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Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle
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Blessings Before Torah Study

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!

Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, 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 GOD, 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!

We pray for our beloved Hakham His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Yosef ben Haggai. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may He bless and heal the sick person HE Rabbi Dr. Yosef ben Haggai, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

A Prayer for Israel

Our Father in Heaven, Rock, and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.

Lead them, swiftly and upright, to Your city Zion and to Jerusalem, the abode of Your Name, as is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses: “Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And the Lord your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers.” Draw our hearts together to revere and venerate Your name and to observe all the precepts of Your Torah, and send us quickly the Messiah son of David, agent of Your vindication, to redeem those who await Your deliverance.

Shabbat Nachamu – First Sabbath of Consolation

Shabbat: “Zeh Qorban Aharon” – “This (is the) offering (of) Aaron”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
זֶה קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן		Saturday Afternoon
“Zeh Qorban Aharon”	Reader 1 – Vayikra 6:12-16	Reader 1 – Vayikra 8:1-3
“This (is the) offering (of) Aaron”	Reader 2 – Vayikra 6:17-23	Reader 2 – Vayikra 8:4-6
“Esta (es la) ofrenda (de) Aarón”	Reader 3 – Vayikra 7:1-10	Reader 3 – Vayikra 8:7-9
Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38	Reader 4 – Vayikra 7:11-21
Ashlamata: Malachi 3:4-12 + 18 Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:1-26	Reader 5 – Vayikra 7:22-27	Monday & Thursday Mornings
	Reader 6 – Vayikra 7:28-31	Reader 1 – Vayikra 8:1-3
Tehillim (Psalms) 76:1-13	Reader 7 – Vayikra 7:32-38	Reader 2 – Vayikra 8:4-6
	Maftir – Vayikra 7:35-38	Reader 3 – Vayikra 8:7-9
N.C.: 1 Pet 1:17-21; Lk 10:2	Isaiah 40:1-26

Contents of the Torah Seder

· The High Priest’s Daily Meal Offering – Lev. 6:12-16

· Holiness of the Sin Offering – Lev. 12:17-23

· The Guilt Offering – Lev. 7:1-10

· Peace Offering & Thank Offering – Lev. 7:11-21

· Prohibition of Fat & Blood – Lev. 7:22-27

· Priest’s Sharing of the Peace Offerings – Lev. 7:28-34

· Concluding Section on Offerings – Lev. 7:35-38

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38

Rashi	Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
6:12. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	12. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
13. This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which they shall offer to the Lord, on the day when [one of them] is anointed: One tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a perpetual meal offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening.	13. This is the oblation of Aharon and of his sons, which they are to offer before the Lord on the day that they anoint him, that he may possess the inheritance of the high priesthood. A tenth of three seahs of fine flour for a mincha, one half in the morning and a half at eventide.
14. It shall be made with oil on a shallow pan, after bringing it scalded and repeatedly baked; you shall offer a meal offering of broken pieces, [with] a pleasing fragrance to the Lord.	14. You will make it upon a pan, mixed with olive oil will you offer it; in divided pieces will you offer the mincha, to be received with acceptance before the Lord,
15. And the kohen who is anointed instead of him from among his sons, shall prepare it; [this is] an eternal statute; it shall be completely burnt to the Lord.	15. And the high priest who is anointed with oil, (and also when (any one) of his sons who are constituted priests (is consecrated) in his place) will perform this: it is an everlasting statute before the Lord: the whole will be set in order and burned.
16. Every meal offering of a kohen shall be completely burnt; it shall not be eaten.	16. For every mincha of the priest will be wholly set in order and consumed: it will not be eaten.
17. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,	17. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
18. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, this is the law of the sin offering: The sin offering shall be slaughtered before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. It is a holy of holies.	18. Speak with Aharon and with his sons, saying: This is the law of the sin offering which is to be killed in the place where the burnt offering is killed; it shall be slain as a sin offering before the Lord; it is most sacred.
19. The kohen who offers it up as a sin offering shall eat it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.	19. The priest who makes atonement with blood may eat of it in the holy place; it will be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of ordinance;
20. Anything that touches its flesh shall become holy, and if any of its blood is sprinkled on a garment, [the area of the garment] upon which it has been sprinkled, you shall wash in a holy place.	20. whosoever touches the flesh of it must be sanctified. And if anyone let some of its blood fall upon a garment, (the garment so) stained shall be washed in the holy place.
21. An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked shall be broken, but if it is cooked in a copper vessel, it shall be purged and rinsed with water.	21. And every earthen vessel in which (the flesh of it) is boiled shall be broken, lest that which is common be boiled in it; or if it be boiled in a vessel of brass, it shall be scoured with potter's earth and washed in waters.
22. Every male among the kohanim may eat it. It is a holy of holies.	22. Every man of the priests may eat thereof; it is most sacred.
23. But any sin offering some of whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy, shall not be eaten; it shall be burned in fire.	23. But no sin offering whose blood is carried into the tabernacle of ordinance to make atonement in the sanctuary may be eaten; it must be burned with fire.
7:1. And this is the law of the guilt offering. It is a holy of holies.	1. And this is the law of the Trespass Offering; it is most holy.
2. They shall slaughter the guilt offering in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering; and its blood shall be dashed upon the altar, around.	2. In the place where they kill the burnt sacrifice, they will kill the trespass offering, and the blood thereof will he sprinkle upon the altar round about.
3. And all of its fat he shall offer from it: the tail and the fat covering the innards,	3. And he will offer all the fat thereof, and the tail, and the fat which covers the inwards;
4. and the two kidneys [along] with the fat that is upon them, which is on the flanks, and the diaphragm with the liver; along with the kidneys he shall remove it.	4. and the two kidneys, and the fat, which is upon them, and upon the inwards. And the caul that is upon the liver upon the kidneys will he take away;
5. And the kohen shall cause them to [go up in] smoke on the altar as a fire offering to the Lord. It is a guilt offering.	5. and the priest will burn them at the altar, an oblation before the Lord: it is a trespass offering.
6. Any male among the kohanim may eat it; it shall be eaten in a holy place. It is a holy of holies.	6. Every man of the priests may eat of it, in the holy place will it be eaten it is most sacred.
7. Like the sin offering, so is the guilt offering, they have one law; the kohen who effects atonement through it to him it shall belong.	7. As the rite of the sin offering, so is the rite of the trespass; there is one law for them: the priest who makes atonement with its blood will have it.
8. And the kohen who offers up a person's burnt offering, the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered up, belongs to the kohen; it shall be his.	8. And when the priest offers another man's burnt sacrifice, the skin of the burnt sacrifice which he offers will be the priests.
9. And any meal offering baked in an oven, and anyone made in a deep pan or in a shallow pan, belongs to the kohen who offers it up; it shall be his.	9. And every mincha which is baked in the oven, and every one that is made in a pot, or in a frying pan, or upon a dish, the priest who offers it will have it for his own.
10. And any meal offering mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, one like the other.	10. And every mincha mixed with oil, or which is dry, will be for any of the sons of Aharon, a man as his brother.
11. And this is the law of the peace offering, which he shall bring to the Lord.	11. And this is the law of the Sanctified Victims which they may offer before the Lord.
12. If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving offering, he shall offer, along with the thanksgiving offering unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and scalded flour mixed with oil.	12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving let him offer with the oblation of thanks unleavened cakes mingled with olive oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with olive oil, and flour fried with a mixture of olive oil.
13. Along with loaves of leavened bread, he shall bring his offering along with his thanksgiving peace offering.	13. Upon the cakes he will offer his oblation of leavened bread with the hallowed sacrifice of thanksgiving.
14. And he shall bring from it one out of each offering, as a separation for the Lord; the kohen who dashes the blood of the peace offering it shall be his.	14. And of it he will present one as a separation before the Lord; the priest who sprinkles the blood of the hallowed sacrifice will have it.
15. And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace offering shall be eaten on the day it is offered up; he shall not leave any of it over until morning.	15. And the flesh of his hallowed sacrifice of thanksgiving will be eaten on the day when it is offered; none of it may be laid up (or covered up) until the morning.
16. But if his sacrifice is a vow or a voluntary donation, on the day he offers up his sacrifice it may be eaten, and on the next day, whatever is left over from it, may be eaten.	16. But if his hallowed sacrifice be a vow or a free-will gift, the sacrifice may be (partly) eaten on the day when it is offered, and the remainder may be eaten on the day following at evening.
17. However, whatever is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day, shall be burnt in fire.	17. And what remains of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifice on the third day will be burned in fire.
18. And if any of the flesh of his peace offering is to be eaten on the third day, it shall not be accepted; it shall not count for the one who offers it; [rather,] it shall be rejected, and the person who eats of it shall bear his sin.	18. If, eating, he will eat of the flesh of his hallowed sacrifice on the third day, it will not be accepted of him who offered it, nor reckoned to him for righteousness/ generosity; it will be a profane thing, and the man who eats of it will bear his sin.
19. And the flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten. It shall be burned in fire. But regarding the flesh, anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh.	19. And if the flesh of things hallowed touch any uncleanness, it must not be eaten, but be burned in fire; but (as to) flesh that is consecrated, everyone who is clean by sanctification may eat the hallowed flesh.
20. A person who eats the flesh of a peace offering of the Lord, while his uncleanness is upon him, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	20. But the man who eateth of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifice that is offered before the Lord with his uncleanness upon him, that man shall be destroyed from among his people.
21. And a person who touches anything unclean, whether uncleanness from a human or an unclean animal [carcass] or any unclean [carcass of an] abominable creature, and then eats of the flesh of a peace offering to the Lord, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	21. The man also who touches any unclean thing, whether the uncleanness of man, or of unclean beasts, or any unclean reptile, and eats of the flesh of the hallowed sacrifices offered before the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people.
22. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	22. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
23. Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: You shall not eat any fat of an ox, sheep, or goat.	23. Speak with the sons of Israel, saying: You may not eat any fat of oxen, or sheep, or goats;
24. The fat of carrion and the fat of an animal with a fatal disease or injury, may be used for any work, but you shall not eat it.	24. but the fat of an animal which corrupteth in the hour of sacrifice, or which dieth a dead thing by death, or the fat of a beast that is torn, may be used in any work;
25. For anyone who eats fat of animals from which sacrifices are brought as fire offerings to the Lord, the soul who eats [it] shall be cut off from its people.	25. For he who eats (the fat) of an animal that is fit to be offered as an oblation before the Lord, that man who eats the fat will be cut off from his people.
26. And you shall not eat any blood in any of your dwelling places, whether from birds or from animals.	26. In none of your dwellings will you eat the blood whether of bird or of beast.
27. Any person who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from its people.	27. Every man who eats the blood of any living thing, that man will be cut off from his people.
28. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:	28. And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
29. Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: Anyone who brings his peace offering to the Lord, shall bring his sacrifice to the Lord from his peace offering.	29. Speak with the sons of Aharon, saying: Whosoever presents his hallowed sacrifice before the Lord, will himself bring the oblation of his hallowed sacrifice unto the presence of the Lord.
30. His own hands shall bring the fire offerings of the Lord. The fat, on the breast, he shall bring it, the breast, to wave it as a waving before the Lord.	30. His hands will bring the oblations of the Lord which he would set apart as his hallowed sacrifice, the fat, the fatness that is upon the breast, and the breast cut out with two ribs here and two ribs there at the top, will he bring to be uplifted, an elevation before the Lord.
31. And the kohen shall cause the fat to [go up in] smoke on the altar, and the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons.	31. And the priest will burn the fat upon the altar, and the breast will be for Aharon and for his sons.
32. And you shall give the right thigh as an elevation offering to the kohen, from your peace offering.	32. And the right shoulder of your hallowed sacrifice from the side unto the extremity (zeroa, arm) you will give as a separation unto the priest.
33. [Anyone] of the sons of Aaron who offers up the blood of the peace offering and the fat he shall have the right thigh as a portion.	33. He of the sons of Aharon who offers the blood and the fat of the hallowed sacrifice will have the right shoulder as his portion.
34. For I have taken the breast of the waving and the thigh of the elevation from the children of Israel, from their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the kohen and to his sons as an eternal statute, from the children of Israel.	34. For the uplifted breast and the shoulder of separation have I taken of your hallowed sacrifice and given them to Aharon the priest and to his sons by an everlasting statute, from the children of Israel.
35. This is [the grant for] Aaron's anointment and his sons' anointment, from the fire offerings of the Lord, on the day that He brought them near, to be kohanim for the Lord.	35. This pertains to the consecration of Aharon and to the consecration of his sons over all the Levites their brethren, that they may eat of the Lord's oblations in the day that they present them to minister before the Lord;
36. Which the Lord commanded to give them on the day that He anointed them, from the children of Israel. [This is] an eternal statute for their generations.	36. which the Lord commanded to be given them in the day of their consecration from among the sons of Israel, by an everlasting statute to your generations.
37. This is the law for the burnt offering, for the meal offering, and for the sin offering, and for the guilt offering, and for the investitures, and for the peace offering,	37. This is the law of the burnt offering which is brought to atone for the thoughts of the heart; of the mincha, of the sin offering, of the trespass offering, and of the peace offering, or the hallowed sacrifices
38. which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day He commanded the children of Israel to offer up their sacrifices to the Lord in the Sinai Desert.	38. which the Lord commanded Mosheh in Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the sons of Israel to offer their oblations before the Lord in the tabernacle that he made unto him in the wilderness of Sinai.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez By: Rabbi Yitzchok Magriso, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1989) Leviticus – I-Vol. 11– “The Divine Service” pp. 133 - 178

Ramban: Leviticus Commentary on the Torah Translated and Annotated by Rabbi Dr. Charles Chavel Published by Shilo Publishing House, Inc. (New York, 1974) pp. 69-91

Welcome to the World of Pshat Exegesis

In order to understand the finished work of the Pshat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the Pshat 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.

Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis

Thirteen rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the elucidation of the Torah and for making halakic deductions from it. They are, strictly speaking, mere amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and are collected in the Baraita of R. Ishmael, forming the introduction to the Sifra and reading as follows:

1. Ḳal wa-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.

2. Gezerah shawah: Identical with the second rule of Hillel.

3. Binyan ab: Rules deduced from a single passage of Scripture and rules deduced from two passages. This rule is a combination of the third and fourth rules of Hillel.

4. Kelal u-Peraṭ: The general and the particular.

5. u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The particular and the general.

6. Kelal u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The general, the particular, and the general.

7. The general which requires elucidation by the particular, and the particular which requires elucidation by the general.

8. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the general as well as the particular.

9. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of the special regulation which corresponds in concept to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather than to increase the rigidity of its application.

10. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of some other special regulation which does not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated either to decrease or to increase the rigidity of its application.

11. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision can be referred to the general only in case the passage under consideration makes an explicit reference to it.

12. Deduction from the context.

13. When two Biblical passages contradict each other the contradiction in question must be solved by reference to a third passage.

Rules seven to eleven are formed by a subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule twelve corresponds to the seventh rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain particulars; rule thirteen does not occur in Hillel, while, on the other hand, the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and their application in general. These rules are found also on the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.

Rashi’s Commentary for Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38

13 This is the offering of Aaron and his sons Ordinary kohanim must also offer [a meal-offering, consisting of] a tenth of an ephah [of flour], on the day they are inaugurated into service. The Kohen Gadol, however, must bring [this meal-offering] every day, as it is said, “a perpetual meal-offering…” (verse 15), “And the kohen who is anointed instead of him from among his sons …an eternal statute.”- [Torath Kohanim 6:39, 44]

14 scalded Boiling water is poured over it [i.e., over the dough], until it is thoroughly scalded.-[Torath Kohanim 6: 46]

repeatedly baked Heb. תֻּפִינֵי , baked many times over, namely, after the scalding (חֲלִיטָה) , he bakes it in an oven and afterwards fries it in a shallow pan.-[Men. 50b]

a meal-offering of broken pieces [This] teaches [us] that it requires breaking up. [Old Rashi edition continues: But not really breaking of the offering into separate pieces and crumbs, since it is not scooped, but he folds it in two, and folds it again in four, [first] vertically and [then] horizontally. However, he does not separate it [into pieces]. In this form, he burns it as a fire-offering. This is explained in Torath Kohanim.-[see Torath Kohanim 6:48, Men. 75b]

15 who is anointed instead of him from among his sons [This is to be understood as if transposed: The kohen] who is anointed from among his sons instead of him.

It shall be completely burnt [When there is a קְמִיצָה procedure, what is scooped out is burned on the altar, and the remainder is eaten by the kohanim. However, in this offering,] there is no קְמִיצָה procedure to enable any remainder to be eaten; but, it is burnt in its entirety. Similarly, any voluntary meal-offering brought by a kohen, must be completely burned.

17 completely Heb. כָּלִיל All of it must be equally offered to God on High.

19 who offers it as a sin offering Heb. הַמְחַטֵּא אתהּ , who performs the components of its service, i.e., the one through whom it becomes a sin-offering. [Thus, the word הַמְחַטֵּא means, “the one who makes it into a sin-offering (חַטָּאת) .”]

The kohen who offers it as a sin offering shall eat it [Any kohen] fit for the service; this comes to exclude a kohen who is unclean at the time of the dashing of the blood, who does not take a share in the flesh. -[Torath Kohanim 6:58] But, it is impossible to say that [this verse] prohibits other kohanim from eating it, except the kohen who dashes its blood, for it says further (verse 22),“Any male among the kohanim may eat it.”

20 Anything that touches its flesh Any item of food that touches it and absorbs from it.-[Torath Kohanim 6:60]

shall become holy to be like it, insofar as: If [that sin-offering] is invalid, it [whatever touched the sin-offering], becomes invalid, and if [that sin-offering] is valid, it [whatever touched the sin-offering] must be eaten under the same stringency as the sin-offering [namely, only during the day of offering and the following night.-[Torath Kohanim 6:60]

and if some of its blood is sprinkled on a garment Heb. וַאֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה , [usually, and what will be sprinkled …, which would mean that the blood must be sprinkled on the garment. Therefore, Rashi remarks that אֲשֶׁר in this case is like אִם , and the verse is to be rendered:] And if some of its blood is sprinkled on a garment, [the area of the garment] which it has been sprinkled, shall be washed within the courtyard [of the Holy Temple].-[Torath Kohanim 6:63]

upon which it has been sprinkled [The verb יִזֶּה is in the passive form, having the meaning: To be sprinkled and thus here, the phrase, אֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה עָלֶיהָ means, “upon which it has been sprinkled”]. This is similar to the verse, “neither will the gratification of their desire be extended (יִטֶּה) to the earth” (Job 15:29), [where the verb יִטֶּה is also in the passive form, with the meaning:] “to be extended.”

21 [An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked,] shall be broken Because the absorption that had been absorbed in the vessel becomes נוֹתָר [literally, “left over.” I.e., the food remains within the vessel’s wall (see next Rashi), and subsequently, when the time limit for eating the sacrifice has expired, the absorption in the vessel wall is “left over.” Since נוֹתָר , “left over,” must be destroyed by burning, the food in the wall of this earthenware vessel must be destroyed by breaking the vessel]. The same law [of breaking the earthenware vessel in which meat of a sacrifice has been cooked,] applies also to all holy sacrifices [i.e., not just the sin-offering].

it is to be purged Heb. וּמֽרַק , an expression stemming from the same root as “and with the ointments of the women (וּבְתַמְרוּקֵי הַנָשִׁים) ”(Esther 2:12), [substances used for cleansing and perfuming women.] Escuremant in Old French [like the English, “scouring”].

purged and rinsed to expel its absorption. [This is in the case of a metal vessel.] But an earthenware vessel, Scripture teaches you here [by requiring that it be broken,] that it never rids itself of its defect. -[Pes. 30b]

22 Every male among the kohanim may eat it From here, we learn that, “[The kohen] who offers it up as a sin-offering [shall eat it],” stated above (verse 19) does not come to exclude all other kohanim, but to exclude one who is unfit to offer it up as a sin-offering.

23 But any sin-offering [some of whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting … shall not be eaten] [This verse teaches us] that if one brings any of the blood of a sin-offering to be sacrificed on the outside altar, inside [the Holy], it [the sacrifice] becomes invalid.-[Zev. 81b]

any [This seemingly superfluous word comes] to include all other holy sacrifices [in this law].

Chapter 7

1 It is a holy of holies It shall be sacrificed, but an animal substituted for it may not be sacrificed, [rather it remains in pasture until it becomes defective and then is redeemed].-[Torath Kohanim 7:79]

2 They shall slaughter Heb. יִשְׁחֲטוּ . [By using the plural verb, יִשְׁחֲטוּ , Scripture here has seemingly] come to describe many slaughterers [i.e., it has included the case of a communal guilt-offering, which has “many slaughterers,” i.e., is slaughtered for many]. However, since we do not find a case of a communal guilt-offering [mentioned in Scriptures, the verse is understood somewhat differently: it uses the plural pronoun,] as it links the guilt-offering with the burnt-offering [where we do have a case of a communal sacrifice], in order to include also the communal burnt-offering in the requirement that it too be slaughtered in the northern sector [of the Holy Temple courtyard, just as is required of an individual’s burnt-offering].-[Torath Kohanim 7:82] [Rashi, as amended by Maharshal in Yerioth Shelomo, quoted by Leket Bahir. For alternative interpretations, see Chavel, Yosef Hallel. Many scholars consider this comment an addendum to Rashi because it does not appear in any early editions or manuscripts.]

3 All of its fat... Until here, the sacrificial parts of a guilt-offering had not yet been delineated. This is why Scripture needs to delineate them here (verses 34). However, [the sacrificial parts of] the sin-offering have already been delineated in the parashah of וַיִּקְרָא (see Lev. 4:89), [and that is why its sacrificial parts were not delineated in the section describing the law of the sin-offering (see verses 6:18-23 above)].

the tail [In the case of the peace-offering, the Torah treated sheep and goat offerings as two separate entities, by specifying the sacrificial procedures for each one separately (see Lev. 3:7-15). Why, then, is no distinction made between sheep and goats in the case of guilt-offerings?] Since [for] a guilt-offering only a ram (אַיִל) or a lamb (כֶּבֶשׂ) may be brought, and rams and lambs are included in [the category of those animals whose] tail [is one of the sacrificial parts, [no distinction is made between sheep and goats].

5 It is a guilt-offering Heb. אָשָׁם הוּא , [meaning that it is a guilt-offering] until its name is removed from it [by sending it out to pasture]. This teaches us concerning a guilt- offering whose owner has died, or whose owner has [lost the original animal, and subsequently] received atonement [through another animal], although it [the original guilt-offering animal] stands ready that its value [in money used to buy another animal which] is to be offered up as an קַיִץ מִזְבֵּחַ עוֹלַת (i.e., “a burnt-offering which was provision for the altar"; see Rashi, Lev. 1:2), nevertheless, if the [original guilt-offerings] were slaughtered, [if this had been done] before they are sent out to pasture. [Actually, the law is that the animals in these cases, the animal is sent out to pasture so that it become blemished and consequently unfit for sacrifice. Then it is sold, and its proceeds used for burnt-offerings for “provision for the altar." Here, however, Rashi tells us that the status of “guilt-offering” is removed from the animal as soon as it is sent out to pasture, even before it becomes blemished. This expression, אָשָׁם הוּא , “It is a guilt-offering,”] does not come to teach us that a guilt-offering becomes invalid if it was sacrificed for another purpose [other than for a guilt-offering], as they expounded on [the word] הִיא in the case of the sin-offering (see Rashi Lev. 4:24, 5:9). [That is] because in the case of a guilt-offering, Scripture states “It is a guilt-offering” only after the sacrificial parts have been burnt. [And if we say that the verse is teaching us that the guilt-offering must be sacrificed for that specific purpose, not for any other, then this law must include also the procedure of burning the sacrificial parts, that they too must be burned for the purpose of a guilt-offering]. However, [we learned in Tractate Zev. (5b) that in the case of a guilt-offering,] if its sacrificial parts were not offered up [at all], it is valid.

6 It is a holy of holies [But has this not already been stated in verse 1?] This is expounded on in Torath Kohanim (7:84).

7 They have one law in regard to this matter:

the kohen who effects atonement through it i.e., [any kohen] who is fit to effect atonement, takes a share in it. This excludes one who immersed himself on that day [for his uncleanness, who may not perform the sacrificial service or eat holy things until sunset], one lacking atonement [if he did not yet bring his sacrifice on the day after his immersion, such as a זָב or a מְצֽרָע ], and one whose close relative died on that day, [who is also disqualified from performing the sacrificial service]. - [Torath Kohanim 7:86]

8 the skin of the burnt-offering which he has offered, belongs to the kohen; it shall be his This excludes one who immersed himself on that day, one lacking atonement, and one whose close relative died on that day.-[Torath Kohanim 7:89]

9 belongs to the kohen who offers it up One might think that it belongs to him alone. Scripture, therefore, states (in the next verse), “[And any meal-offering...] shall belong to all the sons of Aaron.” One might think, then, that it [indeed] belongs to all of them. Scripture, therefore, states (in the preceding verse), “belongs to the kohen who offers it up.” So how [can this be reconciled]? [It belongs] to the family of the day when they offer it up. [The kohanim were divided into twenty-four divisions called “watches,” each watch being on duty for the temple service for one week. Each day of the week, a different family of kohanim from that week’s watch was on duty. When a kohen offered up an Israelite’s meal-offering, it was shared equally among all of his family, who were on duty that day].-[Torath Kohanim 7:92]

10 mixed with oil This is a voluntarily donated meal-offering. - [see Lev. 2:1]

or dry This is a sinner’s meal-offering (Lev. 5:11) and the meal-offering of jealousies [sacrificed during the investigation ritual of the סוֹטָה , woman suspected of adultery] (Num. 5:15), which do not contain oil [and thus the term “dry”].

12 If he is bringing it as a thanksgiving-offering i.e., if [he is bringing the offering] to give thanks [to God] for a miracle that had happened to him, for instance, those who made a sea-voyage [and returned safely] or journeyed in the desert, or those who had been imprisoned [and were subsequently released], or a sick person who recovered. All these are required to give thanks [to God], for regarding them, it is written, “They shall give thanks to the Lord for His kindness and for his wonders to the children of men. And they shall slaughter sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Ps. 107:21-22). If on account of one of these one vowed [to bring] these peace-offerings, then they are שַׁלְמֵי תּוֹדָה “thanksgiving peace- offerings,” which require the [accompanying offering of] bread, mentioned in this passage, and they may be eaten only on the day [that they were offered] and the night [that follows], as is specified here.

he shall offer, along with the thanksgiving-offering four kinds of bread: חַלּוֹת , loaves, רְקִיקִין , wafers, רְבוּכָה , scalded loaves, [which are] three types of unleavened bread ( מַצָּה ,) and it is written, “with leavened loaves.” Each kind consists of ten loaves. Thus it is explained in [Tractate] Men. (77b). And the total volume [of all of the accompanying bread] amounted to five Jerusalem se’ah [where one Jerusalem se’ah equals two-fifths of an ephah], which is equivalent to six se’ah by desert standard [where one se’ah by desert standard, smaller than the Jerusalem measure, equals one-third of an ephah, because all of the loaves comprised a volume of] twenty tenths [of an ephah] (Men. 76b-77a). [Now, each leavened loaf comprised a volume of one-tenth of an ephah. Thus, since there were ten of these loaves, as above, the total leavened volume came to one ephah. The unleavened volume, i.e., the total volume of all the other three kinds of unleavened loaves, also equaled one ephah. Hence, the total volume of the accompanying bread was twenty tenths of an ephah, i.e., two ephoth.]

scalded flour means: Bread [made from dough that is] thoroughly scalded by boiling water.

13 he shall...bring his offering...along with his thanksgiving peace- offering [Scripture, in addition to verse 12, repeats the link between the accompanying bread and the sacrifice itself.] [This] tells [us]: This bread does not acquire intrinsic holiness that it should become invalid if taken out [of the Holy precincts], or if it comes into contact with a טְבוּל יוֹם [a person who has immersed for his uncleanness, but for whom the sun has not yet set to effect his cleanness], and that it cannot be redeemed to become non-consecrated—until the sacrifice [i.e., until the thanksgiving peace-offering it accompanies] is slaughtered.-[Men. 78b]

14 one out of each offering One loaf out of each kind. He shall take these as a תְּרוּמָה , a separation for the kohen officiating at his sacrifice. The rest [of the sacrifice] is eaten by the owner with the exception of the breast and the thigh, as the waving of the breast and the thigh of peace-offerings is delineated below (see verse 34), and a thanksgiving-offering is called a peace-offering [and consequently, we apply the laws of a peace-offering to it].-[Zev. 4a]

15 And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace-offering [The verse could have said, “And its flesh.” Consequently,] there are many inclusions here, namely: to include the sin-offering, the guilt-offering, the ram of the nazirite, the חֲגִיגָה , festival-offering of the fourteenth day [of Nissan, i.e., the eve of Passover]—that they all may be eaten only on the day [they were offered up] and the [following] night.-[Torath Kohanim 7: 112]

shall be eaten on the day it is offered up and like the time limit for eating its flesh, so is the time limit for its bread. -[Torath Kohanim 7: 112]

he shall not leave any of it over until morning He may, however, eat it during the entire night. If so, why did [our Sages] say that [it may be eaten only] until midnight? In order to distance people from a transgression [to ensure that people stay far away from the limit decreed by the Torah and do not eat if after dawn].-[Ber. 2a]

16 But if [his sacrifice] is a vow or a voluntary donation that he did not bring it to give thanks for a miracle, it does not require bread, and it may be eaten for two days [namely, the day of offering and the following day], as is delineated in this section.

and on the next day, whatever is left over from it on the first day, may be eaten. [The Hebrew is וְהַנּוֹתָר , lit. and whatever is left over.] This vav [which prefixes the word וְהַנּוֹתָר ] is superfluous [and the word is to be understood as though it said, הַנּוֹתָר ]. There are many similar examples [of extra vavs] in Scripture, e.g., “And these are the sons of Zibe’on: Aiah (וְאַיֶָּה) and Anah” (Gen. 36:24); “permitting the Sanctuary (וְקֽדֶשׁ) and the host to be trampled” (Dan. 8:13).

18 And...is to be eaten Scripture is referring to someone who, at the time of slaughtering [the sacrifice], intends to eat it on the third day [in which case the sacrifice becomes invalid]. Now, one might think, however, that [the Torah means that the sacrifice does not become invalid because of intention, but] if one eats of it on the third day, that it would become invalid retroactively [as the verse literally means]. Scripture, therefore, says, הַמַּקְרִיב אוֹתוֹ לֹא יֵחָשֵׁב , meaning that it is invalidated only at the time of sacrificing it [i.e., slaughtering], and not on the third day. [Torath Kohanim 7:118] Hence, its explanation [of the verse] is as follows: At the time of sacrificing [slaughtering] the offering, this [intention] shall not enter one’s thoughts, and if one had this intention [at the time of slaughtering], it shall be rejected (פִּגּוּל) .

and the person who eats of it Even within the [normally permitted] time limit, “shall bear his sin."

19 And the flesh of holy peace- offerings, ” that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten." [This verse is not referring to piggul.]

But regarding the flesh Heb. וְהַבָָּשָׂר . [The word וְהַבָָּשָׂר , the second time it occurs in this verse, seems superfluous. However,] it comes to include a limb, part of which went outside [its prescribed boundaries, to inform us] that the inner part is permitted [to be eaten].-[Torath Kohanim 7:128]

anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh What is Scripture coming to teach here? Since Scripture says, “and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured...and you shall eat the meat” (Deut. 12:27), one might think that only the owner may eat of the peace-offering, therefore, Scripture says here, “anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh.”-[Torath Kohanim 7:30, 129]

anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh This means: All that I have forbidden you regarding a sin- offering and a guilt-offering, namely, that if they go outside the hangings [of the courtyard of the Tabernacle, or the boundaries of the Temple courtyard], they become prohibited as the verse says, “They shall eat it in the courtyard” (Lev. 6:9), concerning this flesh [of peace-offerings, which are קֳדָשִׁים קַלִּים , sacrifices with a lesser degree of holiness], I say to you, “Anyone who is clean may eat [the] flesh” even [outside the Temple courtyard,] throughout the entire city [of Jerusalem].)

20 while his uncleanness is upon him Scripture is referring to uncleanness of the body. [I.e., an unclean person who eats from the holy peace-offering, in which case, he incurs excision]. [Torath Kohanim 7:131] However, one who is clean, who eats the unclean flesh [of a peace-offering], is not punished with excision; nevertheless, he is punished for transgressing the Scriptural admonition [in the previous verse], “And the flesh that touches anything unclean, [shall not be eaten]. ” The admonition regarding an unclean person who eats clean flesh, however, is not written explicitly in the Torah, but our Sages derived this through a גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה [an instance of similar wording. They had a tradition in certain Scriptural passages, that two common key words or expressions serve to link the laws of these seemingly unconnected passages. Here, the word טֻמְאָתוֹ appears in our verse and in Num. 19:13, and since the prohibition in Numbers has an admonition attached to it, so too, here, our prohibition is considered to have an admonition attached to it]. [Mak. 14b] Now, there are three mentions of the punishment of excision regarding persons who eat holy sacrificial meat, while their body is unclean [first, in Lev. 22:3, “Any man from among any of your offspring, who comes near the holy (sacrifices)...that soul shall be cut off,” where “comes near” means to eat (see Rashi there), and the second and third mentions are these verses (20 and 21).] Our Rabbis expounded on them in [Tractate] Shevuoth (7a), as follows: One of them is [needed to state] the general law; one of them is [needed to state] a particular case [namely, the peace-offering, in order to preclude the eating of certain clean foods that are not sacrificed on the altar, which do not have the punishment of excision]; and one of them is needed to teach us that the וְיוֹרֵד קָרְבָָּן עוֹלֶה [an ascending and descending sacrifice, namely an offering which has different options, an animal, birds, or flour, according to the ability of the one who brings it] that [when the verse says, “he incurs guilt” (Lev. 5:2), and may bring a קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד Scripture is exclusively referring to the case [of a person in an unclean state, who] defiles the Sanctuary [i.e., enters it while in the unclean state], or [if he eats from] its holy sacrifices.

24 may be used for any work [Scripture already permits the use of carrion (see Deut. 14:21); surely, the fats are included in the rest of the animal. So what is this verse teaching us?] It comes to teach us that the fat does not impart the uncleanness which is imparted by carrion [in general].- [Torath Kohanim 7:139]

however, you shall not eat it [We already know that eating fat is prohibited (see Lev. 3:17), and we also know that eating carrion and trefah is prohibited (see Deut. 14:21 and Exod. 22:30). So what is this verse teaching us? The answer is that] the Torah says: "The prohibition of carrion or trefah is superimposed upon the prohibition of fats insofar as if someone eats it, he is liable also for transgressing the prohibition of [eating] carrion [or eating trefah], and you do not say that one prohibition cannot be superimposed on another prohibition. -[Zev. 70a]

26 [And you shall not eat any blood...] whether from birds or from animals Excluded [from this prohibition is] the blood of fish and locusts.-[Torath Kohanim 7:143]

in any of your dwelling places Since this prohibition [of eating blood] is an obligation relevant to a person, rather than being dependent on land, it applies to all dwelling places [of the Jews, whether in Israel or outside of it]. [But one might think it obvious that since it is a personal obligation, it would apply anywhere, as is indeed the rule. So why should it be stated here?] In Tractate Kiddushin, chapter one (37b), it is explained why this is necessary to be stated.

30 His own hands shall bring That the owner’s hand should be above, with the fats and the breast placed in it, and the kohen’s hand should be beneath [it. With the portions arranged in this manner,] they wave them.-[Men. 61b]

the fire- offerings of the Lord And what are the “fire-offerings” [referred to here]? They are “the fat...on the breast.”

he shall bring it When he brings it from the slaughtering area, he places the fat on the breast, but when he gives it into the hand of the kohen who is to perform the waving, the breast is situated above and the fat below. This is what is mentioned elsewhere (10:15),"They shall bring the thigh of the elevated-offering and the breast as a wave-offering upon the fats of the fire-offerings, to wave." After the waving, he gives it to the kohen who will burn it. The breast is now situated below [and the fats above]. This is what is stated (9:20), “And they placed the fats upon the breasts, and he caused to [go up in] smoke the fats on the altar.” We learn that three kohanim are required for it. Thus it is explained in Tractate Menachoth (62a).

The fat, on the breast, he shall bring it Why is the breast brought? To wave it he brings it, but not that it should be part of the “fire-offerings.” Since it is stated: “the fire-offerings of the Lord. The fat, on the breast,” one might think that the breast is also included in the fire-offerings; therefore, the verse continues, “The breast to wave...”

31 And the kohen will cause the fat to [go up in] smoke- and afterwards, the breast “shall belong to Aaron.” [Hence,] we learn that the meat [of the sacrifice] shall not be eaten while the sacrificial parts are [still] off the altar [i.e., before they have been burnt].-[Torath Kohanim 7: 151]

32 the right thigh refers to [the part of the animal’s hind leg extending] from the אַרְכּוּבָה [knee-joint, the bone and the flesh of which are usually] sold together with the head, up till the middle joint [of the upper leg] which is called סֽבֶךְ שֶׁל רֶגֶל . [The animal’s leg has three sections to it; thus, the שׁוֹק is the middle of those three sections.] [Chul. 134b]

33 who offers up the blood...-i.e., who is fit [to perform] the dashing of its blood and to burn its fats. Thus excluded from receiving a share in the meat [of the breast and thigh], is a kohen who is unclean at the time of the dashing of the blood or at the time of the burning of the fats.-[Torath Kohanim 7:153]

34 waving...elevation [The term תְּנוּפָה , waving, denotes a forward and backward motion, while the term תְּרוּמָה , elevation, denotes an upward and downward motion. Since both terms are used here, we learn that] the kohen would move them forward and backward, upward and downward.-[Torath Kohanim 7:150]

37 and for the investitures The day of the initiation into the kehunah.

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 76:1-13

Rashi	Targum
1. For the conductor on neginoth, a psalm of Asaph, a song.	1. For praise, as a psalm; a psalm composed by Asaph, a song.
2. God is known in Judah; in Israel, His name is great.	2. God has become known among those of the house of Judah; His name is great among those of the house of Israel.
3. His Tabernacle was in Salem, and His dwelling place in Zion.	3. And His sanctuary has come to be in Jerusalem, and the dwelling of the house of His holy presence is in Zion.
4. There He broke the arrows of the bow, shield and sword and war forever.	4. When the house of Israel did His will, He made His presence abide among them; there He broke the arrows and bows of the Gentiles who were making war; He made forever the shields and battle-lines of no account.
5. You are destructive; mightier than the mountains of prey.	5. Bright [and awful are You, O God, acclaimed from Your sanctuary; the kings who dwell in the mountain fortresses, the place where their spoil is gathered, will tremble in Your presence.
6. The stout-hearted became mad; they slumbered in their sleep, and none of the men of the army found their hands.	6. The mighty in heart have stripped from them the weapons of war; they have slumbered in their sleep; and all the men of might have not been able to grasp their weapons in their hands.
7. From Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, chariot, and horse were stunned.	7. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, the chariots have fallen asleep, and the cavalry have been disabled.
8. You-awesome are You, and who can stand before You once You are angry?	8. You are awesome, You are God; and who will stand before You from the time Your anger becomes strong?
9. From heaven, You let judgment be heard; the earth feared and became calm.	9. From heaven You proclaimed judgment on the land of the Gentiles; the land of Israel was afraid and became silent.
10. When God rises for judgment, to save all the humble of the earth forever.	10. The righteous/generous say, "Let God arise for judgment with the wicked/lawless, to redeem from their hands all the meek of the earth forever."
11. For man's anger will thank You; it will prevent the residue of wrath.	11. When You are angry at Your people, You show mercy to them, and they will give thanks to Your name; but the remainder of fury that is left to You, out of the wrath that You showed, You will gird on to destroy the Gentiles. ANOTHER TARGUM: For when Your anger grows strong against Your people, they will repent and give thanks to Your name, and You turn from anger; but against the remnant of the Gentiles You will gird on the instruments of anger.
12. Vow and pay to the Lord your God; all those around Him will bring a gift to Him Who is to be feared.	12. Make vows and fulfill them in the presence of the LORD your God, all you who dwell around His sanctuary; let them bring offerings to His awesome temple.
13. He will cut down the spirit of princes; He will be feared by the kings of the earth.	13. He will diminish the arrogant spirits of the leaders; He is dreadful to all the kings of the earth.

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) 76:1-13

4 There He broke the arrows of the bow of Sennacherib and his hosts.

the arrows of the bow Heb. רשפי . רִשְׁפֵי is not an expression of sparks of fire, because sparks of fire are not appropriate to a bow. Moreover, this word has no “dagesh,” yet רִשְׁפֵּי does have a “dagesh.” Rather, רִשְׁפֵי is an expression of (Deut. 32:24): “fought by demons (רשף) ,” which is translated as עוֹף , flying creatures, as (Job 5:7): “but flying creatures fly (רשף) upward.” Similarly (below 78:48): “and their cattle to the flying creatures (לרשפים) . to the birds. Similarly, בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף are flying creatures, demons, who fly upward. This one too is an expression of arrows, which fly, as the matter that is stated (below 91:5): “from an arrow that flies by day.” There He broke the arrows (רִשְׁפֵי) of the bow, the arrows that the bow lets fly, and this entire psalm speaks of the downfall of Sennacherib, for we find no enemy falling in Jerusalem but he.

5 You are destructive; mightier Heb. נאור , an expression of (Lam. 2:7): “He destroyed His Sanctuary”; (below 89:40), “You abolished the covenant of Your servant.” You destroy Your enemies and those who rise up against You and sweep them from the world. Because of His deeds, He is called נאור , destructive, like חנוּן , gracious; רחום , merciful; קנוא jealous, because He grants, because He pities, because He acts with zeal.

mightier than the mountains of prey Stronger than the predatory giants, who are as tall as mountains, but against You, their might is not known.

6 became mad Heb. אשתוללו , like השתוללוּ . As (II Chron. 20:35): “And afterwards, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah joined (אתחבר) Ahaziah the king of Israel,” like התחבר . [The word] אשתוללוּ is derived from (Job 12:17): “He leads counselors away with madness (שולל) .” It is an expression of error and tranquility, as madmen err, and the “tav” falls into the middle of the word in the reflexive, as in every word beginning with “shin.”

slumbered in their sleep They Heb. נמו . They fell into a deep sleep, an expression of תנוּמה slumber.

and none...found their hands and their strength when You came to punish them.

7 chariot and horse were stunned Heb. ורכב וסוס . The “vav” of ורכב is superfluous, as (Gen. 36:24): “These are the sons of Ziv’on: Ayyah (ואיה) and Anah.” The “vav” of ואיה is superfluous.

8 once You are angry From the time You became angry.

9 From heaven, You let judgment be heard When Isaiah prophesied concerning the retribution of Sennacherib and it was fulfilled in him, then Eretz Israel, which feared him and his hosts, became calm.

10 When God rises for judgment to execute judgment upon His enemies, to save Hezekiah and his company.

11 For man’s anger will thank you The anger of the wicked results in the creatures thanking the Holy One, blessed be He. When they show their anger and the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes them, everyone praises Him when they see that their anger is of no avail. As we find (Dan. 3:28) concerning Nebuchadnezzar, when he cast Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the fiery furnace, what is said there? “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, etc.” And thereby...

it will prevent the residue of wrath Heb. תחגר . It will prevent and stop; the remaining wicked men are prevented and restrained from showing their pride and their wrath. תחגר is an expression of restraint in the language of the Mishnah (Chul. 18a): “The nick in a knife must be deep enough to catch (תחגר) the nail to disqualify it from slaughtering].” I heard in the name of Rabbi Eleazar the Gaon, the son of Rabbi Isaac, who brought this verse as testimony to that Mishnah (sic). It is also possible to interpret this according to its usual meaning of an expression of girding, and can be explained as follows: It is fitting for You to gird Yourself with wrath and to enwrap Yourself with zeal, for strength and ability are Yours; the expression of “residue” is that since man’s wrath is of no account, the girding of all wrath is reserved for You.

12 Vow and pay your vows.

all those around Him who hear of this salvation, and so they did, as it is stated (Isa. 19:18): “there will be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing to the Lord of Hosts.”

will bring a gift to Him Who is to be feared Why? Because at the time of His desire...

13 He will cut down the spirit the spirit of haughtiness of the princes and lessen their arrogance. יבצֽר means “He will lessen,” as (Gen. 11:6): “will it not be withheld (יבצר) from them?”

Meditation from the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) 76:1-13

By: H.Em. Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

The superscription of this psalm ascribes authorship to Assaf.^[1] With this psalm, Assaf sought to compensate for Chizkiyahu’s failure by composing an especially ecstatic song of praise, embellished by a vast variety of neginot - נגינת, instrumental music.^[2]

The preceding psalm spoke of the final days of Jewish exile; this psalm, continuing that theme, describes the war of Gog and Magog^[3] - גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג,^[4] which will be waged at the end of the exile.^[5] This final battle has a historical precedent in the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, who amassed an army composed of all the nations he had conquered.

At an earlier date, the armies of Assyria had led the Ten Tribes of Israel into exile. Only the small Kingdom of Judah remained; it was led by King Chizkiyahu,^[6] who ruled over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This illustrious monarch’s very name testifies to the source of his authority, for Chizkiyahu literally means My strength is HaShem.^[7]

HaShem did not fail those who trusted in Him, for Assyria was annihilated and HaShem’s fame spread far and wide: HaShem is recognized in Judah, in Israel His Name is great.^[8] Similarly, HaShem’s majesty is now concealed in the shrouds of exile. The future triumph over Gog and Magog will signal the return of Divine prestige.^[9] HaShem’s glory will gradually spread, until it is recognized throughout the world.

All the nations will be broken,^[10] but Divine protection will envelop Jerusalem like a tabernacle, as the psalm says, When His Tabernacle was in Salem [Jerusalem] and His dwelling in Zion.^[11]

Rav Hai Gaon transmitted a Rabbinical tradition that the war of Gog and Magog is destined to take place in the month of Tishri^[12] [in conjunction with Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles].^[13] Therefore, the Gaon of Vilna^[14] designates this psalm as the Song of the Day, for the first day of Succoth.^[15]

Let’s explore the war of Gog and Magog.

Brief Overview: In Yehezchel (Ezekiel) chapters 32, and 38-39, the prophet describes a leader named Gog, from the land of Magog, who will lead a large array of armies in a cataclysmic war against the Jewish people in Eretz Israel. There will ultimately be great devastation, particularly among the legions of Gog. HaShem will bring about a severe retribution against Gog and the nations that follow him and those who remain will come to recognize HaShem, and His total providence, as a result. They will no longer oppress the Jewish people, and will recognize HaShem's unique plan for His chosen people. In Zechariah chapter 14, the prophecy concerning Gog and Magog is concluded with the full restoration and Redemption of the Jewish people (and presumably the coming of Mashiach) and the nations of the world worshiping HaShem in the Beit HaMikdash, on the holiday of Succoth, alongside the Jewish people. According to the Malbim,^[16] the war of Gog and Magog is divided into three principle wars. The chapters in Yehezchel (32, 38-39) describe the first two wars, while in Zechariah chapter 14 the final war, of the three, is depicted.^[17]

The War of Gog and Magog is described in prophecy as being an unusually short war.
The final battle of Gog u’Magog does not have to be a lengthy process. On the contrary, we have a tradition in the name of the Gaon, Rav Eliyahu of Vilna, that the war of Gog and Magog will last only 12 minutes.^[18]

The Septuagint teaches us the following relationship:       Agag^[19] = Gog

In the Septuagint, the name Gog appears in two other places where it is not mentioned in the Hebrew text. In Numbers 24:7, Gog appears instead of Agag, and in Amos 7:1, the reading is “Gog,” instead of gizei (“the mowings”). These variants indicate the antiquity of the connection between the war of Gog and the advent of the Messiah. Thus, according to the Septuagint, Gog is Agag, a generic term used for kings of Amalek. Any war against the Children of Israel, meant to annihilate them, has to involve Amalek.

Bamidbar (Numbers) 24.7 Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.

LXX version Bamidbar (Numbers) 24.7: There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.(!) The word Gog uses not only the same consonants but has the same meaning as Agag; namely roof, or that which covers.

We also see that Agag was taken alive by King Saul, the Benjamite,^[20] after destroying the Amalekites.^[21] His life was spared by Saul and the Israelites took the best of the sheep, cattle, fat calves and lambs from the Amalekites. It is tradition that the children of Esav^[22] are only defeated by the children of Rachel (Rachel had two sons: Yosef and Benyamin. She also had two sons by Bilha: Dan and Zebulon).^[23] Haman, in Megillat Esther, is called an Agagite^[24] and was understood to be a descendant of king Agag.^[25]

The war of Gog and Magog is in essence a war against HaShem.

The subject of the Haftarah^[26] of Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succoth is the war of Gog^[27] and Magog that will precede the final redemption. Its connection to the holiday of Succoth is that according to tradition the war will take place during the month of Tishri, the month when the holiday of Succoth falls. In addition, this war is identical to the one described in the fourteenth chapter of Zachariah, the Haftarah read on the first day of Succoth, which concludes by saying that the Gentile survivors of this war will be required to go to Jerusalem every year on the holiday of Succoth to pay homage to HaShem.

Chazal have taught us that the battle with Gog and Magog will take place during Succoth, on the eve of the Messianic era. The mitzvot of Succoth are the survival mechanism for this great war. The Succah and the waving of the lulav and etrog are essential to our survival during this war. Complete trust is the critical requirement against a foe who trusts only in his own might. The Haftarah on Shabbat Chol HaMoed is taken from Ezekiel 38, which contains a prophecy of the terrible war of Gog and Magog. This will be the last war ever to be fought, but it will engulf the whole world. Then will come a new era of peace, when HaShem will be recognized by all the nations of the world. The prophecy is very similar to that of Zechariah 14, read on the first day of Succoth.

Every Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succoth we read the Haftarah^[28] about the final confrontation at the end of days between Gog / Magog and the Children of Israel. How does Succoth connect with Gog and Magog and the end of days? Every year, when the Jew leaves his home for a week to eat, sleep and live in a Succah; a flimsy structure with a roof made of bits of wood, reed, bamboo, etc., he actualizes the idea that his ultimate care and protection come only from HaShem. The Admor^[29] of Zejichov^[30] wrote in his book, a commentary about Exodus 4:13: The Hakham asks, how come the word “na” (which is translated in English as ‘please’) is written in the verse. And the Admor writes: Know this: Gog and Magog war will start at Hoshana Rabba.^[31]

How do we identify Amalek today? Wherever you find someone with a fanatical, implacable, and illogical enmity to the Jewish People, you have found Amalek. His very existence is founded on his antipathy and hatred for the offspring of Yaakov.

Rabbi Akiva was of the opinion that the judgment of Gog would endure for 12 months.^[32] This judgment will bring great calamities upon Israel that will cause all previous calamities to fade into insignificance.^[33] Eliezer b. Hyrcanus connects it with the pangs of the Messiah and the great day of judgment.^[34] The war of Gog and Magog will be the final war, after which there will be no servitude, and it will presage the advent of the Messiah.^[35] In the Palestinian Targums the Messiah plays an active role in this war. Gog and Magog and their armies will go up to Jerusalem and fall into the hands of the Messianic king, but the ingathering of the exiles – contrary to what is said in Ezekiel – will come only after the victory.^[36] A kind of compromise is found in the Targum, namely, that the house of Israel will conquer Gog and his company through the assistance of Messiah the son of Ephraim.^[37] In the Nazarean Codicil’s vision of Revelation 20, the war of Gog and Magog takes place at the end of the millennium after the first resurrection.

Amalek and the Descendants of Rachel^[38]

Why is it specifically the children of Rachel who are victorious over Amalek?

There is a third difficulty in understanding the war with Amalek. The victory over Amalek is of vital significance. The eyes of all the other nations are turned towards Amalek; if they are victorious, it will be a sign to all the other nations that Israel is indeed a realistic target for war. Why is the war against Amalek a regular, physical war rather than a miraculous one? Why does HaShem not rain down stones from the heavens as occurs under the leadership of Yehoshua decades later, in the war against the five Emori kings?^[39]

The answer to all of these questions lies in the nature and character of Amalek. Amalek does not believe in HaShem’s providence over what happens in the world. As Chazal point out, Amalek stands out in his ideology of “coincidence”.^[40] Amalek sees miracles happening around the nation of Israel, but he explains all of them as natural phenomena. He sees the splitting of the sea, but insists that it is a coincidental instance of tides rising and falling. He believes that their victory over Egypt was coincidental, and cannot see any reason why that “good luck” should repeat itself. Hence, he is not afraid, and goes out to war against Israel.

The children of Rachel represent precisely the opposite ideology: there is no “coincidence” in the world. Her eldest son, Yosef, lives his life with a constant sense of standing before HaShem, feeling HaShem’s presence and His providence over the whole world. There is no other figure to be found anywhere in Tanach who mentions HaShem as many times as Yosef does (19 times). The following examples of Yosef’s speech demonstrate this ideology:

A) “And HaShem sent me before you to preserve you a remnant in the earth...”.^[41]

B) Yosef tells Pharaoh, “It is not me - HaShem shall give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”^[42]

Yosef not only attempts, but succeeds in bringing about awareness of HaShem’s presence amongst the nations. Pharaoh declares, “Is there another man like this, one in whom the spirit of HaShem rests?”^[43] Furthermore, the more a person believes in HaShem’s providence, the more that providence acts on him. Indeed, Yosef is rewarded for his unwavering faith in HaShem: “And HaShem was with Yosef and he became successful;^[44] And HaShem blessed the house of the Egyptian because of Yosef”.^[45]

Clearly, then, Yosef (and therefore his descendant, Yehoshua) is the most suitable candidate to wage war against Amalek. Amalek aims to wipe out HaShem’s name, he wishes to negate HaShem’s rule of the world. Yosef, more than anyone else, represents HaShem’s rulership, and therefore it is he who is worthy of fighting against Amalek. He fights not only in defense of Am Israel, but also as a “war on behalf of HaShem”. This idea can be learned from the midrash:^[46] He who fears HaShem is the best candidate for the war against someone who does not fear Him.

“Why (was the command to wage war given) to Yehoshua? He (Moshe) said to him (Yehoshua) - your forefather (Yosef) said, ‘I fear HaShem’. Let the son of he who said, ‘I fear HaShem’ come and punish the one about whom it was said, ‘and he feared not HaShem’.”

The descendants of Binyamin, Rachel’s second son, are involved in the fight as well. King Shaul and Mordechai both wage war against Amalek. Let’s examine Mordechai’s fight against Amalek.

Mordechai, too, is aware that he is fighting against someone who does not believe in HaShem’s existence and providence. The midrash teaches, “‘And Mordechai told Hatakh^[47] all that had happened to him’ (“karahu”).^[48] He (Mordechai) said to Hatakh, ‘Go and say to her, the descendant of “karahu” has come upon you’ (referring to the Torah’s description of Amalek - “asher karekha ba-derekh”)”.^[49]

According to the midrash, Mordechai calls Haman “karahu”, a name which denotes coincidence. Even on the literal level of the story itself, we see how Haman plans each step based on luck and lots. Even the planned date of the murder of the Jews is chosen by means of a lot, “they cast the lot before Haman”.^[50] Mordechai stands ready to oppose this ideology. He knows that there is no such thing as chance, the world has a ruler and a governor, the capital has owners!

The Rambam^[51] warns against seeing events as being coincidental: “If they do not cry out and do not shout, but rather say ‘this thing happened to us through the natural course of events; this trouble came about by chance,’ this is the way of cruelty.” Mordechai lives according to the Rambam’s perspective; no sooner does he find out about the impending disaster for Am Yisrael than he turns to the Ruler of the world: “And he cried out a great and bitter cry”.^[52] Mordechai also knows that Am Yisrael is not led by chance. Even if they are not saved through Esther, “relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere”.^[53]

The question still remains as to why the war with Amalek is a natural, non-miraculous one. In general, when open miracles take place, even simple people believe that the hand of HaShem was somehow involved. The Egyptian magicians themselves admitted, “it is the finger of HaShem”.^[54] Amalek, on the other hand, is not impressed by even the most obvious miracles, and sees them as occurring in the natural course of events. In doing so Amalek diminishes HaShem’s name, “As it were, so long as descendants of Amalek exist in the world, neither HaShem’s name nor His throne are complete”.^[55] The war against Amalek repairs this diminishing of HaShem’s name: “‘To you, O HaShem, is the Kingship’ - this refers to the war against Amalek”.^[56] “In other words, by waging war for HaShem against Amalek, His throne is exalted.”^[57]

The war against Amalek takes place specifically in a natural way, in order that all should know that even those phenomena which appear altogether natural are brought about by HaShem’s hand. The first natural victory brings proof, so that there can be no doubt: “And it was that when Moshe raised his hand Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand Amalek prevailed.”^[58] Chazal expand on this: “‘And it was that when Moshe raised his hand Israel prevailed’, surely it cannot be the case that Moshe’s hands brought about victory or destruction in the war! Rather, this comes to teach us that so long as the eyes of Israel are directed upwards and they submit themselves to their Father in heaven, they will be successful, if not, they will fall”.^[59]

Megillat Esther, too, recounts an altogether natural story. The name of HaShem is not mentioned even once in the Megillah. Mordechai commands that the days of Purim be commemorated, and it is through this that the nation comes to the realization that even those things that appear natural are in fact directed by HaShem. Indeed, in the Megillah itself the victory over Amalek leads to the reinstatement of HaShem’s name:

“In place of the thorn-bush a cypress will rise, and in place of the nettle, a myrtle...”^[60] “In place of the thorn-bush”, in place of Haman “a cypress will rise”, this refers to Mordechai. “In place of the nettle”, in place of Vashti “a myrtle”, this is Esther the righteous one, who is called Hadassah. “And it shall be for HaShem for a name”, this refers to the reading of the Megillah’.^[61]

There is yet another connection between the fighters of Amalek; Yehoshua (tribe of Ephraim ben Yosef) and Mordechai. Those cities that were surrounded by a wall in the days of Yehoshua read Megillat Esther on the 15th of Adar, according to the opinion of the Tanna quoted in the first Mishna of Megillah. R. Yehoshua bar Karcha, on the other hand,^[62] holds that the determining date is not “the days of Yehoshua ben Nun,” but rather “the days of Achashverosh”. At first glance the Tanna of the Mishna seems difficult to understand: What is the connection between Yehoshua and Megillat Esther?

Indeed, this question was posed by the Yerushalmi and several Rishonim, and a number of possible explanations were provided. According to what we have explained above, the problem is easily solved. Yehoshua and Mordechai both fought against Amalek. In both cases HaShem’s providence was masked by seemingly natural occurrences. However, in the case of Yehoshua there was also visible proof: “And it was that when Moshe raised his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed”.^[63] Yehoshua is the one who taught a lesson to all generations: that even a seemingly “natural” victory is dependent on HaShem’s will and His involvement. The “natural” victory of Mordechai and Esther takes on a new perspective in light of Yehoshua’s war. The latter comes to interpret the former: just as Yehoshua’s war was an example of HaShem’s wonders, so was the story of the Megillah. Mordechai hints at this himself when he makes the reading of the Megillah dependent on “the days of Yehoshua ben Nun”.

This idea may also be contained in the words of the Ritva:^[64] “Chazal asked: Why did the Men of the Great Assembly choose to refer this matter back to Yehoshua ben-Nun? The Rishonim explained that it was because Yehoshua was the first to fight against Amalek, and Haman was a descendant of Amalek.”

The Malbim on Yehezchel 38: Chazal say that Gog will come to Yerushalayim three times. Prophet Yehezchel says he'll come twice to Yerushalayim and Prophet Zechariah says he will come a third time. We do not know who Gog is and who is Magog, we only know that Gog is the president of Meshech and Tuval and are descendants of Yefet and are not circumcised.

Amalek excels in his ideology of chance and coincidence, and therefore he has no fear of waging war against Am Yisrael since he sees their victories as pure luck. Yosef is the antithesis of Amalek; he feels the presence of HaShem everywhere. His descendants and those of his brother (Binyamin), too, continue this line and fight against Amalek (both Yehoshua and Mordechai continued this fight). Their wars are natural wars, demonstrating that not only were all the miracles of Egypt from HaShem, but even those events and phenomena which appear altogether natural are brought about by HaShem.

There is a rule when it comes to prophecy, and that is, whereas ALL good prophecies MUST come true, negative prophecies DO NOT have to come true. They can be avoided through national teshuva and world rectification. Let us return NOW!

In any case, whomever Gog and Magog will be, whatever war they will wage at whatever time in history, and, for however long it will last (some say not more than three hours!), its main purpose will be to test the faith of the righteous/generous of that time. For those alive at the time, it may seem like an issue of PHYSICAL survival only. However, according to tradition, all of that will only be to test our ability to SPIRITUALLY survive, to remain steadfast in our belief in spite of the terrible storm brewing on the horizon.

Micah 7:15 As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:6 Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.

Fire is a metaphor for passion. Let us nurture the fire towards our service of HaShem and let Him deal with Gog u’Magog.

Asaph’s commentary on our chapter of Psalms has a verbal tally with the Torah portion of Before / Sight - פנים, Strong’s number 06440. This tally is found in:

Tehillim (Psalms) 76:8 Thou, even Thou, art terrible; and who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?

The connection with Gog U’Magog is quite plain. As a commentary on our Torah portion, this chapter of Psalms comes to distinguish between those who do not acknowledge HaShem and His sovereignty, by not bringing the required offerings, with those who do bring the required offerings and will stand victorious in that battle.

Ashlamata: Malachi 3:4-12, 18

Rashi	Targum
1. Behold I send My angel, and he will clear a way before Me. And suddenly, the Lord Whom you seek will come to His Temple. And behold! The angel of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.	1. “Behold, I am about to send My messenger and he will prepare the way before Me, and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will enter his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of Hosts.
2. Now who can abide the day of his coming, and who will stand when he appears, for it is like fire that refines and like fullers' soap.	2. But who may endure the day of his coming and who will stand when he is revealed? For his anger dissolves like fire and (is) like soap which is used for cleansing.
3. And he shall sit refining and purifying silver, and he shall purify the children of Levi. And he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering up an offering to the Lord with righteousness/generosity.	3. And he will be revealed to test and purify as a man who tests and purifies silver; and he will purify the sons of Levi and will refine them like gold and silver, and they will be presenting an offering in righteousness/ generosity before the LORD.
4. And then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and former years.	4. And the offering of the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be accepted before the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
5. And I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely; and also against those who withhold the wages of the day laborers, of the widow and fatherless, and those who pervert [the rights of] the stranger, [and those who] fear Me not, says the Lord of Hosts.	5. And I will reveal Myself against you to exercise judgment, and My Memra will be for a swift witness among you, against the sorcerers and adulterers, and against those who swear falsely and those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and who pervert the judgment of the stranger, and have not feared from before Me, says the LORD of Hosts.
6. For I, the Lord, have not changed; and you, the sons of Jacob, have not reached the end.	6. For I the LORD have not changed My covenant which is from of old; but you O house of Israel, you think that (if) a man dies in this world his judgment has ceased.
7. From the days of your fathers you have departed from My laws and have not kept [them]. "Return to Me, and I will return to you," said the Lord of Hosts, but you said, "With what have we to return?"	7. From the days of your fathers you have wandered from My statutes and have not observed (them). Return to My service and I will return by My Memra to do good for you, says the LORD of Hosts. And if you say, ‘How will we return?’ -
8. Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me, and you say, "With what have we robbed You?"-With tithes and with the terumah-levy.	8. Will a man provoke before a judge? But you are provoking before Me. And if you say, ‘How have we provoked before You?’ – in tithes and offerings.”
9. You are cursed with a curse, but you rob Me, the whole nation!	9. You are cursed with a curse, and you are provoking before Me the whole nation of you,
10. Bring the whole of the tithes into the treasury so that there may be nourishment in My House, and test Me now therewith, says the Lord of Hosts, [to see] if I will not open for you the sluices of heaven and pour down for you blessing until there be no room to suffice for it.	10. Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse and there will be provision for those who serve in My Sanctuary, and make trial now before Mein this, says the LORD of Hosts, to see whether I will not open to you the windows of heaven and send down blessing to you, until you say, ‘Enough!’
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he will not destroy the fruits of your land; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord of Hosts.	11. And I will rebuke the destroyer for you and it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field fail to bear fruit for you, says the LORD of Hosts.
12. And then all the Gentiles will praise you, for you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of Hosts. {P}	12. And all Gentiles will praise you, for you will be dwelling in the land of the house of My Shekhinah and will be fulfilling My will in it, says the LORD of Hosts.
18. And you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who has not served Him.	18. And you will again distinguish between the righteous/generous and the wicked, between those who have served before the LORD and those who have not served before Him.

Rashi’s Commentary to: Malachi 3:4-12, 18

1 Behold I send My angel to put the wicked away.

and he will clear a way of the wicked.

the Lord Whom you seek The God of justice.

and the angel of the covenant who avenges the revenge of the covenant.

2 Now who can abide This is synonymous with; וּמִי יָכִיל.

and who will stand Will be able to stand.

and like fullers’ soap Like soap used by the fullers, which removes the entire stain. So will he remove all the wickedness.

and like soap It is an herb which removes stains, erbe savonijere in Old French, probably soapwort. The word בֹּרִית signifies a thing that cleans and purifies, as in (Ps. 73:1), “to the pure of heart.”

3 And he shall sit refining He will free himself from all his affairs to be like a refiner, who refines and purifies silver.

6 For I, the Lord, have not changed Although I keep back My anger for a long time, My mind has not changed from the way it was originally, to love evil and to hate good.

and you, the sons of Jacob: Although you die in your evil, and I have not requited the wicked in their lifetime.

you have not reached the end You are not finished from before Me, for I have left over the souls to be requited in Gehinnom. And so did Jonathan render. And you of the House of Jacob, who think that whoever dies in this world, his verdict has already ended, that is to say, you think that My verdict has been nullified, that he will no longer be punished. Our Sages (Sotah 9a), however, explained it: לֹא שָׁנִיתִי - I did not strike a nation and repeat a blow to it; but as for you, I have kept you up after much punishment, and My arrows are ended, but you are not ended.

8 Will a man rob Our Sages explained this as an expression of robbery, and it is an Aramaism.

With tithes and with the terumah levy The tithes and the terumah - levy that you steal from the priests and the Levites is tantamount to robbing Me.

9 You are cursed with a curse because of this iniquity, for which I send a curse into the work of your hands; but nevertheless, you rob Me.

10 so that there may be nourishment in My House There shall be food accessible for My servants.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake The finishing locusts and the shearing locusts, which devour the grain of your field and your vines.

12 a desirable land A land that I desire.

Commentary on the Ashlamata of Malʾāḵiy (Malachi) 3:4-12 +18

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

We begin the seven weeks of consolation, the time between the 9^th of Av (august13th) and Rosh Hashanah (October 3^rd). Each reading has a message of Hope, consolation assurance and that God is close to and loves each of us. Why the term consolation? Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one, loss of marriage or death of a child.^[65]

In the historical context “the temple service had fallen into disrepute. The priest had grown careless in the discharge of their duties. And the people had become remiss in the payment of tithes and other dues. (Neh.13:10-12). The spirit of skepticism and indifference to religion was prevalent. Save for that small group, the remnant of those that feared the Lord. (chp.3:16). The people had been influenced by doubts that led them to declare it is vain to serve God. And what profit is it that we have kept his charge? Morals were lax. Divorce was common. And the people had departed from their distinctive position as the people of God.^[66]

Previous verses in our chapter tell us the messenger is being sent. He is to prepared the way before me. And then suddenly, The second messenger, “the messenger of the covenant”. Comes in judgment. And after that we see verse 4. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant before the LORD(Adonai) As in the days of old. In the Torat Kohanim, the sages expounded, “as in the days of old” referred to the days of Moses. When fire came forth from before the LORD and consumed on the altar the burnt offering…Lev.9:24, Isa63:11^[67] I will come near to you and judge you. And I will be a swift witness against those sorcerers, adulterers, those who swear falsely, those who oppress the hired worker, the widow and Orphan and the stranger…. And those that do not fear me.” It is interesting to note that every time the word LORD is mentioned it is always Hashem in our reading and more specifically “The LORD of Host”.

I will come swiftly in judgement against the evil doers.v.5, it seems in context Judah and Jerusalem are in the hot seat and specifically the sons of Levi. Here we see contempt for religion and morality; each of the sins mentioned have to do with social sins, sin against the social order. God is most particularly concerned with Sorcery. Which could be classed as religious sin. But the others in the list are sins against God and humanity. Each of the sins mentioned directly affect society. All these actions are summarized by the final category, “those who do not fear” HaShem. Malachi, speaking for God, calls them to repent (Mal 3:7). Repentance entails a change in behavior, characterized by generous giving rather than “robbing God” (3:8–10). If the postexilic community will repent, God will bless them and restore them to their role as a source of blessing to all nations (3:12; see Gen 12:1–3; Exo 19:3–6).^[68]

I the LORD, change not, Therefore, Children of Jacob are not consumed.v.6 The thought is similar to Jer.30:11, I will correct thee in measure and will not utterly destroy thee. Justice must take its course and evil be punished; but in God’s lovingkindness, chastisement is tempered with mercy. ^[69] From the days of your father's, you turned aside from my statues. But return to me. And I'll return to you. You're robbing me. But how shall we return? Bring the full tithe into the storehouse.v.7.

The people when pressed with the charge of robbing God, they complain, in what respect did we do that, how have we robbed you? “In tithes and offerings”. The tithe, Maaser, was an annual contribution to the Levite, one tenth of the field(Num.18:21) The heave offering , terumah, was an annual contribution to the priest and although not a fix amount in the Torah, in the Talmud it was fix at about one fiftieth.^[70] It has been said, in the ancient Near East there was little difference between tithe and Taxes.^[71] The very thing that is the fuel for the engine of God’s economy, is the one thing Israel is told to test me with, try me! The above-mentioned tithe was not only to support the Levite, priest and Cohen, but also for the poor in society.

Therefore, put me to the test, said the Lord of Hosts. If I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you blessing. The people’s dishonesty and lack of integrity brought a curse upon the land, no rain, poor crops, plagues of locusts, yet they did not realize that while walking in disobedience, Hashem could not bless them. God as a parent that wishes to bless his children, but due to the child’s poor choices and acts of disobedience, the parent cannot offer a blessing as a reward for failure to follow the commandments. But if you will HaShem says; Then all the nations, Will call you blessed? A Happy a delightsome land. A land which God takes delight.^[72]

We are taught that “by analogy, instead of putting God to the test regarding every one of the 613 commandments. A practical Mitzvah is chosen for this purpose. The Torah teaches us put me to the test regarding this single mitzvah. Once that test has passed, you will then know quite clearly that you will also suffer no loss by keeping any of the other mitzvahs. Because it might be thought that after submitting the required Tenth part to the Levite, the owner remains with 9/10 of the total that he has suffered a loss. But God is teaching them not so. In the Talmud Yerushalmi, the sages expound upon the concluding part of this present v.10 “Blessing without limit” or as some translate “not room enough to receive it” They convey, “Until your lips grow tired of repeating enough”, enough blessings already.^[73] God says, test me and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour down on you.

As we enter this time of consolation and we watch the news in Israel, my thoughts are how does this passage speak to us today? We know the prophets are not just recording history. In every generation there has been a remnant, and, in every generation, God has pleaded with the unrepentant. ⁷ From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts^[74] The Lord was very angry with your fathers. ³ Therefore say to them, thus declares the Lord of hosts: ^fReturn to me, says the Lord of hosts, and ^gI will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ^4 hDo not be like your fathers, ⁱto whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But ^jthey did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord^[75]

Malachi uses the same language in verse 7 as was used in Zecharia 1:3-4. Hashem is dealing and speaking with Judea and Jerusalem, but he is also speaking to all the tribes of Israel and to the nations that wish to learn of his ways. We pray people will repent and turn to God and he will turn to them. How easy is it? By way of analogy, just pick one commandment and do it and then add another and another till you find your way back to HaShem, the father.

When one returns to God, what will you find? We are told in verse 18, Then shall you return and be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not. and the righteous will say enough, enough we have no room left to store your blessings.

Shabbat # 1 of Consolation/Strengthening

Special Ashlamata: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:1-26

Rashi	Targum
1. "Console, console My people," says your God.	1. Prophets, prophesy consolations to My people, says your God.
2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her, for she has become full [from] her host, for her iniquity has been appeased, for she has taken from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.	2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and prophesy to her that she is about to be filled with people of her exiles, that her sins have been forgiven her, that she has taken a cup of consolations before the LORD as if she suffered two for one for all her sins.
3. A voice calls, "In the desert, clear the way of the Lord, straighten out in the wilderness, a highway for our God."	3. A voice of one who cries: “In the wilderness clear the way before the people of the LORD, level in the desert highways before the congregation of our God.
4. Every valley shall be raised, and every mountain and hill shall be lowered, and the crooked terrain shall become a plain and the close mountains a champaigne.	4. All the valleys will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground will become a plain and a baked place a vale.
5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the Lord spoke.	5. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all the sons of flech will see it together, for by the Memra of the LORD it is so decreed.”
6. A voice says, "Call!" and it says, "What shall I call?" "All flesh is grass, and all its kindness is like the blossom of the field.	6. A voice of one who says, “Prophesy!” And he answered and said, “What will I prophesy?” All the wicked/Lawless are as the grass, and all their strength like the chaff of the field.
7. The grass shall dry out, the blossom shall wilt, for a wind from the Lord has blown upon it; behold the people is grass.	7. The grass withers, its flower fades, for the spirit from the LORD blows upon it; surely the wicked/Lawless among the people are reckoned as the grass.
8. The grass shall dry out, the blossom shall wilt, but the word of our God shall last forever.	8. The wicked/Lawless dies, his conceptions perish; but the Word of our God stands forever.
9. Upon a lofty mountain ascend, O herald of Zion, raise your voice with strength, O herald of Jerusalem; raise [your voice], fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"	9. Get you up to a high mountain, prophets who herald good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with force, you who herald good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up, fear not; say to the cities of the house of Judah, “The kingdom of your God is revealed!”
10. Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong [hand], and His arm rules for Him; behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense is before Him.	10. Behold, the LORD God is revealed with strength, and the strength of His mighty arm rules before Him; behold, the reward of those who perform His Memra is with him, all those whose deeds are disclosed before Him.
11. Like a shepherd [who] tends his flock, with his arm he gathers lambs, and in his bosom he carries [them], the nursing ones he leads.	11. Like the shepherd who feeds his flock, he gathers lambs in his arm, he carries tender ones in his bosom, and leads nursing ewes gently.
12. Who measured water with his gait, and measured the heavens with his span, and measured by thirds the dust of the earth, and weighed mountains with a scale and hills with a balance?	12. Who says these things? One who lives, speaks and acts, before whom all the waters of the world are reckoned as the drop in the hollow of hand and the length of the heavens as if with the span established, the dust of the earth as if measured in a measure and the mountains as if indeed weighed and the hills, behold just as in the balance.
13. Who meted the spirit of the Lord, and His adviser who informs Him?	13. Who established the holy spirit in the mouth of all the prophets, is it not the LORD? And to the righteous/ generous who perform His Memra He makes known the words of His pleasure.
14. With whom did He take counsel give him to understand, and teach him in the way of justice, and teach him knowledge, and the way of understandings did He let him know?	14. Those who besought before Him, He caused to apprehend wisdom and taught them the path of judgment and gave their sons the Law and showed the way of understanding to their son’s sons.
15. Behold the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and like dust on a balance are they counted; behold the islands are like fine [dust] that blows away.	15. Behold, the peoples are like the drop from a bucket, and are accounted like dust on the scales; behold, the islands are like the fine dust which flies.
16. And the Lebanon-there is not enough to burn, and its beasts-there is not enough for burnt offerings.	16. The trees of Lebanon will not supply sufficient (wood) for burning, nor are the beasts that are in it enough for a burn offering.
17. All the nations are as nought before Him; as things of nought and vanity are they regarded by Him.	17. All the peoples, their deeds are as nothing; they are accounted extirpation and destruction before Him.
18. And to whom do you compare God, and what likeness do you arrange for Him?	18. Why are you planning to contend before God, or what likeness do you prepare before Him?
19. The graven image, the craftsman has melted, and the smith plates it with gold, and chains of silver he attaches.	19. Behold the image! The workman makes it, and the smith overlays it with gold, and the smith attaches silver chains to it.
20. He who is accustomed to select, chooses a tree that does not rot; he seeks for himself a skilled craftsman, to prepare a graven image, which will not move.	20. He cuts down a laurel, he chooses the wood that rot does not attack; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an image that will not move.
21. Do you not know, have you not heard has it not been told to you from the beginning? Do you not understand the foundations of the earth?	21. Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has not the fact of creation’s orders been told you from the beginning? Will you not understand, so as to fear before Him who created the foundations of the earth?
22. It is He Who sits above the circle of the earth, and whose inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heaven like a curtain, and He spread them out like a tent to dwell.	22. It is He who makes the Shekhinah of His glory dwell in the strong height, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reckoned before Him as grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a trifle and spreads them like a tent of glory for His Shekhinah’s house;
23. Who brings princes to nought, judges of the land He made like a thing of nought.	23. Who hands over rulers to weakness, and makes the judges of the earth as nothing.
24. Even [as though] they were not planted, even [as though] they were not sown, even [as though] their trunk was not rooted in the earth; and also He blew on them, and they dried up, and a tempest shall carry them away like straw.	24. Although they grow, although they increase, although their sons are exalted in the earth, He sends His anger among them, and they are ashamed and His Memra, as the whirlwind the chaff, will scatter them.
25. "Now, to whom will you compare Me that I should be equal?" says the Holy One.	25. Whom then will you liken before Me, and compare (Me): says the Holy One.
26. Lift up your eyes on high and see, who created these, who takes out their host by number; all of them He calls by name; because of His great might and because He is strong in power, no one is missing.	26. Lift up your eyes to the height and see, so as to fear before Him who created these, who brings out the forces of heaven by number, calling to all of them by their names; by an abundance of prodigies and because He is strong in force not one from its order is missing.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:1-26

1 Console, console My people He returns to his future prophecies; since from here to the end of the Book are words of consolations, this section separated them from the prophecies of retribution. Console, you, My prophets, console My people.

2 for she has become full [from] her host Jonathan renders: She is destined to become full from the people of the exiles, as though it would say, “She has become full from her host.” Others interpret צְבָאָה like (Job 7: 1), “Is there not a time (צָבָא) for man on the earth?”

has been appeased Heb. נִרְצָה , has been appeased.

for she has taken etc. [Jonathan paraphrases:] For she has received a cup of consolation from before the Lord as though she has been punished doubly for all her sins. According to its simple meaning, it is possible to explain, ‘for she received double punishment.’ Now if you ask, how is it the standard of the Holy One, blessed be He, to pay back a person double his sin, I will tell you that we find an explicit verse (Jer. 16:18): “And I will pay first the doubling of their iniquity and their sin.”

3 A voice The Holy Spirit calls, “In the desert, the way to Jerusalem.”

clear the way of the Lord for her exiles to return to her midst. [The Warsaw edition yields:]

Clear the way of the Lord The way of Jerusalem for her exiles to return to her midst.

4 Every valley shall be raised and the mountain shall be lowered, thus resulting in a smooth, even, and easily traversed road.

and the close mountains Heb. רְכָסִים , mountains close to each other, and because of their proximity, the descent between them is steep and it is not slanted, that it should be easy to descend and ascend. ([The word] רְכָסִים is translated by Jonathan as ‘banks,’ an expression of height like the banks of a river.)

close mountains Heb. רְכָסִים . Comp. (Ex. 28:28) “And they shall fasten (וְיִרְכְּסוּ) the breastplate.”

a champaigne Canpayne in O.F., a smooth and even terrain.

6 A voice from the Holy One, blessed be He, says to me, “Call!”

and it says My spirit says to Him, “What shall I call?” And the voice answers him, “Call this, all flesh is grass. All those who are haughty their greatness shall be turned over and become like grass. ([Manuscripts yield:] All the princes of the kingdom their greatness shall be turned over and shall wither away [lit. shall end] like grass.)

and all its kindness is like the blossom of the field For “the kindness of the nations is sin” (Prov. 14:34). [Ed. note: We have inverted the order of Rashi and followed the order of Kli Paz and Parshandatha, to connect the second part of the verse with the first. Rashi’s explanation of the second part follows his first explanation of the first part. In the Lublin edition, the second explanation of the first part of the verse interrupts the sequence.] (Another explanation is: All flesh is grass.) A person’s end is to die; therefore, if he says to do kindness, he is like the blossom of the field, that is cut off and dries, and one must not rely on him, for he has no power to fulfill his promise, perhaps he will die, for, just as the grass dries out and the blossom wilts, so is it that when a man dies, his promise is null, but the word of our God shall last for He is living and existing, and He has the power to fulfill. Therefore, “Upon a lofty mountain ascend and herald, O herald of Zion, for the promise of the tidings emanates from the mouth of Him Who lives forever.”

7 shall wilt Heb. נָבֵל , wilt.

9 O herald of Zion Heb. מְבַשֶּׂרֶת . The prophets who herald Zion. [This is the feminine form.] Elsewhere (infra 52:7), he says, “the feet of the herald (מְבַשֵּׂר) .” [This is the masculine form.] This denotes that if they are worthy, he will be as swift as a male. If they are not worthy, he will be as weak as a female and will delay his steps until the end.

10 shall come with a strong [hand] to mete out retribution upon the heathens. ([Mss. read:] Upon the nations.)

behold His reward is with Him It is prepared with Him for the righteous.

and His recompense [lit. His deed,] the recompense for the deed, which He is obliged to give them.

11 Like a shepherd [who] tends his flock Like a shepherd who tends his flock; with his arm he gathers lambs, and he carries them in his bosom.

the nursing ones he leads [Jonathan renders:] The nursing ones he leads gently, the nursing sheep. he leads Heb. יְנַהֵל , lit. he shall lead, like מְנַהֵל , he leads.

12 Who measured etc. He had the power to do all this, and surely, He has the power to keep these promises.

with his gait Heb. בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ , with his walking, as it is said (Habakkuk 3: 15): “You trod with Your horses in the sea.” Comp. (Num. 22:24) “In the path (בְּמִשְׁעוֹל) of the vineyards, a path (for walking).” Another explanation is that שַׁעַל is the name of a receptacle. Comp. (Ezekiel 13:19) “For measures (בְּשַׁעֲלוֹ) of barley.”

measured Amolad in O.F., an expression of measure and number. Comp. (Ex. 5:18) “And the number (וְתֽכֶן) of bricks you shall give.”

and measured by thirds Heb. בַּשָּׁלִשׁ , and measured by thirds, one third wilderness, one third civilization, and one third seas and rivers. Another interpretation: בַּשָּׁלִשׁ , from the thumb to the middle finger, the third of the fingers. Menahem explains it as the name of a vessel. Comp. (Ps. 80:6) “And You gave them to drink tears with a vessel (שָׁלִישׁ) .”

and weighed mountains with a scale Everything according to the earth, a heavy mountain He inserted into hard earth, and the light ones into soft earth.

13 Who meted the Holy Spirit in the mouth of the prophets? The Lord prepared it, and He is worthy of belief.

and His adviser who informs Him [and the one with whom He takes counsel He informs] of His spirit. So did Jonathan render it. [Who meted out the spirit? The Lord, and the one with whom He takes counsel He informs him, i.e., the righteous in whom God confides, He informs of His plans for the future.] But, according to its context, וְאִישׁ עֲצָתוֹ refers back to the beginning of the verse. Who meted out His spirit and who is His adviser who informs the Holy One, blessed be He, of counsel?

14 With whom did He take counsel and give him to understand With which of the heathens ([mss., K’li Paz:] nations) did He take counsel, as He took counsel with the prophets, as it is said concerning Abraham (Gen. 18: 17): “Do I conceal from Abraham...?”

and give him to understand, and teach him in the way of justice With which one of the heathens ([mss., K’li Paz:] nations) did He do so, that He taught him wisdom as He did to Abraham, to whom He gave a heart to recognize Him by himself and to understand the Torah, as it is said (ibid. 26:5): “And he kept My charge,” and Scripture states further (ibid. 18:19), “For he commands etc.” And his kidneys would pour forth wisdom to him, as it is said (Ps. 16:7): “Even at night my kidneys chastised me.”

(With whom did He take counsel and who gave Him to understand [With which man did He take counsel and which] man gave the Holy One, blessed be He, [to understand?] Behold all the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and how could they teach Him?)

15 Behold the nations are like a drop from a bucket And are not worthy to Him to appoint some of them as prophets to reveal His secret.

like a drop from a bucket Heb. כְּמַר , like a bitter drop that drips from the bottom of the bucket, bitter from the putrid water that is embedded in the bucket and the decay of the wood, limonede in O.F.

and like the dust of a balance for the copper corrodes and wears off.

like fine, fine dust. that blows away [lit. that will be taken.] Like dust that is picked up and goes up through the wind, like fine dust that is carried away.

16 there is not enough to burn on His altar.

and its beasts (the beasts) of the Lebanon there is not enough for burnt offerings. Another explanation is:

And the Lebanon etc. to expiate the iniquity of the heathens.

17 All the nations are as naught before Him In His eyes they are as naught, and are not regarded by Him.

19 melted Heb. נָסַךְ , an expression of melting (מַסֵּכָה) .

the craftsman has melted The ironsmith has cast it from iron or from copper, and then the goldsmith plates it with plates of gold and covers it from above.

and chains Heb. וּרְתֻקוֹת , and chains.

20 He who is accustomed to select הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה . Or, if he comes to make it of wood, one who is accustomed to discern between a durable tree and other trees, chooses a tree that does not decay quickly.

He who is accustomed Heb. הַמְסֻכָּן . Comp. (Num. 22:30) “Have I been accustomed (הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי) ?”

to select Heb. תְּרוּמָה , separation, selection of the trees.

21 Do you not know...the foundations of the earth Who founded it, and you should have worshipped Him.

22 the circle Heb. חוּג , an expression similar to (infra 44:13) “And with a compass (וּבַמְּחוּגָה) ,” a circle (compass in O.F.).

and whose inhabitants are to Him [lit. before Him] like grasshoppers.

like a curtain Heb. כַדּֽק , a curtain, toile in French.

24 Even [as though] they were not planted They are even as though they were not planted.

even [as though] they were not sown And still more than this, that they shall be uprooted and plucked out, as if they were not sown. Sowing is less than planting.

their trunk is not rooted in the earth When they will be plucked out, the trunk will not take root in the ground that it will grow up anew. Every שֽׁרֶשׁ , root, in Scripture is accented on the first letter, and the ‘reish’ is vowelized with a ‘pattah’ [segol]. This one, however, is accented on the latter syllable and it is vowelized with a ‘kamatz katan’ [tzeireh] because it is a verb, present tense, [enracinant in French] being rooted.

26 who created these All the host that you will see on high.

because of His great might that He has, and that He is strong in power, no one of His host is missing, that He does not call by name.

Commentary on the Ashlamata of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 40:1 -26

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

We have come to Shabbat Naḥamu the first sabbath of consolation. Scholars debated when this chapter was written. Most agree it was just before or after the fall of Babylon and right before Cyrus allowed the Jews to return from their exile back to Judea. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah certainly have passages of comfort and hope, but there is a strong tone of judgment and warning throughout that section. The two devastating blows they had suffered because they had violated their covenant with God—the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians and their subsequent exile (586 bce)—shook the foundations of their belief in the eternity and inviolability of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Davidic dynasty^[76] Now, beginning with chapter 40 the tone shifts to being predominantly full of comfort, hopefulness and blessing. Rashi,^[77] says from here to the end of Isaiah are words of consolation. Radak^[78], agrees these are for the days of Messiah. The whole of this prophecy, says Kimchi, "belongs to the days of the Messiah. Some commentors have suggested this is a conversation in heaven that is to be played out on earth similar to Job 1-2, Isa. 6 and 1Ki.22:19-23.

“Comfort ye, comfort ye”— Kimchi says, "Double here means the two captivities and emigrations suffered by the Israelites. The first, the Babylonian captivity; the second, that which they now endure." To all the nations and peoples, the world and all its inhabitants” (Luzzatto)^[79] There seems to be three unnamed voices. The call to comfort my people v.1. The first voice v.3-5 says that our God is coming to reveal his glory worldwide; the third voice v.10-11 brings this message to bear on Zion: the coming Lord is the shepherd who will gather his people and lead them home; the second voice affirms the enduring quality of God’s word: he has promised universal revelation v.5 and good news for Zion v.9 and his word will not fail. These truths summarize the whole message of chapters 40–55.^[80] It is interesting to note a connection to Ruth 2:13: You have comforted me (נחמתני) and spoken kindly (ודברת על לב) to your maidservant.

The writers in the Nazarene Codicil seem to pick up on this in in Mt.3:3, Mk.1:2-3 and Luk.3:4-6 even John 1:23-25 which speak of three voices. I believe we can see the work of the Prophet, Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David in our reading. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem… her warfare is ended… her iniquity is pardoned… she has received double for her sins.” Iben Ezra^[81] says, my opinion according to the coming redemption from our present exile; prophecies concerning the Babylonian exile are introduced only as an illustration, showing how Cyrus, who allowed the captive Jews to return to Jerusalem. Will another Cyrus pave and smooth out the rough crooked path on the way to the return to Jerusalem and Mt. Zion? It is worth noticing God doing this for Cyrus, 45:2. I will march before you and level the hills that loom up and I will level the roads for him. 45:13

(3-5) A voice crying the wilderness prepare (פָּנָה pānāh) to turn with the goal, intention of doing something^[82] as in Gen18:22 the way of the LORD. Rashi says the way of Jerusalem for her exiles to return to her midst. Make straight in the desert A highway (as in Psa84:5-7) for our God. Malbim^[83] says it’s a new highway that never existed, and this highway will be to our God. Could it be that this highway is not a new interstate, but a path in our hearts leading the exiled ones back to Zion?

The glory of the LORD shall be revealed… This glory is revealed to the prepared hearts described in the previous verses. And it is revealed without regard to nationality; all flesh shall see it together. All thru the Bible God through his prophets and teachers are calling his people out of Egypt & Babylon. Remember the ole proverb, “Home is where the heart is!” To bring the exiles home to Zion and Jerusalem, it would stand to reason, God must first change the heart. This glory of the LORD is not revealed only to Jerusalem or Judah, but to every prepared heart. Can we be assured this will happen? Yes! because the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

(6-8) The message of the voice in the wilderness (redemption). The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, The grass withers, flower fades. The message is a contrast between frailty of man and the permanence of God and His word. Man comes and goes, nations and kingdoms rise and fall, the word of our God stands forever. Psa.103:15-17 not only does it stand forever, but it shall also not return, Isaiah 45:23, nor will it turn back, it will accomplish the purpose I sent it to. 55:11 and it operates in a continuous fashion, ongoing like the sun which never burns out. Isa.60:19

(9-11) An invitation to “Behold Your God!” O Zion, you who bring good tidings. Malbim says, “as I already explained in many places that in Zion was the seat of the king, the Sanhedrin and the place of the Holy Temple, while in Jerusalem dwelt the masses. Zion announces; He has returned His Presence to Zion and the kingship and priesthood. Therefore, the prophet advised him to ascend a high mountain. Jerusalem announced the ingathering of the exiles; therefore, the prophet advised her to raise her voice in strength in order that those driven away hear and be gathered from the four corners of the heavens. Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, His arm shall rule. Isa.59:16, 63:5 The voice calls; to ascend a lofty mountain and address the city of Jerusalem, informing the nation that HaShem is coming to redeem them from Babylon (context of Isaiah’s day) and return them to Israel. Behold, his reward is with him, his recompense before him. Ibn Ezra and Radak both assert that wages will be given to Israel as the reward for faithfulness during the Exile and punishment to the unrighteous.

Ezekiel tells the departure of the Glory (kābôd) was by stages from the doomed city and temple (Ezek 9:3; 10:4, 18–19; 11:22–23) In the opening verses of our text there seems to be a progression. The first time the glory of God is mentioned is when God told the people because of their grumbling they would see his glory, in the manifesting of the manna^[84] it was 15^th day of the 2sd month after leaving Egypt and they look toward the wilderness^[85] (Exo.16:1-10) Then on the third day of the 3^rd month after leaving Egypt they received the ten words, but Hashem was wrapped in smoke on the mountain.(19:1-18) and the next time was at the conformation of the covenant (Exo.24) when the children said “all the words that the LORD has spoken we will do v.3 and be obedient” v.7 and for six days the mountain was covered by a cloud , on the seventh day “the glory of the Lord” was like a devouring fire on the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.v.17 Again, there seems to be a progression in God revealing himself to the children of Israel. Will the same pattern repeat itself again?

(12-14) Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand… Measured heavens… measured the dust of the earth weighted the mountains and hills… who directed the spirit of the LORD… what man gives him counsel… Who gave him understanding… taught him the path of justice… knowledge and understanding?

 There are several questions here, but only one answer: “HaShem”, the Supreme Being which will cause it to come to pass, he who has created the whole universe. Earlier the prophet announced the imminence of the “end”; now he turns to the beginning and references Creation as an actual event in the past. The God who is about to come and reveal his glory and redeem his people is the Creator of the whole universe. Beginning and end, creation and redemption, are the two poles of thought he juxtaposed. The relation between the beginning of time and the end of time has long been recognized as an important concept in biblical eschatology. The end cannot be understood without the beginning, redemption without creation.

(15-17) God’s greatness surpasses all the nations. Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; not that God has no concern for the nations, the thought is, the nations are no threat; they have no power of their own; their pretentious grand designs have no weight with God. The nations come and go when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.v.7.

The next set of questions deal with idolatry and, to whom will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The language consists of a sharp and stinging mockery against those who are crafting and adorning images. Do not look to man-made idols, look to him who sits above the circle of the earth. God’s greatness is evident, as He is the Creator of all, no entity or man-made Idol can stand before him or derail his plans. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Have you not been told from the very first? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? —These four rhetorical questions introduced by the same Hebrew word and is repeated four times are intended to place emphasis on and to convince his listeners of the greatness of God and his creation and echoes what he tells us in Isaiah 48:12-17. Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, spreads them like a tent to dwell in, who brings princes to nothing, makes rulers of the earth as emptiness. (תֹּהוּ tōhû)

Comfort, O comfort my people, … speak tender words to Jerusalem, proclaim to her that her servitude is over, her debt has been paid.” HaShem is about to act to put down the empires and the nations, restore Jerusalem, and bring his exiled children home.

Verbal Tallies

By: H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David

& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 – 7:38

Tehillim (Psalms) 76

Malachi 3:4-12 + 18

1 Pet 1:17-21, Lk 10:2

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Before / Sight - פנים, Strong’s number 06440.

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

Offering - מנחה, Strong’s number 04503.

Sons - בן, Strong’s number 01121.

Day - יום, Strong’s number 03117.

Offer / Come near - קרב, Strong’s number 07126.

LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.

Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 And the LORD <03068> spake <01696> (8762) unto Moses <04872>, saying <0559> (8800), 13 This is the offering <07133> of Aaron <0175> and of his sons <01121>, which they shall offer <07126> (8686) unto the LORD <03068> in the day <03117> when he is anointed <04886> (8736); the tenth part <06224> of an ephah <0374> of fine flour <05560> for a meat offering <04503> perpetual <08548>, half <04276> of it in the morning <01242>, and half <04276> thereof at night <06153>.

18 Speak <01696> (8761) unto Aaron <0175> and to his sons <01121>, saying <0559> (8800), This is the law <08451> of the sin offering <02403>: In the place <04725> where the burnt offering <05930> is killed <07819> (8735) shall the sin offering <02403> be killed <07819> (8735) before <06440> the LORD <03068>: it is most <06944> holy <06944>.

Tehillim (Psalms) 76:7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared <03372> (8737): and who may stand <05975> (8799) in thy sight <06440> when <0227> once thou art angry <0639>?

Tehillim (Psalms) 76:11 Vow <05087> (8798), and pay <07999> (8761) unto the LORD <03068> your God <0430>: let all that be round about <05439> him bring <02986> (8686) presents <07862> unto him that ought to be feared <04172>.

Malachi 3:4 Then shall the offering <04503> of Judah <03063> and Jerusalem <03389> be pleasant <06149> (8804) unto the LORD <03068>, as in the days <03117> of old <05769>, and as in former <06931> years <08141>.

Malachi 3:5 And I will come near <07126> (8804) to you to judgment <04941>; and I will be a swift <04116> (8764) witness <05707> against the sorcerers <03784> (8764), and against the adulterers <05003> (8764), and against false <08267> swearers <07650> (8737), and against those that oppress <06231> (8802) the hireling <07916> in his wages <07939>, the widow <0490>, and the fatherless <03490>, and that turn aside <05186> (8688) the stranger <01616> from his right, and fear <03372> (8804) not me, saith <0559> (8804) the LORD <03068> of hosts <06635>.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD <03068>, I change <08138> (8804) not; therefore, ye sons <01121> of Jacob <03290> are not consumed <03615> (8804).

Hebrew:

Hebrew	English	Torah Reading Lev. 6:12 – 7:38	Psalms 76:1-13	Ashlamata Mal.3:4-12 + 18
~d'a'	human, man	Lev. 7:21	Ps. 76:10	Mal. 3:8
lk;a'	eat, ate	Lev. 6:16 Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:23 Lev. 6:26 Lev. 6:29 Lev. 6:30 Lev. 7:6 Lev. 7:15 Lev. 7:16 Lev. 7:18 Lev. 7:19 Lev. 7:20 Lev. 7:21 Lev. 7:23 Lev. 7:24 Lev. 7:25 Lev. 7:26 Lev. 7:27		Mal. 3:11
~yhil{a/	God		Ps. 76:1 Ps. 76:6 Ps. 76:9 Ps. 76:11	Mal. 3:8
rm;a'	saying	Lev. 6:19 Lev. 6:24 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:22 Lev. 7:23 Lev. 7:28 Lev. 7:29		Mal. 3:5 Mal. 3:7 Mal. 3:8 Mal. 3:10 Mal. 3:11 Mal. 3:12
#r,a,	earth, ground		Ps. 76:8 Ps. 76:9 Ps. 76:12	Mal. 3:12
aAB	bring, come, go	Lev. 6:21 Lev. 6:30 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:30		Mal. 3:10
!Be	sons	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:16 Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:20 Lev. 6:22 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:10 Lev. 7:23 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:31 Lev. 7:33 Lev. 7:34 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38		Mal. 3:6
qxo	statue	Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:22 Lev. 7:34		Mal. 3:7
@r,j,	prey		Ps. 76:4	Mal. 3:10
dy"	hand	Lev. 7:30	Ps. 76:5
hd'Why>	Judah		Ps. 76:1	Mal. 3:4
hw"hoy>	LORD	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:15 Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:19 Lev. 6:20 Lev. 6:21 Lev. 6:22 Lev. 6:24 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:5 Lev. 7:11 Lev. 7:14 Lev. 7:20 Lev. 7:21 Lev. 7:22 Lev. 7:25 Lev. 7:28 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:30 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38	Ps. 76:11	Mal. 3:4 Mal. 3:5 Mal. 3:6 Mal. 3:7 Mal. 3:10 Mal. 3:11 Mal. 3:12
~Ay	day	Lev. 6:20 Lev. 7:15 Lev. 7:16 Lev. 7:17 Lev. 7:18 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38		Mal. 3:4 Mal. 3:7
bqo[]y:	Jacob		Ps. 76:6	Mal. 3:6
arey"	feared		Ps. 76:7 Ps. 76:8 Ps. 76:12	Mal. 3:5
laer'f.yI	Israel	Lev. 7:23 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:34 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38	Ps. 76:1
hx'n>mi	grain offering	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:15 Lev. 6:20 Lev. 6:21 Lev. 6:23 Lev. 7:9 Lev. 7:10 Lev. 7:37		Mal. 3:4
jP'v.mi	judgment		Ps. 76:9	Mal. 3:5
bybis'	around	Lev. 7:2	Ps. 76:11
rWs	remove, gone away	Lev. 7:4		Mal. 3:7
~l'A[	forever	Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:22 Lev. 7:34 Lev. 7:36		Mal. 3:4
~ynIP'	before, face	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:30	Ps. 76:7
br;q'	offer,	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:20 Lev. 6:21 Lev. 7:3 Lev. 7:8 Lev. 7:9 Lev. 7:11 Lev. 7:12 Lev. 7:13 Lev. 7:14 Lev. 7:16 Lev. 7:18 Lev. 7:25 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:33 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:38		Mal. 3:5
rb;v'	broken, broke	Lev. 6:28	Ps. 76:3
~yIm;v'	heaven		Ps. 76:8	Mal. 3:10
hm'WrT.	heave offering	Lev. 7:14 Lev. 7:32 Lev. 7:34		Mal. 3:8

Greek:

GREEK	ENGLISH	Torah Reading Lev. 6:12 – 7:38	Psalms 76:1-13	Ashlamata Mal.3:4-12 + 18	Peshat Mishnah of Mark, 1-2 Peter, & Jude 1 Pet 1:17-21	Tosefta of Luke Lk 10:2
αἷμα	blood	Lev 6:27 Lev 6:30 Lev 7:2 Lev 7:14 Lev 7:26 Lev 7:27 Lev 7:33			1 Pet. 1:19
ἀνήρ	men, man		Psa 76:5
δίδωμι	give	Lev 6:17 Lev 7:32 Lev 7:34 Lev 7:36			1 Pet. 1:21
ἐλπίς	hope				1 Pet. 1:21
ἔργον	work	Lev 7:24			1 Pet. 1:17
ἡμέρα	day	Lev. 6:20 Lev. 7:15 Lev. 7:16 Lev. 7:17 Lev. 7:18 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38		Mal. 3:4 Mal. 3:7
θεός	God		Ps. 76:1 Ps. 76:6 Ps. 76:9 Ps. 76:11	Mal. 3:8	1 Pet. 1:21
κατά	off, arose				1 Pet. 1:17
κρίνω	decided, judges				1 Pet. 1:17
κύριος	LORD	Lev. 6:14 Lev. 6:15 Lev. 6:18 Lev. 6:19 Lev. 6:20 Lev. 6:21 Lev. 6:22 Lev. 6:24 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:5 Lev. 7:11 Lev. 7:14 Lev. 7:20 Lev. 7:21 Lev. 7:22 Lev. 7:25 Lev. 7:28 Lev. 7:29 Lev. 7:30 Lev. 7:35 Lev. 7:36 Lev. 7:38	Ps. 76:11	Mal. 3:4 Mal. 3:5 Mal. 3:6 Mal. 3:7 Mal. 3:10 Mal. 3:11 Mal. 3:12		Lk. 10:2
λέγω	saying	Lev. 6:19 Lev. 6:24 Lev. 6:25 Lev. 7:22 Lev. 7:23 Lev. 7:28 Lev. 7:29		Mal. 3:5 Mal. 3:7 Mal. 3:8 Mal. 3:10 Mal. 3:11 Mal. 3:12		Lk. 10:2
ὄνομα	name		Psa 76:1	Mal 3:5
πατήρ	father			Mal 3:7	1 Pet. 1:17
τρόπος	manner	Lev 7:38
φοβέω	fear		Ps. 76:7 Ps. 76:8 Ps. 76:12	Mal. 3:5
Χριστός	anointed, Christ	Lev 6:22			1 Pet. 1:19

Pirqe Abot

Mishna 1:9

Miscellaneous Interpretations

Rabbenu Yonah addresses himself to the first of Shemayah's declarations: “Love work" and is persuaded that he does not mean to nullify the importance of Torah leadership, but rather intended to impress upon us that manual labor is exceedingly important, too. One never knows when circumstances wilt be such that in order to support his family a man will have to leave the ivory tower of study and revert to simple work. The scholar must never say, "It is beneath my dignity to engage in menial labor and it is unthinkable that I should work with my hands." The Talmud (Pesahim 114a) is quite clear, "Earn your living by dressing hides in the market place." Finally, Rabbenu Yonah describes work as the best psychotherapy for boredom.

With reference to the second dictum, “Hate authority (others: rabbinate)," Rabbenu Yonah reminds us that the rabbinate was so distasteful to many sages that they became shoemakers, carpenters and smiths. The rabbinate, by its nature, involves lording it over other people. The Talmud (Pesahim 87b) relates that Joseph was the first of the brothers to die because he delighted in his position of power and influence.

The last of Shemayah's maxims states "Seek no intimacy with the ruling power." According to Rabbenu Yonah, this means that one should avoid entering into government service. The government is very demanding of the time and efforts of civil servants. In order to avoid criticism by his supervisors, the civil servant will have to forgo Torah study and the performance of mitzvot. If he does engage in religious activities, it will have to be on the sly. This is intolerable. Moreover, even with the best efforts to his credit, the civil servant will find himself relieved of his job summarily if the authorities see no further need for his service.

Rashi: In addition to agreeing with Rabbenu Yonah on his interpretation, Rashi adds that work will assure one that he will avoid "the public kitchen." The chances are that if one wishes to work he can always find something to do to support himself.

Rabbi Yosef lbn Shoshan plays on the word “LaRashot” in the Mishnah which means authorities, or power. He interprets it to mean all-inclusive power, a dictatorship. In other words, the Jew is advised to have no truck with one who takes complete power unto himself.

Midrash Shemuel: If one is by circumstances compelled to work, it is only sensible that he enjoy his work and be proud of the fruit of his labors. Even if a man is the most prominent personality in the community he should not hesitate to apply himself to manual labor because, "Do not become intimate with the authorities." That is to say, that when a government needs a scapegoat for one reason or another it will always pick on the unemployed and vagrant; never on the one who is productive.

Another interpretation by Midrash Shemuel: Shemayah is addressing himself to the judges of whom the previous Mishnah speaks. "Love your work" in our Mishnah urges the member of the bet-din to continue to study and learn so that he can be a good judge. If you want to be a judge (or any other professional) be a good one.

Then Shemayah, according to Midrash Shemuel, turns to the litigant and advises him, "Do not seek to become intimate with the authorities" which implies that one should not resort to civil courts for adjudication.

Yet another interpretation: There is another power of dictatorship in addition to the political. The unrelenting, driving power of the evil inclination, who proclaims itself dictator and has the power to manipulate its subjects at its will, is equally catastrophic to a person. However, there are two ways to deal with the dictatorship of the evil inclination. Languor and idleness are the breeding grounds for strange and devious thoughts that can enter one's mind. Thus, "love work." Secondly, arrogance, vanity and conceit are the fertile fields for the growth of the evil inclination. Hence, Shemayah urges us not to become too intimate with authority which, in tum, will give us a sense of superiority.

Rashbatz denies that Shemayah and Avtalyon were the leaders of the Sanhedrin.

According to the Halakhah, only a born Jew can become head of the Sanhedrin. Rashbatz proposes the explanation that Shemayah and Avtalyon were the leading scholars of that period, superior to all others. They were not appointed to their lofty position; this was done by acclamation. To augment this theory, Rashbatz cites the incident related by the rabbis (Pesahim 10a) that at one time when a member of the Bnei Beteira (the Bathyra clan) was the head of the Sanhedrin, he resigned of his own free will in favor of Hillel, the erudite Babylonian who had appeared on the scene. In deference to Hillel's scholarly superiority he removed himself from the leadership.

Nazarean Talmud

Sidra of Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:12 –7:38

“Zeh Qorban Aharon”- “This (is the) offering (of) Aaron”

By: H. Em Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

Hakham Shaul’s School of Tosefta Luqas (Lk) 10:2 Mishnah א:א

Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat 1 Tsefet (1 Peter) 1:17 – 21 Mishnah א:א

Then he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. Go!

And if you call on the Father, who judges each one’s work impartially, live in reverential fear during the time of your exile. (Live in fear until the time of your return from exile – foreign residence). Understand this; you were not redeemed with perishable things such as silver or gold out of the vain conduct that you inherited.^[86] But, with the priceless life^[87] of Messiah as if he were a spotless lamb.Who was made known before the foundation of this present world but is plainly seen in these last days (times). That through him you trust in G-d who raised him (Yeshua) from the dead and gave him honour so that your faithfulness and expectation is of G-d

Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder

Lev 6:12-7:38

Psa 76:1-13

Mal. 3:4-12+18

1 Pet 1:17 – 21

Lk 10:1-12

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

Vayikra – Leviticus 6:12 A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out. ⁷ And this is the law of the meal offering: that Aaron's sons shall bring it before the Lord, to the front of the altar.

We have commented in the past about the “blood” of Messiah. This is a term that means the life of Messiah. This is based on Leviticus 17:11 where it is stated that life is in the blood. Thus, we might read that the life of a man is his “blood sweat and tears.” This allows us to know that life is not necessarily easy. The “priceless life” of Messiah is equated with a spotless lamb. How are we to understand this statement from a literal, Peshat” level of interpretation? And is Messiah the only one with a “priceless” life?

Firstly, Messiah is not the only one who has a priceless life. When we read the Torah and Torah Sederim, we see that there are a great number of “priceless” exemplary lives. But most people are trained to believe that that is a gift that they do not have. Their thinking might be something of denial believing that they do not have the same abilities. This is not to detract from the spiritual giants that have been paraded before our eyes.

On the 31^st day of counting the Omer we read Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1-2 Therefore,^[88] because you are recipients of the Nefesh Yehudi, now being the beloved children^[89] of God, you must imitate^[90] Him.^[91] And walk^[92] in love, as Messiah our model has loved us, and has given himself as if he had been an offering and a sacrifice^[93] to God^[94] for a sweet-smelling savor^[95] for us.^[96]

Here we must stop to see two details. Firstly, we are told to imitate G-d. This does not eliminate the imitation of Messiah. But it elevates the level of personal application. Furthermore, we are admonished by Hakham Shaul in his Igeret (letter) to the Bereans where he says…

Bereans (Heb.) 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the Torah (word – logos/nomos) of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faithfulness.

Here we can see that anyone who teaches us the Torah of G-d is worthy of imitation. Secondly, if we are also Torah Teachers, we are living examples of the dynamic “word of G-d” and equally merit imitation. Our cited Ephesians passage shows us that we must imitate

1. G-d
2. Messiah
3. Torah Teachers
4. Mentors

Interestingly Hakham Shaul likes to equate a life of service to G-d and His people as some sort of “offering.” This lesson then is a lesson of communal importance and service. We can learn to have a life of great joy when we learn to serve G-d and be a service to our congregation. This means that we must learn to imitate the Sages as a means of learning to draw close to G-d and imitate Him. This is a priceless life…

Some Questions to Ponder:

1. From all the readings for this week, which particular verse or passage caught your attention and fired your heart and imagination?
2. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message (the idea that encapsulates all the Scripture passages read) for this 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!”

Next Shabbat:

Shabbat: “Qach Et Aharon” – “Take Aaron”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
קַח אֶת-אַהֲרֹן		Saturday Afternoon
“Qach Et Aharon”	Reader 1 – Vayikra 8:1-9	Reader 1 – Vayikra 10:8-11
“Take Aaron”	Reader 2 – Vayikra 8:10-17	Reader 2 – Vayikra 10:12-14
“Toma a Aarón”	Reader 3 – Vayikra 8:18-29	Reader 3 – Vayikra 10:8-14
Vayikra (Leviticus) 8:1 -10:7	Reader 4 – Vayikra 8:30-36
Ashlamata: Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 2:28-36 + 3:20 Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 49:14 – 51:3	Reader 5 – Vayikra 9:1-7	Monday & Thursday Mornings
	Reader 6 – Vayikra 9:8-16	Reader 1 – Vayikra 10:8-11
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:1-21	Reader 7 – Vayikra 9:17-24	Reader 2 – Vayikra 10:12-14
	Maftir – Vayikra 10:1-7	Reader 3 – Vayikra 10:8-14
N.C.: 1 Pet 1:22-25; Lk 10:3-6;	I Sam 2:28-36 + 3:20

Reading Assignment for next Shabbat

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez By: Rabbi Yitzchok Magriso, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1989) Leviticus – I-Vol. 11– “The Divine Service” pp. 178-216

Ramban: Leviticus Commentary on the Torah Translated and Annotated by Rabbi Dr. Charles Chavel Published by Shilo Publishing House, Inc. (New York, 1974) pp. 91-120

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

---

[1] Asaph was one of David's musicians, a Levite, the son of Berechiah. He was also an inspired seer, as well as a composer of music. His sons were poets and musical composers. Asaph founded a school of music (like Heman and Jeduthun).

[2] Midrash Hakhamim

[3] Targum Yonatan identifies Magog with Germania (I Divrei HaYamim 1:5), whereas the Talmud Yerushalmi (Megillah 1:9) seems to say they were the Goths, who migrated to Scythia in what is now southern Russia. Others say that the Mongols may have been from Magog, and it is reported that the Great Wall of China was called by Arab writers, the 'wall of al Magog.'

[4] In Ezekiel, Gog is the king of Magog; in the Aggadah, Gog and Magog are two parallel names for the same nation.

[5] Radak v. 13

[6] Hezekiah

[7] Sanhedrin 94a

[8] v. 2

[9] Rashi and the Malbim (to Yehezekel (38:2) place the events of Gog and Magog in the period of “Acharit HaYamim”, “the End of Days”, based on the verse (Yehezekel 38:8) that describes the events of Gog and Magog occurring in: “Acharit HaShanim”, “the Final Years”, which is synonymous with the term: “Acharit HaYamim”. Later on, in the chapter (38:16) Gog is described as coming in “Acharit HaYamim” explicitly.

[10] This is our verbal tally with the Torah portion.

[11] v. 3

[12] Tehillim (Psalms) 75:11, These opening remarks are excerpted, and edited, from: The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman.

[13] Tur; Orach Chaim 490

[14] Maaseh Rav 234

[15] Shimush Pesukim, A Comprehensive Index to the Liturgical and Ceremonial Usages of Biblical Verses and Passages, Compiled and © 2013 Reuven Brauner, Raanana, Israel.

[16] In the name of Chazal.

[17] See Malbim to Yehezekel (38:2).

[18] 12 minutes is essentially the flight time of medium range ballistic missiles from launch to landing when measuring from Iran to Israel and southern parts of Europe.

[19] Gog, according to the Septuagint, is 'Agag,' a generic term used for kings of Amalek, the anti-thetical nation of the Jewish people. That would figure because, any war against the Jews meant to annihilate them has to involve Amalek, if not physically, at least conceptually. For, according to the Brisker Rav, even if there are no pure-bred Amalekians walking the earth today, there are evil people who can imitate his philosophy and even have the halachic status of an Amalekian. Many believe that Adolph Hitler had such a status.

[20] Mashiach ben Yosef (descendant of Rachel – i.e. a Benjamite) precedes Mashiach ben David (King David).

[21] I Samuel 15

[22] Amalek in the grandson of Esav.

[23] Mechilta de-Rashbi, 71

[24] Esther 3:1

[25] Targum Sheni on Esther 3:1.

[26] Ezekiel 38:18-39:16

[27] The word “Gog” in Hebrew means roof.

[28] Yehezchel, Chapter 38 and 39.

[29] "Admor" is an acronym for "Adonainu, Morainu, VeRabbeinu," a phrase meaning "Our Master, Our Teacher, and Our Rebbe." This is an honorific title given to scholarly leaders of a Jewish community. In writing,

[30] Lived some 200 years ago

[31] "...The Vilna Gaon on the Mechilta (Shemot 14:20) says that the Gog U'Magog war shall begin three hours before "Hanetz Hachama" (crack of dawn) on Hoshana Rabba, and shall last three hours only.”

[32] Eduy. 2:10

[33] Tosefta, Berachot. 1:13

[34] Mekh., Be-Shalaḥ 4: Shab. 118a

[35] Sif. Num. 76, Deut. 43; Sanh. 97b

[36] Targum Yerushalmi, Numbers 11:26; Song 8:4

[37] Targum Yerushalmi, Exodus. 40:11; cf. also Targum Song 4:5

[38] This section was written by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon.

[39] Yehoshua 10:11

[40] Esther Rabba, parsha 8

[41] Bereshit (Genesis) 45:6

[42] For further examples refer to Bereshit 40:8/41:26,32,51,52/45:4,9/48:9/50:20,25 - Ibid. 41:16

[43] Bereshit (Genesis) 41:38

[44] 39:2

[45] See also 39:3,21,23 - 39:5

[46] Shemot Rabba, perek 26

[47] The Talmud (Meg 15a) and Esther Rabbah VIII.4 explain that Daniel is called Hatakh here because he was degraded (hatakhu-hu) from his position (see also Meg 15b).

[48] Esther 4:1

[49] Esther Rabba, parsha 8

[50] Esther 3:7

[51] Hilchot Ta’anit 1:3

[52] Esther 4:1

[53] 4:14

[54] Shemot (Exodus) 8:15

[55] Pesikta Rabbati, 12

[56] Berachot 58b

[57] Rashi, ibid.

[58] Shemot (Exodus) 17:11

[59] Rosh HaShana 29b

[60] Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:13

[61] Megillah 10b

[62] Ta’anit 2b

[63] Shemot 17:11; as explained above.

[64] Megillah 2a

[65] Wiki & Dictionary

[66] Soncino Books of the Bible 1977, Malachi, p.335

[67] Me’am Lo’ez Anthology p.523-24

^[68] Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: Old Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Mal 3:5–12.

[69] Soncino Books of the Bible, Malachi, 1977 p.351

[70] Ibid.

^[71] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Mal 3:8–10.

[72] Rashi and Ibn Ezra

[73] Me’am Lo’ez Anthology, p.529-530

^[74]  English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mal 3:7.

^f Ezek. 18:30; Mal. 3:7

^g Jer. 12:15; Mic. 7:19

^h Psa. 78:7-8

ⁱ See 2 Chr. 36:15-16

^j Zech 7:9-11; See Jer. 35:13,15

^[75] English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Zec 1:2–4.

^[76] Shalom M. Paul, Isaiah 40–66: Translation and Commentary, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012), 127.

[77] Rashi -Rabbi Shelomoh ben Isaac 1040-1105

[78] Radak -Rabbi David kimchi 1160-1235

^[79] Shalom M.Paul

^[80] J. Alec Motyer, Isaiah: vol. 20, Tyndale Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 275.

[81] Iben Ezra- Abraham Ibn Ezra 1092

^[82] Warren Baker and Eugene E. Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary (Chatt, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 906.

[83] Malbim-Rabbi Meir leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser 1809-1879

[84] Rashi

[85] Iben Ezra

[86] Yirme'yahu (Jer.) 16:19-20 ¹⁹ O L-RD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto You from the ends of the earth, and will say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. ²⁰Will a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?

[87] See the “Blood of Messiah” below

[88] οὖν – oun “therefore” connects with 4:1, 17. In both cases, the Darshan is present. Therefore, we can see our “divisions” are interconnected with itself.

[89] Acceptance of the Nefesh Yehudi (Jewish Soul) brings the soul into loving relationship with G-d. The recipients are the beloved children of G-d. As His beloved children, we are called to imitate His actions. This verse could also be read. Be beloved imitators of G-d’s love as His children.

[90] Cf. Lev 11:44 “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.” Note here the similarity between the words of Hakham Shaul and Philo. (Spec. 4:73) for it was a felicitous and true saying of one of the wise men of old, that men never act in a manner more resembling the gods than when they are bestowing benefits; and what can be a greater good than for mortal men to imitate the everlasting God? (Virt. 1:168-169) And in another place also the lawgiver gives this precept, which is most becoming and suitable to a rational nature, that men should imitate God to the best of their power, omitting nothing which can possibly contribute to such a similarity as the case admits of. XXIV. Since then you have received strength from a being who is more powerful than you, give others a share of that strength, distributing among them the benefits which you have received yourself, in order that you may imitate God by bestowing gifts like his; ¹⁶⁹ for all the gifts of the supreme Ruler are of common advantage to all men; and he gives them to some individuals, not in order that they when they have received them may hide them out of sight, or employ them to the injury of others, but in order that they may bring them into the common stock, and invite all those whom they can find to use and enjoy them with them. Philo. (1993). The Works of Philo, Complete and Unabridged in one volume. (N. U. Edition, Ed., & C. Yonge, Trans.) Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 623, 657

[91] This shows us that the gift of the Nefesh Yehudi is earned. Once the recipient has the Nefesh Yehudi as a gift he must “become” the Nefesh Yehudi.

[92] This is Hakham Shaul’s third use of περιπατέω – peripateo, meaning, “walk about.” Each instance περιπατέω – peripateo, “walk” refers to halakhic norms, conduct established in the Torah, and catechistically elucidated in the Oral Torah. Here we have a summons to faithful obedience. The three instances of περιπατέω – peripateo, show three responses expected of the Congregation. However, the phrase refers to habitual conduct. Therefore, we should read, “make this your habitual conduct,” or “make this your habitual walk.”

[93] The Remes text is drawing on allegory to make its point. The point is to be as though you were an offering before G-d. The more familiar example is Yitzchak. The point here is not whether this is a literal sacrifice, which it is not allegorical speech. Because it is Remes, it is most certainly allegorical. Secondly, the “lesson” is for us to mimic G-d and if that seems impossible, we have Messiah as a model. We must understand that θυσία – thusia does not represent a “sin offering.” Therefore, Messiah’s “sacrifice” is not for the sake of atonement in this case. We find the corresponding offering to be a קֻרְבָּן – qorban meaning to bring near. Therefore, the summary is not that Messiah is a “sacrifice” but a means of drawing near to G-d. Eadie, J. (2005). A Commentary on the Greek Text of Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. (M. G. Rev. W. Young, Ed.) Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books. p. 364

[94] The sweet smell, רֵיחַ – reyach נִיחֹחַ – nichowach can be read a smell of comfort, or the fragrance of the comforter. As Edie points out there is no easy way to say נִיחֹחַ רֵיחַ. As we have stated above the emphasis is not on a “literal” sacrifice, but rather the moral excellence of Messiah. Eadie, J. (2005). A Commentary on the Greek Text of Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. (M. G. Rev. W. Young, Ed.) Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books. p. 365

[95] The sweet-smelling aroma is the prayers of the Tsadiqim as they recite the liturgical prayers of the Siddur.

[96] Not found in all manuscripts.