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

 

 

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

 

Roll of Honor:

 

This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great generosity of:

 

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 Excellency Adon Luqas Nelson

His Honor Paqid Adon Tsuriel 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

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 Yaaqob ben David

 

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 performing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

 

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

 

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.

A Prayer for our Beloved Hakhamim

 

We would like to ask for prayers on behalf of our three Hakhamim, Hakham Dr. Yoseph ben Haggai, Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David, and Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham for their health, as well as for this work, that it may prosper, be of great benefit to all, and that it may be well supported, and we all say, Amen ve Amen!

 

“Vayizkor Elohim”- “And God remembered”

Iyar 22, 5783 – May 12/13, 2023

 

 

Contents of the Torah Seder‎

 

·        Birth of Joseph – Genesis 30:22-24

·        Yaaqob’s Wages – Genesis 30:25-43

·        Laban’s sons and Laban’s anger – Genesis 31:1-2

 

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: B’resheet (Genesis) ‎‎‎‎30:22 – 31:2‎‎

 

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 Remez 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’s Commentary for: ‎ B’resheet (Genesis) ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎30:22 – 31:2‎‎‎

 

22 And God remembered Rachel -(Gen. Rabbah 73:4) He remembered for her that she gave over her signs to her sister [Leah] and that she was troubled lest she fall into Esau’s lot, perhaps Jacob would divorce her because she had no children. The wicked Esau also got that idea when he heard that she had no children. This is what the payetan incorporated [into his poem for the first day of Rosh Hashanah, entitled אֶבֶן חוּג ]: When the ruddy one (Esau) saw that she (Rachel) had not experienced birth pangs, he wished to take her for himself, and she was terrified.

 

23 has taken away Heb. אָסַף He took it into a place where it would not be seen, and similarly (Isa. 4:1): “take away (אֱסֽף) our reproach”; (Ex. 9:19): “and will not be taken in (יֵאָסֵף) the house”; (Joel 4:15): “have withdrawn (אָסְפוּ) their shining”; (Isa. 60:20): “shall your moon be gathered in (יֵאָסֵף) ,” [meaning that] it will not be hidden.

 

my reproach For I was put to shame, having been barren, and [people] were saying about me that I would fall to the lot of the wicked Esau (Tan. Buber, Vayeitzei 20). The Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 73:5) [explains it thus:] As long as a woman has no child, she has no one to blame for her faults. As soon as she has a child, she blames him. “Who broke this dish?” “Your child!” “Who ate these figs?” “Your child!”

 

24 May the Lord grant me yet another son She knew through prophecy that Jacob was destined to establish only twelve tribes. She said, “May it be His will that the one he is destined to establish be from me.” Therefore, she prayed only for another son [and no more].-[from Gen. Rabbah 72:6]

 

25 when Rachel had borne Joseph When the adversary of Esau was born, as it is said (Obadiah 1:18): “And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble.” Fire without a flame does not burn anything a distance away. As soon as Joseph was born, Jacob trusted in the Holy One, blessed be He and desired to return [to Canaan].-[from B.B. 123b, Targum Jonathan ben Uziel, Gen. Rabbah 73:7]

 

26 Give [me] my wives, etc. I do not wish to leave without permission.-[from Zohar vol. 1, 158b]

 

27 I have divined He was a diviner. [He said:] I ascertained with my divination that a blessing came to me through you. When you came here, I had no sons, as it is said (above, 29: 6): “and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep” (is it possible that he has sons, yet sends his daughter along with the shepherds?). Now, however, he had sons, as it is said (31:1): “And he heard the words of Laban’s sons.”- [from Tanchuma Shemot 16]

 

28 Specify your wages Heb. נָקְבָה , [to be interpreted] as the Targum renders: פָָּרֵישׁ אַגְרָךְ , specify your wages.

 

29 and how your livestock was with me The small amount of your livestock that came into my hands—how many were they?

 

30 upon my arrival lit., to my foot, with my foot; because of the arrival of my foot, the blessing came to you, like (Exod. 11:8): “the people that follow you (בְּרַגְלֶיךָ) ”; (Jud. 8:5): “to the people that follow me (בְּרַגְלִי) ,” who come with me.-[from Gen. Rabbah 73:8]

 

when will I, too, provide [something] for my household For the needs of my household. Now only my children work for my needs, and I too must work with them to assist them. This is the meaning of “too.”

 

32 speckled Heb. נָקֽד , spotted with small patches like dots, poynture in Old French, speckled.

 

spotted Heb. טָלוּא , an expression of patches, wide spots.

 

brown-Heb. חוּם , [Onkelos renders] שְׁחוּם , somewhat reddish, rosso in Italian, reddish brown, russet. In the language of the Mishnah (B.B. 83b): “[If someone purchases] red (שְׁחַמְתִּית) [wheat] and it was found to be white,” regarding grain.

 

and this shall be my wages Those that will be born from now on speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep shall be mine. Those that are here now, separate from them and entrust them with your sons, so that you do not say to me concerning those born from now on, “These were there from the beginning,” and furthermore, so that you should not say to me, “Through the males that are speckled and spotted, the females will give birth to similar animals from now on.”

 

33 And my righteousness will testify for me, etc. If you suspect me of taking anything of yours, my righteousness will testify for me. My righteousness will come and testify about my wages before you, that you will find in my flock only speckled and spotted ones, and whatever you find among them that is not speckled or spotted or brown, I have obviously stolen from you, and [only] through theft is it in my possession.

 

34 Very well! Heb. הֵן , an expression denoting the acceptance of terms.

 

If only it would be as you say If only you would want this!

 

35 And he removed [I.e.,] Laban [removed] on that day, etc.

 

the male goats Heb. הַתְּיָשִׁים , male goats.

 

whichever had white on it whichever had white patches on it.

 

and he gave [them] [I.e.] Laban [gave them] into the hands of his sons.

 

36 Laban’s remaining animals The weakest among them, the sick and the barren, which are only leftovers, he gave over to him.

 

37 rod[s] of trembling poplar This is a tree named לִבְנֶה , as it is said (Hosea 4:13): “under oaks and trembling poplars (וְלִבְנֶה) ” and I believe that לבנה is the one called trenble in Old French, trembling poplar and aspen, which is white (לָבָן) .

 

moist When it was moist.

 

and hazelnut And he took also a rod of לוּז , a tree upon which small nuts grow, coldre in Old French, hazelnut.

 

and chestnut - c(h)astanyer in Old French, chestnut.

 

streaks Many peelings, for it made it spotted.

 

baring the white-When he peeled it, its white appeared and was bared in the place where it was peeled.

 

38 And he thrust Heb. וַּיַּצֵג . The Targum renders וְדָעִיץ , an Aramaic term denoting thrusting and sticking in, of which there are many [examples] in the Talmud, [e.g.] (Shab. 50b): “he inserted it (דָּצָהּ) and pulled it out”; and (Chul. 93b): “If he thrust (דָץ) something into it.” [The word] דָּצָהּ is like דְּעָצָהּ , but it is a contracted form.

 

into the gutters Where the water was running, in pools made in the ground in which to water the flocks.-[from Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 7]

 

where...would come, etc. In the gutters where the animals would come to drink, he thrust the rods opposite the animals.-[from Targumim]

 

and they would come into heat, etc. - (Gen. Rabbah 73:10) The animal would see the rods, and she would be startled backwards. Then the male would mount her and she would give birth to offspring similar to him. Rabbi Hoshaya says: The water would become sperm in their innards, and they did not require a male, and that is the meaning of וַיֵחַמְנָה וגוֹ . (I.e., in this word, there is a combination of masculine and feminine forms, as mentioned by Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra.)

 

39 by the rods At the sight of the rods.

 

ringed Unusual in the place where they are bound. Those are the joints of their forelegs and hind legs.

 

40 And Jacob separated the sheep Those born ringed or speckled he divided and separated for himself, and he made them [in a formation of] each flock separately, and he led the ringed flock ahead of the [ordinary] animals, and the faces of the animals following them gazed at them. This is what Scripture says [further]: “and he turned the faces of the animals toward the ringed one[s],” that the faces of the animals were directed toward the ringed ones and toward every brown one that he found in Laban’s flocks.

 

and he made himself flocks As I explained.

 

41 that were bearing their first הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת . [To be interpreted] according to the Targum: Those who were giving birth to their first, but [for this interpretation] there is no evidence in Scripture. (Machbereth Menachem p. 160), however, associated it with (II Sam. 15:31): “Ahithophel is among the conspirators (בַּקּוֹשְׁרִים) ”; (ibid. 12): “And the conspiracy (הַקֶּשֶׁר) was strong.” Those who bind themselves together to hasten their conception.

 

42 But if...would delay Heb. וּבְהַעֲטִיף , a term denoting delay, as the Targum renders וּבְלַקְשׁוּת , but Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p. 132) associated it with (Isa. 3:22): “the tunics and the wraps (וְהַמַּעֲטָפוֹת) ,” a term denoting a wrap, meaning that they enwrapped themselves in their skin and their wool, and they did not desire to come into heat through the males.

 

43 prolific animals Heb רַבּוֹת . They were fruitful and multiplied more than other animals.-[from Tanchuma Buber, Vayeitzei 24]

 

and maidservants and manservants He would sell his animals at a high price and purchase all these for himself.-[from Gen. Rabbah 74:5]

 

Chapter 31

 

1 he has amassed Heb. עָשָָׂה , lit., made, acquired, like (I Sam. 14:48) “And he gathered (וַיַעַשׂ) an army, and he smote Amalek.”

 

Ketubim:    Tehillim (Psalms) 26:1-12

 

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) ‎‎‎‎26:1-12

 

1 Judge me And elsewhere (143:2) he says, “You shall not enter judgment [with Your servant].” Said David: When You judge the wicked, judge me, for compared to the wicked, I am a righteous man, but when You judge the righteous/generous, do not bring me into judgment.

 

4 and...with hypocrites who go into hidden places to do their deeds in the dark.

 

neither did I go I am not accustomed to come and enter their assembly.

 

6 with cleanliness For there is no robbery [involved] in my fulfillment of the commandments.

 

7 To proclaim Heb. לַשְׁמִעַ , like לְהַשְׁמִיעַ .

 

all Your wonders This refers to Hallel, which contains mention of the past, mention of Gog and Magog, mention of the Messianic era, and mention of the future.

 

10 plots Heb. זמה . Every זמה in Scripture is an expression of a plan, some for good and some for evil.

 

12 My foot stood on a straight path Heb. במישור , on a straight path.

 

Meditation from the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) ‎‎26:1-12

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

 

The essence of David's lifelong aspiration is condensed into this brief psalm. Perfect innocence, purity, clarity of vision, truth, separation from evil, cleanliness, zeal; all of these find expression in this composition. David yearned for these traits so that he would he deemed worthy of constructing the shrine of human perfection, the Beit HaMikdash. ‘HaShem, I love the House in which You dwell, and the place in which Your glory resides’.^[1]

 

Late in his career, after a lifetime of arduous preparation, David thought that he had attained the perfection of the patriarchs, Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaaqob. He asked G-d to let him prove his worth by testing him.

 

G-d acquiesced by tempting David with Bath Sheba, a test that showed that David had not yet achieved flawlessness.

 

Psalm 26 was composed after David's failure and he uses its verses to convey a double message. On the one hand, David requests a test and explains why he feels ready for it. On the other hand, he expresses his feelings of repentance and remorse after his failure.^[2]

 

The superscription of this psalm ascribes it’s authorship to David. The Talmud gives us the details and the Zohar connects our psalm to the above incident:

 

Sanhedrin 107a Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: One should never [intentionally] bring himself to the test, since David king of Israel did so, and fell. He said unto Him, ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Why do we say [in prayer] “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” but not the God of David?’ He replied, ‘They were tried by me, but thou wast not.’ Then, replied he, ‘Sovereign of the Universe, examine and try me’ — as it is written, Examine me, O Lord, and try me.^[3] He answered ‘I will test thee, and yet grant thee a special privilege;^[4] for I did not inform them [of the nature of their trial beforehand], yet, I inform thee that I will try thee in a matter of adultery.’ Straightway, And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed etc.^[5] R. Johanan said: He changed his night couch to a day couch,^[6] but he forgot the halacha: there is a small organ in man which satisfies him in his hunger but makes him hunger when satisfied.^[7] And he walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.^[8] Now Bath Sheba was cleansing her hair behind a screen,^[9] when Satan came to him, appearing in the shape of a bird. He shot an arrow at him, which broke the screen, thus she stood revealed, and he saw her. Immediately, And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath Sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanliness: and she returned unto her house. Thus it is written, Thou host proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou host tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.^[10] He said thus: ‘Would that a bridle had fallen into the mouth of mine enemy [i.e., himself], that I had not spoken thus.’^[11]

 

Soncino Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1, Page 82a … David further said to God: “Sovereign of the Universe, wherefore do not the Israelites conclude one of their blessings with my name as they do with the name of Abraham, [Tr. note: The first blessing of the Amidah.] of whom it is written ‘I am thy shield’?”^[12] God replied: “Abraham I have already tried and tested and found to be wholly steadfast.” Said David: “If so, ‘examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart’ (Psalm 26:2).”

 

HaShem Acquiesced by tempting David with Batsheba, a test that showed that David had not yet achieved flawlessness. This psalm was composed after David’s failure and he uses its verses to convey a double message. On the one hand, David requests a test and explains why he feels ready for it. On the other hand, he expresses his feelings of repentance and remorse after his failure.^[13]

 

If you think about it, when a teacher has a student who constantly thinks that he has the correct answer; the teacher at some point must ask a question that such a student cannot answer. Otherwise, the child will grow arrogant and conceited. In his eyes, all of his classmates will be diminished. So it was with David when he asked for a test. In order for him to continue to grow, HaShem had to show him that he was not yet perfect. On the other hand, none of the Patriarchs asked for a test. Therefore, the test that they were given was designed to show them how high they had climbed in their reach for a relationship with HaShem.

 

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz^[14] explains why it is that King David is told by HaShem that he is going to fail. Rav Shmuelevitz says that every time we are tested by our evil inclination, HaShem helps us overcome our evil desires and hence we are able to succeed in our task. However, we are only able to succeed because HaShem helps us overcome our base desires. If we were to request a test then HaShem does not help us overcome these base desires, because who are we to request tests? We should never put ourselves into a dangerous situation where we are subjecting ourselves to the evil inclination willfully.^[15]

 

HaShem accepted David’s demand for a test, and King David failed! So he then included in his prayer a request not to be tested with temptation.^[16] Our psalm recounts this experience.

 

The essence of David's lifelong aspiration is condensed into this brief psalm. Perfect innocence, purity, clarity of vision, truth, separation from evil, cleanliness, zeal; all of these find expression in this composition. David yearned for these traits so that he would he deemed worthy of constructing the shrine of human perfection, the Beit HaMikdash. ‘HaShem, I love the House in which You dwell, and the place in which Your glory resides’.^[17]

 

Late in his career, after a lifetime of arduous preparation, David thought that he had attained the perfection of the patriarchs, Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaaqob. He asked G-d to let him prove his worth by testing him.

 

G-d acquiesced by tempting David with Bath Sheba, a test that showed that David had not yet achieved flawlessness.

 

Psalm 26 was composed after David's failure and he uses its verses to convey a double message. On the one hand, David requests a test and explains why he feels ready for it. On the other hand, he expresses his feelings of repentance and remorse after his failure.^[18]

 

The superscription of this psalm ascribes it’s authorship to David. The Talmud gives us the details and the Zohar connects our psalm to the above incident:

 

Sanhedrin 107a Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: One should never [intentionally] bring himself to the test, since David king of Israel did so, and fell. He said unto Him, ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Why do we say [in prayer] “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” but not the God of David?’ He replied, ‘They were tried by me, but thou wast not.’ Then, replied he, ‘Sovereign of the Universe, examine and try me’ — as it is written, Examine me, O Lord, and try me.^[19] He answered ‘I will test thee, and yet grant thee a special privilege;^[20] for I did not inform them [of the nature of their trial beforehand], yet, I inform thee that I will try thee in a matter of adultery.’ Straightway, And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed etc.^[21] R. Johanan said: He changed his night couch to a day couch,^[22] but he forgot the halacha: there is a small organ in man which satisfies him in his hunger but makes him hunger when satisfied.^[23] And he walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.^[24] Now Bath Sheba was cleansing her hair behind a screen,^[25] when Satan came to him, appearing in the shape of a bird. He shot an arrow at him, which broke the screen, thus she stood revealed, and he saw her. Immediately, And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath Sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanliness: and she returned unto her house. Thus it is written, Thou host proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou host tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.^[26] He said thus: ‘Would that a bridle had fallen into the mouth of mine enemy [i.e., himself], that I had not spoken thus.’^[27]

 

Soncino Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1, Page 82a … David further said to God: “Sovereign of the Universe, wherefore do not the Israelites conclude one of their blessings with my name as they do with the name of Abraham, [Tr. note: The first blessing of the Amidah.] of whom it is written ‘I am thy shield’?”^[28] God replied: “Abraham I have already tried and tested and found to be wholly steadfast.” Said David: “If so, ‘examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart’ (Psalm 26:2).”

 

HaShem Acquiesced by tempting David with Batsheba, a test that showed that David had not yet achieved flawlessness. This psalm was composed after David’s failure and he uses its verses to convey a double message. On the one hand, David requests a test and explains why he feels ready for it. On the other hand, he expresses his feelings of repentance and remorse after his failure.^[29]

 

If you think about it, when a teacher has a student who constantly thinks that he has the correct answer; the teacher at some point must ask a question that such a student cannot answer. Otherwise, the child will grow arrogant and conceited. In his eyes, all of his classmates will be diminished. So it was with David when he asked for a test. In order for him to continue to grow, HaShem had to show him that he was not yet perfect. On the other hand, none of the Patriarchs asked for a test. Therefore, the test that they were given was designed to show them how high they had climbed in their reach for a relationship with HaShem.

 

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz^[30] explains why it is that King David is told by HaShem that he is going to fail. Rav Shmuelevitz says that every time we are tested by our evil inclination, HaShem helps us overcome our evil desires and hence we are able to succeed in our task. However, we are only able to succeed because HaShem helps us overcome our base desires. If we were to request a test then HaShem does not help us overcome these base desires, because who are we to request tests? We should never put ourselves into a dangerous situation where we are subjecting ourselves to the evil inclination willfully.^[31] 

 

HaShem accepted David’s demand for a test, and King David failed! So he then included in his prayer a request not to be tested with temptation.^[32] Our psalm recounts this experience.

 

Let’s take some time to explore this incident with Batsheba to begin to understand the test that David subjected himself to, the test he was guaranteed to fail.

 

In II Samuel chapters 11 and 12, we find the incident I wish to examine. In this incident, many folks see King David lusting after Batsheva,^[33] the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Uriah is a soldier in King David’s army. He is fighting the King’s battle when King David takes his wife in an adulterous relationship. After she becomes pregnant, King David has Uriah recalled from the battle and orders him to sleep with his wife, in order to cover up his sin. Afterwards, when Uriah refuses to sleep with Batsheva, King David Has Uriah killed in battle. After Uriah’s death, King David marries Batsheva.

 

Most folks understand that King David committed adultery and murder. These are the sins that they see King David committing.

 

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

In fact, Chazal say:

 

Shabbat 56a Anyone who says that David sinned is mistaken.

 

This does not mean that King David was completely blameless, but it means that, technically, he did not commit any transgressions; he did not breach the Torah’s laws in any way. The reason he was punished so severely is that HaShem judges the righteous very strictly, and David’s actions were not proper for someone of his spiritual stature.

 

If we apply the principle of midda keneged midda, measure for measure, we get an entirely different picture. Further, if we examine the Sages, we see that there is more to this story than first meets the eye.

 

Was King David committing adultery? The Tanakh says no.

 

Did King David commit murder? The Tanakh says no. How can this be?

 

The Sages record that King David required that all of his soldiers were required to give their wives a “get”, a divorce, before they went off to battle. This was done so that if the soldier failed to return from the battle, and his body was not found, then the wife would not become an “agunah”, a woman who could not remarry. If she was legally divorced, then she could remarry if her husband did not return after a reasonable amount of time.

 

Ketubot 9b Everyone who goes out into the war of the House of David writes for his wife a deed of divorce^[34], for it is written, And to thy brethren shalt thou bring greetings, and take their pledge^[35]. What [is the meaning of], ‘and take their pledge’? R. Joseph learnt: Things which are pledged between him and her^[36].

 

We know that Uriah had given his wife a “get” and was legally divorced. Chazal ask whether it was a permanent or a conditional get.^[37] David required a conditional get.^[38] The get is automatically revoked if the soldier returns from battle. In Uriah’s case, we see that Uriah did not give a conditional get. Uriah gave a permanent get. The fact that Uriah was a rebel might explain why Batsheba demanded a permanent get.

 

We can begin to understand Uriah’s rebellious nature by examining an illustrative event when Uriah was summoned home. When Uriah was called before David, he made reference to his general as “my master, Joab”.^[39] Although this form of address would have been proper in the presence of his commanding officer, referring to anyone other than the king as master in the presence of the king himself constituted an act of rebellion punishable by death.^[40]

 

Therefore, we know that King David did not commit adultery. We can know that King David did not commit adultery because the Torah prescribes that the one who commits adultery is to be stoned to death:

 

Vayikra (Leviticus) 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man’s wife,  [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 

 

Since HaShem did not cause this to happen, we can know that King David did not commit adultery.

 

Did King David lust, sexually, after Batsheva? No! King David did NOT lust after Batsheva. He had entirely conquered that evil inclination. The story makes it sound like Batsheva was taking a bath on her roof without any covering. Nothing could be further from the truth. Batsheva was coming out from the mikveh, the ritual immersion that women must perform every month. As she exited the mikveh house, her exalted spiritual state attracted King David.^[41] He prophetically saw that he was to father Solomon with this woman.^[42] That is why he took her. Bathsheba was David’s true bashert,^[43] “predestined for David from the six days of Creation” but “he enjoyed her as an unripe fruit,” for he married her before the proper time, when the “fruit” was still unripe, neglecting to wait until after Uriah would die a [natural] death.^[44]

 

Soncino Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1, Page 73b R. Simeon further discoursed, beginning with the verse: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me (Ps. LI, 5). He said: ‘How much must a man be on his guard against sinning before the Holy One, blessed be He, for each sin committed by man is recorded on high, and is not blotted out save by much repentance, as it is said, “For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me” (Jer. II, 22). For when a man commits a sin once before God, it leaves a mark, and when he repeats the same sin that mark is deepened, and after a third time it becomes a stain spreading from one side to the other, as expressed in the words, “thine iniquity is become a stain before me” (Ibid.). When David committed his great sin in taking Bath-Sheba, he thought that it would leave its mark forever, but the message came to him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die” (II Sam. XII, 13); i.e. the stain has been removed.’ R. Abba put this question to R. Simeon: ‘Since we have been taught that Bath-Sheba was destined for King David from the day of the creation, how comes it that the Holy One, blessed be He, first gave her to Uriah the Hittite?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘Such is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He; although a woman is destined for a certain man, He first allows her to be the wife of another man until his time arrives. As soon as that time arrives, he departs from the world to make way for the other, although the Holy One, blessed be He, is loth to remove him from the world to make way for the other man before his time arrives. This is the inner reason why Bath-Sheba was given to Uriah first. Now reflect and you will find the reason for the Holy Land having been given to Canaan before Israel came there. You will find that the inner reason underlying the two is the same. Observe, further, that David, although he confessed his sin and repented, could not obliterate from his heart and mind the memory of the sins that he had committed, especially of that concerning Bath-Sheba, and was always apprehensive lest one of them would prove a stumbling-block to him in the hour of danger. Hence he never removed them from his thoughts. According to another interpretation, the words “For I know my transgressions” indicate his knowledge of the diverse grades to which the various sins of men are to be referred, while the words “and my sin“ (hatathi=my failing) refer to the defect of the moon, which did not emerge from her impurity until the time of Solomon, when her light once more became whole, so that the world became firmly established and Israel dwelt secure, as it is written: “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (I Kings V, 5). Nevertheless, as David said, “My deficiency is ever before me”, and that will not be obliterated from the world until the Messiah will come, as it is said: “And the unclean spirit I will cause to pass out from the earth” (Zech. XIII, 2).’

 

In fact, the Sages teach that King David had asked HaShem for a test in this area because he had completely conquered this inclination.

 

Soncino Zohar, Bereshit, Section 1, Page 82a David further said to God: “Sovereign of the Universe, wherefore do not the Israelites conclude one of their blessings with my name as they do with the name of Abraham, [Tr. note: The first blessing of the Amidah.] of whom it is written ‘I am thy shield’ (Gen. XV, 1)?” God replied: “Abraham I have already tried and tested and found to be wholly steadfast.” Said David: “If so, ‘examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart‘ (Ps. XXVI, 2).” When he sinned in the matter of Batsheva, David remembered what he had said, and he exclaimed “ ‘Thou hast proved mine heart, thou hast visited me in the night, thou hast tried me and hast not found, my thoughts should not have passed my mouth‘ (Ps. XVII, 3). I said, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, and thou hast proved my heart; I said, Try my reins, and thou hast tried me; but thou hast not found me as I should be; would that what was in my mind had not passed my lips.” (And with all this the Israelites do conclude a blessing with his name. [Tr. note: The third blessing after the Haftorah.]) Therefore David said: “‘Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of my head‘: this grade assuredly is my glory with which I am crowned.”’

 

Did David cause the murder of Uriah the Hittite? The Tanakh says no. How can this be? To understand this part, we must look carefully at the text to understand what is going on:

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 11:8-9 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess [of meat] from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

 

At any rate, the permanent get meant that Uriah could NOT obey the King’s order to go home and sleep with his wife.^[45] The fact that he refused the King’s orders, twice, suggests that King David wanted to show the world that Uriah had given a permanent get and could never go back to Batsheba.

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 11:10-12 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from [thy] journey? why [then] didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? [as] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

 

On two separate counts, therefore, Uriah placed himself in the category of mored b’malchut, a rebel against the king. As such, Uriah forfeited his life immediately since the extralegal powers of the monarch include the authority to invoke the death penalty upon rebels without the due process of law.^[46]

 

Undeniably, the law gave David the right to bring Uriah before the Sanhedrin and demand his execution. Nevertheless, David worried (for good reason) that the people would question the integrity of a king who ordered a man’s death and immediately married his widow, and David sought to avoid the public appearance of conspiracy and impropriety when he married Bathsheba.^[47] Therefore, rather than demanding Uriah’s execution from the Sanhedrin, David instructed his general, Joab, to arrange Uriah’s death in battle.^[48]

 

At this point King David has no choice. Uriah has disobeyed a direct order of the king. The penalty for this offense is death.

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 11:14-17 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent [it] by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men [were]. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell [some] of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

 

King David knows that Uriah has an evil heart,^[49] never the less, one MUST obey the King no matter what. Not wishing to publicly shame Uriah, King David has him killed in battle in an honorable manner. Notice that Joab does not protest in the least. Joab knew that the order of the King, as the chief justice, must be obeyed.

 

Ok, so now we know that King David did NOT commit adultery with Bath-Sheba and that he did not cause Uriah to be murdered. What we need to know is: What was King David’s sin?

 

It is clear that David was neither an adulterer nor a murderer. Indeed, when the prophet Nathan presented David with the parable of the rich man who stole the poor man’s sheep, he alluded to theft but to neither murder nor adultery.^[50] Had David been truly guilty of murdering Uriah, what possible explanation could there have been for the prophet to employ a parable that implied theft but not murder?

 

HaShem‘s punishments are always just. To determine the sin, we should look at the punishment:

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased HaShem. And HaShem sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] HaShem liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

 

King David was also the chief Hakham, the chief Judge. Nathan the prophet naturally came to the King for a judgment.

 

David, being a great Torah scholar and Sage, renders a judgment in keeping with Torah. HaShem agreed to this judgment, EXCEPT for the death penalty:

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against HaShem. And Nathan said unto David, HaShem also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

 

Despite his failure, when confronted by the prophet with his sin David immediately accepted responsibility for his actions with the words, “Chototi LaShem I have sinned against God”.^[51] Although innocent of adultery and murder, sins against man, David had nevertheless sinned against God when he failed to uphold the divine will by manipulating the intent behind the law.^[52]

 

The bottom line is this: HaShem has accused King David of stealing an ewe, a female sheep. The penalty is, therefore, in keeping with the sin:

 

Shemot (Exodus) 22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

 

Therefore, King David’s sin was: Theft of a sheep.

 

Now that we have seen the picture, we can begin to understand why HaShem said that David was a man after His own heart:

 

II Luqas (Acts) 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.

 

HaShem would never say this about an adulterous murderer. Further, we must understand that Uriah^[53] was an evil man:

 

Shabbath 56a R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Jonathan’s name: Whoever says that David sinned is merely erring, for it is said, And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways: and the Lord was with him. Is it possible that sin came to his hand, yet the Divine Presence was with him? Then how do I interpret, Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his sight? He wished to do [evil], but did not. Rab observed: Rabbi, who is descended from David, seeks to defend him, and expounds [the verse] in David’s favour. [Thus:] The ‘evil’ [mentioned] here is unlike every other ‘evil’ [mentioned] elsewhere in the Torah. For of every other evil [mentioned] in the Torah it is written, ‘and he did,’ whereas here it is written, .’to do’: [this means] that he desired to do, but did not. Thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword: thou shouldst have had him tried by the Sanhedrin, but didst not. And hast taken his wife to be thy wife: thou hast marriage rights in her. For R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Jonathan’s name: Everyone who went out in the wars of the house of David wrote a bill of divorcement for his wife, for it is said, and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge [‘arubatham]. What is meant by ‘arubatham? R. Joseph learned: The things which pledge man and woman [to one another]. And thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon: just as thou art not [to be] punished for the sword of the Ammonites, so art thou not [to be] punished for [the death of] Uriah the Hittite. What is the reason? He was rebellious against royal authority, saying to him, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field [etc].

 

Yoma 22b  R. Huna said: How little does he whom the Lord supports need to grieve or trouble himself! Saul sinned once and it brought [calamity] upon him, David sinned twice and it did not bring evil upon him — What was the one sin of Saul? The affair with Agag. But there was also the matter with Nob, the city of the priests? — [Still] it was because of what happened with Agag that Scripture says: It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king. What were the two sins of David? — The sin against Uriah and that [of counting the people to which] he was enticed. But there was also the matter of Batsheva? — For that he was punished, as it is written, And he shall restore the lamb fourfold: the child, Amnon, Tamar and Absalom. But for the other sin he was also punished as it is written: So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed? — There his own body was not punished — But in the former case, too, his own body was not punished either? Not indeed? He was punished on his own body, for Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: For six months David was smitten with leprosy, the Sanhedrin removed from him, and the Shechinah departed from him, as it is written: Let those that fear Thee return unto me, and they that know Thy testimonies, and it is also written: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation. But Rab said that David also listened to evil talk? — We hold like Samuel [who says] that David did not do so. And even according to Rab, who says that David listened to calumny, was he not punished for it? For Rab Judah said in the name of Rab. At the time when David said to Mephibosheth: I say: Thou and Ziba divide the land, a heavenly voice came forth to say to him: Rehoboam and Jeroboam will divide the Kingdom.

 

Never the less, King David did sin grievously for a man in his exalted position with his exalted spiritual status. The Torah is quite blunt regarding the seriousness of King David’s sin:

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 12:7-13 And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith HaShem God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of HaShem, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith HaShem, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against HaShem. And Nathan said unto David, HaShem also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

 

For his transgression, David endured the most severe punishments: the death of his first son from Bathsheba, and the rebellions of his sons Absalom and Adonijah. But because of his spontaneous and unqualified repentance, David retained his distinction as founder the messianic line. It was he who prepared Israel for its crowning glory, the building of the Temple.

 

We must be very careful not to read into the scriptures more than what should be there.

 

It is also instructive to note that the union of King David with Batsheva produced Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.

 

2 Shmuel (Samuel) 12:24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and HaShem loved him.

 

It is apparent that King David was destined to marry Batsheva. Being a prophet, David knew that his heir and successor would be the son that would be born to him and Bathsheba, a woman of renown, famous for her excellence of character, no less than for her unsurpassed beauty. It seems that his timing was off a bit.

 

OK, so let’s assume that you have read this far and still think that King David committed adultery and murder, consider the following: Why did the Prophet, Nathan, say that David stole a sheep? What was the point of the Prophet’s story?

 

Now, because of David’s greatness, his crime is dealt with in a VERY severe way. It is dealt with as though he committed a murder. In the same way, Moses lost entry to the promised land simply by hitting a rock.

 

Also note that the PROPER punishment for murder, in death. David must die IF he committed murder. The Torah is quite clear. Why didn’t David die?

 

The PROPER punishment for committing adultery is DEATH. Why wasn’t David stoned?

 

Since when does HaShem kill my children when I have committed a capital crime? Not even men would do that. When Nathan declared: “You are that man!” David at once understood how dastardly his actions towards Uriah had been and immediately repented. In this merit, the death sentence itself was repealed. David continued to rule and his children inherited his kingdom, but tragically he did pay fourfold, as he himself had decreed. David’s life was one of agonizing family strife and rebellion from that day onwards.

 

Sanhedrin 107a  Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: One should never [intentionally] bring himself to the test, since David king of Israel did so, and fell. He said unto Him, ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Why do we say [in prayer] “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” but not the God of David?’ He replied, ‘They were tried by me, but thou wast not.’ Then, replied he, ‘Sovereign of the Universe, examine and try me’ — as it is written, Examine me, O Lord, and try me. He answered ‘I will test thee, and yet grant thee a special privilege; for I did not inform them [of the nature of their trial beforehand], yet, I inform thee that I will try thee in a matter of adultery.’ Straightway, And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed etc. R. Johanan said: He changed his night couch to a day couch, but he forgot the halacha: there is a small organ in man which satisfies him in his hunger but makes him hunger when satisfied. And he walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. Now Bath Sheba was cleansing her hair behind a screen, when Satan came to him, appearing in the shape of a bird. He shot an arrow at him, which broke the screen, thus she stood revealed, and he saw her. Immediately, And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath Sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanliness: and she returned unto her house. Thus it is written, Thou host proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou host tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. He said thus: ‘Would that a bridle had fallen into the mouth of mine enemy [i.e., himself], that I had not spoken thus.’

 

Raba expounded: What is meant by the verse, To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? David pleaded before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Forgive me that sin, that men may not say, “Your mountain [sc. the king] has been put to flight by a bird.”‘

 

Raba expounded: What is meant by the verse, Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest? David pleaded before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Thou knowest full well that had I wished to suppress my lust, I could have done so, but, thought I, let them [the people] not say, “The servant triumphed against his Master.”‘

 

Raba expounded: What is meant by the verse, For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me? Bath Sheba, the daughter of Eliam, was predestined for David from the six days of Creation, but that she came to him with sorrow. And the school of R. Ishmael taught likewise: She was worthy [i.e., predestined] for David from the six days of Creation, but that he enjoyed her before she was ripe.

 

Tehillim (Psalms) 51:2-5 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

 

Watch the punishment to see the sin.

 

Ashlamata: ‎‎         Shmuel alef (1 Samuel) 1:11-19, 22‎

 

 

Rashi’s Commentary for: ‎     Shmuel alef (1 Samuel) ‎1:11-19, 22‎‎

 

And there was one man It all follows the order, i.e., Moses gave over the Torah to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and each judge to his successor, until it reached Eli, by whom it was given over to Samuel, as we learned in the Mishnah (Abot 1:1): and the Elders gave it over to the Prophets.

 

from Ramathaim Zophim There were two hills, each visible to the other. (Meg. 14a) Jonathan, however, renders ‘Zophim’ of the disciples of the Prophets.

 

Elkanah Elkanah was a Levite of the sons of Ebiasaf the son of Korah. Thus his ancestry is recorded in Chron. (I, 6:7 12).

 

an Ephraimite Jonathan renders: on the mountain of the House of Ephraim. Midrash Aggadah (M.S. 1:16): Ephrathi, a palace dweller, a nobleman, an important person, like (the Talmudic word ‘aperion’, used in B.M. 119a): Let us extend ‘aperion’ to Rabbi Simon. An expression of favor.

 

3 And that man was wont to go up This is the present tense. He would go up from one appointed season to another appointed season, to Shiloh. Midrash Aggadah (M.S. 1: 1,5,7): The route he followed this year he did not follow the next year, in order to publicize (his pilgrimage) to the Israelites that they should do likewise.

 

4 And when it was the day And it was the festive day.[after Jonathan].

 

5 מנה אחת אפים one choice portion: a portion which is fit to be accepted with a friendly countenance.

 

6 And her rival Her husband’s other wife, Peninnah.

 

frequently anger her: Anger after anger, always. Therefore, it is written: ‘also anger.’ She would say to her, “Did you buy your older son a cloak today, or your younger son a shirt?”

 

in order to make her complain: (Literally, to make her storm.) Our rabbis explain, “in order to make her storm” that she pray. And Peninnah had good intentions.

 

her womb: Lit., opposite her womb, and so is every expression of the word בעד .

 

7 And so he would do: I.e., Elkanah.

 

year by year: He would give her a choice portion to demonstrate to her that he loved her and her rival would anger her more and more according to the affection which her husband demonstrated to her.

 

8 better to you: Don’t I love you more dearly...

 

..than (I love) ten sons: that Peninnah has borne to me?

 

after eating (אכלה) . The הא is not dotted and the אלף is voweled with a short קמץ , and it is like אחרי אכול , meaning after eating in Shiloh and after drinking, and this expression is properly used both for masculine and feminine.

 

9 after eating ‘After eating’ is a gerund. It is constructed like לאכלה (Lev. 25:6) to eat, an expression equivalent to לאכול an infinitive.

 

and Eli the priest was sitting on the chair: The defective spelling denotes that on that day, he was seated on a huge chair, for he was appointed judge over Israel.

 

beside the doorpost: lit. on the doorpost.

 

11 O Lord of Hosts: Why was this Name designated here? (The answer is as follows:) She said before Him: O Lord of the universe, You created two hosts in Your world. The heavenly beings do not multiply, neither do they die, while the earthly beings both multiply and die. If I am of the earthly beings let me multiply, and if I am of the heavenly beings let me not die. I found this explanation in the Aggadah of Rabbi Jose the Galilean. Our sages in tractate Ber. (31b), however, expounded what they expounded: Until then there was no person who called the Holy One, blessed be He, “Hosts.” (Why then, did Hannah call Him by this Name?) But, so said she before Him: “O Lord of the universe, from all the hosts which You created in Your world, do You find it difficult to grant me one son?”

 

if You will look: (Lit., if seeing You will see.) In tractate Ber., our sages expounded what they expounded.

 

Your bondswoman: which is stated three times in this verse, corresponds to the three precepts which a woman is commanded to observe.

 

A man child: (Lit., seed of men, meaning) righteous/generous men, as it is written (Kings I:2: 32): “Upon two righteous/generous men.” אנשים also means important men, as it is written (Deut. 1:13): wise and known men.

 

and I shall give him to the Lord: that he be fit to be given to the Lord.

 

and no razor shall come upon his head: (translation follows K, however,) Jonathan renders: and the fear of man will not be upon him.

 

12 watched her mouth: He waited for her to stop. Jonathan renders thus: and Eli waited for her until she stopped.

 

watched: an expression of waiting, as in (Gen. 37:11) “and his father awaited the thing,” and (Job 14:16) “You do not wait for my sin.”

 

13 and Eli thought her to be a drunken woman: for they were not accustomed to praying silently.

 

15 Not my lord: You are not a lord in this instance. You yourself have revealed that the holy spirit is not resting upon you, otherwise you would know that I am not intoxicated from wine.

 

I am a woman of sorrowful spirit: like Sarah (who was childless) [old editions of Rashi].

 

16 Deliver not your bondswoman: Considering the fact that she spoke harshly to him, she returned to appease him so that he deliver her not, unprotected and disgraced, at the mercy of her rival, the unscrupulous woman.

 

for out of the abundance of my complaint: have I spoken harshly before you.

 

my complaint (lit., my speech.) In some instances, it is an expression of grief of heart. Another explanation is, according to the Targum, as follows: for out of the abundance of my provocation and my vexation, have I prolonged my prayer until now.

 

and my vexation: which my rival vexes me.

 

Deliver not: (Lit. do not give.) An expression of delivery, like, “deliver me not unto the will of my adversaries” (Ps. 27:12).

 

17 your request ( שלתך , instead of שאלתך ). The ‘alef’ is missing to expound in this word an expression of ‘children,’ as in Deut. 27:57: ובשליתה “and against her young, which came out, etc.”

 

will grant your request: He announced to her that her prayer had been accepted.

 

18 May your bondswoman find favor: to beg mercy for her.

 

and her face was not (sad) anymore: (Lit., and she no longer had her face, meaning) the face of anger.

 

19 and came to their house, and Elkanah knew: From here is deduced that a traveler is forbidden to have marital relations.

 

20 when the time came about: (After the seasons and the days.) The minimum of seasons is two and the minimum of days is also two. Hence, she gave birth after six months and two days. From here it is deduced that a woman who gives birth after seven months, can give birth after a fraction of the seventh month of pregnancy.

 

Samuel: El after the name of God, and in reference to the incident, he was so called, for I asked him of the Lord.

 

21 the sacrifice of the days: of the appointed seasons. his vow: The vows which he made between pilgrimage festivals, he would sacrifice on the following festival.

 

22 Until the child is weaned: after twenty two months (other versions, twenty four), for that is the time of nursing a child.

 

and abide there forever: “Forever” in the Levitic sense means fifty years, as it says, (Num. 8:25), “and from the age of fifty years he shall return from the host of the work.” Figuring as follows, we determine that Samuel’s lifetime was fifty- two years. Eli judged Israel for forty years (see 4:18), and on the day of Hannah’s prayer, he was appointed judge (See above v. 9). By subtracting the year in which Hannah conceived Samuel, there remain thirty nine years. Samuel governed Israel from the time of Eli’s death for thirteen years, figuring thus: On the day of Eli’s death, the Ark was abducted, and it remained in the field of the Philistines for seven months (below 6:1). From there, it was brought to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained until David took it out of there after he had reigned seven years in Hebron over Judah, and all Israel had accepted him as their king. And it is written: And it was, from the day that the Ark abode in Kiriath-jearim that the time was long, for it was twenty years, etc. (below 7:2). Subtract from them seven years which David reigned in Hebron. We find that from the time that the Ark was abducted until Saul’s death, were thirteen years and seven months, and Samuel died four months before Saul.

 

23 only, may the Lord fulfill His word: Since you asked of Him seed of righteous/generous men (above v. 11), and Eli announced to you through divine inspiration: (above v. 17) “The God of Israel will grant your request,” may the Lord fulfill His word. This is according to the simple interpretation. The Midrash Aggadah, however, explains thus: Rabbi Nehemiah said in the name of Rabbi Samuel, the son of Rabbi Isaac: Every day, a divine voice would resound throughout the world, and say: A righteous man is destined to arise, and his name will be Samuel. Thereupon, every woman who bore a son, would name him Samuel. As soon as they saw his deeds, they would say, “This is not Samuel.” When our Samuel was born, however, and people saw his deeds, they said, “It seems that this one is the expected righteous/generous man.” This is what Elkanah meant when he said, ‘May the Lord fulfill His word,’ that this be the righteous/generous Samuel.

 

24 and one ephah of meal I heard from Rabbi Isaac Halevi, that she brought one ephah of meal, which is equivalent to three seahs, from which to extract three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, which are required for one bull (Num. 15:8), as we learned in the Mishnah (Men. 76b): The showbread was made of twenty-four tenths of an ephah from twenty-four seahs; i.e., 1 tenth part of an ephah of fine flour from a seah of wheat.

 

and an earthenware jug of wine: for a drink offering. והנער נער and the child was young (after Jonathan).

 

25 and they brought the child to Eli to see that his prophecy was fulfilled. And our sages, however, expounded what they expounded, that he decided a point of law, that a priest is unnecessary for sacrificial slaughter, as it is stated in Tractate Ber. (31b).

 

26 Please, my lord: Take care of him that he become your disciple. And according to the Midrash of our sages, not to punish him with death.

 

27 For this child did I pray: Do not say, “This one shall die and another one shall be given to you.”

 

28 And I also have lent him to the Lord like a person who lends a utensil to his master, or lends him his son to serve him.

 

he is borrowed empunte in French, i.e., you have no right to punish him, for the Lord has become a borrower over him, since I have lent him to Him, and He must return him to me.

 

And he prostrated himself Samuel, and some say Elkanah.

 

Chapter 2

 

1 My mouth is opened wide against my enemies against Peninnah.

 

2 And there is no rock like our God. There is no artist like our God, Who makes a form within a form (Ber. 10a).

 

3 Do not increasingly speak haughtily All those who are haughty when good fortune shines upon them. And according to the Pshat, she is speaking for the benefit of Peninnah, who behaved haughtily toward her. According to the Drash, however, we follow J’s translation.

 

arrogance (Lit.) strong speech. Others explain it as an expression of falsehood, something which is removed from the truth, like ויעתק “and he moved from there to the mountain” (Gen. 12:8). We, therefore, render: Let not falsehood come out of your mouth.

 

For the Lord is a God of thoughts He knows what is in your heart.

 

And to Him are deeds counted All men’s deeds are counted before Him. Heb. ‘nithk’nu,’ an expression of number, like: and the number (tochen) of bricks shall you give (Ex. 5:18).

 

4 The bows of the mighty are broken, etc. So is the custom of the Most Holy, blessed be He. He weakens the mighty, and strengthens the weak. He sates the hungry and starves those who are satiated.

 

5 Those who were satiated and do not need to hire themselves out for any work, He starves them, and they must hire themselves out for their daily bread, while the hungry who would toil and weary themselves for food...

 

...have ceased from their toil. While the barren woman has born seven, she that had many children has been bereaved and buries her children. Hannah bore seven, as it is stated: For the Lord remembered Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters (2:21). When Hannah bore four, Peninnah buried eight, and when she conceived and bore a fifth child, Peninnah prostrated herself at her feet, and begged for mercy. Consequently, they lived, and were therefore called on her name. This is Rabbi Nehemiah’s opinion. Rabbi Judah says: Grandchildren are considered like children, (and she saw Samuel’s two sons). Some say: the numerical value of שבעה (seven) is equivalent to that of שמואל , (thus: ש =300, ב =2, ע =70, ה =5, totaling 377. Likewise, ש =300, מ =40, ו =6, א =1, ל =30, totaling 377).

 

9 His pious ones It is spelled חסידו , His pious one. It is read חסידיו , His pious ones, i.e., either a single one or many. Likewise, “Those who strive with the Lord will be broken.” This reading is מריביו , those who strive with Him. The spelling is מריבו , he who strives with Him, i.e., either one or many.

 

10 Upon him will he thunder in Heaven The spelling is עלו , they have ascended, even if they have ascended to the heavens, He thunders upon and casts them down.

 

will judge the ends of the earth will judge them; in old French, jostizier.

 

PIRQE ABOT

Pereq Vav

Mishnah 6:3

Hakham Yitschaq (ben Moshe) Magriso

 

If one learns from his colleague one chapter, one law, one word, or even one letter, he must give him honor. We thus find that David, king of Israel, only learned two things from Achitophel, but he still called him his master, lord and intimate. It is thus written [that David said of Achitophel], "You were my equal, my 1ord, my intimate" (Psalms 55:14). It is therefore certainly so [in other cases]. If David, a king of Israel, only learned from m Achitophel two things, but still called him, “his master. his lord, and intimate,” then one who learns from his colleague, a chapter, a law, a verse, a word, or even one letter, must certainly give him honor. Honor is nothing other than Torah, as it is written, "The scholars will inherit honor" (Proverbs 3:35). [It is also written.] “The upright shall inherit good" (Proverbs 28:10). Good is nothing other than Torah, as it is written, "I have a good teaching, My Torah, do not forsake it" (Proverbs 4:2).

 

Earlier we learned that when a person studies Torah and devotes himself to it, he is considered to be a companion and friend to God. Here, the master continues, teaching that when one learns anything in Torah from a colleague, he must show him love and esteem, acting toward him with the greatest respect.

 

It does not matter how little the one has learned from the other. Even if he has learned in the Oral Torah (Torah Shebalpeh) a single chapter of the Mishnah, or a single law (Halakha). The same is true of the written Torah (Torah SheBichtav), even if he has learned a single verse, or even a single letter, In any case, one must give the person who taught him            respect.

 

We see this in the case of King David, who learned only two things from Achitophel, and no more.

 

The first case was when Achitophel saw King David in his study: (Beth Ha-Midrash), all alone, delving into the Torah. Achitophel said, "Why are you studying by yourself? Do you not know that it is taught, 'A sword on the loners, and they will become fools” (Jeremiah 50:36)? A person who studies alone deserves the sword.

 

"When you study alone, your mind becomes dull. Not only that, but you will be very likely to make major errors. On the other hand, when you study with others, your mind develops. If you come up with the wrong interpretations, your colleagues are always available to challenge you and correct you."

 

Achitophel's second lesson carne when he saw King David walk in to the academy (Yeshivah) walking erectly with his body unbent. He said, "How can you walk into the academy like that? Are you not aware of the teaching, 'In God's house we walk with reverence (Regesh)' (Psalms 55:15)? When you walk into a house of God, whether it is an Esnoga (Beth Ha-Kenesseth) or house of learning (Beth Ha-Midrash), you must do so with reverence."

 

According to another opinion, Achitophel saw King David walk slowly into the academy. [The word Regesh), translated earlier as "reverence," and it can also be interpreted to mean “vigor.” When Achitophel saw King David walking slowly, he quoted the verse, [In God's house we walked with vigor."] He said, "When going to the academy, you should be running with inspiration.'”

 

These were the two things that King David learned from Achitophel.

 

King David was not only king, but he was a sage and saint who was worthy of prophetic inspiration (Ruach Ha-Qodesh). Achitophel, on the other hand, was a wicked person and a criminal. Still, King David referred to Achitophel as his master and teacher, and said of him, “You were a man who was my equal, my master and my intimate friend” Psalms 55:14}. King David said to Achitophel, "You are a man just as I am.  You are not a greater scholar than I am. Still, I call you my master and teacher because of the two things that I learned from you.

 

Obviously, then, if a person learns from his colleague, who is an equal he must give him even more honor. This is true even if the colleague taught only a single letter of the Torah.

 

Such honor is only due someone who teaches a person Torah. II one teaches another person subjects other than Torah, such as a trade or a science, the student has no obligation to give him honor. The master thus says, “Honor is nothing other than Torah." The, honor mentioned in the Mishnah only pertains to the study of Torah.

 

We see that honor is only due to Torah scholars. It is thus written, “The Torah Scholars shall inherit honor" (Proverbs 3:35). These Scholars are specifically Torah scholars, as we find in another verse, “The upright will inherit good" (Proverbs 28:10). The "good" mentioned in the later verse is nothing other than Torah, as God says, "I have given you a good teaching, My Torah, do not forsake it" (Proverbs 4:2).

 

 

 

Nazarean Talmud

Sidra Of B’resheet (Gen.) 30:22 – 31:2

“VaYizkhor Elohim” “And G-d remembered”

By: H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Pshat

 

Time and space do not allow us to fully develop this concise pericope. This single pericope shows that power and command of words can truly convey a plethora of meanings if one chooses his words wisely. Wrapped in this single pericope relating to the coming festivals of Purim and Peach and the 7^th week of Nahamu, Elul and Rosh HaShanah.

 

Donelson notes that the Treatise of Yehudah “boarders” “being liturgical.”^[63] Had Donelson not been afraid of theological “thin ice” and waded out into the deep, he could have seen the true nature of Yehudah’s Exposition. He accurately notes that the vocabulary brings the reader to a greater awareness of the “greater Theological world.”^[64]

 

 

Beloved, using all earnestness in writing to you about our common share^[65] of life^[66] in the Olam Haba^[67]

 

The Legal Discourse of Yehudah brings to light a very powerful truth. The profundity of this truth is that salvation is not “personal” in the Christian sense. We should remember well the lesson of Shabbat Shekalim.  We have not posited the teachings on community for the sake of no other reason other than the truth of communal salvation. However, “Community” alone is not the answer. It is our duty to build a community according to the Structured Principles found in the Oral and Written Torah. Only then will the community be a genuine one and a reflection of the holy. That we all possess a Yetser HaTov and a Yetser HaRa is by Divine design. The community, out of necessity must occasionally contain “evil ones.” These “evil ones” must eventually be cast aside and the righteous/generous ones must be rewarded for their faithful obedience.^[68]

 

m. San 10:1a All Israelites have a share in the world to come, as it is said, your people also will be all righteous/generous, they will inherit the land forever; the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified (Is. 60:21).^[69]

 

Yehudah makes it clear that…

 

1.      Our “Salvation” is communal

2.      Salvation is for the Jewish People and of the Jewish people

 

The use of “Our life” in the Olam HaBa is a reference to the Jewish people. Should the Gentile wish to join the community through Torah Observance and faithful obedience, he will find himself under the wings of the Shekhinah and brought into the community openly. While the Jewish people are the “beloved” and “chosen” they live without any intermediary between them and G-d, the Gentile finds his intermediary in the Master and the Jewish people.

 

Lloyd Gaston describes this as “the Gentile Predicament”^[70] of the end times, and summed up by the Rabbis in one of two ways. Either the Gentiles will be destroyed or they will find salvation by being incorporated into Judaism.^[71]

 

Consequently, we see the path of “salvation” for the gentile is to embrace Jewish authority and to join the Jewish community or be cast aside as Luzatto has taught us.^[72]

 

As we stated in the previous pericope, Yehudah sees things from the perspective of a contrast between opposites – i.e., clean/unclean, order/disorder. And, we see here the demand for social order as systemized in the Torah. The “beloved” are those who are faithfully obedient to the Torah handed down^[73] Once to the Jewish Tsadiqim (saints) are pure and fit (to enter the life of the Olam HaBa). Those who rebel against these norms are considered unclean. Consequently, that the charges brought against Stephen/Yeshua in 2 Luqas are found to be false and fictional.

 

Yehudah’s “opponents” or those who the Legal Treatise is pointing towards are within the congregations of the Nazarean Jews. Therefore, as Neyrey^[74] points out they are not in opposition to the “One G-d” and or even that Yeshua is the Messiah.

 

“But Jude may perceive them as being heterodox in such a way that could be perceived as hostile to certain aspects of the tradition”^[75] (Oral Torah)

 

Therefore, we would see how those aspects such as; the denial of Yeshua’s resurrection could also be interpreted as a denial of resurrection and the final Judgment “in toto.” These men are devoid of the “Holy Spirit” Oral Torah.^[76] This lack of Oral Torah brings a “defilement of the flesh.”^[77] The phrase “filthy dreamers” is an example of the ideas purported above and in the previous pericope with regard to purity and impurity. This is because the Hebrew/Greek notion of “filthy dreamers” used by Yehudah, is that of rebellion against authority and those “who speak evil of dignitaries.” As such, the idea of defiling the “flesh” certainly relates to the “body” i.e., the Body of Messiah. Yehudah labels these men as ψυχικός – psuchikos^[78] meaning those who conduct themselves after the manner of animal life rather than becoming Royal Anashim (Royal Men of Nobility). Luther describes these men as “sensual and brutish men and have no more understanding and spirit than a horse or ass. They have no Word of God according to which they should govern themselves.”^[79]

 

The profundity here is that these words, from a cursory look at Yehudah, perfectly describe the events and men of contention in 2 Luqas 6:8-15 above. Yehudah sees these unclean individuals as reviling against those whom the Master has appointed. Therefore, to revile such leaders is seen as contending with the true persona of the Master himself. And, again Luther’s words apply to those who would revile authority, specifically the authority of the Hakhamim and Bet Din. These “horses and asses” are not antinomian^[80] with regard to the Written Torah per se. Their opposition is against the Oral Torah as we have noted in 2 Luqas above.

 

The annihilation of a man’s “G-d breathed”^[81] nature is brought about by his denial of the Oral Torah (the G-d Breathed Torah). As we have stated, the Oral Torah, (Breath of G-d) is the life giving and ordering energy, which animates, motivates, and orders the path of Royal Anashim.

 

When we look at the final week of Nahamu placing before us the Ministerial quality of Malkhut (Kingdom-Moreh). Through this office, we have the blessing from above drawn down to the congregation. With the Moreh comes the ordering and structuring of the young minds at the Esnoga’s parochial school. For an uncultivated man is also a denial of G-d’s structuring and ordering of the Cosmos. On the other hand, we might say that through the office of the Moreh the Congregation begins its elevation towards the upper worlds and qualities of the higher offices. This world is the world of structuring and ordering through speech as we have discussed above. As we ascend, through the offices of the Seven Men, thought becomes more abstract and ordered simultaneously. It is from the office of Malkhut/Moreh that we learn the appropriate manner and proper order of speech. It is here where we begin our training and apprehension of the Torah. How appropriate that when we approach Rosh Hashanah/The Kingdom and Pesach embracing a new and ordering beginning.

 

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?

 

 

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,

 

Next Sabbath:

“Shuv El-Erets”- “Return unto the land”

May 19/20, 2023 – Iyar 29, 5783

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David

Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

 

 

Edited by Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham

A special thanks to Giborah bat Sarah for her diligence in proof-reading every week.