Esnoga Bet Emunah

Esnoga Bet Emunah

227 Millset Chase - San Antonio, Texas 78253

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Reading Cycle
Adar 20, 5767 – March 9/10, 2007	Fifth Year of the Sh’mita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times

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

Friday, March 9, 2007 – Candles at: 6:20 PM Friday, March 9, 2007 – Candles at: 5:54 PM

Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Havdalah 7:14 PM Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Havdalah 6:46 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday March 9, 2007 – Light Candles at 6:22 PM Friday, March 9, 2007 – Candles at: 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Havdalah 7:18 PM Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Havdalah 7:49 PM

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

Next Shabbat: Shabbat HaChodesh (Announcing the New Moon of Nisan = Temple New Year)

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה
“Parah Adumah”	Reader 1 – B’Midbar 19:1-3	Reader 1 – Vayikra 14:33-35
“a red heifer”	Reader 2 – B’Midbar 19:4-6	Reader 2 – Vayikra 14:36-38
“una vaca bermeja”	Reader 3 – B’Midbar 19:7-10	Reader 3 – Vayikra 14:39-41
Numbers 19:1 – 20:13	Reader 4 – B’Midbar 19:11-16
Ashlamatah: Ezekiel 36:16-36	Reader 5 – B’Midbar 19:17-22
	Reader 6 – B’Midbar 20:1-6	Reader 1 – Vayikra 14:33-35
	Reader 7 – B’Midbar 20:7-13	Reader 2 – Vayikra 14:36-38
	Maftir – B’Midbar 20:7-13	Reader 3 – Vayikra 14:39-41
N.C.: Bereans (Hebrews) 9:1-28	Ezekiel 36:16-36

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family, as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat Sarah. For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder.

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Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Numbers 19:1 – 20:13

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
1 ¶ Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon, saying.	1 AND the Lord spoke with Mosheh and Aharon, saying:
2 This is the statute of the Torah which Adonai commanded, saying; speak to B’ne Yisrael that they will take to you a red, perfect cow without a blemish, upon which no yoke was laid.	2 This is the decree, the publication of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying; Speak to the sons of Israel, that they bring to thee from the separation of the fold a red heifer, two years old, in which there is neither spot nor white hair, on which no male has come, nor the burden of any work been imposed, neither hurt by the thong, nor grieved by the goad or prick, nor collar (band) or any like yoke.
3 Give it to Eleazar the kohen; he will take it outside the camp, and someone will slaughter it in his presence.	3 And thou will give her unto Elazar, the chief of the priests, who will lead her alone without the camp, and set round about her a railing (border) of the branches of fig trees; and another priest will slay her with the two signs before him, after the manner of other animals, and examine her by the eighteen kinds of divisions.
4 Eleazar the kohen will take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it directly facing the Tent of Meeting, some of its blood seven times.	4 And Elazar, in his priestly dress, will take of her blood with the finger of his right hand, without (first) containing it in a vessel, and will sprinkle the border of fig branches, and (afterwards) from the midst of a vessel on one side towards the tabernacle of ordinance, with one dipping, seven times (will he sprinkle).
5 Someone will burn the cow in his presence; its skin, flesh, blood, with its waste (that are in its intestines) will be burned.	5 And they will bring her out from the midst of the railing and another priest, while Elazar looks on, will burn the heifer, her skin, flesh, and blood, with her dung will he burn.
6 The kohen will take a piece of cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson wool, and throw them into the burning of the cow.	6 And another priest will take a piece of cedar wood and hyssop, and (wool) whose colour has been changed to scarlet, and throw them into the midst of the burning of the heifer; and he will enlarge the burning, that the ashes may be increased. [JERUSALEM. And throw into the midst of the ashes of the burning heifer.]
7 Then the kohen will wash his garments and bathe his body in water, and afterwards he may enter the camp; [however,] the kohen will be impure until the evening.	7 And the priest who slew the heifer will wash his dress in forty satas of water, and afterwards he may go into the camp; but the priest before his ablution will be unclean until the evening
8 Also, the one who burns it must wash his garments and bathe his body in water; he will remain unclean until the evening.	8 And the priest who was employed in the burning will wash his dress in forty satas of water, and his flesh in forty satas, and before his ablution will be unclean until the evening
9 A ritually clean person will gather the cow's ashes and place [it] outside the camp in a clean place; it will remain a keepsake for the community of B’ne Yisrael for sprinkling water for purification.	9 And a man, a priest who is clean, will gather up the ashes of the heifer in an earthenware receptacle, its opening covered round about with clay; and will divide the ashes into three portions, of which one will be placed within the wall (of Jerusalem), another in the Mount of Olives, and the third portion be in the custody of the Levites; and it will be for the congregation of Israel, for the Water of Sprinkling: it is the heifer (immolated) for the remission of sins.
10 The one who gathers the cow's ashes will wash his garments, and remain unclean until the evening; it will be for B’ne Yisrael and for the proselyte who lives among them an eternal statute.	10 And the priest who gathered up the ashes of the heifer will wash his clothes, and before his ablution be unclean till the evening. And this will be for the cleansing of the children of Israel, a statute for ever.

11 ¶ One who touches the corpse of any [human] soul will become unclean for seven days.	11 Whoever touches the body of a dead man, or of a child of some months old, either his body or his blood, will be unclean seven days.
12 He will cleanse himself with it on the third day and on the seventh day, so that he may become clean; if he does not have himself cleansed on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean.	12 He will sprinkle himself with this water of the ashes on the third day, and on the seventh day he will be clean. But if he sprinkle not himself on the third day, his uncleanness will remain upon him, and he will not be clean on the seventh day.
13 Whoever touches a corpse of a [human] soul, who died and does not have himself cleansed defiles the Mishkan of Adonai (if he enters it), that soul will be cut off from Yisrael; because the sprinkling water was not sprinkled on him, he will be impure his impurity remains.	13 Whoever has touched the body of a dead man, or of a child nine months old, either the body or the blood, and will not sprinkle himself, he has defiled the tabernacle of the Lord, and that man will be cut off from Israel; forasmuch as the water of sprinkling is not sprinkled upon him, he is unclean, his uncleanness is yet on him, until he will sprinkle himself; yet may he sprinkle and make ablution on the seventh evening.
14 This is the law [regarding] a person who dies in a tent; anyone who enters the tent and everything that is in the tent will be unclean for seven days.	14 This is the indication of the law concerning a man when he has died under the outspread tent every one who enters into the tent by the way of the door, but not from its side, when its door is open, (or when one has opened its door,) and whatever is in the tent, its floor, stone, wood, and vessels, will be unclean seven days.
15 Any open utensil that has no cover fastened to it, will be unclean.	15 And every earthen vessel which has no covering fastened upon its mouth, which would have kept it separate from the uncleanness, is defiled by the uncleanness of the air which touches its mouth, and its interior, and not the outside of it (only). [JERUSALEM. And every open vessel which has no covering of stone upon it will be unclean.]
16 Anyone who touches, in an open field, one slain by the sword, a corpse, human bone, or grave, will be unclean for seven days.	16 And whoever will touch not one who has died in his mother's womb, but who has been slain with the sword on the face of the field, or the sword with which he was slain, or the dead man himself, or a bone of his, or the hair, or the bone of a living man which has been separated from him, or a grave, or a shroud, or the bier, will be unclean seven days.
17 They will take for the unclean person of the ashes from the burnt purification-offering and he will place upon them living [spring] water in a vessel.	17 And for him who is unclean, they will take of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, and put spring water upon them in an earthen vessel.
18 He will take hyssop and dip it into the water; [this is done by] a ritually clean person, he will sprinkle it on the tent, on all the utensils and people that were there, and on anyone who touched the bone, murder victim, corpse, or grave.	18 And let a man, a priest, who is clean, take three branches of hyssop bound. together, and dip (them) in the water at the time of receiving the uncleanness, and sprinkle the tent and all its vessels, and the men who are in it, or upon him who has touched the bone of a living man that has been severed from him, and has fallen, or him who has. been slain with the sword, or has died by the plague, or a grave, or a wrapper, or a bier.
19 The ritually clean person will sprinkle upon the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day; he will purify him on the seventh day when he must wash his garments and bathe in water, and then he becomes clean in the evening.	19 And the priest who is clean will sprinkle upon the unclean man on the, third day, and on the seventh day, and will make him clean on the seventh day; and he will sprinkle his clothes, and wash himself with water, and at eventide be clean.
20 A person who became ritually unclean [and enters the Sanctuary] without purifying himself, that soul will be cut off from the community; for he defiled the Sanctuary of Adonai, the sprinkling water was not sprinkled upon him, he remains unclean.	20 But the unclean man who will not be sprinkled, that man will be cut off from among the congregation, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord; the water of sprinkling has not been sprinkled upon him, he is unclean.
21 This will be the statute for all times; one who sprinkles the sprinkling waters will wash his garments, and one who touches the sprinkling waters will remain unclean until the evening.	21 And it will be unto you an everlasting statute. The priest, also, who sprinkles the water of sprinkling will sprinkle his clothes, and he who touches the water of sprinkling will be unclean until evening.
22 Anything which the unclean person touches, will become unclean; and anyone touching him will be ritually unclean until the evening.	22 And whatever the unclean person has touched, though he carry it not, will be unclean; and the clean man who touches him will be unclean till evening.

1 ¶ The entire community of B’ne Yisrael came to the wilderness of Tzin, in the first month. The people settled in Kodesh, and Miriam died and was buried there.	1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel came to the desert of Zin on the tenth day of the month Nisan. And Miriam died there, and was buried there.
2 There was no water for the community, and they assembled against Moshe and Aharon.	2 And as on account of the innocence of Miriam a well had been given, so when she died the well was hidden, and the congregation had no water. And they gathered against Mosheh and Aharon,
3 The people quarreled with Moshe and said, "Would that we had died by our brothers' death before Adonai.	3 and the people contended with Mosheh, and said, Would that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4 Why did you bring the congregation of Adonai into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die there?	4 And why hast thou brought the congregation of the Lord into this desert, that we and our cattle may die here?
5 Why did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this terrible place? It is not a place of seed, figs, grapes, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink"!	5 And why didst thou make us come up out of Mizraim., to bring us to this evil place, a place which is not fit for sowing, or for planting fig trees, or vines, or pomegranates, and where there is no water to drink?
6 Moshe and Aharon moved away from the assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces; the glory of Adonai appeared to them.	6 And Mosheh and Aharon went from the face of the murmuring congregation to the door of the tabernacle of ordinance, and bowed upon their faces, and the Glory of the Lord's Shekinah was revealed to them.
7 Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying.	7 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
8 "Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aharon your brother, and speak to the rock in their presence that it may give forth its water; you will then bring forth for them water from the rock, and give drink [to] the community and their livestock."	8 Take the rod of the miracles, and gather the congregation, thou, and Aharon thy brother, and both of you adjure the rock, by the Great and manifested Name, while they look on, and it will give forth its waters: but if it refuse to bring forth, smite thou it once with the rod that is in thy hand, and thou wilt bring out water for them from the rock, that the congregation and their cattle may drink.
9 Moshe took the staff from before Adonai, as He instructed him.	9 And Mosheh took the rod of the miracles from before the Lord, as he had commanded him.
10 Moshe and Aharon assembled the community before the rock; [Moshe] said to them, "Listen, you rebels! Can we extract water from this rock for you"?	10 And Mosheh and Aharon gathered the congregation together before the rock. And Mosheh said to them, Hear now, rebels: is it possible for us to bring forth water for you from this rock?
11 And Moshe raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice; water rushed out abundantly, and the community and their livestock drank.	11 And Mosheh lifted up [JERUSALEM. And Mosheh lifted up] his hand, and with his rod struck the rock two times: at the first time it dropped blood; but at the second time there came forth a multitude of waters. And the congregation and their cattle drank.
12 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, "Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the presence of B’ne Yisrael; therefore, you will not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them."	12 But the Lord spoke to Mosheh and Aharon with the oath, Because ye have not believed in My Word, to sanctify Me in the sight of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation into the land that I will give them.
13 They are the waters of dispute where B’ne Yisrael contended with Adonai, and He was sanctified through them.	13 These are the Waters of Contention, where the sons of Israel contended before the Lord on account of the well that had been hidden; and He was sanctified in them, in Mosheh and Aharon, when (the waters) were given to them.

Pesiqta deRab Kahana

Midrashic sermons for Shabbat Parah Adumah

Pisqa Four

[Now the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, “This is the statute of the Torah which the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you] a red heifer [without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which a yoke has never come...And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the hejfer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the people of Israel for the water for impurity,for the removal of sin. And he who gathers the ashes of the hefer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening...He who touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days; he shall cleanse hi mself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day and so be clean; but if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day he will not become clean. Whoever touches a dead person...and does not cleanse hi mself defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut offfrom Israel, because the water for impurity was not thrown upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him’ (Num. 19:1-13, pass.).

IV:1

Who can bring forth something clean out of something unclean? Is it not the One? (Job 14:4) [that is, the One God]: for examples [of bringing the clean out of the unclean]: Abraham from Terah, Hezekiah from Ahaz, Mordecai from Shimei, Israel from the nations, the world to come from this world. Who has done so? Who has commanded so? Who has decreed so? Is it not the One, is it not the Unique One of the world?

There we have learned: If a white spot the size of a bean [is on a person’s flesh], he is unclean. But if it flowered throughout the person’s body, he is clean [M. Neg. 8:2]. Who has done so? Who has commanded so? Who has decreed so? Is it not the One, is it not the Unique One of the world?

There we have learned: In the case of a woman whose fetus has died In her womb, If the midwife stuck in her hand and touched it, the midwife Is unclean with an uncleanness that lasts for seven days [by reason of touching the corpse], while the woman remains in a state of cleanness until the offspring comes forth [M. Hul. 4:3]. While the corpse is in the “house,” [that is, the womb, the woman’s body], it is clean, but when it comes forth there from, lo, it is unclean. Who has done so? Who has commanded so? Who has decreed so? Is it not the One, is it not the Unique One of the world?

And we have learned there: All those who are engaged in the work of preparing the ashes of the red cow from beginning to end impart uncleanness to clothing [M. Par. 4:4], while the cow itself effects purification. [Supply:] Who has done so? Who has commanded so? Who has decreed so? Is it not the One, is it not the Unique One of the world?

Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “An ordinance have I ordained, a decree have I made, and you have no right to transgress my decrees: Now the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, This is the stature of the Torah which the Lord has commanded: [Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which a yoke has never come... And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the people of Israel for the water for impurity, for the removal of sin. And he who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening...He who touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days; he shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day and so be clean; but if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day he will not become clean. Whoever touches a dead person.. .and does not cleanse himself defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel, because the water for impurity was not thrown upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him] (Num. 19:1-13, pass.).

IV:II

R. Tanhum b. R. Hanilai opened discourse by citing the following verse of Scripture: “The sayings of the Lord are pure sayings” (Ps. 12:7). The sayings of the Lord are sayings, but the sayings of mortals are not. Under ordinary circumstances, when a mortal king comes into a town and the townsfolk laud him, if their praise pleases him, he says to them: ‘Tomorrow I am going to build public baths and bathhouses for you, tomorrow I am going to bring a water pipe for fresh water for you.’ Then he goes to sleep and does not wake up in the morning. So where is he and where are his sayings? But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather: The Lord God is truth (Jer. 10:10). What is the meaning of truth? Said R. Abin, It means that he is the living God and eternal king (Jer. 10:10).

The sayings of the Lord are pure (Ps. 12:7): R. Yudan in the name of R. Isaac, R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Eleazar, R. Jacob of Kefar Hanin in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: We find that Scripture rearranged two or three words as a circumlocution in the Torah so as not to bring an unseemly word out of God’s mouth. That is in line with the following verse of Scripture: Of every clean beast you will take for yourself seven, male and female, and from every beast that is not clean (Gen. 7:2). ‘And from every unclean beast’ is not what is written here, but rather, Of every beast that is not clean, two, male and female (Gen. 7:2). Said R. Yudan b. R. Manasseh, Even when Scripture came to introduce the marks of unclean beasts, Scripture commenced only with the marks of clean beasts, as in the following cases: ‘The camel, because it does not part the hoof’ is not what is written here, but rather, Because it chews the cud but does not...(Lev. 11:4). ‘The rock badger, because it does not part the hoof’ is not what is written here, but rather, Because it chews the cud but does not… (Lev. 11:5). ‘The hare, because it does not part the hoof,’ is not what is written here, but rather Because it chews the cud but does not... (Lev. 11:6). ‘The pig, because it does not chew the cud’ is not what is written here, but rather, Because it chews the cud but does not… (Lev. 11:7).”

R. Yose of Malehayya and R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi: Children in David’s time, before they had tasted the taste of sin [reaching sexual maturity] were able to expound the Torah in forty-nine different ways to reach a decision on uncleanness and in forty-nine different ways to reach a decision on cleanness. And David prayed for them: You O Lord protect them (Ps. 122:7). Preserve their learning in their heart. Protect them forever from this generation (Ps. 12:7). From the generation that deserves destruction.

And after all this praise [for their achievements, and David’s prayer for them], that generation of disciples went out to war and fell. It was because there were renegades among them. That is in line with what David says, My soul is in the midst of lions, I lie down among them that are aflame, sons of men whose teeth are spearsand arrows, their tongues sharp swords (Ps. 57:4). My soul is in the midst of lions refers to Abner and Amasa, who were lions in the Torah. I lie down among them that are aflame refers to Doeg and Ahitophel, who were burning up with gossip. Sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows refers to the men of Keilah: Will the men of Keilah hand me over (1 Sam. 32:11). Their tongues are sharp swords refers to the Ziphites: When the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Does David not hide himself with us (1 Sam. 23:19). At that moment said David, “Now what is the presence of God doing in the world? Be exalted, O God, above the heavens (Ps. 57:5). Remove your Presence from their midst! But the generation of Ahab, even though it was made up of idolaters, because there were no renegades among them, would go out to war and won.

That is in line with what Obadiah said to Elijah: Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? (1 Kgs. 18:13). If bread, why water? this teaches that it was harder to bring water than bread. Elijah announced on Mount Carmel, saying, And I alone remain as a prophet to the Lord (1 Kgs. 18:23). Now the entire people knew full well [that there are other prophets who had survived] but they did not reveal it to the king.

Said R. Samuel bar Nahman, They said to the snake, ‘On what account are you commonly found among fences?’ He said to them, ‘Because I broke down the fence of the world [causing man to sin]. ‘On what account do you go along with your tongue on the ground?’ He said to them, ‘Because my tongue made it happen to me.’ They said to him, ‘Now what pleasure do you have form it all? A lion tramples but also devours the prey, a wolf tears but also devours, while you bite and kill but do not devour what you kill.’ He said to them, ‘Does the snake bite without a charm’ (Eccl. 10:11)? ‘Is it possible that I do anything that was not commanded to me from on high?’ ‘And on what account do you bite a single limb, while all the limbs feel it?’ He said to them, ‘Now are you saying that to me? Speak to the slanderer, who says something here and kills his victim in Rome, says something in Rome and kills his victim at the other end of the world.’

And why is the slanderer called “the third party”? Because he kills three: the one who speaks slander, the one who receives it, and the one about whom it is said. But in the time of Saul, slander killed four: Doeg, who said it, Saul, who received it, Abimelech, about whom it was said, and Abner. And why was Abner killed? R. Joshua b. Levi said, Because he made a joke out of the shedding of the blood of young men. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: And Abner said to Joab, let the young men get up and play before us (I Sam. 2:14). R. Simeon b. Laqish said, Because he put his name before David’s name. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: And Abner sent messengers to David right away, saying, Whose is the land (1 Sam. 3:12). He wrote, ‘From Abner to David.’

Rabbis say, It was because he did not wait for Saul to become reconciled with David. That is in line with the following verse of Scripture: Moreover, my father, see, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand (1 Sam. 24:112). Abner said to him, ‘What do you want of this man’s boasting! The cloth was caught in a thorn-bush.’ When they came within the barricade, he said to him, ‘Will you not answer, Abner’ (1 Sam. 26:14). And there are those who say, It was because he had had the power to protest against Saul in regard to Nob, the city of priests, and he did not do so.

R. Hanan bar Pazzi interpreted the cited verse [The sayings of the Lord are pure sayings (Ps. 12:7)] to apply to the pericope of the Red Cow, which contains seven times seven [references to matters of purification, thus:] seven times is the red cow mentioned, seven times the burning, seven times the sprinkling, seven times the laundering of garments, seven times the matter of uncleanness, seven times the matter of cleanness, seven times the matter of priests. And if someone should say to you that in fact they are lacking [in not mentioning the priests seven times,] say to him, “Moses and Aaron count.” Now the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, ‘This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded (Num. 19:1-13, pass.).

IV:IIII

R. Isaac opened discourse by citing this verse: All this have I proved in wisdom; I say, Would I could get wisdom, yet it is far from me (Eccl. 7:29). It is written, God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding in large measure...even as the sand that is on the seashore (1 Kgs. 5:9).” R. Levi and rabbis: Rabbis say, He gave him as much wisdom as all the rest of Israel had put together. Said R. Levi, Just as the sand serves as the fence for the sea, so wisdom served as the fence for Solomon. A proverb says, If you have acquired knowledge, what do you lack, if you lack knowledge, what do you have? Such a one is a city that is breached and without a wall, Like a city broken down and without a wall, so is he whose spirit is without restraint (Prov. 25:28).

It is written, Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east (1 Kgs. 5:10). What constituted the wisdom of the children of the east? For they were well informed about the stars and clever at (Braude & Kapstein, p. 65:] ornithomancy.

Said Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel, ‘On three counts I admire the children of the east: because they do not put a kiss on the mouth but on the hand, because they do not bite at a piece of bread but cut it with a knife, because they take counsel only in a broad place [where none can overhear], as it is said concerning our father, Jacob, And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock (Gen. 3 1:4), a broad place.

Solomon’s wisdom excelled all the wisdom of Egypt (1 Kgs. 5:10): What constituted the wisdom of Egypt? You find that when Solomon planned to build the house of the sanctuary, he sent to Pharaoh Neccho, saying to him, “Send me craftsmen, for a salary. For I am planning to build the house of the sanctuary.” What did he do? He gathered all the astrologers of his court, who looked into the matter and picked out those men who were going to die in that year, and those he sent to him [collecting their wage for work not in fact carried out]. And when they came to Solomon, he looked into the matter through the Holy Spirit, realizing that they were going to die in that year, and he gave them shrouds and sent them back to him. He sent and wrote to him, saying to him, “Did you not have enough shrouds in Egypt to bury your dead? Here are they, here are their shrouds.”

He was wiser than all man (1 Kgs. 5:11): [Since the verse uses for man the word Adam, we conclude that] this refers to the first Man. And what constituted the wisdom of the first Man? You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, planned to create the first Man, he took counsel with the ministering angels, saying to them, “Shall we make man” (Gen. 1:26). They said to him, Lord of the ages, what is man that you remember him, and the son of man that you think of him (Ps. 8:5). He said to them, This man whom I am planning to create in my world has wisdom greater than yours. What did he do? He collected all the domesticated beasts and the wild beasts and fowl and brought them before them and said to them, What are the names of these? But they did not know. When he created the first Man, he collected all the domesticated beasts and the wild beasts and fowl and brought them to him and said to him, What are the names of these? He said, This one it is proper to call, ‘horse,’ and that one it is proper to call, ‘lion,’ and that one it is proper to call, ‘camel,’ and that one it is proper to call, ‘ox,’ and that one it is proper to call, ‘eagle,’ and that one it is proper to call, ‘ass.’ That is in line with this verse: And Man assigned names to all domesticated beasts and wild beasts and fowl (Gen. 2:20). He said to him, And as to you, what is your name? He said to Him, ‘Man.’ He said to him, ‘Why?’ He said to Him, ‘Because I have been created from the earth [adam, adamah, respectively].’ He said to him: And what is “My name? He said to Him, ‘The Lord,’ R. He said to him, ‘Why?’ He said to Him, ‘For you are the Lord over all those things that you have created.’

Said R. Aha, Said the Holy One, blessed be He, I am the Lord, that is My name (Is. 42:8). That is the name that the first Man gave to Me, that is the name for which I stipulated to Myself, that is the name for which I stipulated with the ministering angels.

[Solomon was wiser than] Ethan the Ezrahite (and Heman and Calcol and Darda the sons of Mahol] (1 Kgs. 5:11): Ethan is the same as our father, Abraham, as it is written, A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps. 89:1). Heman [trustworthy] is the same as Moses, Not so is my servant Moses, he is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7). Calcol [the provider] is the same as Joseph, And Joseph provided for his father (Gen. 47:12). The Egyptians said, Is it not so that this slave has become king over us merely because of his wisdom? What did they do? They took seventy slips and wrote on them words in seventy languages and threw them before him, and he would read each one in its original language. And not only so, but he also spoke Hebrew, which they could not understand. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: A testimony of Joseph, that is his name, when he went forth to rule Egypt. I understand what is written (Ps. 81:6). Darda is the same as the generation of the wilderness. Why does he call that generation Darda? Because they were all filled with knowledge (deah). The sons of Mahol: these are the Israelites, sons whom the Presence of God forgave on account of the sin of the making of the calf.

He uttered three thousand proverbs, [and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He discoursed of trees, from the cedar of Lebanon down to the marjoram that grows out of the wall, of beasts and birds, of reptiles and fishes. Men of all races came to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom he received gifts] (1 Kgs. 4:32-34): Said R. Samuel bar Nahman, “We have reviewed the whole of Scripture and have found that Solomon prophesied only about eight hundred verses, and yet you say, He uttered three thousand proverbs? This teaches that each and every verse of Scripture that he prophesied contains two or three reasons, in line with this verse: As an earring of gold and also as an ornament of gold, so is the wise reprover (Prov. 25:12). And rabbis say, “There were three thousand parables for each verse, a thousand and five reasons for each parable. What is written is not, ‘And the song of Solomon,’ but rather, ‘And its application’ [yielding a thousand and five reasons behind each of the parables].

[He uttered three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.] He discoursed on trees, [from the cedar of Lebanon down to the marjoram that grows out of the wall, of beasts and birds, of reptiles and fishes. Men of all races came to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom he received gifts] (1 Kgs. 4:32-34): Is it possible for a person to speak on trees [from the cedar of Lebanon down to the marjoram that grows out of the wall]? [The point is that he derived lessons from trees, for example,] Solomon said, “On what account is one afflicted with the skin-disease [described at Leviticus 13-14] purified by the use of a branch from the highest of the high and the lowest of the low [that is, cedar and hyssop, respectively]? It is to indicate that just as this man has raised himself up like a cedar and so has been smitten by the cedar [with the skin-ailment] and now has humbled himself like the hyssop, let him be healed by the hyssop.

… of beasts and birds, of reptiles and fishes: Now is it possible for a person to speak on domesticated beasts and fowl? Said Solomon, “On what account is a beast permitted [for Israelite use] only if it is properly slaughtered as to two indicators of fitness [both the windpipe and the gullet having to be properly cut], while, in the case of fowl, only a single such indicator is required [either the windpipe or the gullet has to be properly cut]? But as to the domesticated beast, it was created from dry land, while in the case of the fowl, one verse of Scripture indicates that it was from dry land, and another, from the sea. One verse of Scripture indicates that it was from dry land: And the Lord God created from the earth all beasts of the field (Gen. 2:19). Another verse of Scripture indicates that it was from the sea: And God said, Let the waters swarm (Gen. 1:20).

Bar Qappara says, “Fowl were created from sea mud.” R. Abun in the name of Samuel of Cappodocia: “Nonetheless, the feet of the chicken are like [Braude and Kapstein, p. 69:] the scale-covered skin of fish [and so fowl are considered fish-like].

… of reptiles and fishes: Now is it possible for a person to speak on reptiles and fishes? Said Solomon, “On what account is it the rule that as to the eight creeping things that are listed in the Torah, one who hunts them and does injury to them is liable [to compensate the owner for his loss], but as to all other abominated things and creeping things, one who does injury to them is exempt from liability? Because the former have valuable hides.

… and fishes: Now is it possible for a person to speak on fishes? Said Solomon, Why is it the rule that domesticated cattle, wild beasts, and fowl, all have to be subjected to a proper act of slaughter, while fish do not have to be properly slaughtered [but may be eaten even if they expire on their own]?” [This question is answered in the pericope that follows.]

Jacob of Kefar Naborayya gave a ruling in Tyre that fish require an act of proper slaughter. R. Haggai heard and sent and had him brought before him. He said to him, Where did you learn this rule? He said to him, From that which is written: And God said, Let the waters swarm with living things, the wild beast and fowl (Gen. 1:20). Just as fowl requires an act of slaughter, so fish should be subjected to slaughter. He said, Bend over, to receive your beating [for presenting an improper ruling]. He said to him, Is someone who has given a teaching of the Torah going to be flogged? He said to him, The verse of the Torah is inappropriate. [You did not give a valid ruling.] He said to him, And which one is appropriate? He said to him, This verse of Scripture: Shall the flocks and the herds be slaughtered for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered for them? (Num. 11:22). What is written is not, ‘Shall all the fish of the sea be slaughtered for them,’ but, shall all the fish of the sea be gathered for them? He said to him, Administer your strokes, for it is an appropriate flogging.

Jacob of Kefar Naborayya gave a ruling in Tyre that the son of a gentile woman may be circumcised on the Sabbath [as though he were an Israelite, on account of whom one sets aside the prohibitions of the Sabbath in order to effect the circumcision]. R. Haggai heard and sent and had him brought before him. He said to him, Where did you learn this rule? He said to him, From that which is written: They declared their pedigrees after their families, by their fathers’ household [so the child of a Jewish man and a gentile woman is valid as an Israelite, since he is given the status of the father, not the mother] (Num. 1:18). And it is written, On the eighth day will every male be circumcised (Gen. 17:12). He said, Bend over, to receive your beating [for presenting an improper ruling]. He said to him, Is someone who has given a teaching of the Torah going to be flogged? He said to him, The verse of the Torah is inappropriate. [You did not give a valid ruling.] He said to him, And which one is appropriate? He said, First bend over, then listen. He said to him, If a gentile should come to you and say to you, ‘I want to be made into a Jew, on condition that I be circumcised on the Sabbath day or on the Day of Atonement,’ will they profane those days on his account? He said to him, No, they do not profane those days on his account, but only on account of the son of an Israelite. He said to him, And what verse of Scripture applies? Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them according to the counsel of the Lord (Ezra 10:3) [so the children are in the status of the mother, therefore gentile]. He said to him, Are you going to administer a flogging to me because of what is taught [not in the Torah but in a book in the category of mere] tradition? He said to him, It is written in that same passage, And it is treated like the Torah (Ezra 10:3). He said to him, In accord with which [passage of] the Torah? He said to him, It is in line with this teaching of R,. Yohanan in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai: Neither shall you make marriages with them, your daughter you shall not give to his son (Deut. 7:3). Why so? For he will turn away your son from following Me (Deut. 7:4). ‘Your son’ born of a Israelite woman is called your son, but ‘your son’ born of a gentile woman is not called your son. He said to him, Administer your strokes, for it is an appropriate flogging.

Said Solomon, “I have fully grasped all of these other matters, but as to the passage about the Red Cow, when I came to it, I investigated it and studied it, but I say, ‘Would I could get wisdom,’ yet it is far from me (Eccl. 7:29).”

IV:IV

Who is wise enough for all this? Who knows the meaning of anything? Wisdom lights up a man’s face, [and the strength of his face is changed] (Eccl. 8:1): Who is wise enough for all this: this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding he established the heavens (Prov. 3:19). Who knows the meaning of anything: for he explained the meaning of the Torah to Israel.

Wisdom lights up a man’s face: Said R. Yudan, Great is the power of the prophets, who compare the likeness of the Almighty above to the likeness of man. [For example:] And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai (Dan. 8:16). Said R. Judah b. R. Simon, [To prove that point] there are still better verses of Scripture than that one: And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness of the appearance of a man (Ez. 1:26). And the strength of his face is changed (Eccl. 8:1), for it is changed on account of Israel from that of the attribute of strict justice to that of the attribute of mercy.

Another comment on the verse: Who is wise enough for all this? [Who knows the meaning of anything? Wisdom lights up a man’s face, and the strength of his face is changed] (Eccl. 8:1): Who is wise enough for all this: this speaks of the first Man. For it is written, You seal most accurate, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty (Ez. 28:12). And who knows the meaning of anything: for he explained the names of every creature: And Man assigned names (Gen. 2:20). Wisdom lights up a man’s face: R. Levi in the name of R. Simeon b. Menassia: The round part of the first Man’s heal outshone the orb of the sun. And do not find that fact surprising, for in ordinary practice a person makes for himself two salvers, one for himself and one for a member of his household. Which of the two is the finer? Is it not his own? So the first Man was created for the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, while the orb of the sun was created only for the service of the created world. Is it not an argument a fortiori that the round part of the first Man’s heal outshone the orb of the sun. And the countenance of his face all the more so!

R. Levi in the name of R. Hamah bar Hanina: Thirteen marriage canopies did the Holy One, blessed be He, weave for him in the Garden of Eden. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: You were in Eden, the Garden of God, every kind of precious stone was your covering: the carnelian, the topaz, and the emerald, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the carbuncle, and the smaragd, and gold (Ez. 28:13). R. Simeon b. Laqish says, There were eleven. Rabbis say, There were ten. But there is no dispute among them. One who maintains that there were thirteen treats each precious stone, every kind, and was your covering to encompass three more. The one who maintains that there were eleven counts the phrase, every kind of precious stone, to indicate there was one more. And the one who counts ten treats every precious stone as a general clause.

Now despite all of this glory: For you are dust and to dust you return (Gen. 3:19). ... and the strength of his face is changed: When he said to him, The woman whom you gave me... (Gen. 3:12), then the Holy One, blessed be He, changed his face and drove him out of the Garden of Eden. For it is written, You change his face and send him away (Job 14:20). And Scripture states, The Lord God sent him away from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:23).

Another comment on the verse: Who is wise enough for all this? [Who knows the meaning of anything? Wisdom lights up a man’s face, and the strength of his face is changed] (Eccl. 8:1): Who is wise enough for all this: this speaks of Israel, concerning whom it is written, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people (Deut. 4:6). And who knows the meaning of anything: for they know how to explain the Torah in forty-nine ways to reach a ruling for uncleanness, and in forty-nine ways to reach a conclusion in favor of cleanness. Wisdom lights up a man’s face: R. Zakkai of Sheab in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, You find that, when the Israelites stood at Mount Sinai and said, All which the Lord has spoken we shall do and hear (Ex. 24:7), he imparted to them part of the splendor of the Presence of God above. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: And your renown went forth among the nations for your beauty, for it was perfect, through My splendor which I placed on you (Ez. 16:14). But when they made the statement to that thing: This is your god, O Israel (Ex. 32:4,) they turned into the enemies of the Holy One, blessed be He. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: ... and the strength of his face is changed. The letters for the word changed may be read hated. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, changed [his plans] for them: Therefore like man you will die, and like one of the princes you will fall (Ps. 82:7).

Another comment on the verse: Who is wise enough for all this? [Who knows the meaning of anything? Wisdom lights up a man’s face, And the strength of his face is changed] (Eccl. 8:1): Who is wise enough for all this: this speaks of a disciple of sages. And who knows the meaning of anything: when he knows how to explain the Mishnah-passage that is his. Wisdom lights up a man’s face: when he receives a question and answers it properly. ... and the strength of his face is changed: when he receives a question and cannot answer it correctly.

Rabbi was in session and teaching, How do we know that one cannot effect a valid exchange of one beast for another in the case of a firstling [so that if one says, ‘This beast is in the place of that beast,’ the first beast, of which he made the statement, is unaffected and does not enter the status of the firstling]? Bar Pedaiah’s face lit up. [Rabbi said,] This one knows the sense of that which I am here in session and teaching.

A gentile saw that the face of R. Judah bar Ilai was shining and said, As to this man, one of the following three rules applies to him: Either he is lending at usurious interest, or he’s raising pigs, or he has drunk wine. R. Judah bar Ilai heard the statement and said, May that man’s wind burst, for none of those categories applies to me. I assuredly do not lend at usurious interest, for it is written, You shall not lend interest to your brother, interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest (Deut. 23:20). I certainly do not raise pigs, for it is forbidden for any Israelite to raise pigs, for we have learned in the Mishnah: An Israelite may not raise pigs anywhere (M. Baba Qamma 7:7). And I do not drink wine, for merely on account of the four cups of wine which I drink on the night of Passover, I have to hold my head from Passover to Pentecost. (R. Mana has to hold his head on that same account from Passover to Tabernacles.) He said to him, Then why is your face glowing? He said to him, It is the Torah that illuminates me. For it is written, Wisdom lights up a man’s face.

R. Abbahu went to Caesarea and he came from there with his face glowing. His disciples saw him. They went and told R. Yohanan, Lo, R. Abbahu has found a treasure. He said to them, Why so? They said to him, Because his face is glowing. He said to them, Perhaps he has learned a new teaching of the Torah. He went to him. He said to him, What new teaching of the Torah have you learned? He said to him, An ancient passage of the Tosefta has been stated. He recited in his regard: Wisdom lights up a man’s face.

Another comment on the verse: Who is wise enough for all this? [Who knows the meaning of anything? Wisdom lights up a man’s face, And the strength of his face is changed] (Eccl. 8:1): Who is wise enough for all this: this speaks of Moses, concerning whom it is written, A wise man scales the city of the mighty [and brings down the strength [that is, the Torah] wherein it trusts] (Prov. 21:22). And who knows the meaning of anything: for he explained the Torah to Israel. Wisdom lights up a man’s face: R. Mani of Sheab, R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi: Concerning each item that the Holy One, blessed be He, discussed with Moses, He told him about how it becomes unclean and how it may be made clean. When He reached the passage, Speak to the priests (Lev. 21:1), he said to Him, ‘Lord of the ages, If a priest should become unclean, how will he be made clean?’ But He did not reply to him. At that moment our lord Moses’s face grew dark, in line with this verse: and the strength of his face is changed. But when he reached the passage concerning the red cow, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘Moses, as to that statement that I made to you, Speak to the priests (Lev. 21:1), on which occasion you said to Me, ‘Lord of the ages, If a priest should become unclean, how will he be made clean?’ and I gave you no answer — this is the means by which he will be made clean: For such uncleanness they shall take some of the ash from the burnt mass of the sin offering and add fresh water to it in a utensil (Num. 19:17). And what then is that answer [that God gave to Moses]? That is the ordinance of the Torah (Num. 19:2).

IV:V

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call on his name, [called to the Lord and he answered. He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they followed his teaching and kept the statute that he gave them] (Ps. 99:6-7): R. Yudan in the name of R. Joseph bar Judah, R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Joshua b. Qorhah: During all those forty years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness, Moses did not refrain from serving in the high priesthood. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call on his name. R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Simeon derived the same fact from this verse: And the sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses, and Aaron was separated, that he should be sanctified as most holy (1 Chr. 23:13). What follows immediately afterward? And Moses, man of God. But his sons were assigned to the tribe of Levi (1 Chr. 23:14).

Said R. Eleazar bar Joseph, It is quite clear to us that in the wilderness Moses served in the white garments. Said R. Tanhum bar Yudan, and it has been taught on Tannaite authority, All the seven days of dedication [of the tabernacle] Moses served in the high priesthood, and the Presence of God did not come to rest on his account. When Aaron came and served in the high priesthood, however, the Presence of God came to rest on his account. That is in line with this verse: For on this day the Lord has appeared to you (Lev. 9:4).”

... called to the Lord and he answered: this one called and was answered, and that one called and was answered. He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud: We find in the case of Moses that he spoke with Him in a cloud, for it is written, And the Lord came down in a cloud and stood (Ex. 34:5). And the Lord came down in a cloud and spoke (Num. 11:25). In the case of Aaron He spoke with him in a pillar of cloud: And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the tent of meeting and called Aaron (Num. 12:5). But in the case of Samuel, we have found no such case. And where have we heard of such an instance? And they answered them and said, he is, behold he is before you (1 Sam. 9:12). R. Yudan in the name of R. Man bar Jacob: The women said to them, ‘Do you not see the cloud that is affixed above his courtyard? This is only the cloud, concerning which it is written, And so it was when the cloud was upon the tabernacle (Num. 9:20).

... they followed his teaching and kept the statute that he gave them: We have heard in the case of Moses that the Torah was written in his name: Remember the Torah of Moses, my servant (Malachi 3:22). And we have heard the same in the case of Samuel, that a book was written for him, as it is written, And he wrote in a book and laid it before the Lord (1 Sam. 10:25). But in the case of Aaron, we have found no such matter. This teaches that a particular passage was given to him, that it not depart from him or his sons or his sons’ sons forever for all generations, and what is that? It is the passage beginning: This is the statute of the Torah (Num. 19:2).

IV:VI

R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi: There are four matters concerning which the impulse to do evil brings doubts, and in the case of all of them, the word statute occurs. These are they: the rules governing the prohibition of marrying a brother’s wife, the prohibition of mixed species, the rule governing the goat that is sent forth [on the Day of Atonement] and the rule governing the red cow. As to the matter of the brother’s wife: You will not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife (Lev. 18:16). But it is also written, Her levir will have sexual relations [and take her as his wife] (Deut. 25:5). When the brother is alive, she is forbidden, but when he dies without children, she is permitted to him, and in that case the word statute occurs: You will guard my statutes and my judgments, which one will do and live (Lev. 18:5). As to the matter of mixed species: You will not wear mixed species [wool and linen together] (Deut. 22:11), but the case of a woolen cloak bearing linen show-fringes is one in which it is permitted to do just that. And in that case too the word statute occurs: You will keep my statutes (Lev. 19:19). As to the matter of the goat that is sent away: The one who sends the goat to Azazel shall wash his clothes (Lev. 16:26). The goat itself effects atonement for others [yet imparts uncleanness]. And in that regard, the word statute occurs: And you shall have this rule as an eternal statute (Lev. 16:29).And as to the red cow: there we have learned in the Mishnah, All those who are occupied with the work of burning the red cow from beginning to end impart uncleanness to clothing. The cow’s ashes themselves effect purification for the unclean [and yet those who burn the cow are unclean]. And the word statute occurs in context: This is the statute of the Torah (Num. 19:23).”

IV: VII

... Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer [without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which a yoke has never come]: Lulianus bar Tiberias in the name of R. Isaac: “[Braude & Kapstein, p. 79, citing E. E. Urbach:] You initiate the rite.

R. Azariah said in the name of R. Isaac, and R. Yose bar Hanina: Said to him the Holy One, blessed be He, Moses, to you I am revealing the duties of burning the red cow, but to others they will stand as a statute [lacking all explanation]. For R. Huna said, At the set time which I appoint, I will judge with equity (Ps. 75:2). And it shall come to pass in that day that there shall be not light but heavy clouds and thick ones (Zech. 14:6). The word for thick ones is written so as to be read [Braude and Kapstein, p. 79:], perspicuous thus matters which are hidden from you in this world are destined to be as clear as crystal to you. That is in line with this verse of Scripture: I will bring the blind in a way that they have not known. I will make darkness light before them...These things I have done (Is. 42:16). What is written is not, ‘These things I shall do,’ but, These things I have done, and I shall not abandon them (Is. 42:16). I have already done them for Rabbi Aqiba and his colleagues [explaining to him secrets of the Torah]. For R. Aha said, Matters which were not revealed to Moses at Sinai were revealed to R. Aqiba and his colleagues. And his eye sees every precious thing (Job 28:10) — this is R. Aqiba.

[...Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer:] Said R. Yose bar Hanina, [In saying, bring you,] he gave an indication that all the red cows will ultimately be null, but yours will endure. R. Aha in the name of R. Yose bar Haninah: When Moses went up to the highest heaven, he heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, in session and engaged in teaching the passage of the red cow, saying a law in the name of the authority who laid it down: R. Eliezer says, A heifer whose neck is broken is to be a year old and a red cow, two years old [M. Par. 1:1]. Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Lord of the ages, All beings above and below are in your dominion, and yet you go into session and teach a law in the name of the authority who laid it down!’ Said to him the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Moses, a righteous/generous man is destined to arise in my world and destined to open discourse with the passage on the red cow: R. Eliezer says, A heifer whose neck is broken is to be a year old and a red cow, two years old [M. Par. 1:1].’ He said before Him, ‘Lord of the ages, may it please You that such a one come from my loins.’ He said to him, ‘By your life, he will come from your loins.’ That is in line with this verse of Scripture: And the name of one of them was Eliezer (Ex. 18:4). And the name of that distinguished figure was Eliezer.

There we have learned in the Mishnah: Abba Saul says, As to the ramp for the cow [to be brought to the altar,] the high priests made it out of their own funds. One of them would not bring out the red cow that he was going to prepare on the ramp belonging to his fellow. But he would destroy the old one and go and build a new one out of his own resources [M. Sheq. 4:2]. R. Aha in the name of R. Hanina: He would spend more than sixty talents of gold. And lo, it has been taught on Tannaite authority: Simeon the Righteous/Generous prepared two red cows, and it was not on the ramp that he brought out the first of the two that he brought out the second [cf. M. Sheq. 4:3]. Can you say of that righteous/generous man that he was so wasteful? R. Abun in the name of R. Eleazar: It was on account of the meticulous rules applying to the red cow [that he did so].

A gentile asked Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, saying to him, These rites that you carry out look like witchcraft. You bring a cow and slaughter it, burn it, crush the remains, take the dust, and if one of you contracts corpse uncleanness, you sprinkle on him two or three times and say to him, ‘You are clean.’ He said to him, Has a wandering spirit never entered you? He said to him, No. He said to him, And have you ever seen someone into whom a wandering spirit entered? He said to him, Yes. He said to him, And what do you do? He said to him, People bring roots and smoke them under him and sprinkle water on the spirit and it flees. He said to him, And should your ears not hear what your mouth speaks? So this spirit is the spirit of uncleanness, as it is written, I will cause prophets as well as the spirit of uncleanness to flee from the land (Zech. 13:2). After the man had gone his way, his disciples said to him, My lord, this one you have pushed off with a mere reed. To us what will you reply? He said to them, By your lives! It is not the corpse that imparts uncleanness nor the water that effects cleanness. But it is a decree of the Holy One, blessed be He. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, A statute have I enacted, a decree have I made, and you are not at liberty to transgress my decree: This is the statute of the Torah (Num. 19:1).

IV:VIII

On what account are the animals used for all other offerings to be males, while, in this case, the animal is a female? B. Said R. Aibu, The matter may be compared to the case of a slave girl’s son who took a crap in the royal palace. Said the king, Let his mother come and wipe up the shit that her nursling made. So said the Holy One, blessed be He, Let the red cow come and effect atonement for the sin of making the golden calf.

IV:IX

a heifer: this refers to Egypt: Egypt is a very fair heifer (Jer. 46:20). ... red: this refers to Babylonia: You are the head of gold (Dan. 2:38). ... without defect: this refers to Media. Said R. Hiyya bar Abba, The kings of Media were without fault. The sole complaint that the Holy One, blessed be He, has against them is idolatry, which, in any case, they inherited from their ancestors. in which there is no blemish: this refers to Greece. When Alexander of Macedonia saw Simeon the Righteous/Generous, he stood on his feet and said, “Blessed be the God of Simeon the Righteous/Generous.” His courtiers said to him, Are you standing up before a Jew? He said to them, When I go into battle, I see his face and conquer. ... and upon which a yoke has never come: this refers to the wicked Edom, which did not accept upon itself the yoke of the Holy One, blessed be He. And it was not sufficient for Edom that it did not accept upon itself the yoke, but it also blasphemed and cursed and said, Whom do I have in heaven (Ps. 73:25).

You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, [and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered to the east of it. Eleazar the priest shall take some of the blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of the Presence. The cow shall be burnt in his sight, skin, flesh and blood, together with the offal. The priest shall then take cedar- wood, marjoram, and scarlet thread and throw them into the heart of the fire in which the cow is burning] (Num. 19:3-6). Eleazar: [the name means] “God, who is a priest, helps.” ... and it shall be taken outside the camp: for [God] is going to push [Edom’s] priest outside of the pale [of his encampment]. ... and slaughtered to the east of it: For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bosrah [place of refuge of the prince of Edom (Braude and Kapstein, p. 83, n.110)] and a great slaughter in the land of Edom (Is. 34:6). Said R. Berekhiah, The slaughter of a great one will take place in the land of Edom. ... The cow shall be burnt in his sight: The fourth beast...was handed over to be burned with fire (Dan. 7:11). ... skin, flesh and blood, together with the offal: [Edom, together with] its dukes, its hyparchs, and its generals. Your wealth, your staple wares, your imports, your sailors and your helmsmen, your caulkers, your merchants, and your warriors, all your ship’s company, all who were with you were flung into the sea on the day of your disaster; at the cries of your helmsmen the troubled waters tossed (Ez. 27:27-28): Said R. Samuel bar R. Isaac, All your ship’s company encompasses even those who had been of my company and had gone and joined your company — even they were flung into the sea on the day of your disaster.

IV:X

Another matter: ...a heifer: this refers to Israel: For like a stubborn heifer Israel was stubborn (Hos. 4:16). ...red: this refers to Israel: were redder than rubies (Lam. 4:7). ... without defect: this refers to Israel: My dove, my perfect one, is unique (Song 6:9). ... in which there is no blemish: this refers to Israel: You were all fair, my love, and there was no blemish in you (Song 4:7). ... and upon which a yoke has never come: this refers to Israel in the generation of Jeremiah, which did not accept the yoke of the Holy One, blessed be He. You shall give it to Eleazar the priest: this refers to Jeremiah, one of the priests of Anatoth (Jer. 1:1). and it shall be taken outside the camp: Nebuchadnezzar ... carried the people away to Babylonia (Ezra 5:12). ... and slaughtered to the east of it: And the sons of Zedekiah he slaughtered before him (2 Kgs. 25:7). The cow shall be burnt in his sight: He burned the house of the Lord and the house of the king (2 Kgs. 25:9). ... skin, flesh and blood, together with the offal: And all of the houses of Jerusalem, and the entire great house, he burned with fire (2 Kgs. 25:9). Why is it called the great house? This is the study-house of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, in which the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, was expounded. ... shall take [some of the blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of the Presence]: this refers to Nebuchadnezzar, the evil man. cedar-wood, marjoram, and scarlet thread [and throw them into the heart of the fire in which the cow is burning] (Num. 19:3-6): this refers to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. and throw them into the heart of the fire in which the cow is burning: The flame of fire slew those men (Dan. 3:22). (Then a man who is clean] shall collect (the ashes of the cow] (Num. 19:9): this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He: He will lift up a standard to the nations and collect the scattered ones of Israel (Is. 11:12). (Then] a man who is clean shall collect (the ashes of the cow and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place] (Num. 19:9): this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, for it is written, The Lord is a man of war (Ex. 15:3). (Then a man] who is clean (shall collect (the ashes of the cow and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place] (Num. 19:9): this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, You who have eyes too pure to look at evil (Hab. 1:13). ... the ashes of the cow: this refers to Israel’s exiles. ... and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place: this refers to Jerusalem, which is clean. They shall be reserved for use by the community of Israel in the water of ritual purification; for the cow is a sin-offering (Num. 19:9): this is because, in this age, decisions of uncleanness and rites of purification rest upon the instructions of the priest, but in the age to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to effect Israel’s purification, as it is written, I shall sprinkle on you water that purifies (Ez. 36:25).

Ashlamatah: Ezekiel 36:16-36

16 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

17 'Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their way and by their doings; their way before Me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.

18 Wherefore I poured out My fury upon them for the blood which they had shed upon the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols;

19 and I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

20 And when they came unto the nations, whither they came, they profaned My holy name; in that men said of them: These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of His land.

21 But I had pity for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they came. {P}

22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations, whither you came.

23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations will know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I will be sanctified in you before their eyes.

24 For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.

25 And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you will be clean; from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

27 And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep Mine ordinances, and do them.

28 And you will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you will be My people, and I will be your God.

29 And I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.

31 Then will you remember your evil ways, and your doings that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities/lawlessness and for your abominations.

32 Not for your sake do I this, says the Lord GOD, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. {S}

33 Thus says the Lord GOD: In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities/lawlessness, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be built.

34 And the land that was desolate will be tilled, whereas it was a desolation in the sight of all that passed by.

35 And they will say: This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.

36 Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I the LORD have built the ruined places, and planted that which was desolate; I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. {S}

The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study

The Torah Seder Parah Adumah, which describes the offering of the Red Heifer (the parah adumah), begins with the words: “This is the decree of the Torah.” These words seem to indicate that its significance extends beyond the specific laws of the Red Heifer and relates to the Torah as a whole. It reveals two tendencies, Ratzo (Lit. “running” - a yearning to cling to G-d) and Shuv (Lit. “return” - the willingness to return to this world to carry out G-d's will) which are fundamental themes in Torah and the mitzvoth (commandments). These two tendencies are mention in Ezekiel 1:14, where we read: “And the living creatures ran (Hebrew: “Ratzo”) and returned (Hebrew: “VaShuv”) as the appearance of a flash of lightning.” The burning of the Red Heifer refers to the service of Ratzo (yearning to cling to G-d) and the use of “living water in a vessel” refers to the service of Shuv (the willingness to return to this world to carry out G-d's will).

The burning of the heifer with fire represents the thrust of ascending upward, Ratzo. Fire, were it not held below by the wick, would ascend to its source in the spiritual realms. Water, on the other hand, naturally descends from above to below. The purification process of the Red Heifer is accomplished by joining both qualities.

In this vein it is interesting to note that “the heavens” – Hebrew: “Shamayim” is compound word composed of the words “Esh” = “Fire” and “Mayim” = Waters. When our Master died both his body and spirit were unclean because of death, but as he ascended to through the heavens to present himself to the father – the heavens (HaShamayim) themselves acted as the waters of purification of the Red Heifer which consist as well of fire and water mixed together.

Similarly, the fusion of these two qualities, Ratzo – elevating of the world from its material state and bringing it close to G-d (symbolized as “fire”), and Shuv, drawing holiness and G-dliness into the world through Torah and performance of the mitzvoth (commandments) – symbolized as “waters,” represent the “decree of the Torah,” the general thrust of the Torah as a whole – i.e. HaShamayim = The Heavens. The union of these two tendencies is also reflected within a Jew. “The candle of G-d is the soul of man.” Our souls have a natural tendency to surge upward to cling to their source in G-dliness. In contrast, our bodies come from the element of dust, and therefore, are characterized by the tendency to descend.

Ratzo and Shuv are fundamental thrusts in Torah, not merely because of the unity they can bring about within the world – i.e. “Your will be done on earth as it is in the heavens,” but because these two tendencies reflect positive qualities which must be emulated in our service of G-d. A Jew must possess the quality of Ratzo. He must not be content with remaining at his present level, but must always seek to advance further. He must always be “running to fulfill a mitzvah.” Even though he has reached a high level, he must always seek to attain higher peaks.

In contrast, Ratzo alone is insufficient and therefore it becomes necessary to internalize all the new levels reached, making sure that they become part of one’s own nature. This is reflected in an approach of tranquility and contemplation – Shuv. This does not, however, implies complacency. Rather, the internalization of one level produces the desire to reach higher peaks. After reaching those new peaks, one must work to internalize them (take ownership of them), which, in turn produces a desire to reach even higher peaks.

These two thrusts of Ratzo and Shuv are expressed in the study of Torah (as emphasized by the expression, “This is the decree of the Torah”). Indeed, the existence of these thrusts within Torah is the source for their existence on all other planes. These two thrusts are revealed in the process of intense Torah study, and the give and take of Torah debate. One begins by questioning, searching for a deeper insight. The resolution of the question allows the idea to be internalized. This, in turn, provokes a deeper and more revealing question.

There is an approach to Torah study which searches for Halakhic decisions directly without questions and answers – what is it that we have to do. This approach, is reflected in the Jerusalem Talmud and has many advantages. Nevertheless, the approach of give and take, of questioning and searching for answers, struggling to penetrate to the depths of the matter, brings out a clearer and broader understanding. This approach is revealed in the Babylonian Talmud and, therefore, when there is a difference in opinion between the two, the Halakhah follows the Babylonian Talmud until Messiah returns.

Based on the above, we can understand why the Babylonian Talmud was composed “approximately 100 years after the Jerusalem Talmud.” In intensive study, one must proceed step by step, accomplishing the easier objectives before undertaking the more difficult ones. Therefore, at first, the Talmud was presented in a direct, clearly outlined approach (the Jerusalem Talmud), and afterwards, through the process of the give and take of questions and answers.

The Ratzo and Shuv in Torah produces a series of other similar movements in other spheres of behavior. Firstly, in regard to the observance/doing of the mitzvoth (commandments): The positive and negative commandments are themselves reflections of the thrusts of Ratzo and Shuv. More particularly, the pattern of “the performance of one mitzvah (commandment) leads to the performance of another after it,” reflects that there is a constant process of ascent through the movements of Ratzo and Shuv in the observance and fulfillment of the mitzvoth (commandments). Fulfilling one mitzvah leads one to seek the fulfillment of other mitzvoth – Ratzo. At the same time, the higher levels he reaches become internalized and settled within one’s personality – Shuv.

Below the level of mitzvoth (the commandments), even when a Jew is involved in the day to day routines of mundane reality, he has a desire to relate to G-d – Ratzo, and fulfills that desire by carrying out “all his deeds for the sake of Heaven,” and “knowing G-d in all your ways” – Shuv.

The intensity of one's desire to cling to G-d is reflected in the burning of the Red Heifer. Indeed, we see a difference between the service of the Red Heifer and all the other sacrifices. In regard to all the other sacrifices, a portion of the animal, its hide and in certain cases, parts of its meat, remained after it was offered on the altar. In contrast, the Red Heifer was burnt completely, totally consumed by fire, “its hide, its flesh, its, blood, and its excrement.” All that was left was ashes. This refers to an all-encompassing fire of desire for G-d, one which consumes every aspect of the person's being, negating entirely the unproductive desires of the animal soul. All that remains is “ash,” i.e., the basic and burning power of desire. That desire then becomes directed to holiness as our sages commented on the verse: “And you will love Ha-Shem, your G-d, with all your heart,” – with both your desires (i.e. the desire to do good and the desire to do evil).

Similarly, this approach requires an emphasis on Shuv, on internalizing all one's achievements in a complete manner. Our Sages say that a person should say, “From my perspective, there is no difference whether I eat kosher or tref, I eat kosher only because G-d commanded me to do so.” This approach refers only to a Tzaddik (a Saint). A baal teshuvah (person returning to faithful obedience) must feel that there is no way that he could possibly transgress G-d's will. Similarly, the service of the Parah Adumah involves internalizing one's commitment in an absolute manner i.e. – I eat kosher only because G-d commanded me to do so.

The Ashlamatah reading for this Shabbat, Ezekiel 36:16 - 36:36, also involves a discussion of being purified from contamination, but in this case, it is a discussion about being purified from the impurities of human sins rather than being purified from physical impurities. This Ashlamatah reading also connects itself with the coming holiday of Passover/Pesach because in it G-d states that sins can be overcome through G-d's acts of purification of the ritually impure by giving the ritually impure person “a new heart” and “a new spirit,” which means that this renewal of one's self and renewal of one's nation brings into one's awareness the coming theme of redemption that is characteristic of the Passover/Pesach holiday. An interesting aspect about becoming ritually pure is that it temporarily makes the person performing the purification impure. It is a great mystery, in a sense: the impure become pure and pure become impure, similar to when one begins to clean a dirty home with a clean cloth and/or other tools, and finishes with a clean home and a dirty cloth and/or other tools!

As the classic American aphorism has it: “There aint any free lunches!” Someone has to pay the price. When we are possessed of Chessed (mercy – i.e. “a new heart”) we are willing to pay the price to become unclean for the sake of others becoming clean. This in turn forces us to return and become clean – i.e. regain “a new spirit” in order to be possessed of Chessed, and so start the cycle again and again until the moment we pass away.

Today we have no ashes of the red heifer to cleanse ourselves before partaking of the Passover. However since the death of the master seven things have been greatly invigorated that can surely produce the same effect as the ancient sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer. These are:

Diligent, regular, intense Torah study under a Torah teacher and with a colleague.
Observance of the mitzvoth (commandments);
Regular performance of deeds of loving-kindness;
Immersion in the Mikveh after performing works that meet repentance for sin;
Regular prayer, particularly in a Synagogue together with a Minyan (quorum of ten Jewish men);
Talmudizing the Gentiles and bringing many close to the Torah;
Raising many disciples (including one’s own children).

As we approach in 3 weeks’ time the Festival of Passover, let us strengthen our Ratzo and Shuv, and be actively involved in the pursuit of the above seven kinds of deeds with all of our heart, mind and soul, together with all of our most noble people Yisrael, amen ve amen!

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai