Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for:
Sh’mot (Exodus) 8:16 –
9:35
And the Lord said to Mosheh,
Speak unto Aharon, Lift up your rod and smite the dust of the earth, and it
shall become venomous insects in all the land of Mizraim.
But it shall not be by you that the ground shall be smitten, because therein
for you was (the means of) safety when you had slain the Mizraite and it
received him. And they did so, and Aharon lifted up his hand with his rod, and
smote the dust of the ground, and it became a plague of venomous insects upon
the flesh of men and of cattle; all the dust of the earth was changed to become
insects, in all the land
of Mizraim. And the
astrologers wrought with their burnings to bring forth the insects, but were
not able; and the plague of insects prevailed upon men and upon cattle. And the
astrologers said to Pharaoh, This is not by the power or strength of Mosheh and
Aharon; but this is a plague sent from before the Lord. Yet the design of
Pharaoh's heart was strengthened, and he would not hearken to them, as the Lord
had said.
And the Lord spoke to Mosheh,
Arise in the morning, and stand before Pharoh: behold, be goes forth to observe
divinations at the water, as a magician; and you shall say to him, Thus says
the Lord, Emancipate My people, that they may worship before Me; but if you
will not set My people free, behold, I will stir up among you, and your
servants, and your people, and your house, a mixed multitude of wild beasts
[JERUSALEM. A commixture,] and the houses of the Mizraee shall be filled with a
swarm of wild beasts, and they shall be upon the land also. And I will do
wonders that day in the land
of Goshen where My people
dwell, that there no swarms of wild beasts shall be; that you may know that I
the Lord am the Ruler in the midst of the land. And I will appoint redemption
for My people, and upon your people will I lay the plague: tomorrow this sign
shall be. And the Lord did so; and sent the mixed multitude of wild beasts in
strength to the house of Pharaoh, and to the house of his servants and in all
the land of Mizraim the inhabitants of the land were
devastated from the swarm of wild beasts. And Pharaoh called to Mosheh and to
Aharon., saying, Go, worship with festival sacrifices before the Lord your God
in this land. But Mosheh said, It will not be right to do so; because we shall
take sheep, which are the abomination of the Mizraee, and offer them before the
Lord our God. Behold if we offer the abomination of the Mizraee before them,
they would stone us with stones as an act of justice. We will go three days
journey into the wilderness to offer the festival sacrifices before our God, as
He hath bidden us. And Pharoh said, I will release you to sacrifice before the
Lord your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go to a greater distance.
Pray, (too,) for me. And Mosheh said, I will go forth from you, and pray before
the Lord to remove the swarm of wild beasts from Pharaoh, and from his
servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharoh add to deceive, in
not releasing the people to offer the festal sacrifices before the Lord. And
Mosheh went out from Pharoh, and prayed before the Lord; and the Lord did
according to the word of the prayer of Mosheh, and removed the swarm of wild
beasts from Pharaoh, and from his servants, and from his people; not one was
left. Yet did Pharoh strengthen the design of his heart this time also, and
released not the people.
IX. And the Lord said to Mosheh,
Go in to Pharoh, and say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of the Jehudee,
Emancipate My people, that they may worship before Me. But if you refuse to
release, and hitherto you have constrained them, behold, the stroke of the
Lord's hand shall be as it has not been yet, upon your cattle that are in the
field, upon the horses, and upon the asses, upon the camels, oxen, and sheep,
with a very mighty death. [JERUSALEM.
Great conturbation.] And the Lord will work wonders between the flocks of Israel and the
flocks of the Mizraee, that not any of those which belong to the sons of Israel shall
die. And the Lord set a time, saying, Tomorrow will the Lord do this thing in
the land. And the Lord did that thing the day after, and all the cattle of the
Mizraee died; but of the cattle of the sons of Israel died not one. And Pharoh
sent certain to look; and, behold, not one of the cattle of the sons of Israel had
died, not even one. But the disposition of Pharoh, heart was aggravated, and he
would not release the people.
And the Lord said to Mosheh and
to Aharon, Take with you hands-full of fine ashes from the furnace, and let
Mosheh sprinkle them towards the height of the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh.
And the dust shall be upon all the land
of Mizraim, upon man and
upon beast, for a boil, producing tumors in all the land of Mizraim
[JERUSALEM.
Tumors.] And they took ashes of the furnace, and arose to meet Pharoh; and
Mosheh sprinkled them towards the height of the heavens; and there came a boil
multiplying tumors upon man and beast. And the astrologers could not stand
before Mosheh, on account of the boil; for the plague of the boil was upon the
astrologers, and upon all the Mizraee. And the Lord hardened the design of
Pharoh's heart, and he would not hearken to them, as the Lord had said to
Mosheh.
And the Lord said to Mosheh,
Arise in the morning, and place yourself before Pharoh, and say to him, Thus
says the Lord, the God of the Jehudee, Emancipate My people, that they may
worship before Me. For at this time I will send upon you a plague from the
heavens, and all My plagues Wherewith I have plagued you, you will cause to
return upon your heart, and upon your servants, and upon your people, (plagues)
which have been sent from before Me, and not from the magic of the sons of men,
that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. Now could I send
the plague of My strength by judgment (or, with justice) to strike you and your
people with death, and destroy you from the earth; but verily I have spared you
alive, not that I may benefit you, but that My power may be made manifest to
you, and that My Holy Name may be made known in all the earth. Hitherto have
you tyrannized over My people, instead of releasing them. [JERUSALEM. Relentlessly.] Behold, at this
time tomorrow I will cause to come down from the treasures of the heavens a
mighty hail, the like of which has never been in Mizraim since the day when men
were settled upon it until now. But now send, gather together your flocks, and
all that you have in the field (for) upon all men and cattle that are found in
the field, and not gathered together within the house, will the hail come down,
and they will die. Hiob, (Job,) who reverenced the word of the Lord, among the
servants of Pharaoh, gathered together his servants and his flocks within the
house. But Bileam, who did not set his heart upon the word of the Lord, left
his servants and his flocks in the field.
And the Lord said to Mosheh,
Uplift your hand towards the height of the heavens, and there shall be hail on
all the land of Mizraim, upon men, and upon beasts, and
upon every herb of the field in the land
of Mizraim. And Mosheh
lifted up his rod toward the height of the heavens, and the Lord gave forth
thunders and hailstones with flaming, fire upon the ground; the Lord made the
hail descend upon the land
of Mizraim. And there was
hail, and fire darting among the hail with exceeding force: unto it had never
been the like in all the land
of Mizraim ever since it
was a nation and a kingdom. And the hail smote in all the land of Mizraim
whatsoever was in the field, of men and of cattle, and all the herbage of the
field the hail smote, and every tree of the field it shattered and uprooted.
Only in the land
of Goshen, where the
children of Israel
were, there was no hail. And Pharoh sent certain to call Mosheh and Aharon; and
he said to them, This time I have sinned. I know that the Lord is a righteous
God, and that I and my people have deserved every one of these plagues.
Intercede before the Lord, that with Him it may be enough, and there may be no
more maledictory thunders nor hail from the presence of the Lord; and I will
release you, and no longer hinder. And Mosheh said to him, When I have gone out
from you into the city, I will outspread my hands in prayer before the Lord,
and the thunders shall cease, and there shall be no more hail; that you may
know that the earth is the Lord's. But I know that for you and your servants to
release the people, they will have to be afraid before the Lord God. And the
flax and the barley were beaten down, because the barley was in the ear, and
the flax was making pods. [JERUSALEM.
The flax was (making) pods, for it had cast its flowers.] But the wheat and the
spelt were not smitten, because they are later. And Mosheh and Aharon went out
from Pharaoh to the suburb, and he stretched out his hands in prayer before the
Lord, and the thunders of the curse were withheld, and the hail and rain that
were descending came not on the earth. And Pharoh saw that the rain and hail
and the thunders of the curse had ended, and he added to sin, and made strong
the design of his heart, both he and his servants. And Pharoh's heart was made
obstinate, and he would not release the children of Israel, as the Lord had said
through Mosheh.
Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu
Sh’mot (Exodus): 8:16 – 9:35
14.
And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand
before Pharaoh; lo, he comes from the water” (Exodus 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters
early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he
was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself. Therefore he
went out early in the morning so that no one would see him performing a
demeaning act. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Rise up early in the morning, when he must (go out), and say unto him: Thus says the Lord, the God of
the Hebrews ... for I will this time send all My plagues upon your person, etc. (Exodus 9:14).
Ordinarily, when a man desires to harm his enemy, he does so unexpectedly lest
he be forewarned, but the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the wicked Pharaoh
before each plague, as it is said: Behold,
I will cause it to rain (ibid., v.
18), Behold, tomorrow will I bring
locusts into your border (ibid.
10:5). And He did so in each instance.
Scripture
says elsewhere: Behold, God does
loftily in His power. Who is a teacher like unto Him? (Job 36:22); that is, He instructed the wicked ones
to do penance. To Pharaoh He said: Now therefore, hasten in your cattle (Exodus 9:19), and He
warned him, For behold, I will
cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18),
and after that it is written: Behold,
tomorrow will I bring locusts into your border (ibid. 10:4). Each plague followed a warning.
Each
of the ten plagues was imposed for a specific reason. The plague of blood was
inflicted upon them because they would not permit the daughters of Israel to bathe
after their menstrual period lest they increase and multiply [The laws of family purity require that women
immerse in a ritual bath after menstruation before engaging in conjugal
relations].
Why
were the water and the dust smitten with the rod by Aaron, as it is written: Say unto Aaron: "Take your rod" (ibid. 7:9)? R. Tanhuma stated: The Holy One,
blessed be He, said to Moses: Since the water guarded you when you were placed
in the Nile, and the dust protected you when
you killed the Egyptian, it would not be proper for your hand to smite them with the
plague. Therefore they were inflicted by Aaron.
He brought the plague of frogs upon them because
they had enslaved Israel
and had commanded them to bring reptiles and creeping things to them. That was
the reason the frogs came up (ibid. 8:2). Whenever they filled their drinking cups, they found them full of frogs,
as it is said: And they
shall go and come unto your house, and into your kneading troughs (ibid. 7:29).
When is the kneading trough near the
oven? It is placed there when the oven is hot. Why did all of this happen? To
fulfill the wishes of their Creator. One verse states: And the river shall swarm with frogs (ibid. 7:28), while another says: And the frog
came up (ibid. 8:2). R. Akiba explained it as follows: At first
there was only one frog, but after the Egyptians struck it, many frogs sprang
from it.
Why were the gnats brought upon them? Because they
had forced Israel
to become sweepers in their streets and their marketplaces. Therefore He turned
the dust into gnats so that even though they dug many cubits into the earth,
they found no soil. As it is said: And
all the dust of the earth became
gnats (ibid., v. 13). And the magicians did so with their secret arts
... but they could not (ibid., v.
14). R. Johanan said: Belatehem ("with their secret
arts") refers to the work of demons, and the belehatim (ibid. 7:11)
refers to works of sorcery. Then
the magicians said unto Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God” (Exod. 8:14), since no demon can produce anything
smaller than the size of a barley.
Why were swarms of wild beasts sent? Because they
had told the Israelites, “Go, bring us bears and lions,” so that they could
torment them with these beasts. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, turned
many kinds of wild beasts against them to confound them, as it is said: And there came grievous swarms of beasts (ibid., v. 20) [ Word-play on arob ("mixture,
many kinds") and ur'babot ("confusion"). See Exodus Rabbah 11]. This is the opinion of R.
Judah. However, R. Nehemiah said: These were various kinds of hornets and
mosquitoes. R. Judah's opinion
appears most likely to be
correct. In the case of the frogs, it is written: And they gathered them together in heaps (ibid., v. 10), but in reference to the swarms, it
is written: And the Lord did
according to the word of Moses, and He removed the swarms of beasts (ibid., v 9). The frogs, which had nothing pleasant
about them, remained and made Egypt smell bad, but the beasts, whose skins were
useful, did not remain. If they had been hornets and mosquitoes, when they
died, they too would have (made Egypt)
smell bad. And there came grievous
swarms of beasts into the house of Pharaoh (ibid., v. 20). They came to Pharaoh first because he was the first to
counsel evil against them, as it is said: And Pharaoh charged all his people (ibid., v. 18). After that it is written: And in all the land of Egypt
the land was ruined.
Why
did He bring murrain upon them? Because they had forced the Israelites to
pasture their oxen, sheep, and cattle in the valleys, the hills, and the deserts,
so that the Israelites would not be able to increase and multiply [Pharaoh separated the men and women by sending the
men to pasture their flocks in remote places]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: I will bring you an excellent
shepherd, as it is said: Behold,
the hand of the Lord is upon your cattle (ibid. 9:3). And Pharaoh
sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites
dead (ibid., v. 7). Indeed, even
the animals that were owned jointly by Israelites and Egyptians did not die.
Why
did He afflict them with boils? Because they had compelled the Israelites to
keep warm the things that were warm, and to keep cold the things that were
cold. Therefore they were smitten with boils so that they would be unable to
touch their own bodies (and derive any pleasure from such touch). R. Joshua the
son of Levi declared that a great miracle took place in connection with the
boils. If a man shoots an arrow upwards, it cannot travel more than a hundred
cubits, yet Moses cast a handful of soot from a furnace heavenward, and though
it is almost impossible to grasp a handful of soot, since it has no body, it
soared upward until it reached the throne of glory. Another great miracle happened in connection with
the boils. Moses took a handful of soot and filled Aaron's hand as well as his
own with it. Still another miracle occurred in connection with the boils. A man
cannot possibly scatter a measure of dust more than four cubits, yet Moses took
a mere handful and spread it over the land of Egypt,
four hundred by four hundred parasangs in area.
Why was the hail brought upon them? Because they had
made Israel
plant gardens, trees, parks, and vineyards. Hence they afflicted them with
hail, which destroyed their trees, as it is said: So there
was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). This
was an instance of a miracle transpiring within another miracle [Since
hail and fire existed at the same time]. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this matter.
The former said: The fire flashing up amidst the rain appeared like a split
pomegranate whose seeds are visible from without, while the latter said: It was
like a light burning in a glass that contained a mixture of water and oil.
What may this be compared to? To two powerful
legionaries who have despised each other for a long time. When their king
became involved in a war, he made peace between them so that they would go
forth together to fulfill the king's command. Similarly, though fire and hail
are hostile to each other, when the time for war with Egypt came, the
Holy One, blessed be He, made peace between them and they smote Egypt. Hence it
is said: The fire flashing up amidst the hail. When an Egyptian was
seated he would be pummeled by hail; when he arose he would be scorched by fire
in conformity to the punishments meted out to wicked men in the netherworld,
as it is said: He destroyed their
vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost (Ps. 78:47). R.
Judah the son of Shalum said: What is the meaning of their sycamore trees with frost (ba-hanamal)? Ba indicated that it came; han, that it alighted upon them; mal, that it cut everything down. R. Phinehas declared:
It descended like an axe cutting down the trees.
Why were locusts inflicted upon them? Because they
had compelled the Israelites to sow wheat and grain. For that reason the Holy
One, blessed be He, brought locusts upon them to consume everything that the
Israelites had sown. R. Johanan said: When the locusts came, the Egyptians
rejoiced, saying: “We will collect them, boil them, and fill our barrels with
them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Wicked ones, would you obtain an
advantage from a plague that I have brought upon you? Whereupon the Holy One,
blessed be He, brought a very strong west wind that drove the locusts into the
Red Sea; There remained not one
locust in all the border of Egypt (ibid.
10:19). Even those that were in jars
and in barrels sprouted wings and flew away.
Why was darkness inflicted upon them? Because the
King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, shows no partiality, and searches
the heart and tries the kidneys of all. He brought darkness upon them because
there were sinners in Israel
who had Egyptian patrons, and enjoyed honor and wealth, and were unwilling to
leave. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I bring a plague upon them in
broad daylight, from which they will die, the Egyptians will say that just as
it passed over us, so does it pass over them. Hence, He brought darkness upon
the Egyptians for three days, and they
saw not one another (ibid., v. 23). The children of Israel had light in their
dwellings, so that they could bury their dead without being seen by their
enemies. Even darkness which may
be felt (ibid.,
v. 21) is written. R. Abdimi the son of Hama said: The darkness was doubled and
redoubled. An Egyptian who was standing was unable to sit, while one who was
sitting was unable to stand, and one lying down could not rise. Three of the
plagues were brought by Aaron, three by Moses, three by God, and one through
the combined efforts of all of them. The blood, frogs, and gnats, which came
from the earth, were brought by Aaron; the hail, locusts, and darkness, which
came out of the air, were brought about by Moses, for he had power over earth
and heaven; the swarms, the murrain, and the plague of the first-born were brought about by God; while the boils
were brought about by all of them.
During
the three days of darkness, the Holy One, blessed be He, made the Egyptians
feel kindly toward the Israelites, and they loaned them many things. When an
Israelite entered an Egyptian's home and tried to borrow utensils of silver or
gold, or garments, they would reply: “We have nothing to loan you.” Whereupon
the Holy One, blessed be He, would illumine their dwellings, and the Israelite
would say to them: “There it is, in that place.” This happened in order to
fulfill the verse And afterwards
shall they come out with great substance (Gen. 15:14).
15.
And the Lord said unto Moses: "Stretch forth your hand toward heaven
that there may be hail" (Exodus 9:22).
Scripture says (elsewhere in allusion to this verse): Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that has He done, in
heaven and in the earth (Ps.
135:6). In reference to the heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord (Ps. 115:16), and in regard to the earth, The earth has He given to the children of men (ibid.). This may be compared to a king who decreed
that the people of Rome
should not migrate to Syria
and that the people of Syria
should not migrate to Rome.
And similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed when He created the world: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; and the earth
He has given to the children of men.
However, when He
decided to give the Torah, He abrogated the first decrees and declared: Let the
earthly beings ascend on high and the heavenly creatures descend below, and I
will be the first (to do so), as it is said: And the Lord came down upon Sinai (Exodus 19:20). And
it is also written: And to Moses He
said: “Come up unto the Lord” (ibid.
24:1). Hence, Whatsoever the Lord
pleased, that has He done.
When
He desired it to happen, He said: Let
the waters under the heavens be gathered together (Gen. 1:9). And when He was so inclined, He made
the sea become dry and turn into land, as is said: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the
sea, upon the dry ground (Exodus 14:22). Therefore, whatsoever the Lord pleased, that has He done, etc. With regard to the heavens, it is said: Stretch forth your hand toward heaven that there
may be hail (ibid. 9:22), and in reference to the earth
it is stated: Stretch out your
rod, and smite the dust of the earth (ibid. 8:12). What is
written above concerning this matter? For now I have stretched out My hand . . . But in very deed for this
cause have I made you to stand (ibid.
9:16), so that you will not
die as a result of the first plague, and so that My name may be declared throughout all earth (ibid., v. 36).
16.
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous
hail, such as has not been seen (Exodus 9:18). Zabdi the son of Levi said:
He made a mark upon the wall and told him that when the sun reached that mark
tomorrow, the hail would fall. Such
as has not been seen implies that
it would be a hail like none that had occurred previously, and would occur
again only in the days to come, that is, in the time of Gog and Magog, as it is
said: Which I have reserved
against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war (Job 38:23). It also says: And I will plead against him with pestilence and
with blood; an overflowing shower and great hailstones (Exodus 38:22). And now therefore send, hasten in your cattle (ibid. 9:19),
on account of the plague of hail. He said to him: Wicked one, the Lord is
righteous indeed.
And Moses stretched forth his rod unto heaven, and the Lord sent thunder
and hail (ibid., v. 23). Wherever
Scripture says and the Lord it refers to Him and to His heavenly court. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Genesis 21:1), that is, He and His court. And the Lord caused it to rain on Sodom (ibid. 20:24), that
is, He and His court. And the Lord
sent thunder and hail (Exodus 9:23), that is, He and His court. So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the
hail (ibid., v. 24). The words fire flashing indicate that after the hail, the fire flashed and consumed it, as is
said: But the wheat and the spelt
were not smitten, for they ripen late (ibid., v. 32). R. Phinehas and R. Judah the son of Shalum discussed this
matter. R. Phinehas said: What is the meaning of ripen late? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed Be, performed a miracle with
them. R. Judah, however, insisted that they were merely late in ripening. R.
Phinehas maintained: It is written: And
the hail smote every herb of the field (ibid., v. 25), and yet you insist that they were not smitten because
they were still young. Obviously that is not so. The Holy One, blessed be He,
performed a miracle with them [Word-play
interpreting afilot ("late") in Exod. 9:32 as pelaim ("wonders")].
At
that very moment the wicked Pharaoh cried out: Entreat the Lord ... and I will let them go (Exodus 9:28).
Moses replied: You said that at the time of the first plague, and I pleaded in
your behalf, but yet you did not send them away. Why should I entreat for you and for your servants? (ibid. 8:5). Pharaoh replied: I have sinned before
the Lord your God and against you, but now I will let them go. When Moses heard
that, Moses went out of the city
from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands unto the Lord; and the thunders and
the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (ibid. 9:33). They were suspended in mid-air. When
did they descend? Some descended upon the Amorites in the days of Joshua, as it
is said: The Lord cast down great
stones from heaven upon them (Josh.
10:11), and the remainder
will fall on Gog and Magog in the days of the Messiah. And the thunders ceased (Exodus 9:34).
They, too, were suspended (in mid-air). They descended in the days of Elisha,
against the camp of the Arameans, as it is said: For the Lord had made the hosts of the Arameans, to
hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses (II Kings 7:6).
17.
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased
(Exodus 9:34). Such is
the way of the wicked: whenever they are in trouble, they humiliate
themselves, but once their troubles have ceased, they become corrupt
again. When Nebuchadnezzar was in trouble, he said: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor and
extol the King of heaven, for all His works are truth, and His way is justice; and those
that walk in pride, He is able to abase (Dan. 4:34).
R. Berechiah stated in the name
of R. Helbo, who had said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: Most
assuredly, the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the thoughts and the heart of
man. Nebuchadnezzar praised Him in this verse just as David did in the Book of
Psalms. Nebuchadnezzar said praise, and
David said Praise
the Lord, O Jerusalem
(Ps. 147:12); Nebuchadnezzar said extol, and David said: I will extol You, O Lord, for
You have raised me up (Ps. 30:2); Nebuchadnezzar said
honor, and David declared: You are clothed with
honor and majesty (ibid. 104:1). After he achieved greatness,
however, he became arrogant, as it is said: Is
not this great Babylon, which I have
built for a royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the
glory of my
majesty? (Dan. 4:27). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked
him: Wretch! Again you are boastful, as it is said: While the word was in the king's mouth, there
fell a voice from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom
is departed from you” (ibid., v. 28). Hence, whenever the wicked are
in trouble, they humble themselves, but when their difficulties cease, they
revert to their corrupt practices. Pharaoh did likewise. When he saw that the rain
and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he continued to sin (Exodus
9:34). The gentiles add to
their sins, but in the case of Israel The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of
Zion, He will no
more carry you away into captivity; He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of
Edom, he will
uncover your sins (Lam. 4:22).
Special Ashlamatah: Ezekiel
20:2-20
1 ¶ And it came to pass in the
seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of
the elders of Israel
came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the LORD came
unto me, saying:
3 ‘Son of man, speak unto the
elders of Israel,
and say unto them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Are you come to inquire of Me? As I
live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.
4 Will you judge them, son of
man, wilt you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;
5 ¶ and say unto them: Thus says
the Lord GOD: In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up My hand unto the
seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known unto them in the land of Egypt,
when I lifted up My hand unto them, saying: I am the LORD your God;
6
in that day I lifted up My hand unto them, to bring them forth out of
the land of Egypt into a land that I had sought out for them, flowing with milk
and honey, which is the beauty of all lands;
7 and I said unto them: Cast away
every man the detestable things of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the
idols of Egypt;
I am the LORD your God.
8 But they rebelled against Me,
and would not hearken unto Me; they did not every man cast away the detestable
things of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt; then I said
I would pour out My fury upon them, to spend My anger upon them in the midst of
the land of Egypt.
9 But I wrought for My name’s
sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the gentiles, among whom
they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, so as to bring them
forth out of the land
of Egypt.
10 ¶ So I caused them to go forth
out of the land
of Egypt, and brought
them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them My statutes,
and taught them Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.
12 Moreover also I gave them My
sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the
LORD that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel
rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they walked not in My statutes, and they
rejected Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them, and My
sabbaths they greatly profaned; then I said I would pour out My fury upon them in
the wilderness, to consume them.
14 But I wrought for My name’s
sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the gentiles, in whose
sight I brought them out.
15 Yet also I lifted up My hand
unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I
had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the beauty of all lands;
16 because they rejected Mine
ordinances, and walked not in My statutes, and profaned My sabbaths—for their
heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless Mine eye spared
them from destroying them, neither did I make a full end of them in the
wilderness.
18 And I said unto their children
in the wilderness: Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe
their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols;
19 I am the LORD your God; walk
in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them;
20 and hallow My sabbaths, and
they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD
your God.
Ordinary Ashlamatah: 1 Samuel
12:7-16
6 ¶ And Samuel said unto the
people: ‘It is the LORD that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your
fathers up out of the land
of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that
I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD,
which He did to you and to your fathers.
8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, then
your fathers cried unto the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who
brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and they were made to dwell
in this place.
9 But they forgot the LORD their
God, and He gave them over into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of
Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they
fought against them.
10 And they cried unto the LORD,
and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served
the Baalim and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our
enemies, and we will serve You.
11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal,
and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your
enemies on every side, and you dwelt in safety.
12 And when you saw that Nahash
the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me: Nay, but
a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king.
13 Now therefore behold the king
whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for; and, behold, the LORD hath
set a king over you.
14 If you will fear the LORD, and
serve Him, and hearken unto His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of
the LORD, and both you and also the king that reigns over you be followers of
the LORD your God—;
15 but if you will not hearken
unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then
shall the hand of the LORD be against you, and against your fathers.
16 ¶ Now therefore stand still
and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
Ketubim Targum Psalm 47
1. For praise, by the sons of
Korah, a psalm.
2. All you peoples, clap hands in
joy, shout in the presence of the LORD with the sound of praise.
3. For the LORD Most High is to
be feared, a great king over all the earth.
4. He will slay the gentiles by
plague instead of us, and He will subdue the gentiles under our feet.
5. He will favor us to inherit
our heritage, the sanctuary of Jacob whom He loves forever.
6. Let the LORD be exalted with a
shout, the LORD with the sound of the trumpet.
7. Sing praise in the presence of
the LORD, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise!
8. For the LORD is king over all
inhabitants of the earth; sing praise before Him with good understanding.
9. The LORD is king over the
peoples; the LORD sits on His holy throne.
10. The leaders of the Gentiles
have gathered, the Gentiles who believe in the God of Abraham, for in the
presence of the LORD they are the shields of the earth; He has been greatly
exalted.
Ketubim Midrash Psalm 47
I. For the leader; a Psalm of the
sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all you people (Ps. 47:1-2). These words are to be considered
in the light of the verse When the righteous are increased, the people
rejoice; but when the wicked bears rule, the people sigh (Prov. 29:2). When
the wicked rule in the world, all men sigh and all are distressed, and no man
walks about with his head up. As Solomon says: When the wicked rise, men hide them-selves;
but when they perish, the righteous increase (Prov. 28:28).
Grievous
for the Holy One, blessed be He, is the day when He gives power to one man to
rule over another to the other's hurt. Therefore Scripture says, What time
one man had power over another is to His hurt (Eccles. 8:9), and
also says, Behold, it is harsh and bitter for the Lord, as a tempest of hail and a
destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, when He causes the
earth to lie under a hand (Isa. 28:2). What can under a hand mean except
under the hand of a man who has power over one like himself?
It is
said O, clap your hands. Why?
Because The
Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of the rulers, that smote
the peoples in wrath ... The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet (Isa.
14:5,6,7):
as Scripture says, All that hear the report of You clap the hands
over You (Nahum 3:19). For the Holy One, blessed be He, will do away
with the dominion of mortals over you, as it is said The Lord most high is terrible; He is
a great king over all the earth (Ps. 47:3)
2. He shall subdue the peoples
under us, and the nations under our feet (Ps. 47:4). When? When He shall choose our inheritance for us, the
excellence of Jacob (ibid. 47:5).
Another
comment: When will God choose us and give us our inheritance? When God will sit upon the throne of His holiness
(ibid. 47:9). As Scripture says, I will
overthrow the throne o f kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the
kingdoms of the heathen ... in that day (Haggai 2:22). And as Daniel says: I beheld till the thrones were cast down,
and the Ancient of days did sit (Dan. 7:9). When will God sit? When saviors
shall come up on Mount
Zion ... and the kingdom
shall be the Lord's (Ob. 1:21).
R. Judah bar Nahman said in the
name of R. Simeon ben Lakish: When the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up for
judgment and sits on the throne of judgment, and the Shofar is blown, He turns
the measure of justice again and again into the measure of mercy. [In wrath] He rises up for judgment. But as
the sound of the Shofar rises up in a blast, at the sound of the Shofar He becomes
Lord [of mercy] (Ps.
47:6), and deals mercifully, for the term LORD connotes mercy, as in
The
LORD, the LORD ... merciful and gracious (Ex. 34:6).
Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 8:23-27
18. ¶ Now Yeshuah, when He saw
the great throngs around him, gave orders to cross to the other side of Yam
Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
19. And a scribe of the Sadducees
came up and said to him, Rabbi, I will accompany you wherever you go.
20. And Yeshuah replied to him:
“Foxes have holes and the birds of the heavens have nests, but I, a human
being, do not own land to lay my head.”
21. One of his Talmidim
(disciples) said to him, Master, give me leave until I shall bury my father.
22. But Yeshuah said to him,
“Follow me, and take a leave from burying your father!”
23. ¶ He (Yeshuah) boarded a
Galil-class boat and took his Talmidim (disciples) with him.
24. And behold, suddenly, there arose
a violent windy squall, so that the boat was reckoned to break apart, and the
wind came across the lake, great and strong; but Yeshuah slept.
25. And his Talmidim (disciples)
came and awakened him, saying, Master, rescue and preserve us! We are
perishing!
26. And he said to them, Why are
you terrified by a little squall, O you of little faithful obedience? Then He
got up and commanded the winds and the lake that they should rest. And
immediately there was a great, wonderful and perfect quiet.
27. And the men who were there, who
saw it, were astonished, saying: “Who is this, that the winds and the lake obey
him?”
Pirqe Abot
“All Israel have a share in the World to
Come, as it is stated: And Your people are all righteous/charitable; they shall
inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My
hands, in which to glorify Me” (Isaiah 60:21).
Pirqe Abot IV:15-16
Mishnah 15
Rabbi Yannai says: “We are unable
to understand either the well-being of the wicked or the tribulations of the
righteous.”
Rabbi Matya ben Charash says: “Be
the first to extend greetings to anyone you meet. Rather be a tail to lions
than a head to foxes.”
“We are unable to understand either the well-being of the wicked.” (4:15) QUESTION: According to
Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, this means that during the time of the Bet
Hamikdash (Temple),
the wicked were allowed to prosper. Ha-Shem would give them recompense for
their few good deeds in this world and then deny them a portion in the World to
Come. In our time — after the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash (Temple) — the wicked are
not granted such prosperity. What is the rationale for such a change?
ANSWER: In the time of the Bet
Hamikdash, G-dliness was openly revealed. Therefore, those who ignored this
revelation and transgressed were considered as blatant rebels against Ha-Shem's
will and were not deemed worthy of a portion in the World to Come. In the
present time, following the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash, when G-dliness is
concealed, the sins of the wicked person are considered less severe, and such
people are not denied a portion in the World to Come. They are, however, also
not granted the same degree of prosperity in this life.
"We are unable to understand either the well-being of the wicked
or the tribulations of the righteous." (4:15) QUESTION: Why the wicked prosper and the
righteous suffer is an old-age philosophical question, and it is not the
purpose of Pirqe Abot to discuss philosophy but to guide man to enhance his
inter-human and Divine relationships. So even if the Mishnah would offer a
rationale, what place does it have in Pirqe Abot?
ANSWER: The expression of the
Mishnah "Ein beyadenu" can be interpreted to mean "We did not
learn a lesson from." Rabbi Yannai is saying that a person would improve
his ways by learning a lesson from the well-being of the wicked and by learning
a lesson from the tribulations of the righteous.
If one reflects upon these two
things, however, he will definitely resolve to improve his ways. From the
well-being of the wicked, one should derive that if Ha-Shem acts benevolently
for those who do violate His teachings, how much more will He reward those who
observe. From the tribulations of the righteous one should learn that if even
they are made to suffer, how much more so will be the suffering of those who do
not do His will.
"Be the first to extend greetings to anyone you meet." (4:15) QUESTION: When two people
meet it is customary that the first one says "Shalom alechem" and the
second responds "Alechem shalom." Why doesn't he too say in response
"Shalom alechem"?
ANSWER: The Talmud (Nedarim 10a)
says that when a person designates an animal as an offering, he should not say,
“This is to G-d as a sin-offering,” but “This is a sin-offering to G-d.” The
reason is that if he should die after saying the word "laHa-Shem" —
"to G-d" — without completing the phrase, he will have recited
Ha-Shem's name in vain.
One who is first to extend shalom
merits longevity, as King David says, "Who is the man who desires life —
bakeish shalom veradfehu — seek shalom (peace) and pursue it" (Psalms
34:13,15).
The word "shalom" is
considered one of the names of Ha-Shem (see Shabbat 10b). Consequently, since
the one who opened with the greeting will be blessed with long life, he can
recite the name of Ha-Shem first without fear. However, since the one
responding is not assured the blessing of longevity, he says
"alechem" first and then mentions "Shalom."
"And rather be a tail to lions than a head to foxes." (4:15) QUESTION: On Rosh Hashanah
night it is customary to eat the head of a ram or the head of a fish to allude
that we wish to be “a head.” In fact, some say, "Yehi ratzon sheniheyeh
lerosh velo lezanav" — “May it be His will that we be a head and not a
tail.” How can this be reconciled with the statement of the Mishnah?
ANSWER: The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah
16b) says that tzadikim (just and charitable ones) are immediately inscribed
and sealed in the Book of Life. The verdict for the beinonim — average people —
however is unclear, and according to their behavior during the ten days of
repentance, a decision is made by Yom Kippur. Thus, the eating of the head
alludes that we hope to be on the “head” of the list together with the tzadikim
(just and charitable ones) and be inscribed immediately in the Book of Life and
not be on the “tail” end of the list and have to wait days for a decision about
our future.
Mishnah 16
Rabbi Ya’aqob says: "This
world is like an ante-room before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the
ante-room so that you may enter the banquet hall."
"Rabbi Yaakov says, 'This world is like an ante-chamber before the
World to Come; prepare yourself in the ante-chamber so that you may enter the
banquet hall.' " (4:16) QUESTION: Since Rabbi Ya’aqob's message,
seemingly, is simply that one should prepare himself in this world for the
World to Come, what is added by the analogy?
ANSWER: Rabbi Ya’aqob knew very
well that if he were just to say "Prepare yourself in this world so that
you may enter the World to Come," one would procrastinate and say
"What is the rush? I have yet many years to live. Let me enjoy life, and
when I get older, I will start my preparations."
The analogy discourages this
attitude. When one is waiting to have an audience with the king, he waits first
in the ante-room till he is called. Now, though the amount of time he may have
to wait is unpredictable, nevertheless, he has to be there before his appointed
time and be groomed properly and fully prepared to enter the moment he is
called. It would be absurd of someone to bring a suitcase containing his
clothing and his toiletries, thinking that since he may have to wait, he will
use the ante-room to prepare himself. It is possible that suddenly the king may
be ready to receive him, and he will lose his appointment because he is not
ready. The only things one does in the ante-room are such things as looking
into a mirror and making sure that everything is adjusted properly.
Therefore Rabbi Ya’aqob begins by
explaining that this world is the ante-room before the palace. Man in this
world is waiting in the ante-room to be called for His audience. No one knows
how soon or postponed it may be. Thus, to push off preparation is ludicrous. We
must live a life of preparedness and continuously "hatken" — check if
all is in proper order.
"This world is like an ante-chamber" (4:16) QUESTION: What is the intent of the
analogy?
ANSWER: Obtaining a private
audience with a king is not a simple matter, and it requires much effort and
connections till one achieves it. When the appointed day arrives, one is
preoccupied with preparing himself for the meeting. In the ante-room, as he
awaits anxiously to be called into the king's chamber, he is not interested or
concerned about food, drink, or other mundane matters. All that is on his mind
is to review what he wants to ask the king, and he prays that the king will
receive him favorably and grant his plea.
Rabbi Ya’aqob says that man
should always bear in mind that he is in the ante-room awaiting entry to see
the king. A person should not waste his time with earthly matters. They are of
course necessary, but he must not let them become his major preoccupation.
Rather, he should be concerned with making sure that the king will be pleased
with him when the time comes for his personal audience.
"So that you may enter the banquet hall." (4:16) QUESTION: Instead of "kedei
shetikanet" — "so that you may enter" — it should have said
"kedei sheyachnitucha" — "so that you will be brought in."
It is proper etiquette to be ushered into the king's palace and not to walk in
alone by oneself?
ANSWER: In addition to the
expression used in the saying "Every Jew has a share in the World to
Come," sometimes the expression is used that a Jew is a "ben Olam
Haba" — "a son of Olam Haba" (a son of the Age to Come). For
instance, whoever studies Torah law is assured that he is "ben Olam
Haba" (Megillah 25b), or "From a person's eulogy it can be discerned
whether or not [the deceased] is a ben Olam Haba" (Shabbat 153a).
The difference is that everyone
has a share, but the ben Olam Haba does not just have a share, he is the boss's
son. Not every shareholder in a company can walk into the chief executive's
office whenever he wants, but the son can. He does not need to be ushered in
and go through "red tape," but has direct access whenever he wishes.
The message of the Mishnah is
that if a person lives a life of preparedness, then when the time comes for him
to see the King in His palace, he will not have to go through secretaries, but
as a full-fledged member of the family, "tikanet" — he will open the
door and enter by himself.
"This world is like an ante-chamber." (4:16) QUESTION:
The Talmud (Erubin 54a) says that Shmuel said to Rav Yehudah, "Sharp one,
grab and eat, grab and drink, because the world from which one must eventually
depart kebei hillulah damei — is like a wedding hall." What was the intent
by comparing the world to a wedding hall?
ANSWER: A stranger in a large
city once passed a house and noticed that it was lit up and that the people
inside were dancing joyously to music. His curiosity caused him to inquire
about what was going on inside, and he found out that a wedding was taking
place.
The next evening he passed the
house and saw the exact same thing. When he again inquired as to what was going
on inside, he was told, "A wedding." The scene repeated itself for a
few nights and finally after the fifth night he said in wonderment, "How
many children does the owner of this house have that he makes a wedding night
after night?"
The passerby whom he addressed
his query began to laugh and said, "My dear friend, this is a wedding
hall. The owner rents it out every night to different groups of guests. The
people making the wedding tonight are not the same people who celebrated a
wedding yesterday!"
Shmuel's message is that this
world is like a wedding hall; everybody dances and rejoices, but the ones who
danced yesterday are not the ones who dance today, and the ones who dance today
will not be there to dance tomorrow.
"This world is like an ante-chamber." (4:16) QUESTION: The Talmud (Avodah Zara
3a) compares this world to Erev Shabbat and says, “The one who prepares himself
on Erev Shabbat, will eat on Shabbat.” What is the intent of the analogy to
Erev Shabbat?
ANSWER: The Talmud (Ketubot 103b)
says, "Mi shemeit be'erev Shabbat siman yafah lo" — "When one
dies on Erev Shabbat, it is a good sign for him." Why is Erev Shabbat a
better sign than any other day? Erev Shabbat is the time when one is occupied
with making all the preparations for Shabbat; thus, the one who prepares
beforehand will reap the benefit of his preparation on "Shabbat,"
when he returns to his Maker.
Hence, the words of the Talmud
can be explained as a metaphor. Dying on "Erev Shabbat" does not
necessarily mean the specific day of the week, rather it means living a life of
preparedness. It is a reference to the person who has accumulated Torah and
mitzvoth (commandments), and is coming fully prepared to stand before the
Heavenly court. If one expires in such a state, it is a good sign for him.
Once some people were at a
funeral of a man who had lived a long life, and one asked the other, "What
did he die from?" The other replied, "I do not know; he was healthy
up to his last day, and died suddenly." A third man, who was standing
nearby and overheard their conversation, interjected, "You are incorrect.
Only the one who did not accumulate Torah and mitzvoth dies suddenly, since he
does not expect this day and comes before his Maker unprepared. However the one
who prepares himself throughout all his years for this day anticipates it and
does not die suddenly, but fully prepared."
Commentary
In our Seder for this week we
find that G-d, most blessed be He, who created the forces of nature, was stolen
this acknowledgement by Pharaoh and his cohorts, and instead elevated these
forces to the realm of gods. G-d then uses these natural forces to teach
Pharaoh and the world that it is He who created and owns these forces, and it
is to Him alone that praise and worship should be rendered (see Psalm 47:3 –
“For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great king over all the earth”).
Matityahu in his Midrash for this Shabbat picks up on this idea, and describes
an incident in which G-d showed that he has placed command of these natural
forces on His agent – the Messiah himself!
On the seventh plague – the
plague of boils, Pharaoh acknowledges his sin (law-breaking – “for sin is the transgression of the law” –
1 John 3:4). Now an interesting question arises here. If sin is the
transgression of the law, how come did Pharaoh said he had sinned (i.e.
transgressed the Law) since G-d had yet not revealed His Law at Mt. Sinai?
Here we can see that the Law consists of all the words spoken by a legitimate
prophet (in this case Moses, who had prophesied to Pharaoh on what he had to
do). Here we see that the Oral Torah is placed on a par with the Written Torah.
For prophecy starts by being firstly oral and then it becomes written.
Yet, no sooner had the plague
ceased because of Mosheh’s intercession, that Pharaoh, once more forgot his
words, and hardened his heart against the children of Israel. Now
interestingly, the expression: “Ha-Shem Elohim” (Exodus 9:30) occurs in the context of Mosheh’s
prophetic words: “But as for you and your
servants, I know that you will not yet fear Ha-Shem G-d.” This expression is found in the Torah only
here and in two other places:
“These are the generations of the heavens
and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Ha-Shem G-d made the earth and the heavens.” - Genesis
2:4
“Therefore Ha-Shem G-d sent him (Adam) forth from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from whence he was taken.” – Genesis 3:23
In Genesis 2:4 the context is the
six days of creation in which G-d displayed and used His created forces to
shape His creation and accomplish His will. In Genesis 2:3, the context is the
expulsion of Adam from Paradise. It is very
probable that G-d used the forces of nature to expel Adam from Gan Eden. And
here, in Exodus 9:30 the context is that Moses prophesies to Pharaoh that the
only way he will understand and acknowledge G-d is though the use of fear
generating catastrophic events brought by the forces of nature. Unbelievable as
it may seem, I have found only but a handful of people ready to acknowledge
G-d, faithfully obey and do His commandments, and faithfully study His Torah
without some catastrophic event motivating such a person to choose this walk in
life. Most people need catastrophic events in order to repent and walk with
G-d. This later posture shows the shallowness of sorrow which is only concerned
with escaping the consequences and wages of sin (disobedience of G-d’s Laws).
Hakham Yochanan in 1 John3:4-10
puts it clearly:
4. Every one who is guilty of sin is also
guilty of violating G-d’s Laws; for sin is the violation of G-d’s Laws.
5. And you know that he (Messiah ben Yosef)
appeared in order to take away sins (violations of G-d’s Laws); and in him
there is no sin (violation of G-d’s Laws).
6. No one who continues in union with
Messiah lives in sin (violation of G-d’s Laws): no one who lives in sin
(violation of G-d’s Laws) has seen Messiah or knows Messiah.
7. Dear children, let no one deceive you.
The man who acts justly and charitably is just and charitable, just as Messiah
is just and charitable.
8. He who is habitually guilty of sin
(violation of G-d’s Laws) is a child of Ha-Satan, because Ha-Satan has been a
sinner (violator of G-d’s Laws) from the very beginning. The son of G-d
(Messiah and Israel)
appeared for the purpose of undoing the work of Ha-Satan.
9. No one who is a son of G-d is habitually
guilty of sin (violation of G-d’s Laws). A God-given sperm of life remains in
him, and he cannot habitually sin (violate G-d’s Laws) — because he is a son of
G-d.
10. By this we can distinguish G-d’s sons
and Ha-Satan’s sons: no one who fails to act justly and charitably is a son of
G-d, nor he who does not love his brother.
May G-d who created and owns the
forces together with His Messiah be near to us, be merciful to us, and grant us
the strength and courage to faithfully walk, and study His Words and Laws,
together with all of our most noble people of Yisrael, amen ve amen!
Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227 Millset
Chase -