Esnoga Bet Emunah

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

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Fourth Year of the Reading Cycle
Iyar 5, 5768 – May 09/10, 2008	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times:

Friday Evening: Omer: 20 – Saturday Evening: Omer: 21

Olympia, Washington, U.S. Brisbane, Australia

Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 8:15 PM Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 4:53 PM

Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 9:28 PM Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 5:46 PM

San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 7:58 PM Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 6:59PM

Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 8:55 PM Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 7:49 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 8:09 PM Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 6:48 PM

Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 9:09 PM Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 7:38 PM

Cebu, Philippines Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 5:57 PM Friday May 09, 2008 – Candles at 5:27 PM

Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 6:49 PM Saturday May 10, 2008 – Havdalah 6:17 PM

For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp

Coming Special Days:

Lag B’Omer – 33^rd Day of the Counting of the Omer – Ascension Day

Iyar 18 – Evening May 22 (Omer 33) – Evening May 23 (Omer 34)

For further study see:

http://www.betemunah.org/omer.html and http://www.betemunah.org/lgbomer.html

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אָז יַבְדִּיל
“Az Yav’dil”	Reader 1 – D’barim 4:41-43	Reader 1 – D’barim 6:4-6
“Then separated”	Reader 2 – D’barim 4:44-46	Reader 2 – D’barim 6:7-9
“Entonces apartó”	Reader 3 – D’barim 4:47-49	Reader 3 – D’barim 6:10-12
D’barim (Deut.) Deut. 4:41 – 6:3	Reader 4 – D’barim 5:1-18
	Reader 5 – D’barim 5:19-21
Ashlamatah: Joshua 20:8 – 21:8	Reader 6 – D’barim 5:22-24	Reader 1 – D’barim 6:4-6
Psalm: 113, 114, 115	Reader 7 – D’barim 5:25 – 6:3	Reader 2 – D’barim 6:7-9
N.C.: Matityahu 26: 20-30	Maftir – D’barim 6:1-3	Reader 3 – D’barim 6:10-12
Pirke Abot: Prologue	Joshua 20:8 – 21:8

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Rosh Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham, 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, as well as Her Excellency Giberet Hannah bat Sarah and beloved family. 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 lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to ravybh@optusnet.com.au with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Deuteronomy 4:41 – 6:3

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
41. ¶ Then Moshe set aside three cities across the Yarden, where the sun rises,	41. And now, behold, Mosheh set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise,
42. for a murderer to escape there, who has murdered his neighbour without intent, and he had not been his enemy yesterday [or] the day before. He is to flee to one of these cities to survive:	42. that the manslayer who had killed his neighbour without intention, not having hated him yesterday or before, may flee, and escape into one of those cities, and be spared alive. [JERUSALEM. Who had slain his neighbour unawares, but had not entertained enmity toward him yesterday or before.]
43. Betzer in the wilderness in the plains of the Reuvenites, Ramat in the Gil'ad of the Gaddites, and Golan in the Bashan of the Menashians.	43. Kevatirin the wilderness, in the plain country, for the tribe of Reuben, and Ramatha in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Dabera in Mathnan for the tribe of Menasheh.
44. And this is the Torah that Moshe set before B’ne Yisrael.	44. This is the declaration of the law which Mosheh set in order before the sons of Israel [JERUSALEM. This is the declaration of the law which Mosheh set before the sons of Israel,]
45. These are the testimonies and the statutes and the laws that Moshe addressed to B’ne Yisrael when they came out of Egypt.	45. and the statutes and judgments which Mosheh spoke with the sons of Israel at the time when they had come out of Mizraim.
46. Across the Yarden, in the valley facing Bet Peor, in the land of Sichon, King of the Emorites, who lived in Cheshbon, whom Moshe and B’ne Yisrael smote when they came out of Egypt.	46. And Mosheh delivered them beyond Jordan over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amoraee, who dwelt in Heshbon, whom Moshe and the sons of Israel smote when they had come out of Mizraim.
47. They inherited his land and the land of Og, King of the Boshon--- the two Emorite kings who were across the Yarden, where the sun rises.	47. And they took possession of his land and the land of Og, king of Mathnan, the two kings of the Amoraee, who were beyond the Jordan, eastward,
48. From Aroer, which is on the bank of Wadi Arnon, up to Mount Sion which is Chermon.	48. from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon to the mountain of Saion, which is the Snowy Mount; [JERUSALEM. From Lechaiath, on the side of the river Arnona, unto the mountain whose fruits are delivered, which is the Snowy Mount;]
49. And the entire Arava across the Yarden to the east, to Arava Lake, beneath the slopes of the Pisgah.	49. and all the plain beyond Jordan, eastward, unto the sea that is in the plain under the spring of the heights.
1. Moshe called all of Yisrael and said to them, "Hear, Yisrael, the statutes and the laws that I am relating in your presence today, for you are to study them and to be careful to fulfil them.	1. And Mosheh called all Israel, and said to them: Hear, Israel, the statutes and judgments that I speak before you this day, to learn them, and observe to perform them.
2. Adonai, our G-d, made a covenant with us at Chorev.	2. The Lord our God confirmed a covenant with us in Horeb:
3. Not [only] with our fathers did Adonai make this covenant, but with us, we who are here today, all of us alive.	3. not with our fathers did the Lord confirm this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here this day alive and abiding.
4. Face to face Adonai spoke with you at the mountain from within the fire.	4. Word to word did the Lord speak with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire.
5. I was standing between Adonai and you at that time, to tell you Adonai's word, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up on the mountain, saying:	5. I stood between the Word of the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the Word of the Lord, because you were afraid before the voice of the Word of the Lord, which you heard from the midst of the fire; neither did you go up to the mountain while He said :
6. "I am Adonai, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery.	6. Sons of Israel, My people, I am the Lord your God, who made and led you out free from the land of Mizraim, from the house of the bondage of slaves.
7. You will not have any other gods in My presence.	7. Sons of Israel, My people, no other god will you have beside Me.
8. Do not make for yourself a statue of any representation that is in the skies above or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water beneath the earth.	8. You will not make to you an image or the likeness of anything which is in the heavens above, or in the earth below, or in the waters under the earth:
9. Do not bow to them, and do not serve them, for I am Adonai, your G-d, jealous Almighty, Who reckons the sin of parents for children and for the third generation and for the fourth generation of My enemies,	9. you will not worship them or do service before them; for I am the Lord your God, a jealous and avenging God, taking vengeance in jealousy; remembering the sins of wicked/lawless fathers upon rebellious children to the third generation and to the fourth of them that hate Me, when the children complete to sin after their fathers;
10. and performs kindliness for thousands [of generations] for those who love Me and for those who guard My commandments.	10. but keeping mercy and bounty for a thousand generations of the righteous/generous who love Me and keep My commandments and My laws.
11. Do not swear using the Name of Adonai, your G-d, in vain; for Adonai will not hold innocent whoever swears by His Name in vain.	11. Sons of Israel, My people, no one of you will swear by the Name of the Word of the Lord your God in vain: for the Lord, in the day of the great judgment, will not acquit anyone who will swear by His Name in vain.
12. Preserve the day of Shabbat to sanctify it, as Adonai, your G-d, commanded you.	12. Sons of Israel, My people, observe the day of Shabbat, to sanctify it according to all that the Lord your God has commanded.
13. Six days will you work and perform all your labour,	13. Six days you will labour and do all your work,
14. but the seventh day, Shabbat for Adonai, your G-d, do not perform any labour--- you, your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your donkey and all your animals, and the non-Jew who dwells in your cities--- in order that your male slave will rest ---and your female slave---like you.	14. but the seventh day (will be for) rest and quiet before the Lord your God; you will do no work, neither you, nor your sons, nor your daughters, nor your servants, nor your handmaids, nor your oxen, your asses, nor any of your cattle, nor your sojourners who are among you; that your servants and handmaids may have repose as well as you.
15. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Adonai, your G-d, took you out of there with a strong hand and an extended arm. That is why Adonai, your G-d, commanded you to celebrate the Shabbat day.	15. And remember that you were servants in the land of Mizraim, and that the Lord your God delivered and led you out with a strong hand and uplifted arm; therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16. Honour your father and your mother in the way Adonai, your G-d, commanded you; in order that you live long and in order that you have it good on the land that Adonai, your G-d, is giving you.	16. Sons of Israel, My people, be every one mindful of the honour of his father and his mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged, and it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
17. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. And do not kidnap. And do not testify against your neighbour in vain.	17. Sons of Israel, My people, you will not murder, nor be companions or participators with those who do murder, nor will there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part) with murderers; that your children may not arise after you, and teach their own to have part with murderers; for because of the guilt of murder the sword comes forth upon the world. Sons of Israel, My people, you will not be adulterers, nor companions of, or have part with, adulterers; neither will there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part) with adulterers, and that your children may not arise after you, and teach theirs also to be with adulterers; for through the guilt of adulteries the plague comes forth upon the world. Sons of Israel, My people, you will not be thieves, nor be companions nor have fellowship with thieves, nor will there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part) with thieves; for because of the guilt of robberies famine comes forth on the world. Sons of Israel, My people, you will not bear false witness, nor be companions or have fellowship with the bearers of false testimony; neither will there be seen in the congregations of Israel those who (have part) with false witnesses; for because of the guilt of false witnesses the clouds arise, but the rain does not come down, and dearth comes on the world.
18. And do not covet your neighbour's wife. And do not desire your neighbour's house, his field, or his male slave or his female slave, his ox or his donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbour."	18. Sons of Israel, My people, you will not be covetous, nor be companions or have fellowship with the covetous; neither will there be seen in the congregations of Israel any who (have part) with the covetous; that your children may not arise after you, and teach their own to be with the covetous. Nor let any one of you desire his neighbour's wife, nor his field, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that belongs to his neighbour; for because of the guilt of covetousness the government (malkutha) seizes upon men's property to take it away, and bondage comes on the world.
19. These words did Adonai address to your entire assemblage at the mountain from within the fire, the cloud, and the thick cloud--- a voice great and without cessation. He wrote them on two tablets of stone, and He gave them to me.	19. These words spoke the Lord with all your congregation at the mount, from the midst of the fiery cloud and tempest, with a great voice which was not limited; and the voice of the Word was written upon two tables of marble, and He gave them unto me.
20. When you heard the voice from within the darkness, as the mountain burned with fire, you approached me--- all the leaders of your tribes and your elders.	20. But when you had heard the voice of the Word from the midst of the darkness, the mountain burning with fire, the chiefs of your tribes and your sages drew near to me,
21. You said, "Look! Adonai, our G-d, showed us His glory and His greatness, and His voice we heard from within the fire; today we saw that G-d can address man and he will survive.	21. and said, Behold, the Word of the Lord our God has showed us His glorious Shekinah, and the greatness of His excellence, (His magnificence,) and the voice of His Word have we heard out of the midst of the fire. This day have we seen that the Lord speaks with a man in whom is the Holy Spirit, and he remains alive.
22. Now, why should we die when this great fire will consume us? If we continue to hear the voice of Adonai, our G-d, any longer we will die.	22. But now why should we die? For this great fire will devour us; if we again hear the voice of the Word of the Lord our God, we will die.
23. For who of all flesh has heard the voice of the living G-d speaking from within the fire like us, and survived?	23. For who, of all the offspring of flesh, has heard the voice of the Word of the Living God speaking from amid the fire as we, and have lived?
24. Approach---yourself---and listen to every-thing that Adonai, our G-d, says; and you will tell us everything that Adonai, our G-d, tells you and we will accept and fulfil.	24. Go you near, and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak you with us all that the Lord our God will say to you, and we will hearken and will do.
25. Adonai heard the intent of your words when you spoke to me; and Adonai said to me, "I have heard the intent of this people's words that they spoke to you--- everything they said is excellent.	25. And the voice of your words was heard before the Lord when you spake with me, and the Lord said to me, All the words of this people which they have spoken with you are heard before Me; all that they have said is good.
26. I wish they would retain their present attitude to fear Me and to preserve all My commandments always; so that they and their children benefit forever.	26. O that the disposition of their heart were perfect as this willingness is to fear Me and to keep all My commandments all days, that it may be well with them and with their children for ever! [JERUSALEM. O that they may have this good heart!]
27. Go say to them, 'Return for yourselves to your tents.'	27. Now therefore be separate from your wife, that with the orders above
28. You, however, remain here with Me, and I will tell you all the commandments and the statutes and the laws that you will teach them; and they will fulfil [them] in the land that I am giving them to inherit."	28. you may stand before Me, and I will speak with you the commandments, statutes, and judgments, which you will teach them to perform in the land that I give you to inherit.
29. You will be careful to fulfil as Adonai, your G-d, has commanded you; do not deviate right or left.	29. And now observe to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; decline not to the right hand or to the left.
30. Along the entire way that Adonai, your G-d, commanded you, shall you go; in order that you live and enjoy good, and you live long in the land that you are inheriting.	30. Walk in all the way which the Lord your God commands you, that you may live and do well, and lengthen out days in the land you will inherit.
1. This is the mitzvah, the statutes and the laws that Adonai, your G-d, commanded to teach you to fulfil in the land that you are crossing over there to inherit.	1. And this is the declaration of the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded (me) to teach you to perform in the land to which you pass over to inherit;
2. In order that you will fear Adonai, your G-d, to preserve all His statutes and commandments that I am commanding you--- you and your son and your grandson--- all the days of your life, and in order that you live long.	2. that you may fear the Lord your God, and keep all His statutes and precepts which I command you; you, your son, and the son of your son, all the days of your life; and that you may prolong your days.
3. You will heed, Yisrael, and you will be careful to fulfil, so that you will benefit and so that you will multiply exceedingly, as Adonai, G-d of your forefathers, spoke about you--- a land flowing milk and honey.	3. Hearken then, Israel, to keep and to do, that it may be well with you, and you may increase greatly, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you, (that) He will give you a land whose fruits are rich as milk, and sweet as honey. [JERUSALEM. A land producing good fruits, pure as milk, sweet and tasty as honey.]

Midrash Rabba D’barim (Deuteronomy) 4:41 – 6:3

25. THEN MOSES SEPARATED (IV, 41). Halakhah: How many commandments were given to Adam? The Sages have learnt thus (Ex. R. XXX, 9; Num. R. XIV, 12; Sanh. 56a; speaks of seven commandments which are known as the Noahide precepts): Adam was given six commandments, viz., [To refrain from] idolatry and blasphemy, [to appoint] judges, [to refrain from] murder, immorality, and robbery by violence. Rabbi says: And all these are indicated in one verse of Scripture, as it is said, And the Lord God commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat (Gen. II, 16). ‘And [He] commanded’: this indicates idolatry, as it is said, Because he willingly walked after filth [‘Filth’ is understood as a synonym for idolatry] (Hos. V, II). ‘The Lord’: this indicates blasphemy, as it is said, And he that blasphemes the name of the Lord (Lev. XXIV, 16). ‘God’: this indicates [the appointment of] judges, as it is said, The cause of both parties will come before God (Ex. XXII, 8). ‘The man’: this indicates murder, as it is said, Whosoever sheds man's blood, etc. (Gen. IX, 6). ‘Saying’: this indicates immorality, as it is said, Saying: If a man put away his wife (Jer. III, 1). ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat’: but not of that which has been robbed; thus [man] was commanded against robbery by violence. And for all these there is forgiveness except for murder, as it is said, ‘Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man will his blood be shed’ (Gen. IX, 6). R. Levi said: Lo, how many men are there who commit murder and yet die in their bed! The reply given to him was: The meaning of, ‘By man will his blood be shed,’ is that when man will be brought [to judgment] in the Messianic era, then his blood will be shed (Cf. Gen. R. XXXIV, 14). It is reported of two brothers, one of whom killed the other, that their mother took a cup and filled it with his blood and placed it in a turret, and day by day when she entered the turret and looked at it she found that [the blood] was boiling; once she entered and looked and found that [the blood] was still; she then knew that her other son was killed, in order that the words of Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man will his blood be shed.’

26-27. THEN MOSES SEPARATED. This bears out what Scripture says, He that loves silver will not be satisfied with silver (Eccl. V, 9). Do we not know that a man can never be satisfied? What then is the force of the words, ‘With silver’? The Rabbis said: This verse refers to scholars who love the words of the Torah which is compared to silver, as it is said, Yes, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver (Prov. XVI, 16). R. Nahman said: He who loves Torah can never have sufficient of Torah And what is the meaning of, Nor he that loves abundance with increase (Eccl. loc. cit.): If one is intensely eager to accumulate learning [Torah] yet Without increase, that is, he does not raise disciples, This also is vanity. R. Aha said: There is no greater vanity that a man who learns Torah and does not teach [it to others]. Another explanation: ‘He who loves silver.’ R. Isaac said: He that loves the mitzvoth can never have sufficient of them. How [can this be illustrated]? You find that the two Immortals, David and Moses, could never have enough of them. Although God said to David, Nevertheless you will not build the house (II Chron. VI, 9), yet David said to himself, ‘Just because the Holy One, blessed be He, said “You will not build the house,” can I sit still? What did he do? Before he died, he busied himself with the preparation of all the necessary materials for [the Temple], as it is said, Now, behold, in my straits I have prepared for the house of the Lord (I Chron. XXII, 14). And so it was too with Moses. Although God had said to him, For you will not go over this Jordan (Deut. III, 27), yet Moses immediately exclaimed, 'Shall I then depart this world without setting aside Cities of Refuge [for Israel]?' Hence, THEN MOSES SEPARATED.

28. What is written just before? Know this day, and lay it to your heart (Deut. IV, 39). What is the force of, ‘And lay it to your heart’? R. Meir said: God said: ‘You and your heart know the deeds which you have done and that the chastisements which I have brought upon you are not in proportion to your deeds.’ [The meaning is apparently that God claimed that the chastisement was less than the sins of Israel. This may be based on the usual Rabbinic interpretation of ‘Lord’ (the Tetragrammaton) and ‘God’ (Elohim) as His designations as a God of mercy and a God of strict justice respectively. Hence the rendering: Lay it to your heart that the God of mercy is He who when necessary is a God of justice. The separation of Cities of Refuge then follows as an instance of His mercy.] Another explanation: ‘That the Lord, He is God’ (ib.). The Rabbis say: Jethro attributed reality to idols, as it is said, Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods (Ex. XVIII, 11). Naaman partly acknowledged them, as it is said, Behold, now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel (II Kings V, 15). Rahab placed God in heaven and upon earth, as it is said, For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath (Josh. II, 11). Moses placed Him also in the intervening space, as it is said, That the Lord, He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else (Deut. IV, 39). What is the force of ‘There is none else’? Even in the intervening space. R. Hoshaiah said: God said: ‘Give her of the fruit of her hands’ (Prov. XXXI, 31); [God said to Moses]: ‘You have borne testimony in my favour by declaring, “There is none else,” I too will bear testimony in your favour by saying, And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses (Deut. XXXIV, 10). It is written in Scripture, That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days (ib. XXII, 7). Israel declared before God: ‘Master of the Universe, is this an example of prolongation of days? A man kills another unwittingly and the avenger of blood (Num. XXXV, 19) pursues him to kill him, and both die before their time?’ God thereupon answered Moses: ‘By your life, Israel speak rightly. Go and set aside for them Cities of Refuge,’ as it is said, THEN MOSES SEPARATED, etc.

29. What made Moses set his heart so much on Cities of Refuge? R. Levi said: He who has eaten of the dish knows its taste. How does this apply here? After Moses had killed the Egyptian he went out on the second day and found Dathan and Abiram quarrelling with one another, as it is said, And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together (Ex. II, 13). (R. Aibo said: This was Dathan.) He began to abuse him saying, ‘Think you to kill me’ (ib. 14)? When Pharaoh heard this he said: ‘I have heard ever so many things [about Moses] and said nothing; now that he has gone so far as to commit murder, seize him.’ How did he escape from Pharaoh, that it is written, But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh (ib. 15)? R. Jannai said: When the executioner put the sword on his neck it slid off because his neck turned to marble. And it is he [whom] Solomon praises [in the words], Your neck is as a tower of ivory (S.S. VII, 5). R. Abiathar said: And what is more, the sword slid off Moses's neck and turned on the executioner. Whence this? For it is said, And delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh (Ex. XVIII, 4). [By this] Moses implied, ‘Me God saved but not the executioner.’ Bar Kappara said: An angel in the guise of Moses came down and made him run away, and [the Egyptians] thought that the angel was Moses. R. Joshua said: See the miracles which God wrought for Moses: of all Pharaoh's attendants, some became dumb, others deaf, and others blind; and when Moses fled, no one saw him. A proof of this is: When God desired to send Moses on His mission Moses began to hesitate; God thereupon asked him, ‘Do you remember what I did to the attendants of Pharaoh,’ as it is said, And the Lord said unto him: Who has made man's mouth? or who makes a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind (ib. IV, 11)? [.e. did I not smite Pharaoh's attendants with dumbness and blindness?] ‘At that time I stood by you; will I not stand by you now?’ R. Isaac said: Come and see that God's way of doing things is not like man's way of doing things. A man will find a Patron [i.e. a protector] who is ever ready to protect him, and should he be arrested on any charge, people go and find his Patron and say to him, ‘Your protege has been arrested,’ and he replies: ‘I will protect him,’ but if the man has been taken out to be executed, where is he and where is his Patron? Not so, however, is it with God. The ministering angels declared before God: ‘Moses, Your protege, has been arrested,’ whereupon God replied: ‘I will protect him.’ They said: ‘Lo, he is standing before Pharaoh, his sentence is being pronounced, he has gone forth to be executed.’ He replied: ‘I will protect him.’ How do we know that when he went forth to be executed God delivered him? For it said, ‘And He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.’ Another comment: A man has a Patron and yet he is arrested for his crime and is cast into a den of wild beasts; where is he and where is his Patron? But though Daniel was cast into the den of lions, yet God delivered him. Whence [do we know this]? For it is said, My God has sent His angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths (Dan. VI, 23). Another comment: A man acquires for himself a Patron and he commits a crime, and the judges sentence him to be burned; where is he and where is his Patron? But with God it is not so. The ministering angels declared before God: ‘Abraham, Your protege, has been arrested.’ God replied: ‘I will protect him.’ They said to him: ‘Lo, he is standing before Amraphel; lo, his sentence is being pronounced; lo, he is about to be burnt.’ He replied: ‘I will protect him.’ When he was cast into the fiery furnace, God came down and delivered him. Whence this? For it is said, I am the Lord that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. XV, 7). Another comment: A man acquires for himself a Patron, and he is arrested for his crime, and the judge sentences him to be thrown into the sea; where is he and where is his Patron? But with God it is not so. Jonah was cast into the sea, and yet God saved him. Whence this? For it is said, And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah (Jonah II, 11). Another explanation: THEN MOSES SEPARATED. R. Aibo said: When Moses fled he began to sing a song, as it is said, And dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well (Ex. II, 15). Just as Israel sang a song by a well (Cf. Num. XXI, 17), so too Moses sang a song by a well. R. Levi said: [He sang a song] because the section dealing with the homicide's [flight] to the Cities of Refuge was carried into effect through him [i.e. he had himself been in that position].

30. THEN MOSES SEPARATED THREE CITIES BEYOND THE JORDAN TOWARD THE SUNRISING. What is the force of the words, TOWARD THE SUNRISING? R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ‘Cause the sun to shine for the homicide [who has killed a man unwittingly] and set aside for him an asylum whither he may be exiled, that he perish not for the sin of the murder, just as the sun gives light to the world.’ Another explanation: THAT THE MANSLAYER MIGHT FLEE THITHER (ib. 42). The Rabbis say: This can be compared to an artificer who was making a statue of the king, and whilst he was at work on it, it broke in his hand. The king said: ‘Had he broken it intentionally he would have been executed; since he broke it unintentionally, let him be exiled to a place of banishment.’ Likewise, God decreed, “Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man will his blood be shed" (Gen. IX, 6); but whosoever kills a man unwittingly will be exiled from his home,’ as it is said, AND THAT FLEEING UNTO ONE OF THESE CITIES HE MIGHT LIVE (IV, 42). God said: ' In this world, because the Evil Inclination is present, men kill one another and die, but in the time to come I will uproot the Evil Inclination from your midst and there will be no death in the world,’ [as Scripture says], He will swallow up death for ever (Isa. XXV, 8).

Ketubim: Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 113 114, & 115

JPS Translation	TARGUM
1. Hallelujah. Praise, O you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.	1. Hallelujah! Give praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
2. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forever.	2. May the name of the Lord be blessed, from now and forever.
3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof the LORD'S name is to be praised.	3. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is praised.
4. The LORD is high above all nations, His glory is above the heavens.	4. The Lord is high above all Gentiles, his glory is over the heavens.
5. Who is like unto the LORD our God, that is enthroned on high,	5. Who is like the Lord, our God, whose dwelling is lofty in situation?
6. That looks down low upon heaven and upon the earth?	6. Who lowers his eyes to look on the heavens and the earth.
7. Who raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the needy out of the dunghill;	7. Who raises up the poor man from the dust; He will lift up the needy from the ash-heap.
8. That He may set him with princes, even with the princes of His people.	8. To make him dwell with the leaders, with the leaders of his people.
9. Who makes the barren woman to dwell in her house as a joyful mother of children. Hallelujah.	9. Who makes dwell the congregation of Israel, who is likened to a barren woman who sits beholding the men of her house, full of people, like a mother who rejoices over her sons.
1. When Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;	1. When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from barbarian peoples –
2. Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.	2. The company of the house of Judah became property of his Holy One, Israel of his rulers.
3. The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan turned backward.	3. When the word of the Lord was revealed at the sea, the sea looked and retreated; the Jordan turned around.
4. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.	4. When the Torah was given to his people, the mountains leapt like rams, the hills like offspring of the flock.
5. What ails you, O you sea, that you flee? You Jordan, that you turn backward?	5. God said, “What is the matter, O sea, for you are retreating? O Jordan, that you are turning around?”
6. You mountains, that you skip like rams; you hills, like young sheep?	6. O mountains, leaping about like rams? O hills, like offspring of the flock?
7. Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;	7. In the presence of the lord, dance, O earth, in the presence of the God of Jacob.
8. Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.	8. Who turns the flint into a channel of water, the adamant to springs of water.
1. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake.	1. Not on our account, O Lord, not on account of our merits, but rather to Your name give glory, because of Your goodness and because of Your truth.
2. Wherefore should the Gentiles say: 'Where is now their God?'	2. Why will the Gentiles say, “Where now is their God?”
3. But our God is in the heavens; whatsoever pleased Him He has done.	3. And our God’s residence is in heaven, all that He desires He has done.
4. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.	4. Their idols are of silver and gold, the handiwork of a son of man.
5. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;	5. They have a mouth, but do not speak; they have eyes, and do not see.
6. They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;	6. They have ears, and do not hear; they have nostrils, but do not smell.
7. They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they with their throat.	7. Hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they do not murmur with their throat.
8. They that make them will be like unto them; yea, every one that trusts in them.	8. May their makers become like them, everyone who relies upon them.
9. O Israel, trust you in the LORD! He is their help and their shield!	9. O Israel, trust in the Word of the Lord; He is their helper and their shield.
10. O house of Aaron, trust you in the LORD! He is their help and their shield!	10. Those of the house of Aaron, trust in the Word of the Lord; He is their helper and their shield.
11. You that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.	11. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Word of the Lord; He is their helper and their shield.
12. The LORD has been mindful of us, He will bless - He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.	12. The Word of the Lord has remembered us for good, He will bless; He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron.
13. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.	13. He will bless those who fear the Lord, the small with the great.
14. The LORD increase you more and more, you and your children.	14. The Word of the Lord will add to you; to you, and to your sons.
15. Blessed be you of the LORD who made heaven and earth.	15. Blessed are you in the presence of the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.
16. The heavens are the heavens of the LORD; but the earth has He given to the children of men.	16. The heavens of the heavens are for the glorious presence of the Lord, and the earth He has given to the sons of men.
17. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence;	17. The dead do not praise the name of the Lord, nor any of those who go down to the grave of earth.
18. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forever. Hallelujah.	18. But we will bless the Lord, from now and forevermore. Hallelujah!

Ketubim: Midrash Tehillim (Psalm) 113, 114, 115

I. Praise you the Lord. Praise, O you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord (Ps. 113:1). These words are to be considered in the light of the verse I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance néginatί in the night; I commune with my own heart (Ps. 77:6-7). What is meant by I call to remembrance neginati? R. Aibu and R. Judah bar Simon differed. R. Aibu took it to mean that the congregation of Israel says to the Holy One, blessed be He: “I call to remembrance the breaking of mine enemies' power,” Neginati meaning "the breaking of mine enemies' power" as indicated by the verse God the Most High ... has delivered (miggen) your enemies into your hand (Gen. 14:20). And so the congregation of Israel says, "Because I call to remembrance the breaking of mine enemies' power in the night, therefore I commune with mine own heart "

R. Judah bar Simon took it to mean that the congregation of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: "I call to remembrance the miracles which You did for me in Egypt, and how I sang songs to You because of the miracles—how, indeed, I sang songs and Psalms to You during that night," as it is said You will have a song as in the night when a feast was hallowed (Isa. 30:29). And what was the night when a feast was hallowed? The night when You did smite the first-born in the land of Egypt, as is said And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt (Ex. 12:29). Accordingly, R. Judah bar Simon took the words my song (neginati) in the night to refer to the song of that night when You did redeem us and bring us forth into freedom. We were Pharaoh's servants and You did redeem us, and make us Your servants. Therefore it is said Praise, O you servants of the Lord, and not "Praise, O you servants of Pharaoh."

II. A different comment on Praise the Lord. Praise, O you servants of the Lord. Of the generation that uttered these words, Scripture says It opened its mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness was on its tongue (Prov. 31:26). You can count twenty-six generations from the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, created His universe until the time that Israel went forth out of Egypt; but no one of these generations said "Praise the Lord" until Israel went forth from Egypt, went forth from their servitude to clay and bricks. It was then they said "Praise the Lord." At just what time did the children of Israel say "Praise the Lord?" During the plague of the first-born. In the night Pharaoh arose and went to Moses and Aaron, as is said And he called for Moses and Aaron by night (Ex. 12:31). And in the night he knocked on the doors of Moses and Aaron, and said to them: Rise up, get you forth from among my people (ibid.). They answered: Fool, are we to arise in the night? Are we thieves that we should go forth by night? In the morning we will leave. It was thus the Holy One, blessed be He, charged us: None of you will go out of the door of his house until the morning (ibid. 12:22). Pharaoh said to them: But by that time all the Egyptians will be dead!—as is written: They said: "We are all dead men" (ibid. 33). Moses and Aaron replied: Seek you to end this plague? Then say: "Behold, you are free; behold, you are your own men, you are no longer servants of mine; you are servants of the Lord."

Whereupon Pharaoh cried out, saying: Formerly you were my servants, but now behold, you are free. Behold, you are your own men. Behold, you are servants of the Lord, and being His servants, you are now obliged to praise Him, as is said Praise the Lord. Praise, O you servants of the Lord. So, too, Scripture says, For unto Me the children of Israel are servants (Lev. 25:55). And again You will have a song as in the night when a feast was hallowed (Isa. 30:29).

III. In a different interpretation of the phrase Praise you Yah, it is observed: Why does not Scripture say "Praise you YHWH?" R. Jeremiah explained in the name of R. Eleazar: The world is not worthy enough to praise God with His whole Name, but with only half of His name, as is said Let everything that has breath praise Yah (Ps. 150:6). Hence it is said Praise you Yah.

Praise you Yah. Praise, O you servants of the Lord. From this verse the Sages concluded that the Psalms of Hallel should be said by no fewer than three men: For to whom is the verse Praise, O you servants of the Lord said? To at least two men, who with the man that speaks the verse make no fewer than three.

And they say Praise the name of the Lord (Ps. 113:1b), the name in which He made war for us, as is said The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is His name (Ex. 15:3).

IV. Blessed be the name of the Lord. From this time forth and for ever more (Ps. 113:2). In this world they praise Him, and then they provoke Him. But not so in the time-to-come, for then they will praise Him from this time forth and for ever more. Therefore I say to you that you also will endure forever, for the Holy One, blessed be He, says: you praise Me from this time forth and for ever more, so I will bless you, as Scripture says The Lord is round about His people. From this time forth and forever (Ps. 125:2).

I. When Israel went forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people that was glad (Ps. 114:1). Elsewhere, this is what Scripture says, Egypt was glad when they departed (Ps. 105:38). R. Berechiah told a parable of a fat man riding on an ass. The fat man was wondering "When can I get off the ass?" and the ass was wondering "When will he get off me?" When the time came for the fat man to get off, I do not know which one was more glad.

And when David thought of how glad the Egyptians were when the children of Israel went forth out of Egypt, he began to sing in praise of the exodus from Egypt, saying When Israel came forth out of Egypt ... from a people that was glad.

II. Another comment on Praise you Yah. When Israel went forth out of Egypt ... Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion (Ps. 113:9d-114:1). Elsewhere another Psalm says, Sing (shiru) unto God, sing praises to His name; extol (sollu) Him that rides upon the heavens by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him (Ps. 68:5). What can shiru mean? It can mean "wait for God," as in the verse The eye of him that would see Me will not wait for Me (tésureni) (Job 7:8). Or it can mean "Sing songs and praises before Him."

What can sollu mean? "Extol you," said R. Judah. "Smooth your way to Him," said R. Nehemiah, as in the verse Make smooth (sollu), make smooth the highway (Isa. 62:10).

Him that rides upon the heavens (`arabot) (Ps. 68:5). The Rabbis taught that there are two heavens, since it is said To Him that rides upon the heavens, the heavens which are of old (Ps. 68:34). Our Masters taught that there are three heavens, since it is said Heaven, and the heaven of heaven (I Kings 8:27). According to R. Eleazar, there are seven heavens, namely, "veil," "expanse," "firmament," "habitation," "dwelling," "residence," `árabοt. And the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the heaven called `árabot.

R. Halafta ben Jacob taught in the name of R. Judah bar Simon: The Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the righteous/generous and their deeds pleased (`rb) Him.

R. Phinehas the Priest bar Hama said: In the heaven called `arabοt, the Holy One, blessed be He, sows the doings of the righteous/generous, and they bear fruit, as it is said They will eat the fruit of their doings (Isa. 3:10).

III. Béyah is His title (Ps. 68:5). R. Judah the Prince asked R. Samuel bar Nahman: What does Béyah is His title mean? R. Samuel bar Nahmani (Nahman) replied: You know of no place that does not have a noteworthy man appointed as magistrate to redress official wrongs. And who is appointed to redress such wrongs in the world? It is, if one dare speak thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, for Béyah is His title cannot be understood unless it is read not Béyah but Bia ("the magistrate who redresses official wrongs") is His title. Then R. Judah the Prince said to R. Samuel bar Nahmani: When I asked of the Sages—alas that they are gone and have not been replaced!—the meaning of béyah, how well they answered! For when I asked R. Eleazar, he did not answer as you did, but said: The Holy One, blessed be He, created two worlds with two letters, as is said With YH (béyah) the Lord created worlds (Isa. 26:4). That is, created them with the letters yod and hai. But we do not know whether this world was created with the hai and the world-to-come with the yod, or whether this world was created with the yod and the world-to-come with the hai. But since Scripture says, These are the generations of the heaven, and of the earth bhbr'm (Gen. 2:4) —that is, b (with), h (the letter hai), br'm (He created them)— therefore with the letter hai God created heaven and earth. And since this world was created with the letter hai, the world-to-come was created with the letter yod. Even as the letter hai is open at the bottom and closed on top, so this world and all it contains will go down into the grave; the [upward pointing] serif at the top of the letter, however, intimates the resurrection of the dead. The world-to-come was created with the letter yod, and even as the shape of the yod is bent, so in the world-to-come the pride of the wicked/lawless will be brought low, and they will be pale with shame, as is said And the loftiness of man will be bowed down (Isa. 2:17). When David saw that the Holy One, blessed be He, created two worlds with these two letters, he began to praise God with them, saying Praise YH.

IV. When Israel came forth out of Egypt. R. Eleazar hakKaρρar taught: For four reasons were the children of Israel redeemed from Egypt: they did not change their names; they did not change their language; they did not reveal their secrets; and they were not wanton. They did not change their names: The verses These are the families of the Reubenites (Num. 26:7) and These are the families of the Shimeonites (ibid. 26:14) prove that when they came down to Egypt, their names were Reuben and Simeon, and when they came forth out of Egypt, their names were still Reuben and Simeon. They did not change their language: They continued to speak their sacred language, as is said When the house of Jacob came forth from a people of strange language, Judah kept to his sanctuary (Ps. 114:1-2)— that is, kept to his sacred language. They did not reveal their secrets: You will find that a divine command was committed to their keeping for twelve months; God told them: Every woman will ask of her neighbou6r ... jewels of silver, etc. (Ex. 3:22), and there was not one among them who disclosed the divine command. They were not wanton: There was only one loose woman among them, and the Holy One, blessed be He, made her name known, as is written And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian ... and whose mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan (Lev. 24:10-11). That is, He who spoke and the world came into being, He Himself testifies that in Israel there was no other child of wantonness except this one.

V. Another comment on When Israel came forth out of Egypt: Through what merit did the children of Israel come forth out of Egypt? R. Judah taught: Through the merit of the blood of the Passover lamb and of the blood of the circumcision, as is said I said unto you when you were in your blood, live; yes, I said unto you when you were in your blood, live (Ezek. 16:6). R. Nehemiah taught: Through the merit of the Torah which they were to receive, for it is said And God saw the children of Israel (Ex. 2:25), and then it is said And all the people saw the thunders (ibid. 20:15) at the giving of the Torah. So, too, you may learn from another passage in which Moses is told When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you will serve God upon this mountain (Ex. 3:12). R. Joshua ben Levi taught: Through the merit of the Tabernacle which the children of Israel were to make, for it is said And God saw the children of Israel (Ex. 2:25), and then it is said And Moses saw all the work (ibid. 39:43) of the Tabernacle. So, too, you may learn from another passage in which God says, ... that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them (ibid. 29:46)—that is, "with the stipulation that I dwell among them." R. Eliezer ben Jacob taught: Through the merit of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaríah, for it is said And God saw the children of Israel (ibid. 2:25), and then it is said of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaríah, When [Jacob] sees his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him, that they sanctify My name: yea, they will sanctify y the Holy One of Jacob (Isa. 29:23). What children are alluded to in When he sees his children? Those children in whom was no blemish (Dan. 1:4), who sanctified God's name in the fiery furnace. R. Abba bar Kahana taught: Through the merit of the generation of Isaiah, of which it is said his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him (Isa. 29:23). Now when David saw on account of how many merits the children of Israel came forth out of Egypt, he began to sing in praise of the exodus from Egypt, Praise you the Lord. When Israel came forth out of Egypt.

VI. Another comment on When Israel came forth out of Egypt. Note that Scripture says Or has God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation ... by war? (Deut. 4:34). R. Jeremiah said in the name of R. Hiyya: Here Scripture compares God to a mighty man who goes to war either to conquer or to be conquered. Hence it is said Has God assayed ... by war?

R. Aha taught in the name of R. Jonathan: What is meant by A nation from the midst of another nation? Like a man who draws forth a youngling at just the right time from the womb of its dam, so the Holy One, blessed be He, drew forth the nation of Israel from the midst of Egypt, for the literal meaning of from the midst of (kereb) is "from the innards," as in the phrase "the innards (kereb) and the legs" (Lev. 1:13). From this we learn that it was painful to him who was drawn forth. Whence do we know that it was also painful to Him who did the drawing forth? From the verse But you have the Lord taken and brought forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt (Deut. 4:20)—that is, like a man who takes the gold out of the furnace not with tongs, nor with rags [but with his bare hands], so, if one dare speak thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise with the children of Israel.

R. Abin taught in the name of R. Simon: What is meant by from the midst of another nation? The children of Israel were swallowed up in the belly of Egypt, as is said Then they had swallowed us up alive (Ps. 124:3). And if someone whispers to you, saying: "In the context of this verse, Egypt is not mentioned," behold, a previous verse speaks of the Lord who was for us, when men rose up against us (ibid. 124:2), where men undoubtedly refers to Egyptians, as is said Now the Egyptians are men, and not God (Isa. 31:3).

VII. For the sake of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, worked ten miracles on the sea: (i) He drew up the waters of the sea into walls, and no wall was without its tower, and no tower was without its watch—indeed, it was the ministering angels keeping watch over the children of Israel so that they would not come to harm. But when Moses said to them: "Come, and cross over," they replied: "How can we go down between walls?" As it is said The waters were a wall unto them (Ex. 14:29). Then God pressed together the deeps of the sea, and the waters rose and piled up on the shore. Just like a swimmer with one hand above the water and the other below it, so the Holy One, blessed be He, pressed upon the deeps of the sea and swept the waters upon the shore. And God made a tunnel through the waters, as is said You have pierced through for the sake of his tribes (Hab. 3:14). But when Moses said to them: "Come, and cross over," they answered: "When two-thirds of the water lay below us and only one-third stood above us, we did not dare cross over. Now that two-thirds are massed above us, and one- third lies below us, how much less do we dare cross over!" Thereupon (3) God flattened out the water into a level highway, as is said The mass of water into a level place (pérazaw) (Hab. 3:14), pérazaw clearly denoting a "level highway," as in the verse Jerusalem will be as extended as the flat countryside (ρerazot) (Zech. 2:8). (4) And then God made sweet water stream out of the salt rock of the seaway, so that they and their cattle drank, as is said He brought streams out of the rock (Ps. 78:16). (5) Behind the children of Israel he turned the seaway into clay, as is said You have trodden the sea with Your horses, and made the mighty waters into clay (Hab. 3:15), but for the children of Israel (6) He made it as dry as straw in a heap, as is said The floods stood upright as a heap (Ex. 15:8), that is, as a heap of straw between two stacks. (7) God broke up the surface of the seaway, as is said You did break the sea in pieces by Your strength (Ps. 74:13). (8) Thereafter God divided it into separate paths [one for each tribe], as is said To Him who divided the Red Sea into paths (Ps. 136:13), and (9) He turned it into dry land, as is said The children of Israel walked upon dry land (Ex. 14:29). Finally, (10) God made it into a kind of valley which sprouted grass, as is said As the cattle that gο down into the valley (Isa. 63:14)

VIII. Judah became His sanctuary (Ps. 114:2). When the children of Israel arrived at the Red Sea, they battled one another as to which tribe should go in first, so that they went in not waiting till the waters dried up, but going right into the sea, and kept on going until they were in the deep waters, as is said Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (Ps. 69:2); and also The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea (Ex. 14:22). Benjamin kept saying: Let me gο in first; and Judah kept saying: Let me go in first. So said Zebulun and so Naphtali, and even so all the other tribes until they picked up stones and pelted one another, as it is said There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them (rodem), the princes of Judah, pelting them; the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali (Ps. 68:28). Read not rodem, "ruling them," but rad yam, "he went down into the sea." Moreover, because Judah pelted his brothers who went into the sea before him, he won purple garments for himself, these symbolizing royalty, as is written They clothed Daniel with purple (Dan. 5:29). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Judah: In your zeal to hallow My name, you did pelt your brothers with stones. Rule therefore over your brothers. Hence it is said Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.

IX. The sea saw it, and fled (Ps. 114:3). What did the sea behold? The sea beheld the children of Israel struggling with one another in their zeal to hallow the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it said: Why do I stand unmoved? Forthwith, the sea fled, as is written The sea saw it and fled.

Another explanation: The sea beheld Joseph's casket come down into the water. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let the sea flee from him who fled from transgression, he of whom it is said He ... had fled forth (Gen. 39:13). And so the sea fled from before Joseph, as is said The sea saw it, and fled.

Another explanation of The sea saw it, and fled. The sea did not wish to be divided. Why not? Because the children of Israel were rebellious. The sea said: Since they are rebellious, why should I divide for them? For it is said They ... were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea (Ps. 106:7). At once, the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked the sea, as is said And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up (ibid. 106:9). As soon as the sea felt the rebuke, it fled, as is said Be you ashamed, O Zídon; for the sea has responded (Isa. 23:4).22

Another explanation of The sea saw. It saw the Ineffable Name engraved on the rod [of Moses], and it fled, as is said And lift you up the rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it (Ex. 14:16).

The Jordan turned backward (Ps. 114:3). What was this? What concern was it of the Jordan's? Were the children of Israel at the Jordan? You learn, however, from this verse that when the master of the guild flees, the entire guild flees. So when the Jordan beheld the sea in flight, it, too, fled.

Moses said to the sea: Did you not declare: I will not be divided, and now you flee? What ails you, O you sea, that you flee? (Ps. 114:5). The sea replied: In truth, it is not seemly that I be divided at your command, for I was created on the third day, as it is said Let the waters under the heaven be gathered (Gen. 1:9); and further on, There was evening, and there was morning, a third day (ibid. 1:13), whereas you were created on the sixth day, as it is said And God said: "Let us make man" (ibid. 1 :26), And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day (ibid. 1:31). Accordingly, it is not because of the power of your presence that I withdraw and flee, but because of the presence of the Lord who formed the earth (Ps. 114:7)— that is, because of the presence of the Lord who created the earth, of whom it is written You had formed the earth and the world (Ps. 90:2): yea, At the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters (Ps. 114:7-8).

Ashlamatah: Joshua 20:8 – 21:8

8. And beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the table-land out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

9. These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourns among them, that whosoever kills any person through error might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation. {P}

1. Then came near the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;

2. And they spoke unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying: 'The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the open land thereabout for our cattle.' {P}

3. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the commandment of the LORD, these cities with the open land about them.

4. And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites; and the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. {S}

5. And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. {S}

6. And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. {S}

7. The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. {S}

8. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with the open land about them, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. {P}

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 26: 20-30

20. When it was evening, He was reclining at the Seder with the twelve Talmidim (Rabbinic disciples).

21. And as they were eating, he told them, “I tell you that one of you will inform against me.”

22. Being exceedingly distressed they began each one, to say to him, “Master am I the one?”

23. Replying he said, “The one who dips his hand with me in the bowl [of Maror] will give me over.”

24. “The Ben Adam (son of man) goes innocuously indeed, just as it is written about him; but woe to that man through whom the Ben Adam (son of man) is delivered over! It would have been better for him if that man had not been born!”

25. Replying, Yehudah (ben Shimon Ish Kiryat) who was delivering him over said, “Is it me Rabbi?” Yeshuah said to him, “You said it.”

26. As they were dining, Yeshuah, having taken the [remaining two and half] Matzot (unleavened bread crackers) and having given the Motzi Matza (blessing over the unleavened bread) broke the [top Matzah and the remaining half of the middle] Matzah and gave it to the Talmidim (Rabbinic disciples) saying, “Take this, and eat [it commemorating] my body.

27. Having taken the Kidush cup, and having said the Kidush (blessing over the wine) he gave [it] to them saying, “Drink it, all [of you commemorating]

28. my blood of the B’rit (covenant) which will be spilled out for the forgiveness of sins of the many.

29. I tell you, I will not drink [again] of the fruit of the vine at all from now until that day when I drink new [wine] with you in the government of my Father.”

30. Having sung Hallel, they went out to Har Zeytim (Mount of Olives).

Pirke Abot: Prologue

All Israelites have a portion in the world-to-come, as it is said: “And your people, all righteous/generous, will inherit the land forever, the branch of My plantings. The work of My hands, to glorify me” (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 60:21).

Abarbanel on Pirke Abot

By: Abraham Chill

Sepher Hermon Press, Inc. 1991

ISBN 0-87203-135-7

(pp. 15-18)

[Due to its great popularity, numerous commentaries have been written on Pirke Abot, some by outstanding Rabbinic personalities. Pre-eminent among them is Nahalat Abot (“The Inheritance of the Fathers”) by Rabbi Don Isaac Abarbanel (son of the Portuguese treasurer, Dom Judah, was born in the year 1437 at Lisbon, and died at Venice in 1508), statesman, philosopher, and author of many works including his celebrated commentary on the entire Holy Scriptures.

Abarbanel received a careful education and was a pupil of Joseph Ḥayyim, rabbi of Lisbon. Well versed in Talmudic literature and in the learning of his time, endowed with a clear and keen mind, and full of enthusiasm for Judaism, he devoted his early years to the study of Jewish religious philosophy, and when scarcely twenty years old wrote on the original form of the natural elements, on the most vital religious questions, on prophecy, etc. His political abilities also attracted attention while he was still young. He entered the service of King Alfonso V. of Portugal as treasurer, and soon won the confidence of his master. Notwithstanding his high position and the great wealth he had inherited from his father, his love for his afflicted brethren was unabated. When Arzilla, in Morocco, was taken by the Moors, and the Jewish captives were sold as slaves, he contributed largely to the funds needed to manumit them, and personally arranged for collections throughout Portugal. He also wrote to his learned and wealthy friend Jehiel, of Pisa, in behalf of the captives. After the death of Alfonso he was obliged to relinquish his office, having been accused by King John II of connivance with the duke of Bragança, who had been executed on the charge of conspiracy. Abarbanel, warned in time, saved himself by a hasty flight to Castile (1483). His large fortune was confiscated by royal decree. At Toledo, his new home, he occupied himself at first with Biblical studies, and in the course of six months produced an extensive commentary on the books of Joshua, Judges, and Samuel. But shortly afterward he entered the service of the house of Castile. Together with his friend, the influential Don Abraham Senior, of Segovia, he undertook to farm the revenues and to supply provisions for the royal army, contracts that he carried out to the entire satisfaction of Queen Isabella. During the Moorish war Abarbanel advanced considerable sums of money to the government. When the banishment of the Jews from Spain was decreed, he left nothing undone to induce the king to revoke the edict. In vain did he offer him 30,000 ducats ($68,400, nominal value). With his brethren in faith he left Spain and went to Naples, where, soon after, he entered the service of the king. For a short time he lived in peace undisturbed; but when the city was taken by the French, bereft of all his possessions, he followed the young king, Ferdinand, in 1495, to Messina; then went to Corfu; and in 1496 settled in Monopoli, and lastly (1503) in Venice, where his services were employed in negotiating a commercial treaty between Portugal and the Venetian republic (Zurita, "Historia del Rey Don Fernando el Católico," v. 342a).]

Abarbanel's importance, however, lies not only in his changeful and active career. Although his works can scarcely be said to be of an absolutely original character, they contain so much instructive material, and exerted so wide an influence, that they demand special attention. They may be divided into three classes, referring to (1) exegesis, such as his commentary upon the entire Bible with the exception of the Hagiographa; (2) philosophy, dealing with philosophy in general and particularly with that of the Jewish religion; (3) apologetics, in defence of the Jewish doctrine of the Messiah. Characteristic of Abarbanel's exegetic writings is his accurate estimation of the historical standpoint in the ancient annals of the Jewish people. All preceding Jewish exegetes had been too far removed from the tumult of the great world to possess a proper estimate of the historical epochs and episodes described in Scripture. Abarbanel, who had himself taken part in the politics of the great powers of the day, rightly perceived that mere consideration of the literary elements of Scripture was insufficient, and that the political and social life of the people must also be taken into account. He recognized also the value of prefacing the individual books of the Bible with a general introduction concerning the character of each book, its date of composition, and the author's intention; he may consequently be considered as a pioneer of the modern science of Bible propædeutics. These excellences of Abarbanel's commentaries were especially appreciated by the Christian scholars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. No less than thirty Christian writers of this period—among them men of eminence, like the younger Buxtorf, Buddeus, Carpzov, and others—occupied themselves with the close study of Abarbanel's exegetical writings, which they condensed and translated, and thus introduced to the world of Christian scholarship. Possibly somewhat of this appreciation of Abarbanel by Christians was due to the latter's tolerance toward the Christian, exegetes—Jerome, Augustine, and Nicholas de Lyra —all of whom were closely studied by him and quoted without prejudice, receiving praise or disapprobation as the case demanded.]

One can appreciate the true significance of Pirke Abot in the eyes of the sages of the Talmud from the famous and oft-quoted adage, “He who wishes to be saintly should apply himself to Pirke Αbοt” (Baba Kamma 30a). The Maharal of Prague posed two questions on this assessment (Yehudah Liwa – 16^th century, Derekh Chayim): The traditional practice is to precede the study of Pirke Abot with a mishnah which reads: “All Israel have a portion in the World to Come ...” (Sanhedrin 99a). If Pirke Abot is so singularly significant why add a preface to it? Secondly, it is also customary to conclude the study of each chapter with the statement, “Rabbi Hananya ben Akashya said: The Holy One blessed be He, wanted to grant merit to Israel, therefore He multiplied for them Torah and Mitzvοt ..." (Mishnah Makkot 3:15; Abot 6:9). Here, again, what need is there for an epilogue?

Maharal answers: An object is considered valuable when it has substance (homer), cosmetic appeal (tzurah), and a utilitarian purpose (takhlit). All these three criteria are necessary to determine whether something is marketable. They are also necessary to determine the collective and individual character of the Jew. The Jew's image is enhanced when he begins his study period with, “All Israel has a portion in the World to Come” (homer). As long as a Jew identifies himself as a Jew, he has a passport to olam ha-ba; that is his hallmark of a precious substance.

He then proceeds to the actual study of the text, thus demonstrating our lifestyle of ethical values (tzurah). We conclude with God's gift of Torah and mitzvot (commandments) to the Jew (takhlit) to underscore that we function best when we are Torah oriented.

Pirke Abot as it stands today consists of six chapters, whereas in Talmudic times it had only five chapters. As we have noted ín the introduction, a chapter was read every Shabbat afternoon between Passover and Shabuot (Pentecost) and since there are six Sabbaths between these two festivals, a sixth chapter, correctly called Kinyan Torah ("The Acquisition of Torah"), was added and read on the Shabbat before Shabuot (Pentecost) which commemorates Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah. This chapter is also known as Baraita de-Rabbi Meir, and consists of baraitot, i.e., texts from the times of the tannaim which were not included in the Mishnah.

[Note: Many Jewish Orthodox Congregations recite Pirke Abot weekly during the period between Passover and New Year and this minhag (custom) we have adopted at Bet Emunah]

Perhaps the most difficult statement in all Pirke Abot is the prologue “All Israel has a portion in the World to Come ..." Nearly all the commentators are disturbed by the same difficulty: The prologue is a mishnah taken from Tractate Sanhedrin. What is it doing there? “All Israel...” is a sublime promise to the Jews, whereas Tractate Sanhedrin deals in the main with capital punishment, in particular, with the four methods of execution administered by the court. How do we correlate such a sublime promise with the cruel and brutal death warrants of criminals?

This enigma disturbed Rashi in his commentary on the mishnah. He went even further: It would seem that when the Talmud discusses the ways and means of capital punishment it would have been logical for the sages to have formulated their views on the World to Come in a negative fashion: “These are the ones [i.e., the various criminals discussed] who have no share in the World to Come ...” For the sages to indicate who are entitled to olam ha-ba seems to be out of place.

Rashi, therefore, suggests that the rabbis in Tractate Sanhedrin formulated their thought as they did in order to alleviate the fears and anxieties of the wayward criminal. He may think to himself that because he sinned once and was sentenced to death, there is no hope for the salvation of his soul. The sages, therefore, allayed his fears by teaching, “All Israel have a portion in the World to Come.”

The Gaon of Vilna (Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman, 18^th century) answered the same question by way of an analogy. When a person has a tree which is producing poor quality fruit, he grafts on to it a shoot from a strong, healthy tree and lops off the infected branches of the old one. However, people seeing him doing this may condemn him for cutting off what appear to be healthy branches. The truth is, of course, that he does not want the roots of the tree to expend themselves on nourishing diseased branches, but to nurture the new shoots.

So is it, continues the Gaon of Vilna, with man. There are those who question the humaneness of capital punishment. “Are there no other punishments available besides the death sentence? Is not capital punishment barbaric?” It is for this reason that “All Israel have ...” follows the chapter dealing with capital punishment in Tractate Sanhedrin. The criminal may be compared to the pruned branches. God's primary interest is to salvage the soul, the roots of man, and through his demise the wicked/lawless man's soul will survive in the World to Come.

The Gaon continues: In winter we are accustomed to stay indoors due to inclement weather; in the spring, we emerge and enjoy nature, the flowers and the trees. It is then that a person is apt to become light-headed and frivolous, which may lead to transgression. “All Israel have a portion ...” is then part of our study program to teach us the lesson of the grafting of shoots on to a sickly tree, so that good fruit can grow.

The most disturbing aspect of the dictum is the question: Is every Jew really entitled to a place in the World to Come? Are there no wicked/lawless Jews who are not worthy of olam ha-ba? A line of reasoning taken by one commentator would have us accept the indisputable assertion that a Jew always remains a Jew and, although he may have sinned grievously, he still has a number of mitzvoth (commandments) to his credit, albeit unbeknown to him (Meir David HaKohen)

Another opinion: Every Jew, no matter how much he has drifted from the straight and narrow path, makes a contribution (helek, a portion) to the realization of the Messianic age because that anticipated event will be a collective experience. This is the thrust of “All Israel ...”

Another commentator tackles a different aspect of the question (Meir Lehman): “All Israel ...” implies that only Jews will benefit in olam ha-ba. How can this be so? It is contrary to the rabbinic maxim which clearly states that there are righteous/generous gentiles who will enjoy a portion of the World to Come (Sanhedrin 105a). Therefore, “All Israel ...” comes to spell it out that although every God-fearing human being will be given a portion in olam ha-ba, the Jew will find it much easier to present himself by virtue of the fact that he is committed to Torah and mitzvot.

Another explanation for the seeming injustice of including the wicked/lawless among those rewarded with olam ha-ba is given by Rabbi Moshe Alsheikh. According to all the Kabbalists, there are three stages that the soul must pass through after death. First, it enters the world of souls (olam ha-nefashot). It then makes its way to olam ha-ba where it remains in limbo. Finally it reaches the stage of tehiyat ha-metím (resurrection of the dead) when the body will be revived. When our text says olam ha-ba it is referring to the penultimate stage before the resurrection. Hence, in the opinion of Midrash Shemuel, while the wicked/lawless will pass through the early stages they will be denied the last stage — they will not be resurrected.

Another interpretation is proposed by Rabbi Moshe Alsheikh. He muses that in view of the sages' assertion that when the Torah was delivered to the Children of Israel at Mt. Sinai every Jewish soul from then on and until the end of the world was present, it is natural that for that alone every Jew – even the sinner – is entitled to a portion of the Olam Ha-Ba.

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Other Comments To The Introductory Passage

One can not undertake a job with enthusiasm unless he is aware of the benefits it will bring. This Mishnah reminds us that the goal of keeping the Torah and obeying the commandments is to bring a person into the World-To-Come. (Me’am Lo’ez).

When reading the multitude of admonitions in Pirke Abot, one might lose hope for the World-To-Come, since it may feel impossible to fulfil all of these teachings. This Mishnah inspires us to remain hopeful, for every Jew has a portion in the World-To-Come. (Kehati)

When the Mishnah says that all Israel has a portion in the World to Come, it means that every Jew has a share in the Torah and in Divine Service, each according to his level and capabilities. (Rav Yisrael, the Maggid of Koznitz)

The Mishnah literally says a share "towards" the World-To-Come. The World-To-Come is not a pre-existing place in which one’s share awaits him, commensurate with his good deeds. Rather, it is something that we create for ourselves by the way we live in the world. We gain the World-To-Come through working towards it, by performing good deeds. (Ruach Chaim)

A call to unity is reflected in the first two words of the Mishnah. The word "kol" ("all") consists of two letters, "kaph" and "lamed," which stand for Kohanim (Priests) and Levi’im (Levites) and are followed by the next word, Yisrael. These words form the three constituent sections of the Jewish People. When Jews are joined together by unity and brotherhood, they conjointly enjoy a share in the World-To-Come. The concept of the oneness of the Jewish people is a very appropriate introduction into Jewish ethics. (Rabbi Shlomo Toperoff)

"Inherit the land." The land is the "land of the living" (Psalms 142:6), an allegory for the spiritual rewards of the World-To-Come. (Rambam)

"In which to take pride". Since every Jew’s soul is an actual part of G-d, each Jew praises G-d by his/her very existence. When one becomes aware of his/her G-dly core, one appreciates: (a) the necessity of refining oneself so that this essential quality can be expressed; and (b) that each individual, regardless of his/her present level of development, has the potential to achieve such refinement. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe, z’tl)

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What say the Nazarean Hakhamim?

Hakham Shaul’s response to this Mishnah in Romans 11:1-36 is as follows:

1. I ask, then, has God rejected His people? God forbid! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2. God has not rejected His people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

3. "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." (1 Kings 19:10)

4. But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." (1 Kings 19:18)

5. So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

6. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were blinded,

8. As it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day." (Deut 29:4; Isaiah 29:10)

9. And David says, "Let their table before them become a snare; and when they are in peace, let it become a trap. (Psalm 69:23)

10. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to totter." (Psalm 69:24

11. So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? God forbid! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

12. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

13. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an envoy to the Gentiles, I magnify my office

14. in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

15. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

16. If the dough offered as first-fruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you (Gentiles), although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the other [Jews] and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,

18. do not be arrogant toward the [Jewish] branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the (Jewish) root, but the (Jewish) root that supports you (Gentiles).

19. Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."

20. That is true. They were broken off because of their disobedience, but you stand fast through faithful obedience. So do not become proud, but fear.

21. For if God did not spare the (Jewish) natural branches, neither will he spare you (Gentiles).

22. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

23. And even they, if they do not continue in their disobedience, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

24. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated (Jewish) olive tree, how much more will these, the natural (Jewish) branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

25. Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial blindness has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

26. And in this way ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED (enter the Olam Ha-Ba), as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob" (Isaiah 59:20);

27. "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins" (Isaiah 59:21).

28. As regards the tradition, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. (Deut. 7:8)

29. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Numbers 23:19)

30. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,

31. so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.

32. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all.

33. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?" (Isaiah 40:13; Jer 23:18)

35. "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" (Job 41:11)

36. For from Him (G-d) and through Him (G-d) and to Him (G-d) are all things. To Him (G-d) be glory forever. Amen ve Amen!

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Some Questions to Ponder:

1. Why are Jews “saved” communally but Righteous/Generous Gentiles “individually”? Or put in other words, Why will Jews enter the Olam Ha-Ba as a people/community/nation and not as individuals, but Righteous/Generous Gentiles enter the Olam Ha-Ba as “individuals” (one by one)?

2. Why then is it impossible for a Jew to survive without the indispensable oxygen of the “local” Jewish community, and the whole nation of Yisrael?

3. Hakham Shaul states in Romans 11:25 that: “a partial blindness has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Since the blindness is “partial,” what part is Israel exactly blinded to and what part is Israel exactly not blinded from?

4. By “becoming wise in their own conceits” and rejecting the need to observe the commandments of G-d as interpreted by the Jewish Sages, and as observed by the Master of Nazareth himself, to what do these Gentiles have become blind, and what is the consequence of this blindness?

5. Hakham Shaul states in Romans 11:26 “And in this way ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED (enter the Olam Ha-Ba), as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob" (Isaiah 59:20).” Is this statement contrary to our Mishnaic Prologue to Pirke Abot: “ALL ISRAELITES HAVE A PORTION IN THE WORLD-TO-COME, as it is said: “And your people, all righteous/generous, will inherit the land forever, the branch of My plantings. The work of My hands, to glorify me (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 60:21)”?

The Hakham Recommends A Good Book For Your Personal Library:

Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era: The Age of Tannaim, 2 Vols.

Author: George Foot Moore

Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers / 1997 / Hardcover

ISBN: 1565632869

This book, whilst written by a Christian Hebraist was published originally by Harvard University Press back in January, 1927 (republished by Hendrickson Publishers in 1997), is perhaps the best scholarly book yet simply written that I have seen to date explaining Judaism to non Jews, or to Jews with a minimal knowledge of their ancestral religion. I have read it a number of times, and still refer to it when teaching Torah, Talmud and Midrash.

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai