Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2008
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Tebet 7, 5769 – January
02/03, 2009 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:22 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:22 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:29 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:26 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:58 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:55 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:07 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:14 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:22 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:24 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 6:29 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 7:26 PM |
|
Miami,
Florida, US Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:24 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:19 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:53 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:45 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:04 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:09 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 6:57 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 7:49 PM |
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:11 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:11 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 5:20 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 6:13 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:16 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:26 PM |
Port Elizabeth, South Africa Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 7:19 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 8:21 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 4:29 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 5:32 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday Jan. 02, 2009 – Candles at 6:52 PM Saturday Jan. 03, 2009 – Havdalah 7:44 PM |
For
other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Coming
Festival:
Fast of Tebet
Tebet
10 -- Evening January 05 – Evening January 06
For
further study see:
http://www.betemunah.org/tevet10.html
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His
Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and
beloved wife HH Giberet Batsehva bat Sarah,
His
Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His
Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,
Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
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 amd great blessings be upon
all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the
weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure
that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to
receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your
friends. Toda Rabba!
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Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
וַיְהִי
אַבְרָם |
|
|
|
“VaY’hi Abram” |
Reader 1 – B’Resheet 17:1-6 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 18:1-3 |
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“And when Abram was” |
Reader 2 – B’Resheet 17:7-9 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 18:4-6 |
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“Y siendo Abram” |
Reader 3 – B’Resheet 17:10-14 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 18:7-10 |
|
B’resheet (Gen.) 17:1-27 |
Reader 4 – B’Resheet 17:15-17 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: 2 Kings 20:3-11
+ 19 |
Reader 5 – B’Resheet 17:18-20 |
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|
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Reader 6 – B’Resheet 17:21-23 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 18:1-3 |
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Psalms 12 |
Reader 7 – B’Resheet 17:24-27 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 18:4-6 |
|
N.C.: Mark 2:1-12 |
Maftir: B’Resheet17:24-27 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 18:7-10 |
|
Mishle (Proverbs) 3:21-26 |
2 Kings 20:3-11 + 19 |
|
|
|
|
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Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Resheet (Gen.) 17:1-27
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RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
1.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Adonai appeared to Abram and said to
him: "I am Almighty Shaddai, walk before Me and be perfect.
|
1.
And Abram was the son of ninety and nine years, and the Lord appeared to
Abram, and said to him, I am El Shaddai; serve before Me and be perfect
(shelim) in your flesh. |
|
2.
I will give My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply your
descendants exceedingly. |
2.
And I will set My covenant between My Word and you, and will multiply you
very greatly. |
|
3.
Abram fell on his face. Elohim spoke with him, saying: |
3.
And because Abram was not circumcised, he was not able to stand, but he bowed
himself upon his face; and the LORD spoke with him, saying, |
|
4.
"As for Me, here is My covenant with you; you will be the father of a
multitude of nations. |
4.
Behold, I have confirmed (or divided) my covenant with you; and you will be
the father of many peoples. |
|
5.
No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham,
for the father of a multitude of nations I have appointed you. |
5.
And your name will be no more called Abram, but Abraham will be your name,
because to be the father of a great multitude of peoples have I appointed you.
|
|
6.
I will make you exceedingly fruitful and I will make you into nations; and
kings will descend from you. |
6.
And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and will set you for congregations; and
kings ruling over peoples will come forth from you. |
|
7.
I will sustain My covenant between Me and you, and between your descendants
after you throughout their generations as an eternal covenant, to be a G-d to
you, and to your descendants after you. |
7.
And I have established My covenant between My Word and you, and your sons
after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to
you and to your sons after you. |
|
8.
I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your
temporary residence, all the land of Canaan as an eternal possession, and I
will be a G-d to them." |
8.
And I will give to you and to your sons after you the land of your
habitation, all the land of Kenaan, for an everlasting possession: and I will
be to them Elohim. |
|
9.
Elohim said to Abraham: "And as for you, you must preserve My covenant,
you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. |
9.
And the LORD said to Abraham, And you will observe my covenant, you and your
sons after you in their generations. |
|
10.
This is My covenant which you must preserve between Me and you, and your
descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. |
10.
This is My covenant, that you will observe between My Word and you, and your
sons after you:--Every male of you will be circumcised, though he may have
not a father to circumcise him. |
|
11.
You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin. This shall be the sign of
the covenant between Me and you. |
11.
And you will circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, as a sign of the covenant
between My Word and you. |
|
12.
At the age of eight days every male among you must be circumcised, throughout
your generations; he that is a house-born [slave] or one that was bought with
money from any stranger who is not your descendant. |
12.
And the son of eight days will be circumcised among you, every male in your
generations; from him who is brought up in your house, or bought with your
silver, unto every son of the peoples who is not of you. |
|
13.
Your house-born slaves must be circumcised, and also those bought with your
money. This shall be My covenant in your flesh as an eternal covenant. |
13.
He who is circumcised will circumcise him who is brought up among you, or
bought with your silver; and it will be My covenant in your flesh for a
covenant forever. |
|
14.
An uncircumcised male, who will not circumcise his foreskin, that soul shall
be cut off from its people; he has broken My covenant." |
14.
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his
foreskin, unless he have someone to circumcise him, that man will be cut off
from his people; he has made My covenant to lapse. |
|
15.
And Elohim said to Abraham "[As for] Sarai your wife, do not call her by
the name Sarai, for Sarah is her name. |
15.
And the LORD said to Abraham, The name of Sarai your wife will be no more
called Sarai; for Sarah will be her name. |
|
16.
I will bless her, and I will also give you a son through her. I will bless
her, and she will be [a mother] of nations, kings of peoples will descend
from her." |
16.
And I will bless in her body, and will also give from her a son to you, and I
will bless, him, and he will be for assemblies, and kings ruling over nations
will be from her. |
|
17.
Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He said in his heart: "Can a
hundred year old man have children? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old give
birth?" |
17.
And Abraham fell on his face, and wondered, and said in his heart, Will the
son of a hundred years have progeny, and Sarah, the daughter of ninety years,
bear a child? [JERUSALEM. And Abraham bowed upon his face, and wondered.] |
|
18.
And Abraham said to Elohim: "May it be granted that Yishmael live before
You." |
18.
And Abraham said before the LORD, May not Ishmael be established, and serve
before You? |
|
19.
Elohim said: "Indeed, your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will
name him Yitzchaq. I will establish My covenant with him as an eternal
covenant to his descendants after him. |
19.
And the LORD said, In truth Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you will
call his name Yizhaq; and with him I will confirm My covenant for an
everlasting covenant to his sons after him. |
|
20.
And as for Yishmael, I have heard you. I have blessed him, and I will make
him fruitful, and will increase him exceedingly. He will become the father of
twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. |
20.
And concerning Ishmael I have heard your prayer. Behold, I have blessed him;
and I will spread him abroad, and multiply him very greatly. Twelve princes
will he beget, and I will give him to be a great people. |
|
21.
But I will establish My covenant with Yitzchaq, who Sarah will bear to you at
this time next year." |
21.
But My COVENANT will I establish with Yizhaq, whom Sarah will bear to you at
this time in the year after. |
|
22.
And when He finished speaking with him, Elohim ascended from Abraham. |
22.
And He ceased speaking with him; and the Glory of the LORD ascended from
Abraham. |
|
23.
Abraham took his son, Yishmael, and all those that were born in his
household, and all that he had bought with his money, every male member of Abraham's
household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very
day as Elohim had said to him. |
23. And
Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all brought up in his house, and all bought
with money, every male among the household people of Abraham, and he
circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day in which the
LORD spoke with him. |
|
24.
Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his
foreskin. |
24.
And Abraham was the son of ninety and nine years when he circumcised the
flesh of his foreskin. |
|
25.
And his son Yishmael was thirteen years old when he circumcised the flesh of
his foreskin. |
25.
|
|
26.
On that very day Abraham and his son Yishmael were circumcised. |
26.
In the same day, in the fourteenth year, was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael
his son. |
|
27.
All the men of his household, those born in his household, and bought with
money from a stranger, were circumcised with him. |
27.
And every man of his house, the house-trained, and the purchased with money
of the sons of the people, were circumcised with him. |
|
|
|
Reading Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
65-70.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol II: The Patriarchs
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
II, pp. 116-153.
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’s Answers to Questions Posed
Chapter
17
1 I am the Almighty God Heb. שַׁדַּי —I am
He Whose Godliness suffices for every creature. [שֶׁ that, דַּי is
sufficient]. Therefore, walk before Me, and I will be your God and your
Protector, and wherever it (this name) appears in Scripture, it means “His
sufficiency,” but each one is [to be interpreted] according to the context.-[from
Gen. Rabbah 47:3] walk before Me As the Targum renders: “Serve Me, cleave to My
service.” and be perfect This too is
one command following another command: be perfect in all My trials (Mid. Ps. 119:3), i.e., “Walk before Me”
with faith and honesty, and also be perfect in all My trials. [Mizrachi] According to its midrashic
interpretation, walk before Me refers to the commandment of circumcision, and
thereby, you will be perfect, for as long as the foreskin is upon you, I
consider you imperfect (Gen. Rabbah
46:1). Another explanation: “and be perfect”-Now you are missing [control over]
five organs: two eyes, two ears, and the male organ. I will add a letter to
your name, and the numerical value of your letters [of your name] will be 248,
corresponding to the number of your organs (Tan. Lech Lecha 16, Ned. 32b).
2 And I will place My covenant A covenant of love and the covenant of
the land, to give it to you as a heritage through [your fulfillment of] this
commandment.-[from Gen. Rabbah 46:9]
3 And Abram fell upon his face from fear of the Shechinah, for as
long as he was uncircumcised, he did not have the strength to stand when the
Divine Presence stood over him, and that is what is said concerning Balaam
(Num. 24:4): “who falls and his eyes are open” (Num. Rabbah 12:8). I found this
in the Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer (Pirkei
d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 29).
5 the father of a multitude of nations - אַב-הֲמוֹן is an
acrostic of his name [i.e., - אַבְרָהָם].
(Gen. Rabbah 46:7). The “resh” that
was in it [his name] originally, denoting that he was the father only of Aram,
which was his native place, whereas now [he became] the father of the whole
world (Ber. 13a): nevertheless the “resh” that was there originally was not
moved from its place. For even the “yud” in Sarai’s name complained to the
Shechinah until it was added to Joshua, as it is said: (Num. 13:16): “and Moses
called Hosea [הוֹשֵׁעַ]
the son of Nun, Joshua [יְהוֹשֻׁעַ].”-[from
Gen. Rabbah 47:1]
6 and I will make you into nations [This refers to] Israel and Edom,
for he already had Ishmael, and He would therefore not be informing him about
him.
7 And I will establish My covenant And what is that covenant? To be
to you for a God.
8 for an everlasting possession And there I will be to you for a God
(Gen. Rabbah 46:9), but if one dwells
outside the Holy Land, it is as though he has no God (Keth. 110b).
9 And you Heb. וְאַתָּה.
This “vav” connects [this verse] to the preceding matter. “As for Me, behold My
covenant is with you,” and you must be careful to observe it. Now what does its
observance entail? “This is My covenant, which you will observe ... that every
male among you be circumcised.”
10 between Me and you those living now. and between your seed who are destined to be born. be circumcised Heb. הִמּוֹל, is
like לְהֵמוׄל,to circumcise [the infinitive], as you
might עְַשׂוׄת in
place לַעְַשׂוׄת,
to do.
11 And you will circumcise - וּנְמַלְתֶּם is
like וּמַלְתֶּם,
and the “nun” is superfluous, a radical that sometimes appears in it.
12 one that is born in the house whom the maidservant bore in the
house. one that is purchased with money
whom he bought after he was born.
13 Those born in the house... will be circumcised Here Scripture
repeated it [the commandment to circumcise a slave born in the house;] but did
not state [that it is to be] on the eighth day, to teach you that there is a
slave born in the house who is circumcised after eight days [other editions: at
the age of one day], as is delineated in Tractate Shabbath (135b).
14 And an uncircumcised male Here Scripture teaches that circumcision
is in that place that distinguishes between male and female. who will not circumcise When he reaches
the age when he becomes liable for punishment, then [his soul] will be cut off
(Shab. 133b), but his father [who does not circumcise him] is not punishable by
“kareth” (spiritual excision), but is guilty of transgressing a positive
commandment (Yeb. 70b). that soul will
be cut off He goes childless (Yeb. 55a) and dies prematurely (Moed Katan
28a).
15 you will not call her name Sarai which means “my princess,” for me,
but not for others. But Sarah, in an unqualified sense, will be her name, that
she will be a princess over all.-[from Ber. 13a]
16 And I will bless her And what is the blessing? That she returned to
her youth, as it is said (below 18:12): “My skin has become smooth.”-[from B.M.
87a] and I will bless her with
breast feeding, when she required it, on the day of Isaac’s feast, for people
were murmuring against them, that they had brought a foundling from the street
and were saying, “He is our son.” So each one brought her child with her, but
not her wet nurse, and she (Sarah) nursed them all. That is what is said:
(below 21:7): “Sarah has nursed children.” Gen.
Rabbah (47:2) alludes slightly to this.-[from B.M. 87a]
17 And Abraham fell on his face and rejoiced Heb. וַיִּצְחָק
Onkelos renders this as an expression of joy, וִחְַדִי “and
he rejoiced,” but the one [וַתִּצְחַק]
in the case of Sarah (below 18:12) [he renders] as an expression of laughter.
You learn that Abraham believed and rejoiced, but Sarah did not believe and
ridiculed, and for this reason, the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with
Sarah, but was not angry with Abraham. Will
[a child] be born to on, etc. There are questions which are positive
assertions, like (I Sam. 2:27): הֲנִגְלֹה
נִגְלֵיתִי,
“Did I appear?” [meaning: “of course I appeared!”]; (II Sam. 15:27): הֲרוֹאֶה
אַתָּה, “Do you
see?” [meaning: “of course you see!”] This too is a positive assertion, and so
did he say to himself, “Was such kindness done to anyone else, that the Holy
One, blessed be He, is doing for me?” and
will Sarah, who is ninety years old Will she be worthy of giving birth? Now
although the first generations begot children at the age of five hundred, in
Abraham’s time, the years were already lessened, and weakness had come to the
world. Go out and learn this from the ten generations from Noah to Abraham, who
hastened to beget children at the age of sixty and seventy.
18 If only Ishmael will live If only Ishmael will live! I do not
deserve to receive such a reward as this. will
live before You [This means]: [“Let him] live in fear of You,” as in (verse
1): “Walk before Me,” [which Onkelos renders:] “Serve Me.” [following Targum
Jonathan]
19 Indeed - אֲבָל is an
expression of a confirmation of a statement, and likewise (below 42:21):
“Indeed אֲבָל,
we are guilty;” (II Kings 4:14): “Indeed אֲבָל,
she has no son.”-[from Targumim] and you will name him Isaac Heb. יִצְחָק,
because of the rejoicing (צְחוׄק) (Mid. Chaseroth v’Yetheroth. And some
say: because of the ten (i) trials, and Sarah’s ninety (v) years, and the
eighth (g) day on which he was circumcised, and Abraham’s hundred (w) years. (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 32). (Other
editions: “And My covenant.” Why is this written? Is it not already written
(verse 9): “And you will keep My covenant, you and your seed, etc.?” But
because He said (verse 7): “And I will establish, etc.,” one might think that
the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Keturah are included in the establishment
[of the covenant]. Therefore, Scripture states: “And I will establish My
covenant with him,” and not with others. Now, why does it say [again in verse
21]: “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac?” This teaches us that he was
holy from the womb. Another explanation [for the repetition of verse 19]: Said
Rabbi Abba: Scripture here derives an a fortiori conclusion regarding the son
of the mistress from [what is written regarding] the son of the handmaid. It is
written here: “Behold I have blessed him, and I will make him fruitful, and I
will multiply him.” This refers to Ishmael. How much more so, “But My covenant
I will establish with Isaac!” (Gen.
Rabbah 47:5). My covenant The
covenant of circumcision will be given over [only] to the seed of Isaac. See Sanh. 59.
20 twelve princes Heb. נְשִׂיאִם.
They will disappear like clouds, as (Prov. 25:14): Clouds (נְשִׂיאִים)
and wind.-[from Gen. Rabbah 47:5]
22 from above Abraham This is a euphemism used in reference to the
Shechinah, and we learn that the righteous/generous are the chariot of the
Omnipresent.-[from Gen. Rabbah 47:6,
82:6]
23 on that very day On the very day that he was commanded (Mid. Ps. 112:2), during the day and not
at night. He was afraid neither of the heathens nor of the scorners. [He
circumcised in the light of day] so that his enemies and his contemporaries
would not say, “Had we seen him, we would not have allowed him to circumcise
and to fulfill the commandment of the Omnipresent” (Gen. Rabbah 47:9). and he
circumcised Heb. וַיָּמָל,
an expression in the ViyiPa’al form, (the active [kal] form.)
24 when he was circumcised Heb. בְּהִמֹּלוֹ, when it
was done to him, like (above 2:4): “when they were created (בְּהִבָּרְאָם).”
25 when he was circumcised of the flesh of his foreskin Concerning
Abraham, it does not say אֵת,
because he was lacking only the severing of the flesh, because it had already
been flattened out by intercourse, but Ishmael, who was a youth, required that
the foreskin be severed and the corona be uncovered. Therefore, in his case, it
is אֵת. Gen. Rabbah (47:8).
26 On that very day when Abraham reached the age of ninety-nine and
Ishmael [reached the age of] thirteen, “Abraham was circumcised, and [so was]
Ishmael his son.”
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 12
|
JUDAICA PRESS TRANSLATION |
TARGUM |
|
1. For
the conductor on the sheminith, a song of David. |
1. For praise, on the lyre of eight strings. A
hymn of David. |
|
2. Save,[1]
O LORD, for the pious are gone, for the faithful have vanished from the sons
of men.[2] |
2. Redeem, O LORD, for the good are annihilated; for the
faithful have ceased from the sons of men. |
|
3. One speaks to another with
falseness, smooth talk; they speak with a double heart. |
3. They speak lies, each to his fellow, lips are
flattering; in their heart they deceive, and with a lying heart they speak. |
|
4. May
the LORD cut off all smooth lips, the tongue that speaks great things. |
4. The LORD will destroy from the world all flattering
lips, the tongue that speaks arrogance. |
|
5. Who said, “With our tongue
we will overpower; our lips are with us. Who is lord over us?” |
5. Those who deny the essence, who say, “By our tongue we
will prevail, our lips are with us, who is our master?” |
|
6. Because
of the plunder of the poor, because of the cry of the needy, Now I will rise,
the LORD will say; I will grant them salvation, He will speak concerning
them. |
6. Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the
cry of the needy, now I will arise, says the LORD; I will give redemption to
My people, but against the wicked/Lawless I will give testimony of evil. |
|
7. The
sayings of the LORD are pure sayings, like silver refined, exposed to the
earth, clarified sevenfold. |
7. The Words of the LORD are pure Words, silver
purified in the furnace on the ground, refined seven times. |
|
8. You,
O LORD, will guard them; You will guard him from this generation forever. |
8. You, O LORD, will keep the righteous/
generous; you will protect them from this evil generation forever. |
|
9. Wicked/Lawless
men walk on all sides when the [one who appears] basest to the sons of
men[3]
is elevated. |
9. All around the wicked/Lawless walk, like a
leech that sucks the blood of the sons of men. |
|
|
|
RASHI’S COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Psalm Twelve
1 on the sheminith The eight stringed harp.
2 are gone Heb. גָמַר,
lit. finished, destroyed. have vanished
Heb. פַסּוּ,
faylirt in Old French, to lack, fail. for
the faithful have vanished from the sons of men Everyone betrays me and
spies out the places where I hide, and tells Saul (54:2): “Is not David hiding
with us?”
3 with a double heart בְּלֵב
וָלֵב Lit.
with a heart and a heart; with two hearts. They feign friendliness, but there
is hatred hidden in their heart.
5 With our tongue we will overpower With our tongue we will gain
strength.
6 Because of the plunder of the poor Because of the plunder of the
poor who are robbed by you for example, I myself and my men and the priests of
Noband because of the cry of the needy, the Lord will say, “Now I will rise to
their help.” I will grant them
salvation, He will speak I will grant them salvation, He will speak
concerning them. יָפִיחַ is
an expression of speech. There are many [examples] in the Book of Proverbs, and
in Habakkuk (2:3): “and He will speak of the end, and it shall not fail.”
However, Menachem (p. 141), interpreted it as an expression of a snare, as
(below 124:7) “the snare broke.”
7 The sayings of the Lord are pure sayings for He has the ability to
fulfill them, but the sayings of the sons of men are not sayings when they die
and are unable to fulfill [them]. pure
Clear and permanent. Whatever He promises He does, for He promised me salvation
and the throne. silver refined They
are like refined silver that is exposed to the entire land. exposed Heb. בַּעֲלִיל,
an expression of revealing; in the language of the Mishna (Rosh Hashanah 21b,
see Gemara): “whether it was plainly בַּעֲלִיל
visible or whether it was not plainly בַּעֲלִיל
visible, etc.” Others explain בַּעֲלִיל as
an expression of elevation, and this is its explanation: silver refined with
the best earth. That is to say, like silver that is refined with the best earth
and its upper layer, because a person makes a crucible to refine the silver
from the best earth. Another explanation: בַּעֲלִיל is
like בַּעֱלִי,
with a mortar (as in Prov. 27:22): “among grain with a pestle,” which is the
name of a utensil in which [grain] is crushed. Similarly, בַּעֱלִי is
the crucible in which gold and silver are smelted. However, this does not seem
correct because he does not call עֱלִי
the mortar in which [the grain] is crushed, but the handle of the pestle with
which they crush. This is called pilon in French, pestle. Another explanation: בַּעֲלִיל is
an expression of the master of a hand, i.e., the master of the earth, and the
praise of the word applies to God. Targum Jonathan, too, renders it as an
expression of lordship. He says that His sayings are like silver, refined by
the Lord of the earth, Who is God, for He refined and clarified them.
8 will guard them Those poor and needy people being pursued by this
generation, who are informers.
9 Wicked/Lawless men walk on all sides to hide traps to cause me to
stumble. When the basest to the sons of
men is elevated Heb. כְּרֻם
זֻלּוּת,
לִבְנֵי
אָדָם [They
walk on all sides] because of their envy, for they are jealous of my greatness,
that I was taken from behind the sheep to be a king. This is the interpretation
of כְּרֻם
זֻלּוּת,
לִבְנֵי
אָדָם: when a
man considered by the sons of men to be base is elevated. This is on the order
of the passage elsewhere (below 118:22): “The stone that the builders rejected
became a cornerstone.” The Midrash Aggadah interprets it concerning Israel in
the future, when they will be elevated. [Unknown Midrashic source] Menachem
interprets כְּרֻם
זֻלּוּת,
לִבְנֵי
אָדָם (pp. 78, 164): like a
gluttonous wild ox to devour the sons of men. Accordingly, כְּרֻם is
rendered: like (Deut. 21:20) זוֹלֵל,
וְסֹבֵא, “a
glutton and a drunkard.” The following is its interpretation: The wicked/
Lawless walk on all sides around the poor man; the wicked/Lawless walk to
swallow him for naught, as a wild ox to swallow לִבְנֵי
אָדָם the
sons of men.
Ashlamatah: 2 Kings 20:3-11 + 19
1. In those days Hezekiah was
sick to death, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to
him, So says the LORD, Order your house, for you are dying, and will not live.
2. And he turned his face to the
wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying,
3.
I pray to You, O LORD, please remember how I have walked always
before Your face in truth (Hebrew: בֶּאֱמֶת), and with a perfect heart
(Hebrew: וּבְלֵבָב
שָׁלֵם), and I have done the good in Your eyes. And
Hezekiah wept with a great weeping. {S}
4.
And it happened when Isaiah had not gone out to the middle court, the Word of
the LORD came to him, saying,
5.
Turn back, and you will say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, So says the
LORD, the God of your father David, I have heard your prayer; I have seen your
tears; behold, I will heal you; you will go up to the house of the LORD the
third day.
6.
And I have added fifteen years to your days; and I will deliver you and this
city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city for My
own sake, and for My servant David's sake.
7.
And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs; and they took and laid it on the boil;
and he recovered.
8.
And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me,
that I will go up on the third day to the house of the LORD?
9.
And Isaiah said, This will be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will
do the thing that He has spoken: Will the shadow go forward ten steps, or will
it turn back ten steps?
10.
And Hezekiah said, It would be a light thing for the shadow to go down ten
steps; no, but let the shadow go back ten steps.
11.
And Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD; and He brought back the shadow by the
steps the shadow had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz, ten steps backward. {P}
12. At that time
Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan the king of Babylon, sent letters and a
present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been ill.
13. And Hezekiah listened to
them, and showed them all the house of his treasury, the silver and the gold,
and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his weapons,
and all found in his treasure house; there was not a thing that Hezekiah did
not show them in his house and in all his dominion.
14. And Isaiah the prophet came
in to King Hezekiah and said to him, What did these men say? And where did they
come from to you? And Hezekiah said, They have come from a land afar off, from
Babylon.
15. And he said, What did they
see in your house? And Hezekiah said, They saw all that is in my house; there
was not a thing that I did not show them among my treasures.
16. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah,
Hear the Word of the LORD:
17. Behold, the days are coming
when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have treasured up
until this day, will be carried to Babylon; there will not be a thing left,
says the LORD.
18. And of your sons that will
issue from you, whom you will father, they will take away, and they will be
eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19.
And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The Word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.
And he said, Is it not good if peace and truth are in my days?
20. And the rest of the acts of
Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and
brought in the waters to the city, are they not written in the Book of the
Chronicles of the Days of the Kings of Judah?
21. And Hezekiah lay with his
fathers. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place. {P}
Mark 2:1-12
Delitzsch
Hebrew Rendition:
ב וַיְהִי
מִיָּמִים
וַיָּבֹא
שֵׁנִית אֶל־כְּפַר
נַחוּם
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ
כִּי־הוּא בַבָּיִת׃
2וַיֵּאָסְפוּ
רַבִּים
מְהֵרָה
עַד־אֶפֶס מָקוֹם
לַעֲמֹד
אַף־לִפְנֵי
הַפָּתַח וַיְדַבֵּר
אֲלֵיהֶם
אֶת־הַדָּבָר׃
3וַיָּבֹאוּ
אֵלָיו
אֲנָשִׁים
נֹשְׂאִים אִישׁ
נְכֵה אֵבָרִים
וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ
בְּאַרְבָּעָה׃
4וְלֹא
יָכְלוּ
לָגֶשֶׂת
אֵלָיו
מִפְּנֵי הָעָם
וַיָּסִירוּ
אֶת־הַגָּג
בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר
הָיָה שָׁם
וַיַּחְתְּרוּ
חֲתִירָה
וַיּוֹרִידוּ
אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּב
אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב
עָלֶיהָ
נְכֵה
הָאֵבָרִים׃
5וַיְהִי
כִּרְאוֹת
יֵשׁוּעַ אֶת־אֱמוּנָתָם
וַיּאֹמֶר
אֶל־נְכֵה
הָאֵבָרִים
בְּנִי נִסְלְחוּ־לְךָ
חַטֹּאתֶיךָ׃
6וְשָׁם
אֲנָשִׁים
מִן־הַסּוֹפְרִים
יֹשְׁבִים
וַיֹּאמְרוּ
בְּלִבָּם׃
7מַה־לָּזֶה
כִּי
יְדַבֵּר
גִּדּוּפִים
כָּאֵלֶּה
מִי יָכֹל
לִסְלֹחַ
לַחֲטָאִים
כִּי אִם
הָאֱלֹהִים
לְבַדּוֹ׃
8וַיֵּדַע
יֵשׁוּעַ
בְּרוּחוֹ
כִּי־כֵן חֹשְׁבִים
בִּלְבָבָם
וַיּאֹמֶר
אֲלֵיהֶם מַדּוּעַ
תַּחְשְׁבוּ
כָאֵלֶּה
בִּלְבַבְכֶם׃
9מָה
הַנָּקֵל
הֶאָמֹר
אֶל־נְכֵה
הָאֵבָרִים
נִסְלְחוּ־לְךָ
חַטֹּאתֶיךָ
אִם־אָמוֹר
קוּם שָׂא אֶת
מִשְׁכָּבְךָ
וְהִתְהַלֵּךְ׃
10וּלְמַעַן
תֵּדְעוּן
כִּי
בֶן־הָאָדָם
יֶשׁ־לוֹ
הַשָּׁלְטָן
לִסְלֹחַ
לַחֲטָאִים בָּאָרֶץ
וַיּאֹמֶר
אֶל־נְכֵה
הָאֵבָרִים׃
11לְךָ
אֲנִי אֹמֵר
קוּם שָׂא
אֶת־מִשְׁכָּבְךָ
וְלֵךְ
אֶל־בֵּיתֶךָ׃
12וַיָקָם
פִּתְאֹם
וַיִּשָׂא
אֶת־מִשְׁכָּבוֹ
וַיֵּצֵא
לְעֵינֵי
כֻלָּם עַד
כִּי־תָמְהוּ
כֻלָּם וַיְּשַׁבְּחוּ
אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים
לֵאמֹר מֵעוֹלָם
לֹא־רָאִינוּ
כָזֹאת׃
Hakham’s
Rendition:
1.
And again he entered into K’far Nachum (Capernaum), after some days, and it was
heard that he (Yeshua) is in the house,
2.
And immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no
more room, not even at the door, and he was speaking (explaining) to them the Word
(i.e. the Torah).
3.
And they come unto him, bringing a paralytic, borne by four,
4.
And not being able to come near to him because of the multitude, they uncovered
the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they let down the stretcher on
which the paralytic was lying,
5.
And Yeshua having seen their faithful obedience, said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your
sins have been forgiven [at this moment].’
6.
And there were certain of the scribes there sitting, and reasoning in their
hearts (minds),
7.
‘Why does this one thus speak evil words? Who is able to forgive sins except
the One God?’
8.
And immediately Yeshua, having known in his spirit that they thus
reason in themselves, said to them, ‘Why these things do you reason in your
hearts (minds)?
9.
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins have been forgiven to you?
Or to say, Rise, and take up your stretcher, and walk?
10.
And, that you may know that the Son of Man (Hebrew: Ben Adam – a title given to
Jewish prophets) has authority on the earth to [announce the] forgiveness of
sins -- (he said to the paralytic) --
11.
I say to you, [In G-d’s name] Rise, and take up your stretcher, and go away to your
house;'
12.
And he rose immediately, and having taken up the stretcher, he
went forth before all, so that all were astonished, and did glorify God, saying
– ‘Never thus have we seen.’
Comments:
We
now enter into the second Chapter/block of the Mishnaic Treatise of Mark, which
starts at 2:1 and should end at 3:6.[4]
This second block or Marcan writing can be divided into five segments centred
around five questions put forward by the scribes and Pharisees and Yeshua’s
response to each of these. Thus, we can summarize this second block/chapter as
follows:[5]
|
Segment |
Question |
Yeshua’s Response |
|
On whether a Jewish
prophet can announce that sin has been forgiven |
||
|
Mark 2:1-12 |
2:7 - ‘Why (Greek: TI) does this one thus speak evil words? Who
is able to forgive sins except the One God?’ |
2:10 – ‘And, that you may know that the Son of Man (Hebrew: Ben
Adam – a title given to Jewish prophets) has authority on the earth to
[announce the] forgiveness of sins -- (he said to the paralytic) –‘ |
|
On whether a Hakham/Prophet
can eat with Jewish habitual Law transgressors |
||
|
Mark 2:13-17 |
2:16 – ‘Why (Greek: HOTI) that with the [gauging] tax-collectors
and sinners (habitual transgressors of the Law) he does eat and drink?’ |
2:17 – ‘They who are strong have no need of a doctor, but they
who are ill; I came not to call righteous/generous men, but sinners to
reformation.’ |
|
On fasting when in
the physical presence of the Messiah |
||
|
Mark 2:18-22 |
2:18 – ‘Why (Greek: DIA TI) do the disciples of Yochanan (John)
and those of the Pharisees fast, and your Talmidim (Rabbinic disciples) do
not fast?’ |
2:19-20 – ‘Should the sons of the bride-chamber (wedding guests)
fast, while the bridegroom is with them? So long time as they have the
bridegroom with them they are should not fast; but days will come when the
bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast--in those days. |
|
On plucking grain
on the Sabbath because none shares their Table with travellers |
||
|
Mark 2:23-28 |
2:24 – ‘Why (Greek: TI) do they on the Sabbath [are doing] that
which is not Lawful?’ |
2:27-28 – ‘And he said to them, The Sabbath for man was made,
not man for the Sabbath, so that the Son of Man (Hebrew: Ben Adam – a title
given to Jewish prophets) is master also of the Sabbath.’ |
|
On healing on the
Sabbath |
||
|
Mark 3:1-6 |
3:2 – [Implied: Is it Lawful to heal on the Sabbath?] |
3:4 – ‘Is it Lawful on the Sabbaths to do good, or to do evil?
Life to save, or to murder?’ |
|
|
||
I
would like to point out that all of these five narratives in one way or another
are centred around the question as to whether Yeshua was a prophet or not – or
more precisely, the prophet spoken of by Moses: “A prophet will the LORD
your God raise up unto you, from the midst of you, of your brethren, like unto
me; unto him you will hearken” (Deut. 18:15). And of course we know that this
prophet is associated with the person of the Messiah. This also connects with
the idea that Yeshuah is the second Adam, who like the first Adam was both King
and Prophet, as well as with Noach, Shem (Melchizedek – i.e. King of
Tsedeq/Jerusalem), and Abraham who were also kings and prophets simultaneously.
Most
Christian Theologians observe in these five arguments a tone of confrontation.
However, the point that eludes these scholars is that what Yeshuah was doing
was clarifying Halakha on subjects where there was considerable debate at that
time. Interestingly, Jewish Orthodoxy accepted and have adopted the Master’s
position on these matters.
v.
1 - and it was heard that he (Yeshua) is in the house. This is the house of Shimon
HaTsefet (Peter) as we have already read in Mark 1:29.[6]
v.2
- and he was speaking (explaining) to them the Word (i.e. the Torah). Although the text does
not specifically states the day of the week in which this event took place, it
is implicit from Mark 1:29 that this was most probably Shabbat afternoon when
men gather together to discuss the Sabbath readings and review some of the
important teachings of the Sages. It is also implicit that he was reviewing and
explaining to them the weekly Torah Seder that had just been read at the Esnoga
in the morning service. Note that the Scribes were there sitting in Shimon
HaTsefet’s (Peter’s) house as well as a great multitude gathered inside and
outside the house, which betrays the fact that this could not have been a
normal day of the week when most would be working in the fields or workshops
from sunrise to sunset. Also, we propose, that the Torah Seder the
Master was discussing was none other than our present Torah Seder of B’resheet
17:1-27, Psalm 12, and 2 Kings 20:3-11,19, as it will become clear in the
following verses of the Mishnah of Mark.
v.3
- And they come unto him, bringing a paralytic, borne by four. A paralytic is a
person unable to walk (Hebrew Holekh) – i.e. unable to observe Halakha (Hebrew
for: the walk – i.e. Jewish Law). Similarly, in 2 Kings 20:5 Messiah King
Hezekiah is unable because of his disease to go to the Temple (i.e. walk to the
Temple). Interestingly, here we also observe that it takes four Torah observant
Jews to carry the burden of one who is unable to walk (i.e. observe Halakha).
The four in fact serve as a door (Hebrew: Dalet) of hope for those unable to
walk before G-d because of sin. (For the meaning of the number four see: http://www.betemunah.org/four.html)
Contrast this with the command of Ha-Shem to Abraham and his descendants in
Gen. 17:1 “walk before Me and be whole-hearted” (Hebrew: הִתְהַלֵּךְ
לְפָנַי,
וֶהְיֵה
תָמִים)
The paralytic because his sins is therefore “not whole-hearted” and unable to
walk (observe Halakha before G-d!
v.4
- And not being able to come near to him because of the multitude, they
uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they let down the
stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. Here once again someone
interrupts [at the appropriate co-incidental time] the Master’s teaching
discourse. This time it is not an act of defiance and annoyance as in the
precious chapter with the case of the demoniac, but rather a case of extreme
desperation and trust in G-d similar to that of Hezekiah as we read in 2 Kings
20:3. On this verse, Morna D. Hooker comments:
“The four men
carrying the paralysed man, finding that they were unable to get near
the doorway, climbed the outside stair-case to the flat roof. There they broke
through the roof. It would have been a fairly simple matter to break up the
mixture of twigs, matting and earth which filled the space between the beams of
the roof, although a considerable amount of debris would have fallen on the
crowd below in the process. They lowered the mat: the Greek word (ο
κραββατος) indicates a cheap bed
or mattress which could easily be carried.”[7]
And
Lane states in a footnote to his comments on this verse that:
“The opening of a roof
is mentioned elsewhere in contemporary literature, e.g. Midrash Rabba to
Leviticus 19.6 end (in a story about Jeconiah’s wife).”[8]
The
text in question in Midrash Rabba reads:
“What was the name of
the wife of Nebuchadnezzar? R. Huna said her name was Shemirah; R. Abin said
Shemiramoth was her name; the Rabbis said her name was Shemira'am, because she
was born during thunder (ra'am). When Nebuchadnezzar came to have marital
intercourse with her, she said to him: ‘You are king. Is not Jeconiah, too, a
king? You desire your sexual satisfaction. Does not Jeconiah, too, desire his
sexual satisfaction?’ Nebuchadnezzar thereupon ordered that Jeconiah be given
his wife. And how did they lower her [into the dungeon] to him? R. Shabbethai
said: They lowered her down to him over the bars, whilst the Rabbis said: They
opened the ceiling and let her down to him. When he was about to have
marital intercourse with her, she said to him: ‘I have seen a discharge the
colour of a red lily,’1 and he then withdrew from her, and she went away and
counted [the seven days of separation] and observed the ritual of purification
and of immersion.”
v.5
- And Yeshua having seen their faithful obedience, said to the paralytic, ‘Son,
your sins have been forgiven [at this moment].’ The Hebrew for
“faithful obedience is: אֶת־אֱמוּנָתָם – “Et-Emunatam” – from Emunah, meaning faithful obedience.
These four Jewish Torah Observant Jews had learned the Torah Seder and
Ashlamatah for this Shabbat well, for they knew that this Shabbat was an
optimal times for those who could not walk in the Torah because of their sins,
and who were repentant like Messiah King Hezekiah could be healed. That is why
the Master was not angry because of the considerable amount of debris that had
fallen on the crowd below, but on the contrary perceived that these four Jewish
righteous/generous men had perfectly understood the secret of the Torah
Lectionary (that the Torah Seder, Psalm and Ashlamatah prophesies about events
that will affect the week starting that Shabbat), and commended them for their
faithful obedience, generosity, and correct interpretation of the Holy public
readings for this Sabbath.
Most
English translations have “your sins are forgiven” instead of our translation.
This translation for those without knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is a bit
ambiguous, and can allow for the wrong interpretation that Yeshua had the power
to forgive sins, as many Christian Theologians propose. Our translation
attempts to do away with this ambiguity. Concerning this phrase, again Lane
notes in a footnote to his commentary on this verse:
“The passive
expression was a customary Jewish way of making a pronouncement about G-d’s
action while avoiding the Divine Name. Cf. II Samuel 12:13, “David said to
Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The LORD
has pardoned your sin.’” When transposed to the passive, in keeping with first
century usage, Nathan’s statement becomes: “your sin is pardoned.” Yeshua’s
word to the paralytic would be understood as the pronouncement, “G-d forgives
you.”[9]
Please
note that because these four righteous/generous Jewish men were faithfully
obedient and attuned to Torah in time, the sins of this man were forgiven by
G-d at that very moment! For, as the Talmud well puts it: “No one gets up from
his sick-bed until all his sins are forgiven” (Talmud Babli Nedarim 41a). So much permanent good can be done by the
righteous/generous and conversely, “one habitual sinner destroys much good”
(Eccl. 9:18). I liked very much howcranfield describes the Master’s miraculous
healings. He sates:
“Because there is this
organic connection between sin and disease NS Jesus makes war on both, the
healing of disease is a sign and token of the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’
healing miracles are sacraments of forgiveness.”[10]
v.6
- And there were certain of the scribes ... One needs to pay good
attention to this word “certain” (Greek: τινες). It is
a polite use to hide in writing who these “certain” were. Depending on the
context it normally refers to persons associated either with the House of
Shammai or with the Sadducees. From these two we are more inclined to think
that the allusion is to scribes associated with the house of Shammai.
v.7
- ‘Why does this one thus speak evil words? Who is able to forgive sins except
the One God?’
Many
Christian commentaries have many weird and fanciful interpretations on this
verse. However, Marie Noonan Sabin comments on this verse:
“Another possible
interpretation is that Mark is making the Scribes raise an old theological
question do that he can then show Yeshua answering it in an unconventional way.
When we read the Gospels as eye-witness accounts, we often miss the carefully
constructed rhetorical patterns common in the ancient world. It is worth
reflecting that from Plato on, it was common teaching technique to construct a
dialogue between a master teacher and an obtuse listener; the questions of the
obtuse listener serve to draw out the thought of the master teacher. So here,
the question of the Scribes serves as a catalyst for Yeshua’s teaching on
forgiveness. And Yeshua teaches more than once in Mark’s Gospel that human
beings are called to forgive one another in imitation of G-d’s forgiveness of
them. If one argues to the contrary that only G-d can forgive, one could use
this idea to dodge the obligation to forgive others.”[11]
In
a similar vein, Lane admits on this verse:
“In the declaration of
verse 5 there was nothing that suggested his (Yeshua’s) personal power over
sin. The reaction of the Scribes does not imply that they have understood
otherwise. They object to Yeshua’s conviction that he can speak for G-d.”[12]
In
other words, the question of the Scribes from Shammai was whether Yeshua was a
prophet or not – or more precisely the prophet spoken of by Moses: “A
prophet will the LORD your God raise up unto you, from the midst of you, of
your brethren, like unto me; unto him you will hearken” (Deut. 18:15).
v.8
- And immediately Yeshua, having known in his spirit that they thus
reason in themselves, said to them, ‘Why these things do you reason in your
hearts (minds)? This
verse explains that question posed was about whether Yeshua was a prophet or
not, and he goes about to show “immediately” so as to leave no one in doubt
that he is a prophet by voicing out exactly what was going inside the minds of
these Shammaite Scribes - i.e. the clairvoyant power of a prophet.[13]
v.9
- Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins have been forgiven to
you?’ Or to say, ‘Rise, and take up your stretcher, and walk?’ The rhetoric of this
verse is making use of the first of the Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel –
i.e. Ḳal va-ḥomer ("Argumentum a minori ad majus"
or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a
fortiori.). In this case the argument is one of “argumentum a minori ad majus”
– i.e. from light to heavy, that is: If a prophet can bring healing to a
paralytic (an easy thing to do) how much the more can he be able to do
(the hard thing) to proclaim that G-d has forgiven sins at a precise moment.
Lane
insinuates this when he comments on this verse:
“The scribes might
think that a declaration of forgiveness is easier than one of healing, the
efficacy of which would be open to immediate verification. This judgment seems
to lie behind their contemptuous question, “why does this fellow speak like
this?” (v.7). By use of a counter-question Yeshua challenges their facile
assumption that he has acted irresponsibly as a dispenser of cheap grace. It
also prepares for the word of healing which demonstrates that forgiveness has
actually been realized in the experience of the afflicted man. It is the
declaration of forgiveness which is more essential – and more difficult – of
the two actions.”[14]
Again,
we must state that there is perfect agreement between the Master of Nazareth
and our Sages of the Talmud who said: “No one gets up from his sick-bed until
all his sins are forgiven” (Talmud Babli Nedarim 41a). The important lesson
here is as Sabin well puts it: “By coupling forgiveness with healing, Mark
shows how Yeshua taught that it is G-d’s will to forgive rather than to punish,
to heal rather than hurt.”[15]
And we may add to this, that it is G-d’s will that we may a conduit to effect
G-d’s forgiveness and healing of all creation: “For we know that the whole
creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now”
(Romans 8:22)!
v.10
- And, that you may know that the Son of Man (Hebrew: Ben Adam – a title given
to Jewish prophets) has authority on the earth to [announce the] forgiveness of
sins -- (he said to the paralytic) – Again, we propose that the words
in this verse [announce the] have been purposefully erased from this verse by
Christian copyists in order to make Yeshua usurp the prerogative of G-d to
forgive sins. As we have seen in previous verses and corroborated by Christian
Scholars, at issue here was whether Yeshua was a/the prophet or not, and not
whether he was Ha-Shem in the flesh, G-d forbid! The text needed to be tampered
with in order to justify the later Christian doctrine of the trinity.[16]
Sabin
does not side directly with our position yet she implies it by saying:
“When Mark quotes
Yeshua as saying that “the son of man has authority to forgive sins on earth,”
he seems to be suggesting that all human beings have the power to forgive and
that Yeshua as the second Adam is modelling this role for all of us. This
function of the phrase “son of man” needs to be kept in mind when we see it
again at the end of this chapter (2:27).”[17]
Even
Lane who erroneously proposes that the Master has the authority to forgive sins
(a pet Christian doctrine) admits:
“This is the only
place in the Gospel where the pardon of sins is associated with the Son of Man.
Nowhere else in the Synoptic or apocalyptic tradition it is suggested that
the Son of Man can forgive sins. It was only in the light of the
resurrection that the primitive Church recognized unequivocally the full extent
of Jesus’ authority.”[18]
It
surely does not take much of a genius to put Lane’s words into the context in
which they belong – i.e. that the Christian Church, not the Messiah tampered
with the text in order to give the Master the Divine attribute/power of
forgiveness of sins, and thus make him into the second person of the trinity.
v.11
- I say to you [in G-d’s name], Rise, and take up your stretcher, and go away
to your house;' Again.
Note that we believe that the words [in G-d’s name] were purposefully erased,
again to support the doctrine of the trinity. Nevertheless, Joel Marcus notes:
“... the close
correspondence between Jesus’ order to the paralytic in 2:11 and its fulfilment
in 2:12a emphasizes once again his messianic authority:
I say to you, get up
(egeire) And he got up (egerthe,
lit. “was raised”)
Take up your pallet And immediately he took up
his pallet
And go to your house And he went in front of them
all.
Despite this
pronounced parallelism, the small differences are also interesting,
particularly in the first line: whereas Jesus stresses his own agency in the
cure (“I say to you”), the usage of the passive in the description of the man’s
rise allows the inference that G-d’s power is responsible for it, and this
inference is supported when the crowd glorifies not Jesus but G-d for what has
happened. ... The conclusion thus drives home the point of 2:10, with its
background in Daniel 7:14.Yeshua acts on behalf of the Heavenly King,
fulfilling His will eschatologically on the earth; his mighty actions,
therefore, do not compromise the uniqueness of G-d.”[19]
v.12
- And he rose immediately, and
having taken up the stretcher, he went forth before all, so that all were
astonished, and did glorify God, saying – ‘Never thus have we seen.’ The announcement of
the forgiveness of sins coupled with the healing of the paralytic (who because
of sin was not allowed to walk in G-d’s Laws) was an irrevocable sign that the
Kingdom (Governance) of G-d had drawn near experiencing the fulfilment that the
lame would share in the joy of the coming salvation – “Then will the lame
man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the
wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:6), and “Behold, I will bring them
from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth,
and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that
travails with child together; a great company will they return hither”
(Jeremiah 31:8). And as Lane well notes:
“The demonstration
that G-d had come near to His people was startling. All present glorified G-d
because He redeemed men from every distress.”[20]
MISHLE (Proverbs) 3:21-26
Further Blessings of Wisdom
Questions
for Reflection:
1.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:1?
2.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:2?
3.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:3?
4.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:5?
5.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:8?
6.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:9?
7.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:10?
8.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:13?
9.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:14?
10.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:15?
11.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:16?
12.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:17?
13.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:20?
14.
What question/s
lie behind Rashi’s comments in Genesis 17:23?
15.
What questions are
answered in the Mishnaic Treatise of Mark 2:1-12?
16.
What obligations
are intimated in the Mishnah of Mark 2:1-12?
17.
How
is the Torah Seder related to:
(a)
Psalm
Twelve for this week?
(b)
The
Ashlamatah of 2 Kings 20:3-11 + 19 for this week?
(c)
Mark
(Mordechai) 2:1-12?
(d)
Proverbs
3:21-26?
18.
After taking into
consideration all the above texts and our Torah Seder, what would you say is
the general message from the Scriptures for this coming week?
Always remember
that the goal is not to be correct or incorrect in answering the questions but
to participate and give it your best!
Also,
please make special supplications this Shabbat in your prayers
before Ha-Shem, most blessed be He, on behalf of all our most noble and brave sons/daughters/brothers/sisters
serving in Israeli Defence Forces, Police, and Ambulance/Rescue/Medics as well
as for all Jewish families living in dangerous places in Irseal and all over
the world.
Shalom Shabbat and
much courage and guidance of G-d’s Wisdom in answering the above questions!
Hakham Dr. Yosef
ben Haggai