Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

 

 

Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times: See: https://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.htm

 

Roll of Honor:

 

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Honor Paqid Adon Tzuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Gibora bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

Her Excellency Giberet Leah bat Sarah & beloved mother

His Excellency Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Rut bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Michael ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Sheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Robert Dick & beloved wife HE Giberet Cobena Dick

His Excellency Adon Ovadya ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Mirit bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Brad Gaskill and beloved wife Cynthia Gaskill

His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham

His Excellency Adon Ya’aqob ben David

His Excellency Adon Bill Haynes and beloved wife HE Giberet Diane Haynes

 

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that GOD’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!

 

Also a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.

 

Blessings Before Torah Study

 

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

 

Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

 

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

 

Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:

 

May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and grant you peace. – Amen!

 

This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."

 

These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when doing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

 

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honouring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

 

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

 

We pray for her Excellency Giberet Miriam bat Sarah, Mi Shebeirach; May He how blessed our ure and holy matriarchs Sarah, Rivka, Rahel and Leah, Miriam the prophetess, Avigayil and Esther daughter of Avihiyil- may he bless and heal Giberet Miriam bat Sarah and may He send her a complete recovery to her 252 organs and her 365 sinews. Please heal her, please heal her, please heal her and strengthen her and return her to her original strength. May He send her a complete recovery of her body and her soul from the heavens among the other sick of Yisrael, and we will say Amen ve amen!

 

A Prayer for Israel

 

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

 

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

 

Shabbat: “B’Rosh” – “On the Head”

&

Sixth Sabbath of Consolation

 

 

Contents of the Torah Seder

 

· Miraculous Leprosy on Head and Face – Leviticus 13:29-44

· Treatment of One with Miraculous Leprosy – Leviticus 13:45-46

· Miraculous Leprosy on Garments – Leviticus 13:47-59

 

 

Welcome to the World of Pshat Exegesis

 

In order to understand the finished work of the Pshat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the Pshat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised and an answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.

 

The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows

[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:

 

1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.

2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.

3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain the provision in question.

4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages.

5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the general.

6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.

7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.

 

Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12. Deduction from the context.

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

 

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

 

Reading Assignment

 

 

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 13:29-59

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 13:29-59

 

29 on the head or on the beard [area] Scripture comes to distinguish between a lesion in a place where hair grows and a lesion in a place of flesh, namely, that in one [case, i.e., on flesh], the sign [of uncleanness] is white hair, while in the other [case, i.e., on the area of hair], the sign [of uncleanness] is golden-yellow hair.-[Torath Kohanim 5:5]

 

30 and in it is a... golden-yellow hair [meaning] that the black hair in it has turned golden-yellow.

 

It is a nethek This is the name of the lesion [of tzara’ath when it occurs] on an area of [skin where] hair [grows].

 

31 and there is no black hair in it Thus, if there was black hair inside it, he is clean and does not require quarantine, for black hair in a nethek is a sign of cleanness, as the verse (37) says, "or if black hair has grown in it, [the nethek has healed; it is clean]."[Torath Kohanim 13:125].

 

32 And, behold! the nethek did not spread Thus, if [the nethek] did spread, or if it had golden-yellow hair in it, he is unclean.

 

33 he shall shave himself around the nethek.

 

but adjacent to the nethek he shall not shave [I.e.,] he shall leave two hairs close to it all around, in order that any spread of the nethek will be discernible, so that, if it spreads, it will pass the hairs and go out to the shaven area.-[Torath Kohanim 13:133]

 

35 after he has been declared clean From here, we know only that [the lesion is pronounced unclean] if it spreads after dismissal. How do we know [that it is unclean if it spreads] at the end of the first week [of quarantine] or at the end of the second week [of quarantine]? Because Scripture [uses a double expression and] says, פָּשׂה יִפְשֶׂה, “it spreads,” [denoting that he is unclean if it spreads] in any case.-[Torath Kohanim 13:134]

 

37 black hair How do we know that even yellow or red [hair], which are not golden-yellow? Because Scripture says, [שָׁחֹר] וְשֵׂעָר [lit., “ and black hair,” but here meaning, “ or if black hair.” Instead of using the expected אוֹ, “or,” the Torah used וְ, an inclusive term, which comes to include yellow and red hair in the nethek as signs of cleanness, just like black hair. See Be’er Basadeh] (Torath Kohanim 13:137). The term צָהֹב means: resembling the appearance of gold (Torath Kohanim 13:122). צָהֹב is the same as זָהֹב, golden [because צ and ז are interchangeable], orable in Old French, gold-colored, or orpale, pale gold.

 

he is clean. So the kohen shall pronounce him clean- But, an unclean person whom the kohen pronounces clean, is not clean. -[Torath Kohanim 13:140]

 

38 spots — Heb. בֶּהָרֹת, spots.

 

39 dim white I.e., their whiteness is not bright, but dim.

 

it is a bohak Like the whiteness that appears on the flesh of a red man, called ros [in Old French, rosso in Italian], between the areas of his redness [i.e., flesh color]. This [white pigmentation] is called בֹּהַק, just like a freckled man, whose skin between one freckle and another shines brightly (מַבְהִיק) with pure whiteness.

 

40 he is bald. He is clean Clean of the uncleanness of nethek lesions (Torath Kohanim ; Baraitha of Rabbi Ishmael 1:5). I.e., this case is not judged by the signs of the head and beard, which are places of hair (see verses 2937). Rather, [it is judged] by the signs of a lesion on the skin of the flesh, namely: 1) white hair, 2) healthy flesh, and 3) spread.

41 at the front of his head [The area] from the slope of the crown toward one’s face is called גַּבַּחַת ‚ “forehead,” and included in this are the temples on either side as well. [The area] from the slope of the crown toward one’s back is called קָרַחַת, the “back of the head.”-[Torath Kohanim 13:144].

 

42 a reddish-white lesion blended [of red and white]. How do we know [that the lesion is also unclean if it has] other colors? Because Scripture says, “like the appearance of tzara’ath on the skin of the flesh” (verse 43), i.e., appearing like the tzara’ath dealt with in the passage of [lesions of the] skin of the flesh, [which begins with] “If a man has [se’eith, sapachat or bahereth] on the skin of his flesh” (verse 13:2). And what is stated regarding it [i.e., regarding a lesion on the skin]? That one becomes unclean through [it, if it appears as one of] four shades [namely: 1) the snow-white of bahereth ; 2) the white as “lime of the Holy Temple” of the secondary form (sapachat) of bahereth ; 3) the white as white wool of se’eith ; and 4) the white as a “membrane that covers an egg” of the secondary (sapachat) form of se’eith (Nega’im 1:1), and that it is judged with [a possible] two weeks [of quarantine], and not like the appearance of tzara’athstated concerning inflamed areas and burns, which is judged with [only] one [possible] week [of quarantine], and is also unlike the appearance of nethek lesions, [which are tzara’ath found] in hairy places, which do not become unclean through the four shades [as above].

 

44 His lesion is on his head I know only that [these laws apply to those stricken with] nethek lesions [the tzara’ath of the head]. From where [do I know] to include other afflicted people? Therefore, Scripture says: טַמֵּא יְטַמְּאֶנּוּ, shall surely pronounce him unclean. [The double expression comes] to include them all. Concerning them all, Scripture says: “ his garments shall be torn...” (verses 4546). -[Torath Kohanim 13:154]

 

45 torn Heb. פְרֻמִים, torn.-[Mo’ed Katan 15a]

 

unshorn Heb. פָּרוּעַ, with hair grown long.-[Mo’ed Katan 15a]

 

He shall cover himself down to his mustache like a mourner.-[Torath Kohanim 13:154]

 

mustache Heb. שָָׂפָם, the hair on the lips (שְׂפָתַיִם) [i.e., the mustache], grenon in Old French.

 

and he shall call out," Unclean! Unclean!" He announces that he is unclean, so that everyone should stay away from him.-[Torath Kohanim 13:155]

 

46 He shall dwell isolated [meaning] that other unclean people [not stricken with tzara’ath] shall not abide with him. Our Sages said: "Why is he different from other unclean people, that he must remain isolated? Since, with his slander, he caused a separation [i.e., a rift] between man and wife or between man and his fellow, he too, shall be separated [from society]."-[Arachin 16b] [This rationale is based on the premise that a person is stricken with tzara’ath as a result of his talking לְשׁוֹן הָרַע, i.e., speaking derogatorily of others, although he may be telling the truth.]

 

outside the camp Outside the three camps [of Israel, namely: 1) the camp of the Shechinah, in which the Mishkan was located; 2) the Levite camp, and 3) the camp of the Israelites].-[Torath Kohanim 13:157; Pes. 67a]

 

48 of linen or of wool Heb. לַפִּשְׁתִּים וְלַצָּמֶר, of linen or of wool. [Here the ל, usually meaning “to,” means “of.”]

 

or the leather This [refers to] leather upon which no work has been performed.

 

or anything made from leather This [refers] to leather upon which work has been performed.

 

49 deep green Heb. יְרַקְרַק, the greenest of greens.-[Torath Kohanim 13:161]

 

deep red - אֲדַמְדָָּם the reddest of reds. - [Torath Kohanim 13:161]

 

51 a malignant tzara’th Heb. צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת, an expression similar to “a pricking briar (סִלּוֹן מַמְאִיר), (Ezek. 28:24),” poñant in Old French, stinging, pricking. The midrashic explanation is: Place a curse (מְאֵרָה) upon it [the item afflicted with tzara’ath] that you will not derive benefit from it. [Torath Kohanim 13:166]

 

52 of wool or of linen Heb. בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים, of wool or of linen. [The ב, which usually means “in,” here means “of.”] This is its simple meaning. Its midrashic explanation is, however: [The words, וְשָָׂרַף אֶת בֶּגֶד..בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים, can be understood literally, as: “And he shall burn the garment...in the wool or in the linen.” Thus,] one might think that [when burning the unclean garment,] one is required to bring wool shearings and stalks of flax and burn them along with it. Scripture, therefore, says [at the end of this verse], “for it... ; it shall be burned in fire. ” [I.e., it alone] it does not require anything else [to be burned] along with it. If so, why does Scripture say, "in the wool or the linen"? To exclude [from the requirement of burning] the edges (אִימְרִיּוֹת) if they are of another material (Torath Kohanim 13:167). אִימְרִיּוֹת means “edges,” like אִימְרָא, border.

 

54 what the lesion is upon One might think that [one need wash] the area of the lesion alone. Scripture, therefore, says, “what the lesion is upon,” [meaning, the garment upon which the lesion is found. But if so,] one might think that the entire garment requires washing. Scripture, therefore, says, “[after] the lesion [has been washed],” (verse 55) [teaching us that only the lesion must be washed, not the entire garment]. So how [do we reconcile this apparent discrepancy]? He must wash part of the garment with it.-[see Torath Kohanim 13:169]

 

55 after [the lesion] has been washed Heb. הֻכַּבֵּס. This is an expression of “having been done,” [i.e., the passive voice].

 

the lesion has not changed in appearance i.e., it has not become dimmer in color.

 

and the lesion has not spread We understand that if the lesion neither changed [in color] nor spread, it is unclean, and it goes without saying that if it did not change in color but did spread, [it is unclean]. If it changed in color [but still was a shade that makes it unclean] yet did not spread, we do not know what one should do with it. Therefore, Scripture says, “he shall quarantine [the article with] the lesion” (verse 50), in any case. That is what Rabbi Judah says. [However,] the Sages say [that since the change in color was still within the unclean shades, the lesion is not considered to be changed at all; it is the same lesion that has already had two weeks of quarantine, and is now deemed definitely unclean], as is stated in Torath Kohanim (13:171). I have alluded to [only a portion of] this [Midrash] here in order to explain all the different aspects of this verse.

 

it is a penetrating lesion Heb. פְּחֶתֶת הִוא. [This expression] denotes holes [i.e., penetrations], as the verse says, “in one of the pits (פְּחָתִים) ” (II Sam. 17:9). That is to say, [in this context it means that the lesion] is deep, [i.e.,] it appears as if it is sunken.-[Torath Kohanim 13:172]

 

on the worn or new [article] - בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: בִּשְׁחִיקוּתֵיהּ אוֹ בְּחַדְתּוּתֵהּ, “in its worn state or in its new state.”

 

the worn Heb. בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ. Old, worn out garments, and because of the midrashic explanation, that this language is necessary for a גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה here [i.e., a link between two seemingly unrelated passages through common terms, thereby inferring the laws of one passage from the laws of the other, as follows]: How do we know that if a lesion on a garment spreads [throughout the entire garment], it is clean? Because [Scripture] states קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת in the context of [lesions that appear on] man (verse 42), and here, in the context of [lesion on] garments, [Scripture] also states קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת ; just as there [in the case of lesions on man], if it spread over the entire body, he is clean (verses 1213), so too, here, [in the case of lesion on garments,] if it spread over the entire garment, it is clean (San. 88a), Scripture adopts the [unusual] expressions קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת. However, concerning the explanation and translation [of these terms], the simple meaning is that קָרַחַת means “old” and גַּבַּחַת means “new.” It is as though it were written, “[It is a lesion on] its end or its beginning,” for קָרַחַת means “back” [i.e., at the end of the garment’s life, when it is old,] and גַּבַּחַת means “front” [i.e., the beginning of its life, when it is new]. This is just as is written, “And if [he loses hair] at the front of his head, [he is bald at the front (גַּבַּח)]” (verse 41). And קָרַחַתrefers from the crown toward his back. Thus it is explained in Torath Kohanim (13: 144).

 

56 he shall tear it He shall tear the afflicted area from the garment and burn that area [of garment].-[Torath Kohanim 13:174]

 

57 it is a recurrent growth - פֹּרַחַת, something that grows recurrently.

 

You shall burn it in fire the entire garment.

 

58 and the lesion disappears from them If, after they first washed [the article] by order of the kohen, the lesion disappeared completely from it... [then]

 

shall be immersed a second time [The word וְכֻבַּס in this verse] means immersion [in a mikvah. See Torath Kohanim 13:179]. In Targum [Onkelos], the translation of all the instances of כִּבּוּס in this whole section is “to cleanse, clean” (וְיִתְחַוֵּר), with this one exception [in our verse]. Here the meaning is not “cleansing” but rather “immersion [in a mikvah].” Thus Targum [Onkelos] here [in translating the word וְכֻבַּס] says וְיִצְטַבַּע, “and it shall be immersed.” Likewise, wherever the כִבּוּסof garments refers to immersion [in a mikvah], it is translated in the Targum as וְיִצְטַבַּע.

 

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 78:56-72

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Tehillim (Psalms) 78:56-72

 

56 Yet they tried and provoked during the days of the judges.

 

57 like a deceitful bow which does not shoot the arrow to the place the archer wishes.

 

61 He delivered His might into captivity He delivered the Ark and the tablets into the hands of the Philistines.

 

63 Fire consumed his youths [The fire of] His wrath.

 

were not married Heb. לא הוללו. They were not married by being brought into a litter [under] a canopy because the youths died in battle. הוּלָלוּ is an expression of nuptials (הִלוּלָא) in Aramaic. Our Sages, however, explained it in reference to Nadab and Abihu (Mid. Ps. 78:18), but I feel uncertain about explaining it that way because he already commenced with the Tabernacle of Shiloh.

 

64 His priests fell by the sword Hophni and Phinehas.

 

but his widows did not weep Even his widow was not allowed to bewail him, for she too died on the day of the tidings, as it is said (I Sam. 4:19): “And she knelt and gave birth, for her pains had suddenly come upon her.”

 

65 shouting Heb. מתרונן, awaking and strengthening himself with speech to awaken from his wine.

 

66 And He smote His adversaries from the rear Plagues of the rear with hemorrhoids, which is a disgrace of perpetual ridicule for them.

 

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph That is Shiloh, which is in Joseph’s territory.

 

69 And He built His Sanctuary like the high heavens, etc. Like the heavens and the earth, about which two hands are mentioned, as it is stated (Isa. 48: 13): “Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens with handbreadths.” Also the Temple was with two hands, as it is said (Exod. 15:17): “Your hands established.” (Cf. Mechilta, Shirah 10, Keth. 5a, Rashi to Exod. 15:17.) Another explanation:

 

And He built His Sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth He established it Just as heaven and earth have no substitute, neither does the Temple have a substitute in which to let the Shechinah rest.

 

70 and took him from the sheepcotes Heb. ממכלאתצאן, from the stalls of the sheep, as (Hab. 3:16): “The flock will be cut off from the fold (ממכלה).”

 

71 From behind the nursing ewes He brought him For he would shepherd the nursing ewes for his father, because he was merciful and would bring the kids first and feed them the upper tips of the grasses, which are tender. Then after them he would bring out the he-goats, who would eat the middle of the grasses, and afterwards, he would bring out the older ones, who would eat the roots. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “This one is fit to shepherd My people.”

 

Meditation from the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) ‎‎78:40-72

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

 

This is the fourth week that we are examining Psalms chapter 78. I want to reiterate the opening from last week as we look at the fourth and last part of Psalms chapter 78.

 

The superscription of this psalm ascribes authorship to Assaf. The Talmud says that any psalm that begins with the word “Maskil”, which comes from the word that means enlightenment, was made public and explained to the entire people by a skilled interpreter and orator.^[1] This, of course, meant the message was seminal to the survival of the Jewish people and Torah tradition.

 

In this composition, the psalmist surveys the history of Israel from the bondage in Egypt until the reign of King David. The events of this period, spanning more than 400 years, do not seem to follow any apparent order. However, the discerning student of Jewish history quickly discovers that the varied events of these four centuries all stem from a single source: HaShem’s desire that His holy Torah should be the supreme authority over Israel. HaShem humbled the Jews as slaves in Egypt so that they would be prepared to accept the exclusive sovereignty of the Torah at Sinai. HaShem then settled them as an independent nation in the Holy Land, so that He might appoint a monarch who would rule the Jewish people in the name of the Torah. The monarch whom God chose was David. David’s son Solomon built the Bet HaMikdash, the sacred Temple in which HaShem’s Torah was enshrined and venerated as the supreme law.

 

But the authority of David did not go unchallenged. From the earliest times, the powerful tribe of Ephraim, the heir of royal line of Joseph, demanded dominion. They were proud that Yehoshua ben Nun, the conqueror of the land, was from the tribe of Ephraim and that the Tabernacle had been situated in Shiloh, in the territory of Ephraim, for 369 years.^[2]

 

Even when the spiritual and political capital of Israel transferred to Jerusalem, Ephraim did not forget its former glory. Yeravam ben Nevat of Ephraim arose to challenge Solomon. He eventually caused the ten tribes to secede from Judean rule; these tribes were known collectively as Ephraim.

 

Malbim and Hirsch explain that this psalm is a firm proclamation that HaShem recognizes none but David and his seed as the true Torah rulers of all Israel: Moreover, He abhorred the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim; But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which He loved.^[3]

 

The next historical period that is addressed by our psalm is the rebellions of Israel during the period of the judges. The pattern of rebellion follows very much the same pattern that we saw last week with the ten trials. In fact, the period of the Judges was so bad that HaShem summarized the period, from the last pasuk of Shoftim (Judges):

 

Shoftim (Judges) 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

 

This was a stunning indictment of the Jewish attitude of this period. In many ways, this is also a summary of many Jews and Christians today. We are commanded to do what is right in HaShem’s eyes, not our own. HaShem’s vision of the “right things to do” are embodied in the written and the oral Torah. HaShem is interested in a relationship, not a bunch of independent, “do your own thing” followers. He abandoned his tabernacle^[4] and both Temples because they were no longer focusing our attention on this relationship, as we can see in His reason for the Tabernacle:

 

Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell in them.

 

HaShem has designed a world for us to dwell with Him. He is not interested in dwelling in a stone building. HaShem has repeatedly chastised us when we lost sight of this goal. When we returned to Him, then He healed us and restored us. In our generation, we are seeing such a proliferation of Torah knowledge that it is hard to fathom and keep up with. Yet, our problem remains the same: We still want things our own way.

 

If you are paying attention, it is possible to see the effects that our sin is having on us;^[5] we can see the descent of the generations.^[6] The Talmud begins to describe the Torah aspect of this decline:

 

Shabbath 112b R. Zera said in Raba b. Zimuna's name: If the earlier [scholars] were sons of angels, we are sons of men; and if the earlier [scholars] were sons of men, we are like asses, and not [even] like asses of R. Hanina b. Dosa and R. Phinehas b. Jair, but like other asses.

 

Consider the following:

 

1. A good concert is no longer about sublime notes in harmony with a melody, but rather music is all about an exceedingly loud noise with lyrics that can no longer be understood. Music has become a cacophony. A modern concert almost demands that nude women be paraded across the stage, rather than musicians wearing tuxedos.
2. When an artist paints a picture, he has to tell us what we are looking at because it bears no resemblance to anything except splashes of paint. There was a time that when an artist painted a bowl of fruit, that you were tempted to take one and eat it.
3. In architecture, we no longer have symmetry and balance, such as we see in almost every living creature. We now have a hodgepodge of rooms just thrown together. There was a time when all building were built with perfect symmetry.
4. We have decayed rapidly in our dress. When I was younger we always wore a suit and tie to work. Now we see that most folks wear jeans and a tee shirt. Early, 1950s, TV shows showed that no one ever went out in public without a hat. Now, hats are extremely rare.

 

At the same time,^[7] HaShem is trying to get our attention in the sciences. At the same time, we see a degradation in the arts, we are seeing an exponential rise in technological achievement.^[8] Things are happening so fast that it is impossible to keep up.

 

1. Today we casually connect to many folks with video conferencing machines that would be considered magic or even miraculous just two generations ago.
2. In medicine, we are seeing virtual miracles happening before our eyes. I read, a few weeks ago, of a single pill that cure pancreatic cancer. This form of cancer used to be a guaranteed death sentence.
3. In chemistry, we have created magical substances that have transformed our lives. Plastic, for example, has replaced metals, woods, ceramics, and glass in most applications. But this magical substance was invented in my lifetime!
4. In engineering, we have feats that boggle our imagination, much less those of previous generations. We have sent men to the moon and constructed satellites that have transformed our lives. We see super tankers and super buildings. We have cars that have revolutionized our lives for the better.
5. We have miracle fabrics that can keep us dry when everything around us is wet. Fabrics that keep us warm while being amazingly thin. Fabric colors that amaze.

 

Why this dichotomy? Why are we degrading in the arts while making miracles in the scientific world? What is going on? The answer is found in the book of Daniel:

 

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

 

We are living in the end of the age where knowledge is increasing.^[9] While we advance in the physical realms, we are regressing in the spiritual sides of our lives. Yet, science is also Torah! In fact, it is impossible to understand the Torah without extensive knowledge of the sciences.^[10] There was a time when these two arenas were joined together. Consider what Daniel said:

 

Daniel 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

 

Wisdom, in the above pasuk, always speaks of Torah wisdom. Knowledge always speaks of our connection to the wisdom. Thus, when one understands the sciences it is always from the wisdom of the Torah.

 

The Gaon of Vilna,^[11] in the late eighteenth century, was one of the first Torah giants,^[12] in modern history, to attempt to marry science and Torah again.^[13] He mastered the sciences to such an extent that scientists from all over the world came to him with their insoluble problems, and he solved them! He had so mastered the Torah that he could see the answers to scientific problems, because it was the Torah that created these sciences.

 

In our days, we are seeing the prophecies of Daniel coming to fruition. Torah knowledge is becoming so plentiful that even the poorest person has enough to be overwhelmed. This development is a sure sign of the end of the age. Just remember that we are going to be held accountable for what we could have learned. We will be held accountable for the deeds we could have performed with the Torah knowledge at our disposal. This is a marvelous age which carries great responsibilities. We are not here to go our own way, to test HaShem. We have a mission which is embodied in our names and the time of our birth. HaShem is in complete control of these things and He expects us to pay attention to the clues He gives us.

 

The work of Mashiach ben Yosef is to catch HaShem’s wave with our surf boards. We must ride this wave with skill and daring. We don’t have to complete this work, but neither are we exempt from starting the work and doing our part.^[14] Remember that because we know Mashiach ben Yosef,^[15] we have the responsibility to reveal Him to our brothers. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the first Mashiach ben Yosef:

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 47:7 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not.

 

There is a reason why Mashiach ben Yosef is hidden from His brothers, yet it is our mission to reveal Him. We can not do this without long hard hours of study. We must resist the urge to let our arts and dress descend into the abyss, and we must catch the ascending sciences and ride them to greater Torah knowledge. This is the Nazarean mission!

 

As I mentioned earlier, the last pasuk of the book of Judges contains a stunning indictment: Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.^[16] Yet, many ask: What is wrong with “doing what is right in our own eyes”? The problem is one of vision. Unless we have trained our eyes to see the world through HaShem’s eyes we will suffer from poor vision. We have to become so used to dealing with the world according to the Torah’s blueprint that we are not led astray by the ways of the world.

 

In case you haven’t noticed, our world has gone completely nuts! We have folks telling us that there are more than two genders, that we need to have a fifteen dollar an hour minimum wage, that the government can do things better than individuals or companies, and that Muslims are a peaceful people. This is utter nonsense! This is people doing what is right in their own eyes and completely missing HaShem’s ways.

 

HaShem tells us that in the beginning He created male and female. That’s right, there are just two genders. Any word to the contrary is nonsense and completely missing God’s teaching.

 

Striking for fifteen dollar an hour wage is to break the contract that provided you employment in the first place. If you are dissatisfied with your wage, then seek employment elsewhere. To strike for higher wages is to ensure that you will quickly be replaced by automation, or someone much wiser. The free market determines the wage, not a strike. The strikers may prevail in the short term, but in the long, term the free market will force its solution to your detriment.

 

An employer must be free to offer a wage that is commensurate with the value an emploee adds to the business. Disabled people might have no job except the employer is free to offer a smaller wage. To the disabled this might be a godsend that gives their life meaning. A minimum wage might mean no job and a sad person.

 

When the people first asked for a king, HaShem told them that they would bring many troubles on themselves through this king.

 

Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of HaShem unto the people that asked of him a king.11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and HaShem will not hear you in that day. 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

 

A quick perusal of the effects of government, from the above pasuk, show the government taking from the people. The people had a king to take them to war, but they would be the big losers. We need to make HaShem our king and let Him rule us according to the Torah. HaShem only gives, He never takes. All appearances to the contrary are the result of our cloudy vision.

 

A quick perusal of the wars and conflicts going on in the world today shows that, of the one hundred plus conflicts, all involve Muslims, with perhaps only a handful of exceptions. Islam is not a religion of peace. Islam is a religion of war and lawlessness.

 

So far, no worldly king has been able to stop the spread of the madness that is engulfing our world. In fact, the world’s kings have only exasperated the situation because every man is doing what is right in his own eyes. Without Torah to guide us, our own desires cloud our vision and lead us to lawlessness. The rebellions described in our chapter of Psalms is an apt description of the rebellions going on in our days.All the college ‘safe places’^[17] and ‘social justice warriors’^[18] will not bring us peace or safety, nor will they bring us closer to HaShem. The descent of our generations is indeed rapid. Time is short! Soon, HaShem will send us King David^[19] to restore our lost world.

 

Our section of chapter of Psalms contains the condemnation that should awaken even this generation.

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 78:60 And He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which He had made to dwell among men;

 

When we compare that to HaShem’s original plan we find a clear connection.

 

Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in them.

 

The Mishkan^[20] and the Temple were not merely places of prayer and service, but were actually the dwelling place of HaShem. It was a stunning declaration of the principle that HaShem’s interest is in man alone.

 

The commentaries point out that the verse does not say, “I will dwell inside it,” but rather “inside them”. What is the meaning of this unusual phrasing? To answer this question will require a bit of background. Let’s start by examining the act of marriage.

 

The act of marriage causes the man and the woman to become one flesh, as we see in the Torah:

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from HaShem.

 

And Adam knew Eve. This means that they were united on every possible level until they became “as one flesh”.

 

The Torah describes the mitzva of marital intimacy as onah, “a response to her”, implying that a man must attune himself to his wife and her desire for holiness in the marriage.

 

Adam HaRishon, before he sinned, had skin that was translucent like our finger nails, which incidentally, we remind ourselves of at Habdalah on Motzei Shabbat^[21] when we use the light of the fire to view our fingernails. Physical food and physical digestion were unnecessary, for Adam HaRishon, on his pre-sin level, received his life-sustaining Holy Sparks directly from HaShem through creation. Just like Moshe after he came down the mountain with his “glowing”.

 

Furthermore, on such a level, becoming “one flesh” with one’s wife was not physically impossible, but easy to do since the skin resembled light more than it did physical and obstructing flesh. Rashi’s pshat of such human unification taking place only through the children is a post-sin consequence, and obviously has many shortcomings.

 

Moreover, we see that the Jewish mystical tradition describes the union of a couple in marriage as the coming together of two half-souls. The physical union completes the expression of their total bond.

 

This act of becoming “one flesh”, or “knowing” creates, on a small but physical scale, what will be in the end of days. One could say, crudely, that in the act of marriage, Adam was the delivery system for his seed, his memories. What we understand from this is that the essential part of Adam, of man, is that which is inside the woman. She is the house and he is the dweller in the house!

 

When Jews marry, the woman walks seven times around the man in order to make herself into his house.

 

Hakham Shimshon Raphael Hirsh states that the Hebrew word for bride - kallah - means completion as in: “beyom kallot HaMishkan - the day the tabernacle was completed.” Thus, we see that the Mishkan (The Tabernacle, the Sanctuary) is a representation of the body of Mashiach. It is feminine in gender, and we are, the kallah, the bride.

 

Additionally, it is well known that the woman is the undisputed ruler over her house. She determines the colors of the fabrics and the wall coverings. She arranges the furniture, and she chooses where her family is to live. In this she proves that she IS the house.

 

The man dwells in the house in the same way he dwells in the woman during the act of marriage. In fact, if you ask a man where is his favorite place, he will tell you that his favorite place is inside his wife while engaged in the act of marriage. Sex gives him his place. During sex, a man is in his house.

 

In the same way, the sperm dwells in the egg. The egg, from the woman, is the “house” and the sperm, from the man, is the dweller in the house.

 

This explanation is all well and good, but what does it mean? The meaning is as profound as you can possibly imagine! Consider the following pasukim:

 

Bereshit (Genesis) 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

 

Romans 8:1-8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Mashiach Yeshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Mashiach Yeshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

This leads us to the following understanding: Adam as an androgynous^[22] being had a feminine body and a masculine soul. I say that he was androgynous in both body and soul, but, the male dominated the soul and the female dominated the body. In the act of marriage, man becomes the soul and woman becomes the body. This has profound implications!

 

Midrash Rabbah - Leviticus XIV:1 Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachman said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the first man, he created him an hermaphrodite. Rabbi Levi said: When man was created, he was created with two body fronts, and He sawed him in two, so that two backs resulted, one back for the male and another for the female. An objection was raised: “And He took one of his ribs” (Bereshit 2:21). He answered: The word should be rendered “of his sides,” as it is written: “And for the second side of the tabernacle” (Shemot 26:20)

 

We find that many mitzvot are commanded solely to the man, while others are the domain of the woman: a husband and wife, our sages explain, embody the two halves of a single soul; the deeds of each contribute to their common soul’s fulfillment of both the “masculine” and “feminine” elements of its mission in life.

 

Consider also that the body of Mashiach is feminine and will be the bride of HaShem. Now we know that Mashiach has a bride too. This means that Mashiach ben David will become the second Adam when he mates with Israel his bride:

 

I Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

 

As the first man was androgynous, so the last Adam will be androgynous. This androgynous Adam will then become the bride of HaShem, as we see in Yehezekel (Ezekiel) 16.

 

When HaShem marries His bride, she will be His House and He will dwell in her. He will be the soul and she will be the body, so to speak.

 

On Tisha B’Ab, when we mourn the destruction of the Temple, let us remember that the Temple was a physical representation of reality. It was NOT the reality! The reality is the body of Mashiach with HaShem dwelling in His people, as it says:

 

Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 “They shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them.”

 

Matityahu (Matthew) 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one (Mashiach) greater than the temple.

 

Yochanan (John) 2:19 Yeshua answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

 

HaShem has asked us to bring what is needed to build His dwelling place. We are not looking to create a building made of inanimate stones, but rather a Temple of living stones (the body of Mashiach).

 

1 Tsefet (Peter) 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Yeshua HaMashiach.

 

We are commanded to form a living structure in which HaShem will dwell. How do we do this?

 

To answer this question, we must take a look at what was required of the physical components that made up the sanctuary. Those things which were used as the building blocks for the sanctuary were required to be new stones. Stones that had not been used for altars to other gods. Additionally, these stones needed to be fashioned without using metal implements. Since metal was used for war and killing, it was not suitable for forming the building blocks used in HaShem’s house.

 

From a close examination of what went into forming the stones, we can see that the people who make up the lively stones, must also be formed properly. What does it mean to be formed?

 

To answer this question involves a bit of self-examination. First, we must ask: What is a natural stone, a natural man? Surely, we must say that the natural man is described in detail as:

 

I Corinthians 2:13-14 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

A natural man is a man who can not receive the things of HaShem. It follows that a man who is properly formed, and is no longer “natural”, is a man who discerns the wisdom of HaShem. Wisdom is the word used through out the Tanach^[23] as the epitome of Torah. Thus, we would say that a properly formed man is a man of Torah study and Torah deeds.

 

Now a man of Torah deeds will be properly formed. To the extent that he avoids bloodshed, to that extent he is a stone formed without metal implements.

 

Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 “They shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them.”

 

Let us pursue Torah and its deeds in order that we might build the lively stones, the stones of the final sanctuary, the body of Mashiach. Let us prepare now for intimacy with HaShem

 

Please remember that our Sages have taught that the Temple was destroyed because Jew hated Jew without cause. This hatred pulled the lively stones apart. When the lively stones were broken this was reflected in the stones of the physical Temple being pulled apart and destroyed. The goal of the Torah is the building up of the lively stones into the body of Mashiach in order that we might be a fitting place for HaShem to dwell.

 

HaShem desires to dwell in His People. Without lives that conform to the Torah pattern, the Shechinah^[24] cannot dwell in us. We must make ourselves into fit vessels for HaShem. He showed us the pattern on the mountain. He gave us the Mishkan as a physical example of this pattern. Finally, He gave us wise men, Hakhamim, to build us up and teach us the way.

 

Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:20 – 8:3 + 9:6

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary to: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:20 – 8:3 + 9:6

 

20 the Lord shall shave with the great razor Heb. (שְּׂכִירָה), comp. (Jer. 46: 21) “Also its officers (שְׂכִירֶיהָ) in its midst,” which Jonathan renders: its great ones.

 

on the other side of the river Of those who dwell on the other side of the river, and of which of those dwellers? The king of Assyria, the head He will shave and the hair of the legs. Since it is in the construct state, it is voweled with a ‘pattach,’ (שַׂעַר) instead of (שֵׂעָר).

 

shall be entirely removed Will be destroyed. The shaving is the slaying, and the razor is the sword.

 

the head This symbolizes the king.

 

the legs [This symbolizes] his camps [from Jonathan].

 

the beard [This symbolizes] the governors [from Jonathan]. But our Rabbis said that this literally refers to shaving, and the removal of the beard is by singeing it with fire. “The beard” refers to the beard of Sennacherib, as is found in the Aggadah of the chapter entitled, ‘Chelek.’

 

21 a man shall keep alive and since the land will be empty, for the armies will pillage the livestock, and in the few that remain I will give a blessing.

 

22 And it shall be, because of the plentiful milk that these two sheep will produce, they will despise the milk and eat the cream, which is the fat of the milk.

 

everyone left The righteous who were saved from the sword of Sennacheribhe is bringing them good news, that sustenance will be prepared for them after that desolation.

 

23 And it shall come to pass on that day that the land will be desolate, there will be a place where there were, before the coming of the armies.

 

a thousand vines worth a thousand pieces of silver will be for the worms and the thorns, for their owners will abandon them and flee, and they will be overgrown by thorns and worms and scorpions.

 

24 With arrows and with a bow shall one come there Everyone who wishes to enter therein, will require a bow and arrows in his hand, to save himself from wild beasts, snakes, and scorpions.

 

25 And all the mountains where there are wheat fields fit for grain.

 

that will be dug with a spade It is a kind of shovel called fosojjr in O.F.

 

the fear of worms and thorns For in them they will engage to sow grain for food, for it is impossible without grain, but the vines will be neglected, for that generation of Hezekiah will return to Me to engage in the Torah, and not to drink wine, as it is [stated] in [the chapter of] “Chelek” (San. 94b): They searched from Dan to Beer-sheba, and did not find any man who was not well-versed in the laws of prohibition and permissibility and ritual defilement and purity. And concerning that generation, Scripture says: And it shall come to pass, that every place, etc. This is what is stated (Prov. 25:1): “Which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, strengthened.”

 

and it shall be for the pasture of oxen There their cattle will graze on fat pastureland.

 

Chapter 8

 

1 scroll Heb. גִּלְיוֹן, like מְגִלָה. ([Mss. add:] Or a tablet.)

 

in common script In script which any man who reads it can skim through quickly, even a very common man, even if he is not intelligent. In this manner Jonathan renders: in a distinct script.

 

to hasten loot, speed the spoils For Sennacherib to come and to loot all the possessions of the ten tribes and to speed Nebuchadnezzar to pillage Zedekiah and his generation.

 

2 And I will call to testify for Myself also in those days, in the days of Jehoiakim, concerning that calamity, destined to befall them, two trustworthy witnesses, one to foretell for them the evil that was destined to come upon them, viz. Uriah the priest, whom Jehoiakim dispatched, as it is said (Jer. 26:20): “And also a man was prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, and he prophesied concerning this city and concerning this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah.”

 

and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah who prophesied in the second year of Darius (Zech. 8:4): “Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.” Uriah is a sign for Zechariah. If you see that Uriah’s prophecy is fulfilled, you can expect that Zechariah’s will likewise be fulfilled, just as I have called to testify concerning Sennacherib, Amos and Isaiah; Amos for the calamity of the ten tribes (Amos 7: 11): “And Israel shall surely be exiled,” and Isaiah for his promise to Hezekiah (Isaiah 32,33) [when he would reign].

 

3 and she bore a son He is the very son whom the prophetess called Immanuel, since the Holy One, blessed be He, would be at the aid of Hezekiah when he would reign. [It is impossible to say that it was another son, for we learned [in Seder Olam ch. 22] that in the fourth year of Ahaz, this prophecy was said, and in the fourth year of Ahaz, Pekah was assassinated, and it is impossible for two children to be born in one year, one after the other.] And Isaiah his father called him Maher-shalal-hash-baz, because of the calamity destined to befall Rezin and the son of Remaliah, who were coming to wrest the kingdom from the House of David and to curtail the kingdom of Hezekiah.

 

Chapter 9

 

5 For a child has been born to us Although Ahaz is wicked, his son who was born to him many years ago [nine years prior to his assuming the throne] to be our king in his stead, shall be a righteous man, and the authority of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His yoke shall be on his shoulder, for he shall engage in the Torah and observe the commandments, and he shall bend his shoulder to bear the burden of the Holy One, blessed be He.

 

and...called his name The Holy One, blessed be He, Who gives wondrous counsel, is a mighty God and an everlasting Father, called Hezekiah’s name, “the prince of peace,” since peace and truth will be in his days.

 

6 To him who increased the authority To whom will He call this name? To the king who increases the authority of the Holy One, blessed be He, upon himself, to fear Him.

 

authority an expression of government. [This is to refute those who disagree with us [the Christians]. But it is possible to say that “Prince of Peace,” too, is one of the names of the Holy One, blessed be He, and this calling of a name is not actually a name but an expression of (var. for the purpose of) greatness and authority. Comp. (Ruth 4:11) “And be famous (וּקְרָא שֵׁם) in Bethlehem. Also (II Sam. 7:9, I Chron. 17:8): “And I shall make for you a name.” Here too, Scripture means, “And He gave him a name and authority.”]

 

and for peace which is given to him, there will be no end, for he had peace on all his sides, and this “end” is not an expression of an end to eternity, but there will be no boundaries. On the throne of the kingdom of David shall this peace be justice and righteousness that Hezekiah performed.

 

and for peace Heb. וּלְשָׁלוֹם. This ‘vav’ is to rectify the word, thus: He [Hezekiah] increased the authority upon his shoulder, and what reward will He [God] pay him? Behold, his peace shall have no end or any limit.

 

from now and to eternity The eternity of Hezekiah, viz. all his days. And so we find that Hannah said concerning Samuel (I Sam. 1:22): “and abide there forever.” And, in order to refute those who disagree [i.e., the Christians, who claim that this (Prince of Peace) is their deity], we can refute them [by asking], What is the meaning of: “from now”? Is it not so that the “deity” did not come until after five hundred years and more?

 

the zeal of the Lord of Hosts Who was zealous for Zion concerning what Aram and Pekah planned about it.

 

shall accomplish this but Ahaz does not deserve it, moreover, the merit of the Patriarchs has terminated. Addendum: And our Rabbis said: The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to make Hezekiah the Messiah and Sennacherib, Gog and Magog. Said the ministering angels before the Holy One, blessed be He, Should the one who stripped the doors of the Temple and sent them to the king of Assyria, be made Messiah? Immediately, Scripture closed it up.

 

Commentary on the Ashlamata of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:20-8:3 & 9:6

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

 

We have sensed in the last couple of readings a turning or in musical terms a crescendo or coming climax in our story, it’s as if night is ending and dawn is fast approaching. Our sixth sabbath of Consolation is moving us toward the great finale. Before we look at our reading let’s look at the historical context. Rezin, king of Aram (Syria/Damasus), northeast of Israel, and Pekah (King of Ephraim/Samaria) … king of Israel (752–732 BCE) had made an alliance. Rezin may have usurped the throne of Aram, and Pekah was a usurper. Rezin was Aram’s last king, and Pekah was Israel’s next-to-last king. After Jeroboam II (793–753) of Israel died, the Northern Kingdom became increasingly weak. Rezin convinced Pekah to join him against Pekah’s southern neighbor Judah (2 Kings 15:37; 16:5). They threatened to replace Judah’s King Ahaz with a puppet king, “the son of Tabeel”.^[25] Perhaps Tabeel was a district or a person in Aram. The prospect of such formidable enemies as Aram and Israel caused the people of Judah to be afraid. The house of David (v. 2) refers to King Ahaz who was of that kingly line. Hearing of the Aram- Israel alliance Ahaz was terrified. Ephraim, Israel’s largest tribe, represented the entire nation, as is also the case in the Book of Hosea (see, e.g., Hosea 4:17; 5:3, 5, 9–14). This was in the year 734 BCE Perhaps Ahaz thought he could call on the Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727) to come to his aid and attack the Aram-Israel confederacy.^[26]

 

Isaiah was told take a message of assurance and warning and to take your son Shear-jashub^[27] and go down to the end of water conduit and meet King Ahaz. Isaiah was directed by God, to meet Ahaz outside of the city. This upper pool was identified by many authorities as Birket el-Mamilla^[28] located about a half a mile West of Jerusalem. In our parsha reading the prophet focused on the deliverance God would bring his people. Judah’s deliverance from the Aram-Israel (ten tribes) alliance is a picture of her ultimate deliverance. The fall of the Assyrian Empire (10:5–19), resulting in “deliverance” for Judah, pictures the fall of all nations who oppose God and His people.^[29] The king was told to keep calm, be quiet, let not your heart be faint. Your enemies have counselled evil against you, but it shall not stand. Ahaz is not known for his faith, so 7:9 contains an interesting play on the word ʾāman, ‘to believe’, that is meant to encourage his and the nation’s faith: If you [pl.] do not stand firm in your faith [ʾāman (hiphil form) = ‘to believe’], / you [pl.] will not stand at all (ʾāman [niphal form] = ‘to be established’).^[30] Based on previous prophecy, which creates problems for exegetes in understanding exactly what time period our the text is speaking of.^[31] But regardless, the time was drawing near and Israel is going to be led into captivity and out of the land. The agreement between Aram, Damascus, Rezin, Ephraim and Samaria shall be broken and we should probably regard this prophecy as fulfilled when the power of the northern kingdom was finally broken, historically. There is a special significance in the presence of Isaiah’s son, Shear-yashub at this meeting of Isaiah with king Ahaz. Rashi sees Shear yashuv your son refers to, the small remnant that will return to me through you, and they are like your sons. The prophet foretells invasion and spoiling of Judah by the Assyrians (v. 20), but the presence of Shear-jashub gives assurance to Ahaz of the house of David that a remnant shall return.^[32]

 

In our story we are told the enemy will sweep through, they would be as a bird of prey. Ahaz was told to ask for a sign /signal, and he says I will not ask for a sign. Then we're told that God says, well, I'll just give you a sign anyway “O house of David”. Behold, the young woman (Haalmah) shall conceive, and bear son and you will call his name Emmanuel.^[33] Why would Hashem ask King Ahaz to ask for a sign, either in heaven or all the way to the depths of Sheol and then it was said that אֲדֹנָי Adonai gave the sign?^[34] Before he's old enough to know the difference between good and evil, here's what's going to happen before the king of Assyria, the alliance is going to be broken. It seems to be that that God is telling the King of his designs upon the land. Remember, the prophet warned earlier, this is what’s coming but do not, be faint of heart. The designs of the nations against Israel they are going to be frustrated and broken. The two signs (signals)concerning the imminent destruction of Judah’s enemies. The thrust of Isaiah’s argument, as in the first part of chapter 7 (with which it is likely to be contemporaneous) is that Ahaz need not rely on Assyrian aid. The Assyrians will decimate the land of Judah in time but not Judah’s head, which is Jerusalem.^[35]

 

 We have two sons in our passage with two interesting names, they are Shear-yashub, meaning a remnant shall return, i.e. to the true worship of God and Emmanuel’ (ʿimmānûʾēl) can mean ‘God is with us’ or ‘God is against us(footnote 9) and then at the end of our reading in 8:3 we have another second son also named by Hashem, Maher-shala-hash-baz.^[36] In biblical times the mother usually named the child and here the question we ask, is the sign or signal the fact that this woman had a child or that the signal was in the symbolic name of the two sons? In the text we do not know anything about Isaiah’s first son, the other two are named by Hashem and it would seem they have the same mother. Mahar-shalal-hash-baz—“They (i. e., the Assyrians) hasten to the spoil (viz., to spoil Syria and Samaria), they speed to the prey (Gesenius). Otherwise, ‘the spoil (i. e., spoiler) hastens, the rapine speeds forward’ (Maurer). As “Immanuel,” the prophet’s first son, was given as the sign of deliverance to Judah, (God would be with Judea) so Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, the second sign, is the sign of destruction to Judah’s enemies (points to a nation under threat, by one’s enemies).^[37]

 

The commentors are unsure of who the children belong to; It could be Isaiah’s, it could be King Ahaz or another person, or any young man in Judah. Abarbanel suggests that Ahaz is the father and Hezekiah is the child, Iben Ezra disagrees. If it is suggested the two children Emanuel and Maher-shala-hash-baz could be the children of the same young women, then since scholars can’t agree on the father of these two sons, could the father be Shear-yashub and would that create a problem? Isaiah is a prophet, his son Shear-yashub would then be the “son of a Prophet”. This is the only place he is mentioned in scripture, Why? Two sons and a father? Do we find other places where a father and two sons are specifically mentioned in scripture? The several that come to mind are Joseph and his two sons, Elimelech in the story of Ruth, his two sons, Moses and his two sons and before that Judah pleads with Joseph when he was even as Pharoah (Gen.44:18-20) that his father had two sons of whom one was lost. All these texts before us all have messianic overtones and implications. Our text is part of a text everyone agrees has its problems of interpretation, probably no portion of the Bible has been regarded as so difficult of interpretation and has given rise to so many expositions. The importance of this text in respect to Messiah is the reason why interpreters have been so anxious to ascertain the genuine sense; and the difficulties that attend the supposition that there is reference to the Messiah. (fn.14) I would posit, if Matthew 1:23 is taken out of the equation, expositors would have a hard time finding messiah in this chapter. With that being said, I think our text speaks of the past, present and future. If we listen closely, we might hear an echo or find a thread in the tapestry.

 

Rabbi Avraham ben Ezra wrote: That the hired razor is said of an angel of the Lord who struck the camp of Assyria Shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired. This refers to the angel of the Lord coming forth and destroying the camp of Assyria (37:33-36). Gesenius translates, ‘with a razor hired in the parts beyond the river.’ the head … feet—the whole body, including the most honored parts (private parts). it shall also consume the beard. To cut the “beard” is the greatest indignity to an Eastern man (ch. 1:6; 2 Sam. 10:4, 5; Ezek. 5:1).^[38] Some have suggested the phrase beyond the river refers to the other side of the river when viewed from Judah. The river is the Euphrates, so this geographical reference is to Assyria. Others say the shaving done with a razor is for the residents of Judah where Egypt and Assyria will clash, striving for the mastery of Asia, with the Land of Israel getting blows from both the north and the south.^[39] The shaving of the head, beard and privates is intended to bring humiliation to a people.

 

The interpretation of these verses is disputed. Which land is in view, and is the situation described good or bad? Given the general context in which these verses occur, there seems little doubt that the land is Judah, but translators are found to be undecided. Commentators are divided about whether these words describe a situation that is favorable or unfavorable. They say the interpretation of these verses is difficult, and it may hint at the fact that the abundance of milk and honey is not necessarily a sign of blessing.^[40] Sounds like “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

 

In that day (v. 21) denotes a time of judgment on the nation of Judah. Often this phrase is used eschatologically to refer to the time of extreme judgment before the Messiah established the kingdom. But sometimes as here (7:21) it refers to a judgment to come on the nation soon. v. 23-25 It shall be on that day, every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand silver pieces will be transformed into a place for the thorn and for the thistle. So thick will be the wild growth in the land that people will take a bow and arrow(weapons) with them when they enter to protect themselves from the beasts hiding in the area. But despite the desolation in some areas, other areas will produce beyond their normal capacity and sheep will pasture freely^[41] Almost sounds like reading the Israeli daily news or Jerusalem post.

 

The Lord said to me: Take for yourself a large scroll and write a cryptic inscription on it with a common stylus used to engrave stone or metals or, a scribe’s pen. Alternatively, the prophet was told to write very clearly on a broad surface, words even the common man can read and understand: To hasten spoils; quicken loot.^[42] Spoils will be taken hastily, and loot will be taken quickly and with ease.

 

Rabbi Akiva said to them: That is why I am laughing, as it is written, when God revealed the future to the prophet Isaiah: “And I will take to Me faithful witnesses to attest: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah” (Isaiah 8:2). Now what is the connection between Uriah and Zechariah? He clarifies the difficulty: Uriah prophesied during the First Temple period, and Zechariah prophesied during the Second Temple period, as he was among those who returned to Zion from Babylonia. Rather, the verse established that fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah is dependent on fulfillment of the prophecy of Uriah.

 

In the prophecy of Uriah, it is written: “Therefore, for your sake Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become rubble, and the Temple Mount as the high places of a forest” (Micah 3:12), where foxes are found. There is a rabbinic tradition that this was prophesied by Uriah. In the prophecy of Zechariah, it is written: “There shall yet be elderly men and elderly women sitting in the streets of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 8:4). Until the prophecy of Uriah with regard to the destruction of the city was fulfilled, I was afraid that the prophecy of Zechariah would not be fulfilled, as the two prophecies are linked. Now that the prophecy of Uriah was fulfilled, it is evident that the prophecy of Zechariah remains valid. The Gemara adds: The Sages said to him, employing this formulation: Akiva, you have comforted us; Akiva, you have comforted us. (Makkah 24:2)24b^[43]

 

Rashi adds on Isaiah 8:3, “and she bore a son He is the very son whom the prophetess called Immanuel, since the Holy One, blessed be He, would be at the aid of Hezekiah when he would reign. [It is impossible to say that it was another son, for we learned [in Seder Olam ch. 22] that in the fourth year of Ahaz, this prophecy was said, and in the fourth year of Ahaz, Pekah was assassinated, and it is impossible for two children to be born in one year, one after the other.] And Isaiah his father called him Maher-shalal-hash-baz, because of the calamity destined to befall Rezin and the son of Remaliah, who were coming to wrest the kingdom from the House of David and to curtail the kingdom of Hezekiah. Two sons impossible to be born in the time frame given.” Another question, according to Rashi, are we looking at “two sons” or one son with two different names? Are we to see a woman who bears two sons, with different names and different missions or a woman who bears one son with two different names and missions? The crucial point is that the sign make sense to Ahaz and the nation of Israel. Immanuel was alive in the land of Judah in 701 BCE according to Isaiah 8:8. Its [Assyria’s] outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, / Immanuel! (i.e. your land must refer to Judah). Several commentors have linked Immanuel with the land. Could Immanuel be operating in the land of Israel today? I think so! As we move toward our last Sabbath of consolation, we are nearing the end and the culmination of the redemption process, we can be assured that “God is with us” and that “Quick-to-loot-Hurry-to-plunder” is going to be turned upon the enemies of Israel, Gods people.

 

Shabbat Nachamu VI

Special Ashlamata: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) ‎‎ 60:1-22

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22

 

4 shall be raised on [their] side [Jonathan renders:] on the flanks, the flanks of the kings, they will be raised.

 

5 Then you shall see and be radiant Heb. וְנָהַרְתָּ , from נְהוֹרָה , [Aramaic for light,] then you shall see and be radiant [from Jonathan].

 

and your heart shall be startled and become enlarged And your heart shall wonder and become enlarged.

 

for the abundance of the west shall be turned over to you for the abundance of the west shall be turned over to you [after Jonathan].

 

the wealth of the nations The possessions of the nations [after Jonathan].

 

6 A multitude Heb. שִׁפְעַת , A multiplicity.

 

the young camels of Midian Heb. בִּכְרֵי . [Jonathan renders:] הוֹגְנֵי . They are young camels. Comp. (Jer. 2:23) “a swift young camel (בִּכְרָה) .”

 

and Ephah They, too, are of the sons of Midian. Comp. (Gen. 25:4) “Ephah and Epher.”

 

7 the rams of Nebaioth Heb. אֵילֵי , rams of Nebaioth [after Jonathan].

 

9 as in the beginning Like ‘as in the beginning,’ meaning in the days of Solomon, like the matter that is stated (I Kings 10:22): “For the king had at sea ships of Tarshish, etc.; once in three years, the ships of Tarshish would come, etc.” Tarshish is the name of the sea.

 

in the name of the Lord your God that is called upon you, for they will hear a report of Him and the name of His might, and come.

 

for He has glorified you He has given you glory.

 

10 and in my grace Because I favored you; in old French, en mon apayemant.

 

11 And they shall open your gates always Heb. וּפִתְּחוּ . This is an expression of opening in the strong conjugation (פִּעֵל) , since their opening is a perpetual opening, a constant opening. Just as שַׁבֵּר is an expression of breaking, so is פִּתְּחוּ an expression of opening. Tresoverts in O.F.

 

13 box trees, firs, and cypresses Species of trees of the forest of Lebanon.

 

14 Zion of the Holy One of Israel [Lit. Zion the Holy One of Israel. Jonathan renders:] Zion desired by the Holy One of Israel, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

 

16 and the breast of kings Heb. וְשֽׁד , an expression of breasts (שָׁדַיִם) and ‘you shall suck’ proves it.

 

17 Instead of the copper that they took from you.

 

and I will make your officers peace [Jonathan renders:] And I will make your officers peace and your rulers with righteousness. פְקֻדָּתֵךְ Your appointed officers. Our Rabbis stated: The officers who came upon you in your exile and the rulers who pressed you will be counted for you as peace and charity (Baba Bathra 9a). [That is, the money they have exacted from you will be counted as charity.]

 

19 You shall no longer have You shall not require the light of the sun.

 

20 neither...be gathered in Heb. יֵאָסֵף , an expression similar to (Joel 2:10) “gathered in (אָסְפוּ) their brightness.” Gathered in their light.

 

21 in which I will glory That I will glory with them. Pourvanter in French.

 

22 in its time I will hasten it If they are worthy, I will hasten it; if they are not worthy, it will be in its time.

 

 

Commentary on the Ashlamatah of Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22

By: H.Ex. Adon Shlomoh Ben Abraham

 

Abarbanel^[44] tells us this chapter speaks of the days of Messiah. He understood this as reflecting the expansion of God’s Kingdom to include all people who call upon him and according to Abarbanel Isreal is commanded to shine the light of God’s Glory so all the nations can know God and experience his salvation. As we complete the sixth sabbath of consolation our theme to Israel is loud and clear: it's time to awake and rise up. Arise and shine the glory of Hashem has risen upon you. The nations are in their darkness and the fog of their religions and false beliefs. Iben Ezra^[45] says this is speaking of a time when the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel has begun. Malbim and Radak^[46] says it speaks of the time that your salvation has come and it's time to rise up and shine your light. They also suggest, as verse one says, that the presence of God has shown upon you. At a time of darkness, God's presence is going to shine upon Israel in such a way that the nations are going to see it and come to you.

 

Abarbanel goes on to say it will be a time of great darkness that covers the earth, and this is understood not literally but metaphorically, Darkness of faith and belief in God and a time of great evil in the earth. We are told; that the nations shall come to the light. And Israel is to lift up their eyes and see their sons and daughters. And as the Gentiles come, they are going to bring their riches with them. Our passage is describing the future glorious transformation of Zion that echoes the restoration of Jerusalem, and they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

 

The imagery that we are presented with is the riches of the nations will come to you, camels laden with gold and spices of value rams and flocks will be brought and accepted for the altar. That the glory of Lebanon their trees, the fur, the cedar, the pine tree and the box elder together will beautify the sanctuary as in the temple of Solomon. In the sanctuary is the very place we are told is where God shall rest his feet, this place, the Temple in Jerusalem. The place of God's presence upon the earth.^[47] The sons and the descendants of those that have persecuted you, shall come bending unto thee. They will bow themselves down to Israel and The God of Israel. They will come as a cloud like doves to a window when the floodgates are opened. Four times (vv. 10b, 14, 15, 20) we are told that Jerusalem has endured a previous period of affliction, but that time has now ended^[48]

 

               ¹⁰ Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath, I struck you, but in my favor, I have had mercy on you.

               ¹⁴ The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet; they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

               ¹⁵ Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age.

               ²⁰ Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.

 

In verse 15, we have a mixed metaphor. Zion is at once a city and a wife. As a wife she's been hated and persecuted due to her unfaithfulness and as a city, no man goes through her. But your pride and excellency will be restored along with your Majesty. This radical divine transformation of mankind will impact Zion and the Hebrews living there. In the past, the sinful city was in the state of being hated and forsaken. No specific war or time of divine punishment is identified in our reading but what we see is a promise of restoration. The second change (60:17) will involve the spiritual transformation of the nation’s political principles of leadership If we compare similar statements in Isaiah 54:6-8, we see a restoration of both the land and the marriage relationship from exile. At this point, the text’s focus on how God will transform Zion and instill a new principle (righteousness and peace) that will guide the nation.^[49] This last year or so we have seen the corrupt governmental system and the destruction they have brought to Israel, but soon the corrupt leaders and the rule of tyranny and oppression will be replaced with a government of peace and righteousness will be your magistrates.^[50] (Isa.1:26)

 

The Gentiles will acknowledge Israel as their superior and the nations shall know and Israel shall know that I am Hashem your Savior, and the redeemer of Jacob. V.10-12 and the nations that will not serve you will be destroyed. The reason, which will lead Gentile kings and people to submit themselves, fear of the God in Israel (Zech. 14:17). When the nation’s rain is cut off, it will not take long to get their attention. The Prophet goes on to speak. That violence shall no longer be heard in the land, and you shall call your walls salvation, and thy gates will be his praise. The sun shall no longer be a light by day. Whether the physical Sun and Moon continues to exist or not is beyond what the prophet has said here. This idea seems to come from earlier prophecies. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light. "Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: Throughout the forty years when Israel was in the wilderness, not one of them ever needed the light of the sun by day or the light of the moon by night. If the encompassing clouds of glory radiated, they knew that the sun had gone down, while if they became white, they knew that the sun had risen. because of the cloud of the Divine Presence that was among them. So too in time to come, as it says, 'Rise, shine for your light has come.' (v 1). 'The sun shall no more be your light by day.'^[51] Hashem will be thy glory. "And your people all of them are all righteous forever." - This teaches that "All Israel have a share in the world to come", "I, Hashem, will hasten it in its time" (v 22) - "If they are worthy, 'I will hasten it'; if they are unworthy, 'in its time'"^[52]

 

“It is impossible to understand this chapter, with its glowing and magnificent promises, as having been fulfilled in the past. Nothing yet has taken place to realize the terms of this prophecy,… it is plain from the contrast which is drawn between “Zion” and “the Gentiles,” that it is the literal Jerusalem, the representative of all Israel. She who is now in darkness is to be illuminated with “light” especially designed for her, even ‘the glory of the Lord… the Gentiles shall come to her light, and kings to the brightness of her sun-rising.’”^[53] Even Christian commentors realize the way things are now will not be this way of things in the future and when that day arrives, they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.v.14

 

 

Verbal Tallies

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David & H.H. Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

 

 Vayikra (Leviticus) 13:29-59, Tehillim (Psalms) 78:56-72, Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:20 – 8:3 + 9:6

1 Pet 2:11-12, Lk 10:38-42

 

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:

Priest - כהן, Strong’s number 03548.

 

The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:

Man - איש, Strong’s number 0376.

Head - ראש, Strong’s number 07218.

Beard - זקן, Strong’s number 02206.

Priest - כהן, Strong’s number 03548.

 

Vayikra (Leviticus) 13:29 If a man <0376> or woman have a plague upon the head <07218> or the beard <02206>; 30 Then the priest <03548> shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest <03548> shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head <07218> or beard <02206>.

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 78:64 Their priests <03548> fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

 

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head <07218>, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard <02206>.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man <0376> shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 8:2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest <03548>, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

 

 

Hebrew

 

 

 

Greek

 

 

Abarbanel On

Pirqe Abot – Chapters of the Fathers

Mishna 1:11

 

Miscellaneous Interpretations

 

Hillel and Shammai

 

Rabbenu Yonah: It was with studied purpose that Hillel exhorted us to be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace. If one loves peace, how­ever, will he not, by definition, also pursue peace? The answer that he gives is a resounding No! There are those who would really like to see a peaceful society, but will not lend a hand in creating and maintaining it. There are others who are active in peace efforts for some ulterior motive, but do not harbor too much affection for peace in the deep recesses of their hearts. Hence, the admonition of Hillel, “Love peace and pursue peace.”

 

What did Hillel mean by the statement, "Love your fellow-man and draw them close to the Torah"? Practically all the commentators, including Rabbenu Yonah, illustrate this dictum by relating several incidents in the life of Aaron, the high priest, whom we are advised to emulate. Aaron met an ignominious sinner on the street and stopped to chat with him as if he were his bosom friend. The transgressor was stunned. The next day when he was about to commit another sin he said to himself, "How can I do this. If my friend, the high priest, knew what I am about to do he would be ashamed of me." He thereupon led a life of repentance.

 

Another incident: A man told his wife that he would have no truck with her unless she spats in the eye of the high priest. When Aaron heard about this he approached the wife and said, I have a soreness in my eye and only human saliva can cure it. Will you please spit into my eye and help me." Those are the efforts that Aaron, the high priest, made for the benefit of the peace in society.

 

Midrash Shemuel: No one will admit that he is a quarrelsome and uncooperative person. Even if one has the reputation of being belligerent, he will deny it most vehemently when challenged. Ask anyone whether he is a peace-loving person and he will assure you that he is. (This is in the sense of the Talmudic maxim "One can see the faults of another but not one's own.") On this Hillel asks of us to be, at least, like the disciples of Aaron in his pursuit of peace. Not like Aaron, that is impossible. To be a disciple of Aaron is desirable.

 

In concluding his commentary on this Mishnah, Midrash Shemuel makes a psychologically significant point. How does one reach the pinnacle of spiritual excellence needed to emulate Aaron, the high priest? The answer is that a man cannot just say, “I will go out and make peace between two hostile people." Firstly, he must be armed with an abundance of love within himself, and only then can he sally forth on his mission to establish peace among others.

 

Rashbatz begins his comments by pointing out that originally Hillel served on the Sanhedrin with Menahem. They both received the tradition from Shemayah and Avtalyon. However, when Menahem left the Academy to enter the service of the king, Shammai was elected to succeed him as Hillel's colleague.

 

Rashbatz also makes an interesting observation: Speaking about High Priest Aaron and his efforts to bring peace into domestic relations, Rashbatz stresses its importance by quoting the Torah (Numbers 20:29) where we are told, "And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was departed, they wept for Aaron 30 days, even all the house of Israel." However, when Moshe died, all the Torah says is, "And the Children of Israel wept for Moshe in the plains of Moab 30 days" (Deuteronomy 34:8).

 

He used to say ...

 

Rashi: It is a known fact that a person's life is shortened when he has ambitions to spread his name. We have already noted that Joseph died before his brothers, although he was one of the youngest, because he had grandiose ideas of greatness. Moreover, Scriptures also hint (Proverbs 16:18), "Before the downfall, goes pride."

 

Rabbenu Yonah: The higher a man climbs to fame without justification and the more one puts up a facade of unqualified superiority, his downfall will be commensurate with the false image that he tried to present.

 

Turning to Hillel's maxim in the Mishnah, “He who does not increase his knowledge, decreases it," Rabbenu Yonah sees in this a warning against anyone proudly believing that he has already learned everything there is to know about the Torah, and that further study is a waste of time. Playing on the word Yaseif which is commonly translated as, "will decrease," Rabbenu Yonah interprets it as "gathered." In other words, an intellectual who refuses to develop his intellect further, should be gathered unto his forefathers. In the psychology of the Jew, remaining stagnant and unproductive is intolerable. A Jew must always be on the move, never static.

 

Commenting on another of Hillel's dicta, “If a man does not study, he deserves to die," Rabbenu Yonah claims that it implies that one who never studied Torah at all does not deserve to continue living. In the animal kingdom man stands on !he highest rung only because of his intellect. Remove that asset and he descends to the lower rung. But since this is not what God ordained for man, he does not deserve life.

 

Finally, Rabbenu Yonah joins with practically every other commentator in postulating that Hillel's statement, "He who exploits the crown for his own use, shall pass," implies that no one has the right to employ Torah learning for his own wanton needs.

 

Mldrasb Sbemuel sees a direct link between this statement of Hillel and the previous one, in which Hillel urges the Jew to emulate Aaron, the high priest, and his passionate love for peace. In the first place, one who loves peace and seeks peace will find that his reputation will continue long after his demise. This is what Hillel meant by, "He who spreads his name." This is substantiated by what we have already noted previously concerning the death of Aaron. All the Children of Israel, even the women and children, wept. These tender-hearted people would not forget the kindness, amiability and sympathy that characterized Aaron's life.

 

Midrash Shemuel continues: “a name is lost” conveys the message that the generation in which Aaron lived, by his death, lost its singular image. This is what is meant by: "The loss of a Tzaddik (pious one), is the loss of his generation."

 

Also, “He who does not study” is interpreted to mean that one who does not learn from the lifestyle of Aaron should be punished with death. All this is based on the premise that there is a direct link between the virtues of Aaron in the previous dictum with the ardent counsel of this.

 

Another interpretation by Midrash Shemuel: Hillel wishes to impress upon us that the Jew must have two major interests in life. He must be enthusiastic about performing the mitzvot (commandments), and he must be committed to the study of Torah. With reference to the performance of mitzvot, Hillel is quite decisive that he who does not increasingly fulfil the mitzvot should be punished by karet (divine punishment). Relative to the study of Torah, he states that a man deserves the death penalty if he fails to study Torah. Facing reality, however, there are those who meet the two requirements adequately, but with an ulterior motive: to seek personal gain and to lord it over others. That type of a person should also be excised from the world.

 

Other commentaries, says Midrash Shernuel, take the following line of reasoning, "He who seeks to embellish his name and spread his fame" in notorious ways, will soon discover that not only will he fail in his ambition, but even the little reputation that he enjoys will also be lost.

 

Finally, there is a version that is based on the last word of this Mishnah, Halaf. This is usually translated "will pass [away]." We can also allow ourselves the license to interpret it as "bartering" (halifin). In other words, if one should wear the toga of the scholar only partially for a specific purpose, he is bartering, in the sense that what he gains in this world he loses in the World to Come.

 

He [also} used to say …

 

Rashl: If I do not interest myself in the performance of mitzvot (commandments), who will worry for me. Even if I am actively engaged in the performance of mitzvot, what am I? In other words, as many mitzvot as I do, it is insignificant in comparison to what is truly expected of me. If not now, before I pass on, when will I have the opportunity to prepare myself when I face my Maker. He who toils before the Sabbath will have what to eat on the Sabbath.

 

Rashbatz offers two interpretations: Firstly, if I do not take myself to task and chastise myself, no one else will do it for me. Secondly, not everyone enjoys the opportunity of Torah study and achieving the joy of the World to Come. In Jewish thinking there is a ploy which everyone can use to secure a place in the World to Come. There are scholars and there are laymen. When the scholars, who are not engaged in employment, are supported by the laymen who are engaged in industry, they both have an equal footing when appearing before the Heavenly Court. Thus, if I do not concern myself with my hope for the World to Come by supporting scholars, who will help me attain my goal.

 

Rabbenu Yonah interprets our Mishnah in exactly the same vein as Rashbatz except that besides the rhetoric he offers a delightful allegory, A king once gave two laborers a field on condition that they give him a return 30 measures of wheat. The poor workers toiled, but could only produce 5 measures. The king confronted them, "We agreed on 30 measures." Their reply was, "We tried our utmost but we soon discovered that the soil was of poor quality and there was no hope for a better harvest," So it is with God and the Children of Israel, The Jew addresses himself to God and says, "You yourself said that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. This is a poor field to develop a love for mitzvot (commandments). Caught in the vise of the evil inclination, it is exceedingly difficult to think of good deeds" (based on Genesis 8:21), Hence, even if "I am for me, what am I?" This infers that the Jew recognizes his shortcomings and is determined to improve himself, nonetheless.

 

Midrash Shemuel: There is a pronounced difference between one who overcomes his evil inclination when he is young, vigorous, strong and inflamed with passions and the person who has reached his dotage and is unaffected and unassailed by evil inclinations. Playing on the word Le-Atzmi, which usually means "for myself," Midrash Shemuel sees it as being derived from otzem, which means “strength." The message is that if a man cannot subdue his evil inclination when he is strong and virile, but only when he is old and feeble, his accomplishment is without merit, When he is young, people will applaud him; when he is old, they will say that it was because of his age - he was no longer physically capable of sinning.

 

A further interpretation: A person should never boast about his family success and material wealth. No one holds his destiny in his hands; no one knows what the morrow brings. The wheel turns - one day you are up and the next day, down, It is in that light that Hillel is quite firm in his declaration: "If I have no say over my own body - today I am alive and tomorrow I am dead - who am I to have a say over my possessions." Moreover, if I presume to be young and only remotely concerned about dying, this is a delusion. Even young men can, and do, die. And so, if life is so unpredictable and indecisive, I had better start worshipping God the moment I come to my senses rather than wait till old age. Since there may not be an old age.

Nazarean Talmud

Sidra Of Vayiqra (Leviticus) 13:29-59

“B’Rosh” “On the Head”

By: Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

Hakham Shaul’s School Of Tosefta (Luqas (Lk) 10:38-42)

Hakham Tsefet’s School Of Peshat Tsefet (1 Pet.) 2:11-12

Now as they departed, he entered into a certain village. And a certain woman named Marta welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister named Miriam, who also sat at the feet of the Master and was listening to his teaching (of the Oral Torah). 40 But Marta was distracted with much serving,[54] so she approached the Master and said, “Master, is it not a concern to you that my sister has left me alone to serve? Tell her then that she should help me!”[55] 41 But the Master answered and said to her, calling her, “Marta, Marta, you are anxious[56] and distressed about many things! 42 But one thing is necessary, and Miriam has chosen the good portion that cannot be taken away from her.”

¶ Beloved, I urge you as sojourners[57] and exiles to distance[58] yourselves from excessive (and abnormal) passions of the Yetser HaRa (evil inclination), which wage war against your Nefesh (soul breathed into a body of “flesh”). Guard[59] (shomer) your conduct, showing that you are men of nobility[60] among the Gentiles so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they can see your good[61] works[62] (Tsedaqah – works of righteous/ generosity) and glorify God on the day[63] you are to take office (are ordained or vested) as a Paqid/Hakham.[64]

 

 

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

 

 

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

 

Jewish/Gentile relationships

Scholars tell us that the Igeretim (letters) of Hakham Tsefet (1-2 Peter) have much in common with Hakham Shaul’s Igeret to the Romans, specifically the 13^th chapter. We will not cite what we have recorded there for the sake of time and space. We will point out that the present pericope resembles Romans chapter one.

 

Rom. 1:5 Through him (Messiah), we have received the loving-kindness (of God) and service as Sh’liachim, the Master’s “plenipotentiary agents” for bringing about faithful obedience among all Nations by his authority.

 

The “plenipotentiary agents” of the Master have one objective while living in the Diaspora. That objective is to bring the Gentiles into faithful obedience to the Oral Torah. We interpret the words of Hakham Tsefet as he offers special wisdom to the Master’s “plenipotentiary agents,” in saying, keep yourself at a safe distance. Interaction between a Jewish person and a Gentile has historically not been in favor of the Jewish people. Therefore, Hakham Tsefet tells his readers to keep (guard) themselves when interacting with Gentiles. The warning to “guard” against the Yetser HaRa is not because the Jewish people have any exceptional difficulty with their negative impulse (Yetser HaRa). His warning is that the Nazarean emissaries will constantly be confronted with these qualities when interacting with Gentiles.

 

Paula Fredriksen Aurelio, Professor of Scripture emerita at Boston University, suggests that the typical Jewish view of the Gentile in the first century was less than desirable. As noted from our comments above, Professor Fredriksen sees the Jewish opinion of the Gentiles as follows:

 

What, on the average, did the average Jew think of the average Gentile? I think that we can rely here on Paul who, even when addressing Gentiles and in some sense acting as their advocate, refers to them, quite unselfconsciously, as ‘sinners’ (Gal.2: 15). Their characteristic social and sexual sins—slander, insolence, deceit, malicious gossip, envy, heartlessness, disrespect of parents, homosexual and heterosexual fornication—are the varied expression of a more fundamental spiritual error: they worship idols. Could there be such a thing, then, as a morally good Gentile?^[65]

 

As can be seen from Professor Fredrikson’s summation, the Jewish view of Gentiles was not positive. The interesting point is that Professor Fredrikson cites Hakham Shaul as her source. Therefore, we might think that Hakham Tsefet and the Nazarean Hakhamim held similar opinions.

 

As we have stated, Professor Fredrikson also notes that those Gentiles liked the best of both worlds.^[66] In other words, they possibly attended the Esnoga (Synagogue) and the Pagan Festivals, where they indulged in all associated pagan rites.^[67]

 

Who are the Godfearers? They are Gentiles, but not proselytes; if they were proselytes, they would then be Jews. To think of them as “semi-proselytes” is unhelpful: the word suggests some sort of arrested development or objective impediment.^[68]

 

George Foot Moore makes this point clear.

 

Nothing but misunderstanding can come from calling the ger toshab a “proselyte” or semi-proselyte;” he was not a convert to Judaism at all. ^[69]

 

These scholars realize the depth of dealing with Gentiles in the Diaspora. The production of “Fiddler on the Roof” deals with the delicate balance to be maintained when dealing with those of different religious and political persuasions. However, Hakham Tsefet realizes that the “mission” of the Nazarean Jew is cosmic, i.e., tikun. Yosef, the son of Ya’aqob, is the prototypical Messiah. Deeper still is the idea that he is the prototypical Nazarean. Yosef’s brothers sold him into slavery, and was carried into Egypt against his own will. Yet, the day dawned when Yosef became the single prototypical agent possessing the redemptive key to global tikun. In bringing deliverance to the Gentiles, he procured healing and redemption for the Jewish people. Yosef demonstrates the necessity of Gentile interaction for G-d’s plan to succeed.

 

Guard (shomer) your conduct

 

The wisdom of our father, Ya’aqob, teaches us that the Jewish people cannot survive in exile if they do not have houses of study. Hakham Tsefet tells his Jewish readers that they must “guard – shomer” their conduct by learning the Oral Torah of the Master and the Hakhamim. We note that Yeshua accepted the dictums of the Hakhamim before him. A simple example is attested to when we see Yeshua feeding the multitudes.^[70] The mandate to bless G-d before consuming food is a decision made by the Hakhamim before Yeshua’s time. Yeshua demonstrates his acceptance by reciting the appropriate Berachot.

 

Ya’aqob knows the key to Jewish survival in the Oral Torah. Therefore, he sent Y’hudah into the Diaspora before him to establish a Bet HaMidrash.^[71]

 

HaRav Zekharyah Tobi, translated by HaRav Meir Orlian, further elucidates this name, stating:^[72]

 

The annual Torah Seder “Vayigash” tells of the descent of Yaakov and the tribes to Egypt and the designation of their dwelling place, “the land of Goshen,” as it says: “Yosef said to his brothers ... when Pharaoh summons you ... Then you are to say, ‘Your servants have been cattlemen’... so that you may be able to settle on the land of Goshen.” So it was, “Israel settled in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen; they acquired property in it and they were fruitful and multiplied greatly.” (ch. 46-47)

 

What was unique about that place called “the land of Goshen,” and why was it called by this name? The simple understanding is that this place was far from the Egyptian population, separate from the Egyptians, and not influenced by Egyptian culture. Therefore, Yosef sought to settle his brothers there. The Kli Yakar writes: “The purpose of all of this was to distance them from Pharaoh so that they would settle in the land of Goshen.”^[73] Therefore, this is a practical lesson for our times. It also teaches us that we should seek to live in a place that is not subject to non-Jewish influence.

 

The lesson we should learn from our ancestors’ activities is that the Jewish people in the Diaspora cannot survive without houses of study. While we currently use devices like the Internet for teaching centers, this is only a temporary solution. A true Yeshiva must establish itself in a community where talmidim can be taught personally and communal interaction can occur.

 

We will further unfold the wisdom of Hakham Tsefet as his talmid, Hakham Shaul, illuminates the words of his Master.

 

Amen v’amen

 

Some Questions to Ponder:

 

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

 

Blessing After Torah Study

 

Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,

Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.

Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!

 

Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, King of the universe,

Who has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.

Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

 

“Now unto Him who is able to preserve you faultless, and spotless,

and to establish you without a blemish,

before His majesty, with joy, [namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer,

by means of Yeshua the Messiah our Master, be praise, and dominion,

and honor, and majesty, both now and in all ages. Amen!”

 

 

Reading Assignment for next Shabbat

 

 

 

Next Shabbat: “Torat HaM’tsora” – “The Law of the Leper”

&

Seventh Sabbath of Consolation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham