Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2008
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Tishri 26, 5769 – October
24/25, 2008 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Shabbat
Mevar’chim HaHodesh Heshvan
Sabbath
of the Proclamation of New Moon for the Month of Heshvan
Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:35 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:30 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:36 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:29 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:06 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:59 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:35 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:35 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:39 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:35 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:43 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:38 PM |
|
Miami,
Florida, US Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:27 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:19 PM |
Jakarta,
Indonesia Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:28 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:17 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:28 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:26 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:40 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:29 PM |
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:25 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:21 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:13 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:03 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:50 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:52 PM |
Port Elizabeth, South Africa Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:25 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:23 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 5:50 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 6:48 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday Oct. 24, 2008 – Candles at 6:33 PM Saturday Oct. 25, 2008 – Havdalah 7:22 PM |
For
other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Coming Special Days:
Rosh Chodesh Heshvan – New Moon for the Month of
Heshvan
Evening Tuesday October the 28th – Evening
Thursday October the 30th - 2008
For further study see:
http://www.betemunah.org/chodesh.html
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His
Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and
beloved wife HH Giberet Batsehva bat Sarah,
His
Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His
Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,
Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His
Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sandra Grenier
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing
the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their
lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah
Scholars, amen ve amen!
Also a great thank you amd great blessings be upon
all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the
weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.
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|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
הֵן
הָאָדָם |
|
|
|
“Hen HaAdam” |
Reader 1 – B’Resheet 3:22-24 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 5:1-5 |
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“Behold the man” |
Reader 2 – B’Resheet 4:1-3 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 5:6-8 |
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“He aquí el hombre” |
Reader 3 – B’Resheet 4:4-7 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 5:9-11 |
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B’resheet (Gen.) 3:22 – 4:26 B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15 |
Reader 4 – B’Resheet 4:8-15 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Ezekiel
28:13-19; 24-26 |
Reader 5 – B’Resheet 4:16-18 |
|
|
Special: 1 Sanuel 20:18, 42 |
Reader 6 – B’Resheet 4:19-22 |
Reader 1 – B’resheet 5:1-5 |
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Psalms 3 |
Reader 7 – B’Resheet 4:23-26 |
Reader 2 – B’resheet 5:6-8 |
|
N.C.: Mark 1:12-13 |
Maftir: B’Midbar 28:9-15 |
Reader 3 – B’resheet 5:9-11 |
|
Mishle (Proverbs) 1:10-19 |
Ezekiel
28:13-19; 24-26 I Samuel
20:18,42 |
|
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Resheet (Gen.) 3:22 – 4:26
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
22.
Ad-noy El-him said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us to know
[what is] good and [what is] evil. Now he must be prevented from reaching out
his hand and also taking from the Tree of Life and eat [from it] and live
forever. |
22.
And the Lord God said to the angels who ministered before Him, Behold, Adam
is sole on the earth, as I am sole in the heavens above; and it will be that
they will arise from him who will know to discern between good and evil. Had
he kept the commandments which I appointed to him, he would have lived and
subsisted as the tree of life forever. But now, because he has not kept that
which I prescribed, it is decreed against him that we keep him from the
garden of Eden, before he reach forth his hand and take of the tree of life:
for, behold, if he eat thereof, living he will live and subsist forever. [JERUSALEM.
And the Word of the Lord God said, Behold, Adam whom I have created is sole
in my world, as I am sole in the heavens above. It is to be that a great
people are to arise from him; from him will arise a people who will know how
to discern between good and evil. And now it is good that we keep him from
the garden of Eden before he stretches forth his hand and take also of the
fruit of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. ] |
|
23.
[Therefore] Ad-noy El-him sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to till the
soil from which he was taken. |
23.
And the Lord God removed him from the garden of Eden; and he went and dwelt
on Mount Moriah, to cultivate the ground from which he had been created. |
|
24.
He banished the man [from the Garden] and at the east of the Garden of Eden
He stationed the Cherubim and the flame of the rotating sword, to guard the
way to the Tree of Life. |
24.
And He drove out the man from thence where He had made to dwell the glory of
His Shekinah at the first between the two Kerubim. Before He had created the
world, He created the Law; He prepared the garden of Eden for the righteous/
generous, that they might eat and delight themselves with the fruit of the
tree; because they would have practised in their lives the doctrine of the Law
in this world, and have maintained the commandments: (but) he prepared Gehinnom
for the wicked/lawless, which is like the sharp, consuming sword of two edges;
in the midst of it He has prepared flakes of fire and burning coals for the
judgment of the wicked/lawless who rebelled in their life against the
doctrine of the Law. To serve the Law is better than (to eat of) the fruit of
the tree of life, (the Law) which the Word of the Lord prepared, that man in
keeping it might continue, and walk in the paths of the way of life in the
world to come. [JERUSALEM.
And He cast out Adam, and made the glory of His Shekinah to dwell at the
front of the east of the garden of Eden, above the two Kerubim. Two thousand
years before He had created the world, He created the Law, and prepared
Gehinnom and the garden of Eden. He prepared the garden of Eden for the
righteous/ generous, that they should eat, and delight themselves with the
fruit of the tree, because they had kept the commandments of the Law in this
world. For the wicked/lawless He prepared Gehinnom, which is like the sharp,
consuming sword with two edges. He prepared in the depth of it flakes of fire
and burning coals for the wicked/lawless, for their punishment forever in the
world to come, who have not kept the commandments of the Law in this world.
For the Law is the tree of life; whoever keeps it in this life lives and
subsists as the tree of life. The Law is good to keep in this world, as the
fruit of the tree of life in the world that comes.] |
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|
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1.
The man knew his wife, Chavah. She conceived and she gave birth to Kayin, and
she said, "I have obtained a man with Ad-noy." |
1.
And Adam knew Hava his wife, who had desired the Angel; and she conceived,
and bare Kain; and she said, I have acquired a man, the Angel of the Lord. |
|
2.
She gave birth again, to his brother Hevel. Hevel became a shepherd, but
Kayin was a worker of the soil. |
2.
And she added to bear from her husband Adam his twin, even Habel. And Habel
was a shepherd of the flock, but Kain was a man working in the earth. |
|
3.
In the course of time, Kayin brought some fruit of the soil as an offering to
Ad-noy. |
3.
And it was at the end of days, on the fourteenth of Nisan, that Kain brought
of the produce of the earth, the seed of cotton (or line), an oblation of
first things before the Lord; |
|
4.
Hevel also brought from the firstborn of his flock, from the best thereof.
Ad-noy paid regard to Hevel and to his offering. |
4.
and Habel brought of the firstlings of the flock, and of their fat; and it
was pleasing before the Lord, and He gave (His) countenance to Habel and to
his oblation; |
|
5.
But to Kayin and his offering He paid no regard. Kayin became very angry and
depressed. |
5.
but to Kain and to his oblation He gave no countenance. And Kain was angered
greatly, and the features of his face were downcast. |
|
6.
Ad-noy said to Kayin, "Why are you angry? Why are you depressed? |
6.
And the Lord said to Kain, Why have you anger, and why are the features of
your face downcast? |
|
7.
Is this not so--- if you improve, there is forgiveness, but if you do not
improve, sin rests at the entrance. Its desire is unto you, but you can
dominate it." |
7.
If you do your work well, will not your guilt be forgiven to you? But if you
do not your work well in this world, your sin is retained unto the day of the
great judgment, and at the doors of your heart lies your sin. And into your
hand have I delivered the power over evil passion, and unto you will be the
inclination thereof, that you may have authority over it to become righteous/
generous, or to sin. [JERUSALEM.
If you make your work good in this world, will it not be forgiven and
remitted to you in the world to come? But if you do not make your work good
in this world, your sin is retained unto the day of the great judgment; and
at the door of your heart it lies. Yet into your hand have I delivered power
over evil passion, and to you may it be dominion over it, to become
righteous/generous or to sin.] |
|
8.
Kayin said [something] to his brother Hevel, and it happened when they were
in the field, that Kayin rose up against his brother, Hevel, and killed him. |
8.
And Kain said to Habel his brother, Come, and let us two go forth into the
field. And it was that when they two had gone forth into the field, Kain
answered and said to Habel, I perceive that the world was created in
goodness, but it is not governed (or conducted) according to the fruit of
good works, for there is respect to persons in judgment; therefore it is that
your offering was accepted, and mine not accepted with good will. Habel
answered and said to Kain, In goodness was the world created, and according
to the fruit of good works is it governed; and there is no respect of persons
in judgment; but because the fruits of my works were better than yours, my
oblation, before yours, has been accepted with good will. Kain answered and
said to Habel, There is neither judgment nor Judge, nor another world; nor
will good reward be given to the righteous/generous, nor vengeance be taken
of the wicked/lawless. And Habel answered and said to Kain, There is a
judgment, and there is a Judge; and there is another world, and a good reward
given to the righteous/generous, and vengeance taken of the wicked/lawless.
And because of these words they had contention upon the face of the field;
and Kain arose against Habel his brother, and drove a stone into his forehead,
and killed him. [JERUSALEM.
8. And Kain said to Habel his brother, Come, and let us go forth upon the
face of the field. And it was when they had gone out upon the face of the
field, Kain answered and said to Habel his brother, There is neither judgment
nor Judge, nor another world; neither is a good reward given to the
righteous/generous, nor will vengeance be taken of the wicked/lawless. Nor
was the world created in goodness, nor in goodness is it conducted. Therefore
it is that your oblation was accepted with good will, and mine not accepted
with good will. Habel answered and said to Kain, There is a judgment, and
there is a Judge: there is another world, and a good reward is given to the
righteous/generous, and vengeance taken of the wicked/lawless. And in
goodness was the world created, and in goodness is it conducted. But
according to the fruit of good works is it conducted. Because my works were
better ordered than yours, my offering was accepted with good will, and yours
was not accepted with good will. And as they two disputed on the face of the
field, Kain arose against Habel his brother, and killed him.] |
|
9. Ad-noy then said to Kayin, "Where is
your brother, Hevel?" [Kayin] said, "I know not, am I my brother's
keeper?" |
9.
And the Lord said to Kain, Where is Habel your brother? And he said, I know
not; am I the keeper of my brother? |
|
10.
He said [to Kayin], "What have you done? The voice of your brother's
blood cries out to Me from the ground. |
10.
And He said, What have you done? The voice of the bloods of the murder of
your brother which are swallowed up in the soil, cries before Me from the
earth. [JERUSALEM.
The voice of the blood of the multitude of the righteous/generous who were to
arise from Habel your brother......] |
|
11.
Now you are cursed from the ground that had to open its mouth to accept your
brother's blood from your hand. |
11.
And now because you have killed him, you are cursed from the earth, which has
opened the mouth, and received the bloods of your brother from your hand. |
|
12.
When you work the ground, it will no longer give you of its strength. You
will be unsettled, and a wanderer on the earth." |
12.
When thou till the earth, it will not add to give strength to its fruits for
you. A wanderer and an exile will you be in the earth. |
|
13.
Kayin said to Ad-noy, "My sin is greater than I can bear." |
13.
And Kain said before the Lord, More heavy is my rebellion than can be borne
(away). Yet is there power before You to forgive it. [JERUSALEM. And Kain
said before the Lord, My sins are greater than can be borne. Nevertheless
there is power before You to absolve and forgive me.] |
|
14.
Behold, today You have banished me from the face of the earth, and from Your
face I am to be hidden. I am to be unsettled and a wanderer on the earth;
whoever finds me, will kill me." |
14.
Behold, You have cast me forth today from the face of the earth, and from
before You is it possible to be hidden? And because I am a wanderer and an
exile in the earth, any just one who finds me will kill me. |
|
15.
Ad-noy said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Kayin, revenge will be
taken on him [Kayin] sevenfold." Ad-noy placed a mark on Kayin, so that
whoever would find him would not kill him. |
15.
And the Lord said to him, Behold now, any one who kills Kain, unto seven
generations vengeance will be taken of him. And the Lord sealed upon the face
of Kain the mark of the Name great and honourable, that anyone who might find
him should not kill him when he saw it upon him. |
|
16.
Kayin went from the Presence of Ad-noy and settled in the land of Nod, east
of Eden. |
16.
And Kain went out from before the Lord, and dwelt in the land of the
wandering of his exile, which had been made for him from before, as the
garden of Eden. [JERUSALEM.
And Kain went out from before the Lord, and dwelt in the land of exile and
wandering, eastward of the garden of Eden. And it had been before Kain slew
Habel his brother that the earth multiplied fruits, as the fruits of the
garden of Eden; (but) from (the time that) he sinned and killed his brother,
it changed, to produce thorns and thistles.] |
|
17.
Kayin knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Chanoch. [Kayin] was
building a city, and he named the city after his son Chanoch. |
17.
And Kain knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Hanok; and he builded a
city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Hanok. |
|
18.
To Chanoch was born Irad. Irad had a son Mechuyael, Mechuyael had a son
Mesushael, and Mesushael, had a son Lemech. |
18.
And there was born unto Hanok Irad, and Irad begat Mechujael, and Mechujael
begat Methushael, and Methushael begat Lemek. |
|
19.
Lemech married two women, the first was named Adah, and the name of the
second was Tzillah. |
19.
And Lemek took to him two wives; the name of the first, Ada, and the name of
the second, Zillah. |
|
20.
Adah gave birth to Yaval. He was the father of those who live in tents, and
breed cattle. |
20.
And Ada bare Javal; he was the chief (rab) of all those who dwell in tents,
and are masters of cattle. |
|
21.
His brother's name was Yuval. He was the father of all who handle [play] the
harp and flute. |
21.
And the name of his brother (was) Juval: he was chief (rab) of all those who
take part in song with the lyre and the pipe. |
|
22.
Tzillah also gave birth to Tuval Kayin, who sharpened everything which cuts
copper and iron. The sister of Tuval Kayin was Naamah. |
22.
And Zillah bare also Tuvalkain, the chief (rab) of all artificers who know
the workmanship of brass and iron. And the sister of Tuvalkain was Naama; she
was mistress of elegies and songs. |
|
23.
Lemech said to his wives, "Adah and Tzillah, hear my voice, wives of
Lemech listen to my speech; for I have killed a man by my wounding and a
child to my own hurting. |
23.
And Lemek said to his wives Ada and Zillah, Hear my voice, wives of Lemek,
hearken to my words: for I have not killed a man, that I should be slain for
him; neither have I destroyed a young man, on whose account my children
should perish. |
|
24.
If Kayin shall be avenged sevenfold, then for Lemech it shall be
seventy-seven fold." |
24.
For Kain who sinned and was converted by repentance (had protection) unto
seven generations extended to him: and to Lemek, the son of his son, who has
not sinned, it is just that it will be extended unto seventy and seven. |
|
25.
Adam knew his wife again, and she gave birth to a son, and named him Shet,
"Because El-him has granted me another offspring in place of Hevel, for
Kayin had killed him. |
25.
And Adam knew his wife again, at the end of a hundred and thirty years after
Habel had been slain; and she bare a son, and called his name Sheth; for she
said, The Lord has given me another son instead of Habel whom Kain slew. |
|
26.
To Shet also was born a son, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call
[idols] by the name Ad-noy. |
26.
And to Sheth also was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. That was the
generation in whose days they began to err, and to make themselves idols, and
surnamed their idols by the name of the Word of the Lord. |
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Reading Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
16-22
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol I
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
I, pp. 280-304
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In
order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of
the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to
produce a catechetical output, whereby a questions is raised and an answer is
given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of
Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.
The
Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1.
Ḳal va-ḥomer:
"Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus";
corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.
2.
Gezerah shavah:
Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are
subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions
and applications.
3.
Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage
only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain
the provision in question.
4.
Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim:
The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two
Biblical passages.
5.
Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the
particular, and of the particular by the general.
6.
Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another
Scriptural passage.
7.
Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano:
Interpretation deduced from the context.
Without
further ado, let us now immerse ourselves into this wonderful world of P’shat.
In Genesis 3:22, Rashi (R. Shelomo ben Yitzchaq; Troyes, France 1040 -1105) the
King of P’shat (simple/literal) exegesis of the Torah writes:
Verse
22, Question 1
-
Response
הָיָה
כְּאַחַד
מִמֶּנּוּ Become
like one of us. [can
be translated “like one of us,” or: “like the One and unique individual among
us.” The latter is correct. (See Targum Yonathan). Behold, he is unique in the
terrestrial as I am unique in the celestial. What is his uniqueness? The
knowledge of good and evil, which is not so of animal and beast. [And why is
this a matter of concern because ... now
lest he stretch out his hand ...] Now he must be prevented from reaching out
his hand. If he would live forever he is likely to lead people astray after him
and they may say that he too is a god. There are [other] Aggadic expositions,
but, they do not fit the simple meaning.
Verse
24, Question 2
-
Response
וַיַּשְׁכֵּן
מִקֶּדֶם
לְגַן-עֵדֶן At
the east of the Garden. [Meaning:]
“To the east of Gan Eden” -- outside the Garden. Otherwise it would have said “inside
the Gan Eden.”
Verse
24, Question 3
-
Response
אֶת-הַכְּרֻבִים The
Cherubim.
[These are] the destructive angels [cf. Shemot Rabba 9, 11 – “AND THE
MAGICIANS OF EGYPT DID IN LIKE MANNER (VII, 22) - this teaches that they held
it all to be the work of witchcraft. WITH THEIR SECRET ARTS (BE - LATEHEM). R.
Aibo b. Nagri, in the name of R. Hiyya b. Abba, said: SE - TATEHEM means the
work of demons, but belahatehem means works of witchcraft. Thus it says: And
the flaming (lahat) sword which turned
every way, to keep the way to the tree of life (Gen. III, 24), because
witchcraft is performed through the angels of destruction.”].
Verse
24, Question 4
-
Response
וְאֵת
לַהַט
הַחֶרֶב
הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת And the flame of the rotating
sword.
Which had sharpness, to frighten him from again entering the Garden. The targum
[Onkelos, of the word] LAHAT is {Hebrew Ref} [sharpness] as in “He drew his
[sharp] blade” in the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin 82a. In Old French it is lame.
There are other Aggadic expositions But, I come only to present the plain
explanation.
ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS
Verse
22
Seforno:
כְּאַחַד
מִמֶּנּוּ,
לָדַעַת, טוֹב
וָרָע – “as one of us, to
know good and evil” – he will know good and evil even while continuing to wear “our
image.” This would be an intolerable situation, as in spite of his tendency to
give in to his evil urge (inclination/predisposition) he would live on forever.
In such circumstances, this Adam, whose evil urge was active, would continue to
chase the material blessings of this world, something which would prevent him
from reaching the spiritual aims set for him on earth when G-d made him in the
divine image.
Kimchi:
וַיֹּאמֶר
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהִים, הֵן
הָאָדָם הָיָה
כְּאַחַד
מִמֶּנּוּ – “And the LORD God
said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us” – G-d included
Himself when speaking about the angels, just as He had done when about to
create man in 1:26, when He had said: “Let Us make man in Our image.”
לָדַעַת,
טוֹב וָרָע – “to know good and
evil” – we have already explained that the term “La Da’at Tob VaRa” refers
to perceptive powers equal to that of the angels.
In Beresheet Rabba 21,5 Rabbi Papus explained the words כְּאַחַד
מִמֶּנּוּ “K’ACHAD MIMENU” (“as
one of us”) to mean “like one of the ministering angels.” Rabbi Akiva
violently disagreed with him, saying: “you have overstepped the boundaries of
permissible interpretation.” What then is the meaning of these words? G-d has
placed two paths in front of man, one is the path of life. If he chooses the
other path, he automatically abandons the path of life.
Rabbi Berechyah, quoting Rabbi Yochanan, said that as long as man
was single he was similar to the “One,” i.e. immortal. The moment his one side
had been removed he became a split personality, i.e. that is the meaning of
“knowing good and evil.”
Onkelos sides with the view of Rabbi Akiva, who interpreted the
word “K’ACHAD” as being similar to the One and only One, having received his
knowledge of good and evil directly from Him. In other words, his choice over
good and evil stemmed directly from G-d, not from the fruit of the tree of
knowledge.
וְעַתָּה
פֶּן-יִשְׁלַח
יָדוֹ – “lest he put forth
his hand” – Originally, Adam had not been forbidden to eat from the tree of
life, but, on the contrary, had been commanded to eat from it, as we explained
on 2:17. This tree was one of the trees in the garden from all of which Adam
had been instructed to eat. As long as he would eat from the fruit of that
tree, he would lengthen his original life-span. However, as soon as he had
violated G-d’s commandment by eating from the tree of knowledge, his punishment
was premature death, i.e. death before he had attained the life-span originally
set for him. Yjerefore, G-d did not want him to remain inside Gan Eden so that
he would not now take from the fruit of the tree of life just as he had taken
from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. If he were to do that he would live
far longer than G-d meant for him to live. It was the nature of that tree to
reinforce man’s natural powers and to extend his life-span. Seeing that Adam
had violated the commandment he would now receive his punishment, i.e.
shortening his life-span. It was appropriate to expel him from the garden on
that account to prevent him from eating the fruit of that tree.
The meaning of the words גַּם
מֵעֵץ – “also of the tree” is a reference to the other tree he had
eaten from without permission. G-d reasoned that if He allowed man to remain in
the garden and commanded him not to eat from the tree of life, he would once
again violate His commandment, just as he had done previously concerning the
tree of knowledge.
The
meaning of the expression וָחַי
לְעֹלָם
– “VaChai L’Olam” – “and live forever” is not to be understood literally
as “forever,” but describes a long period of time. It is similar to the meaning
of the word L’OLAM in Exodus 21:6 where it cannot possibly mean “forever,”
seeing that the servant who is subject in that verse does not live forever.
Verse
23
Seforno:
וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ – “VaY’shlchehu” – He
expelled him. G-d
ordered Adam to leave the Garden. The expression is used in the same vein as
Exodus 12:33 “hastening to send them out of the country.”
הָאֲדָמָה,
אֲשֶׁר
לֻקַּח,
מִשָּׁם – “the ground from
whence he was taken” – the place to which Adam was transferred was compatible with
the requirements of his constitution, more so than other areas of the globe.
Kimchi:
וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ – “VaY’shlchehu” – the expression here
means “expelled.” It is also used in this sense in Jeremiah 16:6 – “expel from
my presence.”
לַעֲבֹד,
אֶת-הָאֲדָמָה - LaAvod Et-HaAdamah – seeing Adam had not
been content with light duties in Gan Eden, while he lived from the fruit of
the trees, something which was effortless, and he had preferred to violate
G-d’s commandment, he would now have to leave the Garden and perform hard work,
as already indicated in v. 17.
אֲשֶׁר
לֻקַּח,
מִשָּׁם - Asher Luqach MiSham – “from
whence he was taken” – to
the same place he had been taken from by G-d, when He had brought him to Gan
Eden. Alternately, the meaning of these words could be in accordance with
Onkelos, “the place from which he had been created;” a reference to the earthly
part of him, not the divine part of him.
Verse
24
Seforno:
וַיְגָרֶשׁ,
אֶת-הָאָדָם – “So He drove out the
man” – in order to ensure that neither he nor his offspring would return
to Gan Eden.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּן – “And He placed” – G-d placed
the cherubs there simultaneously with Adam’s departure.
לִשְׁמֹר,
אֶת-דֶּרֶךְ
עֵץ הַחַיִּים – “To guard the way to
the tree of life” – to ensure that on the way out they would not take from its fruit
and eat thereof.
Kimchi:
וַיְגָרֶשׁ,
אֶת-הָאָדָם – “So He drove out the
man” – this is not a repetition, but the Torah explained that simultaneously
with Adam’s expulsion from the Garden G-d had place the cherubs there as
guardians.
מִקֶּדֶם – “in the East.” It is
possible that the entrance of the garden was in the east, and that is why the
cherubs were placed at the entrance. They were beings who appeared to the
onlooker just like cherubs, in order to put fear into Adam, to discourage him
from attempting to return to Gan Eden, this is why it continues with the words:
וְאֵת
לַהַט
הַחֶרֶב
הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת,
לִשְׁמֹר,
אֶת-דֶּרֶךְ
עֵץ
הַחַיִּים – “and the flaming
sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life.” The
revolving sword blades held by the cherubs were meant to frighten Adam. Seeing
that the sword was not real, but only appeared so to Adam, the Torah speak of
the “Lahat HaCherev” – “the blade of the sword,” and not the sword itself. The
word LAHAT does not describe something of substance but something imaginary,
flashes of the spectacle being what is frightening to behold. When this “fire
flame” keeps revolving around itself, as described here, this increases the
fear inspired in the person watching such a spectacle. In Ezekiel 32:10 we have
a similar expression בְּעוֹפְפִי
חַרְבִּי – where G-d is
described as frightening people by “brandishing My sword.”
There
is additional element in this, i.e the spectacle is meant to inspire feelings
of remorse over what he had done in Gan Eden. Once Adam felt remorse, the way
would be paved to full repentance. Once he had done TESHUVAH the frightening
spectacle would disappear and he would return to the Garden from time to time,
alternating between performing work there and working the soil outside [cf.
Beresheet Rabba 21,8].
In
Beresheet Rabba 21,9 the word LAHAT is understood as applying to certain
angels, as mentioned in Psalm 104:4 עֹשֶׂה
מַלְאָכָיו
רוּחוֹת;
מְשָׁרְתָיו,
אֵשׁ לֹהֵט – “He makes the winds
His messengers, fiery flames His servants.”
הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת - HaMit’hapeket – “which turned
everyway” – a reference to G-d’s servants revolving, be they men, women, or
spiritual, disembodied beings such as winds, or even angels.
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 3
|
JPS TRANSLATION |
TARGUM |
|
1. A Psalm of David,
when he fled from Absalom his son. |
1. A psalm of David, when he fled from the
presence of Absalom his son. |
|
2. LORD, how many are
mine adversaries become! Many are they that rise up against me. |
2. O Lord, how many are my oppressors, many who arise
against me. |
|
3. Many there are that
say of my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah |
3. Many say to my soul, “There is no redemption for him in
God forever.” |
|
4. But You, O LORD,
are a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head. |
4. But you, O Lord, are a shield over me, my glory and the
One who raises my head. |
|
5. With my voice I
call unto the LORD, and He answers me out of His holy mountain. Selah |
5. I pray [with] my voice in the presence of the Lord; He
will accept my prayer from the mount of His sanctuary forever. |
|
6. I lay me down, and
I sleep; I awake, for the LORD sustains me. |
6. I lay down, and I slept; I awoke, because the Lord
sustains me. |
|
7. I am not afraid of
ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. |
7. I will not be afraid of the strife of people who have
gathered against me all around. |
|
8. Arise, O LORD; save
me, O my God; for You have smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek, You have
broken the teeth of the wicked/ lawless. |
8. Arise, O Lord, redeem me, O my God; for You have struck
all my enemies on their cheek, You have broken the teeth of the wicked/lawless. |
|
9. Salvation
belongs unto the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah |
9. Redemption is from the presence of the Lord; Your
blessings are to Your people forever. |
|
|
|
Note
on Psalm 3:9
- לַיהוָה
הַיְשׁוּעָה – “LaAdonai
HaY’shuah” can also be translated as “Unto HaShem belongs the Yeshuah.”
Therefore the “blessing” alluded to in “Your blessing be upon Your people” is
referring to the blessing of Y’SHUAH (salvation). Thus the second clause could
also be interpreted as “Your blessing (i.e. Yeshuah) be upon Your people.” And
the Psalmist conclude that on this note we need to pause and mediate.
RASHI’S COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Psalm
Three
1.
A
PSALM OF DAVID WHEN HE FLED. Aggadists have composed many homilies on the
expression [WHEN HE FLED] while our Rabbis said in the Talmud Babli [Berakhot
7a], “From the time when the prophet [Nathan] said to him [David], ‘I am about
to bring upon you trouble from within your own family’ (2 Sam. 12:11) he was in
turmoil; ‘lest a slave or a bastard who will not be merciful to me will attack
me' [Marginal note in Talmud Babli Berakhot points out that some editions of
Talmud Babli add the explanation: “A normal son shows mercy to his father.”]. As
soon as he knew that it [the attacker] would be his own son, he rejoiced.”
There is an aggadic midrash to the effect that when he [David] saw his strategy
succeed, his servants and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, who were [the
functional equivalent of the] Sanhedrin, supported his being sovereign over
them when he said to them, “Arise, let us flee...before Absalom” (2 Sam. 15:
14). What is written there? [What is written there is the following: “The king's
servants told the king], ‘Whatever my lord the king chooses your servants are
here [at your disposal]” (2 Sam. 15:15). Thus when he [David] came to Mahanaim
and Shobi son of Nahash and Machir son of Ammiel and Barzillai the Gileadite
came forth to meet him, they supplied him [David] with food there.
2.
GREAT
[Heb. RABBIM, which can mean either ‘many’ or ‘great’ as understood in Rashi's
comment, which follows] ARE THOSE WHO ATTACK ME. [They are] people great [Heb.
GEDOLIM, which can only mean ‘great’] in [knowledge of] Torah, great in wealth,
great in physical stature like Saul and the Raphaites, Doeg and Ahitophel.
3.
“THERE
IS NO DELIVERANCE FOR HIM THROUGH GOD.” Because he had intercourse with another
man's wife [the reference is to David's having committed adultery with
Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, as described in 2 Sam. 11].
THEY SAY lenaf’shi
ΤΟ ME'. [i.e.], al naf’shi OF ME [Rashi holds that in the present
context the prefixed preposition “le” means not ‘to’ but ‘of, concerning’].
6.
I
LAY DOWN, AND I SLEPT. My heart is stopped up by vexation and fear.
I AWOKE from my
vexation because I trusted in the LORD who SUSTAINS ME.
8.
YOU
BREAK THE TEETH OF THE WICKED. ['THE TEETH' is a metaphor for] their might.
FOR YOU SLAP ALL MY
ENEMIES ON THE CHEEK. [This gesture of striking a person on the cheek is] 'a
gesture [lit., striking] of contempt as it is in “Let him give his cheek to his
smiter” (Lam. 3:30); “they will strike with a club [the ruler of Israel] on the
cheek” (Mic. 4:14). There is an aggadic midrash [which treats the striking
referred to in Ps. 3:8 as] verbal abuse as it is in “He gave his last
instructions to his household, and he hanged himself” (2 Sam. 17:23).
9.
DELIVERANCE
IS THE LORD'S. It is incumbent upon Him [the LORD] to vindicate His devotees
and His people [Israel], and it is incumbent upon His people [Israel] to bless
and to thank Him. SELAH. [This final comment, a paraphrase of v. 9b, YOUR
BLESSING BE UPON YOUR PEOPLE, SELAH, takes ‘al” there to mean ‘it is incumbent
upon.’ Thus Rashi treats vv. 9a-b as contrasting parallelism.
Note: As can be seen above,
Rashi struggles to interpret Psalms at the P’shat level. The reason for this,
in my opinion is that the Books of Psalms are the earliest extant Midrashim on
each of the Torah Sedarim. Therefore, it is quite difficult to explain a
Midrashic work by means of P’shat Exegesis.
Ashlamatah: Ezekiel 28:13-19; 24-26
11. Moreover the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying:
12. “Son of man, take up a
lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say unto him: Thus says the Lord GOD: You
seal most accurate, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,
13.
You were in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the
carnelian, the topaz, and the emerald, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the
sapphire, the carbuncle, and the smaragd, and gold; the workmanship of your
settings and of your sockets was in you, in the day that you were created they
were prepared.
14.
You were the far-covering cherub; and I set you, so that you were upon the holy
mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of stones of fire.
15.
You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till
unrighteousness/ lawlessness was found in you.
16.
By the multitude of your traffic they filled the midst of you with violence,
and you have sinned; therefore have I cast you as profane out of the mountain of
God; and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones
of fire.
17.
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom
by reason of your brightness; I have cast you to the ground, I have laid you
before kings, that they may gaze upon you.
18.
By the multitude of your iniquities/lawlessness, in the unrighteousness of your
traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a
fire from the midst of you, it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes
upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.
19.
All they that know you among the peoples will be appalled at you; you have
become a terror, and you will never be any more.” {P}
20. And the word of the LORD came
unto me, saying:
21. “Son of man, set your face
toward Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22. and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am
against you, O Zidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of you; and they will
know that I am the LORD, when I will have executed judgments in her, and will
be sanctified in her.
23. For I will send into her
pestilence and blood in her streets; and the wounded will fall in the midst of
her by the sword upon her on every side; and they will know that I am the LORD.
24.
And there will be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor a
piercing thorn of any that are round about them, that did have them in disdain;
and they will know that I am the Lord GOD. {P}
25.
Thus says the Lord GOD: When I will have gathered the house of Israel from the
peoples among whom they are scattered, and will be sanctified in them in the
sight of the Gentiles, then will they dwell in their own land which I gave to
My servant Jacob.
26.
And they will dwell safely therein, and will build houses, and plant vineyards;
yes, they will dwell safely; when I have executed judgments upon all those that
have them in disdain round about them; and they will know that I am the LORD
their God.” {P}
Special Ashlamatah: I Samuel 20:18-42
18.
And Jonathan said unto him: “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, your
seat will be empty.
42.
And Jonathan said to David: “Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us
in the name of the LORD, saying: The LORD will be between me and you, and
between my seed and your seed, forever.” And he arose and departed; and
Jonathan went into the city.
Mark (Mordechai) 1:12-13
9.
And it came to pass in those days, Yeshuah came from Nazareth of
Galilee, and was immersed by Yochanan the Immerser at the Yarden (Jordan river);
“in those days” – these are the
intervening 10 days between Rosh Hashannah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of
Atonement) known in Hebrew as the “Yamim Noraim” (days of awe).
10.
And immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens dividing,
and the Spirit as a dove coming down upon him;
“And immediately” or
“And straightway”
- This is the first instance of a Markan term in the Greek [“eutheos” –
Strong’s # G2112] which occurs between forty to fifty times in this book [the
number depends on textual variations]. It can be translated also as “at once,”
but the meaning can be determined only from the context and varies from the
sense of immediacy to one of logical order as “in due course.” This
sense of “immediacy” is to teach us about the perfect and faithful obedience of
G-d’s servants, who when commanded immediately go about to perform that
which was commanded as the Torah states concerning Abraham: “And He (G-d) said:
'Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and get yourself
into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of
the mountains which I will tell you of.’ And Abraham rose early
in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with
him, and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt-offering, and
rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:2-3). A
true servant of G-d does not delay in the performance of the commandment/s at
hand but his philosophy of obedience is “And straightway”!
“the heavens dividing”
or
“the skies torn open” – an apocalyptic image that precedes divine
revelation (cf. Ezekiel 1:1 and Rev. 19:11).
“and the Spirit as a
dove”
– In Middrash Rabba II:4 it is said: “AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERED: this
alludes to the spirit of Messiah, as you read, And the spirit of the Lord will
rest upon him (Isa. XI, 2) ... AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD blew, but HOVERED, like a
bird flying and flapping with its wings, its wings barely touching [the nest
over which it hovers].”
11.
and a Bat Qol (daughter of a voice) came out of the heavens [saying]
(Psalm 2:7 & Isaiah 42:1), “You are My son, My elect in whom My soul
delights.”
“a Bat Qol (daughter
of a voice)”
– See:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=417&letter=B&search=Bat%20Kol
12.
¶ And immediately does the [Holy] Spirit drives him (Yeshuah) out
into the wilderness (desert),
“And immediately” or
“And straightway”
– Cf. Above in v.10
“drives him out” – the first of many
times that Mark narrates past events in the present tense. Some argue that this
is so in order to provide the reader with a sense of immediacy. However, I
propose that the reason is to provide the reader with a sense of relevance as
it is stated in the Passover Seder: “In every generation let each man look
on himself as if he came forth personally from Egypt.” When a person (a Jew
at his/her Bar/Bat Mitzvah and a Proselyte at his/her conversion) is filled
with the Holy Spirit his/her whole life in this world becomes a testing-place.
Thus, the Holy Spirit drives all of us into the wilderness/desert to test us and
to make it flourish. The technique of mentioning past events in the present
tense is therefore to suggest present-relevance rather than immediacy.
13.
And he (Yeshuah) was there in the wilderness (desert) forty days, being
tested by Ha-Satan (the Adversary); and he (Yeshuah) was with the wild
beasts, and the messengers ministering to him [continually].
“in the wilderness
(desert) forty days”
– The 40 days stay in the wilderness is an allusion to Mosheh’s stay on Mt.
Sinai (Exodus 24:18) and Eliyahu’s (Elijah’s) wandering through the wilderness
to Mt. Horeb (I Kings 19:8,15).
“being tested by
Ha-Satan (the Adversary)” – Yeshuah’s faithful obedience to G-d is affirmed
and sustained “in the wilderness” (the place of testing), the precise place
where Israel’s rebellion had brought death and alienation. Yeshuah’s faithful
obedience “in the wilderness” brings a tikun (reparation) to Israel for
their sins in the wilderness via its King-Messiah as representative of the
whole people of Israel, a day for each year – 40 days = 40 years of Israel’s
journeys through the wilderness. Notice that this “HaSatan” (adversary) is Yeshuah’s
own Yetser Ha-Ra (inclination to do evil) and not an outside force or being.
The success of the testing means simply that Yeshuah had mastered as a perfect
human being his own Yetser Ha-Ra (inclination/propensity to do evil).
“was with the wild
beasts, and the messengers ministering to him [continually].” – this is the nature of
the “wilderness,” on the one hand we have hungry animals ready to devour, and
on the other we have ministering angels. On the one hand we have “Wild beasts”
to help us trust in G-d and obey him, or as punishment for our disobediences,
and on the other hand “messengers ministering continually” to direct us in G-d’s
paths of righteousness/generosity. The fact that “wild beasts” did not attack
him was because he did not sin and had mastered (was victorious over) his own
Yetser Ha-Ra (inclination/propensity to do evil).
MISHLE (Proverbs) 1:10-19
Warning against Robbery with Murder
Questions
for Reflection:
1.
From
Genesis 3:22-24 Rashi is asked or asks himself four question to which he
provides their answers in the form of an apparent commentary. What are these
four questions?
2.
How
is our Psalm and our ordinary Ashlamatah related to our Torah Seder?
3.
What
question is addressed in Mark 1:12?
4.
What
question is addressed in Mark 1:13?
5.
At
the beginning of Mark 1:12 we read “And immediately.” What is it being
impressed upon the reader via the repetition of this term between 40-50 times
in this Mishnaic work?
6.
How
is our pericope of Mark 1:12-13 related to our Torah Seder, to our Psalm and to
our Ashlamatah?
7.
Why
is “robbery” (not the same as “stealing”) often associated with “murder”?
8.
Why
was Kayin’s sin a case of “robbery with murder”?
9.
What
is the difference between “pursuing gain” and “pursuing greed of gain” in Prov.
1:19?
10.
In
Genesis 4:25 we read: “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and
called his name Seth: ‘for God has appointed me another seed instead
of Abel; for Cain slew him.’ What did Chavah meant/prophesied with the words זֶרַע
אַחֵר –
ZERA ACHER “another seed”?
I
want to personally thank all who have sent me get well wishes and expressions
of concern for my health. It has been much appreciated. I am still in
considerable amount of pain but slowly making amends, by the grace of G-d, most
blessed be He!
Shabbat
Shalom!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai