Ab 1, 5768

Esnoga Bet Emunah

7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Ab 01, 5768 – August 01/02, 2008	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

Shabbat Shim’u

2^nd of 3 Shabatot (Sabbaths) of Penitence/Mourning

Shabbat: “Rosh Chodesh Ab”

Sabbath of the New Moon of of the month of Ab

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Brisbane, Australia

Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 7:41 PM Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 5:01 PM

Saturday August 2, 2008 - Havdalah 8:37 PM Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 5:56 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 8:20 PM Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 5:37 PM

Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 9:17 PM Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 6:27 PM

Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Friday, August 1, 2008 – Candles at 8:35 Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 7:09 PM

Saturday, August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 9:35 Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 7:59 PM

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S Manila & Cebu, Philippines

Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 8:16 PM Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 6:07 PM

Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 9:14 PM Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 6:59 PM

Olympia, Washington, U.S. Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 8:26 PM Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 5:25 PM

Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 9:36 PM Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 6:22

San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 8:08 PM Friday August 1, 2008 – Candles at 6:58 PM

Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 9:04 PM Saturday August 2, 2008 – Havdalah 7:48 PM

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

Coming Special Days:

Fast of the 9^th of Ab – Saturday/Sunday August the 9^th - 10^th, 2008

For further study see:

http://www.betemunah.org/mourning.html &

http://www.betemunah.org/tishabav.html

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם
“Shabbat Rosh Chodesh”	Reader 1 – B’midbar 27:15-17	Reader 1 – D’barim 23:10-12
“Sabbath of the New Moon”	Reader 2 – B’midbar 27:18-20	Reader 2 – D’barim 23:13-15
“Sábado del Novilunio”	Reader 3 – B’midbar 27:21-23	Reader 3 – D’barim 23:16-19
B’Midbar (Num.) 27:15 – 28:25	Reader 4 – B’midbar 28:1-9
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 66:1-24	Reader 5 – B’midbar 28:10-14
Special: Jer. 2:4-28 & 4:1-2	Reader 6 – B’midbar 28:15-18	Reader 1 – D’barim 23:10-12
Proverbs 7:1-27	Reader 7 – B’midbar 28:19-25	Reader 2 – D’barim 23:13-15
N.C.: Col. 2:16-23	Maftir : B’midbar 28:23-25	Reader 3 – D’barim 23:16-19
Pirke Abot: I:12	Isaiah 66:1 & 23 Jeremiah 2:4-28 & 4:1-2

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,

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 and allied topics.

If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to ravybh@optusnet.com.au with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

This week’s Torah commentary is dedicated to His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David on occasion of his birthday. For his untiring help, companionship, and living example of righteousness/generosity, may G-d grant His Honor much wisdom, a long life, full of good health, and copious prosperity in all of his undertakings together with all of our most noble and beloved people/nation of Yisrael, amen ve amen! YOM HULEDET SAMEACH!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: B’midbar (Numbers) 27:15 - 28:25

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
15 Moshe spoke to Adonai, saying:	15 And Mosheh spoke before the Lord, saying
16 "Let Adonai, G-d of the spirits, appoint a man over the community,	16 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,]
17 who will go forth before them, and who will come back before them, and who would lead them out and bring them in, so that the community of Adonai will not be like sheep that have no shepherd."	17 who may go out before them to set battle in array, and may come in before them from the 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.
18 Adonai said to Moshe: "Take to yourself Yehoshua son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lay your hand on him.	18 And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take to yourself Jehoshua bar Nun, a man upon whom abides the Spirit of prophecy from before the Lord, and lay your hand upon him,
19 Stand him before Eleazar the kohen and before the entire community, and command him before their eyes.	19 and make him stand before Elazar the priest and the whole congregation, and instruct him in their presence.
20 Bestow some of your radiance on him, so that the entire community of Bne Yisrael will hear.	20 And you will confer a ray of your brightness upon him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient to him.
21 He will stand before Eleazar the kohen, and ask, of him, through the judgment of the Urim before Adonai. By his word they will come out and go in ---he, all Bne Yisrael with him, and the entire community."	21 And he will minister before Elazar the priest; and when any matter is hidden from him, he will inquire for him before the Lord by the Urim. According to the word of Elazar the priest they will go forth to battle, and come in to do judgment he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
22 Moshe did as Adonai commanded him. He took Yehoshua and presented him to Eleazar the kohen and to the entire community.	22 And Mosheh did as the Lord commanded him, and took Jehoshua and caused him to stand before Elazar the priest and all the congregation;
23 He laid his hands on him and commanded him, just as Adonai had commanded through Moshe.	23 and he laid his hands upon him and instructed him, as the Lord commanded Mosheh.

1 Adonai spoke to Moshe saying:	1 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
2 "Command Bne Yisrael and say to them, 'My offering, My food of My fires, a pleasing aroma to Me, you will be vigilant to offer to Me at its prescribed time'."	2 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.]
3 Say to them: "This is the fire-offering that you will offer to Adonai; yearling lambs without blemish, two each day, as a constant (daily) burnt-offering.	3 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.
4 Offer one lamb in the morning and offer the second lamb in the afternoon.	4 The one lamb thou shalt perform in the morning to make atonement for the sins of the night; and the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns to atone for the sins of the day;
5 And one tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with beaten oil measuring one fourth of a hin.	5 and the tenth of three seahs of wheaten flour as a mincha mingled with beaten olive oil, the fourth of a hin.
6 [This is] a constant (daily) burnt-offering as offered on Mount Sinai, for a pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to Adonai.	6 It is a perpetual burnt offering, such as was (ordained to be) offered at Mount Sinai, to be received with favour as an oblation before the Lord.
7 Its libation [will be] one fourth of a hin for the one lamb, in the Holy [Sanctuary], you will pour an intoxicating libation to Adonai.	7 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.
8 Offer the second lamb in the afternoon, with the same meal-offering of the morning together with its libation you will offer it, a fire-offering of a pleasing aroma to Adonai.	8 And the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns, according to the presentation of the morning, and according to its oblation shalt thou make the offering, that it may be accepted with favour before the Lord

9 On the Shabbat day [the offering will be] two yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with [olive] oil, and its libation.	9 but on the day of Shabbatha two lambs of the year without blemish, and two‑tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation.
10 This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbat, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation.	10 On the Sabbath thou shalt make a Sabbath burnt sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation.

11 At the beginning of your months you will bring a burnt-offering to Adonai, two young bulls, one ram, seven yearling lambs, [all] without blemish.	11 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;
12 And three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each bull, two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with the [olive] oil for the one ram,	12 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;
13 And one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each lamb. A burnt-offering of pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to Adonai.	13 and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord.
14 Their libations [will be], one half of a hin for (a) bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a hin for (the) lamb, of wine. This is the burnt-offering of each [Rosh] Chodesh, at its renewal throughout the months of the year.	14 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;
15 And [You will also bring] one he-goat for a sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering it will be done, and its libation.	15 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 shalt thou perform with its libation.

16 In the first month--- on the fourteenth day of the month [bring a] Pesach [offering] to Adonai.	16 And in the month of Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the sacrifice of the Pascha before the Lord.
17 The fifteenth day of that month is a festival, matzot will be eaten for seven days.	17 On the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days shall unleavened be eaten.
18 The first day will be a sacred holiday, when you must not do any work of consequence.	18 On the first day of the festival a holy convocation; no servile work shall ye do;
19 You will bring a burnt fire-offering to Adonai [consisting of] two young bulls, one ram, and seven yearling sheep. They will [all] be without blemish.	19 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.
20 Their meal-offering shall be fine flour mixed with [olive] oil, three tenths [of an ephah] for each bull, two tenths [of an ephah] for the ram,	20 And their minchas of wheat flour, mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram,
21 and one tenth [of an eiphah] for each of the seven sheep.	21 and for a single lamb a tenth, so for the seven;
22 [You should also bring] one he-goat as a sin-offering, to make atonement for you,	22 and one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you:
23 in addition to the morning burnt-offering which is offered as a constant (daily) burnt-offering, you will make these.	23 beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning, the perpetual burnt sacrifice, you shall make these offerings.
24 Like these, you will make daily for seven days, food as a fire-offering of a pleasing aroma to Adonai, (it will be offered) in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation.	24 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 favour before the Lord; it shall be made beside the perpetual burnt offering, with its libation.
25 The seventh day will be a sacred holiday to you, when you will not do any work of consequence.	25 And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no servile work shall you do.

Pesiqta deRab Kahana – Pisqa Six – (Numbers 28:1ff.)

[The Lord spoke to Moses and said, Give this command to the Israelites:] See that you present My offerings, the food [for the food-offering of soothing odor, to Me at the appointed time. Tell them: This is the food-offering which you will present to the Lord: the regular daily whole-offering of two yearling rams without blemish. One you will sacrifice in the morning and the second between dusk and dark] (Num. 28:1-4)…

VI:I - 1. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all that is in it are Mine. [Will I eat the flesh of your bulls or drink the blood of he- goats? Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High. If you call upon me in time of trouble, I will come to your rescue and you will honor Me] (Ps. 50:12-15):

Said R. Simon, “There are thirteen traits of a merciful character that are stated in writing concerning the Holy One, blessed be He. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord, God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, who will be no means clear (Ex. 34:6-7). Now is there a merciful person who would hand over his food to a cruel person [who would have to slaughter a beast so as to feed him]? One has to conclude: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.”

2. Said R. Judah bar Simon, “Said the Holy One, blessed be He, There are ten beasts that are clean that I have handed over to you [as valid for eating], three that are subject to your dominion, and seven that are not subject to your dominion. Which are the ones that are subject to your dominion? The ox, sheep, and he-goat (Deut. 14:4). Which are the ones not subject to your dominion? The hart, gazelle, roebuck, wild goat, ibex, antelope, and mountain sheep (Deut. 14:5).

Now [in connection with the sacrificial cult] have I imposed on you the trouble of going hunting in hills and mountains to bring before me an offering of one of those that are not in your dominion? Have I not said to you only to bring what is in your dominion and what is nourished at your stall? Thus: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.

3. Said R. Isaac, It is written, (The Lord spoke to Moses and said, Give this command to the Israelites:] See that you present My offerings, the food for the food-offering of soothing odor, to me at the appointed time. [Tell them: This is the food-offering which you shall present to the Lord: the regular daily whole-offering of two yearling rams without blemish. One you shall sacrfice in the morning and the second between dusk and dark) (Num. 28:1-4).

Now is there any consideration of eating and drinking before Me? Should you wish to take the position that indeed there is a consideration of eating and drinking before Me, derive evidence to the contrary from My angels, derive evidence to the contrary from My ministers: ... who makes the winds Your messengers, and flames of fire Your servants (Ps. 104:4).

Whence then do they draw sustenance? From the splendor of the Presence of God. For it is written, In the light of the presence of the King they live (Prov. 16:15).

R. Haggai in the name of R. Isaac: “You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens ... the host ... and You keep them alive” (Neh. 9:6), meaning, you provide them with livelihood.

4. Said R. Simeon b. Laqish, It is written, This was the regular whole-offering made at Mount Sinai, a soothing odor, a food-offering to the Lord (Num. 28:6). [God says,] Now is there any consideration of eating and drinking before Me? Should you wish to take the position that indeed there is a consideration of eating and drinking before Me, derive evidence to the contrary from Moses, concerning whom it is written, And he was there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights. Bread he did not eat, and water he did not drink (Ex. 34:28).

Did he see me eating or drinking? Now that fact yields an argument a fortiori: now if Moses, who went forth as My agent, did not eat bread or drink water for forty days, is there going to be any consideration of eating and drinking before Me? Thus: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.

5. Said R. Hiyya bar Ba. “Things that I have created do not need [to derive sustenance] from things that I have created, am I going to require sustenance from things that I have created? Have you ever in your life heard someone say, ‘Give plenty of wine to this vine, for it produces a great deal of wine? Have you ever in your life heard someone say, ‘Give plenty of oil to this olive tree, for it produces a great deal of oil? Things that I have created do not need [to derive sustenance] from things that I have created, am I going to require sustenance from things that I have created? Thus: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.

6. Said R. Yannai, Under ordinary circumstances if someone passes though the flood of a river, is it possible for him to drink a mere two or three logs of water? [Surely not. He will have to drink much more to be satisfied.] “[God speaks:] ‘But as for Me, I have written that a mere single log of your wine will I drink, and from that I will derive full pleasure and satisfaction.”

R. Hiyya taught on Tannaite authority, The wine for the proper drink-offering will be a quarter of a hin for each ram; you are to pour out this strong drink in the holy place as an offering to the Lord (Num. 28:7). This statement bears the sense of drinking to full pleasure, satisfaction, and even inebriation.

7. Yose bar Menassia in the name of R. Simeon b. Laqish, When the libation was poured out, the stoppers [of the altar’s drains] had to be stopped up so that the wine overflowing the altar would make it appear that God could not swallow the wine fast enough]. Said R. Yose bar Bun, ‘The rule contained in the statement made by R. Simeon b. Laqish is essential to the proper conduct of the rite [and if the drains are not stopped up, the libation offering is invalid and must be repeated].

8. (God speaks:] “I assigned to you the provision of a single beast, and you could not carry out the order. [How then are you going to find the resources actually to feed me? It is beyond your capacity to do so.] And what is that? It is the Behemoth on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10).

R. Yohanan. R. Simeon b. Laqish, and rabbis: R. Yohanan said, “It is a single beast, which crouches on a thousand hills, and the thousand hills produce fodder, which it eats. What verse of Scripture so indicates? Now behold Behemoth which I made ... Surely the mountains bring him forth food (Job 40:15).”

R. Simeon b. Laqish said, “It is a single beast, which crouches on a thousand hills, and the thousand hills produce all sorts of food for the meals of the righteous/generous in the coming age. What verse of Scripture so indicates? Flocks shall range over Sharon and the Vale of Achor be a pasture for cattle; they will belong to My people who seek Me (Is. 65:10).”

Rabbis said, “It is a single beast, which crouches on a thousand hills, and the thousand hills produce cattle, which it eats. And what text of Scripture makes that point? And all beasts of the field play there (Job 40:20).” But can cattle eat other cattle? Said R. Tanhuma, “Great are the works of our God (Ps. 111:2), how curious are the works of the Holy One, blessed be He.”

And whence does it drink? It was taught on Tannaite authority: R. Joshua b. Levi said, “Whatever the Jordan river collects in six months it swallows up in a single gulp. What verse of Scripture indicates it? If the river is in spate, he is not scared, he sprawls at his ease as the Jordan flows to his mouth (Job 40:23).”

Rabbis say, “Whatever the Jordan river collects in twelve months it swallows up in a single gulp. What verse of Scripture indicates it? He sprawls at his ease as the Jordan flows to his mouth (Job 40:23). And that suffices merely to wet his whistle. R. Huna in the name of R. Yose: “It is not even enough to wet his whistle.” Then whence does it drink? R. Simeon b. Yohai taught on Tannaite authority, “And a river flowed out of Eden (Gen. 2:10), and its name is Yubal, and from there it drinks, as it is said, That spreads out its roots by Yubal (Jer. 17:8).”

It was taught on Tannaite authority in the name of R. Meir, “But ask now the Behemoth (Job 12:7) — this is the Behemoth of the thousand hills (Ps. 50:10), and the fowl of the heaven will tell you (Job 12:7), that is the ziz-bird (Ps. 50:10), or speak to the earth that it tell you (Job 12:8) — this refers to the Garden of Eden. Or let the fish of the sea tell you (Job 12:8) — this refers to Leviathan. Who does not know among all these that the hand of the Lord has done this (Job 12:9).

9. “I gave you a single king, and you could not provide for him. [How then are you going to find the resources actually to feed me? It is beyond your capacity to do so.] And who was that? It was Solomon, son of David.” The bread required by Solomon in a single day was thirty hors of fine flower and sixty kors of meal (1 Kgs. 5:2).

Said R. Samuel bar R. Isaac, ‘These were kinds of snacks. But as to his regular meal, no person could provide it: Ten fat oxen (1 Kgs 5:3), fattened with fodder, and twenty oxen out of the pasture and a hundred sheep (1 Kgs 5:3), also out of the pasture; and harts, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl (1 Kgs. 5:3).”

What are these fatted fowl? R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Judah said, “They were fowl raised in a vivarium.” And rabbis say, “It is a very large bird, of high quality, much praised, which would go up and be served on the table of Solomon every day.” Said R. Judah bar Zebida, “Solomon had a thousand wives, and every one of them made a meal of the same dimensions as this meal. Each thought that he might dine with her. “Thus: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.”

10. “One mere captive I handed over to you, and you could barely sustain him too. [How then are you going to find the resources actually to feed me? It is beyond your capacity to do so.]” And who was that? It was Nehemiah, the governor: Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep, also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this I demanded not the usual fare provided for the governor, because the service was heavy upon this people (Neh. 5:18).

What is the usual fare provided for the governor? Huna bar Yekko said, “It means gourmet food carefully cooked in vessels standing upon tripods.” Thus: If I were hungry, I would not tell you.

11. It has been taught on Tannaite authority: The incense Is brought only after the meal (M. Ber. 6:6). Now is it not the case that the sole enjoyment that the guests derive from the incense is the scent? Thus said the Holy One blessed be He, “My children, among all the offerings that you offer before Me, I derive pleasure from you only because of the scent: the food for the food-offering of soothing odor, to me at the appointed time.

VI:II - 1. A righteous/generous man eats his fill, [but the wicked/lawless go hungry] (Prov. 13:25): This refers to Eliezer, our father Abraham’s servant, as it is said, Please let me have a little water to drink from your pitcher (Gen. 24:17) — one sip. ... but the wicked/lawless go hungry: This refers to the wicked/lawless Esau, who said to our father, Jacob, Let me swallow some of that red pottage, for I am famished (Gen. 28:30).

2. (And Esau said to Jacob, Let me swallow some of thai red pottage, for I am famished (Gen. 25:30):] Said R. Isaac bar Zeira, “That wicked/lawless man opened up his mouth like a camel. He said to him, ‘I’ll open up my mouth, and you just toss in the food.’ That is in line with what we have learned in the Mishnah: People may not stuff a camel or force food on it, but may toss food Into its mouth [M. Shab. 24:3].”

3. Another interpretation of the verse, A righteous/generous man eats his fill: This refers to Ruth the Moabite, in regard to whom it is written, She ate, was satisfied, and left food over (Ruth 2:14). Said R. Isaac, “You have two possibilities: either a blessing comes to rest through a righteous/generous man, or a blessing comes to rest through the womb of a righteous/generous woman. On the basis of the verse of Scripture, She ate, was satisfied, and left food over, one must conclude that a blessing comes to rest through the womb of a righteous/generous woman.” ...but the wicked go hungry: This refers to the nations of the world.

4. Said R. Meir, “Dosetai of Kokhba asked me, saying to me, “What is the meaning of the statement, ‘...but the wicked go hungry?’ “I said to him, ‘There was a gentile in our town, who made a banquet for all the elders of the town, and invited me along with them. He set before us everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, had created on the six days of creation, and his table lacked only soft-shelled nuts alone. What did he do? He took the tray from before us, which was worth six talents of silver, and broke it. I said to him, ‘On what account did you do this? [Why are you so angry?]’ He said to me, ‘My lord, you say that we own this world, and you own the world to come. If we don’t do the eating now, when are we going to eat [of every good thing that has ever been created]?’ I recited in his regard, ...but the wicked go hungry.”

5. Another interpretation of the verse, A righteous/generous man eats his fill, (but the wicked/lawless go hungry] (Prov. 13:25): This refers to Hezekiah, King of Judah. They say concerning Hezekiah, King of Judah, that [a mere] two bunches of vegetables and a litra of meat did they set before him every day. And the Israelites ridiculed him, saying, “Is this a king? And they rejoiced over Rena and Remaliah’s son (Is. 8:6). But Rezin, son of Remaliah, is really worthy of dominion.”

That is in line with this verse of Scripture: Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that run slowly and rejoice with Rezin and Remaliah’s son (Is. 8:6). What is the sense of slowly? Bar Qappara said, “We have made the circuit of the whole of Scripture and have not found a place that bears the name spelled by the letters translated slowly. But this refers to Hezekiah, King of Judah, who would purify the Israelites through a purification-bath containing the correct volume of water, forty seahs, the number signified by the letters that spell the word for slowly.” Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “You praise eating? Behold the Lord brings up the waters of the River, mighty and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory, and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his bands and devour you as would a glutton (Is. 8:7).”

6. but the wicked go hungry: this refers to Mesha. Mesha, king of Moab, was a noked (2 Kgs. 3:4). What is the sense of noked? It is a shepherd. He handed over to the king of Israel a hundred thousand fatted lambs and a hundred thousand wool-bearing rams (2 Kgs. 3:4). What is the meaning of wool-bearing rams? R. Abba bar Kahana said, “Unshorn.”

7. Another interpretation of the verse, A righteous/generous man eats his fill, [but the wicked/lawless go hungry] (Prov. 13:25): This refers to the kings of Israel and the kings of the House of David. but the wicked/lawless go hungry are the kings of the East: R. Yudan and R. Hunah: R. Yudan said, “A hundred sheep would be served to each one every day.” R. Hunah said, “A thousand sheep were served to each one every day.”

8. Another interpretation of the verse, A righteous/generous man eats his fill (Prov. 13:25): this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus said the Holy One blessed be He, “My children, among all the offerings that you offer before me, I derive pleasure from you only because of the scent: the food for the food-offering of soothing odor, to Me at the appointed time.”

VI:III - 1. You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently (Ps. 119:4): Where did he give this commandment? In the book of Numbers. “In Numbers you did again ordain ... Where did God again ordain? In the Book of Numbers.”] What did he command? To be kept diligently (Ps. 119:4): The Lord spoke to Moses and said, Give this command to the Israelites: See that you present my offerings, the food for the food-offering of soothing odor, to me at the appointed time. That is the same passage that has already occurred [at Ex. 29:38-42] and now recurs, so why has it been stated a second time?

R. Yudan, R. Nehemiah, and rabbis: R. Yudan said, “Since the Israelites thought, ‘In the past there was the practice of making journeys, and there was the practice of offering daily whole-offerings. Now that the journeying is over, the daily whole-offerings also are over.’ Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses, ‘Go, say to Israel that they should continue the practice of offering daily whole-offerings.”

R. Nehemiah said, “Since the Israelites were treating the daily whole offering lightly, said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses, ‘Go, tell Israel not to treat the daily whole-offerings lightly.” Rabbis said, “[The reason for the repetition is that] one statement serves for instruction, the other for actual practice.”

2. R. Aha in the name of R. Hanina: “It was so that the Israelites should not say, ‘In the past we offered sacrifices and so were engaged [in studying about] them, but now that we do not offer them any more, we also need not study about them any longer.’ Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to them, ‘Since you engage in studying about them, it is as if you have actually carried them out.”

3. R. Huna made two statements. R. Huna said, “All of the exiles will be gathered together only on account of the study of Mishnah-teachings. What verse of Scripture makes that point? Even when they recount [Mishnah-teachings] among the gentiles, then I will gather them together (Hos. 8:10).”

R. Huna made a second statement. R. Huna said, “From the rising of the sun even to the setting of the sun My name is great among the nations, and in every place offerings are presented to My name, even pure-offerings (Malachi 1:11). Now is it the case that a pure-offering is made in Babylonia? Said the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Since you engage in the study of the matter, it is as if you offered it up.”

4. Samuel said, ‘And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the house and the fashion of it, the goings out and the comings in that pertain to it, and all its forms, and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form of it (Ez. 43:11). Now is there such a thing as the form of the house at this time? But said the Holy One, blessed be He, if you are engaged in the study of the matter, it is as if you were building it.”

5. Said R. Yose, “On what account do they begin instruction of children with the Torah of the Priests [the book of Leviticus]? Rather let them begin instruction them with the book of Genesis. But the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Just as the offerings [described in the book of Leviticus] are pure, so children are pure. Let the pure come and engage in the study of matters that are pure.”

6. R. Abba bar Kahana and R. Hanin, both of them in the name of R. Azariah of Kefar Hitayya: “[The matter may be compared to the case of] a king who had two cooks. The first of the two made a meal for him, and he ate it and liked it. The second made a meal for him, and he ate it and liked it. Now we should not know which of the two he liked more, except that, since he ordered the second, telling him to make a meal like the one he had prepared, we know that it was the second meal that he liked more. So too Noah made an offering and it pleased God: And the Lord smelled the .sweet savor (Gen. 8:21). And Israel made an offering to him, and it pleased the Holy One, blessed be He. But we do not know which of the two he preferred. On the basis of His orders to Israel, saying to them, See that you present my offerings, the food for the food-offering of soothing odor, to Me at the appointed time, we know that he preferred the offering of Israel [to that of Noah, hence the offering of Israel is preferable to the offering of the nations of the world].”

7. R. Abin made two statements. R. Abin said, “The matter may be compared to the case of a king who was reclining at his banquet, and they brought him the first dish, which he ate and found pleasing. They brought him the second, which he ate and found pleasing. He began to wipe the dish. I will offer you burnt-offerings which are to be wiped off (Ps. 66:15), like offerings that are to be wiped off I will offer you, like someone who wipes the plate clean.”

R. Abin made a second statement: “The matter may be compared to a king who was making a journey and came to the first stockade and ate and drank there. Then he came to the second stockade and ate and drank there and spent the night there. So it is here. Why does the Scripture repeat concerning the burnt-offering: This is the Torah of the burnt offering (Lev. 3:5), It is the burnt-offering (Lev. 6:2)? It is to teach that the whole of the burnt-offering is burned up on the fires [yielding no parts to the priests].”

VI:IV - 1. the regular daily whole-offering of two yearling rams without blemish: [Explaining the selection of the lambs,] the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel [offered opinions as follows:] The House of Shammai say, “Lambs are chosen because the letters that spell the word for lamb can also be read to mean that ‘they cover up the sins of Israel,’ as you read in Scripture: He will turn again and have compassion upon us, he will put our iniquities/lawlessness out of sight (Micah 7:19).” And the House of Hillel say, “Lambs are selected because the letters of the word lamb can yield the sound for the word, clean, for they clean up the sins of Israel. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: If your sins are like scarlet, they will be washed clean like wool (Is. 1:18).” Ben Azzai says, “...the regular daily whole-offering of two yearling rams without blemish are specified because they wash away the sins of Israel and turn them into an infant a year old.”

2. [...the regular daily whole-offering of] two [yearling rams without blemish. One you shall sacrifice in the morning and the second between dusk and dark]: Two a day on account of [the sins of] the day. Two a day to serve as intercessor for that day: They will be mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I do this, even My own treasure, and I will spare them, as a man spares his son who serves him (Malachi 3:17). Two a day meaning that they should be slaughtered in correspondence to that day in particular. Two a day meaning that one should know in advance which has been designated to be slaughtered in the morning and which at dusk.

3. ...a daily whole-offering: Said R. Yudan in the name of R. Simon, “No one ever spent the night in Jerusalem while still bearing sin. How so? The daily whole-offering of the morning would effect atonement for the sins that had been committed overnight, and the daily whole-offering of dusk would effect atonement for the transgressions that had been committed by day. In consequence, no one ever spent the night in Jerusalem while still bearing sin. And what verse of Scripture makes that point? Righteousness/generosity will spend the night in it (Is. 1:21).”

4. R. Judah bar Simon in the name of R. Yohanan: “There were three statements that Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty, on account of which he was astounded and recoiled. When he said to him, And they will make Me a sanctuary [and I shall dwell among them] (Ex. 25:8), said Moses before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Lord of the age, lo, the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot hold You, and yet You Yourself have said, And they will make Me a sanctuary (and I will dwell among them].’ Said to him the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Moses, it is not the way you are thinking. But there will be twenty boards’ breadth at the north, twenty at the south, eight at the west, and I will descend and shrink My Presence among you below.’ That is in line with this verse of Scripture: And I will meet you there (Ex. 25:20).

When He said to him, My food which is presented to Me for offerings made by fire (you will observe to offer to Me] (Num. 28:2), said Moses before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Lord of the age, if I collect all of the wild beasts in the world, will they produce one offering [that would be adequate as a meal for you]? If I collect all the wood in the world, will it prove sufficient for one offering,’ as it is said, Lebanon is not enough for altar fire, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burnt-offerings (Is. 40:16). Said to him the Holy One, blessed be He, “Moses, it is not the way you are thinking. But: You will say to them, This is the offering made by fire (the lambs of the first year without blemish, two day by day] (Num. 28:3), and not two at a time but one in the morning and one at dusk, as it is said, One lamb you will prepare in the morning, and the other you will prepare at dusk (Num. 28:4).’

And when He said to him, When you give the contribution to the Lord to make expiation for your lives (Ex. 30:15), said Moses before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Lord of the age, who can give redemption-money for his soul? One brother cannot redeem another (Ps. 49:8), for too costly is the redemption of men’s souls (Ps. 49:9). Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses, ‘It is not the way you are thinking. But: This they will give — something like this [namely, the half-shekel coin] they shall give”

Midrash Rabba

for: B’midbar (Numbers) 27:15 - 28:25

16. MY FOOD WHICH IS PRESENTED UNTO ME FOR OFFERINGS MADE BY FIRE (XXVIII, 2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ‘Tell Israel that I ask for this not because I require sacrifices. The whole world is Mine! The beasts which you will sacrifice I have created.’In the same strain it says, If I were hungry, I would not tell you (Ps. 50, 12). For Me, it implies, there is neither eating nor drinking. R. Simon said: Thirteen attributes of mercy are recorded of Him; as it says, And the Lord passed before him, and proclaimed: The Lord... merciful, etc. (Ex. XXXIV, 6 f.), and is it conceivable that the merciful would entrust his food to the cruel?’ (i.e. to a man?) This explains the text, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Judah cites the following in the name of R. Simon: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘I have put at your disposal ten clean animals. Three are in your domain and seven are not in your domain. I did not trouble you to run about among the mountains to fetch a sacrifice from those that are not in your domain. I only bade you bring from those that are reared by your own crib.’ (This explains the text, Do I not take bullocks out of your house, or he-goats out of your folds? (Ps. L, 9).) This explains, ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you.’ R. Isaac said: It is written, MY FOOD WHICH IS PRESENTED UNTO ME. But is there such a thing as eating and drinking for Him? You can learn the answer by analogy with the ministering angels, of whom it says, His ministers are a flaming fire (Ps. CIV, 4) [i.e. ‘flaming fire Your ministers’ hus, as they do not eat or drink, so it is with God. The expression MY FOOD, etc., then, must bear a figurative meaning.]. Whence do they derive their sustenance? R. Judan, citing R. Isaac, said: From the lustre of the Shekhinah they derive their sustenance; as it says, In the light of the king's countenance is life (Prov. XVI, 15). R. Simeon b. Lakish said: It is written, A continual burnt-offering, which was offered in mount Sinai (Num. XXVIII, 6). If you assume that I [God] eat and drink, you may learn the contrary from Moses See what is written of him: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water (Ex. XXXIV, 28). Now if I ate and drank, he would have done the same. This explains the text, ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you.’

17. R. Hiyya b. Abba said: ‘The things I create,’ [says God], ‘do not require the products I create from them. Have you ever heard that people should say: “Give this vine plenty of wine so that it may yield an abundance of wine?” Or, “Give that olive-tree oil so that it may yield much oil?” If the things I create do not require the products I create from them, shall I require the things I have created?’ R. Jannai said: As a rule if a man passes through a river it is impossible for him not to swallow two or three logs of its water. ‘Yet I,’ [says God], ‘though all the seas and all the waters fill the hollow of My hand, as it is written, Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? (Isa. XL, 12), have written of your log: In the holy place shall you pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the Lord (Num. XXVIII, 7), applying to Myself the expression of "drinking", of "satisfaction" and of "drinking strong drink ".’

18. I have created in this world of Mine a beast which no man can supply with sufficient food. Which is it? Behemoth upon a thousand hills (Ps. L, 10). R. Johanan, R. Simeon b. Lakish, and our Rabbis differ in their interpretation of this. R. Johanan says that it is one beast lying upon a thousand hills and that a thousand hills produce for it all manner of food that it may serve for the righteous/generous in the time to come; as it says, And Sharon will be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the ox to lie down in (Isa. LXV, 10). Our Rabbis say: It is one beast resting on a thousand hills, and every day a thousand hills rear beasts for it and it eats them. What is their reason? Because it says, Surely the mountains bring him forth food, and all the beasts of the field play there (Job XL, 20). Is it possible that there is cattle which eats cattle? R. Tanhuma observed: Great are the works of our God. How manifold are His deeds! Where does it drink from? R. Joshua b. Levi says: All the water that the Jordan carries and pours down in the course of six months, it swallows at one gulp; as may be inferred from the text, Behold, if a river overflow, he trembles not; he is confident that the Jordan will rush forth to his mouth (ib. 23). Our Rabbis, however, say: He swallows at one gulp all that the Jordan pours down in the course of twelve months; as may be inferred from the text, ‘He is confident that the Jordan will rush forth to his mouth.’ But is there in this sufficient even to moisten his mouth? R. Huna in the name of R. Joseph says: There is not sufficient to moisten his mouth. Where then does he get his drink? It was taught: R. Simeon b. Yohai says: A river went out of Eden (Gen. II,10) and its name was Yubal; as it says, That spreads out its roots by Yubal (Jer. XVII, 8) and from this he drinks. It was taught in the name of R. Meir: In the text, But ask now the beasts, and they will teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you (Job XII, 7), ‘Ask now the beasts (behemoth)’ refers to Behemoth, ‘And the fowls of the heaven’ refers to the Ziz of the field (Ps. L, 11). Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you (Job loc. cit.) refers to the Garden of Eden, And the fishes of the sea will declare unto you (ib.) refers to the Leviathan. Who knows not among all these, that the hand of the Lord has wrought this? (ib. 9).

19. You had a certain king (whom you were unable to maintain), namely Solomon, as is proved by the text, And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal; ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl (I Kings V, 2 f.). R. Judah b. Zebidah said: Solomon had a thousand wives and each one prepared for him such a meal every day, each thinking that he would dine with her! Nehemiah the Governor could not stand the expense of his meals, of which it says, Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep, also fowls were prepared for me (Neh. V, 18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘My children! It is not because I eat or drink that I told you to offer sacrifices, but on account of the savor which should remind you that you must be sweet and pleasing (nohin) to Me like a sweet savor (nihoah).’

20. WILL YOU OBSERVE TO OFFER UNTO ME IN ITS DUE SEASON (XXVIII, 2). This bears on what Scripture says: The righteous/generous eats to the satisfaction of his desire (Prov. XIII, 25), a text applicable to Eliezer, who said to Rebekah: Give me to drink, I pray you, a little water (Gen. XXIV, 17); he asked only for as much as can be quaffed at one time. But the belly of the wicked/lawless will lack (Prov. loc. cit.) applies to Esau who said to Jacob: Let me swallow (hale'iteni) I pray you (Gen. XXV, 30). Esau, said R. Isaac b. R. Ze'ira, opened his mouth wide like a camel, saying: ‘I will open my mouth and you will pour in.’ We have learned elsewhere: [On the Sabbath] the camel may not be stuffed nor crammed, but it may have food poured (male'itin) into its mouth. ‘The righteous/generous eats to the satisfaction of his soul’ applies to Ruth the Moabitess, of whom it is written, She did eat and was satisfied, and left over thereof (Ruth II, 14), implying that there was a blessing in the mouth of this righteous/generous woman. ‘But the belly of the wicked/lawless will lack’ applies to the nations of the world. A story is told of a certain heathen who invited all the folk of his town to a party. R. Dostai said: He invited me to that party together with all the folk of his town. His table lacked nothing of all the dainties of the world except crack-nuts. What did He do? He took away from us the board, which was worth as much as six talents of silver, and broke it. I asked him: ‘Why have you done this?’ He answered me: ‘You assert that this world is ours and the next world is yours. If we do not eat now, when will we eat?’ I applied to him the text, ‘But the belly of the wicked/lawless will lack!’

21. AND YOU WILL SAY UNTO THEM: THIS IS THE OFFERING MADE BY FIRE WHICH YOU WILL BRING UNTO THE LORD: HE-LAMBS OF THE FIRST YEAR WITHOUT BLEMISH, TWO (XXVIII, 3). Not both of them at once but, THE ONE LAMB WILL YOU OFFER IN THE MORNING, AND THE OTHER LAMB WILL YOU OFFER AT DUSK (ib. 4). R. Judah b. R. Simon said: There was never a man in Jerusalem to whom iniquity/lawlessness adhered. How do you explain this? The continual offering of the morning atoned for the transgressions of the night, while that of the dusk atoned for transgressions committed during the day. In any case no man who ever lodged in Jerusalem remained in sin: for it says, Righteousness/generosity lodged in her, etc. (Isa. I, 21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: 'In this world you offer before Me shew-bread and sacrifices, but in the World to Come I will prepare for you a great table, and the idolaters will see it and be ashamed’; as it says, You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup runs over (Ps. XXIII, 5). In the same strain it says, Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry; behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty (Isa. LXV, 13).

22. COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY FOOD WHICH IS PRESENTED UNTO ME FOR OFFERINGS MADE BY FIRE (XXVIII, 2). This bears on what Scripture says: The Almighty, we cannot find Him to be excellent in power (Job XXXVII, 23). Yet it also says, Behold, God does loftily in His power; who is a teacher like unto Him? (Job XXXVI, 22). How can these two texts be reconciled? Only thus: When He gives anything to Israel He gives them according to His own means, but when He asks of them, He asks only in proportion to their means. See what is written in this connection: You will make the tabernacle with ten curtains (Ex. XXVI, 1)! Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future prepare for every single righteous/generous man a canopy of clouds of glory; as is borne out by the text, The Lord will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (Isa. IV, 5). What is the use of smoke under a canopy? Whosoever sets fuming and evil eyes upon disciples in this world, his canopy will be filled with smoke in the World to Come. What is the use of fire under a canopy? We are informed by this that the canopy of every righteous/generous man will be scorched by the fire from the canopy of the one who is superior to him. The expression ’shining’ indicates that its brilliance will shine from one end of the world to the other. Accordingly it is written, ‘God does loftily in His power.’ When He made a request from them He only asked for something that was within their power: Thus: And you will command the children of Israel, that they bring unto you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually (Ex. XXVII, 20). But when He gave light to them it was in accordance with His means; as it says, The Lord went before them by day... in a pillar of fire (ib. XIII, 21). In the time to come it will be: Arise, shine, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you (Isa. LX, 1); But upon you the Lord will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon you (ib. 2). And Gentiles will walk at your light, and kings at the brightness of your rising (ib. 3). It is also written, Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold (ib. XXX, 26). This explains the text, ‘Behold, God does loftily in His power.’ When He made a request from them He requested only what was within their means; as you read, The choicest first-fruits of your land you will bring into the house of the Lord (Ex. XXIII, 19). But when He gave them it was in accordance with His means; as it says, By the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, will grow every tree for food, whose leaf will not wither, neither will the fruit thereof fail; to its months it will ripen (Ezek. XLVII, 12). What is the meaning of the expression, ‘To its months it will ripen’? It means that every tree will bring forth new ripe fruit every month, the ripe fruit of one month not being the same as the ripe fruit of the other. When He asked of them He asked only for what was within their means; as it says, And you will take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of goodly trees (Lev. XXIII, 40). But He gave them in accordance with His own means; as it says, I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree (Isa. XLI, 19). Instead of the thorn will come up the cypress (ib. LV, 13).

23. ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU WILL HAVE A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY (XXIX, 35). This bears on what Scripture says: You have increased unto the nation, O Lord (Isa. XXVI, 15). The Community of Israel says to the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Sovereign of the Universe! You did increase prosperity unto the Generation of the Flood. Did they, perchance, offer a single bullock or a single ram? Not only did they not honor You but they even (Said unto God: Depart from us (Job XXI, 14). You did increase prosperity unto the Generation of the Division. Did any of them, perchance, honor You? Not only did they not honor but they even said: Come, let us build us a city (Gen. XI, 4). You did the same to the men of Sodom, to Pharaoh, to Sennacherib, and to Nebuchadnezzar. Did any of them, perchance, offer a single bullock or a single ram? Not only did they not offer anything but they even provoked You to anger. To whom then is it proper to increase prosperity and glory? To Israel; as it says, ‘You have increased unto the nation, O Lord’ and ‘nation’ can only refer to Israel; as is borne out by the text, Who is like Your people like Israel, a nation one in the earth (II Sam. VII, 23). The Community of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Sovereign of the Universe! It is for You to give us the festivals, and for us to offer sacrifices before You in a fitting manner. You are honored (Isa. XXVI, 15). You have given us New Moons and we offer sacrifices unto You; as it says, And in your new moons will present a burnt-offering (Num. XXVIII, 11). We offer sacrifices unto You on Passover. On New Year also we offer sacrifices unto You. On the Day of Atonement we offer You sacrifices. So too on the Tabernacles Festival. We have not neglected even a single season. It is for You,’ says the Community of Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘to add to our festive seasons, and it will be our duty to offer sacrifices unto You and to honor You. You have increased unto the nation; You are honored unto the farthest ends of the earth’ (Isa. XXVI, 15). The Holy One, blessed be He, answered them: ‘By your lives! I will not withdraw any festive days from you but will give to you additional seasons in which you may rejoice; as it says, ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU WILL HAVE A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.

24. ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU WILL HAVE A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY (XXIX, 3 5). This bears on what Scripture says: In return for my love they are my adversaries; but I am all prayer (Ps. CIX, 4). You find that on the Tabernacles Festival Israel offer to Him seventy bullocks as an atonement for the seventy nations. Israel say: 'Sovereign of the worlds! Behold, we offer for them seventy bullocks and they ought to love us, yet they hate us.’ As it says, ‘In return for my love they are my adversaries.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, in consequence, said to them: ‘Now, therefore, offer a sacrifice on your own behalf; ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU WILL HAVE A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.’ YOU WILL PRESENT A BURNT-OFFERING, AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE, OF A SWEET SAVOUR UNTO THE LORD: ONE BULLOCK, ONE RAM (XXIX, 36). This may be compared to the case of a king who made a banquet for seven days and invited all the people in the province during the seven days of the feast. When the seven days of the feast were over he said to his friend: ‘We have already done our duty to all the people of the province, let us now make shift, you and I, with whatever you can find-a pound of meat, or of fish, or vegetables.’ In like manner the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: ‘ON THE EIGHTH DAY YOU WILL HAVE A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY; make shift with whatever you can find; with ONE BULLOCK, ONE RAM!’

25. ON THE EIGHTH DAY (XXIX, 35). What was His reason for reducing the number of sacrifices each day? The Torah teaches you etiquette from the sacrifices. If a man puts up somewhere and is received by a friend, on the first day his host entertains him generously and gives him poultry to eat, on the second he gives him meat, on the third fish, on the fourth vegetables, and so he continually reduces the fare until he gives him pulse. YOU WILL HAVE (ib.). What is the implication of the expression, YOU WILL HAVE? The festive seasons, He says to them, ‘become you.’ A heathen addressed a question to R. Akiba. He said to him: ‘Why do you celebrate festive seasons? Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, say to you: Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hates’ (Isa. I, 14)? Said R. Akiba to him: ‘If He had stated, “My new moons and My appointed seasons My soul hates” you might have spoken as you did. But He only said, “Your new moons and your appointed seasons”! ' That was in reference to those festive seasons which Jeroboam ordained, of which it says, And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah (I Kings XII, 32). And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to offer (ib. 33). Our festive seasons, however, will never be abolished, neither will the New Moons. Why? Because they belong to the Holy One, blessed be He; as it says, These are the appointed seasons of the Lord (Lev. XXIII, 4), and similarly, These are My appointed seasons (ib. 2); so also, Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Lord (ib. 44). Consequently they will never be abolished, and of them it says, They are established for ever and ever, they are done in truth and uprightness (Ps. CXI, 8).

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 new 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.

Ashlamatah: 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?

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: Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 2:4-28 & 4:1-2

2:1. And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

2. Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the LORD: I remember for you the affection of your youth, the love of your espousals; how you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

3. Israel is the LORD'S hallowed portion, His first-fruits of the increase; all that devour him will be held guilty, evil will come upon them, says the LORD. {P}

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 things of nought, and are become nought?

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 have 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/lawlessness will correct you, and your backslidings will 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 are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?

22. For though you wash yourself with lye, and take yourself much soap, yet your iniquity/lawlessness 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 will 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 yourselves? 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. {S}

29. Wherefore will you contend with Me? You all have transgressed against Me, says the LORD.

30. In vain have I smitten your children - they received no correction; your sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31. O generation, see you the word of the LORD: have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say My people: 'We roam at large; we will come no more unto You'?

32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.

33. How trim you your way to seek love! Therefore - even the wicked/lawless women have you taught your ways;

34. Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for all these things

35. You said: 'I am innocent; surely His anger is turned away from me' - behold, I will enter into judgment with you, because you say: 'I have not sinned.'

36. How greatly do you cheapen yourself to change your way? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Asshur.

37. From him also will you go forth, with your hands upon your head; for the LORD has rejected them in whom you did trust, and you will not prosper in them.

3:1. ...saying: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, may he return unto her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; and would you yet return to Me? says the LORD.

2. Lift up your eyes unto the high hills, and see: Where have you not been lain with? By the ways have you sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your harlotries and with your wickedness/lawlessness.

3. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; yet you had a harlot's forehead, you refused to be ashamed.

4. Didst you not just now cry unto Me: 'My father, You are the friend of my youth.

5. Will He bear a grudge forever? Will He keep it to the end?' Behold, you have spoken, but have done evil/lawless things, and have had your way. {P}

6. And the LORD said unto me in the days of Josiah the king: 'Have you seen that which backsliding Israel did? she went up upon every high mountain and under every leafy tree, and there played the harlot.

7. And I said: After she has done all these things, she will return unto me; but she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

8. And I saw, when, forasmuch as backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, that yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot;

9. and it came to pass through the lightness of her harlotry, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks;

10. and yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not returned unto Me with her whole heart, but feignedly, says the LORD - {S}

11. even the LORD said unto me - backsliding Israel has proved herself more righteous/generous than treacherous Judah.

12. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: Return, you backsliding Israel, says the LORD; I will not frown upon you; for I am merciful, says the LORD, I will not bear a grudge forever.

13. Only acknowledge your iniquity/lawlessness, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and has scattered your ways to the strangers under every leafy tree, and you have not hearkened to My voice, says the LORD.

14. Return, O backsliding children, says the LORD; for I am a lord unto you, and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion;

15. and I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16. And it will come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they will say no more: The ark of the covenant of the LORD; neither will it come to mind; neither will they make mention of it; neither will they miss it; neither will it be made any more.

17. At that time they will call Jerusalem The throne of the LORD; and all the Gentiles will be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem; neither will they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil/lawless heart. {S}

18. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.'

19. But I said: 'How would I put you among the sons, and give you a pleasant land, the goodliest heritage of the Gentiles!' And I said: 'You wil call Me, My father; and will not turn away from following Me.'

20 Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, says the LORD.

21. Hark! upon the high hills is heard the suppliant weeping of the children of Israel; for that they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the LORD their God.

22. Return, you backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings. - 'Here we are, we are come unto You; for You are the LORD our God.

23. Truly vain have proved the hills, the uproar on the mountains; truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

24. But the shameful thing has devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day; and we have not hearkened to the voice of the LORD our God.' {S}

4:1. If you will return, O Israel, says the LORD, yes, return unto Me; and if you will put away your detestable things out of My sight, and will not waver;

2. And will swear: 'As the LORD lives' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness/generosity; then will the Gentiles bless themselves by Him, and in Him will they glory.

3. For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up for you a fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

4. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest My fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

5. Declare you in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, and say: 'Blow ye the horn in the land'; cry aloud and say: 'Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.'

6. Set up a standard toward Zion; put yourselves under covert, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

7. A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place; to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.

8. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us. {P}

Colossians 2:16-23

16. Therefore let no one [Gentile] but the body of Messiah pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

17. For these are a shadow of the things yet to come.

18. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

19. and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20. If with Messiah you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to [pagan] regulations--

21. "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"

22. (referring to things that all perish as they are used)--according to human precepts and teachings?

23. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Pirke Abot: I:12

“Shmmai said: Make your Torah study permanent; say little and do much; and receive all men in a friendly fashion.”

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 68-71)

Hillel, in the previous Mishnah, was most emphatic that the Jew's life must be devoted exclusively to the study of Torah; Shammai, his contemporary and colleague in the leadership of the nation, rejects that approach and propounds that although Torah study is important, it is secondary to action. Study is an empty gesture unless it is applied in action. According to Abarbanel, this is the reason why Shammai went out of his way to use the verb "to do" — O’OSEH — when referring to Torah study and did not use the verb LIMUD — to study. The inference is that the performance of the mitzvoth should occupy the attention of the Jew mere than study, notwithstanding the latter's importance. This is also the thrust of “Say little [i.e., minimize contemplation] and do much [devote your main efforts to the performance of the mitzvoth].” Abarbanel interprets “do much” as referring to the mitzvoth between man and God and “receive all men in friendly fashion” as referring to the mitzvoth between man and his fellow.

Abarbanel offers a second interpretation: Hillel rejects both authority and manual labor as the required way of life and ruled that the study of Torah takes preference. Shammai disagreed and offered a third option. Not everyone is sufficiently talented and intellectually endowed to be able to sit and study Torah continually in all its forms. Those who are not so qualified should devote a part of the day to Torah study and the major part to labor for their sustenance. Shammai is counseling that this type of individual should designate a time for Torah but — “do much!” However, does a short study period each day have any value for such a person? Abarbanel is optimistic and encouraging when he opines that even with diminished Torah study the student will get a feeling of how to deal with ethics and morals in his economic pursuits in the market place. He will learn that it is prudent tο deal with all men cheerfully.

At the conclusion of his exposition of this Mishnah, Abarbanel casually mentions an explanation of other commentators. He does not specify who these are, but it can be safely assumed that he was referring to the Rambam. To illustrate the insight of what is meant by, “Say little but do much” and its opposite, Rambam turns to two incidents in the Torah.

Abraham approached Efron and sought to buy a plot of ground from him in order to bury his wife, Sarah. Efron speaks, “The field I give you and the cave therein.” Abraham detects a note of insincerity and answers, “I will give you the price of the field.” Whereupon, Abraham gave Efron 400 shekels of silver which the latter mentioned in the conversation. Efron merely said that he did not want the money — “What are 400 shekels between me and you?” — but when it came to deed he was quick to accept it (Genesis 23:8-17).

The weds of a righteous/generous person are defined by integrity, honesty and discipline. Once again we look to Abraham on the occasion when he saw three men approaching his tent. He addressed them, “I will fetch a morsel of bread and satisfy your hearts.” When Abraham went into action he prepared for his guests a tender calf — a lavish meal. This is the perspective of a man who says little and does a lot; this, according to Rambam, is the Jewish way of doing things.

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Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rashi (R. Shelomo ben Yitzhak, Troyes, France, 1040 -1105): What is the meaning of the word “permanent” in our Mishnah? It implies a constant addiction to the study of Torah. Since, we are urged to occupy ourselves with the Torah day and night, it is illogical to say that “permanent” means to designate fixed times during the day for study.

Rashbatz (Shimon ben Tzemah Duran - Majorca, Spain; Algiers, Tunisia; 1361 – 1444): disagrees with Rashi because the latter's interpretation is not realistic. A person has many more interests in life that have to be attended to. To ask him to dedicate all of his time to Torah study is simply impractical and unattainable. Rashbatz suggests that what Shammai meant by “permanent” is that one should designate an uninterrupted period for Torah study each day.

Another interpretation by Rashbatz: “Make your Torah study permanent” infers that one must have a fixed code of morals. You cannot maintain a double standard of morality, one for me and another for you. Righteousness/generosity must be scrupulously principled.

Rabbenu Yonah (Yonah ben Abraham Gerondi – Barcelona, Spain; 1200 – 1236): cites a thought by the rabbis which is a different version than that of our Mishnah: “He who makes his Torah study his major interest and his daily needs are of minor importance... this man will be accorded a major place in Gan Eden. The opposite is also true” (Abot de-Rabbi Natan 28:9).

Referring to Shammai's counsel, “Receive all men in a friendly fashion,” Rabbenu Yonah is curt but to the point: A person cannot expect society to like him unless he is willing to overlook and accept the faults of others and defer to their individual and singular ways of life.

Rabbi Moshe Alshakar (Spain; Tunis; Patros, Greece; Cairo, Egypt; Jerusalem, Israel – 1466- 1542): To be kind, sympathetic and available to one who asks questions of you, does not infer that if he is not an Adam (a polite person) that you must indulge him.

Midrash Shemuel (Shemuel ben Yitzhak de Uceda – Safed, Israel ; 1540- ?) claims that Shammai in our Mishnah had in mind what a later Mishnah teaches. In Chapter II, Mishnah 12 we are taught that when you pray do not make your prayer a fixed form, which Midrash Shemuel interprets to mean, “Do not be fixed in your calculations that your prayers will certainly be accepted in Heaven.” So it is with the study of Torah. Do not anticipate with unquestioned certitude that your Torah study will get you all the divine beneficence that you desire.

Addressing himself to the second preachment of Shammai, “Say little and do much,” Midrash Shemuel proposes that there are two ways of being charitable. There is the one who makes a vow to donate and then because of his commitment, cannot renege. Another person will donate to charity merely out of the generosity of his heart without vows. Thus, what Shammai meant to say was, “Say little” — Do not make vows to do charitable acts — and do much, without any compelling force.

On the third pronouncement of Shammai, “Receive all men in a friendly fashion,” Midrash Shemuel makes the following impressive observation: Not everyone is blessed with the means to be charitable, but everyone can show a smiling face to his fellow-man. A pat on the back can sometimes be more appreciated than financial assistance.

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What say the Nazarean Hakhamim?

Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Rom 15:7 wherefore receive one another, according as also the Messiah did receive us, to the glory of God.

1Ti 4:12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faithful obedience, in purity.

1Ti 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to strengthening, to teaching.

1Ti 4:14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

1Ti 4:15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

1Ti 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

2Ti 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (i.e. the Torah).

2Ti 2:16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

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Some Questions to Ponder:

Is the Nazarean Codicil in agreement with our Mishnah for this week? Please explain why or why not.

What are we to understand from the command “to make our Torah study permanent”? And for what reasons should we make it “permanent”?

Why should “ALL” men in friendly fashion? Does this “ALL MEN” have limitations? Explain your answer.

Shammai became also “a pain in the neck” to R. Hillel. Last Shabbat we read:

“Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron [who] loved peace and pursued peace, [who] loved all human beings and drew them near to the Torah. He used to say: If a name becomes great, a name is lost; if a man does not increase his knowledge, he decreases it; if a man does not study, he deserves to die; and he who exploits the crown [of the Torah] will pass [away]. He [also] used to say: If I am not for myself, who will be for me, but if I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

What differences can you detect between last Shabbat’s Mishnah of R. Hillel and this week’s Mishnah of R. Shamai?

Why is it critical, particularly for Nazarean Jews, “to say little and do much”? And, should this be made into a canon by which we can discover who is genuine and who is not? Please explain your answer.

Does the phrase: “receive all men in a friendly fashion” also has much to say about hospitaly and what kind and in what manner we are to give hospitality? Please explain your answer.

In the above commentary by the Rambam Abraham is seen as embodying the last two phrases of this Mishnah. Did he also not embody the first one – i.e “Make your Torah study permanent”? Why or why not? Explain your answer.

The Hakham Recommends A Good Book For Your Personal Library:

The Guide of the Perplexed

2 Volume Series

by Maimonides

Translated by: Shlomo Pines

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1963

Written by Moses Maimonidies, the 12th century philosopher, Biblical and Talmudic scholar, and Physician. A classic of great historical importance and a work of living significance today. Its aim is to liberate people from the tormenting perplexities arising from their understanding of the Bible according only to its literal meaning.- Journal of the History of Philosophy

Shalom Shabbat ve Rosh Chodesh Tov!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai