Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227
Millset Chase -
Telephone: (210) 277 8649 -
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
First Year of
the |
|
Ellul 9, 5766 – September
1/2, 2006 |
Fifth Year of
the Shemittah Cycle |
Saturday, September 2, 2006 – Havdalah 8:33 PM
Saturday,
September 2, 2006 – Havdalah 6:06 PM
Saturday, September 2, 2006 – Havdalah 7:42 PM
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Shabbat Nachamu 5
- Fifth Sabbath of the Consolation of
|
Shabbat |
Torah |
Weekday Torah |
|
וְזֶה
הַדָּבָר |
|
|
|
“V’Ze
Ha-Dabar” |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot 29:1-7 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot 30:1-3 |
|
“And
this is the thing” |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot 29:8-14 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot 30:4-6 |
|
“Y esto es lo que” |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot 29:15-18 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot 30:7-10 |
|
Sh’mot (Exodus) 29:1-46 |
Reader 4 – Sh’mot 29:19-25 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 61:6 – 62:5 |
Reader 5 – Sh’mot 29:26-37 |
|
|
Special: Isaiah 54:1-10 |
Reader 6 – Sh’mot 29:38-42 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot 30:11-13 |
|
Psalm 63 |
Reader 7 – Sh’mot 29:43-46 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot 30:14-16 |
|
Pirke Abot 6:1-2 |
Maftir – Sh’mot 29:43-46 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot 30:11-16 |
|
N.C.: Matityahu 10:37-39 |
Isaiah 54:1-10 |
|
Roll
of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His
Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of Her
Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family, as well as that of His
Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and that of His Excellency
Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben
Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat Sarah. For their regular and
sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s
richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together
with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to all who send comments
to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that
you never loose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to
receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail, with your E-Mail or the
E-Mail addresses of your friends.
Coming
Festivals:
Rosh
Ha-Shanah (New Year – Feast of Trumpets) – September 22-24, 2006
See: http://www.betemunah.org/teruah.html
http://www.betemunah.org/shofar.html ; http://www.betemunah.org/knowday.html
Yom
HaKippurim (Day of Atonements) – October 1-2, 2006
See: http://www.betemunah.org/awesome.html
http://www.betemunah.org/kippur.html ; http://www.betemunah.org/atonemen.html
Sukkoth
(Tabernacles) – October 6-15, 2006
See: http://www.betemunah.org/succoth.html
http://www.betemunah.org/hoshana.html ; http://www.betemunah.org/shemini.html
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 29:1-46
XXIX.
And this is the thing that you will do to them to sanctify them, that they may
serve before Me. Take one bullock, the young of a bullock, without spot; and
two rams, unblemished (perfect); and unleavened bread, and unleavened cakes,
mingled with olive oil; and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with olive oil,
and with flour of wheat will you make them. And you will put them upon one
basket, and offer them in the basket, and the bullock and the two rams they will
bring in a vehicle. And Aharon and his two sons you will bring near to the door
of the tabernacle of testimony, and wash them, in four measures of living
water. And you will take the vestments, and clothe Aharon with the tunic, and
the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him (orordain
him) with the girdle of the ephod. And you will set the mitre on his head, and
put the diadem upon which is engraven the Name of Holiness upon the mitre. And you
will take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head and anoint him. And you will
bring his sons near, and dress them in the tunics, and gird (ordain) them with
the girdles, Aharon and his sons, and wrap on them the mitres; and the
priesthood shall be theirs by an everlasting statute.
And
you will offer the oblation of Aharon, and the oblation of his sons. And you will
bring the bullock before the tabernacle of ordinance, and Aharon and his sons
will lay their hands upon the head of the bullock, and you will kill the
bullock before the door of the tabernacle of ordinance; and take of the blood
of the bullock, and put (it) on the horns of the altar with your finger, and
all the (remaining) blood you will pour out at the foot of the altar. And you will
take all the fat that covers the inwards, and what remains upon the caul of the
liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat which is upon them, and set them in
order upon the altar. And the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung,
you will burn with fire without the camp; it is a sin offering. And the one ram
you will take, and Aharon and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the
ram. And you will kill the ram, and take his blood and sprinkle on the altar
round about. And the ram will you divide according to his members (dividings),
and wash his inwards and his legs, and set them in order upon his members, and
upon his head. [
And
you will take of the blood which is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil,
and drop it upon Aharon, and upon his vestments, and on his sons, and on his
sons' vestments with him. And you will take of the ram, the fat and the tail,
and the fat that covers the inwards, and which remains upon the caul of the
liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right
shoulder, for it is the ram of the oblation; and one round of bread, and one
cake of bread mingled with oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened
bread which is before the Lord; and you will put all upon the hands of Aharon
and upon the hands of his sons, and will uplift them for an elevation before
the Lord. And you will take them from their hands, and set them in order upon
the altar upon the burnt offering, to be received with acceptance before the
Lord: it is an oblation before the Lord. And you will take the breast of the
ram of Aharon's oblation, and uplift it, an elevation before the Lord, and it
shall be thy portion. [
And
you will take the ram of the oblation, and boil its flesh in the holy place;
and Aharon and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in
the basket at the door of the tabernacle of ordinance. And they will eat those
things by which atonement, was made for them in offering their oblations to
sanctify them to minister before Me: but the profane will not eat; for they are
holy. And if any of the flesh of the oblation and of the bread remain until the
morning, you will burn that which remains with fire; it will not be eaten; for
it is sacred. And thus you will do to Aharon and to his sons according to all
that I have prescribed to you; seven days you will offer their oblation. And a
bullock for a sin offering you will offer daily for atonement, and will anoint
the altar in offering the atonement upon it; you will anoint it, to consecrate
it. Seven days make you atonement upon the altar to consecrate it; and it shall
be the altar of the Holy of Holies. Every one of the sons of Aharon who
approaches to the altar must be holy; to the rest of the people it is not
lawful to approach, lest they be burned with the fiery flame which comes from
the holy place.
And
this is the oblation which you will perform upon the altar; two lambs of one
year, daily, evermore. The one lamb you will perform in the morning; and the
second lamb you will perform between the evenings. And the tenth of flour
mingled with oil of olives beaten; (with) the fourth of a hin, and the libation
of a fourth of a hin for the one lamb. And the second lamb you will perform
between the evenings: it shall be as the mincha of the morning, and as the
libation you will do it, to be received with acceptance, an oblation before the
Lord; a perpetual holocaust for your generations at the door of the tabernacle
of ordinance before the Lord; where I will appoint My Word to (meet) you there,
to speak with you there. And there I will appoint My Word (to meet) with the
sons of
Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 29:1-46
9.
And this is the thing that you will do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The
wise will inherit honor (Prov. 3:35). Fitting, indeed,, is the honor
accorded to the wise men who labor in the Torah. The Torah says: Riches and
honor are with me; yes, enduring riches and righteousness (Prov. 8:18). You
find that though thirty-six generations passed by between Adam and Jabez, the
word honor is employed only in reference to Jabez, as it is said: And Jabez was
more honorable than his brethren (I Chron. 4:9). Why was he referred to as honorable?
Because he was one of the wise men who arranged public assemblies to discuss
problems of law, as is said: And the families of scribes that dwelt at
Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Succathites. These are the Kenites
that came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab (I Chron. 2:55). R.
Judah the son of Shalum stated in the name of R. Aibu: Two descendants of Adam
were similarly honored, etc.
Another
explanation of The wise will inherit honor. This refers to Joshua, who
inherited honor from Moses, our master, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said
to him: As I was with Moses, so I will be with you (Josh. 1:5). The Holy
One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Put off your shoes from off your feet
(Exod. 3:5), and to Joshua He said: Put off your shoe from off your foot
(Josh. 5:15). Concerning Moses it is written: Then sang Moses and the
children of
However,
we find that he did not live the same number of years as Moses, our teacher. It
is written about Moses: And Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when
he died (Deut. 34:7), while Joshua passed away at the age of one hundred
and ten years. Why did he live ten years less? Because he spoke ten words
before Moses, his master, spoke, as it is said: And Joshua the son of Nun,
the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: “My lord Moses,
shut them in” (Num. 11:28). That is why He shortened his life ten years.
From this verse you learn that no pupil is permitted to speak before his
master, and that anyone who teaches anything before his master does, or even if
he does not teach but simply tells others what the law is before his master has
stated it, will find his life’s span shortened. Another explanation of
the verse The wise will inherit honor. This alludes to Aaron and his
sons, through whom the priesthood was established.
10.
This is the thing that you will do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this
verse: But You, O Lord, are on high for evermore (Ps. 92:9). And
preceding this is written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when
all the workers of lawlessness do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed
forever (ibid., v. 8). Whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts
retribution from the wicked, His name is glorified throughout the world, as it
is said: And against all the gods of
Similarly,
Rahab said: We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea
before you, when you came out of
Similarly,
Thus will you say unto them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and
the earth, these will perish from the earth, and from under the heavens; but He
that has made the earth, by His powers that has established the world by His
wisdom,” etc. (Jer. 10:11-12). Likewise it is stated: Let sinners cease
out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more (Ps. 104:35). At that
hour, bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah (ibid.). You can explain
innumerable verses in the same way. There are numerous passages to prove that
idolaters are punished. In
But
You, O Lord, are on high for evermore
(Ps. 92:9). Whenever a mortal king judges a man and acquits him, they praise
him, but whenever he holds a man guilty, they do not praise him. When the Holy
One, blessed be He, benefits a person, His praises are proclaimed: “Blessed is
the good and He who does good,” and when evil befalls a person, His praises are
also proclaimed: “Blessed be the truthful judge.” Hence, You are on high for
evermore. Similarly David said: I will lift up the cup of salvation and
call upon the name of the Lord. I found trouble and sorrow, but I called upon
the name of the Lord (Ps. 116:3-4). And likewise, In God—I will praise
His word—In the Lord—I will praise His word (Ps. 56:11). Similarly, Job
declared: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of
the Lord (Job 1:2 1).
Another
explanation of But You, O Lord, are on high for evermore. David
declared: Master of the Universe, whenever You give a leadership role to a man,
it never leaves him. You gave kingship to the house of David, and it never
departed from him, as it is said: And David My servant will be their prince
forever (Ezek. 37:25). You gave priesthood to Aaron, and it never departed
from him, as it is said: And it will be unto him, and to his seed after him,
the covenant of an everlasting priesthood (Num. 25:13). Therefore the Holy
One, blessed be He, decreed that Aaron should be elevated to the high
priesthood. Hence, But You, O Lord, are on high for evermore.
Why
did He elevate Aaron and his sons to that holy station? R. Mani of Shaab and R.
Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: When the Israelites pleaded with
him to erect the golden calf, they said to Aaron: Up, make us a god (Exod.
32:1). Thereupon Hur the son of Caleb arose and rebuked them. They attacked him
and killed him. Aaron beheld what had happened and feared (vayir’a) for
his own life, as it is said: And when Aaron saw (vaya’r) he built an altar
before it (ibid., v. 5). You know that they killed Hur, for Moses told them
before he ascended the mountain: Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whosoever
has a cause, let him come near unto them (ibid. 24:14), but after he descended,
you find that he did not refer to Hur either as living or as dead. What does
Scripture say: And Moses said to Aaron: “What did this people unto you, that
you have brought a great sin upon them?” (ibid. 32:2 1). Obviously they
must have killed Hur.
When
Aaron saw what had happened he built the altar. He took the gold nose rings and
cast them into the fire, as it is said: I cast it into the fire, and there
came out this calf (ibid., v. 24). Aaron was afraid that the Holy One,
blessed be He, was angry with him, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, told
Moses: And this is the thing that you will do unto them to sanctify them
(Exod. 29:1); that is, elevate Aaron and his sons to the high priesthood, to
make it known that Aaron had acted only out of fear. In that way he made them
realize that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not hold the deed of the golden
calf against them.
He
took a bullock as an offering to atone for the golden calf, which was a
bullock, and two rams to correspond to his two sons who were destined to die.
Indeed, all his sons deserved to die, as it is said: Moreover the Lord was
very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him (Deut. 9:20). Have destroyed
is an expression used to indicate the complete elimination of offspring, as it
is said: Yet I have destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from
beneath (Amos 2:9). Because Moses prayed for him, as it is written: And
I prayed for Aaron also the same time (Deut. 9:29), only two of his sons perished,
while the other two survived.
11.
This is the thing that you will do unto them (Exod. 29:11). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The
wise will inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov.
3:35). The wise will inherit honor refers to the Israelites, and the
fools they carry away shame alludes to idolaters. When did
R.
Johanan stated: Sixty thousand guardian angels descended at Sinai with the Holy
One, blessed be He, as it is said: The chariots of God are myriads, even
thousands upon thousands (Ps. 68:18). They placed a wreath upon the head of
each Israelite. R. Abba the son of Kahana held: When the Israelites stood at
Sinai and proclaimed: All that the Lord has spoken will we do, and obey
(Exod. 24:17), the Holy One, blessed be He, loved them immediately and sent two
angels to each of them; one to strap on his armor and the other to place a
crown upon his head.
R.
Simeon was of the opinion that He clothed them in royal garments, as is said: I
clothed you also with richly woven work (Ezek. 16:10). R. Huna of Sepphoris
maintained: He girded them with armor, as it is said: I wound fine linen
(ibid.). R. Simeon the son of Yohai insisted: He girded them with armor and encircled
them with the Tetragrammaton. Therefore, The wise will inherit honor
(Prov. 3:35) refers to the Israelites who received this honor because of the
events at Sinai. But as for fools, they carried away shame (ibid.)
alludes to the nations of the world, who earned their fate at Sinai. Whence do
we know this? R. Johanan said: Because it is stated: Yea, those nations
shall be utterly wasted (Isa. 60:12), it is written about them: They
shall be utterly wasted. [Word-play reading harob (“wasted”) as horeb (
Another
explanation of The wise will inherit honor This verse refers to David
and his son Solomon, who built the
12.
And this is the thing that you will do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Forever
O Lord, Your word stands fast in heaven (Ps. 119:89).
R.
Berechiah the priest BeRabbi, declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, will deal
mercifully with us forever. Wherein is this stated? At the time that Moses
descended into the fiery furnace, the guardian angels quarreled with one
another. One said: I will descend and save him; while another one insisted: I
will descend and save him. While Michael declared: I will descend (to save him),
and Gabriel called out: I will descend. Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He,
said to the angels: None of you will do so. I, in all My glory, will descend and
rescue him, as it is said: I am the Lord that brought you out of
The
Holy One, blessed be He, told the angels: You will descend to rescue his
descendants Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when they are cast into the furnace.
The angels did descend to rescue them, as it is said: Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel, and delivered His
servants that trusted in Him (Dan. 3:26). Then the guardian angels proclaimed:
Forever, O Lord, Your word stands fast in heaven. Your faithfulness is unto
all generations; You have established the earth, and it stands. They stand this
day according to Your ordinances (Ps. 119:89-91). Unto all generations You
demonstrated Your faithfulness when You informed us that we would descend to
rescue Abraham’s descendants.
You
have established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to
Your ordinances (ibid.). It was
according to Your ordinances that You created everything, as is said: In the
beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). Another comment on They stand this day
according to Your ordinances. Even this day was brought forth according to
Your ordinances, as it is said: Every morning, every morning does He bring
His ordinance to light (Zeph. 3:5). They stand this day according to
Your ordinances; they shall perish, but You will stand (Ps. 102:27),
for You are the foundation of the world. Another explanation of But You will
stand is that You will cause others to stand. Another comment on And it
stands according to Your ordinances. That is, according to the words You
spoke to Aaron (that) the priesthood would be firmly established through him.
13.
This is the thing that you will do unto them (to santify them. . . take one
young bullock and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread) (Exod. 29:1).
You will do it for them, but not for
any others. For this tribe You will do it, but not for any other tribe. To
minister unto Me (ibid.). He began to teach them how they should purify
themselves so that they might eat in holiness; how they should immerse
themselves so that they might eat in Levitical purity; and how they should
sanctify themselves so that they might eat in cleanliness. And He prepared for
him the rules for holiness and purity. To sanctify them, to minister unto Me
(ibid.). R. Mana BeRabbi stated in the name of R. Eliezer: Each time Scripture
says unto Me it means “forever and ever.” Take one young bullock
(ibid.). This implies that it may not be a stolen one. And two rams without
blemish. He arranged them in the form of a mound, with one ram placed on
either side and with the bullock in the middle. Why did he use three? Because
they corresponded to the three illustrious men of the world, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. The bullock symbolized Abraham: And Abraham ran unto the herd
(Gen. 18:7); and the two rams symbolized Isaac and Jacob. And unleavened
bread. Because of the merit of unleavened bread, I will bless the bread. R.
Huna the son of Abba said: At the time the offerings were (still) brought, an
Arbelite measure (of wheat) would produce a measure of fine flour, a measure of
regular flour, a measured of crushed bran, a measure of coarse bran, a measure
of coarser meal, and a measure of gennim, but now, when a man takes a measure
of wheat to be ground, he brings back little more than he originally took. Why?
Because the show-bread [since the show-bread was not brought to the
And
unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened
(Exod. 29:1). Unleavened bread was brought because of the merit of Sarah, who
kneaded dough and made cakes. Unleavened bread. Observe that at the time
they brought sacrifices, whatever was to be sacrificed was blessed according to
its kind.
R.
Hiyya the son of Abba said: The altar was made essentially for
It
happened that R. Jonathan the son of Eleazar was sitting one summer day beneath
a fig tree laden with fine figs. When the dew lifted, the juice of the figs
fell to the earth. Whereupon the wind mixed the juice with the dust of the
ground. Later a goat, dripping milk, came along, and the milk and the juice
were mixed together. He summoned his disciples and said to them: Observe this,
for it is an illustration of what will transpire in the time-to-come’ [Probably
a reference to Joel 4:38, And it shall come to pass on that day that the
mountain shall drop sweet wine and the hills shall flow with milk]. Why did
all this occur? Because they were still offering sacrifices.
It
is told that a certain scribe went to
You
find that after the Israelites were exiled to Babylonia, Ezra urged them to go
up to the
The
prophet declared: For though the fig tree will not blossom, neither will
fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olives will fail, and the fields will
yield no food; the flocks will be cut off from the herd, and there will be no
herd in the stall (Hab. 3:17). For though the fig tree will not blossom
alludes to the time when the commandment of the firstborn was suspended. Neither
will fruit be in the vines indicates that the libations were suspended. The
labor of the olives will fail refers to when the oil for the light was
suspended. And the fields will yield no food implies that offering of
the early fruits was suspended. The flocks will be cut off from the fold resulted
from the suspension of the daily sacrifices. And there will be no herd in
the stalls signifies that the sacrifice of the bullock was suspended.
R.
Simeon the son of Gamliel said in the name of R. Joshua: Since the Temple was
destroyed, no day has lacked a curse, as it is said: Yea, a God that has
indignation every day (Ps. 7:12). R. Ze’era was of the opinion that the
earlier curse(s) still prevail [While the new day brings a new curse]. R. Judah the son of Ilai said: The
Ketubim Targum Psalm 63
2.
O God, You are my strength; I will arise in the morning in Your presence; my
soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a barren and weary land,
without water.
3.
Thus I have seen You in the holy place; purify me to see Your strength and Your
glory.
4.
For better is the favor that You show to the righteous in the age to come than
the life You have given to the wicked in this age; therefore my lips will
praise You.
5.
Thus will I bless You in my life in this age; in the name of Your Word I will
spread my hands in prayer in the age to come.
6.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and oil, and my mouth will sing [with]
lips of praise.
7.
If I have remembered You on my bed, in the night-watch I will meditate on Your
Word.
8.
For You were a helper to me, and in the shade of Your presence I will be glad.
9.
My soul has followed close behind Your Torah; Your right hand has supported me.
10.
But they will seek my soul for the grave; they will enter the lowest part of
the earth.
11.
They will fear Him on account of the blow of the sword; they will be the
portion of jackals.
12.
And the king will rejoice in the Word of God; all who swear by His Word will
sing praise, for the mouth of those who speak deceit will be stifled.
Ketubim Rashi Psalm 63
2
I seek You I seek and search for You,
as (Job 7:21): “and You shall seek me, but I am not here”; (Job 8:5), “If you
seek God.” My soul thirsts for You I thirst and long to come to You in
Your house of prayer. my flesh longs for You, an expression of desire.
There is no similar [Scriptural expression]. in an arid land in the
desert
3
As I saw You in the Sanctuary, etc.
As, I thirst to see Your strength and Your glory as I saw You in the Sanctuary,
the Tabernacle of Shiloh. My soul will be sated with the visions of Your
strength and Your glory.
5
Then I shall bless You in my lifetime
That is to say: Then, when I come before You, I shall bless You all the days of
my life. in Your name I shall lift my hands to pray and laud.
6
when my mouth praises with expressions of song Heb. languages of songs, as (Gen. 11:1): “And all the
earth was of one language.”
7
on my couch When I lie on my couch, I
remember Your love. in the watches of the night. I meditate about You
Heb. I think about You..
9
Your right hand has supported me that
I should not fall.
10
But they My enemies. seek my soul to
make it desolate They come upon me in ambush on a dark day so that I should not
sense their presence. may they come into the depths of the earth In a
low place; let them come and fall into the grave and the pit.
11
May he be dragged by the sword May
enemies come upon my pursuers and drag each one of them with a sword, killing
him. This is an elliptical verse, since it does not explain who will drag him.
This is an expression of dragging, as (Micah 1:4): “as water poured down a
steep place”; (Job. 28:4), “A stream bursts forth from the place of its flow.” the
portion of foxes (I found: the portion of foxes May their dwellings be
destroyed, that foxes should walk there.)
12
And may the king rejoice He says this
about himself because he had already been anointed. may all who swear by Him
boast When they see that You will save me, all those who cleave to You and
swear by Your name will boast and praise themselves. for...will be closed
Heb. will be closed up, as (Gen. 8:2). “The fountains of the great deep...were
closed.”
Ketubim Midrash Psalm 63
I. A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of
II. O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You
(Ps. 63:2). Elsewhere this is what Scripture says: I love them that love Me,
and those that seek Me earnestly will find Me (Prov. 58:57). The Torah
says: I love them that love Me; who loves Me, I love him.
Another
interpretation: Who loves Me, I love him. David – because he loved Me, I loved
him; and because he sought Me earnestly, I sought him earnestly, and was found
by him. Hence it is said O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You.
My
soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You, in a dry and thirsty land where
no water is (Ps. 63:2). The
thirsty land where no water is, is
Ordinary Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 61:6 – 62:5
6
But you will be named the priests of Ha-Shem, men will call you the ministers
of our God; you will eat the wealth of the Gentiles, and in their splendor will
you revel.
7
For your shame which was double, and for that they rejoiced: 'Confusion is
their portion'; therefore in their land they will possess double, everlasting
joy will be unto them.
8
For I Ha-Shem love justice, I hate robbery with lawlessness; and I will give
them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with
them.
9
And their seed will be known among the gentiles, and their offspring among the
peoples; all that see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed which
Ha-Shem has blessed. {P}
10
I will greatly rejoice in Ha-Shem, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has
clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of
victory, as a bridegroom putts on a priestly diadem, and as a bride adorns
herself with her jewels.
11
For as the earth brings forth her growth, and as the garden causes the things
that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause victory and
glory to spring forth before all the gentiles.
1
For
2
And the Gentiles will see your triumph, and all kings your glory; and you will
be called by a new name, which the mouth of Ha-Shem will mark out.
3
You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Ha-Shem, and a royal diadem
in the open hand of your God.
4
You will no more be termed Forsaken, neither will your land any more be termed
Desolate; but you will be called, My delight is in her, and your land,
Espoused; for Ha-Shem delights in you, and your land will be espoused.
5
For as a young man espouses a virgin, so will your sons espouse you; and as the
bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
Special Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 54:1-10
1
Sing, O barren, you that did not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
you that did not travail; for more are the children of the desolate than the
children of the married wife, says Ha-Shem.
2
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your
habitations, spare not; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3
For you will spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and your seed
will possess the gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4
Fear not, for you will not be ashamed. Neither be you confounded, for you will
not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the
reproach of your widowhood will you remember no more.
5
For your Maker is your husband, Ha-Shem of hosts is His name; and the Holy One
of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth will He be called.
6
For Ha-Shem has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit; and a wife
of youth, can she be rejected? Says your God.
7
For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great compassion will I gather
you.
9
For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters
of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be
wroth with you, nor rebuke you.
10
For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness will
not depart from you, neither will My covenant of peace be removed, says Ha-Shem
that has compassion on you. {S}
Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew)
10:34-36
34. ¶ Yeshuah said: “Do not think that I have come to
bring shalom upon the land, but a sword.
35. For I have come to set man at variance “For the son
dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the
daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36. a man's enemies are the men of his own house” (Micah
7:6).
Pirqe Abot
“All
Pirqe Abot VI:1-2
Mishnah 1
The Sages taught [this chapter] in the language of the Mishnah; blessed
is He who chose them and their teaching.
Rabbi Meir says: "Whoever occupies himself with [the study of]
Torah for its own sake merits many things; furthermore, he is worthy that the
whole world shall have been created because of him. He is called friend,
beloved; he loves G-d, he loves the created beings; he brings joy to G-d, he
brings joy to the created beings. [The Torah] garbs him with humility and fear
[of G-d]; it makes him fit to be a tsadiq, a Chassid, upright and faithful; it
keeps him far from sin and brings him near to meritorious deeds.
"Others derive from him the benefit of counsel and wisdom, insight
and strength, as it is stated: 'Counsel and wisdom are mine; I am
understanding, strength is mine.' [The Torah] bestows upon him royalty,
authority, and discerning judgment; the secrets of the Torah are revealed to
him, and he becomes like a fountain which flows with ever-increasing strength,
and like a never-ceasing stream. He becomes modest, patient, and forgiving of
insult to himself; and [the Torah] makes him great and exalts him above all
things."
"The
Sages taught [this chapter] in the language of the Mishnah." (6:1) QUESTION: What is “Lashon Ha-Mishnah” — “the
language of the Mishnah”?
ANSWER:
The Torah consists of two parts: The Written and the Oral. The Written Torah is
the five books of Torah (Prophets and Scriptures), in which are contained the
six hundred and thirteen mitzvoth (commandments). Their meaning and application
was transmitted from generation to generation by word of mouth. When suffering
and oppression made oral transmission much more difficult for the Jewish
people, and forgetfulness became apparent, the first part of the Oral Torah was
written down. This is the portion known as Mishnah.
Rabbi
Yehudah HaNasi — the Prince — also known as Rabbenu HaQodesh — Our Holy Teacher
— (Shabbat 118b), or simply "Rabbi" (
Another
compilation is the Baraita, which originally was oral, and put into writing.
“Baraita” means “outside,” and it is a collection of teaching of Sages which
were taught outside of Rabbi's Bet Midrash and later put into writing. This
corpus is today known as the Tosefta.
Pirqe
Abot is a part of the Mishnah, and it consists of only five chapters. The sixth
chapter is not part of Mishnah, but Baraitot which were added as an addendum to
Pirqe Abot. It is also known as "Kinyan Torah" — "The
acquisition of Torah" — and it primarily discusses the praise of Torah
study.
The
appended sixth chapter, though it is Baraita and not Mishnah, was written in
the language of Mishnah, i.e. in a brief and concise style. In addition,
Mishnah is written in Hebrew and so is the Baraita. Throughout the Gemara
(Talmud), a quotation from a Baraita is always introduced by the Aramaic
expression "Tanu Rabbanan" — "the Rabbis have learned — or
"Tanya" — "we learned." The introduction to the Baraitot in
this chapter is "shanu chachamim" — "The Sages taught" — in
Lashon Qodesh — Holy language – i.e. Hebrew.
Since
it is customary by some to study Pirqe Abot on the six Shabbatot between Pesach
(Passover) and Shabu'ot (Pentecost), this chapter was appropriately added on to
be studied on the sixth Shabbat, which immediately precedes Shabu'ot — the
festival which commemorates the giving of the Torah.
The
conclusion of the introduction to this chapter is, “Barukh Shebachar Bahem
UB’Mishnatam” — “Blessed is He Who chose them and their teachings” — which is a
reference to Ha-Shem. It also means, “Blessed is he — i.e. the individual who
chose them as his teaching. He chose to emulate them — the Sages — and use
their teachings as a guide through life.”
“Rabbi
Meir says: Whoever occupies himself with the study of Torah for its own sake
merits many things.” (6:1) QUESTION:
Why doesn't it say "kol halomed" — "whoever studies Torah"?
ANSWER:
In every business, there is a primary difference between the employer and the
employee. An employee is mainly concerned with his own tasks, and he does not
need to think about the business during his off hours. Unlike the employer, who
thinks about his business unceasingly, he has little concern for the business
as a whole.
In
Hebrew the word "esek" means "business." Rabbi Meir teaches
that a person's approach to Torah should be similar to an employer's attachment
to his business. Even after he leaves the Bet Ha-Midrash and is home eating or
sleeping, Torah should always be uppermost in his mind.
“It
makes him fit to be a tsadiq.” (6:1) QUESTION:
Instead of umachsharto — it makes him fit — it should have said, ve'osehu — it
makes him — a tsadiq (saint)?
ANSWER:
The word “umachsharto” could be interpreted “it kashers him,” similar to the
process of kashering a non-kosher vessel with fire.
To
be a tsadiq (saint) one must rid himself entirely of his yetzer hara — evil
inclination. The Torah, which is compared to fire, as Ha-Shem said, “Behold My
word is like fire (Jeremiah 23:29), has the potential to “burn out” the evil
inclination in the person. Thus, through studying Torah lishmah (for its own sake),
a person accomplishes that umachsharto — the Torah kashers him — i.e. it burns
out the yetzer hara (evil inclination), and the person becomes a tsadiq (saint).
Mishnah 2
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: "Each and every day a Heavenly Voice
goes forth from
And it is further stated: 'The Tablets were the work of G-d, and the
writing was the writing of G-d, charut (engraved) on the Tablets.' Do not read
charut but cherut (freedom), for there is no free man except one who occupies
himself with the study of Torah.
"And anyone who occupies himself with the study of Torah becomes
elevated, as it is stated: 'From Mattanah [the gift] to Nachaliel [the heritage
of G-d], and from Nachaliel to Bamot [high places].' "
“A Heavenly Voice goes forth.” (6:2) QUESTION: What kind of voice is a bat-kol?
ANSWER:
A bat-kol is a voice which emanates from Heaven. It is a form of communication
which is somewhat below prophecy. After the death of the last prophets, a
righteous/generous person might still receive Divine messages in the form of a
bat-kol — voice. However, the initial voice emanating from Heaven was not
heard, but an echo of it, thus it is called “bat-kol” — “daughter of a voice.”
The reason it is called
“bat-kol” — “daughter of a voice” — and not “ben-kol” — “son of a voice” — is
that a son can be as strong as his father, but a female (daughter) is weaker.
Since this is not the original voice, but a weaker version of it, it is called
“bat-kol” — “daughter of the voice.”
In
some geography books it is written that naturalists claim that also today there
is a constant humming voice in the air around
Incidentally,
regarding the voice that issued from the mouth of Ha-Shem (see Exodus 20:15,
Rashi) when He gave the Torah, the Midrash (28:6) states that the voice was
unique in that it had no bat kol — echo.
“A
Heavenly Voice goes forth.” (6:2)
QUESTION: Usually, the stronger the voice, the stronger the echo. Isn't the
lack of echo from the voice of Ha-Shem a sign of weakness?
ANSWER:
The distance the voice can travel depends on the person's strength. When the
voice reaches a wall, it rebounds, producing an echo. The Midrash is implying
that the voice of Ha-Shem was so powerful that it penetrated and permeated
every person and every physical part of the universe so that there was no echo.
“Each
and every day a Heavenly Voice goes forth from
ANSWER:
“Each
and every day a Heavenly Voice goes forth from
ANSWER:
The Talmud (ibid.) says that it acquired the name Horeb because “churbah — ruin
— descended upon it for the idolaters.” This can be explained as follows: When
Rivkah was pregnant she was told that she was carrying two regimes and “one
regime will become strong from the other.” Rashi explains this with the verse “I
will fill myself from the ruins” (Ezekiel 26:2), which implies that
Hence,
the Torah we received in Sinai, is the source of our security and through our
Torah study the power of Esav is in ruin. However, when Torah is not studied,
unfortunately, they are strong and able to ruin us, G-d forbid!
Thus,
the Baraita teaches that a voice emanates from Horeb, saying, “If you are
asking Oh Master of the world — why are we suffering so bitterly from the
nations of the world? The reason is that we have affronted the Torah, and are
not engaged in its study. Thus,
“Woe
to the people because of [their] affront to the Torah.” (6:2) QUESTION: What is meant with “oi” —
"woe"?
ANSWER:
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 102a) says, “Berit Kerutah Lisefatayim” — “Ha-Shem made a
covenant with the lips” — i.e. whatever is pronounced with the lips, even
insincerely, comes to pass. Therefore, a person must be careful not to utter
bad things. Due to this there are people who make a point of saying “not good”
instead of “bad.”
Torah
is good, as it says, “I have given you a good teaching” (Proverbs 4:2). For
observing it one will be rewarded with everything which is good. For
transgressing it one will be punished with the opposite of good. The word “tov”
— “good/beneficial” — has the numerical value of seventeen. The word “oi” —
“woe” — also has the numerical value of seventeen. The Baraita, not wanting to
say, “Ra Lahem Laberiyot” — “It will be bad to the people” — uses the word “oi”
— “woe” — to allude that something “woe” — the opposite of good will, G-d
forbid, happen!
“For
there is no free man except one who occupies himself with the study of the
Torah.” (6:2) QUESTION: Why does one
who occupies himself with Torah achieve the status of “ben chorin” — “free man”?
ANSWER:
Previously (2:17) it was stated, “If there is no wisdom there is no fear of Ha-Shem,
and if there is no fear of Ha-Shem, there is no wisdom.” This seems to indicate
that fear of Ha-Shem and Torah are interwoven and that an authentic Torah
scholar also has fear of Ha-Shem. Where is there an allusion in Torah to their
interdependency?
The
Luchot — Tablets — were six handbreadths long, six handbreadths wide, and six
handbreadths tall (Baba Batra 14a). 6 x 6 x 6 = 216, which is also the numerical
equivalent of the word “yir'ah” — “fear.” This is a hint that the one who
acquires wisdom of Torah also acquires fear of Ha-Shem.
King
Shlomo (Solomon) says that Torah is “Ayelet Ahavim V’Ya'alat Chen” — “A beloved
hind inspiring favor” (Proverbs 5:19). Just as a hind remains beloved to her
mate, the Torah is most beloved by those who study it (Rashi). The word “chen”
— “grace” — has the numerical value of fifty-eight, and when it is added to the
two hundred and sixteen, the total is two hundred and seventy-four, which is
also the numerical value of “chorin” — “free.”
Ha-Shem
refers to every Jew as His “son,” (“My firstborn is
From: P'shuto shel Mikra
By: Rabbi Yitzchak
Etshalom
Seven Haftarot of
Consolation (II)
http://www.torah.org/advanced/mikra/hagim.htm
SHABBAT 5:
Once
the personal connection has been established between mourner and consoler, the
bright future (which is the ultimate ray of hope for anyone bewailing a
tragedy) must be restated. As the first intense week of mourning wears on, as
the sharp shock of death and immediate awareness of loss give way to the fears
about the empty future and the irreplaceable seat at the table, the closest
friends must bring hope to the Avel (mourner).
The
fifth Haftarah refocuses attention on the future - but, unlike the second
Haftarah which was as yet “cognitive” and distant, this Haftarah (54:1-10) is
designed to bolster the faith that it will, indeed, be good:
1. Sing, O barren, you who did not bear; break forth
into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not labor with child; for more are the
children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says Ha-Shem.
2. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them
stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; spare not, lengthen your cords,
and strengthen your stakes;
3. For you will break forth on the right hand and on
the left; and your seed will possess the gentiles, and make desolate cities to
be inhabited...
7. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with
great mercy will I gather you...
10. For the mountains will depart, and the hills be
removed; but My kindness will not depart from you, nor will the covenant of My
peace be removed, says Ha-Shem who has mercy on you.
Note
the continued emphasis on the personal connection with God - will I gather
you... Note also the wife/mother
metaphor, stressing the personal and intimate relationship with God, as yet
undeclared (in the previous passages).
Answers to the Questions on
The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study
Torah:
1. “hallow them, to minister unto Me in the priest’s
office” (29:1) — The act of
investiture of the priests was accompanied by ceremonial solemnities well
calculated not only to lead the people to entertain exalted views of the
office, but more important, to impress those functionaries themselves with a
profound sense of its magnitude and importance. In short, they were taught to
know that the service was for them as well as for the people; and every time
they engaged in a new performance of their duties, they were reminded of their
personal interest in the worship, by being obliged to offer for themselves,
before they were qualified to offer as the representatives of the people. Why
is it therefore so vitally important to have proper installation ceremonies in
synagogues and other Torah institutions? And is this also expressed in the
writings of the Nazarean Codicil?
Answer: Pomp and ceremony in today’s addicted to mediocrity
world is seen as a thing of the past and has lost much of its value. However,
for example, we know that the better and more elite the University the more
there is pomp and ceremony, equally, the better the military unit the more the
pomp and ceremony. Why? (1) Because pomp and ceremony engraves deeply in the
psyche of those present that the members of that institution are worthy the
respect and honor of their fellows and even outsiders; (2) members of such an institution are proud
to belong because they know that their efforts and sacrifices will be rewarded
publicly and in style; (3) apart from a deep sense of belonging it brings
greater coherence and quality to the unit in question; (4) and finally, anyone
involved will normally have as a consequence a heightened sense of duty to the
unit and to others outside.
Pomp and ceremony also brings to earth something of
the majesty and glory of G-d, and it is thus a vehicle for the unification of
heaven and earth. The Nazarean Codicil is well aware of this when for example
it states: “Let the elders who conduct themselves well, be esteemed worthy of
double honor; especially they who labor in the Word and in teaching” (1 Timothy
5:17); “Therefore, pay to all the [things] due [to them]: to the one the tax
the tax, to the one the custom [or, tribute] the custom, to the one the fear
the fear, to the one the honor the honor” (Romans 13:7). Installation
ceremonies, and any other ceremony shows how much in the eyes of those
attending the thing, person, or office being honored means to them and to G-d.
Therefore where there is no tastefully designed and well choreographed pomp and
ceremony the picture reinforced to all concerned is that the thing, person, or
office in question is of little value to G-d and others, and it also shows the
lack of nobility of soul, poverty of mind, and stinginess of heart of all
concerned.
Pomp and ceremony of course issue out of a sense of
profound gratitude, discreteness, and love, and where these are lacking the
pomp and ceremony will be either insincere or lacking. Consequently, mediocrity
needs to reject pomp and ceremony because all it has to show is bad quality and
poorly constructed achievements. Therefore, what better than to disguise these
under a cloak of pseudo-humility and frugality in order to hide the great
misery of their souls?
2. “And you will take Aharon and his sons to the door of
the tabernacle of congregation”
(29:4). G-d was pleased to dwell in the Tabernacle, the people attending in the
courts, so that the door between the court and the Tabernacle was the fittest
place for those to be consecrated, who were to mediate between G-d and man, and
to stand between both. They were consecrated at the door, for they were to be
door-keepers. In the present dispensation where we are ruled by Judges – i.e
Sages (Hakhamim), who are the door-keepers? What does the Nazarean Codicil say
about this?
Answer: In
the present dispensation Hakhamin with their correspondent Bate Din (courts)
are the gate-keepers standing at the gates between heaven and earth. The
Nazarean Codicil testifies about this when it states: “Positively, I say to you
(Hakhamim], whatever [things] you [Hakhamim] bind on the earth will have been
bound in heaven, and whatever [things] you [Hakhamim] loose on the earth will
have been loosed in heaven. Again, positively I say to you [Hakhamim], if two
of you [Hakhamim] agree together on the earth concerning any matter, whatever
they ask, it will be done to them from my Father, the [One] in the heavens. For
where two or three [Hakhamim] are gathered together in my name (authority), I
am there in the midst of them" (Matityahu 18:18-20). Also, Hakham Shaul
teaches: “You yourselves be obedient to the ones leading you, and be yielding
[to them] [fig., be totally accepting their authority], for they are watching
over [responsible for] your souls as they will be giving an account [about
you], so that they will do this with joy and not complaining with groans, for
this [would be] detrimental to you” (Bereans/Hebrews 13:17).
3. We read in Exodus 29:4 that the priests were to be
washed – “And you shall wash them in water.” By this signifying that those must
be clean who bear the vessels of Ha-Shem, (Isaiah 52:11).
a)
What does
2Corinthians 7:1 and Isaiah 1:16-18 have to comment on this?
Answer: II Corinthians 7:1 sates: “Therefore, having these
promises, beloved, let us cleanse [or, purge] ourselves from every pollution
[or, defilement] of flesh and of spirit, perfecting holiness in [the] fear of
God.” And Isaiah 1:16-18 sates: “Wash yourselves, purify yourselves. Put away
the evil of your doings from My sight; stop doing evil. Learn to do good, seek
justice, straighten the oppressor, judge the orphan, strive for the widow. Come
now and let us reason together, says Ha-Shem: Though your sins are as scarlet,
they will be white as snow; though they are red as the crimson, they will be
like wool.”
One can’t give of what
one does not have or able to give. If the priest has not spent time putting
away evil from his life by learning to do good (i.e. long hours of exhaustive
Torah study to thoroughly cleanse his mind and spirit) executing justice,
helping the needy, the orphans and the widows, how can such a person be
qualified to be a priest mediating between G-d and man, and between man and
man?
b)
They were now
washed all over; but afterwards, when they went in to minister, they washed
only their hands and feet (Exodus 30:19). How does the text of Yochanan (John) 13:10
comments on this issue?
Answer: Yochanan 13:10-11 states: “Yeshuah said to him, He who
is washed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every where. And
you are clean, but not all. For he knew who
would betray him. Therefore he said, You are not all clean.”
As indicated above, the
greater form of washing corresponds to exhaustive Torah study, the washing of
the feet and hands corresponds to prayer. That is why lift them up when we get
up in the morning the first thing we do is to ceremonially wash hands and lift
them up in prayer with an accompanying blessing. Washing the feet has to do
with washing that which we use to walk – Hebrew: Holekh – i.e. practice Halakha
(the walking). Thus prayer cleanses only, so to speak, the hands and feet, and
dedicates these action members anew to the service of G-d. As to the greater
washing, only a laborious and exhaustive Torah study and learning can do for it
is the minds that controls the whole body and where the seat of the spirit is
located.
4. The Hebrew phrase for consecrating is filling
the hand (Exodus 29:9): “You will fill the hand of Aaron and his
sons.” Some have found this
Hebraism to intimate, [1] That Torah teachers have their hands full; they have
no time to trifle, so great, so copious, so constant is their work. [2] That
they must have their hands filled, that is, of necessity they must have
something to offer, and they cannot find it in themselves, it must be given
them from above. They cannot fill the people's hearts unless G-d fill their
hands; to Him therefore they must go, and receive from His fullness of wisdom.
How is this Semitism reflected in the writings of the Nazarean Codicil?
Answer: In
Romans 12:1-2 Hakham Shaul commands: “Therefore, I call on [or, plead with] you,
brothers [and sisters], through the compassions of God, to present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God [which is] your intelligent
[intellectual], sacred service. And [you
are] to stop conforming yourselves to this age, but [are] to continue being transformed
by the renewal of your mind, in order for you to be proving what [is] the good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
And Hakham Ya’aqob Ha-Tsadiq (James the Just) writes:
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him be asking from God, the One giving
generously to all and not denouncing [or, without criticizing], and it will be
given to him” (James 1:5). The import of these two passages clearly explains
what is the “real” meaning of a “consecrated life” from a Hebraic perspective.
5. We also read in this Torah Seder that the priests were
to be clothed with the holy garments (Exodus 29:5, 29:6, 29:8, 29:9), to
signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin,
but that they must also need to put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed
with righteousness/generosity, (Psalm 132:9). Then they must be girded, as men
prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned,
as men that counted their work and office their true honor. Therefore, we have
(1) setting apart, (2) filling the hands, (3) clothed with
righteousness/generosity, (3) girded with strength for their work, (4) robed,
and finally (crowned). Five steps for full consecration.
a) Does the Nazarean Codicil describe each of these five
steps when consecrating Torah scholars? And if yes, where?
Answer: Hakham
Shaul when teaching the Greeks this concept utilized the figure of an elite
well armed soldier ready for battle, since his audience were not graced with
seeing an Israelite High Priest dressed in full regalia. He states in Ephesians
6:11-17 – “(11) Put on the full armor of God in order [for] you to be
able to stand firm against the tricks [or, cunning schemes] of the Devil. (12) Because
our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against
the spiritual [forces] of the lawlessness in the heavens [or, heavenly
[realms]]. (13) For this reason, take up
the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the day of evil,
and having accomplished [or, overcome] everything, to stand firm. (14)
Therefore, stand firm, 'having wrapped your waist around [having girded
yourselves] with truth,' and 'having put on the breastplate of justice,'
[Isaiah 11:5; 59:17] (15) and having 'put on your feet as shoes
the preparation of the good news of peace,' [Isaiah 52:7] (16) above all [or,
in addition to all [these things]], having taken up the shield of faithful
obedience, by which you will be able to extinguish all the arrows, the ones
having been set on fire, [fig., the flaming arrows] of the evil [one], (17) and
to receive [or, take] 'the helmet of salvation,' and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God, [Isaiah 59:17; Isaiah 11:4 (LXX); Isaiah 49:2; Hos.
6:5].”
Hakham Shaul appears to group all these five steps
under the name of “Putting on the full armor of G-d” and are stated in
sequence:
1.
Girding
with Truth [i.e. Torah] (6:14) – corresponds to “Girded with strength”
2.
Putting on
the breastplate of justice (6:14) – corresponds to “Robed”
3.
Putting on
the shoes the preparation of the good news of peace (6:15) – corresponds to
“Setting apart”
4.
Taking up
the shield of faithful obedience (6:16) – corresponds to “Filling the hands”
5.
Putting on
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of G-d
(6:17) [Another possible translation would be “helmet of salvation that is the
sword of the spirit” – thereby implying that the sword of the spirit and the
helmet of salvation are but the same thing]. – corresponds to “Crowned”
b) What happens when these steps are not followed in
accordance with the procedure set in the Torah?
Answer: The consequence as can be expected is a total disaster,
bringing much suffering, disappointment, and many tears to all concerned, as it
is said: “For rebellion is as the sin of
divination; insolence is both lawlessness and idolatry. Because you have
rejected the Word of Ha-Shem, so He has rejected you from being king [or,
“royalty”]” (1 Samuel 15:23).
Tehillim (Psalm) 63
1. “O God, You are my God” - The words here rendered “G-d” are not the same in
the Hebrew. The first one - אלהים 'Elohim – denoting G-d in His attribute of
Justice, and is the word which is usually employed to designate G-d, cf. Gen 1:1; the second - אל 'El - is a word which is very often applied
to G-d with the idea of strength - a strong, a mighty One. What is the
underlying idea that Messiah King David intends to communicate to us?
Answer: Some
think that physical wealth are their strength, others their beauty, others
their powers and prowess, others their abilities, but all of these are
transitory, but those who make Ha-Shem G-d their strength by cultivating a
profound relationship with Him, their appointed Torah teacher, and devoting
themselves as much as they can to in-depth Torah study, and works of loving
kindness, will indeed be extremely wealthy from G-d’s point of view both here
and in the world-to-come – which the ultimate reality! I have been to many
burials but except for the mad Pharaohs, I have never seen a big U-Haul being
pulled behind a hearse J
2. “Early will I seek You” – Barnes correctly comments on this statement of the
Psalm: “The word used here has reference to the early dawn, or the morning; and
the noun which is derived from the verb, means the aurora, the dawn, the
morning. The proper idea, therefore, would be that of seeking God in the
morning, or the early dawn; that is, as the first thing in the day. The meaning
here is, that he would seek G-d as the first thing in the day; first in his
plans and purposes; first in all things. He would seek G-d before other things
came in to distract and divert his attention; he would seek G-d when he formed
his plans for the day, and before other influences came in, to control and
direct him. The favor of G-d was the supreme desire of his heart, and that
desire would be indicated by his making Him the earliest - the first - object
of his search. His first thoughts - his best thoughts - therefore, he resolved
should be given to G-d. A desire to seek G-d as the first object in life - in
youth - in each returning day - at the beginning of each year, season, month,
week - in all our plans and enterprises - is one of the most certain evidences
of true piety; and religion flourishes most in the soul, and flourishes only in
the soul, when we make G-d the first object of our affections and desires.”
a)
From where in our
Torah Seder for this week (Exodus 29:1-46) Messiah King David did get this idea?
Answer: We already had this thought drummed into us on last
Shabbat Torah Seder, and this week the first verse of Exodus 29:1 in the Targum
Pseudo Jonathan states: “And this is the thing that you will do to them to
sanctify them, that they may serve before Me. Take one bullock, the young of a
bullock, without spot; and two rams, unblemished (perfect).” In
other words nothing but the very best should be used for and before G-d, most
blessed be He!
b)
What relationship
has this verse with the statement made in
Isaiah 8:20 – “To the Law and to the Testimony! If they do not speak
according to this Word, it is because there is no dawn in them!
Answer: In Proverbs 9:10, Messiah King Shlomoh states: וְדַעַת
קְדֹשִׁים
בִּינָה “V’Da’at
Q’doshim Binah” – “and the knowledge of the All-Holy [or “Holy ones”] is
understanding.” It does then follows that those who do not put Torah (Written
and Oral) as the first thing in their lives, true understanding of all things
eludes them, since the “knowledge of the All-Holy” has not dawned in their
minds yet. More literally, the Torah commands that we study Torah and recite
Torah upon awakening – “And you shall teach them to your sons, and will speak
of them as you sit in your house, and as you walk in the way, and as you are lying
down, and as you are rising up” (Deut. 6:7).
3. “in a dry and weary land, where no water is.” Since the Psalmist is writing in the parable style using metaphors (as is
the practice in the Midrash genre of literature) what is the plain meaning of
this statement in context?
Answer: This
is a picture (metaphor) of a place in which there is no Torah teacher to study
Torah with, nor a minyan to pray with and have fellowship [a spiritual version
of Archipelago Gulag]. In such a
circumstance one longs day and night for these two great luxuries which many
take for granted.
4. “My soul cleaves unto You; Your right hand holds me
fast” (63:9). Maimonides lists the commandment “To Cleave
to G-d” as positive commandment # 6. He explains that this command (Deut 10:20)
has always meant that a person must cleave unto Torah Scholars, particularly
unto one’s Torah Teacher.
a)
What in plain
language is Messiah King David therefore trying to convey to those who read and
meditate on this Psalm based upon Maimonides elucidation?
Answer: The
“You” refers to G-d, and “Your right hand” refers to the Messiah which is the
active agent of G-d, most blessed be He! A good Torah Scholar is called in
Greek a “DOMA” (gift) of the Messiah unto men (cf. Eph. 4:8) and therefore a
representative of the Messiah on earth, on the other hand he is also a mediator
between G-d and men, and between man and his fellow. Therefore cleaving to
one’s own Torah Scholar in the fullest sense of the word, is like cleaving unto
G-d and cleaving unto His Messiah. Therefore when we give gifts, tithes,
offerings, loans, etc. to one’s Torah Scholar is as if we were giving gifts,
tithes, offerings, loans, etc. unto G-d and His Messiah. And in the same manner
how we treat a Torah Scholar is accounted to one as how we have treated G-d
and/or His Messiah. The same applies for
sons, daughters and wife towards their father and husband.
Consequently the Psalmist is saying “My whole being,
possessions and abilities cleave unto G-d because I cleave completely and without
reservation to my Torah Teacher.”
b)
Where in our
Torah Seder (Exodus 29:1-46) did he find this idea?
Answer: In Exodus 29:44-45 – “And I will sanctify the tent of
meeting, and the altar; Aaron also and his sons will I sanctify, to minister to
Me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of
c)
What relationship
has this verse with Rev. 12:17; 14:12; and 22:14?
Answer: These verses read:
Rev 12:17 And the dragon
was enraged against the woman, and he went off to make war with the rest of her
seed [fig., offspring], the ones keeping the commandments of God and having the
testimony of Yeshuah.
Rev 14:12 Here is [the]
patient endurance of the holy ones; {here} [are] the ones keeping the
commandments of God and the faithful obedience of Yeshuah.
Rev 22:14 Happy [are]
the ones doing His commandments, so that their right will be to the tree of
life, and they shall enter by the gates into the city. Rev 22:15 Outside [are] the dogs and the sorcerers and
the apostates and the murderers and the idolaters and every one affectionately
loving and practicing falsehood.
And since we said
above that in Psalm 63:9 - the “You” refers to G-d, and “Your right hand”
refers to the Messiah which is the active agent of G-d, most blessed be He! A
good Torah Scholar is called in Greek a “DOMA” (gift) of the Messiah unto men
(cf. Eph. 4:8) and therefore a representative of the Messiah on earth, on the
other hand he is also a mediator between G-d and men, and between man and his
fellow. Therefore cleaving to one’s own Torah Scholar in the fullest sense of
the word, is like cleaving unto G-d and cleaving unto His Messiah. It follows
then That Torah Scholars need to be experts in matters of the Torah (Written
and Oral) as well as being Torah Observant from an Orthodox Jewish perspective
as well as being experts in matters pertaining to the testimony of the Master
of Nazareth and his immediate Talmidim as found in the Nazarean Codicil and
living them. If one finds such a Torah Scholar then his worth is far beyond
measure, surely far more that pure beaten gold, and one would be most wise to
fully and completely cleave unto such a man for the recompense is more than
double (one for learning and observing Torah (as Jewish Orthodoxy understands
it) and another for being faithful to the Master of Nazareth and his teachings
even unto death!
As a side note, these
there passages, also teach that there is no contradiction between the teachings
of the Sages of Israel’s Jewish Orthodoxy and the teachings of the Master of
Nazareth and his early disciples as found in the Nazarean Codicil. Those who teach
or state otherwise are ignorant either of Torah as taught and understood by
Jewish Orthodoxy, or the Nazarean Codicil, and in many cases lamentably it is a
case of ignorance of both! Thus Messiah King David prophetically states: “My
soul is cleaved unto You; Your right hand (i.e.
the Messiah) upholds me.”
Ordinary Ashlamatah: Isaiah 61:6 – 62:5
1. In Isaiah 61:6 the Prophet states: “But you will be
called, Priests of Ha-Shem; it will be said of you, Ministers of our God”. If
the statement is concerning all
Answer: Nothing
at all! But what has happened is that these new Priests of Ha-Shem are after a
different order of Priesthood – that of the ancient order of Melchizedek. These
have not inherited the crown of the Aharonic Priesthood, on the contrary they
have merited the crown of the Torah itself (i.e. the Messiah himself) through
exhaustive and diligent study of the Torah!
2. In Isaiah 61:10 we read: “Rejoicing I will rejoice in
Ha-Shem. My soul will be joyful in my God. For He clothed me with garments of
salvation; He put on me the robe of justice, even as a bridegroom dons as a
priest his head-dress, and as a bride wears her ornaments.”
a)
How does this
statement explain the various components of the Priests clothes and regalia?
Answer: These are seen as emblems of (1) salvation, (2)
justice, and (3) consecration and absolute and faithful commitment to the
service of G-d, Torah, Messiah, and fellowman.
b)
What is the
meaning that at some point in time all the children of
Answer: Cf. answer to
question one above.
3. In Isaiah 61:9
we read: “And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring,
among the peoples; all who see them
shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that Ha-Shem has blessed.”
a)
When was this
verse started to be fulfilled in a large scale?
Answer: Since always! Jews have always populated the most
elite offices of many governments, and even though they may be hated, yet they
are respected for their knowledge and ethics. In our modern time we may say
that since the Holocaust not all but quite a majority of people tend to respect
the Jewish people as something special.
b)
When will this
verse be adhered to by all the Gentiles?
Answer: Without doubt with the appearance of the Messiah.
c)
According to the
Nazarean Codicil will this take place suddenly or gradually?
Answer: I am a firm believer in events being gradual, though
they may be presented as “sudden.” For example the event of the bombing of
Amongst other
sources in the Nazarean Codicil I base my opinion on the text of Matityahu
10:21-23, particularly verse 23 which has yet to be initiated by genuine Nazarean
Orthodox Jews in a systematic manner as described by the text.
21. ¶ Brother will betray brother bringing about his
death, and a father his son; and sons will rebel against their parents and have
them put to death.
22. All men will hate you on account of my name.
Whoever stands firm to the end will certainly be saved.
23. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to
another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities
of
4. In Isaiah 62:2 we read: “And the Gentiles will see
your justice, and all kings your glory. And you will be called by a new name
which the mouth of Ha-Shem will specify.
a)
Any hints as to
the nature of this “new name” in the Tanakh?
Answer: In Isaiah 62:4
we read in the Hebrew: כִּילָךְ
יִקָּרֵא
חֶפְצִי-בָהּ
– “Khilakh Yiqare HEFTSI-BAH” – “you will be called Hephzibah [meaning:
“My delight is in her”].” And further in the same verse it is said: וּלְאַרְצֵךְ
בְּעוּלָה – “U’L’Ar’tsekh
B’ulah” – “and your land Beulah [meaning: “espoused”].”
b)
Any hints as to
the nature of this “new name” in the Nazarean Codicil?
Answer: The Septuagint renders the Hebrew “Heftsi-bah” as:
Θέλημα ἐμὸν Thelēma emon - ‘My will,’
and the Hebrew term “B’ulah” the Septuagint renders it, Οἰκουμένη Oikoumenē - ‘Inhabited.’ These two names are not repeated in
the Nazarean Codicil explicitly. However see allusions to B’ulah for example,
in Revelation 19:7, and 21:9. As to B’ulah an allusion can be found in
Revelation 21:2.
Also note, that
“Heftsi-bah” was the wife of Hezekiah, and mother of Manasseh, (2 Kings 21:1).
Hezekieah is seen in Rabbinic literature as a figure of the Messiah, therefore
his wife must also be seen as a picture of the Jewish people espoused to the
Messiah of
Special Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 54:1-10
1. In Isaiah 54:1 we read: “For the sons of the desolate
one are more than the sons of the married woman.”
a)
Who are exactly
called “the sons of the desolate woman”?
Answer: The ‘barren’ or ‘desolate’ here denotes the people of
G-d , confined within the narrow limits of small and feeble Jewish communities
throughout the Exile when it was/is oppressed, and constantly diminishing in
number. The Chaldee renders it, ‘Rejoice, O
b)
Who are exactly
called ‘the sons of the married woman”?
Answer: The fulfillment of this statement is to be looked for
in the closure of the conversion gates of mercy for the Gentiles to Judaism at
the coming of Messiah. The conversion of the Gentiles is all along considered
by the prophet as a new accession of adopted children, admitted into the
original people of God, and united with it during its long night of the
diaspora.’
c)
Does the context
suggest one and the same woman or two
different women?
Answer: It is clear that we are speaking about the same woman
(people of G-d) in two different states (in the Diaspora amongst persecution,
and in the land restored by the Messiah.
2. How does Isaiah 54:2 metaphorically speaking addresses
what needs to be done in our minds?
Answer:
“The curtains of your habitations.” The word ‘curtain’ does not quite express
the sense here. It is commonly with us used to denote the cloth hanging round.
a bed or at a window, which may be spread or drawn aside at pleasure, or the
hanging in theaters to conceal the stage from the spectators. The word here,
however, denotes the canopy or cloth used in a tent; and the idea is, that the
boundaries of the congregation of
3. How is Isaiah 54:3 related to Romans Chapter 11, and
in what precise ways?
Answer:
Yeshayahu 54:3 reads: “For you will spread abroad on the right hand and on the
left; and your seed will possess the gentiles, and make the desolate cities to
be inhabited.”
Take this verse together with: “For if you, the [one]
by nature of the wild olive tree, were cut out, and contrary to nature, were
grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural
ones, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire [for] you to be
unaware, brothers [and sisters], of this secret [or, mystery], so that you will
not be wise in your own conceits, that hardness in part [fig., partial
stubbornness] has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes
in” (Romans 11:24-25).
The relationship is this, that the Gentiles who
convert to a Torah Observant life as defined by Jewish Orthodoxy and at the
same time remain loyal to the Master of Nazareth in their own Nazarean Jewish
communities are those who will repopulate many of the desolate places and
cities of the future complete state of Israel.
There is no need to rush and try to go and live in
present Erets Yisrael, the Messiah will take care of that. The key idea here is
whether the person that claims that he/she is engrafted into the cultivated
Jewish Olive Tree is busy creating a Jewish Nazarean community that has little
difference with other Jewish Orthodox communities throughout the world. If such
person is totally devoted to this endeavor then he/she can be said to be
properly grafted into the Jewish cultivated Olive Tree.
4. In Isaiah 54:5 we read: “For your Maker is your
husband; Ha-Shem of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of
Israel; He is called the God (Judge) of all the land.
a.
וְגֹאֲלֵךְ
קְדוֹשׁ
יִשְׂרָאֵל – V’Goalekh Q’dosh Yisrael – “And your
Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” [In
the Rabbinic literature he is also known as Ha-Qadosh Barkh Hu (the Holy One
Blessed be he)] Who is this “Holy One of Israel” who is inferior to Ha-Shem,
since he has a different title – “Elohei Kol Ha-Aretz” (the Judge of all the
Land)? Does the context justify your answer?
Answer: Yes the Mashiach is Ha-Qadosh Barukh Hu! And the context is the advent of the
Messianic Age which is introduced by the coming of Mashiach ben David! Here I
will let you in into a secret. With what I have said in mind, next Friday
evening when you come from the Esnoga, and sit at the wonderful banquet your
beloved wife has prepared and sing to your heart’s content the “Shalom Alekhem”
anthem, try to understand the mystical discourse you are uttering particularly
when you sing “Ha-Qadosh Barukh Hu.”
b.
אֱלֹהֵי
כָל-הָאָרֶץ
יִקָּרֵא – Elohei Kol Ha-Aretz Yiqare – “the Judge
of all the Land is he called.” What
can we deduce from this title when taking into account the context in which
this is found?
Answer: Concerning the Messiah Messiah King David said: “I
will declare concerning the statute of Ha-Shem: He said to me: You are My Son.
Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give the gentiles as your
inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth as your possession. You will
break them with a rod of iron; You will dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel” (Psalm 2:7-9) Messiah will judge in the Land and from the Land
throughout all the earth with justice and equity, and for the disobedient and
recalcitrant there will be harsh justice.
5.
What is the full
implication of the solemn oath contained in Isaiah 54:9-10?
Answer: The passage in question states:
9 For this is as the
waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no
more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with you, nor
rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may
depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness will not depart from you,
neither will My covenant of peace be removed, says Ha-Shem that has compassion
on you.
That all the covenants that G-d has made with the
Jewish people are covenants of PEACE – Shalom! And by peace we mean the
harmonious adherence to mandates of the Torah as per the instructions of the
Jewish Sages in the spirit in which the Master of
These covenants have never been abolished as some
babblers teach and propose and they will be all fulfilled and implemented to
the last letter of the law. The so called “New Covenant” is nothing more or
less than a full renewal and invigorization in continuous harmony of all
previous covenants!
Midrash of Matityahu
(Matthew) 10:37-39
1. These are quite challenging words! What did Matityahu
(Matthew) saw in our Torah Seder (Exodus 29:1-46) that made him to include this
teaching of the Master of Nazareth as a commentary to our Torah Seder?
Answer: The
idea that without unquestionable loyalty there can be no meaningful “cleaving”!
See more on the answer to the next question.
2. Is this passage of Matityahu connected in any way to Maimonides
positive commandment # 6 t “To Cleave to G-d”
(Deut. 10:20)?
Answer:
Notice that in relation to a question
above we said regarding Exodus 29:44-45 – “And I will sanctify the tent of
meeting, and the altar; Aaron also and his sons will I sanctify, to minister to
Me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of
Notice that that in order
for G-d “to dwell among the children of Israel, and be their God,” the priests
needed to be sanctified and ordained – meaning that if one did not cleave to
the priests at that time, one could not cleave unto G-d, as it is said: “For
the lips of the priest must guard knowledge, and they must seek the Law from
his mouth; for he is the messenger of Ha-Shem of Hosts” (Malachi 2:7)!
Therefore Matityahu picks up on Exodus 29:44-45, and
now introduces a Midrashic discourse on loyalty to the Master of Nazareth, the Chief Torah Scholar, loyalty
towards one’s own Torah Scholar as a personification of the Messiah, and
loyalty towards one’s own Nazarean Jewish community as part of the
unique/particular body of Messiah. In this instance the Master of
3. How is v. 38 related to Psalm 63:8?
Answer: Psalm
63:8 states: “My soul is cleaved after You; Your right hand upholds me.” Here,
the cleaving with unquestionable loyalty, despite the many who will try to make
us desist of being loyal to the Master of Nazareth and his Jewish Nazarean
Hakhamim, and the Jewish Nazarean community, if we remain faithful as it is
said: “And the dragon was enraged against the woman, and he went off to make
war with the rest of her seed [fig., offspring], the ones keeping the
commandments of God and having the testimony of Yeshuah” (Rev. 12:17), then one
of the most precious rewards will be ours in this world and in the
world-to-come – namely “Your right hand (i.e. the Messiah) upholds me.”
Tying All Ends Together –
The Prophetic Statement
1.
What is the
common thread that binds our Torah Seder
of Exodus 29:1-46, with Psalm 63, Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 61:6 - 62:5, 54:1-10, and
Matityahu 10:37-39?
Answer: Let us see …
a)
In Exodus
29:1-46, the Torah Seder starts with the theme of “sanctifying (setting apart)
the priests to minister as such to G-d”
b)
In Psalm
63 we heard about putting G-d at the very first of every thing, and giving to
him of the very best.
c)
In Isaiah
61:6 – 62:5 all Jews but more in particular Nazarean Jews are called to become
Melchizedechian priests to the fullest, as it is written: “But you will be
called, Priests of Ha-Shem; it will be said of you, Ministers of our God”
d)
In Isaiah
54:1-10 we read about the need to look forward at our real mission as Nazarean
Jews to go and Talmudize the Gentiles and to “Make the place of our tent
larger, and let us stretch out the curtains of our dwellings. Do not spare,
lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes.”
e)
And
finally in Matityahu 10:37-39 we have a solemn calling stating that “cleaving to G-d” requires sine
qua non unquestionable loyalty to the Master, his Hakhamim, and his particular
close community.
Putting it altogether the message is that cleaving to
G-d, ipso facto means cleaving to His human representatives – i.e. the
Hakhamim, to which we owe unquestionable loyalty, love and appreciation.
2.
What prophetic
statement is common to all of these readings? And how is that prophetic
statement applicable to us today?
Answer:
That many who believe to be
disciples of the Master of Nazareth need a drastic paradigm shift if they are
to see exceptional good fruit and blessings in their lives, children need to see
their father or head of the household as G-d’s representative to them, wives
need to see the same in their husbands [see more on this in http://www.betemunah.org/marriageact.html
]
and all need to see in their Hakham that he stands as
a messenger of G-d, and thus “ the lips of the priest must guard knowledge, and
they must seek the Law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of Ha-Shem of
Hosts.” With proper order established we
can have vibrant Jewish Nazarean Communities.
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study
for the Week of September 3 – September 1, 2006
Sunday September 3, 2006 Torah
Contents of the Torah
Seder
· The Altar of Incense – vv.1-10
· The Holy Half-Shekel – vv. 11-16
· The Laver – vv. 17-21
· The Oil – vv. 22-33
· The Incense – vv. 34-38
Questions for study and
analysis:
1. In Psalm 141:2 we read: “Let my prayer be established
before You as incense; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
And in Rev. 8:3 we read: “And another angel came and stood on the altar, having
a golden censer. And many incenses were given to him, that he should give them
with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.” From
these two texts some propose that the symbolic meaning of incense is prayer. If
this is so, then what is the precise symbolic meaning of the altar of incense?
2. It has been observed that the Altar of Incense was to
be made of shittim wood (normally translated as Acacia wood, the Septuagint
translation, renders the original by ξυλον
ασηπτον, “incorruptible wood”), and covered
with gold, pure gold, about a yard high and half a yard square, with horns at
the corners, a golden cornice round it, with rings and staves of gold, for the convenience
of carrying it, Exodus 30:1-5. It does not appear that there was any grate to
this altar for the ashes to fall into, that they might be taken away; but, when
they burnt incense, a golden censer was brought with coals in it, and placed
upon the altar, and in that censer the incense was burnt, and with it all the
coals were taken away, so that no coals nor ashes fell upon the altar. The
measure of the altar of incense in Ezekiel's temple is double to what it is
here (Ezekiel 41:22), and it is there called “an altar of wood,” and there is
no mention of gold. Why would this be so?
3. “When you lift up the head of the sons of
a)
In Synagogues we
have annual or semester or monthly fees per person (excluding women, minors,
old men and ministers) to cover the costs of maintenance of the sanctuary and
cemetery, and which are apart from tithes. In Christianity that is all covered
by the tithes and offerings. What is wrong with this Christian concept?
b)
What specific
lessons does the passage of Matityahu 17:24-27 teaches in the Midrashic style
concerning the Holy Half-Shekel?
4. The bronze for the “Laver of brass” and its foot was
supplied from the bronze mirrors of the women who voluntarily gave up these
articles of luxury. Bronze mirrors were much used by the ancient Egyptians. No
hint is given in the Torah text as to the form of the laver. The brazen sea and
the ten lavers that served the same purpose in the temple of Solomon, were
elaborately worked in artistic designs and are minutely described 1Kings 7:23-29.
a)
Why were these
bronze mirrors so special to the Israeli women and to the history of
b)
This being so,
what is the connection between these bronze mirrors, and the purpose for which
the laver was used?
c)
The “Laver of
Brass” is symbolic of the Jewish Mikveh (Baptistry). If so, according to the
Jewish Bible how many kinds of baptisms (full immersions in water) are
indicated?
5. The command of the Holy Half-Shekel is sandwiched
between the command to build the altar of incense and the command to build the
laver of brass. What is the significance of this?
Monday September 4, 2006 Tehillim
Reading: Psalm 64
Contents of the Psalm
Poetic Justice for Evil Tongues
Having
prayed for protection from those who conspire against him, and having depicted
their malicious schemes for the destruction of the innocent, the Messiah King
David anticipates the intervention of G-d to turn the scheme upon the schemers
causing terror amongst the lawless and joy in those who are righteous/generous
1.
Messiah King
David prays for protection from those who conspire against him – vv. 1-2
2.
Messiah King
David characterizes his enemies, depicting their malicious schemes for the
destruction of the innocent – vv. 3-6
- Messiah King David prophesies the intervention of
G-d who will turn the destructive scheme upon the schemers themselves,
causing great terror among the unrighteous but great joy among the
righteous/generous – vv. 7-10
Questions for study and
analysis:
1. “Preserve my life from fear of the enemy” (v.1) - Either Saul or Absalom is being alluded to
here. Messiah King David prayed that his life might be made so secure that he
would not have occasion to be afraid of his enemy, or he prayed that his life
many never fear the enemy.
a)
Which of the two
interpretations of this text do you think is more appropriate?
b)
It appears from
experience that we will always be confronted with enemies what should be our
attitude when facing this issue?
c)
What is in the
mechanism of “fear” that is so lethal as taught in the Scriptures?
2. “You (G-d) will hide me from the secret counsel of
evil-doers, from the tumultuous crowd of the workers of lawlessness” (v.2)
a)
Why “hide me”?
Why not “give me victory over”?
b)
Why is G-d in the
business of hiding everything that is of worth from the general public and from
evildoers?
3. “But G-d shall shoot an arrow at them; their wounds
shall suddenly appear” (64:7) – The blows which they thought to give to others
would come on themselves, and this would occur at an unexpected moment. This, following the universal principle that
one reaps what one sows, why then do some people go on about life ignoring this
well proven principle?
4. “So they shall be confounded; their tongue falls upon
themselves; everyone seeing them shall flee” (64:8 – compare with v.3). What is
ultimately the problem with “Lashon Hara” (speaking evil about your fellowman)?
5. What concept or point in our Torah Seder of Exodus
30:1-38 served as inspiration for Messiah King David to write this Psalm as a
Midrashic commentary?
Tuesday September 5, 2006 Ordinary
Ashlamatah Reading: Malachi 1:11 – 2:7
Questions
for study and analysis:
1.
How is Malachi
1:11 interpreted by the text of Yochanan (John) 4:21-24?
2.
“for My name will
be great among the gentiles, says Ha-Shem of Armies” (1:1). “name” in Hebrew
can mean either (1) characteristic prophetic role, or (2) authority. Having this
in mind, and looking at the contexts of this verse,
a)
To what extent
has this prophecy come to pass, and what is still remaining in its total
fulfillment?
b)
What events and
forces have inhibited the complete fulfillment of this verse?
c)
Why is the name
“Ha-Shem of Armies” connected with this prophecy? Why not, for example, the
name “G-d Almighty”?
3.
“But cursed be a
deceiver …” (1:14). All who have vowed, should learn hence, that what they have
vowed should be given to G-d, entire, manly, the most perfect, the very best.
For, reverence for the Supreme and Divine Majesty to whom they consecrate
themselves demands this, that they should offer Him the highest, very best and
most perfect, making themselves a whole-burnt-offering to G-d. How does Romans
12:1-2 addresses this matter?
- “My covenant with him was life
and peace, and I gave them to him for fear; and he feared Me,
and he is put in awe before My name. The Law of truth was in
his mouth, and lawlessness was not found in his lips. In peace
and in justice/generosity he walked with Me, and he turned
many from lawlessness. For the lips of the priest should guard
knowledge, and they should seek the Law from his mouth; for he
is the messenger of Ha-Shem of Armies” (2:5-7).
a)
Here we find a
concise shopping list of traits that should be fully dwelling in a Torah
Scholar, can you enumerate them?
b)
According to
these three verses what is so special of these Torah Scholars, that they should
merit our total obedience, allegiance and support to them?
5.
What caught the
eye of the prophet in our Torah Seder of
Exodus 30:1-38, that served as a platform for this prophecy?
Wednesday September 6,
2006 Special Ashlamatah Reading: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22
For the
sixth Sabbath of the Consolation of Israel
Questions for study and
analysis:
1. “Arise, shine” (Hebrew: קוּמִי
אוֹרִי – “Qumi Ori”). This
is evidently addressed to
2. “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and
gross darkness the gentiles. But Ha-Shem will rise on you, and His glory will
be seen on you” (60:2). This is designed to turn the attention to the fact that
all the gentiles will be enveloped in deep spiritual night.
a)
This passage
speaks of הַחֹשֶׁךְ
“Ha-Hoshekh” (“the darkness”) and then it procedes to mention וַעֲרָפֶל "VaA'arafel”
(“and gross darkness”). Are these two kinds of darkness the one and the same?
And what do these point to?
b)
“and
His glory shall be seen upon you” - וּכְבוֹדוֹ
עָלַיִךְ
יֵרָאֶה “UKh’vodo
A’alayikh Year’eh.” What does this
precisely entails?
3. וְהָלְכוּ
גוֹיִם,
לְאוֹרֵךְ – V’Hal’khu Goyim L’Orekh – (“And gentiles
will walk by your light” – 60:3) i.e. the Gentiles will accept and live the
Halakhah of your light. What are the precise implications of this statement?
4. וְשַׂמְתִּי
פְקֻדָּתֵךְ
שָׁלוֹם,
וְנֹגְשַׂיִךְ
צְדָקָה – “V’Sham’ti P’qudatekh Shalom, V’nog’sayikh Ts’daqah” – (“I
will also make your Paqidim (officers) peace, and righteousness/generosity your
magistrates” – 60:17). According to this statement what is the chief objective
of the office of a Paqid, and of a Hakham?
5. According to v.18 is this speaking of a future reality
or a progressive one which is ours to make with the help of G-d?
Thursday September 7, 2006
Midrash
of Matityahu (Matthew) 10:40-42
Rabbi’s translation:
40. ¶ He who receives (welcomes and accepts) you
[Hakhamim] receives (welcomes and accepts) me (the Messiah), and he who
receives (welcomes and accepts) me (the Messiah) receives and welcomes and
accepts Him (G-d) Who sent me.
41. He who receives (welcomes and accepts) a prophet
because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives
(welcomes and accepts) a Tsadiq (righteous/generous man) because he is a Tsadiq
will receive a Tsadiq's reward.
42. And whoever gives to one of these little [in rank or
influence] Talmidim even a cup of cold water because he is may Talmid, Amen! I
declare to you, he will not lose his reward.
Questions for study and
analysis:
1.
The Hebrew word
for “receive” is “Qibel” like in Mishnah Pirqe Abot 1:1 – “Mosheh Qibel Torah
MiSinai” (Moses received the Torah from Sinai). This is also the root for
Qabalah – i.e. “that which is received.” Twice is this verb mentioned in the
above pericope. Taking into consideration the context in which this word
appears what are the implications of this pericope?
2.
Why did the
Master of Nazareth prophetically called his Talmidim (postgraduate advanced law
students) “little”?
3.
Three rewards are
mentioned here – that of a Hakham, that of a prophet, and that of a Talmid
(Nazarean Law student). Notice the order and ranking. What is this significance
of this and implications?
4.
In the Hebraic
mind-set, what does it mean and entail “to receive”?
5.
What caught the
eye of Matityahu (Matthew) in our Torah Seder
of Exodus 30:1-38, that served as a platform for this statement?
Friday September 8, 2006 Tying All Ends Together – The Prophetic
Statement
3. What is the common thread that binds our Torah Seder
of Exodus 30:1-38, with Psalm 64, Malachi 1:11 – 2:7, Isaiah 60:1-22, and
Matityahu 10:40-42?
4. What prophetic statement is common to all of these
readings? And how is that prophetic statement applicable to us today?
Now we are ready for G-d to speak to us this coming
Shabbat at the congregational level and as individual families. May we be good
hearers of G-d’s Word, and thorough doers of it. Amen ve amen!
“Pray for the peace of
Peace be within your walls; prosperity in your towers.
Because of my brothers and my companions, I will now
say, Peace be in you.
Because of the house of Ha-Shem, our God, I will seek
your good.”
Psalm 122:6-9