|
Esnoga
Bet Emunah 4544
Highline Dr. SE Olympia,
WA 98501 United
States of America ©
2015 E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com |
|
Esnoga
Bet El 102
Broken Arrow Dr. Paris
TN 38242 United
States of America ©
2015 E-Mail: waltoakley@charter.net |
Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial
Torah Cycle)
|
Three
and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings |
Third Year of the
Triennial Reading Cycle |
|
Adar
02, 5775 – Feb 20/21, 2015 |
Seventh
Year of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:
|
Amarillo,
TX, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 6:16 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:13 PM |
Austin
& Conroe, TX, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 6:05 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:00 PM |
Brisbane,
Australia Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 6:11 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:03 PM |
|
Chattanooga,
& Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 6:11 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:07 PM |
Everett,
WA. U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:21 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:28 PM |
Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:44 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:34 PM |
|
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:59 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:52 PM |
Murray,
KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:21 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:19 PM |
Olympia,
WA, U.S. Fri. Feb 20 2015 – Candles at 5:25 PM Sat. Feb 21 2015 – Habdalah 6:31 PM |
|
San Antonio, TX, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 6:09 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:03 PM |
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:10 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:12 PM |
Singapore,
Singapore Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 7:03 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 7:52 PM |
|
St.
Louis, MO, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:26 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:25 PM |
Tacoma,
WA, U.S. Fri. Feb
20 2015 – Candles at 5:23 PM Sat. Feb
21 2015 – Habdalah 6:29 PM |
|
|
|
|
|
For other
places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved
wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved
wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham
His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife
HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
His Honor Paqid
Adon Yoel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Rivka bat Dorit
His Honor Paqid Adon Tsuriel ben Abraham and beloved
wife HH Giberet Gibora bat Sarah
Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved
family
His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved
family
His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife
Her Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor
Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved
family
Her Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved
family
His Excellency Adon Gabriel ben Abraham and beloved
wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and beloved
wife HE Giberet Rut 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 and her Torah
Scholars, amen ve amen!
Also a
great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list
about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah 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 benhaggai@GMail.com with your
E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!
Shabbat “Rab-Lakhem” – “Much to you”
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
רַב-לָכֶם |
|
|
|
“Rab-Lakhem” |
Reader 1 – D’barim 2:2-4 |
Reader 1 – D’barim 2:31-33 |
|
“Much
to you” |
Reader 2 – D’barim 2:5-8 |
Reader 2 – D’barim 2:34-37 |
|
“Mucho
habeis” |
Reader 3 – D’barim 2:9-13 |
Reader 3 – D’barim 2:31-37 |
|
|
Reader 4 – D’barim 2:14-16 |
|
|
D’barim (Deut.) 2:2 – 2:30 |
Reader 5 – D’barim 2:17-19 |
|
|
Psalm: 108:1-14 |
Reader 6 – D’barim 2:20-23 |
Reader 1 – D’barim 2:31-33 |
|
Ashlamatah: Obadiah 1:21 + Micah 3:9-4:5 |
Reader 7 – D’barim 2:24-30 |
Reader 2 – D’barim 2:34-37 |
|
|
Maftir –
D’barim 2:28-30 |
Reader 3 – D’barim 2:31-37 |
|
N.C.: Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:3-6; Romans 8:31-39 |
- Obadiah 1:21 +
Micah 3:9-4:5 |
|
Blessings Before
Torah Study
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified
us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!
Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and
in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our
offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of
Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the
sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches
Torah to His people Israel. Amen!
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who chose us from
all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the
Torah. Amen!
Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and
his sons, and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should
bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:
May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch
over you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem make His Presence
enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and
grant you peace. – Amen!
This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will
bless them."
These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts:
How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor;
how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one
must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year;
how much one must do when performing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum
amount of Torah that a person must study.
These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this
world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honoring
one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place
of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting
the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead;
being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between
husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together.
Amen!
Contents of the
Torah Seder
·
Round Mount Seir – Deuteronomy
2:2-8a
·
On the Border of Moab – Deuteronomy
2:8b-12
·
The Crossing of Zered – Deuteronomy
2:13-15
·
Ammonites and Amorites – Deuteronomy
2:16-25
·
Victory over Sihon – Deuteronomy
2:26-30
Reading Assignment:
The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol 15:
Deuteronomy – I – Admonition
By: Rabbi Yitzchaq Behar Arguiti
Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York,
1984)
Vol. 15 – “Deuteronomy – I – Admonition,” pp.
158-201.
Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for:
D’barim (Deuteronomy) 2:2 – 2:30
|
Rashi |
Targum Pseudo Jonathan |
|
2. And the Lord spoke to me, saying, |
2. And
the LORD spoke to me, saying: |
|
3. You have circled this mountain long enough; turn
northward. |
3. It is enough for you to have dwelt about this mountain: turn you
to the north, |
|
4. And command the people saying, You are about to pass
through the boundary of your kinsmen, the children of Esau, who dwell in
Seir, and they will be afraid of you. Be very careful. |
4. and command the people, saying, You are to pass by
the border of your brethren, the children of Esau, who dwell in Gebala, and
they will be afraid of you; be very heedful therefore; |
|
5. You shall not provoke them, for I will not give you
any of their land not so much as a foot step, because I have given Mount Seir
to Esau for an inheritance. |
5. provoke them not; for of their land I have not given
you as much as the sole of the foot; for I have given Mount Gebal an
inheritance unto Esau on account of the honour which he did unto his father. |
|
6. You shall buy food from them with money, that you
may eat, and also water you shall buy from them with money, that you may
drink. |
6. You will buy fresh provision of them for silver,
that you may eat, and water will you buy with silver, to drink. |
|
7. For the Lord, your God, has blessed you in all the
work of your hand; He knows of your walking through this great desert; these
forty years that the Lord your God has been with you, you have lacked
nothing. |
7. Be careful that you vex them not : for the LORD your
God has blessed you in all the works of your hands, He hath supplied your
wants in your journeying in the great wilderness; these forty years has the
Word of the LORD your God been your helper; you have not wanted anything. |
|
8. And we departed from our kinsmen, the children of
Esau, who dwelt in Seir, by way of the plain from Elath and from Etzion
Geber, and we turned and passed through the way of the desert of Moab. |
8. So we passed by our brethren the sons of Esau, who
dwell in Gebala, from Elath and the fortress of Tarnegola and turned and went
by the way of the wilderness of Moab |
|
9. And the Lord said to me, Do not distress the
Moabites, and do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of
their land [as] an inheritance, because I have given Ar to the children of
Lot [as]an inheritance. |
9. And
the LORD spoke to me, saying: You will not aggrieve the Moabaee, nor make war
against them; for I have not given you their land to inherit, because I have
given Lachaiath for a possession to the children of Lot. |
|
10. The Emim dwelt there formerly, a great and numerous
people, and tall [in stature], as the Anakim; |
10. The Emthanaia dwelt in it of old, a people great and
many, and mighty as the giants. |
|
11. They also are considered Rephaim, as the Anakim; but
the Moabites call them Emim. |
11. The giants who dwelt in the plain of Geyonbere were
also reputed as the giants who perished in the Flood; but the Moabites called
them Emethanee. |
|
12. And the Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, and the
children of Esau were driving them out, and they exterminated them from
before them and dwelt in their stead, just as the Israelites did to the land
of their inheritance, which the Lord gave them. |
12. And in Gebala dwelt the Genosaia in old times, and
the Bene Esau drove them out and destroyed them, and dwelt in their place; as
did Israel in the land of their inheritance, which the LORD gave to them. |
|
13. Now get up and cross the brook of Zered. So we
crossed the brook of Zered. |
13. Now
arise, and pass over the stream of Tarvaja. And we crossed the stream of
Tarvaja. |
|
14. And the days when we went from Kadesh Barnea, until
we crossed the brook of Zered, numbered thirty eight years, until all the
generation of the men of war expired from the midst of the camp, just as the
Lord swore to them. |
14. And the days in which (from the time) we came from
Rekem Giah till we crossed the stream of Tarvaja, were thirty and eight
years, until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from the
camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. |
|
15. Also the hand of the Lord was upon them, to destroy
them from the midst of the camp, until they were consumed. |
15. But
a plague also from the LORD had scourged them to consume them from the host,
until they were brought to an end. |
|
16. So it was, when all the men of war finished dying
from among the people, |
16. And when all the men of war, the makers of the high
places, were consumed by dying out of the host, |
|
17. that the Lord spoke to me saying, |
17. the
LORD spoke with me, saying: |
|
18. Today you are crossing the boundary of Moab at Ar. |
18. You are this day to pass the border of Moab towards
Lechaiath. |
|
19. And when you approach opposite the children of
Ammon, neither distress them, nor provoke them, for I will not give you of
the land of the children of Ammon as an inheritance, because I have given it
to the children of Lot as an inheritance. |
19. But
coming near over against the children of Ammon, you are not to vex, nor
provoke them to war; for I have not given you the land of the Bene Ammon for
a possession: I have given it an inheritance to the children of Lot, for the
sake of Abraham's righteousness/generosity. |
|
20. It too is considered a land of Rephaim; Rephaim
dwelt therein formerly, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim. |
20. That also was accounted a land of giants; in old
time the giants dwelt in it, and the Ammonites called them Zimthanee, |
|
21. A great, numerous and tall people as the Anakim, but
the Lord exterminated them before them, and they drove them out and dwelt in
their stead. |
21. a
people great and mighty as giants: but the Word of the LORD destroyed them,
and drove them out before them, and they dwelt in their place; |
|
22. As He did to the children of Esau, who dwell in
Seir, when He exterminated the Horites from before them; and they drove them
out and dwelt in their stead even to this day. |
22. {as He did for the Bene Esau who dwell in Seir: for
He destroyed the Horaee before them, and drove them out, and they dwell in
their place} to this day. |
|
23. But the Avim, who dwell in open cities, up till
Gazathe Caphtorites, who came forth of Caphtor, exterminated them, and dwelt
in their stead. |
23. And
the rest of the escaped of the Kenaanah which dwelt in the cities of Dephia
to Gaza, the Kapotkaee who came out of Kapotkaia destroyed them, and dwelt in
their place. |
|
24. Get up, journey, and cross the river Arnon. Behold,
I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his
land: Begin to possess it, and provoke him to war. |
24.
Arise, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnona; behold, I have delivered
into your hands Sihon the king of Heshbon and the Amoraah, and his land:
begin to drive them out, and to provoke him to wage war. |
|
25. Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the
fear of you upon the nations that are under the entire heaven, who will hear
reports of you and shake and be in trepidation because of you. |
25.
Today I will begin to put your terror and fear upon the faces of all the
peoples which are under the whole heavens who will hear the report of your
virtue, that the sun and moon have stood still, and have ceased from speaking
(their) song for the space of a day and a half, standing still in their
habitation until you have done battle with Sihon; and they will shiver and
tremble before you. |
|
26. So I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to
Sihon, king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, |
26. And I sent messengers from Nehardea, which is by the
wilderness of Kedemoth, to Sihon king of the Amorites, with words of peace,
saying, |
|
27. Allow me to pass through your land: I will go along
by the highway, I will turn neither to the right nor to the left. |
27. I would pass through your land; by the way which is
the beaten road will I go; I will not turn aside to do you harm on the right
hand or the left. |
|
28. You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat;
and give to me water for money, that I may drink; I will only pass through by
my feet. |
28. I will buy fresh provision with silver, to eat, and
you will give me water for silver, to drink; I will only pass through: |
|
29. Just as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, and
the Moabites who dwell in Ar, did for me; until I cross the Jordan to the
land which the Lord our God is giving us. |
29. as
the Bene Esau, who dwell in Gebal, and the Moabaee, who dwell in Lechaiath
have done to me, until the time that I pass over the Jordan into the land
which the LORD our God gives us. |
|
30. But Sihon, king of Heshbon, did not wish to let us
pass by him, for the Lord your God caused his spirit to be hardened and his
heart to be obstinate, in order that He would give him into your hand, as
this day. |
30. But Sihon the king of Heshbon was not willing to
allow us to pass through his borders; for the LORD our God had hardened the
form of his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, to deliver him into your
hand as at this day. |
|
|
|
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In order to understand the finished work of the P’shat
mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the
P’shat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s
is/are raised and an answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of
R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.
The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a
majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.
2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing
synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much they differ in other respects,
to identical definitions and applications.
3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only
to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain the
provision in question.
4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision
is generalized from two Biblical passages.
5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of
the particular by the general.
6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.
7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.
Rashi’s Commentary for: D’barim
(Deuteronomy) 2:2-30
3 turn
northward Turn along the eastern side [of Moab], from the south
to the north, facing northerward. Consequently, they were traveling in an
easterly direction, and this is what is meant by “And they came from the sun
rise [i.e., east side] to the land of Moab” (Jud. 11:18).
4 Be very
careful And what is this "being careful"? “You shall
not provoke them.”
5 not so
much as a foot step meaning, even only for the sole of the foot to tread
a single step, I do not permit you to enter their land without permission. An
Aggadic interpretation is: [I will not give you of their land] until the day
arrives when the foot will tread upon the Mount of Olives [the Messianic era],
as it said: “And His [God’s] feet will [figuratively] stand [on that day upon
the Mount of Olives]” (Zech. 14:4).
[I have
given Mount Seir] to Esau for an inheritance from Abraham. I gave ten
nations to Abraham, seven of them for you [the seven of Canaan], and the
Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites (Gen. 16:18-21), who are Ammon,
Moab, and Seir. One of them is for Esau, and the other two are for the children
of Lot (Gen. Rabbah 44). As a reward [for Lot] for going with him [Abraham] to
Egypt and for keeping silent when Abraham said, regarding his wife, “She is my
sister,” He treated him [Lot] as his [Abraham’s] son [to inherit part of the
land promised to Abraham] (Gen. Rabbah 44).
6 you
shall buy Heb. תִּכְרוּ . This is an expression of
purchase. Similar is (Gen. 50:5),"which I have purchased (כָּרִיתִי) for myself." In the coastal cities, for
“selling” (מְכִירָה) , they use the word “ כִּירָה ” (Rosh Hashanah 26a).
7 For the
Lord, your God, has blessed you Therefore you should not be ungrateful for His
goodness [to you] by acting as though you were poor. Rather, show yourselves as
rich people.
8 and we
turned and passed towards the north; we turned to proceed on the eastern side.
9 and do
not provoke them to war God forbade Israel only to wage war against Moab.
However, Israel did frighten them, appearing before them, armed for battle.
Therefore, it is written, “And Moab was very frightened of the people” (Num. 22:3)
because Israel plundered and looted them. Regarding the children of Ammon,
however, it says (verse 19),"Do not provoke them"—with any kind of
provocation, as a reward for the modesty shown by their ancestress [Lot’s
younger daughter], who did not publicize her father’s conduct, as did his elder
daughter, who named her son Moab [ מוֹאָב like מֵאָב , from the father] (Baba Kamma
38b).
Ar The name
of the province.
10 The
Emim dwelt there formerly- You might think that this is the land of Rephaim which
I gave [promised] to Abraham (Gen. 15:20), because the Emim, who are Rephaim,
dwelt there before, but this is not that one, for those Rephaim I drove out and
made the children of Lot settle there in their stead.
11
They... are considered Rephaim... These Emim were considered Rephaim, just as the
Anakim, who were called Rephaim, because whoever beheld them—his hands became
weak (מִתְרַפּוּת) (Gen. Rabbah 26).
Emim so
called, because their fear (אֵימָה) was cast over mankind. And similarly (verse 12),"The
Horites dwelt in Seir" and [just as I gave the Rephaim over to the
children of Lot,] I gave them [the Horites] over to the children of Esau.
12 were
driving them out Heb. יִירָשׁוּם [This is expressed in] the
present tense, as if to say, I gave them power to go on constantly driving them
out.
15 [Also
the hand of the Lord] was against them to quickly destroy them within a period of forty
years, so that they would not cause their children to tarry any longer in the
desert.
16 So it
was, when [all the men of war] finished...
17 that
the Lord spoke to me But since the spies were sent until now, the word וַיְּדַבֵּר [denoting God’s speaking to Moses
with endearment] is not mentioned in [this] section, only וַיּֽאמֶר [denoting a less endearing form
of communication], to teach us that during those entire thirty-eight years
during which time the Israelites were under ban by God, the Divine speech was
not directed towards him in an expression of affection, face to face, and with
peace of mind—to teach us that the Divine Presence rests upon the prophets only
for Israel’s sake (Sifrei, Lev. 6).
the men
of war [i.e.,] men from twenty years of age, who go forth to war.
18-19
Today you are crossing the boundary of Moab... And when you approach opposite
the children of Ammon from here [we deduce] that the land of Ammon was
towards the north.
20 It too
is considered a land of Rephaim It too is considered a land of Rephaim because the
Rephaim dwelt there formerly, but this is not the one I gave to Abraham.
23 But
the Avim who dwell in open cities The Avim are of the Philistine people, for they are
listed together with them in the Book of Joshua (13:3), as it says, “The five
Philistine lords.” The Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites,
the Ekronites, and the Avim." But because of the oath which Abraham had
sworn to Abimelech, (Gen. 21: 23-24), the Israelites were unable to take their
land away from them; so I brought the Caphtorites against them, and they
destroyed them and dwelt in their stead. Now, you are permitted to take it [the
land of the Avim] from their [the Caphtorites’] possession (Chullin 60b).
25 under
the entire heaven This [statement that nations under the whole heaven
will fear the Israelites] teaches that the sun stood still for Moses on the day
of the battle with Og, [Other editions: Sihon,] and the matter became
[consequently] known under the entire heaven [that is, to the whole world]
(Avodah Zarah 25a).
26 [And I
sent messengers] from the desert of Kedemoth Even though the Omnipresent
had not commanded me to call to Sihon in peace, I learned to do so from the
incident at the desert of Sinai, i.e., relating to the Torah which preceded (קָדְמָה) the world. When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give
the Torah to Israel, He took it to Esau and Ishmael. Although it was clear to
Him that they would not accept it, nevertheless, He began with them in peace.
So too, I first called to Sihon with words of peace. Another explanation מִמִּדְבַּר
קְדֵמוֹת Moses said
to God, "I learned this from You, Who preceeded (קָדַמְתָּ) the world. You could have sent one flash of
lightning to consume the Egyptians, but instead, You sent me from the desert to
Pharaoh. saying, (Exod. 5:1) ‘Let my people go’ patiently." (Midrash Tanchuma)
29 Just
as the children of Esau...did for me This is not referring to permission to pass through
their land, [for Edom refused,] rather it refers to the selling of food and
water.
until I
cross the Jordan This refers to [Moses’ earlier request] “Allow me to
pass through your land.” (verse 27)
Ketubim: Psalm 108:1-14
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
1. A song, a psalm of David. |
1. A
song and psalm composed by David. |
|
2. My heart is
steadfast, O God; I shall sing and play music, even my glory. |
2. My heart is
firm, O God; I will praise and sing indeed, my glory. |
|
3. Awaken, you psaltery and harp; I shall awaken
the dawn. |
3. Sing praise, O harp and lyre; I will sing
praise at dawn. |
|
4. I shall thank You among the peoples, O Lord, and I
shall play music to You among the kingdoms. |
4. I will give thanks in Your presence among the
peoples, O LORD, and I will sing praise to You among the nations. |
|
5. For Your kindness is great above the heavens, and
Your truth is until the skies. |
5. For Your goodness is great above the heavens, and
Your truth reaches to the sky. |
|
6. Lift Yourself above the heavens, O Lord, and over
all the earth is Your glory. |
6. Be
exalted above the heavens, O God, and may Your glory be on all the
inhabitants of the earth. |
|
7. In order that Your beloved ones be released, save
with Your right hand and answer me. |
7. So that Your beloved ones will be delivered; redeem
with Your right hand and answer me. |
|
8. God spoke with His holiness, that I would rejoice,
that I would allot a portion, and that I would measure the valley of Succoth. |
8. God speaks from the place of His presence; I will
be glad, I will divide spoil with the inhabitants of Shechem; and with the
inhabitants of the plain of Succoth I will measure the border. |
|
9. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the
strength of my head; Judah
is my prince. |
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh; those of the house
of Ephraim are the strength of My head, and My scribe is from those of the house of Judah. |
|
10. Moab is my wash basin, on Edom I shall cast my shoe;
on Philistia I shall shout. |
10. I have trampled the Moabites like my washing-pot; I
will cast my sandal over the kingdom of Edom; I will shout over the kingdom
of the Philistines. |
|
11. Who will bring me to the fortified city? He Who led
me up to Edom. |
11. And now because I sinned, who will lead me to the
fortress of wicked Rome? Who led me to Constantinople of Edom? |
|
12. Is it not You, O God, Who has forsaken us, and does
not go, O Lord, in our hosts? |
12. Behold, because we have sinned in the presence of
the LORD He has forsaken us, and His presence does not go out with our
armies. |
|
13. Give us help against the adversary, for man's
salvation is futile. |
13. Give us help from the oppressor, for vain is the
redemption of the son of man. |
|
14. With God we shall gather strength and He will
trample our adversaries. |
14. In God we shall show might, and He will trample our
oppressors. |
|
|
|
Rashi Commentary for: Psalm 108:1-14
2 My
heart is steadfast faithful
with You.
even my
glory Even my glory is what I sing to You. Another explanation:
Even my
glory Even according to my honor, I shall not hesitate to sing to Him, and I
shall not take glory for myself.
3 I shall
awaken the dawn It is the
custom of other kings that the dawn awakens them, but I awaken the dawn, for I
rise at midnight, when the psaltery and the harp awaken me, as our
Rabbis said (Ber. 3b): A harp was suspended above David’s bed. As soon as
midnight arrived, the north wind would blow on it and it would play by itself.
5 above
the heavens and one verse says (above 57:11): “is up to the heavens.” Our
Rabbis explained: This one speaks of those who perform [a commandment] for its
sake [i.e., for the sole purpose of obeying the Torah], and that one deals with
those who perform [the commandments] with ulterior motives.
7 and
answer me for
all Your people and Your beloved ones are dependent upon me.
8 God
spoke with His holiness that I would reign and that the time would come that
I would rejoice in His word.
that I
would allot a portion I shall divide the land of my enemies to Israel, like
(Gen. 48:22): “one portion (שכם) more than your brethren.”
10 Moab
is my washbasin i.e., my slaves and my servants, like a utensil that
people use.
on Edom I
shall cast my servitude, that their kings should put my shoes on
my feet.
I shall
shout I shall raise my voice to them to frighten them.
and may
He cut off their remembrance from the earth [the remembrance] of Esau
and his chieftains.
11 Who
will bring me in the time of the Messiah, to stretch forth my hand
upon Esau in his fortified cities?
He Who Who led
us already upon Edom, that I smote them in the Valley of Salt, eighteen
thousand.
Meditation from the Psalms
Psalms 108: 1-14
By: H.Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
The superscription of our psalm declares that David is the author. This
composition is unique in that it is almost an exact replica of sections of
previous psalms. Verses 2-6 of this psalm are closely patterned after verses
8-12 of psalm 57, and verses 7-14 of this psalm correspond almost totally to
verses 7-14 of psalm 60.
Radak explains that the earlier psalms relate to David’s desperate
flight from Saul and his ultimate salvation. Psalm 60 tells of David’s conquest
of Aram. Here these verses take on new meaning, for they refer to the fortunes
of Israel as a whole. In the future, the Messiah, scion of David, will deliver
Israel from exile and will lead the Jews in triumphant conquest of their
enemies.
At that time the refrain of Israel’s song will be, Grant us help against
the oppressor; futile is the aid of man. Through God we shall form an army, and
He will trample our oppressors.[1]
Several of our oppressors are named in both our Torah portion and in our Psalm.
I would like to take a look at what we can learn from our psalm as it speaks of
these oppressors.
Let’s start by looking at Moab. Moab, along with Midian, was the
instigator for hiring Bilaam to curse the Bne Israel when they came out of
Mitzrayim. They also refused to provide the Bne Israel bread and water when
they came out of Mitzrayim. These were wicked people.
Moab was the son of Lot and his eldest
daughter.[2]
Lot’s daughters committed incest with their father because they believed that
everyone else on earth was dead. In fact, the only reason they were alive was
because Avraham Avinu had prayed for them.[3]
The Moabites, therefore, owed a debt of gratitude to the Jewish people.
This character trait of ungratefulness is such a serious flaw that the Torah
mentions it before the cursing of Balaam:
Devarim
(Deuteronomy) 23:3-4 An
Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of HaShem; even
to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation
of HaShem for ever: Because they met you not with bread and with
water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired
against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to
curse thee.
By the time the Bne Israel came out
of Mitzrayim,[4]
ungratefulness and immorality had become part and parcel of the national
character of Moab.[5]
Moabites, therefore, are a picture of those who rebel against HaShem. They
are ungrateful for what He has given them and turn instead to false gods.
It is therefore quite remarkable to encounter a
Moabitess, Ruth, who was the epitome of kindness. Ruth was a princess, the
daughter of Eglon, King of Moab, according to our Sages.[6] Moab typifies
an immoral people who have left the ways of HaShem and lack kindness.
Because of their apostasy, the Sages decreed that it was forbidden for an
Israelite to marry a Moabite man.[7]
Ruth, though a Moabitess, demonstrated kindness par excellence! So great was
this kindness that she merited becoming an ancestor of King David and
an ancestor of the Kingly line. Therefore, Moab = ungratefulness. Because of
this quality, our psalm calls Moab G-d’s wash pot. But why should they be
called a ‘washpot’? Our Sages teach that this term is used to embarrass the
Moabites. There is a famous passage in II Kings which speaks of the
embarrassment of Naaman who was told to wash in the Jordan to be cleansed of
his leprosy. Naaman was incensed that he should go to such a pitiful stream when
there were much more illustrious rivers in his homeland.[8] Radak
puts it this way: “I will treat Moab with contempt, like the putrid water of the chamber
pot which is cast away in disgust”.
There is also a reference to Mashiach in the
passage concerning Bilaam, who prophesies, for Balak king of Moab, about the
two anointed kings. The first anointed king, David, who saved Israel from her
oppressors, and the final anointed king who will arise from among his
descendants and save Israel at the End of Days. The following phrases are from
that passage:[9]
“I see it, but
not now” - This refers to David; “I perceive it, but not in the near future” -
This refers to King Mashiach.
“A star shall
go forth from Yaakov” - This refers to David; “and a staff shall arise in
Israel” - This refers to King Mashiach.
“He shall crush
all of Moab’s princes” - This refers to David, (as it is written,[10]
“He smote Moab and measured them with a line”); “he shall break down all of
Seth’s descendants” - This refers to King Mashiach, (about whom it is written,[11]
“He will rule from sea to sea”).
“Edom will be
demolished” - This refers to David, (as it is written,[12] “Edom
became the servants of David”); “his enemy, Seir, will be destroyed” - This
refers to Mashiach, (as it is written,[13]
“Saviors will ascend Mount Zion [to judge the mountain of Esau....]”).
We will look at Edom a bit later. First lets
look more closely at Naaman and Chazal’s look at “Moab is my washpot”. Naaman is understood as Moab in the expression “Moab is my washpot”,[14]
which the Rabbis regard as an allusion to Naaman’s bathing in the Jordan; the
appellation “Moab” is a play on the word “abi” (= “my father”), by which Naaman
was addressed by his servants in II Melachim (Kings) 5:13.[15]
Naaman was a “ger toshab”, that is, he was not a perfect proselyte, having
accepted only some of the commandments.[16]
According to the Rabbis, Naaman was the archer who drew his bow at a
venture and mortally wounded Ahab, King of Israel.[17]
This event is alluded to in the words “because by him the Lord had given
deliverance unto Syria”,[18] and
therefore the Syrian king, Naaman’s master, was Benhadad.[19]
Naaman is represented as vain and haughty, on account of which he was stricken
with leprosy.[20]
Tanchuma, Tazria,[21]
however, says that Naaman was stricken with leprosy for taking an Israelite
maiden and making her his wife’s servant.[22] The
Mechilta,[23]
however, places Naaman’s conversion above Jethro’s.
The Gemara and the Midrash[24]
suggest that “Moab is my Washpot” alludes to Gehazi who took payment from
Naaman for Elisha’s advice to wash seven times in the Jordan river.[25]
Sanhedrin
104b The Doreshe Reshumoth[26]
maintained: All of them will enter the world to come, as it is written, Gilead
is mine, Manasseh is mine;[27]
Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver,’ Moab is my
washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of
me.[28]
[Thus:] ‘Gilead is mine’ this refers to Ahab, who fell at Ramoth-gilead;
‘Manasseh’ is literally meant;[29]
‘Ephraim also is the strength of mine head’ — this alludes to Jeroboam, a
descendant of Ephraim; ‘Judah is my lawgiver’ — this refers to Ahitophel, who
is descended from Judah; ‘Moab is my washpot,’ to Gehazi, who was smitten on
account of matters connected with bathing; ‘over Edom will I cast out my shoe’[30]
— to Doeg the Edomite; ‘Philistia, triumph thou because of me,’ The ministering
Angels exclaimed before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Sovereign of the
Universe! If David comes, who slew the Philistine and gave possession of Gath
to thy children. [and complains at Thy giving a share in the world to come to
Doeg and Ahitophel], what wilt thou do with him?’ He replied, ‘It is My duty to
make them friends with each other’.[31]
The Zohar brings another interesting perspective on Moab.
Zohar Balak 189
Come and see that everything stemmed from
Midian; the thrust of their counsel was about Moses, and with the advice of
Midian they hired Balaam. When they realized that Balaam was incapable, they
followed another wicked idea, and they freely offered their women and daughters
even more than Moab. About the women of Midian, it is written: “Behold,
these caused the children of Israel.” (Num. 31:16) Everything stemmed
from Midian. They took counsel with their chief that he should let loose his
daughter, since they were plotting to ensnare Moses in their net. They adorned
her with how many spells, so she should successfully catch the heads.
Everything originated in Midian in several
ways. Therefore, Midian was punished and the Holy One, blessed be He, said to
Moses, “Execute the vengeance of the children of Israel on the
Midianites”. (Num. 31:2) For you, it is appropriate and becoming. As
for Moab, I leave them alone until the two jewels will come out from among
them. Here’s David son of Yishai who will take revenge on Moab, and
will rinse the loaded pot of filth from Pe’or. This is what it says, “Moab is
my washpot”[32] assuredly.
As long as these two jewels[33]
did not come out of there, they were not punished. As soon as they emerged,
David came and washed clean the pot from their filth, and all received their
punishment, Midian during the time of Moses and Moab during the time of David.
Thus we see that until Ruth the Moabitess and Naamah the Ammonitess came
and joined the House of Israel, HaShem did not allow the Bne Israel to mess
with Moab and Ammon. However, after Ruth came and joined the House of Israel,
David surely messed with them big time.
David had good cause to despise Moab, as the Midrash[34]
explains: When Saul’s pursuit forced David to flee from the land of Israel, he
placed his father and mother under the protection of the king of Moab.[35]
David had more confidence in the Moabites than he had in Saul, because his
grandmother was Ruth the Moabite; but the king of Moab killed the entire
family.[36]
Therefore, Moab is likened to a cooking pot, for just as a pot
dissolves meat, so was the flesh of David’s family devoured in Moab. Only one
of David’s brothers escaped to Nachash, king of Ammon, who refused to heed the
king of Moab’s demands that the refugee be returned. Later David punished Moab
for their treachery, as we read:
II Shmuel
(Samuel) 8:2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with
the line, making them lie down on the ground, and he measured out two lines
[two-thirds of the populace] to be put to death and one full line [one-third]
to keep alive.
Sforno adds that Moab was near Eretz Israel.
Because it was under David’s constant surveillance, he could humiliate Moab
without fearing a revolt.
Edom
Now, lets look at Edom which is also the subject of our Torah portion
and our Psalm. Our psalm introduces Edom with the following statement:
Tehillim
(Psalms) 108:10 Moab is my washpot; upon Edom do I
cast my shoe;[37]
over Philistia do I cry aloud.
The Midrash gives us the following insight:
Midrash Rabbah - Numbers XIV:1 Upon Edom do I cast my shoe.’ What will I do? I will draw off My shoes
and tread upon them and trample them down with My heel. In the same strain it
says, I have trodden the winepress[38]
alone, etc. (Isa. LXIII, 3). This has been illustrated by a parable. To what
may it be compared? It may be compared to a mortal king who built four palaces
in four cities. He went into one of them, and ate and drank without drawing off
his shoes. He did the same thing in the second palace and the third. When he
came to the fourth he ate and drank and did draw off his shoes, saying to his
attendants: ‘Go and bring me all the prominent men in this city and let them
set food before me.’ They asked him: ‘How is it that when you entered the
previous one you ate and drank without drawing off your shoes, while here you
drew off your shoes when you ate and drank?’ He said to them: ‘When I entered
the first palace my mind was not at ease; and the same was the case with the
second and the third. Every moment I thought: When shall I see the hour in
which I can enter into the last one? Now that I have entered, my mind has
immediately been put at ease.’ It was the same with the Holy One, blessed be
He. He made war against Pharaoh, Amalek, Sisera, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar,
Haman, and the kings of the Greeks,[39]
but His mind will not be calmed until He will Himself execute vengeance upon
Edom. This explains, ‘Upon Edom will I cast my shoe; Philistia (pelesheth) cry
aloud (hithro’a’i) because of me!’ which
means: I will cast down the foundations of Edom and will encompass your
redemption.[40]
Obviously the Midrash sees a very bad end for Edom. Before we get into
looking at Edom, lets first explore the Gemara’s statement that we looked at
above.
The Gemara[41]
teaches us that our psalm’s statement alludes to Doeg the Edomite. So, who is
Doeg the Edomite?
Doeg was a key figure in King Saul’s court at the end of his reign, as
the future King David entered the national spotlight. Doeg was there when David
killed Goliath, and he was central to King Saul’s pursuit of David.
The main description of Doeg in Tanach is in I Shmuel (Samuel) 21-22,
during the pursuit of David. On the advice of King Saul’s son, Yehonatan, David
had fled. He headed to Nob, which is a city populated by Priests. On arriving
in Nob, David encountered Achimelech and asked for support. He told Achimelech
that he was on a secret mission from King Saul, and Achimelech gave David the
showbread from the Mishkan, which was the portion of the Priests. Achimelech
also gave David the sword of Goliath.
Doeg was in the town at this time, and he reported to King Saul that the
town of Nob had been complicit in David’s escape. King Saul ordered his men,
and specifically Doeg, to wipe out the town; they did so.
Doeg’s “surname” is intriguing; was he an Edomite? His position, which
we’ll describe momentarily, would indicate that he was Jewish. Radak[42]
suggests that Doeg was simply from the land of Edom. We have several similarly
named people in Tanach. Uriah haChiti was not a Hittite; he came from there.
Iti haGitti was from Gat, but he was not a Philistine.
When Doeg is introduced, in I Shmuel (Samuel) 21, he is identified as
“Abir haRoim”, the most powerful of the shepherds. The juxtaposition of this
title with his position at King Saul’s ear is odd, and the commentators look to
the broader meaning of “shepherd” within Tanach. Classically, our patriarchs
were identified as shepherds. This leads Rashi to comment on “Abir haRoim” that
Doeg was the Av Beit Din, the head of the High Court.[43]
In Tehillim 3:2, King David turns to G-d and says, “Great ones stand
against me”. This may be understood as a reference to great numbers, or to
great figures. Rashi comments that “Great” means foes who are great in Torah,
great in wisdom, great in wealth, and great in physical strength, and Rashi
numbers Doeg in that list of enemies.
The Midrash[44]
considers Doeg a formidable character in the politics of the time. King Saul
tells Shmuel that he had not wiped out Amalek, “because I feared the nation”.
The Midrash indicates that Doeg was the one who King Saul feared.
Doeg was a leading Torah sage. The Gemara[45]
indicates that Doeg, along with Achitophel, was able to come up with 300
questions regarding a complicated, intricate section of law. The Gemara also
indicates[46]
that Doeg may have been somewhat frustrated, as the law did not follow his
conclusions.
Doeg seems to have come up against David on a couple of occasions, aside
from the Nob Massacre.
The first was after David defeated Goliath. King Saul turned to his
entourage, and asked, “Who is this boy?” We know, from the context, that King
Saul already knew David. He was actually asking whether David came from a line
which could produce royalty.[47]
Doeg responded, “Ask whether he is even Jewish!” Doeg was referring to David’s
ancestress, Ruth the Moabitess, and the prohibition against Jews marrying
Moabites. Abner, a general, objected that the prohibition extended only to male
Moabites, for reasons related to the original prohibition’s specifics. The
debate dragged out, until Abner cited Shmuel himself as saying that the
prohibition was only against males, and so Ruth was all right.
This debate did have fallout for David on a second occasion, though.
King Saul had promised his daughter, Michal, to the man who would defeat
Goliath. Basing himself on Doeg’s argument,[48]
King Saul refused to let David marry Michal, and instead tried to marry her to
Palti ben Layish.
Doeg also tried another tack against David, complimenting him to King
Saul in order to incite King Saul’s jealousy.[49]
Now we know about Doeg the Edomite. He is the Ab Beit Din with a hatred
for David.
Lets turn our attention to Edom proper and try to get a better idea for
the Psalm and Torah portions to speak so negatively about Edom. The first mention of the word Edom is found
in:
Beresheet
(Genesis) 25:30 And Esau said to Yaaqov, Feed me, I pray
thee, with that same red [pottage]; for I [am] faint: therefore was his name
called Edom.
Edom is the name which was given to Esau, the first-born son of
Yitzchak, on the day he sold his birthright to Yaaqov for a mess of pottage,
the reddish color of which gives it its name: ‘Adom’.
The Torah’s first use of the word Edom, sets
the word in the context of two brothers mourning the death of Avraham Avinu.
One has just returned from a day of raping and murder, the other has spent the
day mourning and preparing the traditional mourner’s meal of lentils. Both
events center around the color red. Edom is shedding blood whilst Yaaqov is
cooking red lentils. This will be an important understanding as we progress in
this study.
The Torah repeats the association of Edom
with Esau in:
Beresheet
(Genesis) 36:1 Now these [are] the generations of Esau,
who [is] Edom.
Beresheet
(Genesis) 36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is]
Edom.
Beresheet
(Genesis) 36:43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these [be] the
dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession:
he [is] Esau the father of the Edomites.
Now we know that when Torah repeats a matter
it is to emphasize the connection. Thus
Torah is connecting Esau to Edom.
This encounter shows that Esau is more
concerned for this world than for the next world:
Beresheet (Genesis) 25:32 Esau cried out, “Why do I need the
birthright?”
Midrash HaGadol 25:32 A Heavenly Voice echoed, “Why do you need
the blessing?”
Blessings made the difference between living ONLY in this world
and also living in the Olam HaBa, the World to Come:
Yitzchak avoided using HaShem’s Name in Esau’s blessing since the purpose of Esau’s blessing was to grant him his full reward in this world
so that he should be excluded from the blessings of the World to Come.[50]
For, that is what Edom is all about, THIS WORLD, even at the cost
of eternity. Thus, by extension, Galut Edom, the fourth and final exile of the
Jewish people has been meant to endure in advance of Mashiach’s arrival, is one
that eternalizes the temporal.
Our Sages teach us that the lives of the forefathers foreshadow events
in the lives of their descendants. To understand the events of history,
relative to Israel, all we need to do is study the lives of the Patriarchs.
The Ramban calls Beresheet
(Genesis), Sefer Simanim, the book of signs. Beresheet is not just the story of
what happened, it also foretells what will happen!
The Rambam tells us that the Torah’s purpose
in writing about the encounter between Esau and Yaaqov, in Beresheet 32, is to
tell us that Esau will never defeat Yaaqov, though he will try with all of his
might.
Yaaqov’s life-and-death struggle with Esau is to
characterize all of subsequent Jewish history. The night (exile) will be long
and the battle will be intense.
The Zohar comments on the verse
Beresheet (Genesis) 25:26 “And afterwards his brother came out and
his hand was holding on to the heel of Esav; and his name was called Yaakov”.
The Zohar[51]
states that Esau is compared to the Original Snake (nachash kadmoni). The force
in this world that represents the Original Snake, in the Garden of Eden, that
tricked Adam and Chava into eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and
Evil, the personification of that Snake in this world, is Esau. This gives us a
bit of a hint into what Edom really is.
The Zohar says that when the verse tells us that Yaaqov’s hand was holding
Esau’s heel, the Torah is setting the stage and is telling us how Yaaqov Avinu,
in the future, will have to deal with Esau. He is going to have to deal with
him by attacking at the heel; he is going to have to deal with him, sometimes,
deceitfully and surreptitiously. That is the only way one can deal with that
snake.
Our Sages taught the meaning of this verse:
II Shmuel (Samuel) 22:27 “With a pure one, You show Yourself pure;
but with a perverse one, You deal crookedly.”
They taught that you cannot always be up front and straight forward with
a person who is a liar. Even Yaaqov, the man of truth, has a mandate from the
Torah, that the way to deal with Esau is by ‘heel,’ which is connoted in
Yaaqov’s name.
Yaaqov’s meeting with Esau represented the paradigm of how Jews must
deal with the non-Jewish world.
The Sforno writes: The events which occurred to Yaaqov when he first
left his father’s house foreshadow Jewish history during the first exile, while
the events which occurred to him after he returned to his father’s house
foreshadow Jewish history during the Second Temple and subsequent exile and the
redemption at the end of time”.
I have more to say about Philistia, but I am already being a bit long
winded, so I’ll leave you with just a thought:
Many Rabbis teach that "Palestinians" are the same as the
Philistines.
Today, 3400+ years ago, HaShem sent the plague of darknes to afflict the
Egyptians. Today we still see many people in darkness simply because they don’t
want to draw near to HaShem. Both our psalm and our Torah portion speak of
various peoples. We have looked at a couple of those peoples. It is fitting,
therefore, that ‘people’ be our verbal tally.[52] Our
psalmist then declares:
Tehillim (Psalms) 108:3 I will praise thee, HaShem, among the people: and I will
sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Concerning this month, Chazal teach that, “at the onset of Adar,
Joy (simcha) is increased”.[53]
When we see what HaShem has in store for our enemies, we can surely increase
our joy. This is the month which will see the downfall of Haman a descendant of
Esau. No wonder our psalm and Torah portion speak on this issue!
As a matter of interest, Our next psalm, Psalms chapter 109, is said by
the Siddur Avodat Israel to be the mizmor for Shabbat Zachor, which is next
Shabbat. HaShem willing, we will be commenting on Psalms chapter 109 on the
first Shabbat after Shabbat Zachor.
Ashlamatah:
Obad. 1:21+Mic. 3:9-4:5
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
1. The vision of Obadiah; So said the Lord God
concerning Edom; We have heard tidings from the Lord, and a messenger has
been sent among the nations, "Arise and let us rise up against them in
war!" |
1. The prophecy' of Obadiah. Thus says the LORD God
concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and an envoy has been
sent out among the nations. rise up! Let us stand against her in battle. |
|
2. Behold I have made you small among the nations; you
are very despised. |
2. Behold I have made you weak among the nations! You
are most despised. |
|
3. The wickedness of your heart enticed you, who dwell
in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says to himself,
"Who will bring me down to the earth?" |
3. The wickedness of your heart has led you astray; for
you are like the eagle, which dwells in the clefts of the rock, whose abode
is on high, who says in his heart: “Who can bring me down to the ground?” |
|
4. If you go up high like an eagle, and if you place
your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord. |
4. Though you soar as high as the eagle, and set your
dwelling among the stars, even from there I will bring you down by My Memra
says the LORD. |
|
5. Did thieves come upon you, did plunderers of the
night? How were you silent? Will they not steal till they have enough? If
vintagers came upon you, would they not leave over some gleaning grapes? |
5. If thieves were to come to you, plunderers by night,
how would you sleep until they had stolen all they wanted? If robbers like
vintagers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings? |
|
6. How Esau was searched out, how his hidden things
were revealed! |
6. How Esau is ransacked, how his hidden things
are uncovered! |
|
7. Until the border all your allies escorted you; your
friends enticed you, yea prevailed against you; your food they lay as a wound
under you; there is no discernment in them. |
7. All you allies have banished you beyond the
frontier; your confederates have duped and overcome you; those who ate at
your table have planted a snare under you; for there is no understanding in you!
|
|
8. Shall I not in that day-says the Lord-destroy wise
men from Edom and discernment from the mountain of Esau? |
8. At that time, says the LORD, will I not destroy the
wise from Edom and the man of intelligence from Esau's citadel? |
|
9. And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O dwellers of
the southland, in order that every man be cut off from the mountain of Esau
by slaughter. |
9. Your warriors, O inhabitants of the south shall be
crushed, so that every man who has need will be wiped out from Esau's citadel
because of the slaughter. |
|
10. Because of the violence of your brother Jacob, shame
shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. |
10. For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame
shall cover you and you shall be wiped out for ever. |
|
11. On that day you stood from afar, on the day
strangers captured his possessions, and foreigners came into his cities, and
on Jerusalem they cast lots; you, too, are like one of them. |
11. On the day when you stood aloof, on the day when
Gentiles plundered his goods, and foreigners entered his cities" and
cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. |
|
12. And you should not have looked on the day of your
brother on the day of his being delivered, and you should not have rejoiced
about the children of Judah on the day of their destruction, and you should
not have spoken proudly on the day of distress. |
12. How you gloated over the day of your brother, on the
day of his destruction, and how you rejoiced over the people of Judah on the
day of their destruction. How you excelled in boasting in the time of
distress. |
|
13. You should not have come into the gate of My people
on the day of their misfortune; you too should not have looked at their
affliction on the day of their misfortune, and you should not have stretched
out [your hand] upon their possessions on the day of their misfortune. |
13. How you entered the gates of My people on the day
of their destruction, how you too gloated over their disaster on the day of
their destruction, and laid your hands on their goods on the day of their
destruction. |
|
14. And you should not have stood by the gap to cut off
their fugitives, neither should you have delivered their survivors on the day
of distress. |
14. How you stood at the crossroads to wipe out their
fugitives and how betrayed their refugees in the time of distress. |
|
15. For the day of the Lord over all the gentiles is
close; as you have done shall be done to you; your recompense shall be
returned upon your head. |
15. For the day that will come from the LORD
against all the Gentile nations is at hand. As you did, so shall it be done
to you. Your deeds will return on your own head. |
|
16. For, as you drank on My Holy Mount, shall all the
gentiles drink constantly, and they shall drink and be stunned, and they
shall be as though they were not. |
16. For as you rejoiced over the laying low of My
holy mountain, so all the peoples shall drink the cup of their punishment
unceasingly, and they shall drink and be swallowed up and become as though
they have never been. |
|
17. And on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant, and it
shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall inherit those who inherited them. |
17. But on Mount Zion there shall be survivors
and they shall be holy. And the people of the house of Jacob shall take
possession of the goods of the goods of the Gentiles who were dispossessing
them. |
|
18. And the house
of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau
shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and
the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for the Lord has
spoken. |
18. The people of the house of Jacob shall be strong as fire, and the
people of the house of Joseph as mighty as flame, but the people of the house
of Esau shall be as weak as straw; and they shall have dominion over them and
slaughter them, and there shall be no survivor left of the house of
Esau, for through the Memra of the Lord it has been decided
thus. |
|
19. And [the inhabitants of] the southland shall inherit
the mountain of Esau, and [the inhabitants of] the plain, the Philistines,
and they shall inherit the field of Ephraim and the field of Samaria, and
Benjamin [with the inhabitants of] Gilead. |
19. The inhabitants of the south shall possess
the citadel of Esau, and the inhabitants of the Shephelah the land of the
Philistines. And they shall possess the cities of Ephraim and the cities of Samaria, and the
people of the house of Benjamin shall possess the cities of the inhabitants
of the land of Gilead. |
|
20. And this exiled host of the children of Israel who
are [with] the Canaanites as far as Zarephath and the exile of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad
shall inherit the cities of the southland. |
20. Exiles of this people of the Israelites
(shall possess) what is in the land Canaan as far as Zarephath, while the exiles of Jerusalem
who are in Spain shall possess the cities of the land of the south. |
|
21. And saviors
shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the Lord shall have
the kingdom. {P} |
21. Liberators shall go up to Mount Zion to judge the citadel of Esau,
and the kingdom of the LORD shall be revealed over all the inhabitants of the
earth. |
|
|
|
|
9. Hearken now to this, you heads of the house of Jacob
and you rulers of the house of Israel, who condemn justice and pervert all
that is straight. |
9. Hear this, you leaders of the house of
Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who corrupt the ways of justice and
pervert all that is right, |
|
10. Each one builds Zion with
blood and Jerusalem with injustice. |
10. who build their houses in Zion with
shed blood and Jerusalem with deceit. |
|
11. Its heads judge for
bribes, and its priests teach for a price; and its prophets divine for money,
and they rely on the Lord, saying, "Is not the Lord in our midst? No
evil shall befall us." |
11. Her leaders judge for bribes, her
priests give instruction for money and her prophets teach for silver; yet
they rely on the Memra of the LORD, saying, “Is not the Shekinah of the LORD
in our midst? Evil will not come upon us", they say. |
|
12. Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a
field; Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the Temple Mount like the high
places of a forest. {P} |
12. Therefore on account of your sins Zion shall
be ploughed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the
Sanctuary mount shall be a thicket of the forest. |
|
|
|
|
1. And it shall be at the end of the days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the
mountains, and it shall be raised above the hills, and peoples shall stream
upon it. |
1. It shall come to pass in the latter days that
the mountain of the LORD's Sanctuary shall be established as the highest of
the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. All the kingdoms shall
turn to worship upon it. |
|
2. And many nations shall go, and they shall say,
"Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount and to the house of the God of
Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths,"
for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem. |
2. And many Gentiles shall come and say: “Come,
let us go up to the mountain of the LORD's Sanctuary and to the house of the
Shekinah of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us ways which are right
before Him, and that we may walk in the teaching of His Law. For out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the teaching Of6 the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem. 3. |
|
3. And he shall judge between many peoples and
reprove mighty nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords
into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nations shall not lift
the sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore. |
3. He shall judge between many peoples, and
shall arbitrate for mighty kings for ever. They shall beat their
swords into ploughshares and their spears into sickles. Nation shall not
raise arms against nation, nor shall they learn war any more. |
|
4. And they shall dwell each man under his vine and
under his fig tree, and no one shall make them move, for the mouth of the
Lord of Hosts has spoken. |
4. But every man shall sit under the fruit of his
vines and under the fruit of his fig-trees with no one to frighten him. For
by the Memra of the LORD of Hosts has it been decreed so. |
|
5. For all peoples shall go, each one in the name of
his god, but we will go in the name of the Lord, our God, forever and ever. {P} |
5. Though all the peoples shall be guilty because
they worshipped idols, we, however, shall rely on the name of the LORD our
God for ever and ever. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary on Obad. 1:21+Mic. 3:9-4:5
21 shall ascend -Princes
of Israel as saviors on Mt. Zion.
to judge the mountain of Esau -to exact retribution from the
mountain of Esau for what they did to Israel.
to judge Heb. לִשְׁפֹּט. joustiser in O.F.
the mountain of Esau - Jonathan renders: the
great city of Esau.
and the Lord shall have the kingdom -This teaches
you that His kingdom will not be complete until He exacts retribution from
Amalek.
Micah Chapter 3
12 Jerusalem shall become
heaps Heb. עִיּין.
Micah Chapter 4
1 shall stream Heb. וְנָהֲרוּ. And they shall gather there together like rivers flowing into
the sea.
3 And he shall judge
-This judgment is an expression of reproof, derajjnement
in O.F. [Isa 2:4]
4 for the mouth of the Lord
of Hosts has spoken -Now where has He spoken? (Lev. 26:6) “And I will place
peace in the land, etc.” [from Mechilta
to Exodus 12:25]
5 For all peoples shall go,
each one in the name of his god -Shall go to destruction because they
worshipped idols. So did Jonathan
render it.
Verbal Tallies
By: HEm Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Debarim (Deuteronomy) 2:2 –
2:30
Tehillim (Psalms) 108
Obadiah 1:21 + Micah 3:9 – 4:5
Mk 14:10-11, Lk 22:3-6, Rm
8:31-39
The
verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
People - עם, Strong’s number 05971.
The
verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamatot are:
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
Mountain
/ Mount - הר, Strong’s number 02022.
Esau - עשו, Strong’s number 06215.
Spake /
Say / Saying - אמר, Strong’s number 0559.
Long
enough / Many - רב, Strong’s number 07227.
People - עם, Strong’s number 05971.
Dwell /
Sit - ישב, Strong’s number 03427.
Debarim (Deuteronomy) 2:2 And the LORD <03068> spake <0559> (8799)
unto me, saying
<0559> (8800),
3 Ye have compassed this mountain <02022>
long enough
<07227>: turn you northward. 4
And command thou the people <05971>, saying <0559> (8800), Ye are to pass
through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau <06215>, which dwell <03427> (8802)
in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves
therefore:
Tehillim (Psalms) 108:3 I will
praise thee, O LORD
<03068>, among the people <05971>: and I will sing praises
unto thee among the nations.
Obadiah 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount <02022>
Zion to judge the mount
<02022> of Esau <06215>; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S <03068>.
Micah
3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for
hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD <03068>,
and say <0559>
(8800), Is not the LORD <03068> among us? none evil can come upon us.
Micah 3:12
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall
become heaps, and the mountain
<02022> of the house as the high places of the forest.
Micah 4:1 But in
the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD <03068>
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above
the hills; and people
<05971> shall flow unto it.
Micah 4:2 And many <07227>
nations shall come, and say
<0559> (8804), Come, and let us go up to the mountain <02022>
of the LORD
<03068>, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth
of Zion, and the word of the LORD <03068> from Jerusalem.
Micah 4:4 But they
shall sit <03427>
(8804) every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none
shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD <03068> of hosts hath spoken it.
Hebrew:
|
Hebrew |
English |
Torah Seder Deu 2:2 – 2:30 |
Psalms Psa 108:1-13 |
Ashlamatah Obad 1:21 + Micah 3:9 – 4:5 |
|
vyai |
man, men |
Deut. 2:14 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|
|
~yhil{a/ |
GOD |
Deut. 2:7 |
Ps. 108:1 |
Mic. 4:2 |
|
rm;a' |
saying, spoke |
Deut. 2:2 |
Mic. 3:11 |
|
|
@a; |
also, too |
Deut. 2:11 |
Ps. 108:1 |
|
|
#r,a, |
land, earth, ground |
Deut. 2:5 |
Ps. 108:5 |
|
|
lAdG" |
great |
Deut. 2:7 |
Ps. 108:4 |
|
|
rb;D' |
spoke, speak |
Deut. 2:17 |
Ps. 108:7 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|
rb'D' |
thing, word |
Deut. 2:7 |
Mic. 4:2 |
|
|
%r,D, |
road, way |
Deut. 2:8 |
Mic. 4:2 |
|
|
hy"h' |
became, become |
Deut. 2:16 |
Mic. 3:12 |
|
|
%l;h' |
wanderings, travel, come, walk |
Deut. 2:7 |
Mic. 4:2 |
|
|
rh; |
mountain, mount |
Deut. 2:3 |
Obad. 1:21 |
|
|
hz< |
this |
Deut. 2:3 |
Mic. 3:9 |
|
|
hwhy |
LORD |
Deut. 2:2 |
Ps. 108:3 |
Obad. 1:21 |
|
~Ay |
time, day, today |
Deut. 2:14 |
Mic. 4:1 |
|
|
ac'y" |
came, come |
Deut. 2:23 |
Ps. 108:11 |
Mic. 4:2 |
|
!ymiy" |
right |
Deut. 2:27 |
Ps. 108:6 |
|
|
bv;y"
|
live, lived |
Deut. 2:4 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|
|
[v;y"
|
save |
Ps. 108:6 |
Obad. 1:21 |
|
|
laer'f.yI |
Israel |
Deut. 2:12 |
Mic. 3:9 |
|
|
!WK |
steadfast, established |
Ps. 108:1 |
Mic. 4:1 |
|
|
yKi |
because |
Deut. 2:5 |
Mic. 4:5 |
|
|
lKo |
all, whole, entire, every |
Deut. 2:7 |
Ps. 108:5 |
Mic. 3:9 |
|
@s,K, |
money |
Deut. 2:6 |
Mic. 3:11 |
|
|
ba'Am |
Moab |
Deut. 2:8 |
Ps. 108:9 |
|
|
hm'x'l.mi
|
war |
Deut. 2:9 |
Mic. 4:3 |
|
|
!mi |
any, away, above, because |
Deut. 2:5 |
Ps. 108:4 |
Mic. 4:1 |
|
wf'[e |
Esau |
Deut. 2:4 |
Obad. 1:21 |
|
|
ab'c' |
armies |
Ps. 108:11 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|
|
br,q, |
within, inward |
Deut. 2:14 |
Mic. 3:11 |
|
|
vaor |
head |
Ps. 108:8 |
Mic. 3:9 |
|
|
~Wr |
tall |
Deut. 2:10 |
Ps. 108:5 |
|
|
~yIm;v' |
heaven |
Deut. 2:25 |
Ps. 108:4 |
|
|
[m;v' |
hear, heard |
Deut. 2:25 |
Mic. 3:9 |
|
|
tx;T; |
place |
Deut. 2:12 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|
|
~[; |
people |
Deut. 2:4 |
Ps. 108:3 |
Mic. 4:1 |
|
hf'[' |
did, do, make |
Deut. 2:12 |
Ps. 108:13 |
|
|
br' |
enough, numerous |
Deut. 2:3 |
Mic. 4:2 |
Greek:
|
Greek |
English |
Torah Seder Deu
2:2 – 2:30 |
Psalms Ps 108:1-13 |
Ashlamatah Obad 1:21 + Mic 3:9 – 4:5 |
Peshat Mk/Jude/Pet Mk 14:10-11 |
Remes 1 Luke Lk 22:3-6 |
Remes 2 Acts/Romans Rm 8:31-39 |
|
ἀκούω |
heard, hear |
Deut. 2:25 |
Mic. 3:9 |
Mk. 14:11 |
|||
|
ἀπέρχομαι |
went |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:4 |
||||
|
ἀποθνήσκω |
die |
Deu 2:14 |
Rom. 8:34 |
||||
|
ἀργύριον |
silver |
Deu 2:6 |
Mic 3:11 |
Mk. 14:11 |
Lk. 22:5 |
||
|
ἀρχιερεύς |
chief priests |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:4 |
||||
|
δεξιός |
right |
Deut. 2:27 |
Ps. 108:6 |
Rom. 8:34 |
|||
|
δίδωμι |
give, appoint |
Deu 2:5 |
Psa 108:12 |
Mk. 14:11 |
Lk. 22:5 |
||
|
δύναμις |
power, force |
Psa 108:11 |
Rom. 8:38 |
||||
|
δώδεκα |
twelve |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:3 |
||||
|
ἐξομολογέω |
acknowledgement, consented |
Psa 108:3 |
Lk. 22:6 |
||||
|
ζητέω |
sought, seek |
Mk. 14:11 |
Lk. 22:6 |
||||
|
ἡμέρα |
days |
Deut. 2:14 |
Mic. 4:1 |
Rom. 8:36 |
|||
|
θεός |
GOD |
Deut. 2:7 |
Ps. 108:1 |
Mic. 4:2 |
Rom. 8:31 |
||
|
Ἰουδάς |
Judas |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:3 |
||||
|
Ἰσκαριώτης |
Iscariot |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:3 |
||||
|
κύριος |
LORD |
Deut. 2:2 |
Ps. 108:3 |
Obad. 1:21 |
Rom. 8:39 |
||
|
λαλέω |
speak, spoke |
Deut. 2:17 |
Ps. 108:7 |
Mic. 4:4 |
|||
|
λέγω |
say, speak |
Deut. 2:2 |
Mic. 3:11 |
Rom. 8:31 |
|||
|
λογίζομαι |
consider |
Deu 2:11 |
Rom. 8:36 |
||||
|
παραδίδωμι |
delivered |
Deu 2:24 |
Mk. 14:10 |
Lk. 22:4 |
Rom. 8:32 |
||
|
πᾶς |
all, whole, entire, every |
Deut. 2:7 |
Ps. 108:5 |
Mic. 3:9 |
Rom. 8:32 |
||
|
ποιέω |
did, do, make |
Deut. 2:12 |
Ps. 108:13 |
||||
|
πολύς /
πολλός |
many much, high |
Deu 2:10 |
Mic 4:2 |
||||
|
υἱός |
sons |
Deu 2:4 |
Rom. 8:32 |
||||
|
χαίρω |
glad |
Mk. 14:11 |
Lk. 22:5 |
Nazarean
Talmud
Sidra of “D’barim?” (Deut.) “2:2 — 2:30”
“Rab-Lakhem” “Much to
you”
By: H. Em Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham &
H. Em. Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
|
School of Hakham Shaul’s Tosefta Luqas (LK) Mishnah א:א |
School of Hakham Tsefet’s Peshat Mordechai (Mk) Mishnah א:א |
|
|
And the adversary arose
in Yehudah,
the one called Ish Keriyoth, who was of the number of the twelve talmidim.
And he went away and conferred
with the Principal Kohanim
and officers of the temple guards how he could betray[54]
him (Yeshua) to them. And they were delighted, and came to an agreement with
him to give him money.
And he agreed, and began looking for a favorable opportunity to betray him to them
apart from the congregation. |
And Yehudah Ish Keriyoth, one of the twelve talmidim went out to the Kohen Gadol in order to hand (betray) him[55]
(Yeshua) to them. And they
(the Kohen Gadol and his soferim) were
delighted (greatly) and promised
to give him money.[56]
Then he (Yehudah Ish Keriyoth) sought
how he might find a convenient opportunity to deliver[57] (betray) him (Yeshua) to them. |
|
|
School of Hakham Shaul’s Remes Romans Mishnah א:א |
|
What then will we say[58]
about these things? If God is for us, the Jewish people,[59]
who can be against us? He (God) who did not
hold back as a special treasure for Himself,[60]
His own son[61](Israel/Messiah), but handed him down[62]
as a living Mesorah for us all, how will He not with[63]
him (Messiah) also show us His (God's) loving kindness? Who will set himself against the chosen
of God? It is God who takes up our fight[64] (cause) and renders
a favorable verdict for us. Who but God has the power[65] (right hand[66] - authority) to judge
us? It is Messiah who died, and furthermore is risen, who also
makes intercession[67]
for us. Who then will separate us from the love of Messiah? Will tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As
it is written: "But for Your sake we are killed all day[68]
long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."(Psa 44:22) Yet
in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him (God) who
loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death[69] nor life, nor angels
nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
height nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Yeshua HaMashiach our master. |
Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah
Seder
|
Deut
2:2 – 2:30 |
Ps
108 |
Obad
1:21 + Micah 3:9 – 4:5 |
Mordechai
14:10-11 |
1
Luqas 22:3-6 |
Romans
8:31-39 |
Commentary
to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat
One of the
twelve talmidim
That
Yehudah Ish
Keriyoth is “one of the twelve” is troubling for scholars. Even in the
selection of the “twelve,”[70] we have the troubling
statement that Yehudah Ish Keriyoth will be a “betrayer.”[71]
This incorporation of Yehudah Ish Keriyoth demonstrates Yeshua’s prophetic skills from
before the selection of the twelve. This is not to limit his prophetic insights
to the years of his ministry only. This is another matter to be discussed else
ware.
When
we search Mordechai for a motive to explain Yehudah Ish Keriyoth actions, superficially, we draw a blank.
Scholars suggest avarice, mutiny and disappointment. For whatever reason,
Hakham Tsefet does not feel like we need this information at present. We may be
able to draw some inferences, however, these would be more in line with
speculation, rather than honest hermeneutic. The text merely reads And Yehudah Ish Keriyoth, one of the twelve
talmidim went out to the Kohen Gadol
in order to hand (betray) him (Yeshua) to them. And they (the Kohen Gadol and his soferim) were delighted (greatly)
and promised to give him money.
Note
that the text does not tell us that he “asked for money.” It ONLY tells us that
they “promised to give him money.”
This is not to say that Yehudah did or did not ask for money. The text simply
does not tell us that. If this is the motive, we must draw on other Peshat
materials to derive this conclusion.
Here
we would suggest that it is plausible to believe that there was some other
motive. However, this does not rule out avarice as a potential motive.
Others
suggest that Yehudah may have been disenchanted about Yeshua as Messiah. They
suggest the possibility that Yehudah lost his confidence in Yeshua as the
promised Davidic Messiah. Again, we reiterate all of this is conjecture drawing
from other “Gospels” circumventing Peshat.
The
in the present context is the real meaning of the Greek phrase, “παραδίδωμι – paradidomi means, “to hand over.” However we will look into
this word in the Remes commentary with greater diligence. Here, betrayal is by
inference rather than direct definition. We must admit that we want to call
Yehudah the “barking dog.”[72] However, in the present
pericope there does not seem to be any real “barking.” Mordechai will
illustrate in the future just how Yehudah accomplishes his “handing over,” but
he does not yet disclose this information.
It
appears that Hakham Tsefet plays down the role of Yehudah in his Mesorah. Exactly
why is a mystery. To conjecture would be pure supposition. There is nothing
wrong with conjecture so long as there is some sufficient hint to make a
possible thesis.
Yehudah’s identity is been clouded in mystery for most readers. In the
list of commentaries, only two make note the possible identity of Yehudah.
France[73] notes
that Yehudah is not a “Galilean.” Here France wants us to know that Yehudah was
not a “hometown” boy from Galilee, and therefore suspicious.[74] France
correctly translates Ισκαριώτης Iskariotes as “Man from Keriyoth.”[75]
However, France misses
that fact the Yehudah was from Moab rather than Eretz Yisrael.[76]
Taylor[77] in her
article, “The Name “Iskarioth” (Iscariot)” notes the complexity of
trying to translate this name.
Overall, this appears to indicate that “Judas” was
designated by a Hebrew or Aramaic name transliterated as Ἰσκαριώθ and rendered in Greek form as Ἰσκαριώτης. There is more of a tendency to standardize the
epithet in Greek form rather than to retrieve or preserve the Hebrew or Aramaic
form.
The leading theory is…
The epithet translates
Hebrew, אִישׁ
קְרִיּוֹת- ish kerioth, meaning “a man from Qarioth”, this place being
attested in Eusebius, Onom. 120.1; cf. Jer 48:24, 41; Amos 2:2. The
interpretation has been supported by Paul Billerbeck, Julius Wellhausen,
Donatus Haugg, and Gustaf Dalman.[78]
As a variant of this proposal, the epithet is taken to mean “a man of towns,” a
town-dweller—the town in question being Jerusalem (Günther Schwartz).[79]
Taylor also cites another
possible translation based on the work of Jewish scholar Yoel Abreitman…
The epithet is derived from an Aramaic word for “red color,” on the
basis of the root rqs, so that it means a “redhead” or “ruddy-colored,” as in
Arabic, where šuqra can mean “a ruddy complexion” (Harald Ingholt),[80] or “red dyer,” supposedly saqqara, as Albert
Ehrman suggests.[81] The most careful argument has been provided
by Yoel Arbeitman.[82] The reference is then simply to Judas’s
employment or appearance.[83]
Cane in his work labeled “The place of Judas Iscariot in Christology” notes another possible interpretation of “Iscariot.”
The relevant
critical discussion involves understanding that in the New Testament Judas'
name takes two forms, either having a Semitic ending (three times) or a Greek
ending (nine times, in Matthew, Luke and John). Scholars differ as to which is
the original, but the Greek ending seems to have the more convincing arguments
in favor. C.C. Torrey (The Name "Iscariot ' in Harvard Theological Review
36, 1943. p56) argues that a scribe would hardly likely to alter a good Hebrew
ending for a Greek, whilst the converse move might be understood as an
'improvement'. Yoel Arbeitman ('The suffix of Iscariot' in Journal Biblical
Literature 99, 1980, p. 123 argues that the name Iscariot was the product of
authors familiar both with Aramaic and Greek putting an Aramaic actor noun for
'(red) dyer' into Greek form. This suggestion from a Jewish scholar, is
striking in its prosaic plausibility, especially when compared with the wide
range of other proposals.[84]
Thus, the apparent possible
suggestions for Yehudah Ish Keriyoth are numerous. The whole list includes the
idea of a robber and a liar and dagger man etc.
In favor of the leading
opinion, Taylor[85]
remarks…
In favor of this suggestion
is the fact that it may possibly be related to an early Western text manuscript
tradition relating to the Gospel of John, which might satisfy the final
criterion. So, for example, in John 6:71a the f13 family of manuscripts along
with the uncorrected t* (Sinaiticus, fourth century) and Θ (Koridethi, ninth century) have ἔλεγεν
δὲ τὸν Ἰούδαν
Σίμωνος ἀπὸ
Καρυώτου. This occurs also in a Greek marginal reading
of the Harclean Syriac version. In John 12:4, for Ἰούδας ὁ
Ἰσκαριώτης εἷς
ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν
αὐτοῦ, D (followed by its Latin
part) has εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ Ἰούδας ἀπὸ Καρυώτου. For John 13:2, D has Ἰούδα Σίμωνος
ἀπὸ Καρυώτου; for John 3:26, Ἰούδα Σίμωνος ἀπὸ Καρυώτου; and likewise for John
14:22, Ἰούδας
οὐχ ὁ ἀπὸ
Καρυώτου. With the
original hand of Sinaiticus attesting this interpretation, it must be traced as
far back as the fourth century, and this opens up at least the possibility that
some ancient tradition is reflected in the copyist’s choice, which would have
Judas’s epithet relating to his provenance. A possible reflection of the same
interpretation appears to be found in a couple of Latin manuscripts of the
Synoptic Gospels so that the name “Cariotha” appears in Mark 3:19 (italic e:
Palatinus, fifth century), and “Carioth” in Matt 10:4 (italic aur: Aureus,
seventh century), though here there is no preposition and an upsilon would be
rendered as Latin i.[86]
Miller,[87]
playing on the possibility of the “red man” suggests that the “red man” or “red
headed man” is an association with Esau, the “red man” or redheaded brother of
Yaakov.
In concluding that Yehudah Ish Keriyoth is the man from Keriyoth located
in Moab this makes him a full convert to Judaism and a talmid of the Master.
This speaks volumes to those who will hear. As for the reasoning behind his
betrayal of the Master, this is a matter for deeper research on a higher plane
of hermeneutic.
Commentary
to Hakham Shaul’s School of Remes
Textual Discussion and
continuity to the Peshat of Hakham Tsefet
As is usual we need to look
at some of the translation mechanics and hermeneutics. Verbal and thematic
tallies are prevalent throughout the Nazarean texts this week. We will draw
attention to the Greek word παραδίδωμι - paradidomi. This word or
a derivative appears in several places this week. We will refer the reader to
the verbal connections mentioned in the footnotes and listed tallies above. The
usual translation of verse 32 reads “but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with
Him also freely give us all things?” While there is a definite Peshat sense
of being “delivered up,” the true Remes answer and translation should not say
“delivered up” but “handed down!” The Gingrich Greek Lexicon[88]
entries 3-4 shows that παραδίδωμι – paradidomi is associated
with the idea of “handing down, pass
on, transmit, relate, teach oral or written tradition.” Entry #4
is associated with the Rabbinic activity of “binding i.e. forbidding or
restraining and loosing i.e. allowing and permitting. The Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament in entry #6 sees παραδοῦναι “as a technical term when
its object is teaching etc. Thus it is used of the Halachic tradition of the
Jews.” It is also used of the matter of the Gospel (Mesorah) in Lk. 1:2, and of the commands (δόγματα) of the apostolic council.”[89]
The “Liddell Scott” Greek English Lexicon[90]
associates παραδίδωμι – paradidomi with the
Persian postal couriers and those who ran with the torch for the games. Interestingly, this word binds the entire
Torah Seder together as noted in the footnotes.
Consequently, this means
that as a principal matter, the Master was to be a “Mesorah handed down” as a
living Mesorah. G-d did not “hold back” – spare the special treasure of His
son. Allegorically speaking we can see that Messiah is the son of G-d, but this
truth also depicts the B’ne Yisrael as B’ne Elohim, i.e. “sons of G-d.” We
might say that Messiah is a living personification of the B’ne Yisrael and,
that the B’ne Yisrael is a collective personification of Messiah. This allegory
also reveals that just as Messiah is a living personification of the Torah,
Oral and written, so are the B’ne Yisrael. Therefore, just as the Master is
“handed down” to or for the glory of us all (the Jewish people) we are also
handed down to the Gentiles as a living Mesorah. Be it, butcher or baker we are
a living Mesorah. A butcher demonstrates the Mesorah as a living model of how
to prepare food. Likewise, the Baker is a Mesorah for bread etc.
When we break
down the compound word “παραδίδωμι,”
- paradidōmi,
we can see from its parts other truths.
Its compounded parts are παρά - para and δίδωμι - didōmi. Δίδωμι - didōmi has forty-two possible parallels in Hebrew as used by the
LXX chief of which is “halakhah.” All of these small pieces to the puzzle show
us that Messiah and the Jewish people are walking Mesoroth presented to the
Gentiles.
Messiah’s suffering is
often exaggerated. Here we do not want to diminish the sufferings of the Master
nor their precious value. Here we are pointing out that every Jewish soul
carries the pain of a persecuted history in his DNA. The Master as a
prototypical Jew died and was resurrected as a testimony of what we wait for.
The coming ages “Y’mot HaMashiach” is then not just only an exaltation of
Messiah, but also an adulation of those who have followed in his foot steps and
conducted their lives in the very same way as the Master. In other words, we
are as responsible for the “Y’mot HaMashiach” as is the Master. Again, the reader must not think that we are
in any way demeaning the Master. As Messiah has suffered and triumphed, so will
we. As it is written:
"But for Your sake we are killed all day[91]
long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psa
44:22)”
The Canaan connection – More
than Conquerors
Tehillim - Psa 44:2-3 You drove out the nations with Your hand,
But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they
did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm
save them; But it was Your right
hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored
them.
Hakham Shaul cites as a
paraphrase Psalms 44:22. It may be better said that Hakham Shaul cited a piece
of the Psalm referring to the whole, i.e. pars pro toto. A brief overview of
the Psalm shows numerous connections both verbal and thematic. The Psalmist
looks forward to the day when the Jewish people are settled in Eretz Yisrael
and freed from the tyranny of its oppressors. It would appear that Hakham Shaul
sees beyond the sons of Korah in that Eretz Yisrael is the whole earth rather
than a small stretch of land along the Mediterranean.
However, what is Hakham Shaul
trying to say when he informs us that the Jewish people are more than
conquerors?
We find two principal
things that demonstrate and explain what Hakham Shaul is saying. Firstly, we
note in verse 5 of the present Torah Seder (D’barim 2:5) that G-d speaks
telling the B’ne Yisrael not to set one foot in the territory of Esau. In verse
9 G-d furthers his instruction telling them not to harass Moab. Careful
attention shows that these are the neighboring lands. What strikes our
attention is that fact that Yehudah Ish Kerioth is associated with these lands.
When Psalm 44 is read in conjunction with the present Pericope of Romans,
Mordechai (Mark) and Luqas (Luke) and the present Torah Seder the staggering
truth becomes evident. Being more than a conqueror means that G-d is the
victor. This is not to say that we do not have to do our part. Not setting “one
foot” in the lands of others means that we realize that we do not have to. Here
our intention is that we can say that we have enough because G-d is our
“peace.” Another Hebrew possibility for the Greek word δίδωμι - didōmi discussed above is Shalam – i.e. Shalom. Here we learn that
the B’ne Yisrael do not have to go on expeditions of forced conversions etc.
being more than a conqueror means that the Jewish people want to live in peace
devoted to Torah observance. We conquer what is needful for peace and no more.
Rashi comments of the
wording of D’barim 2:4 -5 Be very
careful: And what is this "being careful"? “You will not provoke
them.” And verse 5 not so much as a
foot: step meaning, even only for the sole of the foot to tread a single
step, I do not permit you to enter their land without permission. An Aggadic
interpretation is: [I will not give you of their land] until the day arrives
when the foot will tread upon the Mount of Olives [the Messianic era], as it
said: “And his [God’s agent] feet will [figuratively] stand [on that day upon
the Mount of Olives]” (Zech. 14:4).
Seven and Ten
The pericope of Romans is
especially suited to the opening passages of the Torah Seder. D’barim 2:3 “You
have circled this mountain long enough; turn northward.”
Hakham Shaul takes note and
uses a bulleted list of ten words to suggest
how the Nazareans will enter the Y’mot HaMashiach. Key to our pericope are the
words “height, depth and anything.”
Prayerfully we do not need
to point out that the list of seven and ten relate to the Ten and the seven men
of the Esnoga. The ten men can only be complete when there are seven Paqidim to
function in their offices.
The first list of seven
represents experiential troubles that will be faced in the Diaspora. As such,
the counterparts to these troubles are the cure of Seven Paqidim. These
plenipotentiary agents are the designated resolution to each of the troubles
Hakham Shaul has listed. It should also be evident that these “seven” troubles
align themselves with trumpets, seals, bowls, and plagues of the Revelation.
|
Seven
Troubles |
Seven
Paqidim |
|
Tribulation |
Hesed - Masoret |
|
Distress |
Gevurah – Hazan |
|
Persecution |
Teforet – Darshan
(Prophet) |
|
Famine |
Netzach – Parnas #1 |
|
Nakedness |
Hod – Parnas #2 |
|
Peril |
Yesod – Parnas #3
(Female) |
|
Sword |
Malchut – Moreh |
Table
#1
The
match is overwhelmingly thorough.
|
Ten Cosmic
powers |
Ten men of
the Esnoga |
Relational
Malakhim |
|
Life |
Hokhmah – Chief Hakham - Apostle |
Holy Chayyoth –
living beings |
|
Death |
Binah – 2nd on the bench of 3 - Apostle |
Ofanim - Spheres |
|
Angels |
Da’at – 3rd on the bench of 3 - Apostle |
Er’elim – Great Ones |
|
Present things |
Hesed - Masoret |
Chashmalim – Fiery
beings |
|
Height |
Gevurah - Hazan |
Serafim – Burned
(burning) Ones |
|
Things to come |
Tiferet – Darshan (Prophet) |
Mal’achim -
Emissaries |
|
Powers |
Netzach – Parnas #1 |
Elohim - Judges |
|
Principalities |
Hod – Parnas #2 |
B’ne Elohim - Sons of the Judges |
|
Depth |
Yesod – Parnas #3 (Female) |
Keruvim –
Kings/Queens |
|
Creation |
Malkhut – Moreh |
Ishim - Men |
Table
#2
The above table shows how
Hakham Shaul viewed the Esnoga and Ecclesiology in relation to cosmological
powers and government. Each office is especially suited to a corresponding
“power.” Again, Hakham Shaul is prophetically confident that the Jewish people,
even as they walked into the Diaspora, maltreated and persecuted, in the end
they would survive and flourish as the “son of G-d.” This is because they had
leaders like Hakham Tsefet, Hakham Shaul and others who had the prophetic foresight
to see the coming of this long exile for the sake of a cosmic tikun.
Some Questions to Ponder:
- From all the readings for this Shabbat, which
reading touched your heart and fired your imagination?
- What part of the Torah Seder fired the heart and
imagination of the Psalmist for this week?
- What part of the Torah Seder fired the heart and
the imagination of the prophet this week?
- What part/s of the Torah Seder, Psalm, and the
prophets fired the heart and the imagination of Hakham Tsefet for this
week?
- After taking into consideration all the above
texts and our Torah Seder, what would you say is the general prophetic
message from the Scriptures for this coming week?
Blessing After
Torah Study
Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch
HaOlám,
Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét,
V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.
Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh.
Amen!
Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, King of
the universe,
Who has given us a teaching of
truth, implanting within us eternal life.
Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the
Torah. Amen!
“Now unto Him who is able to
preserve you faultless, and spotless, and to establish you without a blemish,
before His majesty, with joy,
[namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer, by means of Yeshua the Messiah our
Master, be praise, and dominion, and honor, and majesty, both now and in all
ages. Amen!”
Coming Festivals:
Fast of Esther
Adar 13, 5775 – Wednesday 4th
of March, 2015
For further information see: http://www.betemunah.org/esther.html
Purim
Adar 14, 5775 – Thursday 5th
of March, 2015
For further information see: http://www.betemunah.org/allegories.html ; http://www.betemunah.org/purim.html ;
http://www.betemunah.org/purims.html & http://www.betemunah.org/r2r.html
Next Shabbat:
Shabbat “Zakhor” – “Remember”
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
זָכוֹר |
|
|
|
“Zakhor” |
Reader 1 – Debarim 24:19-22 |
Reader
1 – D’barim 2:31-33 |
|
“Remember” |
Reader 2 – Debarim 25:1-4 |
Reader
2 – D’barim 2:34-37 |
|
“Acuérdate” |
Reader 3 – Debarim 25:5-7 |
Reader
3 – D’barim 2:31-37 |
|
Debarim (Deut.) 24:19 –
25:19 |
Reader 4 – Debarim 25:8-10 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: I Samuel 15:1-34 |
Reader 5 – Debarim 25:11-13 |
|
|
|
Reader 6 – Debarim 25:14-16 |
Reader
1 – D’barim 2:31-33 |
|
Psalm 2:1-12 |
Reader 7 – Debarim 25:17-19 |
Reader
2 – D’barim 2:34-37 |
|
|
Maftir – Debarim 25:17-19 |
Reader
3 – D’barim 2:31-37 |
|
N.C.: Rev. 13:11 – 14:12;
15:2-4 |
I Samuel 15:1-34 |
|
Shabbat
Shalom!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
Rabbi
Dr. Hillel ben David
Rabbi
Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham