Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227
Millset Chase -
Telephone: (210) 277 8649 -
|
Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
Second Year of the |
|
Heshvan 6, 5767 – October 27/28, 2006 |
Fifth Year of the Shemittah Cycle |
Saturday, October 28, 2006 – Havdalah 7:28 PM
Saturday,
October 28, 2006 – Havdalah 6:39 PM
Saturday, October 28, 2006 – Havdalah 7:22 PM
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
|
Shabbat |
Torah |
Weekday
Torah |
|
כְּתָב-לְךָ |
|
|
|
“K’tav L’kha” |
Reader
1 – Sh’mot 34:27-30 |
Reader
1 – Sh’mot 35:30-32 |
|
“Write for yourself” |
Reader
2 – Sh’mot 34:31-35 |
Reader
2 – Sh’mot 35:33-35 |
|
“Escribe para ti” |
Reader
3 – Sh’mot 35:1-3 |
Reader
3 – Sh’mot 35:30-35 |
|
Sh’mot (Exodus) 34:27 – 35:29 |
Reader
4 – Sh’mot 35:4-10 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Jer. 31:32-39
+ 32:40-41 |
Reader
5 – Sh’mot 35:11-20 |
|
|
|
Reader
6 – Sh’mot 35:21-23 |
Reader
1 – Sh’mot 36:1-3 |
|
Psalm 68 |
Reader
7 – Sh’mot 35:24-29 |
Reader
2 – Sh’mot 36:4-7 |
|
|
Maftir – Sh’mot 35:27-29 |
Reader
3 – Sh’mot 36:1-7 |
|
N.C.: Matityahu 11:25-30 |
Jer. 31:32-39 + 32:40-41 |
|
Roll
of Honor:
This
Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David
and most beloved family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and
beloved family, as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and
beloved family and that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife,
and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet
Karmela bat Sarah. For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best
oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and
those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a
great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and
commentary of the weekly Seder.
If
you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never loose any of our
commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary,
please do send me an E-Mail, with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your
friends. Toda Rabba!
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Sh’mot
(Exodus) 34:27 – 35:29
|
RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO
JONATHAN |
|
27 Adonai said to Moshe, "Write these words down for yourself, for with these words I have made a covenant with you and with [the B’ne] Yisrael." |
27 And the Lord said to Mosheh, Write thou these words; for upon the expression of these words have I stricken My covenant with thee and with the people of Israel. |
|
28 He [Moshe] remained there with Adonai for forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread nor drink water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words [commandments.] |
28 And he was there before the Lord forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread nor did he drink water; and he wrote upon the other tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Words which had been written upon the former tables. |
|
29 And when Moshe came down from Mount Sinai, and the two Tablets of the Testimony were in Moshe's hand when he came down from the Mountain. Moshe did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant when He [G-d] spoke to him. |
29 And it was at the time when Mosheh came down from the mountain of Sinai, with the two tables of the testimony in the hand of Mosheh, in his descending from the mount, that Mosheh knew not that the visage (form) of his face shone with the splendor which had come upon him from the brightness of the glory of the Lord's Shekinah in the time of His speaking with him. [JERUSALEM. That the beams of his face did shine.] |
|
30 When Aharon and all the B’ne Yisrael saw Moshe, and beheld that the skin of his face had become radiant, they were afraid to come close to him. |
30 And Aharon and all the sons of Israel saw Mosheh, and, behold, the glory of the form of his face shined, and they were afraid to come near to him. |
|
31 Moshe called to them and they returned to him--- Aharon and all the leaders of the congregation--- and Moshe spoke to them. |
31 And Mosheh called to them and Aharon, and all the princes who had been appointed chiefs in the congregation returned, and Mosheh conversed with them. |
|
32 After that, all the B’ne Yisrael came close [to him] and he commanded them [regarding] all that Adonai had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. |
32 And afterward drew nigh all the sons of Israel, and he taught them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. |
|
33 When Moshe finished speaking with them, he placed a cover over his face. |
33 And when Mosheh had finished to speak with them, he put over the form of his face a veil. [JERUSALEM. A cloth.] |
|
34 [But] when Moshe came before Adonai, to speak to Him; he removed the cover until he was ready to leave. and he would then go out and speak to the B’ne Yisrael, [telling them] what he had been commanded. |
34 And when Mosheh went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he removed the veil from his countenance until he came forth; and he came forth and spake to the sons of Israel what had been commanded. |
|
35 The B’ne Yisrael saw Moshe's face, that the skin of Moshe's face had become radiant, and Moshe replaced the cover over his face until he would come in to speak to Him [Adonai]. |
35 And the sons of Israel saw the countenance of Mosheh, that the glory of the form of Mosheh's face was shining. And Mosheh replaced the veil upon his face until the time of his going in to speak with Him. |
|
1 Moshe assembled the entire congregation of the B’ne Yisrael, and said to them, "These are the words that Adonai has commanded you to do. |
1 And Mosheh gathered together all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them: These are the things which the Lord hath commanded to be done. |
|
2 Work may be done six days, but the seventh day must be holy to you, it is a Shabbat of Shabbat to Adonai. Whoever does work on it shall be put to death. |
2 Six days thou shalt do work, and on the seventh day there shall be to you the holy Sabbath of repose before the Lord. Whoever doeth work on the Sabbath day, dying he shall die by the casting of stones. |
|
3 You must not kindle a fire in all your dwelling places on the day of Shabbat." |
3 My people of the sons of Israel, ye shall not kindle a fire in any place of your habitations on the day of the Sabbath. [JERUSALEM. Ye shall not kindle a fire in any place of the house of your dwelling on the Sabbath day.] |
|
4 Moshe said to the entire congregation of the B’ne Yisrael, saying, "This is the word that Adonai has commanded: |
4 And Mosheh spake to all the assembly of the children of Israel, saying, This is the word which the Lord hath commanded, |
|
5 Take [collect] from among yourselves a terumah-offering to Adonai. Every man whose heart impels him to generosity shall bring a terumah-offering to Adonai: gold, silver and copper, |
5 saying, This is the word which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Take of you a separation before the Lord: whosoever is moved in his heart, let him present the separation for the Lord; gold, or silver, or brass, |
|
6 And greenish-blue wool, dark red wool, crimson wool, fine linen, and goat's hair, |
6 or hyacinth, or purple, or scarlet, or fine linen, |
|
7 and red-[dyed] rams' skins, tachash skins, and accacia wood, |
7 or goats' hair, or rams' skins dyed red, or skins of seals, (purple skins), and woods of sitta; |
|
8 and oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for the incense of aromatic spices, |
8 or oil for the lights, aromatics for the anointing oil, and sweet incense; |
|
9 and onyx stones, and stones for setting into the ephod and the breastplate. |
9 the onyx stones, and stones for completing the encasement of the ephod and the breastplate. |
|
10 All those who are wise in heart among you shall come and make all that Adonai has commanded. |
10 And let all the wise‑hearted among you give and make all that the Lord hath commanded: |
|
11 The mishkan (tabernacle), its tent and its cover, its clasps, and its planks, its bars, its pillars and its sockets. |
11 The tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its hasps, and its boards, its bars, and its pillars, and its bases. [JERUSALEM. The tabernacle, and its tent, and its covering, its hasps, and boards, and its bars, its pillars, and its bases.] |
|
12 The ark and its poles, its cover and the partition screen. |
12 The ark, with its staves, and the mercy seat, and the veil for the covering; |
|
13 The table and its poles, and all its vessels, and the show breads. |
13 and the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the bread for the Presence; |
|
14 The menorah for light, and its vessels, and its lamps and the oil for the light. |
14 and the candelabrum for illumination, with the lamps, and the oil for the light; |
|
15 The incense altar, and its poles, and the anointing oil, and the incense of aromatic spices, and the screen for the entrance, at the entrance of the mishkan (tabernacle). |
15 and the altar of sweet incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the curtain for the door of the tabernacle of ordinance; |
|
16 The altar for burnt-offerings, with its copper grate, its poles and all its vessels, the laver and its base. |
16 the altar of burnt offering, and its brasen grate, with its staves, and its vessels, and the laver, with its base; |
|
17 The curtains for the enclosure, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the entrance of the enclosure. |
17 and the curtains of the court, with its pillars, and bases, and the hanging for the gate of the court, |
|
18 The stakes of the mishkan (tabernacle), and the stakes of the enclosure and their ropes. |
18 and the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords; |
|
19 The covering cloths for the holy articles, and the sacred garments for Aharon the kohen (priest), and the garments for his sons to wear when they serve. |
19 the vestments of ministration, for ministering in the sanctuary, and the holy vestments for Aharon the priest, and the vestments of his sons for ministering. |
|
20 The entire congregation of the B’ne Yisrael departed from the presence of Moshe. |
20 And all the congregation of the sons of Israel went out from before Mosheh. |
|
21 Every man whose heart lifted him up came--- and every one whose generous spirit inspired him brought a terumah-offering to Adonai, for the work of the Tent of Meeting, and for all [that was needed for] its service, and for the sacred garments. |
21 And every man whose heart moved him, and every one who was filled with the Spirit of prophecy, came, and brought what he had for a separation before the Lord for the work of the tabernacle of ordinance, and for all its service, and for the holy vestments. |
|
22 And they came---both men and woman--- all who were generous of heart brought bracelets, nose rings, finger rings, and buckles--- all kinds of golden vessels--- and every man that offered a wave-offering of gold unto Adonai. |
22 And with the men came the women, every one whose heart was moved, and brought chains, and necklaces, rings, bracelets, and every ornament of gold; every one offering up the offering of gold before the Lord. |
|
23 Every man who had with him greenish-blue wool, dark red wool, crimson wool, fine linen, goat's hair, red dyed rams' skins, or tachash skins brought them. |
23 And every one with whom was found hyacinth, or purple, or crimson, or fine linen, goats' hair, or purple skins, brought the separation before the Lord; |
|
24 Everyone who did lift up a terumah-offering of silver or copper, brought the terumah-offering to Adonai; and everyone who had with him acacia wood for use in the work of the service, brought it. |
24 and all with whom were found woods of sitta for all the work of the service brought. |
|
25 And every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands; and they brought the spun yarn of greenish-blue wool, dark red wool, crimson wool and fine linen. |
25 And every woman whose heart was wise spun with her hands, and brought the spun work of hyacinth, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen. |
|
26 And all the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom, spun the goat's hair. |
26 And all the women whose hearts were moved in wisdom spun goats' hair (while) upon their bodies, and sheared them, being alive. |
|
27 And the leaders [of the tribes] brought onyx stones, and stones for setting into the ephod and breastplate. |
27 And the clouds of heaven went to the Phison, and drew up from thence onyx stones, and stones for infilling, to enchase the ephod and the breastplate, and spread them upon the face of the wilderness; and the princes of Israel went, and brought them for the need of the work. |
|
28 And the spices, and the oil for the light, and the anointing oil, and the incense of aromatic spices. |
28 And the clouds of heaven returned, and went to the garden of Eden, and took from thence choice aromatics, and oil of olives for the light, and pure balsam for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. |
|
29 Every man and woman whose generous heart inspired them to bring something for all the work that Adonai had commanded to be done through Moshe [did so]. The B’ne Yisrael brought a free-will gift to Adonai. |
29 Every man, a son of Israel, and (every) woman, a daughter of Israel, who was moved in heart, brought for all the work which the Lord by Mosheh had commanded to be made; so brought the children of Israel the votive gift before the Lord. |
Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 34:27
– 35:29
33. And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write these words” (Exod. 34:27). May our masters teach us: Is one who writes two
letters on the Sabbath (while unmindful of the prohibition or of the Sabbath)
obligated (to bring a sin-offering)? Thus do our masters teach us: One who
writes two letters thoughtlessly on the Sabbath is obligated (to bring a
sin-offering) because he has made a mark and profaned the Sabbath. The Holy
One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be zealous of the glory of the Sabbath, for
on that day I rested from the work of creation, as it is said: And He rested
on the seventh day (ibid. 20:9).
It happened that the wicked Turnus Rufus encountered R. Akiba and asked
him: “What difference is there between today and yesterday?” He responded:
“What difference is there between one strong man and another?” Rufus retorted:
“I asked you a question, yet you reply with another question.” R. Akiba then
said: “You asked me what difference was there between the Sabbath and any other
day, and I asked you what is the difference between Turnus Rufus and any other
man.”“The king among kings wished to honor me,” he answered. R. Akiba replied:
“It is the King of Kings who demands that Israel honor the Sabbath.”“If that is
so,” he argued, why does He labor on the Sabbath?”“What labor does He perform
on the Sabbath?” queried Akiba. “Exactly what He does during the week,” said
Rufus. “He makes the winds to blow, the clouds to soar, the rain to fall, the
sun and the moon to shine, the fruits to grow, and answers (the prayers) of
women giving birth as they do on any other day of the week.” Akiba retorted: “I
know that you are familiar with the law of eruv. Now if two men reside in one
courtyard and one deposits an eruv while the other does not, you would not
maintain that they are both permitted to walk about on the Sabbath.
However, if a man lived alone in a courtyard as large as Antioch
itself, he could walk about that courtyard, for no one else shares the area
with him. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name and His memory be
blessed, has His throne in heaven and the earth is His footstool, His glory
fills the earth and no one shares it with him, hence He goes about in His
world. Nevertheless those who ate the manna testify that it descended on
weekdays and not on the Sabbath, as it is said: Eat that today; for today is
a Sabbath (ibid. 16:25). Likewise, those who conjure up the dead through
witchcraft testify that the dead arise on weekdays but not on the Sabbath. If
you doubt this, consult your father’s (corpse), may his bones be ground to
dust.”
He went to the sorcerer on the first day of the week and his father’s
corpse was brought up. That occurred also on the second, the third, the fourth,
the fifth, and the sixth day of the week, but on the Sabbath day it did not
ascend. Then, on the first day of the next week, it reappeared. He asked his
father’s corpse: “Now that you are dead, why do you behave as a Jew, observing
the Sabbath?” He replied: “My son, everyone among you who does not observe
the Sabbath as it is decreed will do so unwillingly when he arrives here.”
He asked him: “What work do you do on weekdays? He answered: “On weekdays we
are judged, but on the Sabbath we rest until the Sabbath ends and the Sabbath
reading is completed. When the Sabbath reading is concluded, the angel in
charge of souls comes and takes the souls of those people and casts them back
into the pit of the earth that is called A land of thick darkness as
darkness itself a land of the shadow of death, without any order (Job
10:22).” What is meant by tzalmavet (“shadow of death”)? It means tze’u
lemavet (“they go out to death”), since they have already completed reading
the text for the Sabbath. He then asked him: “If that is so, then why does the
Holy One, blessed be He, work on that day?” He replied: “He is like one who
walks about a courtyard four cubits in size. Furthermore, the river Sabbatyon [The
legendary river Sabbatyon flowed, and therefore was impassable, on the six
weekdays, but was still on Sabbaths and holy days. According to legend it
formed the boundary of the territory in which the ten lost tribes were exiled.
See Gen. R. Chapter 73, sect. 6 and San.h. 65b.] testifies to this fact, for it
carries stones and sand throughout the week, but on the Sabbath it rests.” He
said to him: “Do you intend to fob me off (with this answer)?” He said to him: “It
is written: He rested on the seventh day from all His labors (Gen. 2:2)
(My answer is intended seriously).”
R. Phinehas stated in the name of R. Joshua: Though it is written
concerning Him that He rested from all His labors, it indicates merely
that He rested from the work of creation, but not that He rests from
considering the deeds of the righteous/generous and the acts of the wicked/lawless.
Rather, He works with them. He reveals to these (the righteous/generous) the
essential character of their deeds and to those (the wicked/lawless) the
essential nature of their acts. How do we know that the punishment of the
wicked/lawless is called work? It is said: The Lord has opened His armory
and has brought forth the weapons of His indignation; for it is a work that the
Lord God of hosts has to do (Jer. 50:25). How do we know that rewarding the
righteous/generous is considered work? It is said: Oh, how abundant is Your
goodness, which You have laid up for them that fear You; which You have wrought
for them (Ps. 31:20).
Thus you learn that even the dead are aware of the Sabbath day. R.
Joshua the son of Hanina declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel:
“Keep the Sabbath, for it is equal to the entire law.” About the Sabbath, it is
written: Keep the Sabbath day (Deut. 5:12), and concerning the law it
states: You will diligently keep the commandments (ibid. 6:17). The
Sabbath was given through Moses: See that the Lord has given you the Sabbath
(Exod. 16:29), and similarly, the law was given through Moses.
34. And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write these words, for after the
tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exod. 34:27).
Scripture states elsewhere in
allusion to this verse: Though I write for him never so many things of My
Law, they are accounted as stranger’s (Hos. 8:12). R. Judah the son of
Shalum was of the opinion that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses Write
for yourself, Moses wanted to write the Mishnah as well. However, the Holy
One, blessed be He, foresaw that ultimately the nations of the world would
translate the Torah into the Greek language and would claim: “We are the
Israelites.”
Now the scales are balanced (as to who are His people). The Holy One,
blessed be He, can say to the nations of the world: You claim that you are My
children, but I know that only those who know My secrets are My children. Where
are His secrets (to be found)? In the Mishnah, which was given orally, and from
which everything can be derived.
R. Judah the son of Shalum said: The Holy One, blessed be He, asked
Moses: Why do you wish the Mishnah to be written?’ What would be the
difference, then, between the peoples of the world and Israel? That is why it
is written: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are
counted as a stranger’s. Therefore give them the Scripture in writing and
the Mishnah orally.
Write for yourself these words refers to Scripture, and after the tenor of these words alludes
to the Mishnah, which was transmitted orally. Another comment on Write for
yourself these words. They concluded from these words that one is forbidden
to glance into the Torah and translate it (during the reading of the Torah in
the synagogue) [While it was being read, the translator would translate the
Hebrew text of Torah into Aramaic, the language familiar to the masses of the
people], and that whoever is reading the Torah is prohibited from removing his
eyes while reading it, since it was given in writing as it is said: And I
will write upon the tablets the words (Exod. 34:1). One is prohibited from
glancing into the Torah while translating it, for it is said: Write for
yourself these words, but the Mishnah, concerning which it is stated: After
the tenor of these words, may be interpreted freely because it was given
orally.
R. Judah the son of Shalum said in reference to the verses Write for
yourself these words and for after the tenor of these words: I have made
a covenant with You both with the words write for yourself and with after
the tenor of. If you fulfill that which is written in writing and that
which was given orally with your mouth, then will I have made a covenant with
you, but if you should reverse the two, I will not have made a covenant with you.
35. Another comment on write for yourself (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere: Let them be
yours only, and not a stranger’s with you (Prov. 5:17). What does this
verse refer to? When they made the golden calf, Moses prayed until the Holy
One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Moses cried out: My Master,
restore the law to them just as David proclaimed: Restore unto me the joy of
Your salvation (Ps. 51:14). However, the Holy One, blessed be He,
responded: How can I return it to them, when only yesterday they said at Sinai:
All that the Lord has spoken we will do (Exod. 24:17), and now, in the
very place in which they committed themselves (to observe the law), they
debased themselves, as it is said: They made a calf in Horeb (Ps.
106:19)? Despite all the miracles and wonders that I performed in their behalf
in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and even though they beheld My Glory at Sinai,
where myriads of angels descended and crowned them, as it is said: A
beautiful crown upon your head (Exod. 16:12), they erected a calf at Horeb.
Indeed, within the blinking of an eye they forgot Me.
What is more, I preceded them into the desert as a quartermaster would:
And the Lord went before them by day (ibid. 13:21). I lowered the high
places for them and raised the valleys, I caused bread to rain down from the
heavens and the sea to send up quail, as it is said: And brought across
quails from the sea (Num. 11:31). Though they lacked nothing at all, they
built the golden calf. I cannot restore the tablets to those idolaters. When he
continued to plead, He said: Write for yourself, that is, I shall give
the law to you, as it is said: Let them be your own, and not a stranger’s
with you (Prov. 5:17); that is, not to the idolaters with you. Because He
held Moses in the highest esteem, it is said: Remember the law of Moses My
servant (Mal. 3:22).
This is one of the three things to which Moses devoted himself: the
law, judgeship, and Israel. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Moses also was
deeply involved in the building of the Tabernacle. Arid it is called by his
name. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Throughout the seven days of consecration,
Moses took apart the Tabernacle twice each day and then assembled it. The elder
R. Hiyya said: He did it three times each day, for it is said: You will rear
up (Exod. 40:1), The Tabernacle was reared up (ibid., v. 17), and Moses
reared up the Tabernacle (ibid., v. 18).
Observe how strenuously he worked at doing that. If you should be of
the opinion that the tribe of Levi assisted him, the answer is no. Our sages of
blessed memory said: Moses took it apart and assembled it by himself. Not a
single Israelite aided him, as it is said: And it came to pass in the day
that Moses had made an end of setting up the Tabernacle (Num. 7:1). “On the
day that Israel made an end” is not written here, but rather Moses made an
end. Because he did the work himself, it is called by his name. Similarly,
because he devoted himself to working on the Torah alone, it is called by his
name, as is said: Hew for yourself.
36. And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights (Exod.
34:28). How did Moses know
when it was day? When the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law
he knew it was the day time, and when He taught him the Oral Law, the Mishnah
and the Talmud, he was aware that it was night time. This was so because day
and night are alike in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He,, as is
said: And the light dwells with Him (Dan. 2:22). And as it is also
written elsewhere: Even the darkness is not too dark for You, but the night
shines as the day; the darkness even as the light (Ps. 139:12). In what
other way did he distinguish between night and day? When he beheld the
constellations kneeling and bowing (descending), he realized that it was day,
and when he saw the sun bowing, he knew that it was night, as it is written: The
host of heaven worship You (Neh. 9:6).
37. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai ...
Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (Exod. 34:29). Why did Moses merit the beams of glory? Our
sages of blessed memory said: Because of the incident at the rock, as it is
said: And it will come to pass, while My glory passes by (Exod. 33:22).
The Holy One placed His Hand upon him, and because of that he merited the beams
of glory. For so it says: Rays has He at his side; and there is the hiding
of His power (Hab. 3:4).
There are others who say that at the time the Holy One, blessed be He,
taught him the Torah, sparks emanated from the countenance of the Shekhinah,
and he received the beams of glory from them. R. Samuel the son of Nahman said:
The tablets were six handbreadths long and three handbreadths thick, and Moses
held them by two of the handbreadths, and the Holy One, blessed be He, held
them by two, and Moses obtained the beams of glory from the two handbreadths in
the middle.
R. Samuel said: After Moses wrote the Torah, a little ink was left in
the pen, and when he passed it before his head, the beams of glory were formed
upon him, as it is said: And Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent
forth beams. All the glory he obtained was a reward (for what he had done),
but You placed the beams, as it is said: Rays has He at His side; and there
is the hiding of His power. The righteous/generous receive their reward in
the world-to-come, but he received his reward at that time, as is said: Behold,
the Lord will come as a Mighty One, and His arm will rule for Him; behold, His
reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him (Isa. 40:10).
Ketubim
Targum Psalm 68
1. For praise, of David. A hymn and song.
2. God will arise, His enemies will be scattered, and His foes will
flee from His presence.
3. Just as the smoke is driven out, they will be driven; just as wax
will melt in the presence of fire, the wicked/lawless will perish in the
presence of God.
4. And the righteous/generous will rejoice and exult in the presence of
the Lord, and they will rejoice joyfully.
5. Give praise in the presence of God, praise His glorious Name;
magnify the One who sits on His glorious throne in Araboth; Yah is His name;
and be glad in His presence.
6. Father of the orphans, and judge of widows – such is God in the
dwelling place of His holy presence.
7. God, who makes matches, joining the solitary to mates; who brought
out the house of Israel, who were bound in Egypt; for the correct deeds of
their fathers [He redeemed them] in public procession; but Pharaoh and his
armies, who refused to let them go, dwelt in thirst.
8. O God, when You went forth in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of
fire before Your people, when You traveled in the wilderness of Jeshimon
forever, when You gave the Torah to your people –
9. The earth shook, also the heavens dropped dew in the presence of the
Lord; as for this Sinai, its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace before
the Lord, God of Israel, was manifested upon it.
10. When the house of Israel heard the voice of Your power, their souls
flew away; at once He made to descend upon them the dew of resurrection; O God,
You brought the favorable rain to Your inheritance, and You supported the
assembly which was exhausted.
11. You caused Your vigor to go back to it; You appointed a troop of
angels to do good to the poor of God.
12. The Lord gave the words of Torah to his people; truly, Moses and
Aaron [were] proclaiming the word of God to the great army.
13. Kingdoms with their armies went into exile from their palaces, and
the wise were exiled from their knowledge; but the assembly of Israel divides
the spoil from heaven.
14. The God of Israel said: If you wicked/lawless kings lay down among
the rubbish heaps, the assembly of Israel, likened to a dove flying in the
clouds of glory, divides the spoil of the Egyptians – silver that is refined,
and her treasures full of pure gold. Another Targum: If you wicked/lawless
kings sleep in the theatres, which are likened to rubbish heaps, behold, the
sons of the assembly of Israel, which are likened to the wings of a dove, are
covered with the words of Torah, which are likened to silver, and her scholars,
which are likened to the pinions of a young dove in pure gold.
15. When she spread her hands over the sea in prayer, Shaddai abased
kingdoms, and on her account clouded over Gehinnom like snow; He delivered them
from the shadow of death. Another Targum: Because of this, when the priests
spread their hands and bless the people of Israel, Shaddai agrees with them and
kings are subdued beneath them; and because of their merits, their sins are
made white as snow, and Gehinnom is cooled for the wicked who have received
punishment in their children and have repented of their bad deeds.
16. Mount Moriah, the place
where the patriarchs worshipped in the presence of the Lord, was chosen for the
building of the sanctuary; and Mount Sinai for the giving of Torah; Mount
Mathnan, Mount Tabor, and Carmel were disqualified, and a hump was made for
them like Mount Mathnan. Another Targum: Mount Moriah was chosen first for the
worship of the patriarchs in the presence of the Lord, and was chosen second
for the building there of the sanctuary; and Mount Sinai was pulled up from
there and chosen third for the Torah; Mount Buthnin was removed and set far
away; Mount Tabor – a miracle was performed there for Barak and Deborah; Mount
Carmel – miracles were performed there for Elijah the prophet. And they were
racing, one against the other, and arguing one with the other. One said, “On me
the presence shall abide,” and the other would say, “On me the presence will
abide.” And the Lord of the World, who sharpens the proud and rebellious with
the humble, struck them down and they were disqualified. A hump was made for
them like Mount Buthnin.
17. God said, Why do you leap, O mountains? It is not My will to give
the Torah on proud, contemptuous mountains. Behold, Mount Sinai which is
humble; the word of the Lord desires to place His presence upon it; [but] in
the highest heaven the Lord will abide forever.
18. The chariots of God are two myriads of burning fire, two thousand
angels guiding them; the presence of the Lord rests on them, on the mountain of
Sinai, in holiness.
19. You ascended to the firmament, O prophet Moses; you captured
captives, you taught the words of Torah, you gave gifts to the sons of men, and
even the stubborn who are converted turn in repentance, [and] the glorious
presence of the Lord God abides upon them.
20. Blessed be the Lord, every day he weighs us down, adding commandments
to commandments; the mighty One, who is our redemption and our helper forever.
21. God is for us might and redemption; and from God the Lord death and
loss of breath are inflicted on the wicked/lawless through suffocation.
22. Truly God will break the heads of His enemies, He will make fall
out the hair of the man who keeps walking in his sins.
23. The Lord says, “I will bring back the righteous/generous who have
died and been eaten by wild beasts from Buthnin; I will bring back the
righteous/generous who have drowned in the depths of the sea.”
24. So that they will see the punishment of the wicked/lawless, they
will dip their feet in the blood of the slain; the tongue of the wild beast
will grow fat from their plumpness, some of them will be sated on the enemies.
25. The house of Israel has seen the paths of Your presence on the sea,
O God; they say, “The paths of God, King of all the world in holiness!”
26. They rose up early and uttered a song after Moses and Aaron who
were playing melodies before them, in the midst of the righteous/generous women
who were with Miriam playing timbrels.
27. In the midst of the assemblies, bless God, exalt the Lord, O
fetuses in the bellies of their mothers, O seed of Israel!
28. There Benjamin, least of the tribes, who first of all went into the
sea -- because of this, he received kingship; and after them went down the
princes of Judah; the tribes stoned them with stones, and they received
dominion after them; the princes of Zebulun were their merchants, and the
princes of Naphtali were their warriors.
29. God has commanded your strength; be strong, O God, abide in this
sanctuary You have made for us!
30. From your temple You will accept sacrifices; Your presence abides
on Jerusalem; from their palaces the kings will bring to You sacrifices.
31. Rebuke the armies of sinners, shatter them like reeds, the assembly
of warriors who trust in calves, the idols of the Gentiles. His favor is toward
the people who are occupied willingly in the Torah, which is purer than silver.
Scatter the peoples who desire to wage war!
32. The children of Ham, the Osmani, will come from Egypt to be
converted; the children of Cush will run to spread their hands in prayer before
God.
33. O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise in the presence of the Lord,
sing praise to the Lord forever.
34. To the One who sits on His throne in the heaven of heavens; in the
beginning He, by His command, gave through His voice the voice of the spirit of
prophecy to the prophets.
35. Ascribe the glory of strength to God, whose excellence is over
Israel, and whose strength is in heaven.
36. Fearful is God, from Your sanctuary; the mighty One of Israel has
given strength and might to His people. Blessed be God!
Ketubim
Rashi Psalm 68
2 May God rise; His enemies scatter Amalek and his ilk.
3 As smoke is driven away
as it is driven away. As the smoke is driven away so will You drive [them] away.
from before God From before the Ark in the days of Moses. (And it came
to pass when the Ark traveled, that Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and Your
enemies will scatter.”Shem Ephraim) And when it rested, he would say, “Return,
O Lord, etc.”
4 and they will delight with joy And this is the joy, and so will they say, “Sing to God, etc.”
5 praise An expression
of praise. Similarly (Job 28:16): “It cannot be praised with the jewelry of
Ophir”; (Lam. 4:2), “worth their weight in fine gold.” by His name Yah
By the name Yah, which is an expression of fear, as we translate it: fear
(below 118:14): “My might and my praise is the fear of the Lord Yah.” Likewise
(Exod. 17:16): “For a hand is on the throne of the Lord Yah,” in the Targum:
[And he said, “This is stated with an oath from below the fear of the Shechinah
on the throne of His glory, etc.] Similarly (Isa. 26:4): “for in Yah the Lord,”
is paraphrased by the Targum: for then You will be redeemed by the word of the
fear of the Lord, the Strongest of the world.” The Psalmist says, “Praise Him,
fear Him, and rejoice.” This resembles what is said elsewhere (above 2:11):
“and rejoice with quaking.”
6 O Father of orphans
And this is the praise that You shall praise before Him: the entire matter
until the end of the psalm. Father of orphans Who became a father to
Israel, who are orphans, as it is said (Lam. 5:3): “We were orphans without a
father.” and Judge of widows Who performed the judgment of Jerusalem,
concerning which it says (Lam. 1:1): “was like a widow.”
7 settles the solitary in a house Israel, who were spread out. He gathered together each one from the
place where he was lost and settled them in a complete household and a complete
nation. He takes the prisoners out at the most opportune time He took
Israel out of Egypt in the month that is best suited for travelers, neither hot
nor cold. but the rebellious The Egyptians. dwell in an arid land
Their land remained arid and thirsty. I found [this].
8 when You marched
When You stepped with your step. forever There You showed me that this
is Your way forever: for every distress, redemption.
9 this is Sinai That
too quaked because of the Lord God of Israel.
10 Generous rain You poured down This too You did for us: if we needed rain, You lifted them and poured
upon us constantly rains of generosity and blessing. Your heritage, which
was weary, You established When the heritage of Your land was weary and
thirsty for rain, You established it [Your heritage]. I found: Your heritage
which was weary Which is called your heritage, and which is weary; i.e.,
sometimes it is so.
11 Your congregation dwelt therein Your congregation has dwelt therein, as (II Sam. 23:11): “and the
Philistines gathered together their camp (sic) into a troop.” Another
explanation: The congregation of Israel is known as the animal and the beast of
the Holy One, blessed be He. You prepare with your goodness When they
left Egypt, You led them around in the desert for forty years because the
Canaanites rose and cut down the trees. During the interim, when they tarried
in the desert, they rose and rectified it all.
12 The Lord will give out a word; they will announce it to a great
multitude He will yet roar
with [His] voice to allow the hosts of the great nations to hear it. Now what
is the word? The kings of the hosts of nations will wander, yea they will
wander. They will wander and be cast out of the land of Israel, and the
congregation of Israel, who is the dweller of the house, will divide their
spoils, as it is said (Isa. 23:18): “And her commerce and her hire shall be
holy, etc.”
14 If you lie between the borders, etc. All this is the word. He says to them, “If you
had lain between your borders and had enjoyed pleasures, this My dove, My
congregation, whose feathers are covered with silver.” Now what is the silver,
and what is the gold? (15) When the Almighty spreads out, etc. When the
Holy One, blessed be He, explained His Torah, with which the kings are “snowed
and whitened” in a land of the Shadow of Death and darkness then its feathers
(dove’s feathers) were covered with the desire and yearning for the Torah and
[its] Commandments. the feathers of a dove Plumes in French. and its
pinions Its wings, with which it flies. with brilliant gold Heb. בִּירַקְרַק
חָרוּץ. Dunash the son of Labrat interpreted חָרוּץ as gold. Therefore, the Psalmist juxtaposed
it to silver, and ירַקְרַק
חָרוּץ is the gold brought from the land of Havilah and from the land
of Cush; very good gold, neither yellow nor red. Therefore, it is called ירַקְרַק, as (Lev. 13:42): “reddish white” which is
neither white nor red. Therefore, it is doubled.
15 kings These are the
Torah scholars, as it is said (Prov. 8:15): “Kings reign with me.” When...spreads
out Heb. בְּפָרֵשׂ, an expression of (Deut. 22:17): “and they
will spread out the garment”; they clarify the matter as a new garment.
16 The mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan And where did He spread it out? On Mt. Sinai,
which is the mountain of God and is near Bashan on the eastern side of the
Jordan. the mountain of peaks The special mountain among the mountains. peaks
Heb. גַּבְנֻנִּים, an expression of mountains, because of
their height, as (Ezek. 16:24),
17 Why do you lurk, you lofty mountains All this refers back to “The Lord will give
out a word.” He says further to them, “Why do you lurk (תְּרַצְּדוּן), you lofty mountains?” Why do you lurk,
you lofty mountains, to destroy the mountain that God desired for His dwelling,
to cause His Shechinah to rest upon it? That is the Temple Mount. Even He will
dwell there forever. Its sanctity is a perpetual sanctity. After it was chosen
for His dwelling, the Shechinah did not rest elsewhere.
18 God’s chariot, etc.
This too refers back to the “The Lord will give forth a word,” to mention the
love of His people. Even when God’s chariot of “twice ten thousand times
thousands of” brilliant “sharpened” angels appeared, and the Lord was among
them at Sinai with His holiness, there too, you, the leader of His people,
Moses the son of Amram ascended on high and took captives.
19 and also rebellious ones for Yah God to dwell Also you brought about that the Holy One,
blessed be He, rested in the Tabernacle of the Torah, and you took gifts from
the celestial beings to give them to the sons of men, also among a people who
were rebellious and were rebelling against Him and provoking Him.
20 Blessed is the Lord, etc. This is part of the song mentioned above: “Sing to God.” lavishes
upon us He will give us a great salvation, [greater] than any burden, as
much as we can carry. (I found: every day... lavishes upon us He always
behaves in this manner to us, that for every distress there is a salvation.)
21 God is to us the God of salvations God is our Savior, but He has many paths, i.e., kinds of death. תֹּצָאוֹת means, ways to death. However, He does not
lay them upon us, but with them He wounds the head of His enemies.
22 the hairy pate The
pate of Esau, who is a “hairy man,” and who always goes with his guilt.
23 The Lord said, “I shall restore from Bashan” For so He promised to restore us from the
mighty ones of Bashan and from the islands of the sea.
24 In order that your foot may wade through blood When He crushes the head of the enemy, our
feet will wade through their blood. תִּמְחַץ is an expression of splitting into the
blood, as (Jud. 5:26): “she split and penetrated his temple,” from the
enemies From the blood of the enemies. will have its portion Heb. מִנֵּהוּ, its sustenance will be, as we say (Suc.
39b): “How do we know that mn is an expression of food?” For it is
written (Dan. 1:10): “who appointed mnh your food, etc.”
25 They saw Your ways, O God That is to say, it is fitting that You save these people, for when
they saw Your ways in Your sanctity in the sea, singers came first to sing before
You the Song of the Sea, and after them came the minstrels these are the
angels.
26 in the midst of maidens playing timbrels With Miriam and her maidens, who took the
timbrel in her hand, and they said with their praise...
27 In congregations bless God, the Lord, from the womb of Israel Even the fetuses in their mothers’ wombs
recited the Song.
28 There Benjamin the
youngest became the ruler over them. rules over them Heb. רֹדֵם, like rodam, with a “kamatz.” From there, he merited to
become king because he descended first into the sea, and so did Samuel say to
Saul (I Sam. 15:17): “Even if you are small in your own eyes, are you not the
head of the tribes of Israel?” which Jonathan paraphrases: The tribe of
Benjamin crossed the sea at the head of all the other tribes. the princes of
Judah pelt them with stones They envy them and throw stones at them, and so
do the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naftali. So, he says to him, “Your
God has commanded your strength.” Another explanation: רִגְמָתָם is the equivalent of riq’matam,
their embroidery, their embroidered garments, an expression of purple. In this
way Menachem associated it (p. 161).
29 show this strength, O God, etc. Now the Psalmist returns to his prayer that he prayed, “Let God rise,
and let His enemies scatter.” Show Your strength, O God, and strengthen
Yourself, for You have wrought all these for us.
30 From Your Temple, which is over Jerusalem, etc. And since the kings will see the glory of Your
temple, which is over Jerusalem, they will bring You a gift and a tribute.
31 Rebuke the people of the forest This is Ishmael [Esau], who is compared to the “boar from the forest,”
which dwells among the reeds (below 80:14). the congregation of mighty
bulls, among peoples like calves A people that has become fat and thick
like mighty bulls among the other nations, which are merely like calves as
compared to them. submitting himself for pieces of silver They do not
submit themselves to any person unless he persuades them with money. he
scatters peoples They scattered the tribes, as it is said: (Deut. 33:3):
“Also He loves the peoples,” and they always desire battles. They want to fight
with us.
32 Gifts will be brought
(Then, when You destroy Esau and the King Messiah arises, they will bring you
gifts from Egypt and from Cush.Parshandatha) Then, when You scatter the enemy,
and the King Messiah arises in the future, they will bring you gifts from Egypt
and from Cush. Menachem interpreted hashmonayim as the name of a
province, the dwellers of Hashmonah (p. 96), but the commentators interpret it
as an expression of a gift.
33 sing to God Who
showed His greatness and redeemed His people.
34 behold He gives forth
Heb. יִתֵּן, behold He gives.
36 You are feared, O God, from Your Sanctuary Because You destroyed it, You are feared. If
He did not show favoritism to His [own] Sanctuary, surely [He will] not [show
favoritism] to the wicked/lawless of the heathens. The Midrash Aggadah
explains: Do not read: מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ, “from Your Sanctuaries,” but mim’qud’shekha,
“from Your hallowed ones.” When the Holy One, blessed be He, executes justice
upon the righteous/generous, He is feared, elevated, and praised. Similarly, it
is said (Lev. 10:3): “Through those near to me I will be sanctified.” [Also]
(Exod. 29:43), “and it will be sanctified with My honor” [i.e., with My honored
ones]. With the death of Aaron’s two sons (Zev. 115b). Our Rabbis, however,
expounded on the entire psalm until (verse 20): “Blessed is the Lord; every
day” as referring to the giving of the Torah; (verse 10) “generous rain” refers
to the giving of the Torah, and (verse 11) “Your congregation dwelt therein,”
means that they became engrossed in Torah (Mid. Ps. 68 with variations). Also,
my heart is uneasy at explaining (verse 17) “the mountain that God desired for
His dwelling” as referring to Mt. Sinai, because He did not desire it for His
dwelling and [did] not [want] to dwell there forever, whereas here it is
written: “Even the Lord will dwell there forever.” Likewise (verse 13): “Kings
of hosts,” he explained as “angels of hosts,” which is not the language of
Scripture.
Ketubim Midrash Psalm 68
I. For the leader.
A Psalm of David, a song. Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps.
68:1-2). These words are to be considered in the light of what Scripture says
elsewhere: When the wicked/lawless rise, men hide themselves; but when they
perish, the righteous/generous increase (Prov. 28:28). How so? Because it
is through the wicked/lawless that the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes the
righteous/generous; when the wicked/lawless rule, the righteous/generous cannot
lift up their heads nor open their mouths. When the wicked/lawless perish, the
righteous/generous increase. Hence it is said When the wicked/lawless rise,
men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous/generous increase.
So, too, when Deborah said, So perish all Your enemies, O Lord; but they
that love Him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might (Judg. 5:31),
she meant that when the wicked/lawless perish, at once they that love Him are
as the sun when he goes forth in his might. And so, too, David said, I will
keep a curb upon my mouth, while the wicked/lawless is before me (Ps.
39:2). From this verse it follows that the righteous/generous can neither open
their mouths nor raise their heads in the presence of the wicked/lawless.
David pleaded: Deal with these as You have dealt with former enemies.
Even as Moses prayed to You, Rise up, O Lord, and let Your enemies be
scattered (Num. 10:35), so I pray to You to scatter these: Let God
arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps. 68:2).
When Zophar the Naamathite said, But the eyes of the wicked/lawless
shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee (Job 11:20), he meant that
the wicked/lawless have nowhere a refuge, for wherever they flee, Their hope
shall be a puff of breath (ibid.). Of them, Jeremiah also said: These will
perish from the earth, and from under the heavens (Jer. 10:11). Hence it is
said Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.
II. As smoke after
it has been driven away—so drive them away (Ps. 68:3): Drive them away not
only as smoke is driven away, but make it seem as if they never existed.
In a different interpretation the verse is read Like smoke that is
made to come up are the wicked/lawless. A parable of a king and the slaves
in his palace. He was in the upper part of the palace, and the slaves were in
the lower part of the palace, and they raised such a smoke that the smoke came
up to him. So the wicked/lawless, as Isaiah says, are A people that provoke
Me to My face continually, that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon
bricks; that sit among the graves, and lodge in the vaults, that eat swine’s
flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels ... These are a smoke
in My nose (Isa. 65:3-5). Like makers of smoke are the wicked/lawless, and
when they make smoke come up in My face, that is, provoke Me, then, as it is
said, The anger of the Lord and His jealousy shall smoke against that man
(Deut. 29:19); and it is also written Smoke arose up in His nostrils
(Ps. 18:9), which is to say that the wicked/lawless make themselves go up in
smoke, as it is said The enemies of the Lord will be as the fat of lambs—they
shall pass away in smoke, they will pass away (Ps. 37:20).
A different interpretation. Taking the first part of this verse to read
The enemies of the Lord will be as the glory of lambs, R. Aha said: The
wicked/lawless will come to such glory as comes to lambs. For what happens to
lambs? They are killed and hung up to smoke.
Another interpretation. Taking the first part of this verse to read The
enemies of the Lord will be as the glory [of the dwellers] on the plain, R.
Johanan said: The enemies of the Lord will come to such glory as will befall
the dwellers on the plain — so called in the vision of Moses when the Lord
showed him The south and the plain (Deut. 34:3) — as will befall them on
the day when God raises such a cloud of smoke that in the murk no man will be
able to see his fellow. So it will be with the wicked/lawless. Hence it is said
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away ... so let the wicked/lawless
perish at the presence of God (Ps. 68:3). The righteous/generous will then
rejoice, as is said But the righteous/generous will be glad, they will exult
before God; yea, they will rejoice with gladness (ibid. 68:4).
III. Sing unto God,
sing praises to His name; extol Him that rides upon the skies (ibid. 68:5).
Like a man riding a horse and guiding it over the plain, the Holy One, blessed
be He, rides upon the skies. As Moses said, “He who rides upon the sky, is
thy help” (Deut. 33:26).
The end of the verse, With His name YH (Ps. 68:5), means that
with the two letters yod and he, which spell out but half of God’s name, God
created two worlds.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows (Ps. 68:6): The children of Israel in
banishment are like widows and orphans, as is said We are become orphans and
fatherless, our mothers are as widows (Lam. 5:3). Not widows in fact;
rather, like a woman whose husband has gone to a land beyond the sea, but
intends to return to her. And not orphans in fact; rather, like children whose
father has gone to a land beyond the sea, and who have no one to provide for
them. As Scripture says, For Israel is not widowed, nor Judah, of his God,
of the Lord of hosts (Jer. 51:5).
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows is God in His
holy habitation (Ps. 68:6),
for it is said The Lord God executes justice for the oppressed ... gives
bread to the hungry. The Lord looses the prisoners (Ps. 346:7).
IV. God sets the
solitary in families (Ps. 68:7). Elsewhere this is what Scripture says, it
is not good that the man should be solitary (Gen. 2:18). God fashioned Eve
out of Adam’s rib and set her in a bridal chair.
In a different interpretation, the verse is taken to read God sets
the solitary to dwell within; that is, God made Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
who were solitary in the world, to dwell in the Land of Israel which is called within,
Since it is said While as yet He had not made the Land nor the lands without
(Prov. 8:26), the Land of Israel is called “the land within,” and the
other lands are called lands without.
He brings out the prisoners because of good works (Ps. 68:7)—that is, the children of Israel who
were prisoners in Egypt. God brought them forth because of the good works of their
fathers, but the Egyptians who were rebellious remained dwelling in a parched
land (ibid.), as it is said “Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the
sea-shore” (Ex. 14:30).
O God, when You went forth before Your people (Ps. 68:5). As Scripture says, “The Lord
went before them by day in a pillar of cloud” (Ex. 13:21). It was When You
did march through the wilderness (Ps. 68:8) on the day of the giving of the
Torah.
V. The earth
trembled (Ps. 68:9), and at once all the living in the Land of Israel died:
But the dead came to life as the Holy One, blessed be He, dropped the dew of
resurrection on them, for the verse goes on to say The heavens also dropped
at the presence of God (ibid.).
Zeh Sinai (ibid.)
means “Sinai was on fire.” Here zeh is clearly a term for “fire and
conflagration”—as in the verse It was wont to be fired (mezyeh) (Dan.
3:59)—for it is said The mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven
(Deut. 4:11).
A bounteous rain (Ps.
68:10). When the ministering angels saw that the breath of life had flown out
of the children of Israel, they asked the Holy One, blessed be He: “To whom
wilt You give the Torah, to the dead or to the living?” At once the Holy One,
blessed be He, waved out rains of life over the children of Israel so that they
should receive the Torah with a generous and abounding spirit. And the
ministering angels waved the rain along with fans upon the children of Israel,
as is said You did pour out, O God (ibid.).
When Your inheritance was weary (ibid.): When Your inheritance grew weary at the noise of thunder and
of earthquake, You did steady it (ibid.).
Through Your quickening, they inhabited it (Ps. 68:11): Your quickening them enabled the
children of Israel to inhabit the Land. The end of the verse, You, O God, by
saying it is well, did approve [the plea of] the poor (Ps. 68:11), refers
to the occasion when They said unto Moses: “Speak you with us, and we will
hear” (Ex. 20 :i6). Note that it is written in Deuteronomy of this occasion
If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we will die ... Go you
near and hear all that the Lord our God may speak to you (Deut. 5:22, 24).
Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: They have well said all
that they have spoken (ibid. 5:25).
VI. The Lord gave
the word: great was the company of those that published it (Ps. 68:12).
When the Holy One, blessed be He, whose name and whose might are to be praised,
gave forth the divine word, the voice divided itself into seven voices, and
from the seven voices passed into the seventy languages of the seventy nations,
so that all men understood it. Hence it is said Great was the company of those
that published it.
Another comment on The Lord gave the word. The divine word came
forth out of the mouth of the Almighty, and Moses and Aaron published it to the
great company, that is, to the congregation of Israel.
VII. Hosts of
angels did move them, did move them (Ps. 68:13). These words are to be read
in the light of what Scripture says elsewhere: And when the people saw it,
they were removed, so that they stood afar off (Ex. 20:15); afar off
implies that they were removed to a distance of twelve mil from the mountain.
This verse intimates that the children of Israel recoiled a distance of twelve
mil and returned a distance of twelve mil — twenty-four mil at each
Commandment. Thus the children of Israel went back and forth two hundred and
forty mil on that day.
And on that day the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering
angels: “Go down and help your brothers,” for it is said Hosts of angels did
move them, did move them— that is, moved them at the going away from the
mountain and moved them at the coming back.
R. Judah bar Ilai taught: Because the children of Israel were scorched
by flames of fire from above, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the clouds
of glory: Distill the dew of life for My children. Hence it is said A
bountiful rain You did pour out, O God (Ps. 68:10). The end of the verse, After
Your inheritance had been weary, You did steady it, means that after the
children of Israel had been refreshed, at once they received the Torah, as is
said The beauty of the house You did divide as spoil (Ps. 68:13).
VIII. If you have
lain in dunghills (Ps. 68:14). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the
nations: If you sprawl among the dung-hills of your circuses and theatres, then
the congregation of Israel, dove-like, shall receive the Torah, as is said The
wings of a dove shall be covered with silver (ibid).
Why are the children of Israel called dove-like? To tell you that as a
dove does not struggle when it is killed, so the children of Israel do not
struggle when they are killed for the hallowing of the Name; and that as a dove
can save itself only by its wings, so the children of Israel can save
themselves only by means of Torah, which is likened to silver in the verse The
words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the open before all men,
refined seven times (Ps. 12:7). In the end of the verse, And her pinions
with the shimmer of gold (Ps. 68:14), gold refers to the collections of
Mishnah and the treatises of the Talmud.
IX. When kings expound,
the Almighty is within it (Ps. 68:15): when Israel engages continually in
the study of Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes His presence dwell
within Israel. You will make Zalmon as white as snow (ibid.): even if
the interpretation of a law be obscured from Israel as if by a shadow (zalmiq),
the Holy One, blessed be He, makes it white as snow and clarifies it for them.
Whence do we know that the disciples of the wise are called kings?
Because it is said By me kings reign and princes decree justice (Prov.
8:15).
A mountain of God, the mountain of Bashan. A mountain of peaks, the
mountain of Bashan (Ps. 68:16).
R. Nathan taught: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to give the Torah to
the children of Israel, Carmel came from Aspamea and Tabor came from Beth-elim.
Later revelation refers to their coming in the verse As I live, says the
King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains,
and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come (Jer. 46:38). The one said: “I
am called Mount Tabor. It is fitting that the Presence should rest upon me, for
I am the highest of all the mountains, and not even the water of the deluge
overwhelmed me.” And the other said: “I am called Mount Carmel. It is fitting
that the Presence should rest upon me, for I put myself in the middle of the
Red Sea, and it was by my help that the children f Israel got across.” The Holy
One, blessed be He, replied: “By the blemish of arrogance in you, you have
already made yourselves unworthy of My presence. Each of you is unworthy of My
presence.” The mountains asked: “Art You partial to another? Is it possible
that You will deprive us of our due?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied:
“Because you put yourselves to trouble for My honor, I will give you a reward.
Behold, in the time of Deborah I will give deliverance to the children of
Israel upon Mount Tabor, as is said Go and draw toward Mount Tabor
(Judg. 4:6); and also I will give deliverance to Elijah upon Mount Carmel, as
is said Ahab ... gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel (1
Kings 18:20).”
All the other mountains then began to thunder protests and to make a
commotion, as is said The mountains quaked in [contesting for] the presence
of the Lord (Judg. 5:5). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, asked: Why do
you look askance (térassédun)? (Ps. 68:17). (That is, why do you wish [tirélsu]
to contend [dun] with Sinai?) Ye are all peak-backed mountains (ibid.)! Here
“peak-backed” has the sense of “blemished,” as in the verse “He that hath a
blemish ... shall not approach a man that is ... peak-backed” (Lev.
21:18-20).
At the mountain which God has desired for His abode (Ps. 68:17). God said: “My wish is to dwell
only on Sinai because Sinai is the lowliest of all of you,” for, as Scripture
says, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a
contrite and lowly spirit (Isa. 57:15), and also For though the
Lord be high, yet He regards He the lowly, and the haughty He knows from afar
(Ps. 138:6). Lest it be thought, however, that God has dwelt upon Sinai for all
the generations since, the verse ends by saying But the Lord will dwell in
eternity (Ps. 68:17)—that is, God returned His presence to heaven.
Whence did Sinai come? R. Jose taught: Out of Mount Moriah, out of the
place where our father Isaac had been bound as a sacrifice, Sinai plucked
itself as a priest’s portion is plucked out of the bread. For the Holy One,
blessed be He, said: Since their father Isaac was bound upon this place, it is
fitting that his children receive the Torah upon it.
And whence do we know that Mount Moriah will be restored to its
pre-eminence? Because it is said The mountain of the Lord’s house will be
established as the top of the mountains (Isa. 2:2), mountains referring to
Tabor, Carmel, Sinai, and Zion. The mountains (heharim), however, implies five
mountains, equaling in number the five books of the Torah.
X. The chariots of
God: two myriads, thousands of angels (Ps. 68:18). R. Abdimi of Haifa said:
In the course of my study I learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, came down
upon Mount Sinai, and with Him were twenty-two thousand chariots of ministering
angels.
R. Berechiah said: Their number equaled the number of Levites in the
camp of the tribe. For the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that at the making
of the golden calf, they in the camp of Levi would abide in their limpid
integrity, as is said All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto
him (Ex. 32:26). Accordingly, down from the camp of the Holy One, blessed
be He, came twenty-two thousand chariots, equaling in number the Levites in the
camp of the tribe.
Another interpretation of The chariots of God: Twenty-two
thousand chariots came down with the Holy One, blessed be He, and every chariot
was like the chariot which Ezekiel the son of Buzi saw.
In the name of a company of scholars that came up from Babylonia, it is
reported that there were forty-two thousand chariots, for the verse ends by
saying The Lord is among them (bm) as in Sinai, in the holy place
(ibid.), and the numerical value of the letters bm is forty-two? So
also taught Elijah, ever remembered on good occasions.
In a different reading of the verse, namely, The chariots of God are
myriads, even thousands of angels (Ps. 68:17), R. Tanhum bar Ilanilai said:
There were as many chariots as only an accountant can imagine—a thousand
thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads.
On another reading of the verse, namely, The chariots of God are
myriads, even thousands of sharp-visaged ones, R. Eleazar ben Pedath
commented: All of them came down sharply intent on destroying the world, if the
children of Israel did not accept the Torah.
But, according to R. Levi, the children of Israel had seen the
countenance of the Holy One, blessed be He, and if a man has seen the
countenance of the Holy One, blessed be He, he cannot die, as is said In the
light of the King’s countenance is life (Prov. 16:15).
The Lord is in them
(Ps. 68:17). R. Simeon ben Lakish said: There is a tablet [with El upon
it] over the heart of every angel such as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel,
Anael, and in this way the Holy One, blessed be He, is in them, as is said The
Lord is in them. The end of the verse, even as Sinai is upon holiness
(ibid.), means that though the Holy One, blessed be He, seemed to be coming
down upon Mount Sinai, for it is said And the Lord came down upon Mount
Sinai (Ex. 19:20), in truth, Sinai hung upon God, as is said The Lord is
among them, even as Sinai is upon holiness.
XI. You have gone
up on high, you have led captivity captive; you have received gifts for men (Ps. 68:19). These words are to be read in the
light of what Scripture says elsewhere: A wise man goes up to the city of
the mighty, and brings down the strength wherein it trusts (Prov. 21 :22).
This wise man is Moses, of whom it is said “And Moses went up unto God”
(Ex. 19:3); the words you have received gifts for men refer to the Torah
which was bestowed upon Israel as a gift, at no cost. The words The
rebellious dwell but in a parched land (Ps. 68:7) refer to the nations of
the earth who were unwilling to accept the Torah; on the other hand, in the
words Yes, among the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among
them (ibid. 68:19), among the rebellious refers to the children of
Israel who had also been rebellious, but among whom, the presence of God came
to dwell after they accepted the Torah.
XII. Blessed be the
Lord, who daily loaded us with benefits (Ps. 68:20)—He who daily put more
and more precepts and laws upon the children of Israel. God is unto us a God
of deliverances (Ps. 68:21): Deliverances refers to the way of life
which He gave to us and to our children. Also unto God the Lord belong the
issues of death (ibid.), that is, belongs the way of death, as it is said See,
I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil (Deut.
30:15).
Surely God will break the head of His enemies (Ps. 68:22). Here the Psalmist refers again to
the enemies of God and to the enslavement in Egypt, which are also referred to
in such verses as You did break the sea in pieces by Your strength; You did
break the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters (Ps. 74:13), and in You
break the head out of the house of the wicked/lawless (Hab. 3:13), where
head refers to Pharaoh and his host.
XIII. The Lord
said: “I will bring again from Bashan” (Ps. 68:23)—that is, bring those whom wild beasts devoured; “I will
bring My people again from the depths of the sea” (ibid.)—that is, bring
those who were drowned in the depths for the hallowing of the Name. [Or,
reading the end of the verse, I will bring them again from the depths of the
sea, and taking the word them to refer to the enemies of Israel, the
verse means that] even as the Holy One, blessed be He, requited Og, the king of
Bashan, and requited Pharaoh and the Egyptians at the Red Sea, so will the Holy
One, blessed be He, requite the mighty men of wicked Edom. What is meant by the
words I will bring them again? They mean: “Upon them, as upon Og and
Pharaoh, it is in My power to bring requital.”
That Your foot may be red in the blood of Your enemies (Ps. 68:24): in the wars against Gog and
Magog. Or, in the war against Edom, of which it is said “Who is this that
comes from Edom ... Wherefore are You red in Your apparel, and Your garments
like him that treads in the wine-vat?” (Isa. 63:1, 2). The end of the verse,
and the tongue of your dogs in the same (Ps. 68:24), means that the
beasts of the field will be invited to the feast, for it is said “Come,
assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour” (Jer. 12:9), and also
“Every beast of the forest” (Ps. 50:10).
They have seen Your goings, O God (Ps. 68:25), Your goings at the Red Sea; even the goings of the God
my King in holiness (ibid.) upon Mount Sinai.
The singers went before
(Ps. 68:26), as it is said “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel”
(Ex. 15:1); and The players on instruments followed after, among them were
the damsels playing with timbrels (ibid.): “And Miriam the prophetess took
a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and
with dances” (Ex. 15:20).
XIV. Bless God in
full assemblies, even the Lord, you that are the fountain of Israel (Ps. 68:26): full assemblies includes
children, and the fountain of Israel refers to embryos in the wombs of
their mothers. This verse teaches that every child and every embryo pointed
their fingers over against the Presence and said: This is my God, and I will
glorify Him (Ex. 15:2).
There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them (rodem) (Ps. 68:28). R. Meir taught: When the tribes
stood at the sea, one said: “I shall go down first,” and another said: “I shall
go down first.” As they stood there defying one another, the tribe of Benjamin
jumped first into the sea, as is said There is Benjamin, the youngest,
rodem. Do not read rodem, but rd ym, meaning “braved (rd)
the sea (ym).”
Thereupon the princes of Judah began to pelt the tribe of Benjamin with
stones, as is said The princes of Judah stoned them (Ps. 68:28). The
Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “My children, because each of you
intended an act of piety in Mine honor, therefore I will not withhold your
reward.” Thus it is said of the tribe of Benjamin The beloved—with him the
Lord will dwell in secure habitation (Deut. 33:12), and also Benjamin will
raven as a wolf (Gen. 49 :27), that is, the tribe of Benjamin was thought
worthy of having the presence of God dwell in its part of the land. And as for
the tribe of Judah, it was thought worthy of royalty, for in the verse The
princes of Judah, theirs is the purple (Ps. 68:28), purple implies that the
princes of Judah were thought worthy of wearing purple, the symbol of royalty,
as Scripture says, Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with
purple (Dan. 5:29).
The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali (Ps. 68:28). The verse teaches that on account
of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, miracles were wrought for Israel at the
Red Sea, and so, too, on account of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali,
miracles were wrought for Israel in the time of Deborah and Barak. For it is
said And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali
(Judg. 4:6), and also Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded
their lives unto the death, and Naphiali, upon the high places of the field
(ibid. 5:18).
XV. Your God has
commanded Your strength (Ps. 68:29). The congregation of Israel said:
Master of the universe, command the deliverances of Your people, and give
strength to Your Messiah, as is written He will give strength unto His king,
and exalt the horn of His Messiah (1 Sam. 2:10).
Out of Your Temple at Jerusalem, where kings will bring presents unto
You (Ps. 68:30). When will
kings bring presents unto You? When the kingdom of Edom is destroyed.
Rebuke the wild beast of the reed (Ps. 68:31a), that is, rebuke wicked/lawless Edom whose decrees, all
done with [an undeviating] reed, impose only persecution upon the children of
Israel and command them to worship idols.
The multitude of bulls, with the calves of the people, everyone
submitting himself with pieces of silver (Ps. 68:31 b-c) What does this verse say that the children of Israel
must do? They must open their palms to the Romans and appease them with money,
as is said Every one submitting himself with pieces of silver. Therefore
Scatter the people that delight in
war (ibid.).
Because of Your Temple at Jerusalem will kings bring presents unto You
... hasmannim will come out of Egypt (Ps. 68:30,32). Choice flocks will be brought out of Egypt as presents
to be offered upon Your altar, as is said All the flocks of Kedar will be
gathered together unto You (Isa. 60:7). Ethiopia will hasten to stretch
out her hands unto God (Ps. 68:32b); that is, with a stretching out of the
hand sacrifices will be offered to God, and thereupon it will be said Sing
unto God, you kingdoms of the earth (Ps. 68:33a).
A different interpretation: In haste will gifts (hasmannim) be brought
to You out of Egypt (Ps.
68:31). Here hasmannim is taken as made up of manim, ‘minas’ and
of halut, “haste”: Thus in haste and with zeal shall presents weighty as
minas be brought out of Egypt, as it is said Kings shall bring presents unto
You (Ps. 68:30). And in the words Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her
hands unto God (ibid. 68:31), shall soon stretch out has the sense
of “shall carry quickly,” as in the verse They carried them quickly (2
Chron. 35:13).
Another interpretation: Ready-hasting (hasmannim) they shall come
out of Egypt. Here hasmannim is taken as made up of haEm, “they that
are in haste” and of mèmunnim, “they that are ready”: Thus they shall
come in haste, ready to be proselytes. So, too, the end of the verse implies
that Ethiopia shall hasten and run to reach out her hands toward God.
Or, the letter het being interchangeable with the letter ‘alef,
hasmannim may be equated with ‘asmannim, “men burnished by the sun,”
and thus means “black people,” referring to the verse The sons of Ham:
Ethiopia and Egypt (Gen. 10:6).
Ashlamatah: Jer. 31:32-39 + 32:40-41
32 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and
in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they will be My
people;
33 and they will teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man
his brother, saying: 'Know the LORD'; for they will all know Me, from the least
of them unto the greatest of them, says the LORD; for I will forgive their
iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more. {S}
34 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, and the
ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the
sea, that the waves thereof roar, the LORD of hosts is His name:
35 If these ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the
seed of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever. {S}
36 Thus says the LORD: If heaven above can be measured, and the
foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all
the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD. {S}
37 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that the city will be built to
the LORD from the tower of Hananel unto the gate of the corner.
38 And the measuring line will yet go out straight forward unto the
hill Gareb, and will turn about unto Goah.
39 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all
the fields unto the brook Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the
east, will be holy unto the LORD; it will not be plucked up, nor thrown down
any more forever. {P}
40 and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not
turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put My fear in their hearts,
that they will not depart from Me.
41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them
in this land in truth with My whole heart and with My whole soul. {S}
Midrash of Matityahu
(Matthew) 11:25-30
25. ¶ At that season Yeshuah raised himself up and
said: ‘Here am I. Be praised my Father, G-d of the heavens and the land,
because You have hidden these words for the Sages and intellectuals but makes
them known to little ones [to the humble].
26. Amen, my Father, such is Your gracious will.
27. Every word delivered to me is from my Father.
Absolutely no man is an intimate of the son except he also be an intimate of
the Father. The Father is intimate with absolutely no man except the son.
28. Come to me, all you who are weary and are
heavy-laden, and I will help you to bear your yoke.
29. Take my yoke as your yoke and learn from me
that I am humble and good and pure of heart, “and you will find rest for your
souls” (Jeremiah 6:16),
30. because my yoke is soft and my burden is light.
The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic
Study
What a most wonderful set of readings we are presented with for this
Shabbat. On the one hand we have the Torah Seder whose central theme is about
the response to gratitude is manifested amongst other things in great generosity
of heart and soul [For more elucidation on this topic, and how justification or
G-d’s justice gushes forth into great generosity see: http://www.betemunah.org/justification.html as
well as http://www.betemunah.org/giver.html].
Messiah King David looks at our Torah Seder and picks on the mountain
where G-d revealed Himself to Israel and to Mosheh Rabbenu in a more intimate
manner. Har (Mount) Sinai is described a “lowly and humble” and that is why it
was chosen as the place in which G-d would reveal His will to His people. This
theme, as always is picked up by Matityahu (remember that both Messiah King
David and Matityahu are Midrash experts, and it is no coincidence that quite a
number of time their thoughts are purposefully coincidental since their aim is
to reveal the Messiah in the Torah). This subject is alluded to in Matityahu
11:25-26 – “You have hidden these words for the Sages and intellectuals but
makes them known to little ones [to the humble]. Amen, my Father, such is Your
gracious will.” Then the prophet Jeremiah who is commenting altogether from
a different perspective brings to the forefront the future “New Covenant” which
will be introduced at the second coming of the Messiah.
The pronouncement from the Prophet Jeremiah begs the question: What is
relationship of the “New Covenant” to the present Torah Seder of Sh’mot
(Exodus) 34:27 – 35:29? And to further complicate matters you may also be
asking yourself, why did I say that the “New Covenant” is not now with us, but
will be introduced at the second coming of the Messiah?
With regards to the first question, the answer is to be found in the
words opening our Torah Seder – “כְּתָב-לְךָ” – “Write for yourself.” This
same verb is used in Jeremiah 31:32 – “and in their heart will I write
it.” The Sages advance the proposition that the second writing (the one in
the heart/mind) is the writing of the Oral Torah which Mosheh Rabbenu received
during the 40 days and nights before the Presence of Ha-Shem, most blessed be
He, at Mount Sinai. The aftermath of this writing of the Oral Torah in the
heart of Mosheh Rabbenu was that his face radiated light. Regarding Moses and
his luminous face after spending forty days and nights before the Prence of G-d
at Mount Sinai please see: http://www.betemunah.org/eschatol.html.
So, based upon this understanding, one enters into the New Covenant by
writing the Oral Torah in one’s heart and mind. The more one’s will is
subjected to G-d’s will by this writing of the Oral Law upon our consciences
the more one has entered into the delights and rewards of the New Covenant.
Whilst it is true that the fullness of the New Covenant can only be apprehended
after the coming of the Messiah, nevertheless by internalizing the Oral Torah
one can partake of a foretaste of the New Covenant.
This of course has great significance when we try to understand the
full meaning of the Aaronic blessing His face shine upon you– “may He make His
face shine upon you”! I.e. May G-d write
His Oral Torah on the tables of your heart and mind!
With regards to the second question please see: http://www.betemunah.org/reasons.html as
well as the wonderful article: http://www.betemunah.org/gen-jew.html.
But briefly, let me point out the following facts:
1. The “New Covenant” is made by G-d with the
house of Israel – “But this is the covenant that I (G-d) will make with the
house of Israel” (Jer. 31:32), and not by the Rabbi from Nazareth with the
Gentiles!
2. The church and Xtianity are not the house of
Israel, nor can they ever be, unless they accept unconditionally and fully the
rule of the tribe of Yehudah upon themselves as outlined by our Sages.
3. We have no doubt whatsoever that in the Church
and amongst Xtians there are many who know or are in ignorance of the fact that
they are either descendants from Yehudah or from the lost Tribes of Israel.
However, this in no way makes the Church or Xtianity Jewish or the New Israel!
Those that believe that Xtianity is the “New Israel” are simply mouthpieces of
demons and satanic influences.
4. That no Israelite has ever been given authority
from G-d, most blessed be He, to do away with or dispute the validity of the
laws issued by the tribe of Yehudah or Levi as it is written: “The scepter
will not depart from Judah, nor the lawmaker from between his feet, until
Shiloh come, and the obedience of the peoples to him” (Genesis 49:10); and
it is further said: “For the lips of the priest must guard knowledge, and
they must seek the Law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of Ha-Shem of
Hosts” (Malachi 2:7). Therefore, G-d has made it perfectly clear, that no
Xtian or Israelite has any right to even disagree with what the Sages from the
tribes of Judah or Levi teach and adjudicate. Israel is about a Theocracy not a
demon-ocracy where everyone has his say!
5. It is fashionable for some to claim to be
Israelites or Messianic, and this is not wrong in itself, as long as they teach
the Torah as taught by the Sages of Judah and Levi. If they teach that the
Sages of present day Judah and Levi are wrong, then they are not sent by G-d,
but are sent by their own egos who seek money, fame, and power. To these, the
Master of Nazareth teaches this week: “Take my yoke as your yoke and learn
from me that I am humble and good and pure of heart” Matityahu
11:29).
6. That even when it may not appear to be so, and
to the chagrin of many who consider themselves scholars, all the laws and
rulings of the Sages of present day Yehudah emanate and are guided by the
Messiah of Israel from above, as it is written: “The scepter will not depart
from Judah, nor the lawmaker from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and the
obedience of the peoples to him” (Genesis 49:10), and it is also stated: “And
Yeshuah came to them and said to them, the “Authority and glory, and a kingdom
has been given unto me in [the] heavens and on earth” (Daniel 7:14). Therefore,
as you go Talmudize (make Talmidim that follow the dictates of the Talmud from)
all the Gentiles, immersing them onto the authority of the Father (G-d the Creator)
and of the Son (the King of Israel and the people of Israel) and of the Holy
Spirit (the Jewish Bate Din) teaching them to observe all the commandments I
commanded you: and behold, I am with you all the days, even unto the
consummation of the age, Amen!” (Matityahu 28:18-20).
7. Having said this, it is utterly impossible for
the writings of the Nazarean Codicil to teach anything contrary to the
teachings of the Sages of the tribe of Judah and Levi! If they do it is because
either the text has been tampered with in its transmission, or the text has
been mistranslated in order to placate powerful political and religious
interests, or the reader is reading into those writings something that has been
erroneously taught to him/her as infallible truth but is nevertheless no there
in the text itself and was never the intention of the authors to say so.
The seven cannons have guided us well throughout our journey, and we
have been blessed of Ha-Shem by faithfully adhering to them, and together they
irrevocably prove that we are not living ate present under the “New Covenant”
prophesied by Jeremiah, otherwise as the prophet states “and they will
teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother,
saying: 'Know the LORD'; for they will all know Me, from the least of them
unto the greatest of them, says the LORD; for I will forgive their
iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:33) would
be a reality amongst us today. The fact that to this day we need more than ever
good teachers to teach us the Laws of G-d and how to establish them, and also
we still have to deal with the issue of “sin” is proof positive that we are not
living under the dispensation of the “New Covenant”!
May you and your loved ones together with all Yisrael, be privileged to
partake of a great measure of the foretaste of the New Covenant, amen ve amen!
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai