Esnoga Bet Emunah
7104 Inlay St. SE, Lacey, WA 98513
Telephone: 360-584-9352 - United States of America
© 2009
E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com
Triennial
Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year
of the Reading Cycle |
|
Ellul 2, 5769 – August 21/22
, 2009 |
First Year
of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting
and Havdalah Times:
|
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 8:00 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:55 PM |
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:51 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:45 PM |
|
Baton Rouge & Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:23 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:17 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, Wisconsin US Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:29 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:31 PM |
|
Bowling Green & Murray, Kentucky, U.S. Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:13 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:10 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 5:11 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 6:05 PM |
|
Chattanooga,
& Cleveland Tennessee, US Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 8:05 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 9:02 PM |
Bucharest, Romania Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:55 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:58 PM |
|
Miami, Florida, US Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:34 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:26 PM |
Jakarta, Indonesia Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 5:36 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 6:26 PM |
|
New London, Connecticut USA Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:14 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:14 PM |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:05 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 7:54 PM |
|
Olympia, Washington, U.S. Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:55 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 9:00 PM |
Manila
& Cebu, Philippines Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 5:58 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 6:48 PM |
|
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 7:32 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 8:31 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Friday August 21, 2009 – Candles at 6:54 PM Saturday August 22, 2009 – Havdalah 7:44 PM |
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and
beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah,
His Honor Paqid Adon Mikha ben Hillel
His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham,
Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family,
His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family,
His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and
beloved wife,
His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Alitah bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Stephen Legge and
beloved wife HE Giberet Angela Legge
His Excellency Adon Tracy Osborne and
beloved wife HE Giberet Lynn Osborne
His Excellency Rev. Dr. Adon Chad Foster and
beloved wife HE Giberet Tricia Foster
His Excellency Adon Fred Dominguez and
beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheva bat Sarah
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing
the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their
lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah
Scholars, amen ve amen!
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Shabbat Nachamu IV:
4th Sabbath of the
Seven Sabbaths of the Consolation of Israel
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
וְאֶת-יְהוּדָה
שָׁלַח |
|
|
|
“V’Et Y’hudah Shalekh” |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 46:28-34 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 48:1-3 |
|
“And he sent Judah” |
Reader
2 – B’
Resheet 47:1-4 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 48:3-5 |
|
“Y envió á Judá” |
Reader
3 – B’
Resheet 47:5-7 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 48:6-8 |
|
B’Resheet (Gen.) 46:28 –
47:31 |
Reader
4 – B’
Resheet 47:8-10 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Zech. 10:6-12 +
11:4-11 |
Reader
5 – B’
Resheet 47:11-13 |
|
|
Special (1):Isaiah 51:12 –
52:12 |
Reader
6 – B’
Resheet 47:14-19 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 48:1-3 |
|
Psalm 38:1-23 |
Reader
7 – B’
Resheet 47:20-28 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 48:3-5 |
|
N.C.: Mark 5:1-20 |
Maftir : B’ Resheet 47:29-31 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 48:6-8 |
|
Pirke Abot: III:8 |
Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12 |
|
Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’Resheet (Genesis) 46:28
- 47:31
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO
JONATHAN |
|
28.
He [Ya’aqob] sent Yehudah ahead of him to Yosef, so that he might direct
him to Goshen. They then came to the land of Goshen. |
28.
And he sent Jehuda before him to Joseph to indicate the way before him, to
subdue the pillars of the earth, and to provide him a house of dwelling in
Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. [JERUSALEM.
To prepare him a place of habitation in Goshen.] |
|
29.
Yosef harnessed his chariot, and went up to greet his father, Yisrael in
Goshen. [When] he appeared before him, he fell on his neck, and wept on his
neck for a long time. |
29.
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father in
Goshen; and his father, before he recognised him, worshipped him, and thus
became liable to be shortened (or cut off) in his years. And he wondered, and
beheld him, and fell upon his neck, and wept still upon his neck, because he
had worshipped him. |
|
30.
Yisrael said to Yosef, "Now I can die; after I have seen your face that you
are alive." |
30.
And Israel said to Joseph, If at this time I die, I am Comforted: for with
the death that the righteous/generous die will I die, after seeing your face,
because you are yet alive. |
|
31.
Yosef said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up
and tell Pharaoh. I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household,
who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. |
31.
And Joseph said to his brethren and his father's house, I will go up and tell
Pharaoh, and say to him, My brethren and my father's house from the land of
Kenaan have come to me. |
|
32.
The men are shepherds, for they are owners of livestock. Their sheep, their
cattle, and all their possessions, they have brought [with them.]' |
32.
The men are pastors of sheep; for they are men, the masters of flocks; and
their sheep and oxen and all which they have, they have brought. |
|
33.
And when Pharaoh calls you, and says, 'What is your occupation,' |
33.
And it must be, when Pharaoh calls you, and says, Tell me, what is your work?
|
|
34.
You should say, 'Your servants have been livestock owners from our youth
until now, we and our fathers;' so that you will be able to settle in the
land of Goshen, since every shepherd is abhorrent to Egypt." |
34.
You must say, Your servants have been masters of flocks from our youth until
now: that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; because the Mizraee reject all
shepherds. |
|
|
|
|
1.
Yosef came and told Pharaoh, and he said, "My father, and my brothers,
their sheep, their cattle, and all their possessions, have come from the land
of Canaan, and they are now in the land of Goshen." |
1.
And Joseph came and informed Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren,
with their sheep all oxen and all that they have, are come from the land of
Kenaan, and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. |
|
2.
From among his brothers, he took five men, and he presented them to Pharaoh. |
2.
And from the extreme of his brethren he took five men, Zebulon, Dan,
Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, and presented them before Pharaoh. |
|
3.
Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" They said
to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, we and our fathers." |
3.
And Pharaoh said to Joseph's brethren, What is your work? And they said to
Pharaoh, Your servants are pastors of sheep, both we and our fathers. |
|
4.
They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live in the land temporarily,
since there is no pasture for your servant's flocks, because the famine is
severe in the land of Canaan. Now then, please let your servants settle in
the land of Goshen." |
4.
And they said to Pharoh, To dwell in the land are we come, because there is
no place of pasture for your servants’ sheep, for the famine has prevailed in
the land of Kenaan; let your servants therefore now dwell in the land of
Goshen. |
|
5.
Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Your father and your brothers have come to you. |
5.
And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, Your father and your brethren have come
to you. |
|
6.
The land of Egypt is before you. In the best of the land, settle your father
and your brothers. Let them settle in the land of Goshen. If you know of
capable men among them, appoint them livestock officers over my
[herds.]" |
6.
The land of Mizraim is before you. In the fairest part of the land make your
father and your brethren to dwell: let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And
if you know any among them men of ability, appoint them masters over my
flocks. |
|
7.
Yosef [then] brought in Ya’aqob, his father, and presented him to Pharaoh;
and Ya’aqob blessed Pharaoh. |
7.
And Joseph brought Jakob his father, and presented him before Pharaoh. And
Jakob blessed Pharaoh, and said, May it please the Almighty that the waters
of Nilos may be replenished, and may the famine pass away from the world in
your days! |
|
8.
Pharaoh said to Ya’aqob, "How many are the years of your life?" |
8.
And Pharaoh said to Jakob, How many are the days of the years of your life? |
|
9.
Ya’aqob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my temporary residence are
one hundred and thirty years. Few and troublesome have been the days of my
life. I have not attained the years of my father's lives, in the days of their
temporary residence." |
9.
And Jakob answered Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are
an hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of
my life; for in my youth I fled before Esau my brother, and sojourned in a
land not my own; and now in the time of my old age have I come down to sojourn
here. And my days have not reached the days of the years of the life of my
fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. |
|
10.
Ya’aqob blessed Pharaoh, and left Pharaoh's presence. |
10.
And Jakob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. |
|
11.
Yosef settled his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the
land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Ramseis, as
Pharaoh had ordered. |
11.
And Joseph brought his father and brethren to dwell, and gave them a
possession in the land of Mizraim, in a goodly part of the country, in the
country of Pilusin, as Pharaoh had commanded. [JERUSALEM. Pelusim.] |
|
12.
Yosef provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with
bread according to [the needs of] the children. |
12.
And Joseph sustained his father and his brethren and all his father's house
with bread, according to the need of their families. |
|
13.
There was no bread in all the land, for the famine was very severe. The land
of Egypt, and Canaan were worn out because of the famine. |
13.
But there was no bread (grown) in all the land, because the famine prevailed
greatly, and the inhabitants of the land of Mizraim failed, and the dwellers
in the land of Kenaan, in presence of the famine. |
|
14.
Yosef gathered up all the money that was to be found in the land of Egypt,
and in the land of Canaan, in payment for the provisions they purchased.
Yosef brought the money to the house of Pharaoh. |
14.
And Joseph collected all the money which was found in the land of Mizraim,
and in the land of Kenaan, for the corn which he sold to them; and Joseph
brought the money into the treasure-house of Pharoh. |
|
15.
When the money was used up in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,
all [the people of] Egypt came to Yosef, saying, "Give us bread; why
should we die in your presence, [just] because there is no money?" |
15.
And the money was finished from the land of Mizraim, and from the land of
Kenaan; and the Mizraee came to Joseph, saying, Give us bread; why should we
die before you? For all our money is finished. [JERUSALEM.
And hath failed.] |
|
16.
Yosef said, "Bring your livestock, and I will give you [food] [in
exchange] for your livestock if there is no more money." |
16.
And Joseph said, Give your flocks, and for your flocks I will give you
provisions, if the money be consumed. |
|
17.
They brought their livestock to Yosef, and Yosef gave them bread [in exchange]
for their horses, their flocks of sheep, their herds of cattle and their
donkeys. He tended them with bread in exchange for all their livestock, in
that year. |
17.
And they brought their cattle to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread for their
horses, and for the flocks of sheep, the oxen, and the asses; and he
sustained them with bread for all their flocks for that year |
|
18.
That year came to an end. They came to him in the second year, and they said
to him, "We are holding nothing back from my master, for the money is
used up, and the herds of cattle belong to my master. There is nothing left
before my master except our bodies and our land. |
18.
And that year being ended, all the Mizraee came to him, in the second year,
and said to him, We will not hide it from my lord, that the money is finished
and my lord has the flocks of cattle: there is nothing left us before my lord
except our bodies, and our land. |
|
19.
Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land
[in exchange] for bread. We and our land will become slaves to Pharaoh. Give
us seed grain, let us live and not die, and let the land not become
desolate." |
19.
Why should we die and your eyes seeing (it), both we and our land also? Buy
us, and our land, for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh,
and give the seed of corn, that we may live and not die, and the land be not
desolated. |
|
20.
Yosef bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every Egyptian sold his
field, because the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became
Pharaoh's [property.] |
20.
And Joseph bought all the land of Mizraim for Pharaoh; for the Mizraee sold
every man his portion, because the famine prevailed over them, and the land
became the property of Pharaoh. |
|
21.
He [Yosef] then transferred the people to cities, from one end of the border
of Egypt to the other. |
21.
And the people of a province he removed to a city, and the people of the city
he removed to a province, for the sake of the brethren of Joseph, that they
might not be called wanderers: therefore he made them migrate from one end of
Mizraim to the other. [JERUSALEM.
And the people who were dwelling in the province he removed into the city;
and the people who dwelt in the city he removed into the province, that they might
not deride the sons of Jakob, and call them Galilean (wandering) guests.] |
|
22.
But the land of the priests he did not buy, because the priests had an
allotment from Pharaoh. They ate the allotment that Pharaoh gave them, and
therefore they did not sell their land. |
22.
Only the land of the priests he bought not because they had considered him
innocent at the time when his master was seeking to put him to death, and
they had delivered him from the judgment of death: and besides he had said
that a portion should be given them from Pharaoh. So they ate the portion
which Pharaoh gave them, and sold not their land. |
|
23.
Yosef said to the people, "Behold, I have today purchased you and your
lands for Pharaoh. Here is seed, plant [it in] the soil. |
23.
And Joseph said to the people, Behold, I have this day bought you and your
land for Pharaoh: behold, (I give) you seed corn to sow the land; |
|
24.
When it produces you must give a fifth to Pharaoh. Four parts will be yours
for seed for your fields and for your food, and for those of your households,
and for food for your little ones." |
24.
and at the time of the ingathering of your produce you will give the fifth
part to Pharaoh, and four parts will be yours, for the seeding of your land,
and for food and for provision for your houses and little ones. |
|
25.
They said, "You have saved our lives. May we find favor in the eyes of
my master, and we will be slaves to Pharaoh." |
25.
And they said, You have preserved us: let us find favour in the eyes of my
lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants. |
|
26.
Yosef enacted a statute over the land of Egypt to this day, that a fifth
belongs to Pharaoh. Except the land of the priests alone, did not belong to
Pharaoh. |
26.
And Joseph established it a law unto this day over the land of Mizraim to
take to Pharaoh a fifth part of the produce, except only the land of the
priests which was not Pharaoh's. |
|
27.
Yisrael lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. They acquired
property there. They were fruitful and [their population] increased greatly. |
27.
And Israel dwelt in the land of Mizraim, and they built there schools and
mansions in the land of Goshen, and inherited therein fields and vineyards;
and they increased and multiplied greatly. |
|
28.
Ya’aqob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. The days of Ya’aqob, the
years of his life were one hundred and forty seven years. |
28.
And Jakob lived in the land of Mizraim seventeen years. And the sum of the
days of Jakob, of the days of his life, was a hundred and forty and seven
years. |
|
29.
The days of Yisrael's death drew near, and he called for his son Yosef, and
said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please, place your
hand under my thigh; that you will deal kindly and truthfully with me.
Please, do not bury me in Egypt. |
29.
And the days of Israel drew near to die. And he called to his son, to Joseph,
and said to him, If now I have found favour before you, put your hand on the
place of my circumcision, and deal with me in goodness and truth, That you
will not bury me in Mizraim, |
|
30.
[But rather] let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt, and bury me
in their grave." He [Yosef said], "I will do as you say." |
30.
that I may sleep with my fathers, and you may carry me from Mizraim, and bury
me in their sepulchre. But because he was his son he did not (so) put his
hand; but said, I will do according to your word. |
|
31.
He [Ya’aqob] said, "Swear to me," and he swore to him. Yisrael
prostrated himself at the head of the bed. |
31.
And he said, Swear to me: and he sware to him. And immediately the Glory of
the Shekina of the Lord was revealed to him, and Israel worshipped upon the
pillow of the bed. [JERUSALEM. And Israel praised upon the head of the
couch.] |
|
|
|
Reading
Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
231-238.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol IIIa: The Twelve Tribes
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
IIIb – “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 474-499.
Welcome to the World of P’shat
Exegesis
In
order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of
the Torah, one needs to take into account that the P’shat is intended to
produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised and an
answer/s is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well
as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.
The
Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1.
Ḳal va-ḥomer:
"Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus";
corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.
2.
Gezerah shavah:
Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are
subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions
and applications.
3.
Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage
only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain
the provision in question.
4.
Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim:
The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two
Biblical passages.
5.
Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the
particular, and of the particular by the general.
6.
Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another
Scriptural passage.
7.
Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano:
Interpretation deduced from the context.
Rashi’s Commentary for: B’Resheet (Genesis) 46:28
- 47:31
28 to direct him Heb. לְהוֹרֹת
לְפָנָיו, as the Targum renders (L’FANA’AH QADAMOHI), to clear a place
for him and to show him how to settle in it.
him [Lit.,
ahead of him.] Before he would arrive there. The Aggadic interpretation of [לְהוֹרֹת] is [that there should be teaching]: to establish
for him a house of study, from which teaching would emanate. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 11]
29 And Joseph harnessed his chariot He
personally harnessed the horses to the chariot to hasten to honor his father.
[From Mechilta, Beshallach section 1]
and he
appeared to him Joseph presented himself to his father.
and he
wept on his neck for a long time Heb. וַיֵּבְךְּ
עַל-צַוָּארָיו, עוֹד, an expression of profuse weeping, and likewise,
“For He will not place additional [guilt] on a man” (Job 34:23), an expression
of profusion. He (God) does not place upon him additional accusations over [and
above] his sins. Here too he wept greatly and continuously, more than was
usual. Jacob, however, neither fell on Joseph’s neck nor kissed him. Our Sages
said that he was reciting the Shema. [From Derech
Eretz Zuta 1:10, ed. Hager, p. 62; quoted in Beresheeth Zuta ; Yichute
Tannaim va’Amoraim, p. 180, Teshuvoth
Hageonim, ch. 45]
30 I will die this time Its simple meaning
is as the Targum renders. [If I should die this time, I would be consoled.] Its
midrashic interpretation is, however: I thought that I would die two deaths, in
this world and in the next world, because the Shechinah had left me, and I
thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, would hold me responsible for your
death. Now that you are still alive, I will die but once. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 9]
31 and I will say to him, ‘My brothers,
etc.’—and I will further say to him, ‘The men are shepherds, etc.’
34 so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen
which you need, for it is a land of pasture, and when you tell him that you are
not skilled at any other work, he will send you away from him and settle you
there.
are
abhorrent to the Egyptians Because they (the sheep) are their gods.
2 And from among his brothers From the
most inferior of them in regards to physical strength, [i.e., those] who did
not appear strong, for if he [Pharaoh] recognized them as being strong, he
would make them his warriors. They are the following: Reuben, Simeon, Levi,
Issachar, and Benjamin, those whose names Moses did not double when he blessed
them (Deut. 33), but the names of the strong ones he doubled, [as follows:]
“And this is for Judah…Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah” (Deut. 33:7). “And
regarding Gad he said, ‘Blessed be He Who granted space to Gad’ ” (ibid. 20).
“And regarding Naphtali he said, ‘Naphtali’s wishes shall be well satisfied’ ”
(ibid. 23). “And regarding Dan, he said, ‘Dan is a young lion’ ” (ibid. 22).
And so on for Zebulun (ibid. 18), and for Asher (ibid. 24). This is a quotation
from Genesis Rabbah (95:4), which is the Aggadah of Eretz Israel. In our
Babylonian Talmud, however, we find that those whose names Moses doubled were
the weak ones, and it was they whom he brought before Pharaoh. As for Judah
(the sixth one), whose name was doubled, however, it was not doubled because of
weakness, but there is [another] reason for it, as is stated in Baba Kamma
(92a). In the Baraitha of Sifrei, in
“Vezoth Haberachah” (354) we learn as in our Talmud. [I.e., the Sifrei identifies the five brothers as
does the Talmud, namely that the five brothers were Gad, Naphtali, Dan, Zebulun,
and Asher.]
6 capable men Skillful in their
occupation of pasturing sheep.
over what
is mine Over my flocks.
7 and Jacob greeted Heb. וַיְבָרֶךְ. This is a greeting, as is customary for all who
occasionally present themselves before monarchs, saluder in Old French. [From Tanchuma
Nasso 26]
9 the years of my sojournings The days of
my being a stranger. All my days, I have been a stranger in the land.
and they
have not reached in goodness.
10 So Jacob blessed According to the
custom of all those who leave the presence of princes, that they bless them and
take their leave. Now what blessing did he bless him? That the Nile should rise
at his approach, because Egypt does not drink rain water, but the Nile rises
and waters it, and since Jacob’s blessing, Pharaoh would come to the Nile, and
it would rise to greet him and water the land. [From Tanchuma, Nasso 26]
11 Rameses That is [part] of the land of
Goshen.
12 [with] bread according to the young
children According to what was required for all the members of their
household.
13 Now there was no food in the entire land
It (Scripture) returns to the earlier topic, to the beginning of the famine
years. [From Gen. Rabbah 89:9]
were
exhausted An expression of exhaustion, and similar to this is
“Like one who wearies himself shooting firebrands” (Prov. 26:18).
14 with the grain that they were buying
they gave him the money.
15 has been used up Heb. אָפֵס, as the Targum
renders: SH’LIM, [meaning] is ended.-[Rashi]
17 and he provided them Heb. וַיְנַהֲלֵם, similar to VAY’NAHAGEM, and he guided them, and
similar to this is “She has no guide (מְנַהֵל)” (Isa. 51:18),”He leads me (יְנַהֲלֵנִי) beside still waters” (Ps. 23:2).
18 in the second year The second of the
famine years.
for
insofar as the money and the property in animals have been forfeited, etc.-Heb. כִּי אִם. For insofar as the money and the property have
been forfeited and everything has come into my lord’s possession.
except
our bodies Heb. בִּלְתִּי, like IM LO G’VIYATENU, if not our bodies.
19 and give [us] seed- [with which] to sow
the soil. Although Joseph said, “and [for] another five years there will be
neither plowing nor harvest” (Gen. 45:6), as soon as Jacob came to Egypt,
blessing came with his arrival, and they started to sow, and the famine ended.
So we learned in the Tosefta of Sotah
(10:1-3).
will not
lie fallow Heb. לֹא
תֵשָׁם, will not be desolate, [and Onkelos renders:] LA T’VUR, an
expression denoting a fallow field (SADEH VUR), which is not plowed.
20 and the land became Pharaoh’s-I.e., it
was acquired by him.
21 And he transferred the populace Joseph
[transferred them] from city to city so that they would remember that they have
no more share in the land, and he settled those of one city in another (Targum Onkelos). Scripture did not have
to write this except to let you know Joseph’s praise, that he intended to
remove the stigma from his brothers, so that they (the Egyptians) would not
call them exiles. [From Gen. Rabbah 89:9,
Chul. 60b]
from
[one] end of the boundary of Egypt, etc. So he did with all the
cities in the kingdom of Egypt, from one end of its boundary to the other end
of its boundary.
22 the priests Heb. הַכֹּהֲנִים, the priests. Every instance of KOHEN means a
minister to deities, except those that are an expression of high rank, like
“the governor of Midian (וּלְכֹהֵן
מִדְיָן)” (Exod. 2:16), “the governor (כֹּהֵן) of On” (Gen. 41:45). [From targumim]
the
priests had an allotment An allotment of so much bread per day.
23 Behold Heb. הֵא, equivalent to HINEH, as in: “behold (הֵא) I have laid your way on [your] head” (Ezek. 16:43). [From targumim]
24 for seed for [your] field[s] Every
year.
for those
in your houses For food for the man-servants and maidservants who
are in your houses.
your
young children Heb. טַפְּכֶם, young children.
25 Let us find favor-that you should do
this for us, as you have said.
and we
will be slaves to Pharaoh to pay him this tribute every year as a statute that
will not be repealed.
27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt
Where? In the land of Goshen, which is [part] of the land of Egypt.
and they
acquired property in it Heb. וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ
בָהּ, [which
is] an expression of ACHUZAH, holding.
28 And Jacob lived Why is this section
[completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes
and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them)
because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to
subjugate them. Another explanation: That he (Jacob) attempted to reveal the
End [of the exile] to his sons, but it was “closed off” (concealed) from him.
[This appears] in Gen. Rabbah (91:1).
29 When the time drew near for Israel to die
Everyone of whom it is stated [that his days] drew near to die, did not attain
the life span of his forefathers. [Isaac lived 180 years, and Jacob lived only
147 years. In connection with David, the expression of drawing near is
mentioned (I Kings 2:1). His father lived 400 years, and he lived 70.]-[from Gen. Rabbah 96:4]
he called
his son Joseph The one who had the ability to do it. -[from Gen. Rabbah] 96:5.
now place
your hand beneath my thigh And swear.-[from Pirkei
d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 39] As explained in the narrative of Abraham and
Eliezer (Gen. 24:2), he meant that Joseph should swear by covenant of the
circumcision.
Loving-kindness
and truth Loving-kindness that is done with the dead is true
loving-kindness, for one does not expect any payment or reward.-[from Gen. Rabbah 96:5]
do not
bury me now in Egypt [Because] its soil is destined to become lice (which
will crawl under my body), and because those who die outside the [Holy] Land
will not be resurrected except with the pain of rolling through underground
passages. [Also] so that the Egyptians will not deify me.- [from Gen. Rabbah 96:5, Keth. 111a]
30 I will lie with my forefathers Heb. וְשָׁכַבְתִּי, lit., and I will lie. This “vav” (of וְשָׁכַבְתִּי) is connected to the beginning of the previous
verse: “Place now your hand beneath my thigh and swear to me, for I am destined
to lie with my forefathers, and you shall carry me out of Egypt.” We cannot
say, however, that “I will lie with my forefathers” means: Lay me to rest with
my forefathers in the cave, because afterwards it is written: “and you shall
carry me out of Egypt, and you shall bury me in their grave.” Moreover, we find
everywhere that the expression “lying with one’s forefathers” denotes
expiration, not burial, as in “And David lay with his forefathers,” and
afterwards, “and he was buried in the city of David” (I Kings 2:10).
and
Israel prostrated himself [Although the lion is king] when it is the time of
the fox, bow down to him.-[from Meg.
16b]
on the
head of the bed He turned around to the side of the Shechinah (Gen. Rabbah, Vatican ms. no. 60). From
here [the Sages] deduced that the Shechinah is at the head of a sick person
(Shab. 12b). Another explanation: עַל-רֹאשׁ
הַמִּטָּה -[He prostrated himself to
God] because his offspring were perfect, insofar as not one of them was wicked/lawless,
as is evidenced by the fact that Joseph was a king, and furthermore, that [even
though] he was captured among the heathens, he remained steadfast in his
righteousness/generosity.-[from Sifrei
Va’ethannan 31, Sifrei Ha’azinu
334]
Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 38:1-23
|
Judaica Press |
Targum on the Psalms |
|
1. A song of David, to make
remembrance. |
1.
A psalm of David. A handful of incense, a good memorial for Israel. |
|
2.
O LORD, do not reprove me with Your anger, nor
chastise me with Your wrath. |
2.
O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, and do not punish me in Your wrath. |
|
3.
For Your arrows have been shot into me, and Your
hand has come down upon me. |
3.
For Your arrows have descended on me, and the blow of Your hand rests upon
me. |
|
4.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your
fury; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin. |
4.
There is no healing in my body because of Your anger, no health in my limbs
because of my sin. |
|
5.
For my iniquities/lawlessness passed over my
head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. |
5.
For my sins have mounted past my head; like a heavy burden, they were too
heavy for me. |
|
6.
My boils are putrid; they fester because of my
folly. |
6.
My wounds stank, they decayed, because of my foolishness. |
|
7.
I am very much stunned and bowed; all day I go
around in gloom. |
7.
I am bent over, I am greatly bowed down; all the day I have gone about in
gloom. |
|
8.
For my loins are full of self-effacement; there
is no soundness in my flesh. |
8.
For my loins are filled with burning, and there is no healing in my body. |
|
9.
I passed out and was very crushed; I moaned from
the turmoil in my heart. |
9.
I have become faint and I have been humbled greatly; I moaned because of the
groaning of my heart. |
|
10.
O LORD, all my desire is before You, and my sigh
is not hidden from You. |
10.
O LORD, before You is all my desire; and my sighing is not hid from You. |
|
11.
My heart is engulfed; my strength has left me,
and the light of my eyes, they too are not with me. |
11.
My heart has become hot; my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes –
even they are not with me. |
|
12.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my affliction, and those
close to me stood afar. |
12.
My friends and companions stood away from the sight of my plague; and my
relatives stand far off. |
|
13.
And those who seek my life lay traps, and those who seek my harm speak
treachery, and all day long they think of deceits. |
13.
And those who seek my life have made traps; and those who seek my ruin have
uttered lies, and they murmur deceit all the day. |
|
14.
But I am as a deaf person, I do not hear, and like a mute, who does
not open his mouth. |
14.
But I am like a deaf man, I will not hear, like a mute who does not open his
mouth. |
|
15.
And I was as a man who does not understand and in whose mouth are no
arguments. |
15.
And I have become like a man who has never heard, and there is no rebuke in
his mouth. |
|
16.
Because I hoped for You, O LORD; You will answer, O LORD, my God. |
16.
For in Your presence, O LORD, have I prayed; You will accept [my prayer], O
LORD my God. |
|
17.
For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot faltered, they
magnified themselves over me.” |
17.
For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me.” When my foot stumbled, they vaunted
themselves over me. |
|
18.
For I am ready for disaster, and my pain is always before me. |
18.
For I am prepared for disaster, and my pain is before me always. |
|
19.
For I relate my iniquity/lawlessness; I worry about my sin. |
19.
For my sin I will relate, I will be troubled by my sin. |
|
20.
But my enemies are in the vigor of life, and those who hate me for
false reasons have become great. |
20.
But my enemies, alive, have grown strong; those who hate me through deceit
are numerous. |
|
21. And
they repay evil for good; they hate me for my pursuit of goodness. |
21.
And those who repay evil for good oppose me, because I have pursued good. |
|
22.
Do not forsake me, O LORD, my God; do not distance Yourself from me. |
22.
Do not forsake me, O LORD; my God, do not be far from me. |
|
23.
Hasten to my aid, O LORD, my salvation. |
23.
Hasten to my aid, O LORD, my redemption. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary for:
Psalm 38:1-23
1 A song of David, to make remembrance To
recite it in time of distress, to make remembrance of the distress of Israel
before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he recited it as relating to all
Israel.
3 have been shot Heb. נִחֲתוּ, have been cast. The expression of נִחֲת applies to the bending of a bow, and since the
arrows are shot by bending the bow, he wrote נִחֲתוּ
בִי [literally] “were bent in me.”
Similarly, (in Exod. 15:9): “I will unsheath my sword (אָרִיק
חַרְבִּי),” [lit. I emptied my sword.] The Torah should have written:
ARIQ T’ARI, I will empty my sheath, but because when they draw the sword from
its sheath, the sheath is emptied of it, he therefore relates the emptying to
the sword. Similarly, (above 18:35): “a copper bow was bent (וְנִחֲתָה).”
and Your
hand has come down upon me This is the explanation of “Your arrows have been
shot into me.” And this is its interpretation: What bent the bow to shoot the
arrows? Your hand has come down upon the bow to shoot arrows at me. וַתִּנְחַת .
4 soundness Perfection, anterin in Old
French, wholeness.
5 are too heavy Heb. יִכְבְּדוּ, are heavy.
7 I am...stunned Heb. נַעֲוֵיתִי an expression of (Chullin 60b): “Convulsions seize
him.” Etourdissant in French, stunning.
8 For my loins are full of self-effacement
In my thoughts, I am insignificant in my own eyes.
9 I passed out Heb. נְפוּגוֹתִי, I passed out, an expression of (Gen. 45:26), “and
his heart fainted (וַיָּפָג).” (Lam. 3:49), “without respite (הֲפֻגוֹת).”
10 all my desire You know my needs.
11 engulfed Heb. סְחַרְחַר, surrounded by grief. This is one of the double
words, like (Lev. 13:49), “dark green (יְרַקְרַק), dark red (אֲדַמְדָּם).”
12 stand aloof from my affliction Those
who appear to me as lovers in time of their pleasure, and when they see that
the affliction comes upon me, they do not stand up for me in the time of my
strait, but stand aloof and do not aid me.
and those
close to me who showed themselves to be close to me.
13 And those who seek my life lay traps
They seek traps for me.
14 But I am as a deaf person Israel hears
their reproach from the nations but does not respond. Why? Because I hoped for
You, O Lord, that You would redeem me and save me from them.
17 For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me”
For this reason we remain silent, because we say to ourselves, “If we answer
them brazenly, they may witness our downfall and rejoice over us when our feet
falter, and they will magnify themselves over us saying, ‘Weren’t you boasting
of your salvation?’”
18 For I am ready for disaster For this
reason, we are concerned lest they rejoice over us, because we are accustomed
to blows and are always ready and prepared for disaster.
and my
pain is always before me It is always prepared to come before me.
19 For I relate my iniquity My heart tells
me my iniquity. Therefore, I worry, and fear my sin, lest it cause me disaster
and pain.
20 are in the vigor of life They are in
the vigor of life with tranquility and goodness.
have
become great And those who hate me because of false words have
become exalted.
21 for my pursuit of goodness Because we
cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His commandments.
Ashlamatah: Zech. 10:6-12 +
11:4-11
3. My anger is kindled against
the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats. For the LORD of Hosts has
visited His flock, the house of Judah, and made them as His splendid horse in
battle.
4. From him will come forth the
cornerstone, from him the nail, from him will come the battle bow, and from him
every ruler together.
5. And they will be like mighty
ones who trample the mud of the streets in the battle. And they will fight
because the LORD is with them, and they will make the riders of horses ashamed.
6.
And I will make stronger the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph.
And I will bering them back, for I have compassion on them. And they will be as
though I had not cast them off, for I am the LORD their God, and I will answer
them.
7.
And Ephraim will be like a mighty one, and their heart will be glad as by wine.
And their sons will see and be glad; their heart will rejoice in the LORD.
8.
I will whistle for them and gather them, for I have redeemed them. And they will
multiply as they were multiplied.
9.
And I will sow them among the peoples, and they will remember Me in far
countries, and they will live with their sons and return.
10.
And I will return to save them out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of
Assyria. And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, for room will
not be found for them.
11.
And He will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves in the sea,
and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. And the pride of Assyria will be
brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt will go away.
12.
And I will make them strong in the LORD, and they will walk up and down in His
name, says the LORD. {P}
1. Open your doors, O Lebanon, so
that the fire may devour your cedars.
2. Howl, fir tree, for the cedar
has fallen, because the majestic trees have been destroyed. Howl, O oaks of
Bashan, for the inaccessible forest has come down.
3. A voice of the wailing of the
shepherds is heard, for their splendour is destroyed. A voice of the roaring of
young lions is heard, for the pride of Jordan is destroyed. {P}
4.
For so says the LORD my God: Feed the flock of the slaughter.
5.
Those who buy them kill them and are not held guilty. And those who sell them
say, Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich. And their shepherds do not pity them.
6.
For I will never again pity those living in the land, says the LORD. But,
behold! I will cause to be found the men, each one into his neighbour's hand,
and into his king's hand. And they will strike the land, and I will not deliver
out of their hand.
7.
And I fed the flock of slaughter, the truly poor of the flock. And I took two staffs
for Myself: the one I called Kindness, and the other I called Union. And I fed
the flock.
8.
I also cut off three shepherds in one month. And My soul loathed them, and
their soul also detested Me.
9.
Then I said, I will not feed you; that which dies, let it die; and that which
is to be cut off, let it be cut off. And let the ones remaining, each woman,
eat the flesh of her neighbour.
10.
And I took My staff Kindness and broke it apart, to break My covenant which I
had cut with all the peoples.
11.
And it was broken in that day, and so the poor of the flock who were watching
Me knew that it was the Word of the LORD. {S}
Special Ashlamatah: Isaiah
51:12 – 52:12
12.
I, I am He [that is] comforting you. Who are you, that you should fear from
man? He will die! And from the son of man? He is given as grass.
13.
And you forget your Maker the LORD, who has stretched out the heavens and
founded the earth. And you dread continually, every day, from the fury of the
oppressor, since he was ready to destroy. And where is the fury of the
oppressor?
14.
Bowed down, he hurries to be freed, that he not die in the pit, nor that he lack
his bread.
15.
But I am the LORD your God, stirring up the sea and making its waves roar; the
LORD of Hosts is His name.
16.
And I have put My Words in your mouth, and covered you in the shade of My hand,
to plant the heavens and found the earth, and to say to Zion, You are My
people. {S}
17.
Awake! Awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, who drank the cup of His fury from the hand
of the LORD; you drank the bowl of the cup of reeling; you fully drained it.
18.
No guide is for her among all the sons she has borne; and of all the sons she
made to grow none makes strong her hand.
19.
Those two things came to you; who will grieve for you? Ruin and shattering and
famine and the sword, who but I will comfort you?
20
.Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of all the streets, like an
antelope in a net, filled with the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.
21.
So hear this now, afflicted one, and drunken, but not from wine: {P}
22.
So says your Lord the LORD and your God, He strives for His people. Behold, I
have taken the cup of reeling out of your hand, the bowl of the cup of My fury;
you will not yet again drink it.
23.
But I will put it into the hand of those oppressing you, who have said to your
soul, Bow down that we may cross, and, put your back to the ground, and as the
street to those who cross. {P}
1.
Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful robes, O
Jerusalem, the holy city. For never again will uncircumcised and unclean ones
come to you.
2.
Shake yourself from the dust; rise up! Sit, Jerusalem; free yourself from your
neck bands, O captive daughter of Zion.
3.
For so says the LORD: You were sold for nothing, and you will not be redeemed
with silver. {S}
4.
For so says your Lord the LORD: My people went down to Egypt at the first, to
reside there, and without cause Assyria oppressed him.
5.
So then what is to Me here, declares the LORD? For My people is taken for
nothing; those ruling howl, declares the LORD. And My name is continually
despised, every day.
6.
So My people will know My name thus in that day; for I am He speaking. Behold
Me! {S}
7.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him proclaiming good news,
making peace heard, bearing tidings of good, making heard salvation, saying to
Zion, Your God reigns.
8.
The voice of your watchmen, they lift the voice together, they sing aloud. For
they will see eye to eye when the LORD brings back Zion.
9.
Break out, sing together, waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD comforts His
people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10.
The LORD has bared His holy arm in the eyes of all the Gentiles; and all the
ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. {S}
11.
Come out! Come out! Go out from there! Touch not the unclean! Go out of her
midst, purify yourselves, bearers of the vessels of the LORD.
12. For you will not go out with haste, nor will
you go by flight; for the LORD is going before you, and the God of Israel
gathers you. {S}
Mishnah Pirke Abot: III:8
Rabbi
Ya’aqob said: If a man, while walking along the way, interrupts his study and
says, "How beautiful is that tree!" or "How fine is that
ploughed field!" the Bible considers him to have been guilty against his
soul.
Rabbi
Dostai bar Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: Any person who forgets even
one item he has learned is considered by the Bible to be guilty against his
soul, as it is written, "But take the utmost care and watch yourselves
scrupulously, so that you do not forget the things that you saw with your own
eyes and lest they fade from your heart..." (Deuteronomy 4:9). I might
think that this applies even to a momentary lapse of memory, therefore it is
written, "and lest they fade from your heart." From here [you can
derive] that he is not guilty against his soul until he deliberately removes
them from his heart.
Abarbanel on Pirke Abot
By: Abraham Chill
Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991
ISBN 0-87203-135-7
(pp. 174-177)
In
this section of the chapter we discover three sages dealing with practically
the same subject, yet each one makes a singular contribution to the central
theme involved. In Mishnah 4, Rabbi Hanina ben Hakhinai condemns the person who
turns his thoughts to insignificant matters instead of putting his mind to
Torah. This man, according to the sage, is guilty against his soul.
In
our Mishnah, Rabbi Ya’aqob touches on the same subject and berates the person
who is occupied with thoughts of Torah and suddenly diverts his thoughts to a
hedonistic appreciation of nature, such as when he says, "How beautiful in
this tree," or "How fine is this ploughed field." This man, too,
sins against his soul.
Finally,
Rabbi Dostai bar Yannai condemns the man who studies Torah and then forgets
everything he learned.
Rabbi
Ya’aqob disagreed with the position that Rabbi Hanina ben Hakhinai adopted and
claimed that it is absurd to argue that a man should be condemned if he
casually and inadvertently turns his Torah thoughts to a lesser demanding state
of mind. It is natural for a person to change his line of thinking occasionally
from one discipline to another. According to Abarbanel, this unreasonable
demand prompted Rabbi Ya’aqob to clarify the enigma that faces us. Rabbi Ya’aqob
argues that only when a man who is enveloped in Torah thoughts vacates those
thoughts completely to the total exclusion of Torah and begins to focus his
thinking on natural beauty is he to be condemned - because he opted for
secondary values. When he is involved with Torah, he should have no time and
there should be no place for other mental occupations.
Rabbi
Dostai comes to rebuff the preceding two sages. According to him, not only
should a casual diversion, such as that proposed by Rabbi Hanina, not be
condemned, even the case described by Rabbi Ya’aqob, which was more restricted,
is not to be denigrated. The only time that guilt should plague a person is
when he is involved in Torah thoughts and deliberately diverts those thoughts
with such intensity that he becomes totally estranged from the Torah. That is
when a person is guilty with his life. No Jew may permit his Torah inspiration
to evaporate and become foreign to him.
According
to Abarbanel, Rabbi Dostai displays some degree of understanding, sympathy and
optimism. Abarbanel sees in his final pronouncement a plausible scenario. Let
us imagine that one who is ensconced in Torah study is confronted by subject
matter that is too profound and is incomprehensible to him. To relieve his
mental distress and growing frustration he turns his thoughts away from Torah
and directs them in other avenues. Shall one who is in such a predicament also
be indicted as one who is guilty with his life? It is here that Rabbi Dostai
comes to the rescue and finds support in the verse, “Lest you deliberately
remove [God's words] from your heart.” That is to say, a man is only to be
condemned if he deliberately removes himself from the Torah by completely and
thoroughly encapsulated himself in non Torah thought.
Miscellaneous Interpretations
Rashbatz
[R. Shimon ben Tzemah Duran, Majorca (Spain) and Algiers, 1361-1444] is puzzled why Rabbi
Ya’aqob finds it so severe a violation when one interrupts his Torah thoughts
and admires a tree or a field. Is he not admiring something created by God and
is it not a natural tendency to appreciate something of beauty and comment on
it? Rashbatz spells it out in clear terms. Under the circumstances described in
the Mishnah, it becomes evident that the spectator was delinquent on two
counts. The first is that he interrupted his concentration on Torah with
something of lesser importance. Nothing should be given priority over Torah.
That in itself would not be so offensive. The fact that he stopped to discuss
the mundane beauty of the tree and the field, thus depriving himself of
Torah-time, is unacceptable. Rashbatz finds his support in the Talmud, “He who
discontinues his Torah meditation and occupies himself with inconsequential
matters will be fed with glowing embers” (Avodah Zarah 3b).
Rabbenu
Yonah [R. Yonah ben Abraham Gerondi, Barcelona (Spain), 1200-1236]: The study of Torah is
not like the study of other disciplines. When a person studies Torah he must be
infused with a certain measure of awe and fear. In this state of reverence and
solemnity, how can one be attracted to a tree and a field? There were no mental
reservations, when the rabbis stated, “The scholar will have his lips scorched
if he studies and his lips do not drip with dread” (Shabbat 30b).
Rashi
[R. Shelomo ben Yitschaq, Troyes (France), 1040-1105]: He who interrupts his
Torah meditations is guilty of an offense against his own spirituality, because
in the presence of Torah Satan has no sway. By dispensing with Torah, one
becomes vulnerable to Satan's machinations.
Rabbi
Moshe Alshakhar [R. Alashkar, Spain, Tunis, Patros (Greece), Cairo (Egypt),
Jerusalem (Israel), 1466-1542] questions Rabbi Ya’aqob's maxim by pointing out
rightly that even when one is admiring the beauty of nature, he still must
involve himself in some aspect of Torah because he is obligated to recite the
blessing, “Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, that these
things are in the world.” All the same, says Alshakhar, the duty to study Torah
takes precedence over all other considerations.
Rabbi
Dostai bar Yannai
Rabbenu
Yonah [R. Yonah ben Abraham Gerondi, Barcelona (Spain), 1200-1236]: It must be acknowledged
that to forget is a natural phenomenon and is experienced to a certain degree
by almost everyone. It is for that reason that a judge, who is expected to make
decisions, must review his material continually. If not, he will be held
responsible for a wrong decision when he permits the impermissible, or finds
the innocent guilty.
Rashbatz
[R. Shimon ben Tzemah Duran, Majorca (Spain) and Algiers, 1361-1444] disagrees with Rabbenu
Yonah sharply, because if the reason is the possibility of an error, why did Rabbi
Dostai make an exception in the case of one who finds the subject of study too
difficult for him to understand. In that situation, the judge should not have
undertaken to offer a decision in the first place.
Rashbatz
contends that one who forgets his learning sins against his soul because he
allowed himself to forget. There are many techniques to retain knowledge and
there is no reasonable alibi for forgetfulness.
He
also adds that an old man who is psychologically deficient, but does not offer
any decisions, is to be accorded all respect. To bolster this premise he calls
our attention to the Ark in the Temple where the two broken tablets rested
together with the whole tablets.
Midrash
Shemuel [R. Shemuel ben Yitschaq de Uceda, Safed (Israel), 1540-?]: Why is forgetting
something one has studied considered by Rabbi Dostai as a severely punishable
fault? His answer: Jewish knowledge is not such that a person can say,
"Only this did I forget." The entire fabric of Jewish literature is
so intricately woven that the unravelling of one strand will affect the entire
pattern. One phase of Jewish learning does not stand conspicuously by itself,
but rather stems from and influences all other sections.
According
to Midrash Shemuel's interpretation, "... that you do not forget the
things that you saw with your own eyes" is meant to convey that the Torah
should be precious and adored by the Jews, because it was given among thunder
and lightning on Mt. Sinai. On that occasion, the Children of Israel saw the thunder.
In that state of sacredness and purity, the Jew was able to penetrate into the
noise and actually see it. That is the relationship between a Jew and Torah:
Its sanctity must be so clear that it can never be forgotten.
What say the Nazarean Hakhamim?
1 Cor 7:35 And I say this for
your advantage, not that I put a snare before you, but for that [which
is] the fitting thing, and [that you may] attend upon the LORD [G-d] without
distraction.
Jas 1:23 Because if anyone is
a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, this one is like a man studying
his natural face in a mirror;
Jas 1:24 For he studied
himself, and has gone away, and immediately he forgot of what kind he
was.
Jas 1:25 But the one
looking into the perfect Law of liberty, and continuing in it, this one
not having become a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one
will be blessed in his doing.
2Ti 2:15 [Study] Give
diligence to present yourself approved to G-d, a workman unashamed, rightly
dividing the Word of Truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane,
empty babblings, for they will go on to more ungodliness.
Mark (Mordechai) 5:1-20
Delitzsch
Hebrew Rendition
ה וַיָּבֹאוּ
אֶל־עֵבֶר
הַיָּם
אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַגַּדְרִיִּם׃
2הוּא
יָצָא
מִן־הָאֳנִיָּה
וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ
אֲשֶׁר־רוּחַ
טֻמְאָה בּוֹ
בָּא לִקְרָאתוֹ
מִבֵּין
הַקְּבָרִים׃
3וּמוֹשָׁבוֹ
בַּקְּבָרִים
וְגַם
בַּעֲבֹתִים
לֹא־יָכֹל
אִישׁ
לְאָסְרוֹ׃
4כִּי־פְעָמִים
הַרְבֵּה
אֲסָרוּהוּ
בִּכְבָלִים
וּבַעֲבֹתִים
וַיְנַתֵּק
אֶת־הָעֲבֹתִים
וַיְשַׁבֵּר
אֶת־הַכְּבָלִים
וְאִישׁ לֹא
עָצַר כֹּח
לְכָבְשׁוֹ׃
5וְהוּא
תָמִיד
לַיְלָה
וְיוֹמָם
בֶּהָרִים
וּבַקְּבָרִים
צֹעֵק
וּפֹצֵעַ
אֶת־עַצְמוֹ
בָּאֲבָנִים׃
6וַיְהִי
כִּרְאֹתוֹ
אֶת־יֵשׁוּעַ
מֵרָחוֹק
וַיָּרָץ
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ
לוֹ׃
7וַיִּזְעַק
קוֹל גָּדוֹל
וַיֹּאמֶר
מַה־לִי
וָלָךְ
יֵשׁוּעַ
בֶּן־אֵל
עֶלְיוֹן הִנְנִי
מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ
בֵּאלֹהִים
אֲשֶׁר לֹא
תְעַנֵּנִי׃
8כִּי הוּא
אָמַר אֵלָיו
צֵא רוּחַ
הַטֻּמְאָה
מִן־הָאָדָם
הַזֶּה׃
9וַיִּשְׁאַל
אֹתוֹ
מַה־שְּׁמֶךָ
וַיַּעַן
וַיֹּאמֶר
לִגְיוֹן
שְׁמִי
כִּי־רַבִּים
אֲנָחְנוּ׃
10וַיִּתְחַנֵּן
אֵלָיו מְאֹד
לְבִלְתִּי שַׁלְּחָם
אֶל־מִחוּץ
לָאָרֶץ׃
11וְעֵדֶר
חֲזִירִים
רַבִּים
הָיָה שָׁם
רֹעֶה
בְּמוֹרַד
הֶהָרִים׃
12וַיִּתְחַנֲנוּ־לוֹ
כָל־הַשֵּׁדִים
לֵאמֹר
שַׁלְּחֵנוּ
אֶל־הַחֲזִירִים
וְנָבֹאָה
אֶל־תּוֹכָם׃
13וַיַנַּח
לָהֶם
וַיֵּצְאוּ
רוּחוֹת
הַטֻּמְאָה
וַיָּבֹאוּ
בַּחֲזִירִים
וַיִּשְׂתָּעֵר
הָעֵדֶר
מִן־הַמּוֹרָד
אֶל־הַיָּם
וְהֵם כְּאַלְפַּיִם
בְּמִסְפָּר
וַיְטֻבְּעוּ
בַּיָּם׃
14וַיָּנוּסוּ
רֹעֵי
הַחֲזִירִים
וַיַגַּידוּ
אֶת־הַדָּבָר
בָּעִיר
וּבַשָׂדוֹת
וַיֵּצְאוּ
לִרְאוֹת
אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־נִהְיָתָה׃
15וַיָּבֹאוּ
אֶל־יֵשׁוּעַ
וַיִּרְאוּ
אֶת־אֲחוּז
הַשֵּׁדִים
אֲשֶׁר
הַלִּגְיוֹן
בּוֹ וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב
מְלֻבָּשׁ
בְּגָדִים
וְטוֹב־שֵׁכֶל
וַיִּירָאוּ׃
16וַיַּגִּידוּ
לָהֶם
הָרֹאִים
אֶת־אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה
לַאֲחוּז
הַשֵּׁדִים
וְאֶת־דְּבַר
הַחֲזִירִים׃
17וַיִּתְחַנֲנוּ
לוֹ לָסוּר
מִגְּבוּלֵיהֶם׃
18וַיְהִי
בְּרִדְתּוֹ
אֶל־הָאֳנִיָּה
וַיִּתְחַנֵּן
אֵלָיו
הָאִישׁ
אֲשֶׁר הָיָה
אֲחוּז
שֵׁדִים לְתִתּוֹ
לָשֶׁבֶת
עִמּוֹ׃
19וְלֹא
הִנִּיחַ לוֹ
וַיֹּאמֶר
אֵלָיו שׁוּב
לְבֵיתְךָ
אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתֶּךָ
וְהַגֵּד
לָהֶם
אֶת־הַגְּדֹלוֹת
אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה
לְךָ יְהוָֹה
וַיְחֻנֲֶָּ׃
20וַיֵּלֶךְ
וַיִּקְרָא
בְּעֶשֶׂר
הֶעָרִים
אֶת־הַגְּדוֹלוֹת
אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה
לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ
וַיִּתְמְהוּ
כֻּלָּם׃
Murdoch’s Peshitta Translation
1.
And he came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.
2.
And as he went out of the ship, there met him from the place of sepulchres a
man in whom was an unclean spirit.
3.
And he dwelt in the place of sepulchres; and no one could confine him with
chains:
4.
Because, as often as he had been confined with fetters and chains, he had
broken the chains and burst the fetters: and no one could subdue him.
5.
And continually, by night and by day, he was in the place of sepulchres, and
cried and wounded himself with stones.
6.
And when he saw Jesus at a distance, he ran and worshipped him;
7.
And cried with a loud voice, and said: What have I to do with you, Jesus, you
Son of the High God? I adjure you by God, that you torment me not.
8.
For he had said to him: Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.
9.
And he demanded of him: What is thy name? And he replied to him: Our name is
Legion; for we are many.
10.
And he besought him much, that he would not send him out of the country.
11.
And there was there by the mountain, a great herd of swine grazing.
12.
And the demons besought him, and said: Send us upon those swine, that we may
enter them.
13.
And he permitted them. And those unclean spirits went out, and entered the
swine: and the herd, of about two thousand, ran to a precipice, and fell into
the sea, and were strangled in the waters.
14.
And they who tended them, fled and told [it] in the city and in the villages:
and they came out to see what had occurred.
15.
And: they came to Jesus, and saw him in whom the demons had been, him in whom
had been the legion, clothed, and sober, and sitting; and they were afraid.
16.
And those who had seen [it] told them how it occurred to him who had the
demons, and also concerning the swine.
17.
And they began to request him, that he would go from their border.
18.
And as he ascended the ship, the late demoniac requested that he might continue
with him.
19.
And he suffered him not, but said to him: Go home to your people, and tell them
what the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you.
20.
And he went, and began to publish in Decapolis, what Jesus had done for him.
And they were all amazed.
Etheridge’s Peshitta Translation
1.
AND they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gadroyee.
2.
And when he had come from the vessel, there met him from the place of tombs a
man who had an unclean spirit,
3.
And he dwelt in the place of tombs; and with chains no man could bind him:
4.
For, so often as with shackles and chains he had been bound, the chains he had
broken, and the shackles he had burst asunder; and no man could subdue him.
5.
And at all time, by night and by day, he was in the place of tombs, and in the
mountains, crying out, and bruising himself with stones.
6.
But when he saw Jeshu from afar, he ran, worshipped him,
7.
And cried with a high voice, and said, What to me and to you, Jeshu, Son of
Aloha the Most High. I adjure you by Aloha, that you torment me not!
8.
For he had said to him, Come forth from the man, unclean spirit!
9.
And he questioned him, How is your name? And he said to him, Legion is our
name, because we are many.
10.
And he besought him much that he would not send him out of the region.
11.
Now at the mountain there was a great herd of swine feeding.
12.
And the devils besought him, saying, Send us into those swine, that into them
we may enter.
13.
And he suffered them. And those unclean spirits went forth and entered into the
swine; and that herd ran to the rock, and plunged into the sea, as two
thousand, and were drowned in the waters.
14.
And they who kept them fled, and told in the city, and also in the hamlets; and
they came forth to see what was done.
15.
And they came to Jeshu, and saw him who (had had) the devils, sitting, clothed,
and sane; him, who had had in him the legion and they were afraid.
16.
And they who had seen, related to them what had been done to him who had had
the devils, and also concerning those swine.
17.
And they began to beg of him to go from their coast.
18.
And when he had ascended the vessel, he in whom had been the devils besought
him that he might be with him.
19.
But he permitted him not; but said to him, Go to to your house, to your men, and
show them what the Lord has done for you, and (how he) has had mercy on you.
20.
And he went, and began to preach in the ten cities what Jeshu had done for him:
and all marvelled.
Hakham’s Rendition:
1.
And they (Yeshua and his Talmidim) came to the other side of the sea (of
Galilee), to the region of the Gerasenes,
2.
And he having come forth out of the boat, immediately there met
him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3.
Who had his dwelling among the tombs, and not even with chains was any one able
to bind him,
4.
Because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had
been torn by him, and the fetters had been shattered. And no one was able to
subdue him.
5.
And always, night and day, in the hills, and in the tombs he was, crying and
cutting himself with stones.
6.
And, having seen Yeshua from afar, he ran and bowed before him,
7.
And having called with a loud voice, he said, “What [is] to me and to you,
Yeshua, son of the Most High G-d (Heb. “El El’yon”)? I adjure you by G-d, may
you not torment me!”
8.
(for he said to him, “Come forth, unclean spirit, out of the man,”)
9.
And he was questioning him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “Legion
is my name, because we are many;”
10.
And he was begging him very much, that he may not send them [the demons] out of
the country.
11.
And there was there, near the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding,
12.
And all the demons begged him, saying, ‘Send us to the swine, that into them we
may enter them.’
13.
And immediately Yeshua allowed them, and having come forth, the
unclean spirits entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the precipice into
the sea (and they were about two thousand) and they were choked in the sea.
14.
And those feeding the swine fled, and told in the city, and in the fields, and
they came forth to see what it is that happened;
15.
And they came unto Yeshua, and stared at the demoniac, sitting, and clothed,
and right-minded, him who had had the legion, and they feared;
16.
And those having seen it [what happened], declared to them how it had come to
pass to the demoniac, and about the swine;
17.
And they began to beg him to go away from their borders.
18.
And he having entered into the boat, the [former] demoniac was begging him that
he may be with him,
19.
And Yeshua did not allow him, but said to him, Return to your home, unto your
own, and tell them how great things the LORD [G-d] did to you, and had
compassion with you;
20.
And he went away, and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things
Yeshua did to him, and all were wondering.
Commentary:
Last
week we concluded Chapter four in which we were presented with five similes
about the governance of G-d and the Oral Torah and concluding with a simile in
which Yeshua is paralleled with the prophet Yonah. In that last section we saw
five connections between this last simile and the first chapter of Yonah.
We
are now starting a new Chapter in Mordechai which has three sections, 5:1-20,
5:25-34, and 5:21-24, 35-43. Noonan Sabin[1]summarizes
this chapter of Mordechai as follows:
“In this chapter Mark
shows Jesus’ wisdom having a transforming effect on different states
considered “unclean” within Judaism: demon possession, menstruation, and death.
Considering these three episodes as another Markan triad, we need to explore
how the middle episode is key. The first transforming miracle takes place in
the Gentile world; the last is set in the home of a synagogue leader. The first
frees a man from his demons and restores him to himself; the last raises up a
child though dead and restores her to her parents. In the middle is the
transformation of a Jewish woman whose physical condition has alienated her as
completely from Temple and synagogue as demons or death. In curing her, Jesus
restores her both to herself and to her religious community. In effect, he
brings her back to life.” (Emphasis mine)
I
would like to amend Sabin’s title for this chapter, and call it: “The
Transforming Effect of Yeshua’s Torah Wisdom” and title each of the
following three sections as follows:
- The Transformation of the
Gerasene Demoniac
– Mark 5:1-20
- The Transformation of the
Continually Menstruant Woman – Mark 5:25-34
- The Transformation of the
Synagogue Leader’s Daughter – Mark 5:21-24, 35-43
v.1
- And they (Yeshua and
his Talmidim) came to the other side of the sea (of Galilee), to the region of the
Gerasenes. -
Since the previous narrative occurse after sunset (in the evening) it
would not be illogical to think that they arrived one the other side of the
shore early in the morning, after having recited the morning Shema.
Wikipedia[2], provides us with the following information regarding the
Gerasenes:
“Gergesa, (also Gergasa or the Country of the Gergesenes) is a
place on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee that is described in the New
Testament Gospels of Mark and Luke. According to these books, in Gergasa Jesus
drove Legion out of a wild man and into a herd of pigs.
Gergesenes means
"those who come from pilgrimage or fight."
Many New Testament
manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or
"Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. Both Gerasa and Gadara were
cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee. They were both Gentile cities filled
with citizens who were culturally more Greek than Semitic; this would account
for the pigs in the account. Gerasa and Gadara are accounted for in historical
accounts (by writers such as Pliny the Elder and Josephus) and by
archaeological research. Today they are the modern towns of Jerash and Umm
Qais.
A third city, Hippos,
was similar in character to Gadara and Gerasa, and it may fit the biblical
account even better. It was located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, whereas
Gerasa and Gadara were several kilometers east and south of it, respectively. Hippos,
Gerasa, and Gadara were all counted in the Decapolis, an informal grouping of
Greco-Roman cities in eastern Palestine.
Scholars debate the
correct site of the miracle and modern translations have multiple readings of
the Gospels. However, the earliest texts are very clear as to the original
version of the synoptic Gospels. Upon close observation of the earliest and
best Greek manuscripts, the Alexandrian texts, the original reading of Matthew
is “in the region of the Gadarenes,” and the original text of Mark and Luke is
“in the country of the Gerasenes” This explanation however, does not account
for the name Gergesa, which never appears in the earliest Greek manuscripts,
and must have been a later addition, not in the original autographs. It is therefore
necessary to find if there was a change made to the text, introducing Gergesa
as the appropriate site of the miracle. The original textual alteration was
made during the early third century by the Christian teacher Origen. In his
Commentary on John, Books 1-10, Origen changes the original text of Matthew
from “in the region of the Gadarenes” to “in the region of the Gergasenes,”
using one main reason to substantiate his bold alteration. Because of the
lasting impact Origen had upon the text and where the miracle was believed to
be located, it is necessary to consider his motive for the change.
Early Christian monks
venerated a village called Kursi, a few kilometers north of Hippos on the
lakeshore, as the location of the miracle. They built a walled monastic complex
there and made it a destination for Byzantine Christian pilgrims. That
monastery was destroyed by Sassanid Persian armies in the early 600s AD.
Christian artifacts from Kursi can be viewed at the Golan Archaeological
Museum.
Some are of the opinion
that Gergasa was the country of the ancient Girgashites; but it is more
probable that 'Gergesenes' was introduced by Origen upon mere conjecture; as
before him most copies seem to have read 'Gadarenes', agreeable to the Parallel
Passages and the ancient Syriac version.
In any event, the
"Country of the Gergesenes" in the New Testament Gospels refers to
some location on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It probably draws its
name from one of the two major cities in the region, Gerasa and Gadara. Its
exact location cannot be known for certain.”
Derrett[3]
finds that although “Gerasa” may be difficult geographically speaking, it is
nevertheless appropriate , since the Hebrew root גּרשׁ (GARASH – cf.
Strong’s # H1644) means: “to drive out from a possession; especially to
expatriate or divorce: - cast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth,
out), expel, put away, thrust out,” that is “to banish” a term associated with
exorcism.
v.
2 - And he having come forth out of the boat, immediately there met him
out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Here we have again the frequent
use in Mark of the Greek term εὐθέως
– EUTHEOUS, and translated variously as “at once, soon, forthwith, immediately,
shortly, and straightway.” The logical understanding is that the cemetery was
close to where they landed, so that anyone there could have noticed the Master
and his Talmidim disembarking.
Concerning
“out of the tombs” Bratcher[4]
makes the following accurate observation:
“People were often
buried in cave-like openings dug into the rock, big enough for a person to
enter on foot, and usually high enough inside to allow a person to stand
upright. Such a place would provide shelter for a man who had no other place to
live.”
Now,
tombs were by nature ritually unclean places because of the presence of dead
bones, and this impurity of the place makes it an ideal place for the dwelling
of “unclean spirits.” Thus the man in question is unclean on both accounts, on
the account of dwelling in a place of uncleanness, and because of being
possessed by demons.
vv.
3-5 - Who had his dwelling
among the tombs, and not even with chains was anyone able to bind him, because he had often
been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn by him, and the fetters
had been shattered. And no one was able to subdue him. And always, night and day, in the
hills, and in the tombs he was, crying and cutting himself with stones. - Some have
noted here a parallel to Isaiah 65:2-5
Isa 65:2 I have spread
out My hands all the day long to a rebellious people who walk in the way not
good, after their own thoughts;
Isa 65:3 a people who continually
provoke Me to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on the
bricks;
Isa 65:4 who sit
among the graves and lodge in the towers; who eat swine's flesh, and broth of
unclean things in their pots;
Isa 65:5 who say, Keep
to yourself! Do not come near me, for I am holier than you! These are a smoke
in My nose, a fire burning all the day.
Others
attribute to this man the sin of “consulting with the dead” (Deut. 18:11) as
the reason for his mental state. Such persons would spend a night or more in
the cemetery so that an unclean spirit would rest upon him, and thus enabling
him to predict the future. Still others, argue that this may be a case of a
mourning ritual that has gone out of control. Whatever reasons for this
person’s mental state, the fact is nevertheless that his being possessed by
demons has given him supernatural strength, and the only secure place for him
to dwell was in a cemetery and on the uninhabited hills.
v. 6
- And, having seen Yeshua from afar, he ran and bowed before him,
Readers
can observe an immediate change in the behaviour of the demoniac, from a
violent man with supra-human powers to a man who does recognize authority,
particularly Rabbinic authority. He runs towards the Master and bows to him,
betraying his recognition that the Master is his superior. The King James
version translates “and worshipped him,” however, there is nothing here
indicating an act of “worship” nor even an act of “devotion” towards the
Master. For some reason that the text does not disclose in its literal
interpretation, why the man took the initiative, and why he was urgently drawn
to the Master. One could speculate that Rabbis were not seen frequently through
that region, and for some yet unexplained reason people with mental afflictions
are normally drawn to ministers of religion, particularly Jewish Rabbis.
v. 7
- And having called with a loud voice, he said, “What [is] to me and to you,
Yeshua, son of the Most High G-d (Heb.
“El El’yon”)? I adjure you by G-d, may you not torment me!”
The
expression “What [is] to me and to you” - מַה-לִּי
וָלָךְ
is a Hebraic Biblical idiom with two shades of meaning: (1) “What cause of
enmity is there between us?” (i.e. Judges 11:2; 2 Chronicles 32:21; 1 Kings
17:18), and (2) “What do we have in common?” (i.e. 2 Kings 3:13; Hosea 14:8).
Both nuances may be implied here. Maynard[5]
notes that in the writings of Mark, Luke and Matthew, everywhere the Greek
equivalent τί
ἐμοὶ καὶ
σοί
(TI EMOI KE SOI) to the Hebrew idiom: מַה-לִּי
וָלָךְ
(MAH-LI VALAKH) is to be found it always involves demon’s recognition of the
identity of the Master.
The
terminology employed by the demoniac when he screams: “What [is] to me and
to you, Yeshua, son of the Most High G-d (Heb. “El El’yon”)?”
gives
away the fact that he is a Gentile. For the Gentiles typically used to refer to
the G-d of Israel as “the Most High G-d” (cf. Numbers 24:16; 1 Esdras 2:2;
Daniel 3:26; 4:2; 2 Macc 3:31; 3 Macc 7:9; and see also a parallel narrative in
Acts 16:17). What escapes many is the powers of supernatural clairvoyance that
the demoniac has. First, he is able to tell the Master his name: “Yeshua,” and
then he goes on to reveal the true identity of the Master, “a son of the Most
High G-d” (i.e the Messiah). It is my personal observation, having worked with
people with mental problems that they seem to have a supernatural gift of
clairvoyance that can reveal the true identity of a person, as well as
possessing a high degree of intelligence.
Finally
the demoniac screams: “I adjure you by G-d, may you not torment me!” Here
we find a third item perceived by the demoniac, that is, that the person before
him had the power to release him from his torment, yet the demoniac is so
controlled by the demons that he prefers his own self-destruction rather than a
release from his afflictions.
Interestingly,
in 1897, in his studies of suicide, Émile Durkheim (considered the
father of modern sociology) associated anomie (the word comes from Greek, namely the prefix a- “without”,
and nomos “law”) to the influence of a lack of norms or norms that were
too rigid. But such normlessness or norm-rigidity was a symptom of anomie,
caused by the lack of differential adaptation that would enable norms to evolve
naturally due to self regulation, either to develop norms where none existed or
to change norms that had become rigid and obsolete.[6]
In
other words is a state or place where the Laws of G-d have been displaced, or
where these Laws are enforced in a rigid and legalistic manner, gives rise to a
state of anomie, whereby the self becomes increasingly powerless and
void of any meaningfulness. In this state people feel like they are to be
swallowed by an overwhelming black hole. This state of anomie is in most
instances resolved through suicide, which is the logical outcome of
anomie.[7]
This
man, therefore associated in his mind, like many do today, the Rabbi before him
rigid, legalistic enforcement of norms. Therefore he exclaims: “I adjure you
by G-d, may you not torment me!” This perception of Judaism as a rigid and
legalistic religion is nothing but a lie, the product of demonic misinformation.
In this vein Hakham Shaul warns the Gentiles:
Eph 2:1 and you being
dead in heresies and sins,
Eph 2:2 in which you
formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler
of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience
[to the Law],
Rom 11:17 But if some
of the [natural] branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive branch
were grafted in among them (the Jewish people), and became a sharer of the root
and the fatness of the olive [Jewish] tree,
Rom 11:18 do not boast
against the [natural] branches. But if you do boast, it is not you that bears
the [Jewish] root, but the [Jewish] root bears you.
Rom 11:19 You will say
then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.
Rom 11:20 Well! For
unfaithfulness they were broken off. And you stand by faithful obedience. Do
not be high-minded, but fear [G-d].
Rom 11:21 For if G-d
did not spare the [unfaithful Jewish] natural branches, fear that it may be He
will not spare you either.
Marcus,[8]
makes here an interesting observation. He states:
“There is an element
of burlesque comedy when the demons as part of their negotiations with Jesus,
plead with him not to torment them and back up this plea by invoking G-d
himself (5:7). Very religious demons indeed, and very brazen, to plea for mercy
when they have shown none; like typical bullies, they can dish it out but can’t
take it.”
That
the demons are no match for a Master embodying the Written and Oral Torah
becomes is clear from both what they call the Master: “son of the Most High G-d,” and as well for their
desperate need to plead for mercy from the Master. This is a critical point,
that the Torah when learned and lived out renders demons totally powerless and
begging for mercy.
v.
9 - And he was questioning him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying,
“Legion is my name, because we are many;” – In exorcism and psychiatric
practice it is important to ask for the name of the speaker, since it may well
be the case that the subject is suffering from a multiple or split personality
problem. The demon answers the Master with a Roman military term. According to
Marcus[9]
a Roman Legion was composed of a maximum of 5,000 soldiers and a minimum of
about 3,600 men. This later number brings it closer to the number later
mentioned in Mark 5:13. In my opinion, though we are at the Peshat = literal
level of hermeneutics, we should not put an emphasis on the name “Legion” since
the demon itself explains why the use of that name: i.e. “because we are
many.” Multiple personality disorders, whether it be two or three thousand
personalities is inconsequential. The man has a severe mental disorder period.
And this is as far as we should go.
v.
10 - And he was begging him very much, that he may not send them [the demons]
out of the country.
– In ancient Jewish literature, even to this very day it is believed that
demons are territorial that is, that certain types of demons inhabit certain
territories but not others. This is perfectly understandable, if we take into
account that environmental, cultural and religious conditions (included
collective criminal history of a particular place), vary from one region to
another, and even from one country to another. For example, mental problems and
demonic forces that may be particularly to the slums in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
may be quite different to mental problems and demonic forces operating in the
poor neighbourhoods of Washington, D.C. (U.S.). However, with an increase in
travel, and international mass media, via News Papers, T.V. and the Internet,
these differences are starting to become blurred. A good example is the use of
illegal drugs, and its association with mental problems and demon possession,
which was once confined to certain regions and countries is now a whole
world-wide problem.
Also,
the ferocious grip that the Roman Legions had over Palestine and the Jewish
people, helps to explain the grip and misery that these demons had on this man.
The name thus serves to explain the cruel character of these demons.
vv.
11-12 - 11. And there was there, near the mountains, a great herd of swine
feeding, 12. And all the demons begged him, saying, ‘Send us to the swine, that
into them we may enter them.’ – Now, Jewish Law (Mishnah Bab Qama 7:7) strictly forbids
a Jew from raising pigs. The large herd of pigs implies that they were either
raised for food or commercial purposes. This signals to us that the region was
not populated by many Jews and that the majority of its population were
Gentiles. These two verses also teaches us about the kind of demons inhabiting
this man’s mind. A pig is by nature a deceptive animal, since it will show its
feet (divided hoof) to show that it is a Kosher animal, however, on closer
inspection we find that it does not chew the cud as a cow or a goat does, and
thus revealing to belong to the class of unclean animals. Second, if a pig is
somewhat hungry it will have no scruples in devouring its young or any other
small pig. Third, pigs do not sweat but accumulate it under the skin. In other
words pigs do not express or communicate to others, but keep it all in, and
then explode when the proper trigger becomes available. There are many other
characteristics about pigs speak much about this person’s mental problems, we
just mentioned some to illustrate our point.
v.
13 - And immediately Yeshua allowed them, and having come forth, the
unclean spirits entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the precipice
into the sea (and they were about two thousand) and they were choked in the
sea. – The
value in monetary terms of about 2,000 pigs must have quite big, and their
destruction must have sent the owner of the herd broke. So the dilemma here is
what should we choose the psychological and spiritual freedom as well as mental
sanity of a single human being or the great financial ruin of an owner of a
herd of about 2,000 pigs?
The
narrative informs us in clear terms what was the immediate
response of the Master. A single human being is worth far more than any type of
possessions, business, or capital. This principle of “social justice” is one
that is often ignored by big businesses and multinational companies, for whom
people are just another type of commodity in the market.
Implicit
here, in my opinion is also the idea that the Master wants to communicate –
i.e. that the Jewish dietary laws are applicable to all the Gentiles. I know
that some Rabbinical authorities have ruled that Jewish dietary laws are not
incumbent upon the Gentiles, however I vehemently disagree with this ruling like
a number of other Rabbis. I based my decision on the fact that the 7 Noachitic
Laws were given to Noach, and G-d showed to Noach that of the clean animals 7
pairs entered the ark and of the unclean just one pair. Also when he went out
of the ark he sacrificed to G-d a clean animal and not an unclean one, and all
Rabbis will agree that the table upon which we eat is considered as a
sacrificial altar. But some will say, “Yes, but does not Genesis 9:3 says ‘Every
moving thing that lives will be for food for you’?” The answer to that question
is simply that neither rats, skunks, dogs, toads, bats, octopus, shell fish, or
pigs are considered by the Torah as “food” suitable for human consumption.
Interestingly, in the West and through much of the Middle East, butcher shops
are forbidden to slaughter and sell rats, skunks, bats, dogs, donkeys, etc. for
human consumption. Further, neither a few Rabbis, nor a thousand Messiahs nor a
million Apostles are at freedom to exempt people from Torah Laws. No matter how
many crosses they put on pig’s meat, no matter how many lay hands on pig’s meat
to make it Kosher, the Word of G-d says it is unclean meat not fit to be “food”
for human consumption under normal circumstances.
By
the Master “immediately” accepting the request of the demons to
possess the pigs, he is very loudly ratifying the Torah instruction that pigs
are not designed to become “food” for human consumption. In my opinion there is
no equivocation in the Master’s actions and the implications are clear for all
who have an ear to hear, to understand without much difficulty.
Lane[10]
points out to the outcome as to why the Master allowed the demons to enter the
herd of swine. He states:
“The drowning of the
swine was not an unforseen consequence in Jesus’ concession; it was the express
purpose which lay behind the request of the demons ... Their real purpose
was the total destruction of their host. While this point may have been
obscured in the case of the man, there was the blatant evidence in the instance
of the swine. Their intention was no different with regard to the man whom they
had possessed.” (Underlining mine)
As
we pointed above, a regime and environment of unlawful strict enforcement of
G-d’s Laws, or a regime and environment of lawlessness, has as its real purpose
the destruction of man. And that is why both situations have been found to
create a state of meaningless and helplessness in life that is resolved by
committing suicide.
Concerning
this, Hakham Shaul, warns us about what we are feeding our minds. He advises:
Rom 12:1 I call upon
you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of G-d, to present your
bodies a living sacrifice, sanctified, acceptable to G-d which is your
intelligent [intellectual] service;
Rom 12:2 and be not
conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for
your proving what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of G-d.
If
what we are feeding the mind is garbage which does not renew our intellects, so
as to discover and taste what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of
G-d – i.e. the Torah, then we have opened ourselves to mental problems.
If
our minds are not renewed and constantly engaged in creativity and healing then
we have laid a wide open door for demonic influences to take hold of our mind.
These influences and/or forces are hell bent into making you abandon your
faithful Torah Observance, to find your life without meaning and purpose, and
ultimately to drive you into devastating self destruction. Therefore the
Psalmist exclaims:
“The Law of the LORD
is perfect, restoring (renewing) the soul; the testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:8)
“By what does a young
man correct his way? By observing [to do according to] your Words
(Commandments).” (Psalm 119:9)
A
further interesting perspective on this is brought forward by Noonan Sabin.[11]
She comments:
“It should not be
passed over that the name of these unclean spirits, “Legion,” is the name of a
unit in the Roman army. Surely, a Jewish audience would have been amused by
this piece of wit at their enemy’s expense. Even more, they would have found it
a joke that these Roman demons asked to be placed in a herd of pigs. The final
act in this rhetorical comedy is the scene of the pigs rushing headlong into
the sea. The serious side of this story is the pointed suggestion that those
who were currently occupying Palestine and meddling with the Temple belong to
the devil. At the time that Mark’s Gospel was written down (probably the year
70), it would not have been safe or prudent for anyone to have said such a
thing directly. But here and elsewhere, as we shall see Mark insinuates his
view of Rome.”
Whilst
I believe that Mark wrote earlier than 70 C.E., I agree completely with this
perspective shared by Noonan Sabin, and one which I may add has much merit.
Further we may add, that the wild boar was the emblem of the Roman Legion
stationed in Palestine and Jewish literature has identified the boar with Esau.
vv.
14-17 -
14. And those feeding
the swine fled, and told in the city, and in the fields, and they came forth to see what it is that
happened; 15. And they came unto
Yeshua, and stared at the demoniac, sitting, and clothed, and right-minded, him who had had the
legion, and they feared; 16. And those having seen it
[what happened], declared to them how it had come to pass to the demoniac, and about
the swine; 17. And they began to
beg him to go away from their borders.
Verse
14 informs us that those in charge of the herd of swine were possessed of great
fear and fled for their lives and to inform the owners of the heard. In verse
15 the Greek text introduces us to three participles to describe what the
interested parties saw: καθήμενον
(KATHEEMENON – Strong’s # G2521), ἱματισμένον
(EEMATEESMENON – Strong’s # G2439), and σωφρονοῦντα
(SOFRONOUNTA – Strong’s # G4993) – As Cranfield[12]
puts it:
“Previously even
chains had not been able to control his demonic energy and restlessness; now he
sits at rest. He had been naked like a beast; now his human characteristics are
restored. It is likely that Mark saw in the contrast a vivid picture of
conversion.”
And
the towns-folk together with the owner of the herd “feared” “Feared” what we
may ask? They feared economic ruin, they feared the loss of their religion
which probably either allowed to eat pork, or at least to raise pigs. But above
all, they feared that they might be obliged to keep the Laws of G-d, as Hakham
Shaul states:
Rom 8:6 For the mind
of the flesh [is] death, but the mind of the spirit [is] life and
peace;
Rom 8:7 because the
mind of the flesh [is at] enmity towards G-d; for it is not
willing to being subject to the Law of God, for neither can it [be].
Rom 8:8 And those
being in the flesh are not able to please G-d.
Here
we meet an important definition about what it means to be “fleshly minded” or
as others put it “carnally minded.” It is not a matter of immorality, it is
something far worse than immorality or sins of a sexual nature, something much,
much more worse indeed: “not willing to be subject to the Law of G-d.” Thus, a
demonic theological answer is needed, i.e. Jesus came to abolish the Law, now
one can eat as much rats, bats, skunk, and pork as one is able to ingest.
Offended
by their loss of property, and religious liberties and beliefs, they ask the
Master to leave their region. The rule of the Torah presents too much a
challenge for them. Please note how the restoration to good mental health of
the man who was demon possessed is totally unimportant and inconsequential to
them. The dogmas of their false and demonic religion, together with the
pecuniary loss overrides for them the right to good physical and mental health
of any human being. Sadly this is still the case in many countries around the
world, including those with the most advanced and democratic societies.
Nothings has changed much in the human condition.
vv.
18-19 - 18. And he having
entered into the boat, the [former] demoniac was begging him that he may be with him, 19. And Yeshua did not
allow him, but said to him, “Return to your home, unto your own, and tell them how great
things the LORD [G-d] did to you, and had compassion with you.” – Whilst the town’s
folk found nothing to be grateful of, the former demoniac was filled to the
brim with gratitude and petitions the Master to be disciple by him. Why?
Because in this case it would mean taking back the Gentile man to the land of
Israel. This point is of critical importance, today more than ever.
Many
are those who from the Gentiles seek to convert to Judaism, either to climb the
social ladder, or to receive the benefits of a generous Jewish community, or to
migrate to the Land of Israel. In my opinion these three powerful motivations
render the conversion invalid and void. The convert should be encouraged to
reach out with the message of faith in G-d and Torah obedience his/her own
family his/her own friends and his/her own people. Otherwise, how can we extend
the governance of G-d throughout the whole world? Each one of us is responsible
for the healing of the Gentiles this is one of the major works of Tikun Olam
(restoration/healing of humanity).
Notice
as well, what the Master orders the healed man to do: “tell them how great
things the LORD [G-d] did to you, and had compassion with you.” Notice when
the healing occurs in the land of Israel, the Master forbids telling others,
but when amongst the Gentiles he commands to tell others starting with family
and friends. It should also be observed that the object of the man’s
declaration was not the person of Yeshua, but rather “how great things the
LORD [G-d] did to you, and had compassion with you.” Thus in the midst of
the Gentiles, the G-d of Israel was to be glorified through the proclamation of
what The LORD G-d had done through the agency of the Master. Every Yom Kippur
we read the entire book of the Prophet Jonah, and yet for many the penny has
not dropped. It is just another ritual. In the previous section of Mark we read
about the five connections of that section with the first chapter of the
Prophet Jonah, and in this present section we have a living application to the
teachings contained in the book of the Prophet Jonah.
v.
20 - And he went away, and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things
Yeshua did to him, and all were wondering. – Cranfield[13]
informs us about what the Decapolis consisted of. He states:
“Decapolis was the
territory of a league of free Greek cities, originally at any rate ten in
number, under the protection of the Roman governor of Syria. According to Pliny
the Elder the cities were Damascus, Raphana, Dion, Canatha, Scythopolis,
Gadara, Hippos, Pella, Gerasa and Philadelphia.”
The
conclusion of this section brings us to the realization that by means of the
Master’s Torah wisdom, and as an agent of living and eternal G-d of Israel this
former demoniac is transformed from an alienated self-destructing human being
into one who joyfully and with full gratitude spreads the Word of G-d’s
compassion to his family, friends, and to all who want to hear. The result: “and
all were wondering.” Everyone was amazed, and had an opportunity to hear
the fact that the G-d of Israel was extending His compassion to all the
Gentiles through His agent, His Majesty King Yeshuah the Messiah – truly the
son of the Most High G-d who will rule the entire world by means of the Written
and Oral Torah of our Sages.
Some Questions to Ponder:
1. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 46:28?
2. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 46:29?
3. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:6?
4. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:9?
5. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:13?
6. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:18?
7. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:19?
8. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:21?
9. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:25?
10. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:27?
11. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:29?
12. What question/s were asked of Rashi regarding
Genesis 47:30?
13. Why did Ya’aqob sent Yehudah ahead of the rest and
for what purposes?
14. Why were the
Patriarchs and particularly all the sons of Israel shepherds?
15. What was the
nature of Ya’aqob’s blessing to Pharaoh?
16. Why did
Joseph “transfer the people to the cities, from one end of Egypt to the other”?
17. What
word/words/part or concept of the Torah Seder fired the imagination of our
Psalmist?
18. How is our
regular Ashlamatah of Zech. 10:6-12 + 11:4-11 related to
our Torah via verbal tally?
19. How is Pirqe
Abot III:8 related to all of our readings for this Shabbat?
20. What word/words/part
or concept of the Torah Seder, Psalm and Joshua fired the imagination of
Mordechai (Mark) in chapter 5:1-20?
21. In your
opinion what is the point being made in Mordechai 5:1-20?
22. In your
opinion, and taking into consideration all of the readings for this Shabbat,
what is the prophetic statement for this coming week?
Next Shabbat Shabbat Nachamu V:
5th Sabbath of the
Seven Sabbaths of the Consolation of Israel
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
אָבִיךָ
חֹלֶה |
|
|
|
“Avikha Choleh” |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 48:1-3 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 49:1-4 |
|
“Your father is sick” |
Reader
2 – B’
Resheet 48:4-6 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 49:5-7 |
|
“Tu padre está enfermo” |
Reader
3 – B’
Resheet 48:7-9 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 49:8-12 |
|
B’Resheet (Gen.) 48:1-22 |
Reader
4 – B’
Resheet 48:10-12 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: 2 Kings 13:14-23 |
Reader
5 – B’
Resheet 48:13-16 |
|
|
Special: Isaiah 54:1-10 |
Reader
6 – B’
Resheet 48:17-19 |
Reader
1 – B’Resheet 49:1-4 |
|
Psalm 39:1-14 |
Reader
7 – B’
Resheet 48:20-22 |
Reader
2 – B’Resheet 49:5-7 |
|
N.C.: Mark 5:21-24 |
Maftir : B’ Resheet 48:20-22 |
Reader
3 – B’Resheet 49:8-12 |
|
Pirke Abot: III:9 |
Isaiah 54:1-10 |
|
Reading
Assignment:
Torah
With Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s Commentary – Vol. 1
The
Book of Genesis: Hebrew/English
By:
A.M. Silberman & M. Rosenbaum
Published
by: BN Publishing (2007)
pp.
238-242.
The
Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol IIIa: The Twelve Tribes
By:
Rabbi Ya’aqob Culi
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1988)
Vol.
IIIb – “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 500-513.
Please
always remember:
The
above questions are not about how many you can answer right or wrong, or how
many you have answered at all, that is NOT the purpose of this exercise! The
REAL merit is in making an effort to attempt to answer them as best as you can!
We run no competitions here! The competition if any is a matter between you and
Ha-Shem, most blessed be He! The questions are given to help you grasp the
mechanics of the Peshat level of Hermeneutics and to help you understand
Scripture from a legitimate Jewish perspective. So far, only few brave souls
have attempted to answer the questions posed. For those who have not yet jumped
into the pool of the brave, why not give it a try, even if you answered a few
questions that would be great and most encouraging for you and the honourable
members of this list!
Shalom
Shabbat!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai