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Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings

Ab 1, 5765 – August 5/6, 2005

First Year of the Reading Cycle

Fourth Year of the Shemittah Cycle


 

 

Texas Candle lighting times

 

Friday, August 5, 2005 Light Candles at: 8:06 PM

Saturday, August 6, 2005 – Havadalah 9:01 PM

 

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

 

Week Sixteen of the Cycle

 

Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Ab & Shabbat Shim’u

 

Coming August 23/24 – Fast of the ninth of Ab

For more information see: tishabav.html

 

Shabbat:

Torah Reading:

Weekday Torah Reading:

יפקוד ה'

 

 

“Yif’qod Adonai”

Reader 1 – Bemidbar 27:15-17

Reader 1 – B’resheet 22:1-5

“Let appoint Adonai”

Reader 2 – Bemidbar 27:18-20

Reader 2 – B’resheet 22:6-10

“Que Adonai designe”

Reader 3 – Bemidbar 27:21-23

Reader 3 – B’resheet 22:11-14

 Numbers 27:15 – 28:25

Reader 4 – Bemidbar 28:1-9

 

Isaiah 66:1-14

Reader 5 – Bemidbar 28:10-14

 

Special: Jeremiah 2:4-28 + 4:1-2

Isaiah 66:1, 23

Reader 6 – Bemidbar 28:15-18

Reader 1 – B’resheet 22:15-17

Proverbs 7:1-27

Reader 7 – Bemidbar 28:19-25

Reader 2 – B’resheet 22:17-19

Pirke Abot II:3-4

      Maftir – Bemidbar 28:23-25

Reader 3 – B’resheet 22:20-24

N.C.: Col. 2:16-23

                   Jeremiah 2:4-28; 4:1-2

                   Isaiah 66:1, 23

 

 

 

 

Roll of Honor:

 

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honour Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and beloved family, and that of His Excellency Adon Poriel ben Abraham, as well as that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and as well as that of Adon Ezra and Giberet Karmela. For their regular sacrificial giving, we pray G-d’s richest blessings upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen!

 


Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

Bemidbar 27:15 – 28:26

 

And Mosheh spoke before the Lord, saying May the Word of the Lord, who rules over the souls of men, and by whom has been given the inspiration of the spirit of all flesh, appoint a faithful man over the congregation, [JERUSALEM. The Word of the Lord the God who rules over the spirit of all flesh, appoint a praiseworthy man over the people of the congregation,] who may go out before them to set battle in array, and may come in before them from the he battle who may bring them out from the bands of their enemies, and bring them into the land of Israel; that the congregation of the Lord may not be without the wise, nor go astray among the nations as sheep who go astray, having no shepherd. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take to thee Yehoshua bar Nun, a man upon whom abides the Spirit of prophecy from before the Lord, and lay your hand upon him, and make him stand before Elazar the priest and the whole congregation, and instruct him in their presence. And you shall confer a ray of your brightness upon him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient to him. And he shall minister before Elazar the priest; and when any matter is hidden from him, he shall inquire for him before the Lord by Urim. According to the word of Elazar the priest they shall go forth to battle, and come in to do judgment and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Mosheh did as the Lord commanded him, and took Yehoshua and caused him to stand before Elazar the priest and all the congregation; and he laid his hands upon him and instructed him, as the Lord commanded Mosheh.

 

XXVIII. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying: Instruct the children of Israel, and say to them: The priests may eat of My oblation the bread of the order of My table; but that which you offer upon My altar may no man eat. Is there not a fire that will consume it? And it shall be accepted before Me as a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it from the firstlings on the Sabbath, an oblation before Me in its time. [JERUSALEM. Instruct the children of Israel, and say to them, My oblation, the bread of the order of My table. That which you offer upon the altar. Is there not a fire that will consume it? To be received from you before Me for a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it before Me in its season.]

 

And say to them: This is the order of the oblations you shall offer before the Lord; two lambs of the year, unblemished, daily, a perpetual burnt offering. The one lamb you shall perform in the morning to make atonement for the sins of the night; and the second lamb you shall perform between the suns to atone for the sins of the day; and the tenth of three seahs of wheaten flour as a mincha mingled with beaten olive oil, the fourth of a hin. It is a perpetual burnt offering, such as was (ordained to be) offered at Mount Sinai, to be received with favor as an oblation before the Lord. And its libation shall be the fourth of a hin for one lamb; from the vessels of the house of the sanctuary shall it be outpoured, a libation of old wine. [JERUSALEM. From the vessels of the house of holiness, it shall be poured out a libation of choice wine unto the Name of the Lord.] But if old wine may not be found, bring wine of forty days to pour out before the Lord. And the second lamb you shall perform between the suns, according to the presentation of the morning, and according to its oblation shall you make the offering, that it may be accepted with favor before the Lord but on the day of Shabbat two lambs of the year without blemish, and two tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation. On the Sabbath you shall make a Sabbath burnt sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation.

 

And at the beginning of your months you shall offer a burnt sacrifice before the Lord; two young bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the mincha of the one ram; and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favor before the Lord. And for their libation to be offered with them, the half of a bin for a bullock, the third of a bin for the ram, and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt sacrifice shall be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of the beginning of every month in the year; and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the Lord at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual burnt sacrifice shall you perform with its libation.

 

And in the month of Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the sacrifice of the Pascha before the Lord. On the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days shall unleavened be eaten. On the first day of the festival a holy convocation; no servile work shall you do; but offer an oblation of a burnt sacrifice before the Lord, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the year, unblemished, shall you have. And their minchas of wheat flour, mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram, and for a single lamb a tenth, so for the seven; and one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you: beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning, the perpetual burnt sacrifice, you shall make these offerings. According to these oblations of the first day you shall do daily through the seven days of the festival. It is the bread of the oblation which is received with favor before the Lord; it shall be made beside the perpetual burnt offering, with its libation. And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no servile work shall you do.

 

 

Ashlamatah:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:1-24

 

1 ¶ Thus says the LORD: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; where is the house that you may build unto Me? And where is the place that may be My resting-place?

2 For all these things has My hand made, and so all these things came to be, says the LORD; but on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word.

3 He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he broke a dog’s neck; he that offers a meal-offering, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that makes a memorial-offering of frankincense, as if he blessed an idol; according as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;

4 Even so I will choose their mockings, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear, but they did that which was evil in Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

5 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, you that tremble at His word: Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, have said: ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may gaze upon your joy’, but they shall be ashamed.

6 Hark! an uproar from the city, Hark! it comes from the temple, Hark! the LORD renders recompense to His enemies.

7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child.

8 Who has heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says the LORD; Shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? says your God.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her;

11 That you may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations; that you may drink deeply with delight of the abundance of her glory.

12 For thus says the LORD: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream, and you shall suck thereof: You shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees.

13 As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14 And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like young grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward His servants, and He will have indignation against His enemies.

15 ¶ For, behold, the LORD will come in fire, and His chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.

16 For by fire will the LORD contend, and by His sword with all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

17 They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go unto the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the detestable thing, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, says the LORD.

18 For I know their works and their thoughts; the time comes, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see My glory.

19 And I will work a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the gentiles.

20 And they shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations for an offering unto the LORD, upon horses, and in chariots, and in fitters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

21 And of them also will I take for the priests and for the Levites, says the LORD.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the LORD.

24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

 

 

Special Ashlamatah for Shabbat “Shim’u”

Jeremiah 2:4-28; 4:1-2

 

4 Hear you the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel;

5 Thus says the LORD: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me, and have walked after empty things, and are become empty?

6 Neither said they: ‘Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt; that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?’

7 And I brought you into a land of fruitful fields, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; but when you entered, you defiled My land, and made My heritage an abomination.

8 The priests said not: ‘Where is the LORD?’ And they that handle the law knew Me not, and the rulers transgressed against Me; the prophets also prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

9 ¶ Wherefore I will yet plead with you, says the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.

10 For pass over to the isles of the Kittites, and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.

11 Has a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But My people has changed its glory for that which does not profit.

12 Be astonished, O you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be you exceeding amazed, says the LORD.

13 For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 ¶ Is Israel a servant? Is he a home-born slave? Why is he become a prey?

15 The young lions have roared upon him, and let their voice resound; and they have made his land desolate, his cities are laid waste, without inhabitant.

16 The children also of Noph and Tahpanhes feed upon the crown of your head.

17 Is it not this that does cause it unto you, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when He led you by the way?

18 And now what have you to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what have you to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

19 Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, neither is My fear in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

20 ¶ For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands, and you said: ‘I will not transgress’; upon every high hill and under every leafy tree you did recline, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?

22 For though you wash yourself with nitre, and take much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me, says the Lord GOD.

23 How can you say: ‘I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim’? See your way in the Valley, know what you have done; you are a swift young camel traversing her ways;

24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire; her lust, who can hinder it? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst; but you said: ‘There is no hope; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.’

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;

27 Who say to a stock: ‘You are my father’, and to a stone: ‘You have brought us forth’, for they have turned their back unto Me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say: ‘Arise, and save us.’

28 But where are your gods that you have made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.

 

 

Special Ashlamatah for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:1, 23

 

1 ¶ Thus says the LORD: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; where is the house that you may build unto Me? And where is the place that may be My resting-place?

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the LORD.

 

 

Special Ketubim Rosh Chodesh

Proverbs 7:1-27

 

1 ¶ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with you.

2 Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye.

3 Bind them upon your fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.

4 Say unto wisdom: ‘You are my sister’, and call understanding your kinswoman;

5 That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the alien woman that makes smooth her words.

 

6 ¶ For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;

7 And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

8 Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;

9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.

10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.

11 She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;

12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lies in wait at every corner.

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:

14 ‘Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.

15 Therefore came I forth to meet you, to seek your face, and I have found you.

16 I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.

19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;

20 He has taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.’

21 With her much fair speech she causes him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she entices him away.

22 He goes after her straightway, as an ox that goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;

23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare—and knows not that it is at the cost of his life.

 

24 ¶ Now therefore, O you children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not your heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26 For she has cast down many wounded; yes, a mighty host are all her slain.

27 Her house is the way to the nether-world, going down to the chambers of death.

 

 

 

Pirqe Abot

 

“All Israel have a share in the World to Come, as it is stated: And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which to glorify Me” (Isaiah 60:21).

 

Pirqe Abot II:3-4

 

MISHNA 3. Be wary of those in power, for they befriend a person only for their own benefit; they seem to be friends when it is to their advantage, but do not stand by a man in his hour of need.

 

The term "reshut" is not limited to the ruling power, i.e. government, but includes any communal position which gives its holder some power and leadership. Usually, such positions are attained on the basis of popularity and competency. In pursuit of the office, a person tends to make insincere and at times even impossible promises to everyone. Once the desired office is acquired, the people who were given the promises are in total dismay since the person who appeared to love them when he needed them now does not recognize them when they need him.

 

The rabbis are alerting those people who are seeking leadership to beware of the pitfalls and not emulate false ways of the "seasoned politicians." At all times a person should be careful about giving his word. If he does not mean it, or knows he will not be able to produce, he must not deceive people in his pursuit of personal greatness.

 

Aharon was the Kohen Gadol - High Priest - who kindled the menorah for the entire forty years the Jews sojourned in the wilderness. The Torah says of him, "Vaya'as ken Aharon" - "And Aharon did so [as Ha-Shem had commanded Moshe]" (Bamidbar 8:3). Rashi explains that the Torah emphasizes that "Aharon did so" to declare Aharon's praise - "shelo shinah" - that he did not act differently. Would anyone suspect that Aharon would depart from Ha-Shem's command?

 

Aharon was an "ohev shalom verodef shalom" - "lover of peace and pursuer of peace" (Avot 1:12) - and was therefore loved by every Jew. An ordinary citizen is often affable and involved with people and their needs. However, a person who is appointed to a high office may become conceited and distant.

 

Aharon's greatness is that even when he became Kohen Gadol, holding the second highest position in the Jewish community, "lo shinah" - he did not change toward his fellow man - he still remained the same "ohev shalom verodef shalom" - "lover and pursuer of peace."

 

 

MISHNA 4. He used to say: "Make His will your will, so that He may fulfill your will as though it were His will. Set aside your will because of His will, so that He may set aside the will of others before your will."

 

Hillel said: "Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not be sure of yourself until the day you die. Do not condemn your fellowman until you have stood in his place. Do not make a statement which is not readily understood [in the hope] that it will ultimately be understood. And do not say, 'When I will have free time I will study,' for perhaps you will never have free time."

 

QUESTION: Instead of "ase" - "make" - should it have said "kayem" - "fulfill"?

 

ANSWER: This teaching conveys a fundamental lesson: Each of us has the ability to remake Ha-Shem's will, as it were, to arouse a new desire on His part. To apply this principle, a person might think that since it is Ha-Shem's will that we are in exile, we should resign ourselves to the situation. Nothing is further from the truth. Ha-Shem is anxiously waiting for us to arouse a new will on His part. He is waiting for us to motivate Him to bring the redemption.

 

QUESTION: The word "kiretzonecha" - "as your will" - is superfluous; why doesn't he simply say "Do His will"?

 

ANSWER: The message in this Mishnah is indeed much more profound than just calling on man to do the will of Ha-Shem. The money we spend during our lifetime can be divided into two portions: Some goes to spiritual matters such as tzedakah (charity), mitzvoth (commandments), and tuition, and the other goes for physical necessities and personal pleasures. In retrospect, we usually see that money spent on pleasures has been wasted. However, the return for money spent on the spiritual is everlasting.

 

Unfortunately, many people who are blessed with affluence spend freely on personal amenities, yet plead poverty when it comes to spending money on spiritual matters. The Mishnah is advising that a person should fulfill His will as he would his own will, i.e. an equal amount of money should be spent on spiritual matters as on physical ones. If one has money to "throw over the cliff," one should not plead poverty when it comes to spending for Ha-Shem.

 

Alternatively, a wealthy father who had an only son and who loved him very much appointed an executor over his estate and instructed him, "When I die, give my son as much as you want from the estate, and keep the rest for yourself." The greedy executor kept 95% for himself and gave 5% to the son. The son who was very upset and unable to believe that this was really his father's intention, called the executor to a Din Torah (judgment by a Jewish Court). The rabbi listened carefully and ruled that the executor was to give 95% to the son and keep only 5% for himself, explaining to the executor that the father was indeed a very wise man. "His words were, 'Give my son as much as you want, and keep the rest for yourself.' Since you demonstrated that you want 95%, that must be the amount that the father wanted you to give his son."

 

The Mishnah in conveying mili d'chassiduta - words of piety - and it is instructing that the ultimate in piety is to do [for] His will - i.e. the amount you expend for Torah and mitzvot observance - should be kiretzonecha - as you would do for yourself. Since as a mortal you would like the maximum for your pleasures and amenities, suffice for yourself on less and let the majority of your financial resources go for Torah and mitzvot. And just as to achieve your needs you will not spare any effort, likewise exert your best effort for spiritual matters and be subdued when it comes to your material interests and desires.

 

When one conducts himself in such a manner, he will merit that Ha-Shem will fulfill his will, because such a person is a tzadik (a generous person) and Ha-Shem listens to him to such an extent that even if Ha-Shem makes a decree, a tzadik is able to make G-d change His mind (Moed Kattan 16b).

QUESTION: The word "kiretzono" - "like His will" - is extra. Since he instructs "Make His will your will," should it have just said "So that He may do your will"?

 

ANSWER: There is no question that a person loves himself dearly and wants only the best. However, a person may not really know what is in his own interest. At times, what one wants and prays for may actually be harmful.

 

Since Ha-Shem is good, and the nature of the good is to do good, what Ha-Shem has in His will to do for us is certainly definitely what is best for us. Mortal man, however, does not know what Ha-Shem knows and thus his will may be to have something which is not in his best interest. The Mishnah is saying that when we make His will our will, He will make our will and desire be the same as His will, i.e. he will give us the intuition to ask for the good things which He knows are for our benefit.

 

QUESTION: Why are these five sayings: “Do not separate yourself from the community; do not be sure of yourself until the day you die; do not condemn your fellowman until you have stood in his place; do not make an ambiguous statement which is not readily understood; and do not say, 'When I have free time I will study, for perhaps you will never have free time” of Hillel placed together in one Mishnah?

 

ANSWER: In this Mishnah, Hillel actually makes one statement, namely: "Do not separate yourself from the community." In the additional remarks, he is refuting the popular excuses that people give for violating this principle: To those who say "I do not need the community and can manage very well on my own," Hillel says, "Do not be sure of yourself until the day you die."

Once, a Rabbi noticed that a person who attended the Synagogue regularly was absent for a few weeks, so he decided to pay him a visit. Entering the living room, he noticed the man sitting by the fireplace, seemingly in good health, and sat down next to him. The Rabbi politely inquired as to the reason for his recent absence and the man replied that synagogue was crowded and noisy. He had decided that his prayers would be more meaningful if he were alone and undisturbed. The Rabbi did not respond, but stared at the fireplace, which was filled with glowing coals. Then he rose from his seat, removed one coal from the fire with the tongs, and placed it on the floor in front of the fireplace, saying: "I hope to see you back in synagogue shortly."

 

At first, the man was puzzled by his Rabbi's actions, but soon the meaning became clear to him: The Rabbi was showing him that in unity there is strength. When coals are together, one keeps the other glowing. When one coal is taken out and separated from the others, it quickly becomes extinguished.

 

To people who claim "I do not join the community because some of the members do not meet my standards," Hillel says, "Do not condemn your fellowman until you have stood in his place."

 

To those who say "I avoid the community because whenever I speak up, no one listens and appreciates my insights." Hillel says, "Possibly the fault is yours. Do not make an ambiguous statement which is not readily understood."

 

Many have keen vision in detecting the faults of others, but fail to see their own foibles and shortcomings. A housewife once complained to her maid that the house was not cleaned and dusted properly. The maid was flushed with amazement, for all looked immaculate. Finally, she turned to the housewife and said, "Madam, I think the dust you see is on your own glasses." The woman removed her glasses and, sure enough, the lenses were covered with dust.

 

Finally, to those who push off involvement in community due to lack of time and who hope to get involved when they retire, Hillel advises, "Do not wait till later; perhaps later will never arrive."

 

QUESTION: "Do not condemn your fellow-man until you have stood in his place" - Instead of "limekomo" - "his place" - why doesn't it say "lematzavo" - "his situation"?

 

ANSWER: "Mekomo" - "his place" - does not mean your friend's place, but it means Ha-Shem's place. According to the Midrash Rabbah (Beresheet 68:9) Ha-Shem is referred to as "HaMakom" - "the place" - to emphasize that the world is contained in Him and not He in the world. He is not limited by space and therefore is everywhere.

 

The Mishnah is teaching that you should judge yourself and not others. The only time when you can judge your friend is when you reach Ha-Shem's place. Then you will have before you everything of the past, present, and future, and be capable of passing judgment. Till then, however, do not judge your friend.

 

 

Igeret (Letter) of Hakham Shaul to the Gentiles turning to G-d in Colosse

Colossians 2:16-23

 

16 ¶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow (i.e. a prophecy) of things to come; but the body of Messiah.

18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

20 Wherefore if you be dead with Messiah from the rudiments (principles) of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances (of the world),

21 *

22. after the commandments and doctrines of men (i.e. the laws of the gentiles)?

23 The which things, indeed, though they have, an appearance, of wisdom, in self-devised religious observance, and lowliness of mind, and ill-treatment of body, are, in no honorable way, unto a satisfying of the flesh.

 

* Note the whole of v. 21, and half of v.22 do not exist in the most authoritative manuscripts and the King James Version has these within brackets to indicate that the text is spurious and doubtful

 

 

For a comprehensive commentary on the Torah Seder for this Rosh Chodesh please see:

 

chodesh.html

 

Shalom Shabbat!

 

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai