of the [sin of the golden] calf. The cedar is the highest of all trees, and the hyssop is the lowest of them all. This symbolizes that the one of high standing who acts haughtily and sins should lower himself like a hyssop and a worm [for the תּוֹלַעַת means ‘worm’ as well as ‘crimson.’ See Rashi on Isa. 1:18], and he will then gain atonement. - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

[9] a keepsake Just as the transgression of the calf is preserved throughout the generations for retribution, for there is no reckoning [punishment] which does include a reckoning for the calf, as it says, “But on the day I make an accounting [of sins upon them], I will bring their sin to account...” (Exod. 32:34). Just as the calf defiled all those who were involved in it, so does the cow render unclean all those involved with it. And just as they were cleansed through its ashes, as it says, “[he] scattered [the ashes of the burned calf] upon the surface of the water” (ibid. 20), so [with the cow], “They shall take for that unclean person from the ashes of the burnt purification offering...” (verse 17). - [Midrash Aggadah]

 

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 103:6-9

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary to Tehillim (Psalms) 103:6-9

 

7 He makes His ways known He makes His ways known to Moses.

 

Meditation from the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) ‎‎103:6-9

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

 

For the sake of continuity, I will repeat my opening from last week.

 

In this psalm David thanks G-d for the greatest gift He bestowed upon man, the soul. Without a soul man is merely a two-legged creature competing against all other animals in the bitter struggle for survival. With a soul, he becomes a reflection of the sacred heavens, a semblance of the Divine.

 

The tragic irony of life is that people are often oblivious to their own souls, unaware of the essence of their being and the true purpose of their existence. All too often, this Divine fragment is smothered by the flesh; this ray of eternal light is engulfed in darkness.

 

Modern psychology has yet to acknowledge what to every believing Jew is a fundamental of daily life: humans have souls. This cannot be proven empirically, because the soul is beyond the grasp of the microscope and computer analysis. It is not physical, and therefore, it cannot be tracked or traced. Belief in the soul is a matter of faith, and the only logical answer to the mystery of life. It is the invisible source (battery pack, if you will) of life that leaves as secretly as it comes.

 

The fundamental lesson of Judaism is to foster an awareness of the Divine Soul and to teach man how to enhance and enrich this most precious possession so that it will be worthy of standing in G-d’s presence to praise Him. Thus, the Psalmist recites the refrain, repeated five times in this psalm and the next,[1] Bless HaShem, O my soul!^[2]

 

I would like to examine the deeds and implications of the following pasuk:

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 103:6 The Lord performs charitable deeds and judgment for all oppressed people.

 

I would like to understand more about “givers” – those who are generous with their time, wealth, and material possessions. In the process we will also have to learn a bit about “receivers”, those who benefit from the those who give. I am doing this study because I have noticed that “givers” and “receivers” are not just people. For example, HaShem is the ultimate “giver” and the people in this world are the “receivers” of HaShem’s giving.

 

The Hebrew word for charity, generous “giving”, is “tzedaka”. This word is derived from the Hebrew root Tzade-Dalet-Qof (צדק), meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. Doing tzedaka, often translated as “justice” or “charity”, is incumbent on all Jews according to the Torah. Usually doing tzedaka involves putting a few coins in a tzedaka box. Chazal, our Sages, teach us that there is a lot more to this mitzva than meets the eye. To expose the insights into this mitzva, lets take a look at a very poor person who had fallen from her place as a princess and was reduced to gleaning in order to survive:

 

Ruth 2:19 “Where did you glean today?” her mother-in-law asked her. “Where did you work? May the one that took (such generous] notice of you be blessed. “So, she told her mother-in-law by whom she had worked, and said, “The name of the man by whom I worked today is Boaz.”

 

In this pasuk, passage, we are eavesdropping on a conversation between Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth. Ruth, the daughter of the king of Moab, has just returned from her first day of gleaning in the field of Boaz. The wording of the above pasuk suggests that Boaz was helped more by giving tzedaka to Ruth, than Ruth was helped by Boaz’s tzedaka.

 

The Sages of the Midrash discuss the unusual wording of this passage:

 

Midrash Rabbah Ruth V:9 AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW SAID UNTO HER: WHERE HAST THOU GLEANED TO-DAY? (ib. 19). It was taught in the name of R. Joshua: More than the householder does for the poor man, does the poor man do for the householder, for Ruth said to Naomi: THE MAN’S NAME FOR WHOM I WROUGHT TO-DAY. She did not say, ‘who wrought for me,’ but FOR WHOM I WROUGHT. I wrought him many benefits in return for the one morsel of food which he gave me. R. Jose said: ya’an ubeya’an; the word ya’an (because) has the same letters as ‘ani (a poor man). R. Shiloh of Noveh said: Your wealth depends upon the poor man. R. Nahman said: It is written, Because that (bigelal) for this thing the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy work: (Deuteronomy XV, 10) it [poverty] is a wheel (galgal) which comes round to all in the world, like the wheel of a pump which empties that which is full and fills that which is empty. Bar Kappara said: There is no man who does not come to this state [poverty], and if he does not his son does, and if not his son, his grandson. It was taught: R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: The vengeance taken of the idolatrous nations will be on account of Israel, while the vengeance taken of Israel will be on account of their poor. The vengeance taken of the idolatrous nations will be on account of Israel, as it is said, And I will lay My vengeance upon Edom by the hand of My people Israel (Ezek. XXV, 14); the vengeance taken of Israel will be on account of their poor, as it is said, And he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin in thee (Deuteronomy XV, 9). R. Abun said: The poor man stands at your door, and the Holy One, blessed be He, stands at his right hand. If you give unto him, He who stands at his right hand will bless you, but if not, He will exact punishment from you, as it is said, Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy (Psalm CIX, 31). R. Abbahu said: We should be grateful even to the impostors among them. It has been stated: R. Johanan and Resh Lakish went down to bathe in the public baths of Tiberias, and a poor man accosted them. He said to them, ‘Give me something.’ They answered, ‘When we come out we will give it.’ When they came out they found him dead. They said: ‘ Since we did not assist him during his life, let us attend to him after his death.’ When they arose from washing his body, they found a purse of dinars by him, and they said: ‘ It is well.’ Whereupon R. Abbahu said: ‘We should be grateful even to the impostors among them, for were it not for the impostors among them, were a man to see a beggar begging alms and refuse him, he would be punished with death immediately.’

 

This brief conversation between Ruth and Naomi teaches us two important lessons. First, when we give tzedaka or deal with those less fortunate than us, we have to be fully cognizant that someone is hurting because they are in need. It is a very humbling experience to be so poor that we have to accept tzedaka. We have to try and minimize this pain to whatever extent we can, so that those who are poor can maintain their dignity and pride and avoid despair. Second, Ruth is a shining example of one who can see reality and accentuate the positive. Even at one of the lowest moments in her life, a time when she may have rightfully become sad, depressed, and possibly lose faith in HaShem, she managed to turn this depressing experience into one which reflected the true reality and revealed her insight. Ruth knew that it was important to preserve her dignity, and by viewing her situation in a positive light, showing us reality, and revealing the secret of tzedaka, she proved herself worthy of the title Chazal bestowed upon her, The Mother of Royalty.

 

Boaz provided Ruth with a significant amount of food that might last Ruth and Naomi a week or more, but Ruth provided Boaz with a mitzva and its consequent eternal reward. Thus we can see that Ruth gave much more to Boaz than he gave to her.

 

Because Boaz gave Ruth tzedaka, he became a tzaddik. In the process he received an eternal reward for the temporal benefit he had given to Ruth.

 

Boaz was justified by his Emunah, his faithful obedience to HaShem and His Torah, as we read in the Nazarean codicil:

 

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua Mashiach: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 

My Teacher, Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai, has translated this passage in a very poignant manner:

 

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being made charitable by faithful obedience, let us have Shalom with G-d by (the example of) our Master Yeshua the Mashiach;2 By him we have been brought by faithful obedience into his grace (the Torah) wherein we stand, and are proud of the hope of the shekinah of G-d.

 

Now we can understand the words of Rambam in his commentary to the Mishna in:

 

Pirke Avot 3:19 All is judged according to the number of deeds.

 

Rambam explains that it is better to give one dollar of charity one hundred times, than one hundred dollars one time. The more times a person acts in a way that is meritorious and like HaShem, the more he conditions himself to the performance of mitzvot and purifies his neshama. Tzedaka is not performed for the poor person’s sake, but rather to enable the giver to emulate HaShem and merit the Olam HaBa and the rewards that belong to the one who gives tzedaka.

 

Justification

 

The KJV uses the word “justification“ and “justify” to translate the Hebrew word tzedek and its highest attainment: tzedaka.

 

“Tzedaka” is the Hebrew word normally translated as “charity” in English, but the connotation of the two words is very different. “Charity” suggests magnanimity, a generous act by those who have, which benefits those who do not have. “Tzedaka”, on the other hand, comes from the Hebrew root, “tzedek”, which means justice or fairness. Giving to the poor is not viewed in Judaism as an altruistic, generous act. It is instead seen as an act of justice and righteousness; doing one’s duty by giving to the poor what is due to them. We understand that the reason I have more than I need, is because HaShem gave me the poor man’s money to hold until the need was revealed. Therefore, when the need is revealed, justice requires me to give the poor man HIS money that was entrusted to me.

 

It is every Jew’s obligation to give “Tzedaka”, to give to the poor and to support community institutions. The spiritual benefit of giving to the poor is so great that the poor person actually does the giver a a great kindness by giving him a chance to do this mitzva. Thus does Ruth state:

 

Ruth 2:19 And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.

 

There is a folk saying that goes: “A fool gives and a wise man takes”. A fool who gives tzedaka thinks that he is giving, while a wise man who gives realizes that he is taking, he is the one who benefits the most from his act of giving.

 

The word tzedaka comes from the Hebrew root tzedek, “justice”, according to Strong’s Concordance. Tzedaka, the Hebrew word for helping the poor, strangers, widows, and orphans is often translated as “charity.” However, the Hebrew root tzedek should be translated as “justice” or “fairness”. What is the connection between giving to the poor and justice? To begin to answer this question, let’s examine what the Torah teaches us about how we are to give charity to the poor. The Torah also teaches us the reason why we are obligated to give.

 

Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:9-10 And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and stranger; I am the Lord your God.

 

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 4:19-22 When you cut down your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to fetch it; it shall be for the stranger, for the orphan, and for the widow; that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands... And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.

 

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 15:7-9 If there shall be a needy person among you, any of your brethren in any of your cities, in the Land that HaShem, your God, gives you, you shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your destitute brother. Rather, you shall open your hand to him; you shall lend him his requirement, whatever is lacking to him. Beware lest there be a lawless thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year approaches, the remission year”, and you will look malevolently upon your destitute brother and refuse to give him - then he may appeal against you to HaShem, and it will be a sin upon you.

 

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 19:28-29 At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall lay it up inside your gates... and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

 

Thus, we see that tzedaka is an obligation, not an option! We can also see that charity is but a particular application of justice. From Judaism’s perspective, therefore, one who gives tzedaka is acting justly; One who doesn’t, is acting unjustly. And Torah views this lack of justice as not only mean-spirited but also illegal.

 

Every person is required to give tzedaka according to his ability. Even a poor person who is himself supported by tzedaka, must give tzedaka. A person who can only give a little should not hesitate to give, because a little from him is like a great deal from a wealthier person. We are all obligated to seek justice!

 

According to Maimonides, in his seminal work, the Mishne Torah, Zeraim, Laws of Contributions to the Poor, Chapter 10:7-14, there are eight levels of Tzedaka, each one higher than the other. Maimonides’ eight levels of giving arranged from best to least good:

 

1.          Give the recipient the wherewithal to become self-supporting. The highest one of all is when one takes the hand of one from Israel and gives him a gift or a loan, or engages him in a partnership, or finds him work by which he can stand on his own and not require any charity. Thus, it is written: “And you strengthened the stranger who lives with you.” i.e. strengthen him so he won’t fall and need your help.

2.          Neither the donor nor the recipient knows the other.

3.          The donor knows the recipient but the recipient is unaware of the donor.

4.          The recipient knows the donor but the donor does not know the recipient.

5.          The donor gives without being solicited.

6.          The donor gives after being solicited.

7.          The donor gives less than he should but does so cheerfully.

8.          The donor is pained by the act of giving.

 

Performing tzedaka, deeds of justice, is the most important obligation that HaShem imposes on His people, as we can see from the following pasuk:

 

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 16:20 Tzedek (justice), tzedek (justice) you shall pursue,

 

The Sages of the Talmud also taught this understanding:

 

Bava Batra 9b “Tzedaka is equal to all the other commandments combined”

 

From the Torah’s perspective, therefore, one who gives tzedaka is justified and has justification. Without tzedaka one is not justified and he has not obtained justification. Justification is what happens when we do the right thing. Justification is rendered by the judge when he determines that an individual has done the right thing and acted justly. Giving tzedaka is the highest form of “doing the right thing”.

 

It is also possible to perform charity in order to receive forgiveness for sin. This is an effective method of repentance (provided one abandons one’s sins as well), and is noted by the prophet:

 

Daniel 4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by doing righteousness (tzedaka), and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.

 

An incident recorded in the Torah shows us how potent it is for us to understand that tzedaka benefits the giver more than the receiver:

 

Shemot (Exodus) 25:2 “Take for Me an offering”

 

The donations requested of Bne Israel for the construction of the Mishkan are described as being taken rather than given. Moreover, HaShem is the Master of the Universe and all that it contains. Did He need contributions and materials from human beings to construct His Mishkan?

 

The purpose of the contributions was to enable Bne Israel to participate in the construction of the Mishkan. Thus, the giving was in fact a receiving. That is why HaShem said, “Take for me an offering.”

 

The Nesi’im, the heads of the tribes, responded to the call for contributions for the Mishkan by declaring that they would donate whatever was still needed after the rest of Bne Israel gave all that they could. In the end, all that was left to bring were the precious stones for the Ephod and the Choshen (breastplate), the oil and the spices for the incense and the Menorah. The Nesi’im were admonished for conducting themselves in this manner and the yud (י) was removed their title in:

 

Shemot (Exodus) 35:27 And the Nesi’im brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;

 

The Nesi’im misunderstood the purpose of the giving. There was no deficit to be made up. HaShem has no deficit. The giving was an opportunity for self-development, the purification of one’s soul through attachment to a holy undertaking. Approaching the mitzva as if HaShem needs our contributions was ludicrous.

 

In this light, we can appreciate the significance of the deletion of the “yod” from the title of the Nesi’im. With a “yod”, the word Nesi’im denotes “those that carry”. Without the “yod”, the vowels can be rearranged to read “Nis’aim”- those that are carried. The “yod” was removed to instruct them that, though they viewed themselves as making up the shortfall, they were in reality being carried by the merit of the mitzva!

 

This principle is further illustrated in the carrying of the holy ark in the wilderness. The staves with which the holy ark was carried, represent the supporters of Torah, those who give tzedaka. They are an intrinsic part of the Torah community, inseparable from the Torah scholars, just as the staves could not be removed from the ark. But the Levites, of the house of Kohath, who carried the ark were miraculously lifted off the ground and literally carried by the ark itself!!! Their apparent support was in reality that which supported them. Thus we see in the following Midrash:

 

Sotah 35a When the last of the Israelites ascended from the Jordan, the waters returned to their place; as it is said: And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime. Consequently the ark and its bearers and the priests were on one side [of the Jordan] and the Israelites on the other! The ark carried its bearers and passed over [the river]; as it is said: And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people. On that account was Uzza punished, as it is said: And when they came unto the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘Uzza, [the ark] carried its bearers; must it not all the more [be able to carry] itself!’

 

The following true story makes our point in an especially poignant manner:

 

After his marriage, Rabbi Eliezer Gordon, the founder of the Telshe Yeshiva, was supported by his father-in-law, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Neviezer, so that he could devote himself fully to Torah learning and develop into a Gadol. As his family began to grow, and he was offered various rabbinical positions, Reb Eliezer sought to relieve his father-in-law of this financial burden. He asked his permission to accept a rabbinical position and begin to support himself. Despite difficult financial times, Reb Avraham Yitzchak refused to permit him to do so. When Reb Avraham Yitzchak’s wife asked him how long he intended to support their daughter and son-in-law’s family, he responded, “My dear wife, who knows who is supporting whom...” Finally, the prestigious rabbinical position in Eisheshok was offered to Reb Eliezer, and his father-in-law could no longer detain him. The day after the Gordon family left for Eisheshok, Reb Avraham Yitzchak died. It then became clear who had been supporting whom.

 

Chazal tell us that we will be redeemed through the merit of tzedaka. May we recognize the great opportunity offered us when we are called upon to support Torah institutions, Torah scholars, and the poor, and thereby merit redemption!

 

Chazal tell us that we will be redeemed through the merit of tzedaka. May we recognize the great opportunity offered us when we are called upon to support Torah institutions, Torah scholars, and the poor, and thereby merit redemption!

 

Givers and Receivers

 

Giver:                The wealthy. 

Receiver:           The poor.

 

We have discussed these givers and receivers extensively in this study already, but there are more “givers”:

 

Giver:                HaShem.

Receivers:         All people.

 

Giver:                Heaven.

Receiver:           Earth.

 

Man wants control over the heavens because it is the heavens that provide the inputs he requires to enrich his earthly life. The essence of belief in HaShem, is the knowledge that it is HaShem who is the source of all being and energy. A created world is not assembled out of pre-existing materials. It is fashioned out of Divine energy. Even the “natural processes” of such a world must all be fueled by fresh inputs of Divine energy.

 

This constant input of Divine energy is called the “heavens” in the very first verse in Genesis:

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 

“Heavens” is the generic term used by the Torah to express the idea of “giver” (or energy source), whereas the “earth” is the generic term for the idea of “receiver.”

 

Giver:                Males

Receiver:           Females

 

The above example can be clarified by examining the act of marriage (sexual intercourse). In this act the man gives sperm to the woman who receives it and nourishes it until a child is born.

 

The idea of a male being the “giver” helps us understand why the Torah always refers to HaShem in the masculine. Clearly, HaShem receives nothing from us while He gives us everything. Thus, we understand that we are not being sexist when we speak of HaShem as a male, rather we are expressing the direction of the giving.

 

Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 62:8-12 + 63:1-6

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 62:8-12 + 63:1-6

 

9 shall eat it. This refers back to “your grain.”

 

shall drink it. This refers back to “your wine.”

 

10 Pass, pass through the portals. Said the prophet, “Pass and return in the portals; turn the heart of the people to the proper path” [after Jonathan].

 

pave, pave the highway. Heb. סֹלּוּ. Pave the road, batec lokemin in O.F., beat down the road. סֹלּוּ is the same root as מְסִלָּה.

 

clear it of stones. Clear the highway of stones and cast the stumbling blocks to the sides.

 

clear it of stones. Heb. סַקְּלוּ, espedrec in O.F., to rid of stones.

 

of stones. of there being there a stone, and he is alluding to the evil inclination. It may also be interpreted as referring to the repairs of the road for the ingathering of the exiles.

 

lift up a banner. A staff, perche in French. That is a sign, that they gather to Me and bring Me those exiled beside them [i.e., those exiled in their land].

 

11 Behold his reward. [that is prepared] to give to His servants is prepared with Him.

 

and His wage. [Lit. His deed.] The reward for the deed they did with Him, is before Him, prepared to give.

 

63:1 Who is this coming from Edom. The prophet prophesies concerning what the Holy One, blessed be He, said that He is destined to wreak vengeance upon Edom, and He, personally, will slay their heavenly prince, like the matter that is said (supra 34:5), “For My sword has become sated in the heaven.” And afterward, (ibid.) “it shall descend upon Edom,” and it is recognizable by the wrath of His face that He has slain [them with] a great massacre, and the prophet is speaking in the expression of the wars of human beings, dressed in clothes, and when they slay a slaying, the blood spatters on their garments, for so is the custom of Scripture; it speaks of the Shechinah anthropomorphically, to convey to the ear what it can hear. Comp. (Ezek. 43:2) “His voice is like the voice of many waters.” The prophet compares His mighty voice to the voice of many waters to convey to the ear according to what it is possible to hear, for one cannot understand and hearken to the magnitude of the mighty of our God to let us hear it as it is.

 

Who is this coming from Edom. Israel says, “Who is this, etc.?” And He is coming with soiled garments, colored with blood, and anything repugnant because of its smell and its appearance fits to the expression of חִמּוּץ, soiling.

 

from Bozrah. Our Rabbis said (see Makkoth 12a): “The heavenly prince of Edom is destined to commit two errors. He thinks that Bozrah is identical with Bezer in the desert, which was a refuge city. He will also err insofar as it affords refuge only for inadvertent murder, but he killed Israel intentionally.” There is also an Aggadic midrash (see above 34:6) that because Bozrah supplied a king for Edom when its first king died, as in Gen. (36:33), “And Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his stead,” and Bozrah is of Moab, according to the matter that is stated (Jer. 48:24): “Upon Kerioth and upon Bozrah.”

 

this one. who was stately in His attire, צֹעֶה, and girded with the greatness of His strength. And the Holy One, blessed be He, replies to him, ‘It is I, upon Whom the time has come to speak of the righteousness of the Patriarchs, and of the righteousness of the generation of religious persecution, and My righteousness, too, is with them, and I have revealed Myself as being great to save.’ And they say, ‘Why is your clothing red? Why are your garments red?’

 

3 and from the peoples, none was with Me. standing before Me to wage war.

 

and their lifeblood sprinkled. Heb. נִצְחָם, Their blood, which is the strength and victory (נִצָּחוֹן) of a man.

 

I soiled. Heb. אֶגְאָלְתִּי. Comp. (Lam. 4:14) “They were defiled (נִגֹּאֲלוּ) with blood.”

 

5 And I looked, and there was no one helping. Israel.

 

and I was astounded. An expression of keeping silent, and I have already explained it above (57:16): “And He was astounded for there was no intercessor.”

 

and My fury that supported Me. My fury that I have against the heathens (the nations [mss. and K’li Paz]), for I was a little wrath with My people, and they helped to harm them. That strengthened My hand and aroused My heart to mete recompense upon them although Israel is not fit and worthy of redemption.

 

6 And I trod. Heb. וְאָבוּס. An expression of wallowing in blood and treading with the feet. Comp. (Ezekiel 16:6) “wallowing (מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת) in your blood.” Comp. also (Jer. 12: 10): “They trod (בֹּסְסוּ) My field.”

 

their power. Heb. נִצְחָם, the might of their victory.

 

Commentary on the Ashlamatah of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 62:8-12 + 63:1-6

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

 

In these verses, the prophet Isaiah declares that God has sworn by his mighty hand that the restoration of Jerusalem is irrevocable.  Our text promises that the nations will witness the vindication of Jerusalem's righteousness and glory, and the city will receive a new name. Our chapter 62 begins with, Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be still[3].  Rashi says, I will not be still until her righteousness emanates. Zion is another name for Jerusalem, although more specifically it refers to the fortress, and according to Radak and Malbim, the names Zion and Jerusalem represent two different aspects of the holy city.  Zion refers to the aspect of justice and therefore refers to the temple mount home of the Sanhedrin and Jerusalem refers to that aspect of the divine redemption and therefore applies to the general population and the targum says on this verse that God says that as long as Zion and Jerusalem have not been redeemed, he will give no rest to the nations. Rabbi Mordechai Gifter,  applied this to our modern world and history when he says the world is constantly preoccupied with the Jewish people in their land, as if the nations cannot have rest as long as Zion and Jerusalem have not been restored to their spiritual eminence.^[4]  We can all agree this is the situation for the last seventy years, and what we see in the news every day, and even more so since October 7^th, 2023.  And recently, in the last few weeks, we've seen the fighting intensify between Israel and the nation of Iran.

 

The first part of our reading, if we were to give it a title, we could say that it is the covenant of restoration and a new identity, Jerusalem receiving a new name.[5] The Lord (Hashem) hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and strangers shall not drink thy wine, for which thou hast labored.  The sages understand his powerful arm as his left arm per Nazir 3b.  Malbim explains that the right hand signifies God's miraculous intervention in return for Israel’s adherence to the Torah, whereas the left hand refers to miracles even when Israel is not deserving. Accordingly, God swears, so to speak, that whether or not Israel is worthy, he will no longer allow Israel’s enemies to reap their crops. When the enemy is not reaping and stealing Israel's blessings, then we should see the blessings begin flowing back to the people of the land.  

 

Radak says these verses refer specifically to the maaser sheni, the second tithe that was brought to Jerusalem, and a special praise was recited in connection with it, as we see in Deuteronomy 26:13-15. Rashi and Ibn Ezra say, those who gathered it will drink it in my holy courtyards, and Rinas Yitzchak^[6] explains that Jerusalem is called my holy courtyards because the intense devotion to Torah found there and the fear of heaven that permeated its inhabitants and inspired all those who came into the city.

 

Go through, go through the gates, clear ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones; lift up an ensign over the peoples.  Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth: Say ye to the daughter of Zion:

 

Isaiah tells the people to prepare the way and get ready for the arrival, but an alternative understanding is that this directive is addressed to the nations, and they should remove any obstacles that prevent Israel's ascension to Zion.  Here we entertain an interesting proposition. Could we soon see ‘a development in the world’, based on these texts and the mighty arm of strength of Hashem, a clearing of the way for Israel to regain control over the Temple Mount, the place of the Sanhedrin previously spoken of?  Midrash and Targum see these verses of clearing the way and gathering out the stones as the spiritual revival necessary to herald the Messianic Era. The Midrash also explains the concept of removing stones as overcoming each individual temptation as it arises, and in the world to come the evil inclination will be entirely uprooted.[7]  Rashi adds here, to raise a banner over the peoples as to instruct the nations to bring the Jews to their homeland and according to Radak, the redemption will be universally apparent, as if a banner had been raised among the nations declaring that the time has come for all to know that Israel is returning to its homeland.[8]

 

‘Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.’ And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called Sought out, a city not forsaken.  At the time of the redemption, the Jews living at the four corners of the earth will begin to be awakened, and as Me’am Lo’ez shares, there will be Divine voices (i.e. spiritual callings) admonishing even those at the ends of the earth to repent and prepare for the soon coming redemption.[9]  It is understood that there are two aspects to fulfilling God’s will. By observing the commandments, one demonstrates his subservience to Hashem and by observing the commandments thereby bringing blessings and benefits to said person.[10]  According to Malbim, the verse “his reward is with him, and his wage is before him” tells us of the two reasons for Israel's redemption. One is to reward Israel, and the other is so that God’s initial plan for Creation can materialize. [11]  Then Israel, Zion will be called “sought after”, “the city not forsaken” which is in contrast to Jeremiah 30:17-   “She is Zion, there is none that careth for her^” and Isaiah 49:14. “Zion said: ‘The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.”  The implication here is not only that things will change in Israel, but the nations will also have a change of heart in how they perceive Israel, the people of God. 

 

I have observed that a person can tell tall tales on/to another, and before that person comes into the meeting, other people take an attitude against them. Before they meet the person, they have already formed an opinion without any firsthand knowledge.  They have already been influenced in a negative way toward a stranger they have never met.  This is what the nations have done to Israel, God’s people!  But the time is coming when citizens around the world will begin to see Israel in a different light, and they will see for themselves that they have been lied to. As this new realization begins to set in, Israel will be seen differently, and they will become the “city not forsaken and sought after”.   In some small way we can see that this has happened for the last 30 years or so, but I think we are on the verge of an increase of those coming from the nations and saying, we will eat our own bread and provide our own raiment, just let us be called by thy name, for we see that Hashem is with thee.(Isa.2:2-4, 4:1, Zech.8:22-23).

 

In Isaiah 62:12, we see one coming who, as a majestic figure, proclaims vengeance, redemption, and salvation. The second part of our parsha in Isaiah 63 tells us of the destruction Edom will suffer for its persecution of Israel throughout the centuries. Our passage pictures a divine warrior who is operating as if it is God. In the metaphor, God appears as a human avenger who is wreaking destruction on his enemies. This divine warrior is marching as if in a wine press, trampling his enemies underfoot, as the avenger of the harm that has been inflicted on his people. Abarbanel comments that the attribute of revenge is a majestic raiment.  Although sullied with the blood of his enemies, as the avenger, God’s justice and punishment fit the sin perfectly, measure for measure.[12]

 

Who is this one from Edom, with blood-soaked garments from Bozrah? This anointed one was first introduced as coming with the word (speaking) (Isa.59:21) his ministry in word is salvation (61:1-2) when he put on his garments, he vowed not to keep silent (61:10). We see a similar and parallel vision in the Nazarene Codicil in (Rev.19:11-16) with this one pictured as riding a white horse with eyes like blazing fire and a sharp sword proceeds from his mouth to strike the nations and rule them with a rod of Iron. This theme of divine justice as a warrior-judge who enacts retribution against the wicked reflects the same ideas presented in Isaiah 63.

 

This divine intervention includes both cleansing judgment and vindication for the righteous. Rabbi Saul, in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12, teaches the same idea; however, here he stresses that divine justice is not arbitrary but is meant to restore order and bring about the salvation of the faithful. A theme that resonates with the idea in Isaiah 63, where a purifying judgment is a prerequisite for the final redemption and restoration. Rashi, in comments on Isaiah 62, speaks of it being emblematic of a renewed spiritual status. This transformation of Jerusalem is closely linked with the restoration of Israel's honor, a theme that echoes throughout the prophets. Rashi goes on to say, the treading of the winepress is a symbolic representation of divine justice. He emphasizes that such language is anthropomorphic, not as a literal description of violence, but a vivid expression of God’s direct intervention to secure justice for his people.[13] Currently, the President of the United States has given Iran, the sworn enemy of Israel, two weeks to end its pursuit of death and destruction against Israel. Regardless of the President's decision, his actions will not be for America, but for the peace of Jerusalem, and then and only then for the greater peace of the whole world.

 

Commentators wrestle with the identity of Bozrah. Some say it’s a major city in Edom.[14] Iben Ezra says it is a metaphor for any place and people that adopt the culture and beliefs of Edom.  The sages interpret that Hashem destroyed the guardian angel of Edom just as he did when he destroyed the guardian angel of Egypt and smote the firstborn of the children of Egypt. This guardian angel is the source of life and strength of the nation. When the angel is removed, the nation fails, and the nation ceases to be a world power and becomes subservient to Israel. We have seen this in the past, and I believe we are witnessing this same occurrence in our day as the cosmic forces are realigned.[15]  This that is glorious in his apparel, stately in the greatness of his strength?’—’ I that speak in victory, (righteousness) mighty to save.’.  Hashem is answering his question, saying that he is acting on his righteousness and the righteousness of the Patriarchs and of countless Jews who accepted martyrdom rather than renouncing their faith. I alone have trodden the winepress; not a man from the nations was with me. (v.3) 

 

Israel today is, by and large, a secular nation, and the ultimate redemption will transcend Israel's merit, which requires God to act alone. At the time of redemption, Israel will stand alone with none of the nations coming to Israel's defense. One point, I think we should bear in mind. Although the nations might not actively work against Israel, if they do not actively help Israel, it is as if they are standing against them.  When God made the covenant with Abraham between the pieces (Gen 15) to fulfill His covenantal promises to Abram, remember that the land had already been promised. He came down and made (lit, “cut”) a formal treaty with Abram (known as the Abrahamic Covenant). Since God could “swear” (confirm the covenant) by none greater, “He swore by Himself” (Heb. 6:13). In other words, this was a unilateral covenant. So, its promises are absolutely sure.^[16]  The same concepts mentioned earlier were again spoken by Yeshua when he simply stated, “If you’re not for me, then you’re against me”. (Matt 11:30, contrast Mk. 9:40, Luk. 9:50) Yeshua simply supplied the criterion whereby others may be tested; whoever is not actively opposing the work is de facto an ally and not the enemy.

 

The Prophet Jeremiah in 31:36 drives the point home that regardless of Israel’s merits or lack thereof,  Thus saith the Lord, Who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof roar, the Lord of hosts is His name:  If these ordinances depart from before Me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever.  Thus, saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananel unto the gate of the corner……  it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever.

 

Radak says when the day of vengeance that was in My heart, and My year of redemption, has come. There will be no outward sign or indication, and not even the angels will know. Yeshua in Acts 1:7 hints at this idea, and it is also supported in (Sanhedrin 99a).   I looked, and there was none to help, and I beheld in astonishment, and there was none to uphold; therefore, Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me, and My fury, it upheld Me.   Radak goes on to show how, in this verse, the salvation of God is intertwined with the salvation of Israel.[17]  Just as in Isaiah 59:16, we see the same motif in the absence of justice and righteousness. Hashem sees that there is no righteous man, and when this is stated in this fashion, No Man refers to the whole nation of Israel.  Some have suggested a contradiction between (63:1) and (v.5) and the (59:16) passage where God has no helper. Radak explains that there is no contradiction. Repentance will bring redemption, and complete universal repentance will bring redemption without delay.  But regardless, God will redeem Israel in its time because of his righteousness and in the merit of the Patriarchs. Then, when the nation as a whole sees the miracles of divine intervention, they will all repent.[18]  In its time, Hashem clothes himself with his garments of vengeance, and it is his holy arm that brings the victory and his own righteousness.   Our verse reflects Deuteronomy 9:5, Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that He may establish the word which the Lord swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.  Know therefore that it is not for thy righteousness that the Lord thy God giveth thee this good land to possess it; for thou art a stiff-necked people. (see Gen.50:24)

 

Metzudot[19] tells us the extent of God's retribution will be beyond their understanding, and that according to Me’am Lo’ez[20] Edom will lose the free will to repent. As we have seen in the Exodus from Egypt, Pharaoh lost his free will to repent, and every day he doubled down and threw all caution and good sense to the wind, he could not see the coming results of his actions toward the people of Israel. It seems to me we are seeing the same thing happen today, and we question, can these people who fight against God and his people, can they not see the coming end result of their actions? As drunkards who have lost control of all their mental faculties, they continue to drink the wine.  And I trod down the peoples in my anger, and made them drunk with my fury, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth. Iben Ezra brings out that ‘the peoples’ here in (v.6) is not Israel but is referring to the nations other than Edom, who, being complicit in Edom’s corruption, injustice, and unrighteous behavior toward Israel, shall also suffer the divine wrath.

 

As a summary of the ideas and themes of our reading, we can see that the nations will witness the vindication of Jerusalem as Hashem's people. The imagery of a bridegroom rejoicing over his Bride gives us a picture where both physical substance and spiritual nourishment bring a fulfillment of the covenant and the promise of divine favour and the ultimate redemption. This majestic figure metaphor is portrayed as if Hashem himself is suiting up in his battle garments and going to war in his wrath to bring salvation and redemption to his bride. The two passages from chapters 62 and 63 work together to paint a picture of the Divine fidelity of Hashem and his justice. There are no contradictions in these verses. God has taken Israel as his own, and as his bride he must deal justly with those who violate his commandments and ethical order. Not only those of the bride, but also those of the nations, and how they responded to the bride while she was estranged from her husband. In the opening verses of Shir HaShrim (Song o Songs) Solomon choose his allegory – the love between a man and a women. Hashem is the Beloved (Dod) and Israel is his beloved (Raya). Since Sinai they are the Bridegroom and the Bride, Companion and companion, the Shepherd and his flock. Behold, you are fair, My beloved,” says He to Her in every generation. “like a rose among thorns, so is My beloved among the daughters,” Like an apple tree among the (barren) trees of the wood,”  She answers, “So is my Beloved among the sons.”[21]

 

Verbal Tallies and Connections

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

 

The verbal tally that connects Bamidbar (Numbers) 18:26 and Isaiah 62:8, focusing on words found in both JPS verses and their corresponding Strong's numbers, includes:

 

Bamidbar 18:26 (JPS): "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them: When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for HaShem, even a tenth part of the tithe."

 

Isaiah 62:8 (JPS): "HaShem hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and strangers shall not drink thy wine, for which thou hast labored;"

 

Here are the shared words and their Hebrew connections:

 

• HaShem (Hebrew: יְהוָה - HaShem, Strong's H3068) - Appears in both verses.
• give (Hebrew: נָתַתִּי - na·ta·ti in Bamidbar 18:26, and אֶתֵּן - et·ten in Isaiah 62:8, both derived from Strong's H5414) - While the conjugation differs, the root meaning of "to give" is shared.

 

* * *

 

The thematic connections between Bamidbar 18:25-19:22 and Tehillim 103:6-9 primarily revolve around HaShem’s justice, mercy, and provision, often in response to sin and the need for purification.

Here's a concise breakdown:

 

·         God's Justice and Righteousness (Bamidbar 18:25-26, Tehillim 103:6):

Bamidbar 18:25-26 details HaShem's command regarding the tithes for the Levites and their heave-offering to HaShem. This establishes a system of divine justice and proper stewardship of resources.

 

Tehillim 103:6 explicitly states, "HaShem executeth righteousness, and acts of justice for all that are oppressed." Both passages show God's active involvement in establishing order and fairness.

 

·         God's Ways Made Known (Bamidbar 19, Tehillim 103:7):

 

Bamidbar 19 outlines the detailed laws of the Red Heifer for purification from contact with the dead. This passage highlights God's specific "ways" and instructions for maintaining ritual purity and dealing with defilement. These are concrete "doings unto the children of Israel."

 

Tehillim 103:7 states, "He made known His ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel." This psalm reflects on HaShem revealing His divine directives to His people, mirroring the explicit commandments found in Bamidbar.

 

·         God's Compassion and Forgiveness in the Face of Sin/Uncleanness (Bamidbar 19, Tehillim 103:8-9):

 

Bamidbar 19 directly addresses the problem of ritual uncleanness due to contact with death and provides a means of purification through the ashes of the Red Heifer. This demonstrates God's provision for restoration from a state that would otherwise hinder approach to Him.

 

Tehillim 103:8-9 emphasizes HaShem's character: "HaShem is full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always contend; neither will He keep His anger forever." This speaks to God's willingness to forgive and not perpetually hold sin or uncleanness against His people, much like the ritual purity laws provide a path to restoration.

 

In essence, Bamidbar provides the specific laws and rituals demonstrating HaShem's just requirements and merciful provisions for purification, while Tehillim praises HaShem for these very attributes – His righteousness, His making known His ways, and His abundant compassion that addresses human failing and restores relationship.

 

* * *

 

The eschatological message of Isaiah 62:8-12 and 63:1-6, according to Jewish sources, describes the future redemption and glorious restoration of Israel and Jerusalem, accompanied by divine vengeance upon their oppressors.

 

Here's a concise breakdown:

 

·         Isaiah 62:8-12: The Glorious Restoration of Zion and Israel:

 

o   Divine Oath and Abundant Blessing (62:8-9): God solemnly swears that Israel will no longer be plundered by enemies; they will enjoy the fruits of their labor in their land, praising the Lord. This signifies a time of peace, prosperity, and security under divine protection.

 

o   Return of the Exiles and Rebuilt Jerusalem (62:10-11): A call goes forth to prepare the way for the return of the Jewish people. This speaks of a mass ingathering of exiles, with roads cleared and banners raised, signaling the imminent arrival of their salvation.

 

o   New Names and Enduring Status (62:12): Jerusalem and its inhabitants will receive new, glorious names ("Holy People," "Redeemed of the Lord," "Sought Out," "City Not Forsaken"). This indicates a complete transformation of their status and a perpetual, cherished relationship with God, where their past suffering and desolation are utterly reversed.

 

·         Isaiah 63:1-6: Divine Vengeance and Redemption:

 

o   The Divine Warrior from Edom (63:1-3): A majestic figure, identified as God Himself, comes from Edom (often understood as a symbol of Israel's ultimate oppressors, particularly Rome in some Jewish interpretations) with blood-stained garments. This vividly depicts God's sole and mighty act of vengeance against the nations that afflicted Israel. He alone, without human assistance, carries out this judgment.

 

o   Day of Vengeance and Year of Redemption (63:4): This verse explicitly links the "day of vengeance" for Israel's enemies with the "year of My redeemed," signifying that God's retribution against oppressors is inextricably tied to the redemption of His people.

 

o   No Helper (63:5): God declares that He found no one to help Him in this task, emphasizing His singular power and determination in bringing about this final justice and salvation.

 

o   Trampling the Nations (63:6): The imagery of treading down peoples in His wrath and making them drunk with His fury further underscores the decisive and overwhelming nature of divine judgment on those who opposed Israel.

 

In essence, the eschatological message is one of total and irreversible redemption for Israel, marked by their return to their land, renewed glory, and a secure relationship with God, all achieved through God's powerful and solitary act of vengeance against the nations that have persecuted them.

 

Nazarean Talmud

Sidrah of Bamidbar (Numbers) 18:25 – 19:22

“Ve El Halvim” – “To the Levites”

By: Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

 

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

 

 

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

 

Introduction

 

When one engages in a profound exploration of sacred texts, seeking to uncover the hidden harmonies and the overarching Divine fabric that weaves together seemingly disparate narratives. The intention is to illuminate the intricate dance between Divine decree and human action, particularly through the lens of different hermeneutic traditions. The focus is to articulate how the Tanakh's ancient wisdom inherently foreshadows and imbues the narratives of the Nazarean Codicil with layers of spiritual meaning, presenting a holistic understanding of redemption and the Divine plan.

 

Handed Over to the Gentiles (Edom - Romans): A Mystical Unveiling of Din and Tikkun

 

It is understood that Yeshua's pronouncements regarding his suffering and subsequent delivery into the hands of the Gentiles, as articulated in Mordechai (Mark) 10:32-34 and II Luqas (Luke) 18:31-34, carry a weight far beyond mere historical prediction. The declaration in Mordechai 8:31, “And he began to teach them, that the son of man the Prophet must suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees), and by some of the chief priests, and by some of their scribes, and to be killed by Edom, and after three days to rise again,” points to a preordained cosmic drama. The identification of Edom as the instrument of this final act of physical demise is a subtle yet profound key. Edom, in Jewish thought, is often associated with the realm of Judgment, representing a rectification through confrontation and often, through suffering. This is not simply a historical detail but a spiritual designation, signifying the precise Divine channel through which a necessary, albeit painful, process of Tikkun (Rectification) would unfold.

 

When one considers the abuse-the beating, whipping, and spitting—and the ultimate act of death, one is compelled to look beyond the immediate cruelty of human agents to the deeper Divine orchestration. This resonates with the powerful imagery in Yeshayahu 63:1-6, where one observes a Divine figure “coming from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in His apparel, marching in the greatness of His strength.” The garments, stained with the "lifeblood" of His enemies, signify a profound act of Din, a necessary treading of the "winepress" of judgment. While Yeshayahu speaks of Divine vengeance upon oppressors, the resonance lies in the process of purification and the use of seemingly harsh means to achieve a higher spiritual end. From a Midrashic viewpoint, this Divine Judgment is employed to clear away the impure forces of opposition that impede the full Geulah (Redemption). The suffering of the Tzaddik (righteous one), particularly one so profoundly connected to the root of the souls, can mystically draw forth these severe judgments, transforming them into a catalyst for profound Tikkun on a cosmic scale. It is a mystery of Divine paradox, where the very act of apparent defeat becomes an instrument of ultimate victory and cleansing.

 

This profound understanding of suffering as an instrument of Divine purification finds its ultimate parallel in the enigma of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer), as detailed in Bamidbar 19:2-22. This choq (statute beyond human reason) is the epitome of paradoxical purification: that which renders the pure impure yet purifies the most profound tum'ah (ritual impurity) imparted by contact with the dead. Death, spiritually understood, represents the ultimate state of Tzimtzum (contraction) and the concealment of Divine Light, the deepest embedding within the Sitra Achra. The Parah Adumah ritual performs a tikkun for this profound spiritual contraction, allowing for the re-emergence of Or Pnimi (Inner Light). Yeshua's foretold suffering, culminating in death, can be seen as a spiritual enactment of this Parah Adumah principle. From a Jewish spiritual perspective, his willingness to embrace a state of profound demise. The very essence of the Parah Adumah teaches that purification often stems from an engagement with the exact source of impurity, transforming it from within, mirroring the suffering that acts as a cleansing force.

 

Despite these profound and often harsh manifestations of Din, the overarching narrative is one of unyielding Divine sovereignty. As Tehillim 96:10 declares, “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD has reigned.’ Also, the inhabited world will be established so that it will not falter; He (God) will judge peoples with equity.” This is a foundational truth. The meticulous plans of human wickedness, even the strategic decision to "hand over to the Gentiles," cannot thwart the ultimate plan of G-d. When one observes the machinations of the wicked, the mighty echoes of Tehillim Chapter 2 resonate: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.’ He that sits in the heavens will laugh: the LORD will have them in derision. Then will He speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in His great displeasure. Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of Tzion.” This imagery speaks to the Divine mastery over seemingly chaotic human plans. The suffering, the betrayal, and the execution by Edom are all, from this vantage, orchestrated within the inscrutable wisdom of HaShem and the precise flow of Seder HaHishtalshelut (Chain of continuity) to fulfill a higher Tikkun and usher in the long-prophesied redemption of Tzion, as highlighted in Yeshayahu 62:8-12: “Adonai has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give your grain to be food for your enemies... But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise Adonai... Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the peoples. Behold, Adonai has proclaimed to the end of the world: Say to the daughter of Tzion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’ And they shall call them, ‘The Holy People, The Redeemed of Adonai’; and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.’” This vision of assured redemption underscores that even through the direst events, Elohim's purpose for His people and the world remains steadfast.

 

The Profound Illegality and Spiritual Compromise of the Bet Din Gadol

 

The meticulous detail that the Bet Din Gadol could not legally assemble to condemn Yeshua, as clearly stated in Mishnah Ketubot 1:1 regarding the court sessions on Monday and Thursday, and the Tosefta's ruling against sessions on Shabbat or Festivals, is not a purely legalistic observation. It unveils a profound spiritual corruption that had permeated the very vessels designed to uphold Divine Din and Tzedek (Righteousness). The very fabric of their legal proceeding, from a simple perspective, was a desecration of the sacred order.

 

This legal and temporal irregularity assumes deeper resonance when one considers the sacred economy of the priesthood, as outlined in Bamidbar 18:25-32. This passage details the intricate system of tithes, known as Ma'aser Ma'aser, which the Levi'im provide to the Kohanim. This system represents the proper channeling of Divine Shefa (abundance) through various Sefirot and earthly vessels. The Kohanim and Levi'im were meant to be pure conduits, dedicated to Divine service, thus ensuring the continuous flow of blessing into Malchut. Your incisive observation that the Sadduceean priesthood was "defunct" and "corrupt," driven by their Epicurean mentality and a disbelief in Olam HaBa (the World to Come), is crucial. Their rejection of Olam HaBa signifies a fundamental rupture in their spiritual orientation; they were vessels primarily focused on the temporal and material, rather than the eternal and spiritual.

 

Consequently, when these very Kohanim, specifically the Tz’dukim (Sadducees), convened an illegal court, as you brilliantly argue, it was not only a legal transgression but a profound spiritual defilement. These individuals, who, by their theological disposition, rejected the ultimate spiritual purpose of their sacred role. They were, in essence, corrupted channels, rendering their "justice" spiritually compromised. Such a court, lacking knowledge of the faithful Divine Will and driven by self-interest and temporal concerns, was inherently unfit for the manifestation of valid Din. The fact that the "midnight court of Sadducees intended to keep out those who sympathized with Yeshua," especially the P'rushim (Pharisees) who might have shown benevolence (as noted from Dr. Brad Young’s thoughts and Hakham Shaul's presentation in II Luqas 5:29-36), highlights a profound spiritual subterfuge—a deliberate attempt to bypass spiritual truth for worldly power. This deeply contrasts with the Divine justice proclaimed in Tehillim 103:6-9: “Adonai executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed... Adonai is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness. He will not always strive, nor will He retain His anger forever.” The actions of the corrupted Bet Din were a stark antithesis to these Divine attributes.

 

The True Purpose of the Beit HaMikdash: From Stone to Spirit

 

Your profound articulation of the Mishkan's (Temple's) true purpose, as revealed by the Prophet Yeshayahu—that “it was not sacrifices that G-d desired,” but that His Holy House would be called a “House of Prayer for all nations”—strikes at the heart of its quintessential spiritual function. The Beit HaMikdash was intended to be a conduit for universal Divine connection, a place where all souls could draw near to the Ein Sof.

 

This essential purpose, however, was tragically corrupted by the Tz’dukim (Sadducees), who, as you compellingly argue, had defiled the "House of G-d" to the point of "mockery and idolatry." Their focus, devoid of belief in Olam HaBa, distorted the very nature of sacred service. This corruption of the Divine vessels necessitated a profound Tikkun. Here, the mystical implications of the Parah Adumah (Bamidbar 19) resurface. The ritual’s capacity to purify from the deepest tum'ah associated with death underscores the need for ultimate cleansing when sacred structures and roles become profoundly defiled. The Temple, designed initially as a channel for pure Shefa and communion, became obstructed by the earthly appetites and spiritual blindness of its custodians.

 

Mishnah Peah 1:1, further elucidates the profound spiritual priorities that should have animated the Temple's service: the boundless significance of Peah, Bikkurim, the appearance offering, righteous deeds, and, preeminently, Torah study. These are the aspects that yield benefit in this world and principal in Olam HaBa. The Sadducees' disregard for Olam HaBa meant that these core spiritual practices, which are "things the benefit of which a person enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the world to come," held no lasting value for them. Their spiritual poverty led to the desecration of the physical Temple.

 

Therefore, the ultimate lesson is that true spiritual apprehension, the understanding of what G-d truly desires, transcends external structures and rituals when their inner Kavanah (intention) is lost. It shifts to the individual's inner Beit HaMikdash. When one learns the true lesson of being a "Living Temple (Stone)," one begins to apprehend what G-d would have one understand. This requires the constant "Mastery of the Yetzer HaRa and Yetzer HaTov" (the Evil and Good Inclinations), as you emphasize. This internal spiritual discipline is the ultimate tikkun for the defilement of external structures. The tzitzit commandment (from Bamidbar 15), a physical reminder "not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which lead you astray," reinforces this internal vigilance. The true Temple, ultimately, is the purified Neshamah, constantly striving for Devekut (cleaving to G-d), radiating Chesed, and aligning with Divine Din to bring forth the light of ultimate redemption. The compassionate and gracious nature of Elohim, as affirmed in Tehillim 103, ensures that even after such profound spiritual compromise, the pathway for this internal transformation remains open.

 

 

Some Questions to Ponder:

 

1. From all the readings for this week, which particular verse or passage caught your attention and fired your heart and imagination?
In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message (the idea that encapsulates all the Scripture passages read) for this week.

 

 

Blessing After Torah Study

 

Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,

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

Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

Next Shabbat:

Shabbat “Parah Adumah” – “A red heifer”

 

 

 

 

Contents of Next Week’s Torah Seder

 

·        The service of the Red Heifer - Numbers 19:1-10

·        The sprinkling of the ashes of the Red Heifer - Numbers 19:11-22

·        Miriam’s death and lack of water - Numbers 20:1-2

·        The people protest - Numbers 20:3-5

·        God commands Moses and Aaron to bring water - Numbers 20:6-8

·        Moses and Aaron err and are punished - Numbers 20:9-29

·        Amalek attacks - Numbers 21:1-3

·        A new challenge - Numbers 21:4-13

·        The song in the book of the wars of HaShem - Numbers 21:14-20

·        The battle with Sihon – Numbers 21:21-31

·        Og does battle - Numbers 21:31-35

 

Next week’s Reading Assignment:

 

 

 

Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

Edited by HH Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham

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