Esnoga Bet Emunah

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Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Reading Cycle
Tebet 9, 5767 – December 29/30, 2006	Fifth Year of the Sh’mita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times

San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Brisbane, Australia:

Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 – Candles at: 5:17 PM Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 – Candles at: 6:16 PM

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 – Havdalah 6:14 PM Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 – Havdalah 7:14 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday Dec. 29, 2006 – Light Candles at 5:11 PM Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 – Candles at: 6:40 PM

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 – Havdalah 6:10 PM Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 – Havdalah 7:31 PM

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

Coming Fast of the 10^th of Tebet – December 31

For further information see:

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא
“V’Nefesh Ki-Techeta”	Reader 1 – Vayikra 5:1-5	Reader 1 – Vayikra 6:12-16
“And when a person sins”	Reader 2 – Vayikra 5:6-10	Reader 2 – Vayikra 6:17-19
“Y cuando alguna persona pecare”	Reader 3 – Vayikra 5:11-16	Reader 3 – Vayikra 6:20-23
Vayikra (Lev.) 5:1 – 6:11	Reader 4 – Vayikra 5:17-19
Ashlamatah: Zechariah 5:3-11 + 6:14	Reader 5 – Vayikra 5:20-26
	Reader 6 – Vayikra 6:1-6	Reader 1 – Vayikra 6:12-16
Psalm 75	Reader 7 – Vayikra 6:7-11	Reader 2 – Vayikra 6:17-19
	Maftir – Vayikra 6:9-11	Reader 3 – Vayikra 6:20-23
N.C.: Matityahu 13:10-23	Zechariah 5:3-11 + 6:14

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family, as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat Sarah. 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, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder.

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 ravybh@optusnet.com.au with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Vayikra (Leviticus) 5:1 – 6:11

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
1 If a person sins, and heard an oath [demanding his testimony] [in a case where] he is a witness; [for] he either saw or knew [something relevant], if he does not testify, he will bear [the burden of] his iniquity.	1 When a man will have sinned, and heard the voice of the oath of execration, or have been himself a witness, or will have seen that cue of the world has transgressed against the words of an oath, or will have known that his companion has sworn or imprecated vainly, if he show it not, he will bear his sin.
2 Or, if a person touches anything impure either the carcass of an impure wild animal, or the carcass of an impure animal of pasture, or the carcass of an impure creeping animal; and this [impurity] was concealed from him, he is impure and incurs guilt.	2 Or if a man touch anything, unclean, whether the carcass of an unclean beast, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of an unclean reptile, and it be hidden from him, and he, being unclean, will touch any consecrated thing, he is guilty.
3 Or, if he touches the impurities of man whatever that impurity may be that causes impurity and this [impurity] was concealed from him; [when] he realizes [he is impure], he incurs guilt.	3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of a man, even whatever uncleanness that defiles him, and it be hidden from him, and he touch anything consecrated, after that it is discovered by him, and he knows that he is defiled and not clean, he will be guilty.
4 Or, if a person swears, orally expressing to do harm [that he will do something which is to his detriment] or to do good [that he will do something that is to his benefit]. Regarding all a person will expresses in an oath and [that oath] was concealed from himself, when he realizes [his sin] and he incurs guilt, for any one of these [aforementioned sins].	4 Or if a man will swear to make declaration with his lips to do evil or good [JERUSALEM. To do evil or good] upon any matter upon which a man may affirm, whether of the present or the future, that he can make declaration by oath, and he falsify therein, and it be hidden from him, but afterward it be discovered to him and he know that he has falsified, and he repent not; though he has become guilty in any one of these,
5 It will be that when he incurs guilt for any of these [aforementioned sins] he will confess that which he transgressed.	5 if he will have (thus) sinned in any one of these four things, but afterwards repent, he will make confession of the sin by which be has sinned.
6 He will bring his guilt-offering to Adonai for his sin that he committed a female of the sheep, a lamb or a she-goat as a sin-offering. The kohen will atone for him, for his sin.	6 And he will bring the oblation of his trespass offering to the Presence of the Lord for the sin that he has sinned, a female lamb of the flock, or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest will atone for him (that he may be absolved) from his sin.
7 If his means are not sufficient for [the acquisition of] a sheep, then he will bring for his guilt-offering, ---[he] who has sinned,--- two turtledoves or two young pigeons to Adonai one for a sin-offering and one for a burnt-offering.	7 But if his hand find not sufficiency to bring a lamb, let him bring, as an offering for the trespass that he has committed, two large turtle doves or two young pigeons before the Lord; one for a sin offering, and one for a burnt sacrifice.
8 He will bring them to the kohen and he will bring that which is for a sin-offering first. He [the kohen] will shear its head [with his fingernail] opposite of its neck, but not separate [the head] completely.	8 And he will bring them to the priest, who will offer that which he may choose for the sin offering first: and lie will wring its head near to the spine, but not separate its head from the neck;
9 He will sprinkle some blood of the sin-offering on to the wall of the altar. And the remaining blood will be squeezed into the base of the altar; it is a sin-offering.	9 and he will sprinkle some of the blood upon the side of the altar, and pour out the remainder of the blood at the foot of the altar: it is a sin offering.
10 He will do (offer) the second [turtledove pigeon] as a burnt-offering, as prescribed. The kohen will atone from him, for his sin that he committed and he will be pardoned.	10 And of the second bird he will make a burnt sacrifice, according to the rite with the bird which he bad chosen for the sin offering, and not according to the rite for the bullock, or the lamb, or the young goat. And the priest will expiate him from the sin that he has sinned, and it will be forgiven him.
11 If his means are not sufficient for the acquisition of two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he will bring as his offering, ---[he] who has sinned,--- one tenth of an epha of fine flour as a sin-offering. He will not put oil upon it, nor will he place frankincense upon it, for it is a sin-offering.	11 But if his hand find not sufficiency to bring two large turtle doves or two young pigeons, let him bring as an oblation for sin a tenth part of three sein of flour for a sin offering; but let him not put oil thereon nor frankincense, for it is a sin offering.
12 He will bring it to the kohen and the kohen will take a fistful from it [as] its memorial portion and burn it on the altar on the fires of Adonai; it is a sin-offering.	12 And he will bring it to the priest, and the priest will take a handful for a commendable memorial thereof, and burn it at the altar with the oblations of the Lord: it is a sin offering.
13 The kohen will atone for him, for his sin that he committed in one of these [three] ways and he will be pardoned. [The remaining portion] will belong to the kohen as a meal-offering.	13 And the priest will atone for his sin that he has sinned, and it will be forgiven him. And the remainder will be a mincha to the priest.
14 And Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying;	14 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
15 If a person wrongfully deviates and unwittingly sins [by using the] sacred property of Adonai, he will bring his guilt-offering to Adonai, an unblemished ram, from the sheep, based on the valuation of holy silver shekalim, for a guilt-offering.	15 When a man falsifies with falsity and sins, though with inadvertence, in making misuse of the holy things of the Lord, he will bring the oblation for his trespass to the presence of the Lord, an unblemished ram from the flock, with an estimation in silver according to the value of the holy thing which has been misappropriated, in shekels, after the shekels of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
16 That which he sinned [making use] of the sacred property, he will pay for and add an additional fifth to that [amount] and give it to the kohen. The kohen will atone for him with the guilt-offering ram and he will be pardoned.	16 And the misuse of the holy thing by which he sinned, (the perversion of what was) sanctified, he will make good, and will add the fifth of its value unto it, and bring it to the priest who will atone for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it will be forgiven him.
17 If a person sins and did [transgress] one of the commandments of Adonai that should not be done, [however,] he is uncertain [that he sinned], and he [nevertheless] incurs guilt and will bear [the burden of] his iniquity.	17 If a man sin, and do against any one of all the commandments of the Lord that which is not right to do, though he knew it not, he has sinned, and will bear his guilt; but (when he has discovered it),
18 He will bring an unblemished ram, from the sheep, based on the valuation as a guilt-offering, to the kohen. The kohen will atone for him, for the error which he did unintentionally, and he did not know, and he will be pardoned.	18 let him bring a ram unblemished from the flock according to his estimation for a trespass offering unto the priest; and the priest will atone for him for the ignorance with which he erred ignorantly and sinned, and it will be forgiven him.
19 It is a guilt-offering [for] he certainly incurred guilt before Adonai.	19 It is an oblation for trespass. Whosoever has become guilty, a trespass oblation let him bring, an oblation for trespass unto the Name of the Lord, for the sin that he has sinned.
20 And Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying;	20 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
21 If a person sins and wrongfully deviates from Adonai and denies to his friend the possession of a keepsake placed in his trust or, a deposit [regarding money that was loaned or in partnership,] or theft [claiming that something was stolen,] or, oppressed [he withheld wages from] his friend.	21 When a man sins and falsifies with falsehoods unto the Name of the Word of the Lord, or denies to his neighbor the deposit which has been deposited with him, whether in partnership of hands, or by rapine, or reckless dealing with his neighbor; [JERUSALEM. Or will be contumacious (or slanderous) with his neighbor;]
22 Or, if he found a lost item and denies it and swears falsely in any of all these [aforementioned instances], whatever someone will do to sin in these instances.	22 or if he find a thing that has been lost and denies it, and swears falsely about any one of all these by which a mail in doing them will become guilty,
23 It will be that when he [realizes his] sin and incurs guilt, he will return the stolen property that he stole, or, the wages that he withheld or, whatever keepsake that was placed in his trust or, the lost item which he found.	23 he who will thus transgress, and sin, and swear, will restore what he has robbed with robbery or injured by injury, or the deposit that was deposited with him, or the lost thing which he had found,
24 Or, anything about which he will swear falsely. He will pay its price and add an additional fifth to that [amount] to whomever that object belongs he will give it on the day of his guilt-offering.	24 or whatsoever about which he had sworn with falsehood, he will make good in the capital, and will add a fifth of its value thereto, and deliver it to its owner on the day that he makes penance for his sin.
25 He will bring his guilt-offering to Adonai an unblemished ram, from the sheep based on the valuation, as a guilt-offering to the kohen.	25 And he will bring an oblation for his trespass to the presence of the Lord; a male unblemished from the flock, according to its estimation for the trespass, (will he bring) unto the priest.
26 The kohen will atone for him before Adonai and he will be pardoned for anything that he will do through which guilt incurs. One hundred and eleven verses.	26 And the priest will atone for him before the Lord, and it will be forgiven him concerning any one of all these which he may have done and become guilty.
1 And Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying:	1 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying
2 Command Aharon and his sons, saying; this is the law of the burnt-offering. It is the burnt-offering [which remains] on its pyre on the altar all night, until the morning, and the fire of the altar will be kept burning on it.	2 Instruct Aharon and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering which is brought to make atonement for the thoughts (errors) of the heart: it is a burnt offering, which is made in (the manner of) the burnt offering at Mount Sinai, and abides upon the place of burning on the altar all the night until the morning: for the fire of the altar will be burning in it.
3 The kohen will dress in his linen garment and he will wear linen pants on his [body] skin; and he will separate the ashes when the fire consumes the burnt-offering on the altar and place it next to the altar.	3 And the priest will dress himself in vestments of linen, and put drawers of linen upon his flesh; [JERUSALEM. Drawers;] and will separate the ashes which the fire (makes) in consuming the burnt offering upon the altar, and will place them at the side of the altar.
4 He will [then] remove his garments and dress in other garments. He will take out the ashes beyond the encampment, to a pure [undefiled] place.	4 And he will take off his vestments and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp into a clean place.
5 The fire on the altar will be kindled with it, it will not go out. The kohen will burn logs upon it each and every morning and arrange the burnt-offering on it and burn upon it the fats of the peace-offering.	5 But the fire upon the altar will burn upon it unextinguished, and the priest will lay wood upon it from morning to morning, at four hours of the day, and will set in order the burnt offering upon it, and burn upon it the fat of the sanctified oblations.
6 A continual fire will be lit on the altar; it will not go out.	6 The fire will be ever burning upon the altar; it will never be extinguished.
7 This is the law of the meal-offering. The sons of Aharon bring it before Adonai, to the front of the altar.	7 And this is the law of the Mincha, which the priests, the sons of Aharon, will offer in the presence of the Lord before the altar.
8 He will separate from it, when he takes his fistful, from some of the meal-offering's fine flour and some of its oil and all the frankincense which is on the meal-offering. He will burn, on the altar a pleasing fragrance; its memorial portion, to Adonai.	8 And he will separate his handful of the flour of the mincha, of the best thereof, with all the frankincense which is upon the mincha, and burn it at the altar to be received with favor, as a memorial of praise before the Lord.
9 Whatever remains from it will be eaten by Aharon and his sons. It must be eaten as matzah, in a sacred place. In the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting they will eat it.	9 And that which remains of it will Aharon and his sons eat; unleavened will they eat it in the holy place, in the court of the tabernacle of ordinance will they eat it.
10 It should not be baked [as] leavened. I have given it to them as their portion from my fire-offerings. It is holy of holies [most holy], as [are] the sin-offering and as the guilt-offering.	10 Their portion of the residue of the mincha of My oblations given to them will not be baked with leaven; it is most sacred, as the sin offering and as the trespass offering.
11 Every male descendant of Aharon may eat it, an everlasting statute for all your descendants from the fire-offerings of Adonai. whatever will touch them will become sacred.	11 Every man of the sons of Aharon may eat of it. This is an everlasting statute for your generations concerning the oblations of the Lord: every one who touches them must be sanctified.

Midrash Tanchuma (S. Buber Recension) for Vayikra (Leviticus) 5:1 – 6:11

1.13 Leviticus 5:1 ff., Part I

(Lev. 5:1:) AND IF A SOUL SINS IN THAT IT HEARS A VOICE SWEARING..., <IF HE DOES NOT SPEAK OUT, HE WILL BEAR HIS INIQUITY>. This text is related (to Eccl. 5:1 [2]): DO NOT BE RASH WITH YOUR MOUTH, AND LET NOT YOUR HEART HASTEN TO BRING FORTH A WORD BEFORE GOD. These <words refer to> the children of Adam who vilify the name of the Holy One. Come and see. When the celestial beings were created, those below were created with half of the name, as stated (in Is. 26:4): FOR THROUGH YH (YH is the first half of the divine name, which the Hebrew spells out where the translation reads THE LORD) THE LORD FORMED THE WORLDS (The Midrash interprets tsur ‘olamim as FORMED THE WORLDS (i.e., this world and the world to come) rather than as the more usual EVERLASTING ROCK. For similar interpretations, see yHag. 2:1 (77c); Men. 29b; Gen. R. 12:10; M. Pss. 62:1; 114:3; cf. also M. Pss. 118:14). But why were they not created with all of it? So that none of them would repeat the full name of the Holy One. Woe to those creatures who vilify the name of the Holy One in vain. See what is written about offerings (in Lev. 1:2): WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING TO THE LORD. It does not say “To the Lord, an offering,” but AN OFFERING TO THE LORD; so the Children of Adam vilify the name of the Lord in vain. It is therefore stated (in EccI. 5:1 [2]): DO NOT BE RASH WITH YOUR MOUTH.... [FOR GOD IS IN HEAVEN AND YOU ARE ON EARTH.] For who would say that God is not in Heaven and that the children of Adam are not on earth? However, Solomon has said: Every time that the weakest of the weak is from above, he defeats the warrior from below. Go and learn from Abimelech (in Jud. 9:53): BUT A CERTAIN WOMAN DROPPED AN UPPER MILLSTONE [ON ABIMELECH’S HEAD AND CRACKED HIS SKULL] And how much the more so in the case of a warrior among warriors from above! See what is written about him (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT, [AND HE DOES AS HE WISHES WITH THE HOST OF HEAVEN AND WITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH]. It is also written (in Ps. 47:3 [2]): FOR THE LORD MOST HIGH !S AWESOME, A GREAT KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. But the children of Adam are below. (Eccl. 5:1 [2]:) THEREFORE LET YOUR WORDS BE FEW. So what is there for you to do? To put your hand upon your mouth and upon your ear in order to neither speak nor hear. Ergo (in Lev.

5:1): IF A SOUL SINS.

1.14 Leviticus 5:l ff, Part II

(Lev. 5:1:) <AND IF A SOUL SINS IN THAT IT HEARS A VOICE SWEARING,> WHEN HE IS A WITNESS TO WHAT HE HAS EITHER SEEN OR COME TO KNOW, <IF HE DOES NOT SPEAK OUT, HE WILL BEAR HIS INIQUITY>. This text is related (to Prov. 29:24): THE ONE WHO SHARES WITH A THIEF HATES HIS OWN SOUL; [HE HEARS SWEARING AND DOES NOT SPEAK OUT]. What has caused anyone to say of him: IF A SOUL SINS? <It is> simply because he did not come and tell a sage: So-and-so blasphemed the name of the Holy One. He therefore shares his iniquities/lawlessness with him, as stated (in Lev. 5:1): IF HE DOES NOT SPEAK OUT, HE WILL BEAR HIS INIQUITY. Therefore Solomon has said (in Prov. 29:24): THE ONE WHO SHARES WITH A THIEF HATES HIS OWN SOUL. Just as when the thief is caught, his partner is convicted along with him (Cf. Lev. R. 6:2), so whoever hears blasphemy of the Holy One and does not speak Out is convicted along with him. And let no one say: What denunciation do I say? The Holy One has said (in Lev. 5: 1ff.): On every matter, there is a denunciation in it. <Would there be, therefore> an exception for cursing the Name? Why? Because <it is> just like a case of a person cursing his companion. When one hears him, it is of no concern to him. But if he has cursed his father in his presence, he puts his life on the line and says: You have cursed my father. Moses said (in Deut. 32:6): IS HE NOT YOUR FATHER WHO CREATED YOU?

1.15 Leviticus 5:l ff, Part III

(Lev. 5:1:) AND IF A SOUL SINS IN THAT IT HEARS A VOICE SWEARING, [WHEN HE IS A WITNESS TO WHAT HE HAS EITHER SEEN OR COME TO KNOW.] The Holy One said: If you want to bear witness, bear witness; but if not, I will bear witness. Thus it is stated (ibid.): WHEN HE IS A WITNESS. And where is it shown that the Holy One is called a witness? Where it is stated (in Jer. 29:23): I AM THE ONE WHO KNOWS AND BEARS WITNESS, SAYS THE LORD. Come and see. All the parashiot written in this book have MISTAKE written in them, except for this parashah, in which MISTAKE is not mentioned. About him Solomon has said (in Eccl. 5:5 [6]): DO NOT LET YOUR MOUTH CAUSE YOUR FLESH TO SIN, [AND DO NOT SAY BEFORE THE ANGEL THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE]. It is comparable to two people who threw stones at an image of a king. One was drunk, and one was in possession of his senses. Both of them were caught and went to trial. <The judge> rendered a <guilty> verdict against the one with his senses and acquitted the one who was drunk. So it is in the case of whoever sins. It is concerning him that MISTAKE is written (in Lev. 4:2): WHEN A SOUL SINS BY MISTAKE (rt.: Sh’GaGah) <AGAINST ANY OF THE LORD’S COMMANDMENTS>.... (Lev. 4:13:) AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHOULD ERR (rt.: Sh’GaGah), because they all sinned by mistake, they bring an offering, and shall be forgiven them. It is so stated (in Numb. 15:26): THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND THE STRANGER WHO RESIDES IN THEIR MIDST WILL BE FORGIVEN BECAUSE <IT HAPPENED> TO ALL THE PEOPLE BY MISTAKE. But the one who blasphemes receives a <guilty> verdict, as stated (in Lev. 24:16) AND THE ONE WHO BLASPHEMES THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. [It is also written] (in Jer. 4:2): AND YOU WILL SWEAR: AS THE LORD LIVES, IN TRUTH, IN JUSTICE, AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. [THEN WILL NATIONS BLESS THEMSELVES IN HIM, AND HIM WILL THEY GLORY.] The Scripture also says (in Deut. 10:20): THE LORD YOUR GOD YOU WILL FEAR, HIM YOU WILL SERVE, TO HIM YOU WILL HOLD FAST, then after that, AND BY HIM YOU WILL SWEAR. (Ibid.:) THE LORD YOUR GOD YOU WILL FEAR, so that you will be like those three of whom it is written: HE FEARED GOD (YR’ ‘LHYM). About Abraham it is written (in Gen. 22:12): FOR NOW I KNOW THAT YOU FEAR GOD (YR’‘LHYM). . . . About Joseph it is written (in Gen. 42:18): FOR I FEAR (YR’) GOD (‘LHYM). About Job it is written (in Job 1:2): HE FEARED GOD (YR’‘LHYM) AND SHUNNED EVIL. (Deut. 10:20, cont.:) HIM YOU WILL SERVE, in that you will be busy with the Torah and with <fulfilling> the commandments. (Ibid., cont.:) TO HIM YOU WILL HOLD FAST, in that you will honor the disciples of the wise and share your property with them. Moses said to Israel: Do not think that I may have allowed you to swear by my name, even in truth. It is only, if all these conditions (mentioned earlier in the verse) abide with you, that you are entitled to swear by my name; and if not, you are not entitled to swear by my name, even in truth. You will not be like those of whom it is written (in Jer. 7:9): WILL YOU <...> SWEAR FALSELY AND SACRIFICE TO BAAL? Fulfill all these conditions and after that you are mine, as stated (in Jer. 4:1): IF YOU RETURN, O ISRAEL, SAYS THE LORD, IF YOU RETURN UNTO ME . . . Then after that <it says> (in vs. 2): AND YOU WILL SWEAR: AS THE LORD LIVES ...

1.16 Leviticus 5:l ff, Part IV

Our masters have said: Even in truth one cannot swear. Why? Thus have our masters taught (in Dem. 2:3): LET NOT SOMEONE FROM ISRAEL BE UNRESTRAINED IN VOWS OR IN JESTING, so as not to lead one’s companion astray with an oath by uttering <one> when there is no <occasion for> an oath (Cf. Matthew 5:33-37; James 5:12). There is a story about a royal mountain where there were two thousand towns, and all of them were destroyed because of a truthful oath. Now if one who swears in truth has this happen, how much the more so in the case of one who swears to a lie? How did they act? One would utter an oath to his companion that he was going to such and such a place to eat and drink. Then they would go and act to fulfill their oath. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 5:1): IF A SOUL SINS <IN THAT IT HEARS A VOICE SWEARING>....

1.17 Leviticus 5:1 ff., Part V

Now when the Holy One comes to judge all people in the age to come, he will judge them along with sorcerers and adulterers. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Mal. 3:5): THEN I WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU IN JUDGMENT; AND I WILL BE A SWIFT WITNESS AGAINST SORCERERS, AGAINST ADULTERERS, AGAINST THOSE WHO SWEAR TO A LIE. <.. .> Moreover, I am finding them guilty and bringing them down to Gehinnom. The Holy One said: How is it that I have allowed you to be praising and glorifying my name, <when> you are reproaching, blaspheming, and swearing to a lie in my name? All people were created for my praise, as stated (in Prov. 16:4): THE LORD HAS MADE EVERYTHING FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE. So is it not enough for you that you do not praise him, but <that> you blaspheme <him as well>! The Scripture has said (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED/LAWLESS ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA, <FOR IT CANNOT REST (rt.: ShQT)>… <They are> just like this <kind of> sea which has rollers in its midst exalting themselves upward. When each and every one of them reaches the sand, it is broken and returns (hozer). Moreover, its companion is looking at it. That one also, when it is to be broken, exalts itself upward without repenting (hozer). So are the wicked/lawless, who look at one another and exalt themselves. Therefore, they are likened to the sea, as stated (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED/LAWLESS ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA .... All the generations, the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the Tower of Babel), did not learn from each other. Instead they were exalting themselves. Therefore, (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED/LAWLESS ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. The wicked/lawless have no rest in the world, but the righteous/generous have serenity (ShQT), as stated (in Jer. 30:10): AND JACOB WILL AGAIN HAVE PEACE (ShQT) AND QUIET WITH NONE TO MAKE HIM AFRAID.

1.18 Leviticus 5:l ff, Part VI

Another interpretation (of Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED/LAWLESS ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. Just as the sea has its mud in its mouth, so the wicked/lawless have their stench in their mouth. Thus it is stated (at the end of Is. 57:20): AND ITS WATERS TOSS UP SLIME AND MUD. It is not from choice that one hears blasphemies and invectives, but from the midst of the sins which are within him. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 5:1): IF A SOUL SINS AND HEARS A VOICE SWEARING (Most translations equate the sinning with the swearing. This more literal translation illustrates the point that the swearing comes from a soul which has already sinned). You find <that there are> three things under human control and three things not under human control. The following are under one’s control: The mouth, the hands and the feet. The mouth: If one wants to be engaged in the Torah, he is engaged; <if one wants> to blaspheme and revile, he does so, because his lips are under his control. The hands: If one wants to give alms, he gives them; <if one wants> to steal, he steals. Why? Because they are under his control. The feet: One wanting to go to the synagogue goes; <one wanting> to steal, commit adultery, <or> murder goes, because his feet are under his control. But the following are not under one’s control: The eyes, the ears, and the nose. The eyes: If one was passing through the market place and saw someone committing a transgression in the market place, he was seeing what was not under his control. The ears: If one heard the sound of blasphemies and invectives and did not want to hear them, what should he do? He heard what was not under his control. The nose: If one passed through a place of idolatry, smelled idolatrous incense, and did not smell it willingly, what should he do? He smelled what was not under his control. But when the Holy One desires, even these things which are <ordinarily> under one’s control are not <any longer> under one’s control. The mouth: When Balaam came to curse Israel, the Holy One did not allow him. He blessed them instead, as stated (in Deut. 23:6): BUT THE LORD YOUR GOD DID NOT WANT TO HEED BALAAM; <SO THE LORD YOUR GOD TURNED THE CURSE INTO A BLESSING FOR YOU>... . Also the hands: Thus you find in the case of Jeroboam, when the prophet came AND (according to I Kings 13:2) CRIED OUT {UNTO} [AGAINST] THE ALTAR [ACCORDING TO] THE WORD OF THE LORD AND SAID: O ALTAR, ALTAR, [THUS SAYS THE LORD BEHOLD, A SON WILL BE BORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF DAVID ... . ] Then Jeroboam said: Moses wrote in the Torah (in Deut. 13:2 [1]): IF THERE ARISES AMONG YOU A PROPHET ... AND GIVES YOU A SIGN OR A PORTENT. Now as for you, what portent are you giving me? He said to him: Is it a portent that you want? (I Kings 13:3:) THIS IS THE PORTENT WHICH THE LORD HAS DECREED: BEHOLD, THE ALTAR WILL BE TORN ASUNDER. Then (in vs. 4): JEROBOAM {RAISED} [STRETCHED OUT] HIS ARM FROM OVER THE ALTAR, SAYING: SEIZE HIM, BUT HIS HAND <WHICH HE STRETCHED AGAINST HIM> WITHERED, <AND HE COULD NOT DRAW IT BACK TO HIMSELF>. <This is written> to teach you that it was not under his control. Also the feet: Where it shown concerning them? From the men of Aram (i.e., Syria). When they came against Elisha, the Holy One said to them: Is it in your own right that you have come? What did he do to them? He misdirected them, as stated (in II Kings 6:19): THEN ELISHA SAID TO THEM: THIS IS NOT THE ROAD, AND THIS IS NOT THE CITY. <This is written> to teach you that even the feet are not under one’s control. And not only <now> but even in the world to come. [So it is stated} (in Job 12:23): HE EXALTS (MSGY’) NATIONS AND DESTROYS THEM. The written text (ketiv) is MSWJ’ (which means, “misleads”). Then he DESTROYS THEM <and> brings them down to Abaddon, while the righteous watch them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:24): THEN THEY SHALL GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE CORPSES OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REBELLED AGAINST ME: THEIR WORMS WILL NOT DIE NOR SHALL THEIR FIRE BE QUENCHED.

2.1 Leviticus 6:l ff. (8ff.), Part I

(Lev. 6:1-2 [8-9]:) THEN THELORD SPOKE<UNTO MOSES SAYING>: COMMAND AARON ... . This text is related (to Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE TO THE LORD, IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS? The Holy One said: If I had <merely> desired an offering, would I not have told Michael to bring me an offering? From whom do I desire sacrifice? From Israel. And so it says about the show-bread (in Lev. 24:8) [HE WILL ARRANGE IT BEFORE THE LORD REGUI.ARLY] ON EVERY SABBATH DAY. But it is written (in Micah 6:7): DOES THE LORD WANT THOUSANDS OF RAMS WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF RIVERS OF OIL? Balaam the Wicked/Lawless was an advocate for the nations of the world. It is in reference to his place (as their advocate) that <Scripture> speaks (in Micah 6:7): DOES THE LORD WANT [THOUSANDS OF RAMS WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF RIVERS OF OIL]? He wants what you offer to him, <i.e.> a log of oil. We (gentiles) offer him ten thousand times ten thousands rivers of oil. What did Abraham offer to him? Was it not one ram? It is so stated (in Gen. 22:13): THEN [ABRAHAM] LIFTED HIS EYES TO LOOK AND THERE WAS A RAM BEHIND HIM ... . If he wants, we should offer him thousands of rams; but what did Abraham offer him? His son. I might offer him my son and daughter, as stated (in Micah 6:7, cont,): SHALL I GIVE MY FIRST-BORN FOR MY TRANSGRESSION, THE FRUIT OF MY BELLY FOR THE SIN OF MY SOUL? MY FIRST-BORN FOR MY TRANSGRESSION? This is my first-born son. THE FRUIT OF MY BELLY FOR THE SIN OF MY SOUL? This is my daughter. See how crafty Balaam the Wicked was! He began to say (in Numb. 23:4): I HAVE PREPARED THE SEVEN ALTARS <AND OFFERED A RAM AND A BULL ON EACH ALTAR>. He did not say, “<seven> altars,” but, THE <SEVEN> ALTARS These are <all of the> seven altars, <which> they had built since the first Adam was created up to now. Now I am offering seven <sacrifices> corresponding to the seven of them. And what did they offer? Twelve cakes, as stated (in Lev. 24:5): THEN YOU WILL TAKE FINE WHITE FLOUR AND BAKE IT INTOTWELVE CAKES. When the Holy One appeared to him, he said to him: O Wicked/Lawless One, what are you doing? He said to him (In Numb. 23:4) I HAVE PREPARED THE SEVEN ALTARS. To whom is this wicked/lawless one comparable? To a butcher who sold <meat> in the market. When his store was full of meat, the market commissioner saw <him> and looked at the meat. <When> that butcher saw that he was looking at the meat, he said to him: Sir, I have already sent provisions to your house. So it was with Balaam. The Holy One said to him: O Wicked One, what are you doing here? He said to him (in Numb. 23:4): I HAVE PREPARED THE SEVEN ALTARS WITH A BULL AND A RAM ON EACHALTAR. He said to him (in Micah 6:7): DOES THE LORD WANT THOUSANDS OF RAMS? He said to him (ibid., cont.): SHALL I GIVE MY FIRST-BORN FOR MY TRANSGRESSION? The Holy One said to him: O Evil One, if I had desired offering, I would have spoken to Michael and Gabriel, and they would have presented offerings to me. It is so stated (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE TO THE LORD, IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS? Among the children of Abraham are Isaac and Jacob. <These are the ones> who are the rams of the world. The Holy One said to him: What do you desire? To deceive yourself before me? <To persuade> me to accept offerings from the gentiles? You are not able. He said to him: It is an oath, (in the words of Lev. 24:8, cont.) AN EVERLASTING COVENANT ON THE PART OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, they say, so that I only accept offerings from Israel. It is so stated (in Lev. 6:1—2 [8—9]): COMMAND AARON AND HIS CHILDREN, SAYING: <THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING>... . When the nations said: What is this, whereby Israel is presenting offerings and sacrificing? The Holy One said to them (ibid.): THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING (rt.: ‘LH). (Cant. 3:6): WHO IS THIS THAT COMES UP FROM THE DESERT <LIKE COLUMNS OF SMOKE PERFUMED WITH MYRRH AND FRANKINCENSE>...? (Exod. 19:3:) THEN MOSES WENT (rt.: ‘LH) UP UNTO GOD.

2.2 Leviticus 6:l ff. (8ff.), Part II

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:1-2 [8-9]:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE … COMMAND AARON...: THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING. The Holy One said: Fulfill what is written above on the matter. Then after that <comes> THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING. Why? (Is. 6 1:8:) BECAUSE I THE LORD LOVE JUSTICE, I HATE ROBBERY WITH A BURNT OFFERING. Even WITH A BURNT OFFERING. What is written above on the matter (in Lev. 5:23 [61)? AND IT WILL COME TO PASS THAT, WHEN ONE HAS SINNED AND IS GUILTY, HE WILL RESTORE THE STOLEN GOODS WHICH HE ROBBED. Then after that (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING. If you desire to present an offering, you will not rob anyone. Why? BECAUSE I THE LORD LOVE JUSTICE, I HATE ROBBERY WITH A BURNT OFFERING. So when do you present a burnt offering so that I accept it? When your hands are clean of robbery. David said (in Ps. 24:3-4): WHO MAY ASCEND THE HILL OF THE LORD? AND WHO MAY STAND IN HIS HOLY PLACE? ONE WITH CLEAN HANDS AND A PURE HEART. From the beginning of <this book on> offerings you learn (in Lev. 1:2): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND SAY UNTO THEM: WHEN ONE (Adam) OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING. Why is Adam mentioned? It is simply that the Holy One said: When you sacrifice to me, you will be like the first Adam in that he did not rob from others, since he was alone in the world. So also you shall not rob people. Why? (Is. 61:8:) BECAUSE I THE LORD LOVE JUSTICE, I HATE ROBBERY WITH A BURNT OFFERING.

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2 [9]): THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT OFFERING. Why is it named a BURNT OFFERING (‘olah, rt.: ‘LH)? Because it is the highest (rt.: ‘LH) of all the offerings. It is that which ascends (‘olah, rt.: ‘LH). You should know that when someone brings a sin offering, the priest takes it and likewise the meal offering. Moreover, the peace offerings belong to their owners and a guilt offering belongs to the priest. In the case of the burnt offering, however, no creature tastes it. Rather all of it belongs to the Holy One. Therefore, it is called BURNT OFFERING (‘olah, rt.: ‘LH), because it ascends (‘olah) to the Holy One, who is <the> Most High (rt.: ‘LH).

2.3 Leviticus 6:l ff. (8ff.), Part III

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON. . . . What is the function of Aaron here? Israel was bringing offerings while Aaron waited. So the Scripture says here: COMMAND AARON. Note also, it is written (in Numb. 28:2): COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING <. . . YOU WILL TAKE HEED TO OFFER ME IN ITS DUE SEASON>, but here it says (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON <...>: THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE ONE WHO ASCENDS (H’LH) – [The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the Midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6]. The Holy One said: Whenever someone raises (rt.: ‘LH) himself up, his end is to go in the fire. [It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9], cont.): THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS UPON THE BURNING PLACE ... . The generation of the flood <suffered> because of what they said (in Job 21:15): WHAT IS THE ALMIGHTY THAT WE SHOULD SERVE HIM? AND WHAT DO WE PROFIT WHEN WE PRAY TO HIM? For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom). And likewise the Sodomites, as stated (in Gen. 19:24): THENTHE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOMAND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE. When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2): WHO IS THE LORD, [THAT I SHOULD HEED HIS VOICE]? he exalted (rt.: ‘LH) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3): THE NILE IS MY OWN AND I MADE MYSELF. <He is> therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2 [9]) UPON THE BURNING PLACE, for so it says (in Ps. 18:14 [13]): THE LORD THUNDERED {FROM HEAVEN} [IN THE HEAVENS], AND THE MOST HIGH GAVE FORTH HIS VOICE, HAIL AND COALS OF FIRE And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: ‘LH) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 Is. 3 7:24): IT IS I WHO HAVE ASCENDED (rt.: ‘LH) THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS TO THE REMOTEST PARTS OF LEBANON. . . , what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND> IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA. . . . (According to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17-35) he had blasphemed through a messenger (mal’akh); therefore (in II Kings 19:3 5 = Is. 37:36 I/Il Chron. 32:21:) THE ANGEL (mal’akh) OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND> IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA. What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16): AND UNDER HIS GLORY THERE WILL BURN A BURNING LIKE THE BURNING OF FIRE. What is the meaning of UNDER HIS GLORY? That it burned him from within and left alone his clothes on the outside, since a person’s glory is his garment.” Why did the Holy One leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22): THE SONS OF SHEM ARE ELAM, ASSHUR,. . . . The Holy One said: I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father’s nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23): THEN SHEM AND JAPHETH TOOK A GARMENT … <AND THEY COVERED THEIR FATHER’S NAKEDNESS>. Therefore, the Holy One left their clothes alone and burned <only> their body. (Lev. 6:2 [9]:) THAT (i.e. the person who exalts himself) IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (ha’oleh) UPON THE BURNING PLACE. . . . And so <it was in the case of> [Nebuchadnezzar, <who> he exalted (rt.: ‘LH) himself. He said (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: ‘LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH (rt.: ‘LH). The Holy One said to him: O wicked/lawless one, was it not enough that you should say (in vs. 13): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: ‘LH) <TO THE HEAVENS>; ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD I WILL SET MY THRONE, but that you should say (in vs. 14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: ‘LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD, on high (rt.: ‘LH)? And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15): {WHO IS} [NOW WHO IS] THE GOD WHO WILL DELIVER YOU OUT OF MY HAND? I have burned His house and exiled His people. He did not stand against me in His house; so will He overcome me in my house? What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway. Whoever was designated to be burned [was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned] was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3): THEN THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, AND THE GOVERNORS, THE COUNSELORS, THE TREASURERS, THE JUDGES, THE MAGISTRATES, AND ALL THE PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ASSEMBLED. That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27): THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, THE GOVERNORS, AND THE ROYAL COMPANIONS ASSEMBLED. {That makes four peoples.} [So where were four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) THE FLAME OF THE FIRE SLEW THEM. Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of <a body disfigured by> burning was put upon him.’ Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One said: Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against whom he blasphemed. The Holy One said to him: O Wicked/Lawless One, did you not say: I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: ‘LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD? [By your life,] (according to Dan. 4:22 [25]) YOU WILL BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS. Just as he brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so he brought <punishment> upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32 [4:2]): THE SIGNS AND WONDERS WHICH THE MOST HIGH GOD HAS WORKED FOR ME IT SEEMED GOOD TO ME TO MAKE KNOWN. This fright of <a body disfigured by> burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (H’LH) UPON THE BURNING PLACE...

2.4 Leviticus 6:l ff. (8ff.), Part IV

[(Lev. 6.2 [9]:) <THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE ONE WHO ASCENDS (H’LH);> THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS UPON THE BURNING PLACE.] This is the evil kingdom (of Rome), which exalted (rt.: ‘LH) itself, as stated (in Obad., vs. 4): THOUGH YOU MAKE <YOUR ABODE> AS HIGH AS THE EAGLE, AND THOUGH YOUR NEST IS SET AMONG THE STARS, <I WILL BRING YOU DOWN FROM THERE, SAYS THE LORD>. Moreover, it will be judged by fire, as stated (in Dan. 7:11): <I LOOKED ON THEN BECAUSE OF THE SOUND OF THE ARROGANT WORDS WHICH THE HORN UTTERED.> I LOOKED ON UNTIL THE BEAST WAS SLAIN AND ITS BODY DESTROYED, GIVEN OVER FOR BURNING IN THE FIRE. The Holy One said (in Obad., vs. 18): THE HOUSE OF JACOB WILL BE FIRE, AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME, <AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU (i.e., Rome) WILL BE STRAW; THEY WILL BURN IT AND CONSUME IT>. .. , FOR {THE MOUTH OF} THE LORD HAS SPOKEN IT. And what did he say through Moses (in Lev. 6:2 [9])? THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (ha’olah, rt.: ‘LH) UPON THE BURNING PLACE.] Then after that <Scripture says> (in Obad., vs. 21): THEN SAVIORS WILL COME UP ON MOUNT ZION TO JUDGE THE MOUNTAIN OF ESAU, AND THE KINGDOM WILL BELONG TO THE LORD.

Sisera also <was punished by fire> because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3): AND HE OPPRESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WITH MIGHT, <i.e.> with blasphemies and invectives. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20): THE STARS FOUGHT FROM THE HEAVENS; FROM THEIR COURSES THEY FOUGHT WITH SISERA. <There is> also <retribution> in the world to come, when the Holy One comes to exact retribution from Esau. What did Esau do to him? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like a lion, he came and took his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad., vs. 4): AND THOUGH YOUR NEST IS SET AMONG THE STARS. STARS can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5): LOOK TOWARD THE HEAVENS AND COUNT THE STARS, ... : [SO WILL YOUR SEED BE.] Jacob says to him: My brother (‘HY’), you shall not be like me. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14): MY BROThER (‘HY) YOUR WORDS ARE DEATH; MY BROTHER (‘HY), YOUR DESCENT (QTB) IS TO SHEOL {MY BROTHER (‘HY), MY BROTHER (‘HY).} [WHERE (‘HY)? WHERE (‘HY)?]. <YOUR WORDS> are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed over me that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14): MY BROTHER, YOUR WORDS ARE DEATH. (Ibid., cont.:) MY BROTHER (‘HY), YOUR DESCENT (QTB) IS TO SHEOL. <QTB> is a Hellenistic word - thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.”. {While Jacob remained, Esau descended to Sheol.} [When Esau descended to Sheol, Jacob remained by himself.] It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8): AND IT WILL COME TO PASS THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND, SAYS THE LORD, THAT TWO-THIRDS IN IT [WILL BE CUT OFF AND DIE, BUT ONE-THIRD WILL REMAIN IN IT.] Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24): {AND} ISRAEL WILL BE A THIRD <PARTNER WITH EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, A BLESSING IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH.> So Israel, because they made themselves despised and lowly, was avenged by fire, as stated (in Zech. 2:9 [5]): AND I MYSELF, SAYS THE LORD, WILL BE A WALL OF FIRE AROUND IT (i.e., around Jerusalem), AND I WILL BE A GLORY WITHIN IT. When Esau departed from the world, the Holy One [and Israel remained, as stated (in Cant. 6:9): <ONLY> ONE IS MY DOVE, MY PERFECT ONE. It also says:] {It says:} (in Deut. 32:12): THE LORD ALONE DID LEAD HIM, AND THERE WAS NO FOREIGN GOD WITH HIM.

Ketubim Targum Psalm 75

1. For praise; in the time that David said, “Do not harm your people.” A psalm composed by Asaph, and a song.

2. We have praised You, O Lord, we have praised You, and Your name is near, Your wonders have declared it.

3. Because of the meeting of the festival, I will judge uprightly/generously.

4. The inhabitants of the earth melt away, and all who dwell in it; I have made its pillars firm forever.

5. I said to the mockers, “Do not mock,” and to the wicked/lawless, “Do not exalt [your] honor.”

6. Do not exalt your honor to the height, you who speak in harshness and blasphemy.

7. For there is none beside Me from east to west, nor from the north, the area of deserts, to the south, the site of mountains.

8. For God is a righteous/generous judge; this one He will humble, and this one He will exalt.

9. For the cup of cursing is in the hand of the Lord, and a harsh wine, full of a bitter mixture, to confuse the wits of the wicked/lawless by what is poured out from it, and more severe than the judgment of the ancients; yet its dregs and its foam all the wicked/lawless of the earth will press out and drink.

10. But I will tell forever the miracles; I will praise the God of Jacob.

11. But all the mighty loftiness of the wicked I will humble; I will uproot them from their strongholds; the mighty loftiness of the righteous/generous will be magnified.

Ketubim Midrash Psalm 75

I. For the leader; Al-tashheth (“Destroy not”) (Ps. 75:1). These words are to be considered in the light of what Scripture says elsewhere: For the Lord your God is a merciful God; He will not fail you, neither destroy you (Deut. 4:35), and also And I prayed unto the Lord, and said: “O Lord God, destroy not Your people” (ibid. 9:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, answered Moses: I will not destroy, as is said And the Lord hearkened unto me that time also; the Lord would not destroy you (Deut. 10:10). Asaph also said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, even as You did hearken to Moses, so hearken to us. Hence, in saying Al-tashheth (“Destroy not”),’ Asaph meant: Master of the universe, chasten me, yes— but as a man chastens his son, as is said As a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you (Deut. 8:25). And he also said: Even in the time when You did no miracles for us, did we not give You thanks? Do for us, and we will thank You the more, as is said We give thanks unto You, O God, we give thanks, and Your name is near (Ps. 75:2). By these words Asaph meant: We give thanks unto You when You bring good, and we give thanks unto You when You impose suffering. Whether You bring good or impose suffering, we give thanks unto You, and Your name is near—that is, Your name is in our mouths.

Men did tell of Your wondrous works (ibid.). When will we tell? At the time of redemption, as is said When I reach the appointed time I will declare he acts of equity (ibid. 75:3).

When the earth and all the inhabitants thereof were quaking, I Myself established the pillars of it. Selah (Ps. 75:4). When the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to give the Torah to Israel, the earth began to quake and totter out of fear that the children of Israel would not—God have mercy!—accept the Torah, and that the earth would turn back to emptiness and chaos. But as soon as the children of Israel said: We will do and obey (Ex. 24:7), the earth established itself again on its foundation, as is said I myself established the pillars of it. Selah.

II. I say ... to the wicked/lawless: “You will not lift up the horn” (Ps. 75:5). R. Berechiah in the name of R. Levi read these words in the light of the verse The Lord will rejoice in His works (Ps. 104:31). Of the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His earth, what says Scripture?—God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Gen. 1:31). The words God saw can have no other meaning than that God rejoiced, as in the verse “When he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart” (Ex. 4:14). “But,” said God: “after Adam sinned, I removed My presence into heaven, so that I who am the God of the world no longer rejoice”—if one may venture to attribute such words to Him—”in the world, because the wicked rejoice in the world.” Hence the verse The glory of the Lord will be in the world; the Lord will rejoice in His works speaks of the world-to-come. The verse does not say, “The Lord rejoices,” but the Lord will rejoice,—that is, will rejoice in the world-to-come, in the time-to-come. Hence it is written I say unto the arrogant: “You will not deal arrogantly”: and to the wicked/lawless: “You will not lift up the horn.”

According to the Rabbis, this verse alludes to Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab,’ who in one day knew four great joys: she saw her brother-in-law Moses made king, her husband Aaron made high-priest, her brother Nahshon made prince, and [her sons] Eleazar and Ithamar made adjutants of the high- priest. But then her two other sons [Nadab and Abihu] went in to make offerings and were devoured by fire, as is said And there came forth fire from before the Lord, and devoured them (Lev. 10:2), and after the death of the two sons of Aaron (ibid. 16:1) her joy changed to grief. And so the [arrogantly] righteous/generous have no joy in this world; only the wicked rejoice. Hence I say to the arrogant: “You will not arrogantly rejoice.”

III. Lift not up your horn on high; speak not insolence with a haughty neck. For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the wilderness, comes an uprising (Ps. 75:6-7). When Belshazzar saw the palm of the hand that wrote (Dan. 5:5), he said, “I wonder if perhaps a kingdom is in rebellion against me!” And he sent messengers to every single prefecture, but did not find a kingdom in rebellion against him. Hence it is said For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the wilderness, comes an uprising. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Belshazzar: You sent messengers to all prefectures. But did you send one to Me? Yet I am He who will put you down, for I am He that puts down and He that raises up, as is said For God is judge; He putts down one, and raises up another (Ps. 75:8). R. Berechiah said in the name of R. Levi: God puts down one kingdom and raises up another kingdom; when the kingdoms of Media and Persia came up, the kingdom of Babylon went down.

In a different exposition, the verse is read This putts down and this raises up (Ps. 75:8) and is taken to speak of the children of Israel who, when they lowered themselves to make the golden calf, used this in a tone of contempt, saying As for this man Moses (Ex. 32:1); but who, when God commanded This they will give ... half a shekel for the Lord (Ex. 30:13), raised themselves by heeding the this of the command. Hence it is said This putts down, and this raises up.

A different exposition: He putts down one, and raises up another means that God brings one family low and raises another family high.

IV. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup (Ps. 75:9). Lest the cup be thought empty, the verse goes on to say, and the wine (ibid.). Lest the wine be thought weak, the verse goes on to say, is seething (ibid.)—that is, the wine is strong and old.

R. Yudan, R. IIama, and R. Isaac taught in the name of R. Hiyya that in the time-to-come the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to Pharaoh: “Drink your cup,” and Pharaoh will reply: “Master of the universe, long since I drank my cup in the world.” God will then say: “What you drank in the world was scarcely a drop, as it is said He caused the same to be poured out drop by drop (ibid.), but it is also said Surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked/lawless of the earth will drain them and drink them (ibid.): Though you drank of the wine, you did not drain it, as is said They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink (Isa. 29:9).”

R. Eliezer, the son of R. Jose the Galilean, took the verse Is not this laid up in store with Me, and sealed up in My treasures? (Deut. 32:34) to mean that this bitter cup is laid up with God for those who reject the Law and who will themselves be rejected.

R. Alia taught: From what kind of cup will they be made to drink? From a Tiberian cup: not a cup so roundly shaped that it pours all at once, but one shaped like a pail for swill, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, a cup like the one referred to in the verse You will drink of thy sister’s cup, which is deep and wide (Ezek. 23:32).

You find that there are four cups of good and four cups of evil. The cups of good: My cup runs over (Ps. 23:5); The Lord is the portion . . . of my cup (Ps. i6:); and I will lift up the cup of deliverances (Ps. 116:13), deliverances implying two such cups. These are the four cups of good, the four cups of consolation which the Holy One, blessed be He, will give the children of Israel to drink in the time-to-come.

The four cups of punishment for the wicked/lawless: Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand that made all the earth drunken (Jer. 51:7); For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is seething . . . the dregs thereof, all the wicked/lawless of the earth will wring them out, and drink them (Ps. 75:9); Burning tempest; this will be the portion of their cup (Ps. ii:6); Take this cup of the wine of jury . . . and cause all the gentiles to drink it (Jer. 25:15). These are the four cups of punishment which God will give the wicked/lawless to drink in the time-to-come.

V. And all the horns of the wicked/lawless also will I cut oft; but the horns of the righteous/generous will be lifted up (Ps. 75:11). There are ten horns which the Holy One, blessed be He, lifted up for the children of Israel: (1) the horn of Abraham, as is said Let me sing of my well-beloved, a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard in the horn, of the son of oil (Isa. 5:1); (2) the horn of Isaac, as is said Behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns (Gen. 22:13); (3) the horn of Moses, as is said The skin of his face sent forth horns (Ex. 34:29); (4) the horn of Samuel in prophecy, as is said And Hannah prayed, and said ... My horn is exalted in the Lord (I Sam. 2:1); (5) the horn of Aaron in the High Priesthood, as is said His horn will be exalted in honor (Ps. 112:9); (6) the horn of the Sanhedrin in Torah, of which is said He had horns coming forth from His hand (Hab. 3:4); (7) the horn of Heman in the Levitical office, as is said All these were the sons of Heman to lift up the horn (I Chron. 25:5); (8) the horn of Jerusalem at the building of the Temple, as is said You have heard me from the horns of the reem (Ps. 22:22); (9) the horn of the King Messiah in Kingship, as is said The Lord ... will exalt the horn of His anointed (Messiah) (I Sam. 2:10); (10) the horn of David in the light of the day-to-come, as is said There will I make the horn of David to bud (Ps. 132:17). But when the children of Israel sinned, the horns were taken from them and given to the nations of the earth, as is said Behold a fourth beast dreadful and terrible ... and it had ten horns (Dan. 7:7). This verse proves that the [heathen] nations of the world are symbolized by the beasts described in Daniel, and that as long as the horns of the wicked/lawless endure, the horns of Israel remain cut off, as is said He has cut off in fierce anger all the horns of Israel (Lam. 2:3); but the verse further proves that when God lifts up the horns of the righteous/generous, He will also cut off the horns of the wicked/lawless, as is said All the horns of the wicked/lawless ... will I cut off (Ps. 75:11). Then The horns of the Righteous/Generous One will be lifted up (ibid.) —that is, the horns of Israel which the Righteous/Generous One of the universe had cut off.

Ashlamatah: Zechariah 5:3-11 + 6:14

1 Then again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a flying roll.

2 And he said unto me: 'What do you see?' And I answered: 'I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.'

3 Then said he unto me: 'This is the curse that goes forth over the face of the whole land; for every one that steals will be swept away on the one side like it; and every one that swears will be swept away on the other side like it.

4 I cause it to go forth, says the LORD of hosts, and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that swears falsely by My name; and it will abide in the midst of his house, and will consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.'

5 Then the angel that spoke with me went forth, and said unto me: 'Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that goes forth.'

6 And I said: 'What is it?' And he said: 'This is the measure that goes forth.' He said moreover: 'This is their eye in all the land—

7 and, behold, there was lifted up a round piece of lead--and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the measure.'

8 And he said: 'This is Wickedness/Lawlessness.' And he cast her down into the midst of the measure, and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. {S}

9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the measure between the earth and the heaven.

10 Then said I to the angel that spoke with me: 'Whither do these bear the measure?'

11 And he said unto me: 'To build her a house in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place. {S}

1 And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between the two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;

3 and in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled bay horses.

4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that spoke with me: 'What are these, my lord?'

5 And the angel answered and said unto me: 'These chariots go forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.

6 That wherein are the black horses goes forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the south country;

7 and the bay went forth'. And they sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth; and he said: 'Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth.' So they walked to and fro through the earth.

8 Then cried he upon me, and spoke unto me, saying: 'Behold, they that go toward the north country have eased My spirit in the north country.' {S}

9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

10 'Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, that are come from Babylon; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;

11 yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set the one upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;

12 and speak unto him, saying: Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: Behold, a man whose name is the Shoot (Hebrew: “Ts’mach”), and who will shoot up (Hebrew: YiTs’mach”) out of his place, and build the temple of the LORD;

13 even he will build the temple of the LORD; and he will bear the glory, and will sit and rule upon his throne; and there will be a priest before his throne; and the counsel of peace will be between them both. 14 And the crowns will be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of the LORD.

15 And they that are far off will come and build in the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me unto you. And it will come to pass, if you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God--.' {S}

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 13:10-23

10. ¶ His Talmidim (disciples) asked him, “Why is it that you speak to the kindred in parables and still they do not understand it at all?”
11. And Yeshuah replied to them saying, “To you has been given a heart to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom (governance) of the heavens, and to them it hasn’t been given to understand.
12. To whomever has wisdom to him will more be given, and whoever does not have [much], whatever wisdom he has will be taken away [from him].
13. For this reason I speak to them in parables, because (Jeremiah 5:21) having the power of seeing, they do not see; and having the power of hearing, they do not hear,” nor do they grasp and understand.
14. fulfilling what was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet (6:9-10) “Go and say to this people, Hearing you hear, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know.
15. Make the heart of this people fat, and make his ears heavy, and shut his eyes, that he not see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and understand with his heart, and turn back, and one heals him.”
16. But fortunate are the seeing eyes, and the hearing ears.
17. Now I will explain to you the parables and you hear! Like this he said, and like this, and he explained it all to them oral-saying by oral-saying.

18. ¶ Therefore, hear the parable of the sower.
19. When anyone is hearing the Sayings of the kingdom and does not understand it, an evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. These are the seeds which fell by the way.
20. The stone upon which the seeds fell is the one who hears the Saying and suddenly welcomes it with joy.
21. Since it has no real root in him, therefore it is temporary; and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Saying, suddenly he stumbles [falls away].
22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the Saying, but the cares of the age and the deception of wealth choke and suffocate the Saying, and he becomes unproductive.
23. As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Saying, understands it; and indeed produces fruit, that is, from the seeds that are good works. From the first seed/good work he produces a hundred times as much as was sown, from the second seed/good work sixty times as much, and from the third seed/good work thirty times as much. The first hundred fruits are from the seed/good work of a Tahor (clean) heart and holiness of the body. From the seed/good work of two flesh that become one, these sixty fruits are from the seed/good work of monthly marital menstrual separations of the wife. From the third seed/good works, these thirty fruits are from the seed/good work of the holiness of the marital pairing in body and in heart.

The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study

During the wonderful eight days of Chanukah past, I have received two wonderful books on the post. One on the Midrash of Matityahu (The Gospel of Matthew: Translation and Notes, by: Claude Tresmontant, Cristendom Press, 1996) and the other on Hakham Shaul (Reinventing Paul, by: John G. Gager, Oxford University Press, 2000). This week, and in further weeks I will be scanning some of the pages of the wonderful book on Matityahu by the pen of the great Catholic Scholar Claude Tresmontant, professor at La Sorbonne, University of Paris. Whilst I do not agree in toto with Tresmontant translation or explanations yet these are quite a break-through for a Christian Catholic Scholar! As to the book on Hakham Shaul I will be publishing excerpts of it now and then and putting them on the list for your enjoyment.

In our Torah Seder for Kislev 18, past, I wrote:

The Torah Seder for this week open with the words: נֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה – “Nefesh Ki-Techeta BiSh’Gagah” – “When a soul will sin inadvertently.” The expression “NEFESH” includes the body and invisible life-force. When G-d began to create man in Genesis 2:7, the Torah writes: “Then Ha-Shem G-d formed man of the dust of the soil;” and afterwards the Torah adds: “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;” and the result being: “וַיְהִי הָאָדָם, לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה – VaY’hi Ha-Adam L’Nefesh Chayah - and man became a living soul.” In other words the word “Adam” means “a perfect combination of body and spirit.” The word “HaNefesh” just as the word “HaAdam” refers to a perfect combination of body and spirit. Therefore, we must understand and appreciate that whatever reward or punishment G-d metes out He metes out to both body and spirit. Thus if G-d punishes someone to have pain in their body, such a person will also have equal pain in his soul. Whilst alive, mind in body are inseparable and what happens to one has equal repercussions on the other.

This is alluded in the parable of the sower quoted by the Master of Nazareth, when understood in its Hebraic setting. In Matityahu 13:23 – the English Bibles read:

“But that sown on the good ground is this: the one hearing the Word, and understanding it, who indeed bears and yields fruit, one truly a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.”

But the Hebrew Gospel of Matityahu reads:

“That which fell into the fertile earth is the one who hears the word and understands it and makes fruit, that is from good works. He brings forth from the first a hundred, from the second sixty, and from the third thirty. As for the hundred, this the one purified of heart and sanctified of body. As for the sixty, this is the one from the wife’s separations. As for the thirty, this is the one sanctified in matrimony, in body and in heart.”

That is, according to this parable, there are three stages of producing good and acceptable fruit:

a. The 30 % - those who eagerly and habitually labor to have a successful marriage.

b. The 60 % - those who eagerly and habitually labor to have a successful marriage and faithfully observe the laws of family purity.

c. The 100 % - those who eagerly and habitually labor to have both purity of body and mind (i.e. body and spirit).

Of course, this parable alike the introductory words to our Torah Seder goes to the heart of excessive asceticism – of those who believe they are to be totally separate to G-d without any responsibility for a family. The parable is saying that the starting point for a walk with G-d starts with the formation of a family and working out eagerly and habitually to make it a successful marriage, then comes the second step with the laws of family purity, and then, and only then, can a person venture to attain purity of body and mind according to the rules set forth in Written and Oral Torah.

This week, the Master from Nazareth gives his explanation to this parable of the sower. And we may ask, how is this parable related to our Torah Seder for this week?

Our Torah Seder this week starts with the words: וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא – “V’Nefesh Ki-Techeta” - “And when a person sins,” and which is obviously a continuation of the same theme as that for our Torah Seder on Kislev 18 past: נֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה – “Nefesh Ki-Techeta BiSh’Gagah” – “When a soul will sin inadvertently.” And so we also find in the Mdrash of Matityahu a continuation of the same subject (the parable of the sower) that we commented upon on Kislev 18. Again, the key concept here is about the “Nefesh.”

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said,

When I walk through the streets of a city and a Christian missionary meets me, the first question he asks me is: 'What do you do for the salvation of your soul?' I have never thought of salvation, it is not a Jewish problem. My problem is what mitzvah (commandment) I can do next. Am I going to say b’rachah (blessing)? Am I going to be kind to another person? To study Torah? How am I going to prepare for the Sabbath? Those are my problems. The central issue in Judaism is the mitzvah (commandment), the sacred act. And it is the greatness of man that he can do a mitzvah (commandment). How great we are that we can fulfill the will of God!

Now those that read these words of R. Heschel may be offended. But we Jews are offended as well, when we are asked if we have been saved, as if we were a bunch of pagans. You see, salvation or not is not in the vocabulary of a Jew, because we are born within a covenant between G-d and Israel! We are not pagans! It is therefore offensive to us to be asked the arrogant question, as to whether we are saved or not.

But for the pagans, those who in the language of Judaism and therefore of Hakham Shaul are called “those afar off” salvation is surely a key preoccupation! For a Gentile is born within a covenant – the covenant of Noach – which needs to be renewed as soon as a person can decide for him/herself on spiritual matters. For the Gentiles, then the topic of salvation can surely be understood as a key and central question.

Now, if a person has accepted Yeshuah the Messiah of Israel, as his/her king, and the people of Israel as their people, then salvation is no longer a preoccupation but rather whether we are pleasing G-d, moset blessed be He through the sacred acts of fulfilling the mitzvoth (commandments).

The Torah Seder for this weeks starts by saying: “If a person sins, and heard an oath [demanding his testimony] [in a case where] he is a witness; [for] he either saw or knew [something relevant], if he does not testify, he will bear [the burden of] his iniquity/lawlessness” (Leviticus 5:1). This verse is equally applicable to Jew or Gentile. For both are born under covenantal obligations towards G-d, be it under the Noachitic covenant or under the Sinaitic/Davidic covenants. And in both covenants there is an obligation to be a witness for what we know, chiefly: “But without Emunah (faithful obedience) it is impossible to please God. For it is right that the one drawing near to God must believe that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder to the ones seeking Him out” (Bereans/Hebrews 11:6).

We are all witnesses about the fact that “G-d is and He becomes a rewarder to the ones seeking Him out.” And if we fail to give this testimony loudly and clear to all human beings then we have sinned, because we have failed to obey the mitzvah (commandment), the sacred act that “G-d is” as per the first commandments of the Decalogue “Ani Ha-Shem” (I am the LORD). So then, salvation starts with the fulfillment of a sacred mitzvah/act – i.e. recognizing and confessing “that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder to the ones seeking Him out.” It is clear then, that there is no salvation possible outside the commandments of G-d! And this fact is brought to the fore in its full force in the parable of the Sower.

To us, it is written: “I declared, and I saved, and I proclaimed; and there is not an alien god among you. And you are My witnesses, says Ha-Shem, and I am God” (Isaiah 43:12). We have a covenantal obligation, a solemn mitzvah, a sacred act to fulfill to announce to every human creature “that Ha-Shem, He is [G-d], and that He becomes a rewarder to the ones seeking Him out.” Not to comply with this sacred act, with this most Holy Mitzvah is a great sin and for which we will render an account here and in the age-to-come. It is no coincidence, that in most holiest day of the Jewish year, the solemn Day of Yom Ha-Kippurim, Day of Atonements we read aloud in the congregation the whole book of Yonah. And what is the whole book of Yonah about? Is it not about teaching all humanity “that Ha-Shem, He is [G-d], and that He becomes a rewarder to the ones seeking Him out?”

This goes to teach an important and key principle of Torah Observance: It is good and honorable for all human beings to observe the commandments, but it is even more commendable and meritorious to enable others to do so!

May G-d, most blessed be He, help us to be good intelligent earth, and produce a great crop worth a hundred, a sixty and a thirty fold, of the seed/good works which we have received, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen!

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

The Gospel of Matthew: Translation and Notes

By: Claude Tresmontant

Translated from the French by K.D. Whitehead

Front Royale, VA: Christendom Press, 1996

pp. 383-390

Chapter 13

1. and on that same day

he went out of the house

ieschoua

and he sat on the seashore

2. and then there gathered around him

a numerous crowd

in such a way that he got into a boat

and he sat there

and as for the crowd as a whole

it stood on the shore

3. and he said many things to them

in parables

and he said to them

there was one who went out

a sower

to sow

4. and while he was sowing

a part [of the seeds] fell

by the side of the road

and they came the birds

and they devoured them

5. and others [seeds] fell

on rocky ground

where there was not a lot of earth

and they quickly grew up

because there was no depth of earth

6. and the sun rose

and they were burned

and because they did not yet have roots

they dried up

7. and others [seeds] fell

among thorn-bushes

and they grew up

and the thorn-bushes

choked them out

8. and others [seeds] fell

on the good earth

and they yielded fruit

some a hundred times

some sixty times

and some thirty times

9. the one who has ears to hear

let him hear

* * *

10. then they approached him

those who were learning from him

and they said to him

why is it then

that you speak in parables

11. and he replied and he said to them

to you it is given to know

the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens

but to them it has not been given

12. for the one who is in possession [of something]

to him it will be given

and he will have in excess

but the one who is not in possession [of something]

even what is in his possession

will be taken away from him

13. and this is why it is in parables

that I speak to them

because they see but they do not see

they hear but they do not hear

they do not have understanding

14. and it is fulfilled for them

the prophecy of ieschaiahou

the one which says

you hear [what there is] to hear

but you do not understand

and you see [what there is] to see

but you do not perceive

15. cover with a layer of fat

the heart of this people

and their ears make them heavy

and their eyes glue them closed

so that they might not see with the eyes

and [that] with the ears they might not hear

and [that] with the heart they might not understand

and [that] they might not be converted

and that I might not heal them

16. but as for you

happy your eyes because they see

and your ears because they hear

17. for amen I say it to you

many are the prophets and the just ones

who desired to see what you see

and they did not see it

and to hear what you hear

and they did not hear it

***

18. it is for this reason

you

hear then the parable of the one who sows

19. every man who hears the parable of the kingdom

and who does not understand it

then he comes

the evil one

and he takes away what has been sown in the heart

this one

he is the one

where the seed was sown by the side of the road

20. and what was sown on rocky ground

he is the one who hears the word

and immediately receives it with joy

21. but there is no root in him

and it does not last long with him

from the time that oppression or persecution comes

on account of the word

and as quickly he comes up against it

he stumbles and he falls

22. and what was sown

among thorn-bushes

he is the one who hears the word

but worries about the world of the present time

and the seduction of riches

chokes out the word

and then it is without fruit

23. and what was sown in the good earth

he is the one who hears the word

and who understands it

and then he produces fruit

and he yields it a hundred times

and sixty times

and thirty times

13, 3. In parables...The Hebrew would be bi-meschalim, from the the Hebrew verb maschal, imperfect imeschol, present participle moschel; the meaning of the verb is “to present a parable, fable, or comparison.” A perfect form nimeschal, means “to resemble,” “to be similar to.” Thus a maschal is a parable or comparison or analogy. One of the terms of this analogy or comparison or parable is taken from concrete, sense experience: a current fact, or a fact of history; or it could be a physical reality. What is aimed at in the comparison or story, however, is a doctrine or teaching. Isaiah 5:1-7: “Let me sing for my beloved a love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine-vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it for the vineyard of YHWH of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold bloodshed; for righteousness, and behold, a cry!” II Samuel 12:1-7: “And YHWH sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, ‘There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’ Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, ‘As YHWH lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man.” Ezekiel 16:3-6: “Thus says YHWH, God, to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite. And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel string was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor swathed with bands. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you; but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred on the day that you were born. And when I passed by you and saw you weltering in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’” For what reasons did the ancient Hebrew prophets employ the method of the maschal—such as those we have recounted here—in order to teach? Primarily because they were addressing a people of peasants, artisans, shepherds, and the like, and they had a message bearing upon the future and upon God’s design which they wanted to impart to them; they wanted to tell the secrets of God’s creative design and they resorted to this method to accomplish this. Amos 3:7: “Surely YHWH, God, does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” These servants of God, the prophets, in order to communicate a mysterious teaching which came from God generally departed from common, everyday sense experience, and then tried to lead the intelligences of those who would listen to them beyond these obvious empirical, physical realities to an intelligible knowledge of the meaning and design of creation behind them. These Hebrew prophets were not, after all, addressing students formed by Immanuel Kant and his successors; contrary to Kant, their method was, precisely, to go from a concrete empirical reality and conduct the intelligence to the spiritual reality which lay beyond it. This was all the more an effective method because, in the universe of Hebrew thought, physical and empirical realities were by no means void of significance since they too were the work of God’s creative word. The Galilean rabbi Jesus was to employ exactly the same method of teaching by maschal, and for exactly the same reasons that the Hebrew prophets had employed it; he too taught crowds of peasants, shepherds, artisans, and the like. Thus he commonly took his point of departure from what the men, women, and children he was addressing already knew, in order to guide their intelligences into the secrets of the beginning, formation, and expansion of the kingdom of God, that is to say, of the new creation. It was for this reason that the rabbi started from the concrete realities of the old and familiar creation, in order to guide minds to the new creation. Generally the Hebrew maschal was translated by the Greek parabole, hence our “parable.” See Numbers 23:7; 23:18; 24:3; 24:15; Deuteronomy 28:37; I Samuel 10:12; etc. The word “parable,” however, is not really a translation, but merely a transcription of the Greek which, by itself, conveys no information; “comparison” would be better.

There was one who went out, a sower, to sow... The Greek construction tou followed by an infinitive, as occurs in this verse, is the equivalent of a similar common Hebrew construction governed by lamed. Genesis 3:22: “Then YHWH, God, said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing [Hebrew la-daat, in Greek tou ginoskein] good and evil.” Genesis 9:16: “When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant [Hebrew li-zekor berit olam, in Greek tou mnesthenai] between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” Genesis 25:24: “When her days to be delivered [Hebrew la-ledet, in Greek tou tekein] were fulfilled, behold there were twins in her womb.” The rabbi begins by teaching what the conditions are for the communication of the new creative information he is going to impart, what the conditions are for the reception of that information, and what the conditions are for its ultimate fructification. The comparison or analogy chosen here is evidently the best possible, since a seed is nothing else but information in highly compressed form—something we have only discovered in the middle of the twentieth century. The information is communicated, however, only if the terrain is favorable to it. The Gospel of Luke records exactly the same maschal as this, beginning in Luke 5:8, although the translation is somewhat different; and hence there is no reason whatsoever to suppose that there had to be a dependence of Matthew upon Luke, or of Luke upon Matthew. The same thing is true with regard to the Gospel of Mark, which records this maschal beginning in Mark 4:3, and, again, there are differences in translation on a number of points. What is common to all three versions is the maschal itself, as it issued from the lips of the Galilean rabbi. Possibly there were several different notations made of this parable, and possibly more than one translation; or perhaps there was only one notation, one version, but, again, with several slightly different translations, which were then touched up.

Seeds, the subject of this parable, play a very great role in the Hebrew tradition. As we have noted, seeds contain “information.” The Hebrew verb zara means “to sow”; and the regular Greek translation for this is speirein. A seed itself is in Hebrew zera, in Greek sperma. Isaiah 41:8: “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham [Hebrew zera Abraham, in Greek sperma Abraam], my friend.” The zera Abraham, of course, is the whole people which issued from Abraham, the people through whom was transmitted the creative information communicated in Abraham—spiritual creative information as well as genetic creative information, as it were. Isaiah 44:3: “I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring.” Isaiah 61:9: “Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples.” In taking up the subject of seeds, the Galilean rabbi is thus taking up a highly traditional topic in the Hebrew tradition; at the same time he is going to be imparting new creative information thereby. Isaiah 61:11: “For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so YHWH, God, will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

13, 11. To you is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens... Here the Galilean rabbi expounds to his disciples, those who were the direct beneficiaries of his teaching, and who were definitely not philosophy students formed by The Critique of Pure Reason, what we may legitimately call his “theory of knowledge.” The maschal, the story which we are accustomed to call a “parable,” represents an empirical “given,” a fact of normal, common experience, known to everyone; or, at any rate, this is the “empirical” aspect of the maschal. But the meaning of the parable, what it is aiming to convey, the piece of knowledge it is striving to impart, can only be perceived by an act of the mind or intelligence, and this act of the intelligence is something given by God. God has given us intelligence, as, for that matter, he has given us life, indeed, and, first of all, he has created being itself. Here the Galilean rabbi presents a maschal which he presents, in fact, as a story; but the maschal by its very nature requires an act of the intelligence on the part of the one who hears it; the one who hears it must interpret it in order to understand it; and, in doing so, this hearer passes from empirical reality to intelligible reality—in this case, to the intelligible reality of the kingdom of God. This kingdom was the real point of it all from the beginning in any case, but the hearer of the maschal who does not carry out the required act of the intelligence, who does not actively co-operate with his mind, with what is being taken in by his senses, will remain a hearer only of the maschal; he will not understand its meaning. This is why the one who does actively respond and who does thereby come to understand will be blessed abundantly thereby, while the one who hears with his ears only, without understanding, and hence without really hearing either, will literally not have the means to understand and will therefore have taken away from him even the little that he already has. Those to whom it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom which is now beginning will profit from the meaning of this maschal. Those to whom it is not given will not; they will not be able to grasp the story’s intelligible content. With regard, then, to the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven with which this verse is concerned, it is important to distinguish what is furnished by the maschal, the actual “empirical” story itself; and the active contribution which the mind of the one who hears the story must make. This latter act is what is given and prompted by the Holy Spirit, that is to say, the Spirit of God—that is to say, the God who is Spirit. In this, the theory of knowledge propounded here by the Galilean rabbi, it is thus, finally, God who gives knowledge, God who prompts the intelligence. It may be replied: does this mean that everything is given by grace then? What the Galilean rabbi constantly teaches in the gospels on this subject is the necessity for the active cooperation of the human intelligence which is created by grace, and this in such a way that we are responsible for our lack of intelligence here, even while we do not merit any credit for any of the intelligence that we do have in this regard, for the latter is a gift of God. Luke 8:10 reports another version of the response of the Galilean rabbi here. The Gospel of Mark’s variation even from this is found in Mark 4:11-12 reads: “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand.” For “those outside,” in other words, the problem is that they do not have an understanding of the real content or meaning of the parable; they hear the story, but they do not grasp its meaning.

13, 12. For the one who is in possession [of something] ... As noted before, in Hebrew there is no verb “to be.” The formula for expressing possession is: “to be to somebody.” In many, many texts, however, the old Septuagint translators employed in Greek the verb echein, “to have,” in those cases where the formula “to be to someone” was found in the Hebrew. This is the case here. In translating, it is therefore necessary to reconstruct here, as it is in such passages as Matthew 25:29 below, in order to make clear who it is who is in possession of something (to whom will be given further in superabundance) and who it is who is not in possession of anything (from whom will be taken the little that he has). We are still very much involved, as immediately above, with “the theory of knowledge.” The act of knowledge supposes, requires, bringing something to it, an active initiative on the part of the living being who is listening to the parable. If this personal act is rich, if what is brought by the listener in his reaction to the story is rich, then the intelligence and knowledge acquired will be superabundant too. If there is no personal act involved, if what is brought to the listening to the story is nil, then whatever little remains with the listener will also count for nothing—will be “taken away.” To put the whole idea in different words: the Galilean rabbi has begun to teach in this parable what he constantly taught, namely, the requirement that knowledge of God being imparted bear fruit. The created being, in order to become worthy of his dignity of the name he has been given, must bear fruit; he must cooperate actively and intelligently with God’s creation. Thus, we have here an entire metaphysics, indeed an ontology—or even an ontonogenesis, that is to say, we have the theory of how the creation of being comports the creation of the proper ontological conditions for the creation of beings. Only under these circumstances can the Unique Creator of all being realize his plan, which is the creation of beings worthy of his name—beings in his own image and likeness. This is the fundamental philosophical problem which should not be lost from sight if we wish to understand something of the teaching of the Galilean rabbi here. What we know on this subject with most assurance from the rabbi’s teaching—beyond what the rabbi directly imparted, certainly—is to be found in our day in the metaphysical work of Maurice Blondel (1861-1949). This same saying is reported in Matthew 25:29; Luke 8:18; and Mark 4:25. The one who does not cooperate actively in creation, that is, in the loaning or attribution of being itself to someone, will find the loan withdrawn.

13, 13. Because they see but they do not see ... What they see are the “empirical” facts recounted; they do indeed bear witness to what is given in experience. They perceive what is physical, but they do not discern its meaning, the intelligible content of what is given empirically. They do not understand how to discern the meaning of the empirical signs. They do not reach with their mind or intelligence the intelligible content of what is perceived by the senses out there in reality. The act of the intelligence that enables one to understand is given by God, but it only functions with the active cooperation of the creature. This is the cooperation which is lacking whenever the real meaning of empirical reality—the real meaning of the maschal, the real meaning of the facts given in experience—is not discerned or understood. In the presence of exactly the same “facts,” (the words and acts of the Galilean rabbi, for example, in this case) different witnesses perceive different things. Some perceive the meaning and intelligible content of these words and acts, and thus they come to understand the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens which are hidden within the empirical facts perceived. Others, however, do not perceive the meaning and intelligible content of the words and acts of Jesus. This has, in fact, been true in the entire history of science; in the presence of the same empirical “givens,” some break through and grasp the meaning; others understand nothing.

13, 14. And it is fulfilled for them, the prophecy of Ieschaiahou [Isaiah] ... The prophecy in question is found in Isaiah 6:9-10. In our text, we have translated from the original Hebrew text, for at this point the translator of Matthew utilized the ancient Greek translation which differed, in a number of points, from the original Hebrew text to which, of course, Jesus was actually making reference.

13, 16. But as for you, happy your eyes ... Luke 10:23-24 reports this same saying, but with a difference: “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Luke gives “kings” instead of the “righteous men” or ‘just ones” employed by Matthew.

13, 18. It is for this reason, hear, then, the parable ... That is to say: “Listen and assimilate what you hear; take it in; understand it; have the intelligence to grasp the intelligible content of what you hear.”

13, 19. This one, he is the one where the seed was sown by the side of the road ... It is necessary to point to the individual, “this one,” in developing the meaning of this verse. In reality, it is the case where the seed was sown by the side of the road that involves “this one,” and where, in fact, the seeds cannot take root. There is no necessary correspondence between the man who does receive the seed sown—or who does not receive it—and the various terrains on which it is sown—just as, today, a bacteriologist or a virologist speaks of the “terrain” which receives or does not receive the “information” contained in a bacterium or a virus. The present usage represents an abbreviation in the Greek text: ‘This one, he is the one,” etc. What was always being sown in this parable, of course, was the seed which was the word of God, and thus the man who failed to receive it was accordingly like “the side of the road.” For it is not the man who is sown, but the seed. Thus, M. J. Lagrange, in his Evangile selon Saint Matthieu, 265: “The anacoluthon [lack of grammatical sequence] here is not strong, and since the sentence ends with autou [“of him”], we may no doubt recognize here the Semitic turn of phrase of the casus pendens followed by a possessive pronoun. The Greek translator thought to improve the sentence by using the genitive case which is supposed to be a genitive absolute, but this is incorrect Greek.”

13, 20. And what was sown on rocky ground, he is the one who hears the word ... This passage merits the same remarks as the one immediately above. There is a correspondence between the seed and the word, as there is between the man who either does or does not receive the word and the terrain in which the seed is planted, to grow or not to grow. Here, because of the abbreviation in the Greek text which we have noted, the correspondence seems to be established between what is sown, the word, and the one who hears and receives the word—or does not receive it. Thus, to translate correctly, it would be necessary to add elements in order to be both logically correct and grammatical: “And what was sown on rocky ground involves the case of the one who hears the word,” etc.

13, 22. And what was sown among the thorn-bushes ... The same points apply as made in the two previous notes: the seed as the word of God sown among the thorn-bushes applies to the case of the one whom the cares of the world distract, etc.

13, 23. What was sown in the good earth ... This case, of course, applies to the case of the one who has heard the word, taken it in, and put it into practice in his life. The demand for fructification, for bearing fruit, is always central, axial, in the teaching of the Galilean rabbi—as it was in the case of John the Baptist, the man who immersed penitents in the waters of the Jordan. Matthew 3:10: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” John 15:1-2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does not bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:8: “By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” It is impossible to understand any aspect of the teaching of the Galilean rabbi if we lose sight of his constant demand for fructification, for bearing fruit, which is an essential requirement for the dignity of a being made in the image and likeness of the one, unique uncreated God. At the heart of the teaching of the Lord Jesus there is thus always to be found this insistence on the conditions for the full realization of the design of the Creator. In no way is this a question of mere “morality” in the Kantian sense of the word; it is rather a question of ontonogenesis. An explanation of this same maschal is to be found beginning in Luke 8:11, but it does not appear in this case that Luke was working from the same set of notes as Matthew. Beginning at Mark 4:13, we find the same parable recounted again; here the translation is sometimes identical and sometimes not. Sometimes we are obliged to ask if we are not perhaps dealing here with the same translator translating slightly different Hebrew texts. If it is not the same translator, then no doubt the technique of translation employed, as well as the accepted Hebrew-Greek lexicon of the time, left to the translator considerably less latitude than would be allowed to the translator of ‘profane’ or secular works, whether ancient or modern. Greek Manuscript 106 in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, which came from the Bibliotheque du Roi, Folio 193, informs us: “The holy gospel according to Matthew was written in the Hebrew language [hebraidi dialecto graphen] and published in Jerusalem and it was translated by John eight years after the ascension of the Lord.” This manuscript was discovered by Richard Simon in the Bibliotheque du Roi, as he relates in his Histoire Critique du Texte du Nouveau Testament, published in Rotterdam in 1689 (p.101). If the John thus mentioned in this notation from this Greek manuscript, BN 106, was the John Mark— possible Hebrew markabah, “hammer”—and if this “John the Hammer” was none other than the person who served as the translator of the collection of texts of which Peter the Rock regularly made use—in such a case, then, the strong resemblance between the two translations would be more explicable. The question here is: who was this “John” surnamed with the Hebrew markabah? Was he perhaps a descendant of the benei Hasmonai or Hasmonaim?