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Esnoga
Bet Emunah United
States of America ©
2018 E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com |
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Esnoga Bet El 102 Broken Arrow Dr. Paris TN 38242 United States of America © 2018 E-Mail: waltoakley@charter.net |
Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) /
Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
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Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings |
Third Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle |
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Kislev 16, 5779 – Nov. 23/24,
2018 |
Fourth Year of the Shmita
Cycle |
Candle Lighting and
Habdalah Times:
Please go to the below webpage
and type your city, state/province, and country to find candle lighting and Habdalah
times for the place of your dwelling.
See: http://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.htm
Roll of Honor:
This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great
generosity of:
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH
Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH
Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham
His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet
Karmela bat Sarah,
His Honor Paqid Adon Tsuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH
Giberet Gibora bat Sarah
Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family
His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family
His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife
Her Excellency Giberet Leah bat Sarah & beloved mother
His Excellency Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and beloved wife HE
Giberet Rut bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Michael ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet
Sheba bat Sarah
Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved
family
His Excellency Adon Robert Dick & beloved wife HE Giberet
Cobena Dick
His Excellency Adon Aviner ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet
Chagit bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Ovadya ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet
Mirit bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Brad Gaskill and beloved wife Cynthia Gaskill
His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham
His Excellency Adon Ya’aqob ben David
Her Excellency Giberet Eliana bat Sarah and beloved husband HE
Adon James Miller
For their regular
and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that
GOD’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones,
together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!
Please
pray for your local Rabbi and this work that they may be successful touching
many lives with the Torah, well financed; and that they may be for
much blessing to all concerned. Amen ve Amen!
We pray for HE Giberet
Rut bat Sarah who is suffering from migraines, memory problems, and other
health problems. Mi Sheberach – He Who blessed our holy and pure
Matriarchs, Sarah, Ribkah, Rachel and Leah, bless Her Excellency Giberet Rut
bat Sarah and send her a complete recovery and strengthening of body, mind and
soul. Please G-d heal her, please. Please G-d heal her, please. Please G-d heal
her, please. Cure her, strengthen her, make her healthy and return her to her
original strength, together with all the sick of Yisrael. And may it be so
willed, and we will say, Amen ve Amen!
We pray for HE
Giberet Sarah bat Noach (age 13- the daughter of HE Giberet Sarai bat Sarah) who
is hospitalized far away from her family, she will probably transition from
in-patient to a residential treatment program in another 1.5 to 2 weeks from
now in a probable further away facility. Mi Sheberach – He Who
blessed our holy and pure Matriarchs, Sarah, Ribkah, Rachel and Leah, bless Her
Excellency Giberet Sarah bat Noach and send her a complete recovery and strengthening
of body, mind and soul. Please G-d heal her, please. Please G-d heal her,
please. Please G-d heal her, please. Cure her, strengthen her, make her healthy
and return her to her original strength, together with all the sick of Yisrael.
And may it be so willed, and we will say, Amen ve Amen!
We pray for HE Adon
Ruben Lopez Trevino ben Noach the father of HE Giberet Mirit bat Sarah, who is
affected with prostate cancer. Mi Sheberach – He who blessed our
forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may
He bless and heal the father of HE Giberet Mirit bat Sarah. May the Holy One,
Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal
him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a
complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery
of the body and a recovery of the spirit and mind, swiftly and soon, and we say
amen ve amen!
We also pray for
the safety of HE Adon Ya’aqob ben David and his business from two of his
employees who have left his firm, who may start frivolous suits against him or G-d
forbid may do anything harmful to his safety and wellbeing and that of his
family together with those among our people of Yisrael afraid for their safety,
their family’s safety and welfare, and the safety of their business, and we say
amen ve amen!
We pray for my friend
HE Adon Andrew ben Noach who is suffering from bi-polar problems, and currently
sleeping in his car, and also has problems with drink and gambles on the stock
market and looses money. Mi Shebarach - He Who blessed our
forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and Aharon, David and SOlomon, may
He bless and heal HE Adon Andrew ben Noach. May the Holy One, Blessed be
He, be filled with compassion to restore his mental and physical health,
as well as improving his welfare, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to
revivify him, and may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven,
among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery
of the spirit and mind, swiftly soon, amd we pray amen ve amen!
We also pray for
the son of H.E. Giberet Tikiribat bat Noach from
Sri Lanka who has had an aortic dissection. He is sufficiently recovered to
work on a slow level. He works night shifts. An operation has been discussed by
the doctors which is serious, followed by another more difficult surgery in
another year or so. Mi Sheberach – He who blessed
our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon,
may He bless and heal the son of Her Excellency Giberet Tikiribat bat Noach.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore
his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send
him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of
Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit and mind, swiftly
and soon, and we say amen ve amen!
We pray that by the
grace and mercy of G-d towards His people Yisrael, that HE Giberet Leah bat
Sarah be allowed speedily soon to sell her properties or rent them at a
reasonable price, for the sake of her finances, health, and Torah study
schedule amen ve amen!
We also pray about
a litigation case in which HE Adon Ya’aqob ben David is involved in the civil
courts, praying that G-d who sees all things who knows all things, and justly
superintends the whole universe, bring a favorable and prompt resolution to
this matter for HE Adon Ya’aqob, amen ve amen!
We pray for Her
Honor Ha Rabbanit Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah who is suffering from bouts of
loss of equilibrium. Mi Sheberach – He
Who blessed our holy and pure Matriarchs, Sarah, Ribkah, Rachel and Leah, bless
Her Honor Ha Rabbanit Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah and send her a complete recovery
and strengthening of body and soul. Please G-d heal her, please. Please G-d
heal her, please. Please G-d heal her, please. Cure her, strengthen her, make
her healthy and return her to her original strength, together with all the sick
of Yisrael. And may it be so willed, and we will say, Amen ve Amen!
Blessings Before Torah Study
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who has
sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study
Torah. Amen!
Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, sweeten the words of Your Torah in
our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our
offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people,
the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah
for the sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed
are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who chose us
from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of
the Torah. Amen!
Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a
Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons and teach them the following
Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the
Children of Israel:
May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over
you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten
you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem bestow favour on you and grant
you peace. – Amen!
This way, the priests will link My Name
with the Israelites, and I will bless them."
These are the Laws for which the Torah did
not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the
corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered
at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the
Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when doing acts of
kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.
These are the Laws
whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the
primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honoring one's father and
mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study --
morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing
for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in
prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but
the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!
Shabbat “Asimah Alai Melekh” - ”I will set a king [over me]”
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Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
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אָשִׂימָה
עָלַי
מֶלֶךְ |
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Saturday Afternoon |
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Reader 1 – D’barim 17:14-17 |
Reader 1 – D’barim 18:20-22 |
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Reader 2 – D’barim 17:18-20 |
Reader 2- D’barim 19:1-3 |
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“Pondré un rey [sobre
mí]” |
Reader 3 – D’barim 18:1-5 |
Reader 3- D’barim 19:4-6 |
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D’barim
(Deut.) 17:14–18:19 |
Reader 4 – D’barim 18:6-8 |
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Reader 5 – D’barim 18:9-11 |
Monday & Thursday Mornings |
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Psalm
120:1 – 122:9 |
Reader 6 – D’barim 18:12-14 |
Reader 1 – D’barim 18:20-22 |
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Ashlam.: Is
33:22 – 34:8 |
Reader 7 – D’barim 18:15-18 |
Reader 2- D’barim 19:1-3 |
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Maftir
– D’barim 18:`17-19 |
Reader 3- D’barim 19:4-6 |
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N.C.:
Mark 14:66-72 James
2:25-26 |
Is 33:22 – 34:8 |
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Summary of the
Torah Seder – D’barim
(Deut.) 17:14 – 18:19
·
The King – Deuteronomy 17:14-20
·
Priests and Levites –
Deuteronomy 18:1-8
·
Prophets – Deuteronomy
18:9-19
Reading Assignment:
The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am
Lo’Ez - Vol 17: Deuteronomy – III – Gratitude & Discipline
By: Rabbi Yitzchaq Behar Argueti &
Rabbi Shmuel Yerushalmi
Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp.
(New York, 1992)
Vol. 17 – “Deuteronomy – III – Gratitude
& Discipline,” pp. 223-253.
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: D’barim (Deut.) 17:14 -18:19
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RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
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14. When you come to the land the
Lord, your God, is giving you, and you possess it and live therein, and you
say, "I will set
a king over myself, like all the nations around me," |
14. When you enter the land which
the LORD your God gives you, and possess, and dwell in it, and you say, Let
us appoint a king over us, like all the nations about me, |
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15. you shall set a king over
you, one whom the Lord, your God, chooses; from among your brothers, you
shall set a king over yourself; you shall not appoint a foreigner over
yourself, one who is not your brother. |
15. you will inquire for
instruction before the LORD and afterward appoint the king over you: but it
will not be lawful to set over you a foreign man who is not of your brethren. |
|
16. Only, he may not acquire many
horses for himself, so that he will not bring the people back to Egypt in
order to acquire many horses, for the Lord said to you, "You shall not
return that way any more." |
16. Only let him not increase to
him more than two horses, lest his princes ride upon them, and become proud,
neglect the words of the Law, and commit the sin of the captivity of Mizraim;
for the LORD has told you, By that way you will return no more. |
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17. And he shall not take many
wives for himself, and his heart must not turn away, and he shall not acquire
much silver and gold for himself. |
17. Neither will he multiply to
him wives above eighteen, lest they pervert his heart; nor will he increase
to him silver or gold, lest his heart be greatly lifted up, and he rebel
against the God of heaven. |
|
18. And it will be, when he sits
upon his royal throne, that he shall write for himself two copies of this
Torah on a scroll from [that Torah which is] before the Levitic kohanim. |
18. And it will be that if he be
steadfast in the commandments of the Law he will sit upon the throne of his
kingdom in security. And let the elders write for him the section (parasha)
of this Law in a book before the priests of the tribe of Levi; |
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19. And it shall be with him, and
he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the
Lord, his God, to keep all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to
perform them, |
19. and let it be at his side,
and he will read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the
LORD his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and all these statutes to
perform them: |
|
20. so that his heart will not be
haughty over his brothers, and so that he will not turn away from the
commandment, either to the right or to the left, in order that he may prolong
[his] days in his kingdom, he and his sons, among Israel. |
20. that his heart may not be
arrogant toward his brethren, nor decline from the precepts to the right or
the left, and that his days may be prolonged over his kingdom, his and his
sons among Israel. |
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1. The Levitic
kohanim, the entire tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or
inheritance with Israel; the Lord's fire offerings and His
inheritance they shall eat. |
1. The priests
of the tribe of Levi will have no part or inheritance with
their brethren: they will eat the oblations of the LORD
as their portion |
|
2. But he shall have no
inheritance among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as He spoke to
him. |
2. but an inheritance in field
or vineyard they will not have among their brethren. The twenty and four
gifts of the priesthood which the LORD will give to him are his heritage; as
He said to him, |
|
3. And this shall be the
kohanim's due from the people, from those who perform a slaughter, be it an
ox or a sheep, he shall give the kohen the foreleg, the jaws, and the maw. |
3. And this will be the portion
belonging to the priest from the people, from them who offer sacrifices,
whether bullock or lamb they will give to the priest the right shoulder, the
lower jaw, the cheeks, and the maw; |
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4. The first of your grain, your
wine, and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give
him. |
4. the firsts of your corn,
wine, and oil, the first of the fleece of your sheep, as much as a girdle
measures will you give to him: |
|
5. For the Lord, your God, has
chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the
Lord, he and his sons, all the days. |
5. because the LORD your God has
chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Name of the
LORD, him, and his sons, all the days. |
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6. And if a Levite comes from
one of your cities out of all Israel where he sojourns, he may come whenever
his soul desires, to the place the Lord will choose, |
6. And when a Levite may come
from one of your cities out of all Israel where he has dwelt, and come with
all the obligation of his soul's desire to the place which the LORD will
choose, |
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7. and he may serve in the name
of the Lord, his God, just like all his Levite brothers, who stand there
before the Lord. |
7. then he will minister in the
Name of the LORD his God as all his brethren the Levites who minister there
before the LORD. |
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8. They shall eat equal
portions, except what was sold by the forefathers. |
8. Portion for portion equally
will they eat, besides the gifts of the oblations which the priests do eat,
which Elazar and Ithamar your fathers have given them to inherit. |
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9. When you have come to the
land the Lord, your God, is giving you, you shall not learn to do like the
abominations of those nations. |
9. When you have entered the
land which the LORD your God gives you, you will not learn to do after the
abominations of those nations. |
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10. There shall not be found
among you anyone who passes his son or daughter through fire, a soothsayer, a
diviner of [auspicious] times, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, |
10. None will be found among you
to make his sons or daughters pass through the fire, nor who enchant with
enchantments, or inspect serpents, nor observe divinations and auguries, |
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11. or a charmer, a pithom
sorcerer, a yido'a sorcerer, or a necromancer. |
11. or make (magical) knots and
bindings of serpents and scorpions or any kind of reptile, or who consult the
oba, the bones of the dead or the bone Jadua, or who inquire of the manes. |
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12. For whoever does these things
is an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations, the Lord,
your God is driving them out from before you. |
12. For every one who does these
is an abomination before the LORD; and because of these abominations the LORD
drives them out before you. |
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13. Be
wholehearted with the Lord, your God. |
13. You will be
perfect in the fear of the LORD your God. |
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14. For these nations, which
you are to possess, hearken to diviners of [auspicious] times and
soothsayers, but as for you, the Lord, your God, has not given you [things]
like these. |
14. For these nations which
you are about to dispossess have listened to inspectors of serpents and
enchanters. But you are not to be like them the priests will inquire by Urim
and Thummim and a Right Prophet will
the LORD your God give you; |
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15. A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like
me, the Lord, your God will set up for you, you shall hearken to him. |
15. a Prophet from among you of your brethren like unto
me, with the Holy Spirit will the LORD your God raise up unto you; to Him
will you be obedient. |
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16. According to all that you
asked of the Lord, your God, in Horeb, on the day of the assembly, saying,
"Let me not continue to hear the voice of the Lord, my God, and let me
no longer see this great fire, so that I will not die." |
16. According to all that you
begged before the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembling of the
tribes to receive the Law, saying, Let us not again hear the Great Voice {of
the Word - Dibbura} from before the LORD our God, nor behold again that great
fire, lest we die: |
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17. And the Lord said to me,
"They have done well in what they have spoken. |
17. and the LORD said to me,
That which they have spoken is right; |
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18. I will set up a prophet for them from among their
brothers like you, and I will put My words into his mouth, and he will speak
to them all that I command him. |
18. I will raise up unto them a Prophet from, among
their brethren in whom will be the Holy Spirit, as in you; and I will put My
Word of prophecy in his mouth, and he will speak with them whatsoever I
command him; |
|
19. And it will be, that whoever does not hearken to My
words that he speaks in My name, I will exact [it] of him. |
19. and the man who will not hearken to the words of My
prophecy which will be spoken in My Name, My Word will take vengeance upon
him. |
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In order to understand the finished work
of the P’shat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into
account that the P’shat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a
question/s is/are raised and an answer/a is/are given using the seven
Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and
Hebrew expression.
The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel
are as follows
[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad
majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic
proof a fortiori.
2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy.
Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much
they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.
3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision
found in one passage only to passages which are related to the first in content
but do not contain the provision in question.
4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding,
except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages.
5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ
u-kelal: Definition
of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the general.
6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom
aḥer: Similarity
in content to another Scriptural passage.
7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from
the context.
Rashi’s Commentary on D’barim (Deut.) 17:14 -18:19
16 he may not
acquire many horses for himself But, only
what he needs for his chariots, “so that he will not cause the people to return
to Egypt” [to purchase the horses], because horses come from there, as it is
said of Solomon (I Kings 10:29), “And a chariot that went up and left Egypt
sold for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred
fifty.”-[San. 21b]
17 And he shall not
take many wives for himself Only
eighteen, for we find that David had six wives, and it was told to him [by
Nathan the prophet] (II Sam. 12:8): “and if this is too little, I would add for
you like them and like them” [totaling eighteen].-[San. 21a and Sifrei]
and he shall not
acquire much silver and gold for himself However, he may have what is required to provide for his
troops.-[San. 21b]
18 And it will be,
when he sits [upon his royal throne] If he does this, he
merits that his kingdom will remain established.-[Sifrei]
two copies of this
Torah- Heb. מִשְׁנֵה
הַתּוֹרָה i.e.,
two Torah scrolls, one that is placed in his treasury, and the other that comes
and goes with him (San. 21b). [I.e., a small scroll, which the king carries
with him. Thus the Talmud derives מִשְׁנֵה from שְׁנַיִם , two.] Onkelos, however, renders פַּתְשֶׁגֶן , copy. He interprets [the word] מִשְׁנֵה in
the sense of repeating and uttering. [I.e., one copy of the Torah, which the
scribe would write while uttering the words before he writes them,
deriving מִשְׁנֵה from שִׁנּוּן , studying.]
19 the words of
[this] Torah [This is to be understood]
according to its apparent meaning [namely a commandment written in the Torah].
20 and so that he
will not turn away from the commandment Not even from a
minor commandment of a prophet.
in order that he
may prolong [his] days [in his kingdom] From this positive
statement, one may understand the negative inference [i.e., if he does not
fulfill the commandments, his kingdom will not endure]. And so we find in the
case of Saul, that Samuel said to him, “Seven days shall you wait until I come
to you to offer up burnt-offerings” (I Sam. 10:8), and it is stated, “And he
waited seven days” (I Sam. 13:8), but Saul did not keep his promise and
neglected to wait the entire [last] day. He had not quite finished sacrificing
the burnt-offering, when Samuel arrived and said to him (I Sam 13:13-14), “You
have acted foolishly; you have not kept [the commandment of the Lord your God,
which He commanded you...] so now your kingdom will not continue” (I Sam 13:13-14).
Thus we learn, that for [transgressing] a minor commandment of a prophet, he
was punished.
he and his
sons [This] tells [us] that if his son is
worthy of becoming king, he is given preference over any [other] person.-[Hor.
11b]
Chapter 18
1 the entire tribe
of Levi whether whole-bodied or blemished.-[Sifrei]
no portion i.e., in the spoils.
or
inheritance in the land.-[Sifrei]
the Lord’s
fire-offerings The holy sacrifices of the Temple.
(Other editions: The holiest sacrifices.)
and His portion These are the holy things of the boundaries, [i.e. those eaten
throughout the entire land, namely,] the terumoth and the tithes, but
2 [he shall have]
no inheritance He shall have no absolute inheritance
among his brothers. In Sifrei 18:41, our Rabbis expound [as follows]:
But he shall have no
inheritance This refers to the “inheritance of
the remainder.”
among his brothers this refers to the “inheritance of the five.” I do not know what
this means. It appears to me, however, that across the Jordan and onwards is
called “the land of the five nations,” and that of Sihon and Og is called “the
land of the two nations,” namely, the Amorites and the Canaanites. Now the
expression, “inheritance of the remainder,” is meant to include the [remaining
three nations of the ten whose land God promised to Abraham, namely] the
Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites (Gen. 15:19). The Sifrei in the
section dealing with the [priestly] gifts specified for Aaron expounds this in
a similar fashion, on the verse (Deut. 10:9), “Therefore, Levi has no portion or
inheritance,” to admonish [the Levite to take no portion in] the inheritance of
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites. It has since been found in the
words of Rabbi Kalonimus, that the proper version of this passage in Sifrei
reads as follows:
And he will have no
inheritance This refers to the
"inheritance of the five."
among his
brothers This refers to the inheritance of the
seven, [Rashi now explains this version of the Sifrei:] [The first reference is
to] the inheritance of five [of the twelve] tribes [of Israel]. [The second, is
to] the inheritance of [the remaining] seven tribes [of Israel]. Now Moses and
Joshua apportioned inheritance only to five tribes: Moses, to Reuben, Gad, and
half the tribe of Mannasseh; Joshua, to Judah, Ephraim, and [the other] half of
the tribe of Mannasseh. The remaining seven tribes took their inheritance by
themselves after Joshua’s demise. Thus, because of this [distinction between
these five former tribes and the seven latter ones], the Sifrei mentions five
and seven separately.
as He spoke to him i.e., to Aaron [saying],"You shall not inherit in their
land... I am your portion [and your inheritance, among the children of
Israel]."-[Num. 18:20]
3 from the people But not from the kohanim [i.e., a kohen is exempt from these
dues].-[Sifrei, Chul. 132b]
be it an ox or a
sheep But not [from the category of] beast (חַיָּה) .
the foreleg from the carpus to the shoulder blade, called espaldun,
espalde, or espaleron in Old French.-[Chul. 134b]
the jaws together
with the tongue. Those who interpret the
symbolism of Biblical verses say, the זְרוֹעַ [which is, in effect, the “hand” of the animal,
became the due of the kohanim, as a reward] for the “hand” [which Phinehas, the
kohen, raised against the sinners], as it is said, “and he took a spear in his
hand” (Num. 25:7); the jaws [as a reward] for the prayer [he offered], as it is
said, “Then Phinehas stood and prayed” (Ps. 106:30); and the maw (הַקֵּבָה) , as a reward [for his action against the
sinning woman], as it said, “[And he stabbed both of them, the man of Israel]
and the woman in her stomach (קֵבָתָהּ) ” (Num. 25:8). -[Chul. 134b].
4 The first of your
grain This refers to terumah ; and
although the verse does not state a required amount, our Rabbis set an amount
for it [ranging from a sixtieth to a fortieth of the total produce as follows]:
A generous [person] gives one fortieth of the crop, a miserly [person] one
sixtieth, and [a person of] average generosity one fiftieth. They base [this
ruling] that one should not give less than one sixtieth on what is said,
"[This is the offering that you shall set apart: a sixth of an ephah from a
homer of wheat,] and you shall separate a sixth of an ephah from a homer of
barley" (Ezek. 45:13). [Since an ephah is equivalent to three se’ah,] a
sixth of an ephah is equivalent to half a se’ah. [Now the “homer” mentioned in
the verse is the same as a kor.] When you give [one sixth of an ephah from a
homer, which we now know to be] one half of a se’ah for a kor, this amounts to
one sixtieth because a kor is thirty se’ah.-[Yerushalmi, Terumoth 4:3]
and the first of
the fleece of your sheep When you shear your sheep each
year, give the first of it [the wool] to the kohen. And [although the verse]
does not mention a required amount, our Rabbis set an amount, namely, one
sixtieth. And how many sheep [are the minimum to] be liable to the law of “the
first of the fleece?” At least five sheep, as it is said (I, “[Then Abigail...
took] and five prepared (עֲשׂוּיוֹת) sheep” (Sam. 25:18). [The עֲשׂוּיוֹת here,
is interpreted as meaning that five sheep compel their owner and say to you, as
it were, “Get up and fulfill the commandment of 'the first of the fleece.’”]
Rabbi Akiva says: [that the minimum number of sheep liable to this commandment
is derived from our verse here]: The phrase רֵאשִׁית
גֵז denotes two sheep; צֽאנְךָ [an additional two, making] four, and תִּתֶּן־לוֹ denotes
one more, which is a total of five sheep. -[Chul. 135a, 137a; Sifrei] to stand and
serve From here we learn that [the Temple] service is performed only when
standing.-[Sifrei, Sotah 38a]
6 And if the Levite
comes One might think that Scripture
is referring to an actual Levite [i.e., not a kohen]. Therefore it says, “And
he may serve” (verse 7). And since Levites are not fit to serve in the whole
service, we see that this verse is not referring to them [but rather to
kohanim].-[Sifrei]
he may come
whenever his soul desires... 7 and he may serve [This] teaches [us] that a kohen may come and offer his own freewill
and obligatory sacrifices even when it is not his shift.- B. K. 109b] Another
explanation: It further teaches concerning kohanim who come to the Temple [as
pilgrims] on the Festivals, that they may offer [together with those of the
shift] and perform the services connected with the sacrifices that are brought
because of the Festival—for instance, the “additional offerings” of the Festivaleven
though it is not their shift.-[Sifrei, Sukk. 55b]
8 They shall eat
equal portions This teaches that they [the
kohanim present as pilgrims on the Festivals] receive a portion of the hides
[of the Festival burnt-offerings] and the flesh of the he-goats of
sin-offerings [of the Festival]. Now one might think that [these kohanim may
participate] also in sacrifices which are brought unrelated to the Festival,
such as the תָּמִיד , the daily burnt-offerings, מוּסְפֵי
שַׁבָָּת , additional offerings of the Sabbath [on
which a Festival may coincide] and sacrificial vows and donations. Therefore,
it says:
except what was
sold by the forefathers Except what his ancestors sold
[to one another] in the days of David and Samuel when the system of shifts was
established, trading with each other thus, “You take your week, and I will take
my week.”-[Sifrei ; Sukk. 56a]
9 you shall not
learn to do [like the abominations of those nations] But you may learn [their practices] to understand
[them] and to teach [them], i.e. to understand how degenerate their actions
are, and to teach your children, “Do not do such and such, because this is a
heathen custom!”-[Sifrei ; San. 68a]
10 who passes his
son or daughter through fire This was the
Molech worship. They made two bonfires on either side and passed the child
between them both.-[San. 64b]
a soothsayer What is a soothsayer? One who takes his rod in his hand and says
[as though to consult it], “Shall I go, or shall I not go?” Similarly, it says
(Hos. 4:12), “My people takes counsel of his piece of wood, and his rod
declares to him.”-[Sifrei]
a diviner of
[auspicious] times Heb. מְעוֹנֵן . Rabbi Akiva says: These are people who determine
the times (עוֹנוֹת) , saying, “Such-and-such a time is good
to begin [a venture].” The Sages say, however, that this refers to those who
“catch the eyes (עֵינַיִם) ” [i.e., they deceive by creating optical
illusions].
one who interprets
omens [e.g.,] bread falling from his
mouth, a deer crossing his path, or his stick falling from his hand.-[Sifrei,
San. 65b]
11 or a
charmer One who collects snakes, scorpions or
other creatures into one place.
a pithom
sorcerer This is a type of sorcery called
pithom. The sorcerer raises the [spirit of the] dead, and it speaks from his
[the sorcerer’s] armpit.
a yido’a
sorcerer Here the sorcerer inserts a bone of
the animal called yido’a into his mouth, and the bone speaks by means of
sorcery.-[Sifrei, San. 65a]
or a
necromancer As, for example, one who raises [the
dead spirit] upon his membrum, or one who consults a skull.-[Sifrei, see San.
65b]
12 [For] whoever
does these [things] [is an abomination to the Lord] It does not say, “one who does all these things,” but, “whoever
does these things,” even one of them.-[Sifrei, Mak. 24a]
13 Be wholehearted
with the Lord, your God Conduct yourself
with Him with simplicity and depend on Him, and do not inquire of the future;
rather, accept whatever happens to you with [unadulterated] simplicity and
then, you will be with Him and to His portion.-[Sifrei]
14 [But...] the
Lord your God has not given you to hearken to diviners of auspicious times and
soothsayers, for He caused His Divine Presence to rest upon the prophets and
upon the Urim and Tummim.-[Targum Jonathan]
15 [A prophet] from
among you, from your brothers, like me This means: Just as
I am among you, from your brothers, so
will He set up for you [another prophet] in my stead, and so on, from prophet
to prophet.
Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1 – 122:9
|
RASHI |
TARGUM |
|
1. A song of ascents. In my
distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. |
1. A song that was uttered on
the ascents of the abyss. In the presence of the LORD, when I was in
distress, I prayed, and He received my prayer. |
|
2. O Lord, save my soul from
false lips, from a deceitful tongue. |
2. O LORD, deliver my soul from
lips of deceit, from a deceptive tongue. |
|
3. What can He give you, and
what can He add to you, you deceitful tongue? |
3. What does He give to you, O
slanderer? And what does He add to you, O defamer, deceptive tongue? |
|
4. Sharpened arrows of a mighty
man with coals of brooms. |
4. The arrows of a warrior,
sharp as lightning from above, with coals of broom that burn in Gehenna
below. |
|
5. Woe is to me for I have
sojourned in Meshech; I dwelt among the tents of Kedar. |
5. Woe is me, for I have settled
down with the oasis-dwellers; I have dwelt with the tents of the Arabs. |
|
6. For a long time, my soul
dwelt with those who hate peace. |
6. More than these, my soul
abides with Edom, the hater of peace. |
|
7. I am at peace, but when I
speak, they [come] to [wage] war. |
7. I am peaceful, for I will
pray; but they are for war. |
|
|
|
|
1. A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the
mountains, from where will my help come? |
1. A song that was uttered on
the ascents of the abyss. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Whence shall come my help? |
|
2. My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. |
2. My help is from the presence of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. |
|
3. He will not allow your foot
to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber. |
3. He will not allow your foot
to falter, your guardian does not slumber. |
|
4. Behold the Guardian of Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. |
4. Behold, He does not slumber
and He will not sleep, the guardian of Israel. |
|
5. The Lord is your Guardian;
the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand. |
5. The LORD will guard
you, the LORD will overshadow you, on account of the mezuzah affixed
on your right side as you enter. |
|
6. By day, the sun will not
smite you, nor will the moon at night. |
6. By day, when the sun rules,
the morning-demons will not smite you, nor will the liliths, at night, when
the moon rules. |
|
7. The Lord will guard you from
all evil; He will guard your soul. |
7. The word of the LORD will
guard you from all harm, He will guard your soul. |
|
8. The Lord will guard your
going out and your coming in from now and to eternity. |
8. The LORD will guard your
going out for business and your coming in to study Torah, from now and
forevermore. |
|
|
|
|
1. A song of ascents of David. I
rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the
Lord." |
1. A song that was uttered on
the ascents of the abyss. I rejoiced with those who say to me, "Let us
go to the sanctuary of the LORD." |
|
2. Our feet were standing within
your gates, O Jerusalem. |
2. Our feet were standing in
your gates, O Jerusalem. |
|
3. The built-up Jerusalem is
like a city that was joined together within itself. |
3. Jerusalem that is built in
the firmament is like a city that has been joined together on earth. |
|
4. There ascended the tribes,
the tribes of God, testimony to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the
Lord. |
4. Unto which the tribes have gone
up, the tribes of the LORD, He who testifies to Israel that His presence
abides among them when they go to give thanks to the name of the LORD. |
|
5. For there were set thrones
for judgment, thrones for the house of David. |
5. For there thrones have been placed;
in Jerusalem thrones are in the sanctuary for the kings of the house of
David. |
|
6. Request the welfare of Jerusalem; may those who love you enjoy
tranquility. |
6. Seek the welfare of Jerusalem; those who love you will dwell in
tranquility. |
|
7. May there be peace in your
wall, tranquility in your palaces. |
7. Let there be peace in your
armies, tranquility in your citadels. |
|
8. For the sake of my brethren
and my companions, I shall now speak of peace in you. |
8. On account of my brothers and
companions, I will now speak in you of peace. |
|
9. For the sake of the house of
the Lord our God, I shall beg for goodness for you. |
9. Because of the sanctuary of
the LORD our God, I will seek to do good to you. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1-7; 121:1-8;
& 122:1-9
Chapter 120
1 A song of ascents which the Levites will recite on the fifteen steps that go
down from the Israelites’ court to the Women’s court, and there are fifteen
psalms entitled “A song of ascents” (Suc. 5:4, Mid 2:5). And our Rabbis said
that David composed them to raise the deep, as is explained in Tractate Succah
(53a). And according to the Aggadah (Yerushalmi Sanh. 10:2, 52b), it is to be
interpreted: A song for a hundred steps (שיר
למאה עולות) .
2 from false
lips The arm of those who hunt people with
their mouth with wicked accusations.
3 What can He give
you [What can] the Holy One,
blessed be He [give you]?
and what can He add
to you [What] safeguard and walls?
Behold you are placed within two walls.
4 Sharpened arrows
of a mighty man Behold you kill in a distant
place like an arrow.
with coals of
brooms All coals, when extinguished on the
outside, are extinguished on the inside, but these extinguish themselves on the
outside but not on the inside (ibid.). Another explanation: What will He give
you? What is the Holy One, blessed be He, destined to decree upon you? Arrows
of a mighty man with coals of brooms. His arrows from above and Gehinnom from
below.
5 Woe is to
me says the congregation of Israel, for
I have already suffered in many exiles. Behold I sojourned in Meshech with the
sons of Japheth in the kingdom of Persia, Greece, and Meshech.
7 I am at peace With them.
but when I speak
peacefully with them, they come to wage war with me.
Chapter 121
1 A song for
ascents The simple meaning is that when
the Levites began to ascend the steps, they recited this song. Although this
song is not written first, there is no chronological sequence. (In other books
I found:)
A song for
ascents [The Psalmist] alludes, in the second
psalm, to the steps that ascend for the righteous/generous in the future from
beneath the tree of life to the Throne of Glory, as we learned in Sifrei (Ekev
47): “It does not say here, ‘A song of ascents’ but, ‘A song for ascents’; a
song for the One Who is destined to make ascents for the righteous/generous in
the future.” This is what the Kalir established (in the concluding poem of the
morning service for the second day of Succoth, which was composed by Rabbi
Elazar the son of Rabbi Simon the son of Yochai in Chagigah, chapter “We may
not expound,” see there): “And from beneath them thirty steps, one above the
other until the Throne of Glory, flying and ascending with the pleasant speech
of the song of ascents.”
Chapter 122
1 I rejoiced when
they said to me I heard people saying, “When
will that old man die, and his son Solomon reign and build the Temple, and we
shall go up on the festival pilgrimages?” And I am happy.
2 Our feet were
standing in battle everywhere because of
the gates of Jerusalem, where they were engaged in Torah.
3 The built-up
Jerusalem When my son Solomon builds the
Temple within it [Jerusalem], it will be built with the Shechinah, the Temple,
the Ark, and the altar.
is like a city that
was joined together within itself Like Shiloh,
for Scripture compared them to one another, as it is said (Deut. 12:9): “to the
rest and to the inheritance.” The rest is Shiloh. The inheritance is Jerusalem
(see Sifrei Re’eh 66). And our Rabbis said (Ta’an. 5a): There is a Jerusalem in
heaven, and the Jerusalem on earth is destined to be like it.
4 There ascended
the tribes For there in Shiloh the tribes
ascended when they went up from Egypt, and the Tabernacle was established in
its midst.
the tribes of God Heb. יָ־הּ , which is testimony to Israel, for the
heathens were talking about them when they left Egypt, and they would say about
them that they were the offspring of adulterous unions. If the Egyptians ruled
over their own bodies, surely [they ruled] over their wives. Said the Holy One,
blessed be He, “I attest that they are the sons of their fathers.” He bestowed
His name upon them: the Reubenites (הראובני) , the Simeonites (השמעוני) (Num. 26). He added the letters of the
name, one on this side and one on that side. The result is that this name יָ־הּ is testimony to
Israel.
5 For there were
set thrones, etc. For also in Jerusalem the
Shechinah will rest, and thrones will sit there upon which to judge the
nations, and the royal thrones of the house of David.
6 Request the
welfare of Jerusalem and say to her, “May those who love
you enjoy tranquility, and let there be peace in your wall.”
8 For the sake of
Israel, my brethren and my companions
I shall now
speak I, King David, [shall now speak] of
peace in you.
Meditation from the Psalms
Psalms 120:1-7; 121:1-8; & 122:1-9
By H. Em. Rabbi Dr.
Hillel ben David
In the preceding composition,
Psalm 119, David describes in vivid detail how Torah wisdom and mitzvah observance constitute the very basis
of the world order, the alphabet of the universal design. The individual who follows
this comprehensive program will surely be elevated and will experience blessing
and success, as Solomon said: The path of life for the wise leads upward.[1]
Now the Psalmist begins
a series of fifteen psalms which describe the rising fortunes of the wise. Psalms
120 through 134 are collectively known as the Psalms of ascent. Midrash Shocher
Tov comments that the title of each psalm is not, A Song of Ascent (singular),
but A Song of Ascents (plural), because when the Children of Israel are worthy
to ascend, they do not climb one step at a time; rather, they mount many rungs at
once. As Scripture states: And you shall be in constant ascent.[2] Conversely, if they fail to follow
God’s instructions, the Children of Israel descend many levels at once, as Scripture
warns, And you shall fall very low.[3]
R' Saadiah Gaon
comments that the music which accompanied these fifteen psalms reflected the
theme of Ascents, for with each successive psalm the Levites played the music
louder and in a higher key.[4]
These fifteen psalms
were sung in the Temple, for it was in that sacred location that the Jew was catapulted
toward successively higher summits. In the Temple, Israel declared that man must
not be spiritually stagnant; the world is composed of infinite degrees of goodness,
and man’s mission is to scale the spiritual heights, which rise from earth
heavenward.[5]
The Talmud tells us
that these fifteen Psalms were composed by King David:
Sukkah 53a FIFTEEN STEPS. R. Hisda said to
a certain Rabbi who was arranging his Aggadas before him, ‘Have you heard in correspondence
to what David composed his fifteen Songs of Ascent?’ — ‘Thus’, the other replied,
‘said R. Johanan: When David dug the Pits the Deep rose up and threatened to submerge
the world, and David thereupon uttered the fifteen Songs of Ascent and caused its
waves to subside’.
Curiously, the format of Psalm 120 is the structure of a menorah.
Our chapter of Psalms
seems focused on the tongue:
Tehillim (Psalms) 120:2-3 HaShem, deliver my
soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee,
and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?
I would like to take
a deeper look at the tongue and what it represents in order to gain an understanding
of the power of a ‘deceitful tongue’. The tongue, and the words that the
tongue forms, is no longer the organ, with its intended power, that God created
in the beginning because of the sin of Babel.
The Torah tells us that from the time of creation
until the incident at Bavel, that the whole earth had one language and one
speech.
Bereshit (Genesis) 11:1 And
the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Why are we told one language AND one speech? Aren’t these the same
thing? Clearly HaShem is trying to tell us that two facets of communication
were the same. Chazal,[6] based on these two words, teach us that not only did
everyone speak Hebrew, but when they spoke they actually communicated! The
ideas in the speaker’s mind were exactly the same ideas that were understood by
the listener. There was no mis-communication. There was no
misunderstanding.
However, because of the sin at Bavel, HaShem confused the language and
the speech.
Bereshit (Genesis) 11:6-9
And HaShem said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and
this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they
have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down,
and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
8 So HaShem scattered them abroad from thence
upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because
HaShem did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did HaShem
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Midrash Rabbah - Genesis XXXVIII:8 AND THEY SAID: COME, LET US
BUILD US A CITY, AND A TOWER (XI, 4). R. Judan said: The tower they built, but
they did not build the city. An objection is raised: But it is written, And the
Lord came down to see the city and the tower (ib. 5)? Read what follows, he
replied: And they left off to build the city (ib. 8), the tower, however, not
being mentioned. R. Hiyya b. Abba said: A third of this tower which they built
sank [into the earth], a third was burnt, while a third is still standing. And
should you think that it [the remaining third] is small--R. Huna said in R. Idi’s
name: When one ascends to the top, he sees the palm trees below him like
grasshoppers. AND LET US MAKE A NAME (SHEM). The School of R. Ishmael taught:
SHEM (A NAME) means nought else but an idol. LEST WE BE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE
FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. R. Simeon b. Halputha [Halafta] quoted: A fool’s mouth
is his ruin (Prov. XVIII, 7).[7]
When HaShem confused the language, we no longer spoke Hebrew only. In
addition, even when we speak the same language, there is a disconnect between
what I want to communicate and what the listener actually understands. The
Targum gives us some insight in this matter:
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan for: Bereshit (Genesis) 11:1-32 XI.
And all the earth was (of) one language, and one speech, and one counsel. In the
holy language they spoke, that by which the world had been created at the beginning.
And it was while they were journeying from the east that they found a plain in the
land of Bavel, and dwelt there.
[JERUSALEM.
And all the inhabitants of the earth were (of) one language, and of one speech,
and one counsel: for they spoke the holy language by which the world was created
at the beginning: while their hearts erred afterwards from the Word of Him who spoke,
and the world was, at the beginning; and they found a plain in the land of Pontos
and dwelt there.]
Rashi tells us that the one language was Hebrew: One language - [That
language was] the holy language [Hebrew].
In addition to Hebrew, we now had Spanish, Greek, Russian, Swahili,
English, and a whole host of other languages.
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan for: Bereshit (Genesis) 11:1-32 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and the language
of all of them one: and this they have thought to do: and now they will not be restrained
from doing whatever they imagine. And the Lord said to the seventy angels which
stand before Him, Come, we will descend and will there commingle their language,
that a man shall not understand the speech of his neighbor. And the Word of the
Lord was revealed against the city, and with Him seventy angels, having reference
to seventy nations, each having its own language, and thence the writing of its
own hand: and He dispersed them from thence upon the face of all the earth into
seventy languages. And one knew not what his neighbor would say: but one slew the
other; and they ceased from building the city. Therefore He called the name of it
Babel, because there did the Lord commingle the speech of all the inhabitants of
the earth, and from thence did the Lord disperse them upon the faces of all the
earth.
Targum Onkelos on Bereshit (Genesis)
11:1-4 And all the earth was of one language and one speech. And
it was in their migrations at the beginning, that they found a plain in the land
of Babel, and dwelt there. And they said, a man to his companion, Come, let us cast
bricks and bake them in the fire. And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for
mortar. And they said, Come, let us build a city, and a tower, the bead of it coming
to the pinnacle of the heavens. And we will make to us a name, lest we be dispersed
upon the face of all the earth. And the Lord was revealed to punish the work of
the city and the tower which the sons of men had builded. And the Lord said, Behold,
the people is one and the language one with all of them: and this is what they begin
to do. And now nothing will be restrained from them of what they imagine to do.
Come, We will be manifest, and will confuse their language there, that a man shall
not bear the language of his companion. And the Lord dispersed them from thence
upon the face of all the earth, and they were restrained from building the city.
Therefore the name of it is called Confusion, because the Lord there confused the
tongue of all the earth, and from thence the Lord dispersed them upon the face of
all the earth.
We still had Hebrew, however. Avraham and those of his family (Shem,
Eber, Noach, etc.) continued to speak Hebrew, though the understanding of the
words was now confused.[8]
Avodah Zarah 19a R. Simeon b. Pazi expounded [that verse as follows]:
‘Happy is the man that hath not walked’ — i.e., to theatres and circuses of idolaters
‘nor stood in the way of sinners’ — that is he who does not attend contests of
wild beasts; ‘nor sat in the seat of the scornful’ — that is he who does not
participate in [evil] plannings. And lest one say, ‘Since I do not go to
theatres or circuses nor attend contests of wild animals, I will go and indulge
in sleep.’ Scripture therefore continues, ‘And in His Law doth He meditate day
and night.’ Said R. Samuel b. Nahmani in the name of R. Jonathan: Happy is the
man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked — that is our father
Abraham who did not follow the counsel of the men of the Generation of the
Division[9] who were
wicked, as it is said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top
in heaven,’ nor stood in the way of sinners — for he did not take up the stand
of the Sodomites, who were sinful, as it is said, Now the men of Sodom were
wicked and sinful against the Lord exceedingly; nor sat in the seat of the
scornful — for he did not sit in the company of the Philistines, because they
were scoffers; as it is said, And it came to pass, when their hearts were
merry, that they said: Call for Samson that he may make us sport.[10]
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, in his commentary on the Torah, points out
that the word ba-lahl - בלל,
normally translated as “confused”, really means “to mix two elements together
as one through the introduction of a third element”, such as in the mixing of
dry particles of flour together through the introduction of water or oil,
thereby making the flour particles into one dough. In other words, what is
being implied in the word ba-lahl - בלל,
in the verse, is that all HaShem did was to introduce something new into the
formation of their speech, and this new element must by itself have brought
about the condition whereby people no longer understood each other. What then
was this new element that was the ultimate cause of the breakdown of the world’s
universal language with the resultant formation of all the other languages?
Clearly, as Hakham Hirsch tells us, it was the subjective element whereby words
no longer properly relate to each other, but are subject to the whims of the
speaker.
It seems to be indicated in the words of our Prophets that the evolution
of many different languages, after the dispersion, was detrimental to the
ultimate perfection and unity that mankind strives for; and that only when the Messiah
comes, and all peoples of the earth will once again speak in the Holy Tongue,
will we achieve that perfection and unity. The prophet Zephania speaks of the future
Messianic Era when he writes,
Zephania 3:9 For then I will change the nations [to speak] a pure
language, so that they all will proclaim the Name of HaShem, to worship Him
with a united resolve.
What is so special about language, and the Hebrew language in
particular, that the dispersion and downfall of mankind, as well as his
ultimate perfection, all depends on it? There is a major, qualitative
difference between (Biblical) Hebrew and all the other languages. According to
tradition, all the other languages are the product of human beings, while Hebrew
was created by HaShem Himself. In fact, we are taught that Hebrew pre-existed
the world itself! And the Sages tell us that when HaShem created the world, He
created it by means of the holy tongue. Evidence is cited from the Hebrew words
ish (man) and isha (woman). The Torah informs us that woman was so named:
Bereshit
(Genesis 2:3) because she was taken from man.
A reasoning which would only make sense if man and woman were created by
means of the holy language in which ish and isha are simply the
masculine and feminine versions of the same word.
But the difference between Hebrew and all other languages is much, much
deeper. As Rabbi Akiva Tatz explains in his book World Mask, in the Hebrew language
with which the Torah was written, words express essence, and close study of the
words is rewarded by an understanding of the nature of the ideas that those
words describe. In other languages of the secular world, words are also
revealing: the language of the culture reveals its heart. How a particular
culture express an idea through language gives insight into the values of that
culture. In Torah, words express essence because words are in fact the basis
for the existence of those things which they describe. HaShem created objects
in this world by saying the words for those objects. When He said, “Let there
be ohr (light)” - light automatically came into being. The words are the medium
of Creation, and a correct grasp of the words is a correct grasp of the essence
of the objects those words represent.
Rabbi Hirsch explains that the sin of the builders of the Tower of Babel
was that they wanted to unify themselves and achieve a so-called “perfect
society” without HaShem’s being in the picture. They wanted to “make a name for
themselves”, as the Torah says, and not to submit to HaShem’s will and plan.
Whereas HaShem had given human beings the ability to unite in their
understanding of the world and its purpose - as reflected in their common, HaShem-given
Hebrew language - which would in turn enable them to express HaShem’s will in
this world and to bring it to perfection, the inhabitants of the world instead
united against HaShem. They felt that as a united entity, nothing could stop
them from their desired goals, and that this could be accomplished without HaShem’s
help. And when human beings band together to “perfect” humanity without HaShem
in the picture - nothing can be more dangerous than that.
So HaShem set out to destroy the unity of the world’s inhabitants. And
He did so by injecting (ba’lahl - בלל)
subjectivity into their minds and ideas, which, of course, was reflected in
their language. This automatically caused them not to understand each other. No
longer would they all speak Hebrew, thus understanding the objective essence of
all things in creation. Now, each person would name things and speak a language
that suited his or her human, subjective, and distorted understanding of all
that exists.
Of course, as soon as all the nations stopped speaking Hebrew, they lost
the chance to be HaShem’s “chosen people” who would bring perfection to mankind
by expressing HaShem’s will in this world. And it was left to one man and his
descendants - Avraham and the Jewish people - to inherit the sole ownership of
the Holy Tongue, thereby understanding the true essence of all that HaShem
created, and expressing that Divine Will in this world, leading all of mankind
to its ultimate perfection.
Those who spoke Hebrew were not excluded from this confusion. Part of
this confusion was the diversity of words that were not always known by everyone.
Thus, even those who spoke the same language did not all have the same
vocabulary. This problem persists into our day.
In addition to having the languages become confused, HaShem also
confused their speech. This confusion resulted in the great communication
difficulties that we all experience today. One has to work very hard to
communicate one’s thoughts. Somehow when we package our thoughts into words,
the words no longer re-create our thoughts when they are heard by the listener.
This confusion affected even Hebrew.
Now,
lets look at the tongue that helps to form speech.
There
are two covenantal parts of the body:
1. “Brit
HaLashon”, the covenant of the tongue.
2. “Brit
Milah”, the covenant of circumcision.
The Sepher Yetzirah
1:3. Ten Sefirot of Nothingness: The number of the ten fingers, five opposite five,
with a single covenant precisely in the middle, like the circumcision of the tongue
and the circumcision of the membrum.
The
Brit Milah, the male organ, is used to bring a soul down from the upper world
and clothe it in a physical body. The father’s sperm, a mother’s egg, and HaShem,
all work together to draw a soul down from the upper world. This soul is then given
a physical body with which to elevate itself by performing the will of HaShem.
The
Brit HaLashon, the tongue, is used to bring the soul, in a physical body,
into the Olam HaBa, the world to come. A teacher’s words, a talmid’s ears to hear,
and HaShem work together to lead a soul from this world into the next world, the
Olam HaBa.
This
is the complete understanding of what Abraham and Sarah did in Haran. At the Peshat
level it means they brought children into the world. At the sod level they brought
their talmidim into the Olam HaBa. This is what the Torah is saying:
Bereshit (Genesis) 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and
all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had made
in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of
Canaan they came.
Bearing
children and bearing talmidim are both the same thing. One is in this world and
the other is in the next world. The lower form of connection brings a body into
the world, the higher form of connection brings a mind into the next world.
Daat
is the central line that connects the right- and left-hand sides of the body. It
runs through the central organs in the body. It runs through the Brit HaLashon (the
tongue), and the Brit Mila (the organ of circumcision), the two male organs. These
are the two organs that make fruit in the world. The Brit HaLashon we use to make
talmidim, spiritual children, who will enter the Olam HaBa and the Brit Mila we
use to make physical children.
In
the lower world, physical sperm is used to draw a soul from the upper world
and give that soul physical life.
In
the lower world, non-physical words are used to draw a soul from the lower
world and give that soul spiritual life.
Horayoth 13a
GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: If a man and his father and his teacher were in captivity
he takes precedence over his teacher and his teacher takes precedence over his father,
while his mother takes precedence over all of them.
The
Talmud, in Horayoth 13a, suggests that if one’s father and one’s teacher were both
drowning, G-d forbid, a man is required to save his teacher first, unless his father
also paid for the Torah teaching for his son. The logic for this is as follows: A man’s father brought him into this world, but
a teacher brings a man into the next world, the Olam HaBa.
The mouth is a place
of connection, both physically between people, and spiritually. The mouth is used
for three things: Speaking, eating, and kissing. If one organ is used for three
things, then the three things must be the same. These three are used for connecting.
Speech is the vehicle
that an infinite neshama[11] shares its heart with a finite world. The most explicit intimate connection
that can exist between two people is speech. Speech, which comes from the mouth,
is capable of allowing another person, at some level, to understand what is in our
soul. So, it is also with the infinite G-d and His finite world. HaShem spoke
to man through the Keruvim[12] in the Bet HaMikdash, which was where HaShem’s connection to the world is
most manifest.
The place of circumcision
is the medium through which man pours his physical life force into the universe,
while the tongue is the medium through which man pours his thoughts and ideas into
the world.
The life force in man
is focused in three places, his intelligence, his organs of reproduction, and his
heart. Two of these he has the obligation to circumcise. On the eighth day his parents
circumcise his organ of reproduction. It is up to the parents to turn their child
into a channel for HaShem's goodness to enter the world through proper training
and education. If they do their job well, parents can correct this defect. It is
up to the individual himself to circumcise his tongue, to employ his adult intelligence
to open his eyes and ears to the positive in other people and in the world.
Now that we have
some understanding of speech and the organ that forms speech, lets take another
view of the ‘deceitful tongue’.
Zephaniah 3:13 The remnant of Israel
shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found
in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid.
Midrash Tanchuma Vayikra
(Lev.) 14:1-32 5.5 Leviticus 14: 1ff., Part V
Who can stand against
them? And who will stand against them? Gehinnom? But Gehinnom also cries out: I
am unable to stand against them. <Then> the Holy One said: I <will come
at them> from above and you (Gehinnom), from below. I will hurl darts from above;
and you will turn on them with burning coals from below. Thus, it is stated (in
Ps. 120:3-4): <WHAT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU, AND WHAT SHALL BE YOUR GAIN, YOU DECEITFUL
TONGUE?
Midrash Tehillim Psalms 120:2-4 In my distress I called unto the Lord ... Deliver my soul,
O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue (Ps. 120:1-2). The children
of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Even as You have delivered us from
all kinds of distress, deliver us from this one, and we will have no other distress,
for lying lips—ín them is our distress. Hence it is said Deliver my soul, O Lord,
from lying lips, etc.
Of all the organs of a man’s body, some
are fixed in place and some have freedom of movement; his feet make him free to
come and go, his hands make it possible for him to give and take. Only the tongue
is neither fixed nor free. Being set inside it is isolated and hemmed in. And yet
the tongue can smite the great and the small, the near and the far. It could smite
all the more fatally, if it were outside a man’s body, or if like some other parts
it could give and take, or if like the feet it were free to come and go.
III. What will it
profit you, or what will be added unto you, you false tongue? (Ps. 120:3): What
will your falseness profit you, or what good can it do you? The tongue sins, but
not for its own advantage.
The Holy One, blessed be He, says to
the tongue: When a thief steals, he steals to eat. Though it is written You will
not steal (Εx. 20:13), a thief will steal for the need of the moment, as it
is said Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry
(Prov. 6:30). And though it is written You will not commit adultery (Ex. 20:13),
a man will commit adultery and for the moment satisfy his appetite, as is said He
that commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he that does it destroys
his own soul (Prov. 6.32). Though the adulterer destroys his own soul, yet for the
moment he satisfies his lust. But you, O tongue, what good have you done yourself
by your slaying? I will tell you, O evil/lawless tongue, how I am going to act towards
you! Even as you did act towards the world from the beginning—as a serpent you spoke
evil to Adam—so will I act towards you. You were also the serpent tongue of the
wilderness, when, as it is written, The people spoke against God and against Moses
(Num. 21:5). And how did the Lord act towards them? The Lord sent fiery serpents
among the people (ibid. 21:6). Why serpents? Because it was a serpent that spoke
evil/lawlessness, as is said They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; vipers’
venom is under their lips (Ps. 140:4). And so I made those evil-tongued children
of Israel into the dust that I had decreed for the serpent: Dust will you eat (Gen.
3:14).
IV. What will it
profit you, or what will be added unto you, you false tongue? (Ps. 120:3). The evil/lawless
tongue is called “triple-slaying.” Why? Because it slays three: the one who owns
it, the one who listens to it, and the one of whom it speaks. And so you find in
the story of Doeg that it slew three. It slew Doeg himself, for he has no portion
in the world-to-come; it slew Ahimelech the priest, for it is said And Nob the city
of the priests [Doeg] smote with the edge of the sword (1 Sam. 22:19); it also slew
Saul, who listened to it and accepted its words, for it is said So Saul died, and
his three sons (ibid.) And the wicked/lawless kingdom (Rome) slays with its tongue
as does a serpent, for it is said The voice thereof will go like a serpent (Jer.
46:22).
The tongue is
like an arrow. Why? Because if a man takes his sword in hand to slay
his fellow, who thereupon pleads with him and begs for mercy, the would-be slayer
can repent and return the sword to its sheath. But an arrow—once the would-be slayer
aims and lets it go, he cannot bring it back even if he wants to bring it back.
Hence it is said Sharp are the arrows of the mighty, like coals of broom (Ps. 320:4),
for a broom-shrub once set on fire makes coals that cannot be extinguished.
Once it happened that two men going through
the wilderness sat down under a broom-shrub, gathered some fallen twigs of the broom,
broiled for themselves what they wanted to eat, and ate their victuals. A year later
when they came back into the wilderness to the place of the broom-shrub and found
the ashes of the fire which they had kindled, they said: “It is now twelve months
since we came through here and ate in this place.” Thereupon they raked up the ashes,
and as they walked over them, their feet were burnt by the coals under the ashes,
for they were still unextinguished. Hence the evil tongue is said to be like coals
of broom, as in the verse Sharp are the arrows of the mighty, like coals of broom
(Ps. 120:4).
A wicked/lawless man can slay other men
with his tongue. Like an arrow which a man is unaware of until it reaches him, so
is the evil tongue. A man is unaware of it until its arrows from the kingdom of
Esau come suddenly upon him. A man remains unaware of it until suddenly a sentence
of death or imprisonment is released against him. For while the man is given over
to his own affairs, the scribes libel him wherever he may be and so slay him. Hence
it is said Sharp are the arrows of the mighty. Thus Moses said to Israel: You will
not be afraid of the terror by night (Ps. 91:5)—that is, of the terror of the kingdom
of Esau; and he went on to say, Nor of the arrow that flies by day (ibid.)—that
is, the arrow of the scribes of Esau. Hence it is said Sharp are the arrows of the
mighty.
Think about the
tongue and how it is supposed to be used. Now imagine the penalty for its
misuse. That should be a very sobering thought.
Ashlamatah Yeshayahu (Issaiah) 33:22 – 34:8
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
22. For the Lord is our judge;
the Lord is our ruler; the Lord is our king; He shall save us. |
22. For the LORD is our judge,
who brought us by his might out of Egypt, the LORD is our teacher, who gave
us the teaching of his law from Sinai, the LORD is our king; He will save
us and take just retribution for us from the armies of Gog. |
|
23. Your ropes are loosed,
not to strengthen their mast properly; they did not spread out a sail; then plunder
[and] booty were divided by many; the lame takes the prey. |
23. In that time the
Gentiles will be broken of their strength, and will resemble a ship whose
ropes are cut, which has no strength in their mast, which has been cut, and
it is not possible to spread a sail on it. Then the house of Israel will
divide the possessions of the Gentiles, booty and spoil in abundance; although
there are blind and lame among them, even they will divide booty and spoil in
abundance. |
|
24. And the neighbor shall
not say, "I am sick." The people dwelling therein is forgiven of
sin. |
24. From now on they will not
say to the people who dwell in safety all around the Shekhinah, "From
you a stroke of sickness has come upon us"; the people, the house of
Israel, will be gathered and return to their place, forgiven of their sins. |
|
|
|
|
1. Nations, come near to
hear, and kingdoms, hearken. The earth and the fullness thereof, the world
and all its offspring. |
1. Draw near, O peoples, to hear, and hearken,
0 kingdoms! Jet the earth listen, and all that fills it; the world, and all
that reside in it. |
|
2. For the Lord has
indignation against all the nations and wrath against all their host. He has
destroyed them; He has given them to the slaughter. |
2. For there is anger before
the LORD against all the Gentiles, and slaughter against all their armies, he
has declared them sinners, handed them over for slaughter. |
|
3. And their slain ones
shall be thrown, and their corpses-their stench shall rise, and mountains
shall melt from their blood. |
3. Their
slain will be cast out, and the smoke of their corpses will rise; the
mountains will flow with their blood, |
|
4. And all the host of
heaven shall melt, and the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll, and all
their host shall wither as a leaf withers from a vine, and as a withered
[fig] from a fig tree. |
4. All the forces of
heaven will melt completely and be wiped from under the skies just as was
said concerning them in the scroll. All their armies will come to an end as
leaves fall from a vine, like what is withered from a fig. |
|
5. For My sword has become
sated in the heaven. Behold, it shall descend upon Edom, and upon the nation
with whom I contend, for judgment. |
5. For My sword will be
revealed in the heavens; behold it will be revealed for the judgment upon
Edom, upon the people I have declared sinners. |
|
6. The Lord's sword has
become full of blood, made fat with fatness, from the blood of lambs and
goats, from the fat of the kidneys of rams, for the Lord has a slaughter in
Bozrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. |
6. The sword from the LORD
is sated with blood, it is gorged with fat, with the blood of kings and rulers,
with the fat of the kidneys of princes. For there is slaughter from the LORD
in Bozrah, and great sacrifice in the land of Edom. |
|
7. And wild oxen shall go
down with them, and bulls with fat bulls, and their land shall be sated from
blood, and their dust shall become saturated from fat. |
7. Mighty ones will be
killed with them, and rulers with tyrants. Their land will be soaked with their
blood, and their soil made rich with their fat. |
|
8. For it is a day of
vengeance for the Lord, a year of retribution for the plea of Zion. |
8. For there is a day of
vengeance before the LORD, a year of recompense, to take just
retribution for the mortification of Zion. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary on Isaiah 33:22 – 34:8
22 For the Lord is our judge Our prince and judge.
23 Your ropes that draw
the ship, you sinful city. ([Mss. yield:] you, sinful Rome.)
properly prepared well.
they did not spread out a sail They will not be able to spread the
sail that guides the boat.
then plunder [and] booty were divided (sg) related to, plunder, in
Aramaic.
by many Many will divide the plunder of the heathens. ([Mss.
yield:] the plunder of Edom.) ([Others:] the nations.) ([Still others:]
Sennacherib.)
lame Israel, who were weak until now.
24 And the neighbor shall not say (I.e., the neighbor of) Israel.
“I am sick” Because of this nation, this misfortune has befallen
me, for
The people Israel, who is called a people, that dwells in Jerusalem, shall be forgiven of sin.
Chapter 34
4 And all the host of heaven will melt They will be frightened when I cast down the princes of the heathens.([Mss. yield:] the princes of the nations.) ([Warsaw edition:] of Assyria and Babylon.)
will be rolled an expression of rolling. And the heavens will be
rolled like a scroll. Jonathan renders: And they will be erased from beneath
the heavens, as it is stated about them in the Book. But I explain it according
to the context, for now, the kingdoms of the Ishmaelites (the nations [ms.])
(the wicked [Warsaw ed.]) have fortune and light. When they are erased and
destroyed, it will be as though the world has darkened for them, as though the
sun and the light are rolled up like the rolling of a scroll.
and as a withered [fig] from a fig tree The withered fruit of a tree. This is what our Rabbis (Ber. 40b) explained: What are ‘noveloth’? Fruit ripened in the heater, that become ripe in the heater. After they are picked, he gathers them and they become heated and ripen.
5 For My sword has become sated in the heaven To slay the heavenly
princes, and afterward it will descend on the nation Ishmael ([mss. and Kli
Paz:] Edom) ([Warsaw ed.:] Babylonians) below, for no nation suffers until its
prince suffers in heaven.
the nation with whom I contend, the nation with whom I battle. This is a Mishnaic expression: (Keth. 17b) They taught this in connection with time of strife. Comp. (I Kings 20:42) “The man with whom I contend” referring to Ahab.
6 lambs and goats princes and governors.
in Bozrah It is from the land of Moab, but since it supplied a king for Edom, as it is stated (Gen. 36:33): “And Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead,” it will, therefore, suffer with them. This is found in Pesikta.
7 wild oxen with them Kings with governors, wild oxen with the goats mentioned above. fat bulls (oh¦rh°C©t) fat and large bulls, as it is stated (Ps. 22:13): “Fat bulls of Bashan surrounded me.”
8 retribution for the plea of Zion That He will mete out punishment
(lit., pay a reward) for the plea of Zion, who cries before Him to judge her from
those who harm her.
Verbal Connections
By H.Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David &
HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Debarim (Deuteronomy) 17:14–18:19
Tehillim (Psalms) 120
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:22 – 34:8
Mk 14:66-72, Jam. 2:25-26
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm
are:
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
Giveth / Delivered / Given - נתן, Strong’s number 05414.
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the
Ashlamata are:
Land / Earth - ארץ,
Strong’s number 0776.
LORD - יהוה, Strong’s number 03068.
Giveth / Delivered / Given - נתן, Strong’s number 05414.
Dwell - ישב,
Strong’s number 03427.
Say - אמר,
Strong’s number 0559.
King - מלך,
Strong’s number 04428.
Nations - , Strong’s number 01471.
Debarim (Deuteronomy) 17:14 When thou art come
unto the land
<0776> which the LORD <03068> thy God giveth <05414> (8802) thee, and shalt
possess it, and shalt dwell
<03427> (8804) therein, and shalt say <0559> (8804), I will set a king <04428>
over me, like as all the nations
<01471> that are about me;
Tehillim (Psalms) 120:1
« A Song of degrees. » In my distress I cried unto the LORD <03068>,
and he heard me.
Tehillim (Psalms) 120:3 What
shall be given
<05414> (8799) unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee,
thou false tongue?
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:22 For the LORD <03068> is
our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD <03068> is our king <04428>;
he will save us.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:24 And the
inhabitant shall not say
<0559> (8799), I am sick: the people that dwell <03427> (8802)
therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 34:1 Come near, ye nations <01471>,
to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth <0776> hear, and all that is
therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 34:2 For the
indignation of the LORD
<03068> is upon all nations <01471>, and his fury upon all
their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered <05414> (8804)
them to the slaughter.
Hebrew:
|
Hebrew |
English |
Torah Reading Deut.17:14–18:19 |
Psalms 120:1 – 122:9 |
Ashlamatah Is 33:22 – 34:8 |
|
xa' |
brethren, brother |
Deut. 17:15 |
Ps. 122:8 |
|
|
~yhil{a/ |
God |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 122:9 |
|
|
rm;a' |
say, speak, spoke |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 122:1 |
Isa. 33:24 |
|
#r,a, |
land, earth, ground, country |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 121:2 |
Isa. 34:1 |
|
aAB |
come, go |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 121:1 |
|
|
lAdG" |
great, high |
Deut. 18:16 |
Isa. 34:6 |
|
|
yAG |
nations |
Deut. 17:14 |
Isa. 34:1 |
|
|
rWG |
dwells |
Deut. 18:6 |
Ps. 120:5 |
|
|
rBeDI |
said, says |
Deut. 18:2 |
Ps. 120:7 |
|
|
rh; |
hills, mountain |
Ps. 121:1 |
Isa. 34:3 |
|
|
xb;z< |
sacrifice |
Deut. 18:3 |
Isa. 34:6 |
|
|
rb;x' |
conjures, compact |
Deut. 18:11 |
Ps. 122:3 |
|
|
hw"hoy> |
LORD |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 120:1 |
Isa. 33:22 |
|
~Ay |
day, today |
Deut. 17:19 |
Isa. 34:8 |
|
|
!ymiy" |
right hand |
Deut. 17:20 |
Ps. 121:5 |
|
|
@s;y" |
again |
Deut. 17:16 |
Ps. 120:3 |
|
|
bv;y" |
dwell |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 122:5 |
Isa. 33:24 |
|
laer'f.yI |
Israel |
Deut. 17:20 |
Ps. 121:4 |
|
|
aSeKi |
throne |
Deut. 17:18 |
Ps. 122:5 |
|
|
%l,M, |
king |
Deut. 17:14 |
Isa. 33:22 |
|
|
jP'v.mi |
due, judgment |
Deut. 18:3 |
Ps. 122:5 |
Isa. 34:5 |
|
vp,n< |
mind, soul |
Deut. 18:6 |
Ps. 120:2 |
|
|
af'n" |
lift up, shall be forgiven |
Ps. 121:1 |
Isa. 33:24 |
|
|
!t;n" |
give, gave, given, giving |
Deut. 17:14 |
Ps. 120:3 |
Isa. 34:2 |
|
rp,se |
book |
Deut. 17:18 |
Isa. 34:4 |
|
|
hl'[' |
go up, rise |
Ps. 122:4 |
Isa. 34:3 |
|
|
~[; |
people |
Deut. 17:16 |
Isa. 33:24 |
|
|
dm;[' |
stand |
Deut. 18:5 |
Ps. 122:2 |
|
|
hf'[' |
observe, see, saw, seen |
Deut. 17:19 |
Ps. 121:2 |
|
|
ar'q' |
read, cried, call |
Deut. 17:19 |
Ps. 120:1 |
|
|
la;v' |
medium, ask |
Deut. 18:11 |
Ps. 122:6 |
|
|
jb,ve |
tribe |
Deut. 18:1 |
Ps. 122:4 |
|
|
~ve |
name |
Deut. 18:5 |
Ps. 122:4 |
|
|
~yIm;v' |
heaven |
Ps. 121:2 |
Isa. 34:4 |
|
|
Å[mv |
hear, listened |
Deut. 18:14 |
Isa. 34:1 |
|
|
rm;v' |
careful, keep, guard |
Deut. 17:19 |
Ps. 121:3 |
|
|
r[;v; |
gates |
Deut. 18:6 |
Ps. 122:2 |
Greek:
|
GREEK |
ENGLISH |
Torah Reading Deut.17:14–18:19 |
Psalms 120:1 – 122:9 |
Ashlamatah Is 33:22 – 34:8 |
Peshat Mishnah of Mark, 1-2 Peter, &
Jude Mk 14:66-72 |
Tosefta of Luke |
Remes/Gemara of Acts/Romans and James Jam. 2:25-26 |
|
ἄνθρωπος |
man, men |
Deu 17:15 |
Mk. 14:71 |
||||
|
αὐλή |
courtyards |
Psa 122:2 |
Mk. 14:66 |
||||
|
ἔπω |
said |
Deut. 17:14 |
Isa. 33:24 |
Mk. 14:72 |
|||
|
λέγω |
saying |
Deu 18:16 |
Mk. 14:67 |
||||
|
ὁδός |
way |
Deu 17:16 |
Jas. 2:25 |
||||
|
παρίστημι |
beside,stand |
Deu 18:5 |
Mk. 14:69 |
||||
|
ῥῆμα |
word |
Deu 18:18 |
Mk. 14:72 |
Nazarean Talmud
Sidra
of “D’barim (Deut.) 17:14 – 18:19
“Asimah Alai Melekh” - ”I will set a king [over
me]”
By:
H. Em Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham
&
|
School of Hakham Tsefet’s Peshat Mordechai (Mk) עכשיו, כשצפת היה מתחת לחצר |
|
Now when
Tsefet was below in the courtyard, one of the Kohen Gadol’s servant[13]
girls came (to the
courtyard below the house). And when
she saw Tsefet warming himself, she stared at him and said, "You also
were with Yeshua the Nazarean." But he denied it, saying, "I do not
know, nor do I understand what you are talking about." And he went out
on the forecourt, and the Temple[14]
crier[15]
called out. And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who
stood around, "This is (one)
of them" (the talmidim
of Yeshua). But he refused to
acknowledge (Yeshua) again. And a
little later those who stood by said to Tsefet again, "Surely you are (one) of them; for you are a Galilean,[16]
and your speech resembles (a Galilean)." Then he took an oath and swore,"[17]
(that he was not one of Yeshua’s associates, by saying) I do not know this man you are talking about!" A second time the
Temple crier called out. Then
Tsefet remembered the prophetic words
that Yeshua had said to him, "Before the Temple crier calls out twice,
you will disassociate yourself from me three times." And when he thought
about it, he wept (in repentance). |
Jas. 2:25-26 And in the same way was not Rahav the harlot also
justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another
way? 26 For just
as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead
Nazarean
Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder
|
Dt
12:20-13:19 |
Ps 119:73-104 |
Is 54:2-9+17 |
Mordechai 14:66-72 |
Rm 11:25-32 |
Commentary to Hakham
Tsefet’s School of Peshat To
“Asimah
Alai Melekh”
May our Master teach us concerning “Cleaving to one’s Master – Hakham”?
Job 42:6 Therefore I
abhor myself And repent in dust and ashes."
b. Ned 39b Seven things were created
before the world, viz., The Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gehenna, the
Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah. The Torah, for it is
written, The Lord possessed me [sc. the Torah] in the beginning of his way,
before his works of old.[18]
Repentance, for it is written, Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever
you have formed the earth and the world... You turn man to destruction, and
say, “Repent, you sons of men.”[19]
The Garden of Eden, as it is written, And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden
from aforetime.[20]
Gehenna, as it is written, For Tophet[21]
is ordained of old.[22]
The Throne of Glory, as it is written, Thy Throne is established from of old.[23]
The Temple, as it is written, A glorious high throne from the beginning is the
place of our sanctuary.[24]
The name of the Messiah, as it is written, His name [sc. of Messiah] shall
endure forever, and [has existed] before the sun![25]
But Moses said thus: If a mouth has already been created for it [sc. Gehenna],
tis well; if not, let the Lord create one. But is it not written, “there is no
new thing under the sun?”[26]
He said thus: If the mouth is not near to this spot, let it draw near.
Repentance and Gehenna, created before the world, cause us to
understand that G-d had made the provision of free will from the very
beginning.
The wrath of G-d is averted when we repent and return to the LORD as it
is written:
Isa
54:8 In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but I will
have compassion on you with everlasting love," says the LORD
your Redeemer.
And Hakham Tsefet remembered what Yeshua (His Master) said as it is
written …
Hakham
Tsefet gained “hope” in remembering the Name of Messiah as it is said …
Mar. 14:72 Then Tsefet
remembered the words that Yeshua had said to him, "Before the Temple crier
calls out twice, you will disassociate from me three times." And when he
thought about it, he wept (in repentance).
From this, we learn that Hakham Tsefet knew that he was to repent, as
it is written …
D’barim
13:17 Nothing set apart for destruction is to remain in your hand, so that the
LORD will turn from His burning anger and grant you mercy, show you compassion,
and multiply you as He swore to your fathers.
How is it that we know that Hakham Tsefet’s denial of Yeshua, as the
Messiah was failure to “Cleave to G-d?” (Positive Mitzvah #6)
We know that denial is failure to Cleave to G-d. Hakham Tsefet was unfaithful
(qafir) to King Yeshua the Messiah! The Syriac versions of Mark use the word kephar
to indicate that Hakham Tsefet “denied” association with Yeshua.[27] Maimonides uses the
word “qafir” or “kafir” (kephar) to describe the unfaithful in the
“Guide to the Perplexed.”[28] The term “qafir”
refers to a person who rejects G-d or who hides, denies, or "covers"
the truth. When we look at the etymology of the word kaffir (kephar),
we find that it means to be an "unbeliever, infidel, and impious
wretch." The literal sense of kaffir is "one who does not
admit the blessings of G-d," also meaning kafara "to cover up,
conceal, deny. We understand the word “infidelity” to mean "want of
faithful obedience, unbelief in religion; false belief, paganism." It also
means "unfaithfulness or disloyalty to a person" (originally to the
Sovereign, and to a lover or spouse). From this word, we get the idea of an
infidel, meaning, "unfaithful, not to be trusted,”
"unbelieving," "one who does not believe in religion" of
unfaithful to his religion. Also used to translate Arabic qafir, which
is from a root meaning, "to disbelieve, to deny."
Hakham Tsefet’s infidelity is a breach of the 6th Positive
Mitzvah located in the previous Torah Seder D’barim 11:22 and as noted by the
Rambam in his Sefer Ha-Mitzvot. we have recently read D’barim 11:22, there we see that what Hakham Tsefet and
the Rambam are trying to say.
D’barim
11:22 For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to
love the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him,
NOTE: The wise man, or as
he is called in Hebrew, talmid Hakham, `the disciple of wisdom', interpreting
and exemplifying as he does the word of God, is regarded in Jewish thought as
being nearest to Him. To cleave to the wise man (Hakham) is thus to cleave to
the LCORD (Ber. 10b; Pes. 22b).
Scripture provides a
perfect example of a disciple cleaving to his master in the constant and
reverential attachment of Joshua to Moses: “But his minister Joshua, the son of
Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent” (Ex. XXXIII, ii). The Mishnah
records the following saying of Jose ben Joezer of Zeredah, one of the early
Fathers of the Tradition: `Let your house be a meeting-house for the wise; and
sit amid the dust of their feet; and drink in their words with thirst' (Ab. 1,
4). The Talmud abounds with illustrations of disciples going to extreme lengths
in their earnest desire to learn the ways and customs, conduct and conversation
of the wise men (Ber. 62a). To miss the society of an assembly of the wise men
was considered an irretrievable loss: `It is impossible that a gathering of the
wise men should take place without their bringing to light some profound and
fresh interpretation of the Law' (Hag. 3a).[29]
How then does Hakham Tsefet nullify his denial of Yeshua?
If a person transgresses
any of the mitzvot of the Torah, whether a positive command or a negative
command - whether willingly or inadvertently - when he repents, and returns
from his sin, he must confess before God, blessed be, He as [Numbers 5:6-7]
states: "If a man or a woman commit any of the sins of man... they must
confess the sin that they committed."[30]
And what is the fruit of Hakham Tsefet’s repentance?
Yesha’yahu
(Isa) 54:2 "Enlarge the site of your tent and let your tent curtains be
stretched out;1 do not hold back; lengthen your ropes and drive your
pegs deep.
Hakham Tsefet’s demonstration of his infidelity to Yeshua, as a talmid,
is his way of demonstrating the seriousness of the breach of the 6th
positive mitzvah as noted above. In our pericope Hakham Tsefet is found by the
fire warming himself.[31] By
inference, we see that Hakham Tsefet is more concerned with his physical
comfort and safety than his master’s well-being.[32] Hakham
Tsefet’s repudiation of his master begins with a simple evasion and concludes
with the swearing of an oath that he does not know, nor is he associated with
the Master.[33]
When we are unfaithful to G-d in serving self, we become idolatrous. Scholars
have reduced idolatry to the serving of one’s self and selfish desires instead
of G-d and His messengers.
The Pillars
m. Sanhedrin 4.3 And two
judges’ clerks (Paqidim) stand before them (the Bench of three Hakhamim), one
at the right and one at the left. And, they write down the arguments of those
who vote to acquit and of those who vote to convict.[34] R. Judah says, “Three: one writes the opinion
of those who vote to acquit, one writes the opinion of those who vote to
convict, and the third writes the opinions both of those who vote to acquit and
of those who vote to convict.”
This Mishnah
tells us exactly what a deacon is. The “table waiter” is a judge’s clerk (paqid) that records the arguments
(halakhic) of the judge (Hakham).
We
already know that Yeshua took the three “greatest” (Roshim) with him to Har
Tz’fat. Therefore, we should make our selection from these three. Hakham
Ya’aqob, as we learned in II Luqas (Acts) was made the Head (Rosh) of the
Nazarean Bet Din. This then leaves us to make our selection from Hakham Tsefet
and Hakham Yochanan. Hakham Yochanan penned the So’od materials of the Nazarean
Codicil. Therefore, the idea of being the greatest may, in some opinions be
attributed to Hakham Yochanan. However, there can never be a “So’od” without a
Peshat. Making the least (last), i.e. Peshat – Mishnah the greatest (the
first). Why is the Mishnaic Import of Hakham Tsefet so important? Because without
the Mishnaic writings of Hakham Tsefet we could never understand the
fundamentals of Messiah. Nor, could we understand any of the other levels of
Messiah due to their non-literal meanings. The Mishnaic writings of Hakham
Tsefet form the beginning of the Master’s Mesorah the beginning and first
(least). Yet Hakham Tsefet himself is the chapiter
of the Nazarean talmidim.
2Ch 3:15 Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits
high, and the chapiter (v’ha’tzephet)
that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.[35]
We have
included the Hebrew text of the cited passage for clarification.
15 וַיַּ֜עַשׂ
לִפְנֵ֤י
הַבַּ֙יִת֙
עַמּוּדִ֣ים
שְׁנַ֔יִם
אַמּ֕וֹת שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים
וְחָמֵ֖שׁ
אֹ֑רֶךְ וְהַצֶּ֥פֶת
אֲשֶׁר־עַל־רֹאשׁ֖וֹ
אַמּ֥וֹת
חָמֵֽשׁ׃ ס
The highlighted
Hebrew text reads v’ha’tzephet. The
phrase v’ha’tsefet would read “and
the chapiter.” The word chapiter
is translated “tsefet” which is not the pillar itself. The “tsefet” is the cap
or head of the pillar. Therefore, Hakham Tsefet is not only seen as a “pillar,”
Hakham Tsefet is the cap or head of the pillar. The “tsefet” is the upper
portion of the pillar, which supports the edifice. Consequently, Hakham Tsefet
is not only the “pillar” of the Nazarean Community; he is the primary support
for the whole community both the least and greatest.
Commentary to Hakham Ya’aqob’s School of Remes To
Yehoshua 6.17 And the city shall be devoted, even it and all
that is therein, to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all
that are with her in the house, because she (they) hid the messengers (angels) that we sent. 6.23 And the young men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father,
and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had, all her kindred also
they brought out; and they set them without the camp of Israel.
The Question that always plagues the Nazarean Codicil is how it relates to the Torah Seder. The great question this week is how does Hakham Ya’aqob add Rahab into his sermonic materials. How does Rahab fist the whole scenario? What if anything does Rahab of a discussion on the King of Yisrael?
Hakham Ya’aqob’s work is seminal regarding many issues. His stance does not fit normal theological norms. His stance does not fit the Christian view of many subjects. This leads to a butchery of his letter. One thing we have repeatedly fostered is that the Nazareans Hakhamim knew that the diaspora was fast approaching. It is evident that all Jewish parties of the first century could read the hand writing on the wall. The Nazareans laid down materials on the Messiah from their special perspective. As we recently pointed out Hakham Ya’aqob saw the Torah as a “Royal” document, Law. Again, this was because he was of Davidic ancestry. He was brought in a home and community that fostered thought from that perspective. Nevertheless, what is also of great import here is the fact that all the Nazarean Hakhamim lived and interacted with other Jewish P’rushim.[36] The School of Shammai shows little force in the Nazarean Codicil after the death burial and resurrection of Yeshua. This does not mean that they had ceased to exist. It seems more plausible that they chose to interact with Nazareans and other P’rushim from the House of Hillel and Shammai. An obvious place that the Shammaites appear is in the opening passages of Acts chapter 15.
And some men came down from Y’hudah and began teaching who the Jewish brothers are, saying to the gentiles “Unless you are circumcised and walk according to the customs[37] mandated by Moshe (and the Hakhamim), you cannot receive the Nefesh Yehudi (and enter the Olam HaBa).”
This is the teaching of P’rushim not just the School of Shammai. And,
the “theology” is accurate. The only caveat is that Gentiles in the land of
Yisrael must either obey at minimum the Noahide Laws or Convert and become
Jewish. If they intend to become Jewish circumcision is mandatory. Those “turning
towards G-d” are not just trying to do the bare minimum. Nevertheless, setting
aside major opponents like the Tzdukim, Herodians, Zealots, Boethusians
(Hebrew: בייתוסים) who were
closely related to the Tzdukim and those pietists of Qumran.[38]
There was a normative Jewish thought during this time. This means that at least
for the greater part the P’rushim held the greatest influence.[39]
This said we should see thought patters of the P’rushim in the Nazareans. Or
perhaps we should say that we should see thought patterns of the Nazareans in
the P’rushim. The point being “Orthodox Judaism” held common ideology. The
School of Shammai most certainly had followers of Yeshua.
Acts 21:17-20
¶ And having
arrived in Yerushalayim, the
brethren
welcomed us gladly. And on the next day Hakham Shaul went in with us to Hakham Ya’aqob, and
all the Nazarean Zeqenim[40] were
present. And after
greeting them, he began to systematically relate
the things
which God had done among the Gentiles through his abodah (service) to God. And when they
heard this,
they glorified God.
And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among
the Jews who have faithfully
obeyed, and they are all zealous supporters of
the Torah.[41]
Hakham Ya’aqob is showing hakham Shaul just how many Orthodox Jewish people believed that Yeshua was the Messiah. Some have suggested, based on this verse and some teachings from Josephus that as many as one in five Jewish men believed that Yeshua was Messiah.[42] Our point now stands as we have stated. Other Jewish sects believed and conducted themselves like the Nazareans and the Nazareans conducted life like other “Orthodox Jews.”
The P’rushim of the first century were in the business of collecting sermons,[43] lessons and all data that was associated with the “Oral Torah.” The “Nazarean Hakhamim” understood the PaRDeS hermeneutic system very well. It is generally believed that Yeshua’s Talmidim[44] spent 42 months learning from the Master. If they mastered all four levels of hermeneutics, the level of hermeneutic changed every 10 ½ months. Of course, when we apply Remes hermeneutics to the thought process we can relate to 42 months to the 42 encampments of the B’ne Yisrael in their journey from Mitzrayim (Egypt) to Eretz Yisrael. The point here is that the Nazarean Hakhamim were extraordinary in their abilities to receive the Mesorah from the Master on such a profound level.
Last week we introduced some thoughts from the Sifre to D‘barim.[45] Here we opine that these teachings were well known by all Orthodox Jewish Hakhamim, Rabbis and Sages during the first century.[46] This we would think that if we read any of these materials that Yeshua’s talmidim would be well acquainted with them. This week we have a case in point. How would hakham Ya’aqob have inserted Rahab in his pericope relating to “Asimah Alai Melekh?”[47]
Sifrei D’barim 159 (Devarim 17:17) "And he
will not multiply for himself wives": R. Yehudah says:
He may multiply (wives) for himself so long as they do not "turn his heart," it being written "that his heart not turn astray." R. Shimon says: He should not marry even one that
turns his heart astray. If so, why is it written "he will not multiply himself wives" — even one (so virtuous as) Abigayil. "and silver and gold he will not multiply for himself overmuch": I might think, (not) even to provision the army; it
is, therefore, written "he will not multiply for himself" — but he may multiply it to provision the
army.
Related to
this Piska (Chapter) is a Talmudic passage that most certainly would have been
understood as an accompanying thought.
And we have another Talmudic passage in close contiguity that is also helpful.
Meg 14b Rav Ena the Elder disagreed with Rav Nahman: Eight prophets who are priests come out from Rahab the harlot, and they are: Neriyah, Baruch, and Serayah; Mahseyah, Jeremiah, Hilkiah, Hanamel, and Shallum. Rabbi Yehudah says: Even Huldah the prophetess was from the descendants of Rahab the harlot. Here it is written "son of Tikvah", and there it is written (Joshua 2:18) "the cord (tikvat) of scarlet thread."
We can see
that it would have been logical for anyone with Orthodox norms to have
associated the verse "And he will not multiply for himself wives" with Sarah Abigail, Rahab, and Esther.
Rahab was one of the four most beautiful women
in history. The mere mention of her name sufficed to excite desire (Meg. 15a).
At the age of ten Rahab became a prostitute. There was not a prince or ruler
who did not have relations with her. Because of this, she was well informed
about events outside of Jericho (Zeb. 116b). Rahab became a righteous proselyte
and married Joshua. She was the ancestress of eight prophets, among them
Jeremiah, who were also priests, and of the prophetess Huldah (Meg. 14b). Her
conversion is regarded as more complete than that of Jethro and Naaman for,
unlike them, she acknowledged with all of her heart and mind that the G-d of
Israel is the only G-d both in heaven and on earth.[48]
The Dog and the
Invisible Man
Rahab is a
common denominator in the Torah Seder. She is listed with the 3 other most
beautiful women in Biblical history. But she also is associated with the 18th
chapter in that there we have a mention of the “portion” of the Priesthood.
Piska 165 That they shall give unto the priest—to
the priest himself— the shoulder—the right shoulder—and the
two cheeks—the lower cheeks—and the maw (18:3)—just
as it says. R. Judah says: Those who interpret the law
metaphorically say that the priest was given the shoulder as a
reward for the hand, as it is said (of Phinehas), He rose up from the midst of the
congregation and took a spear in his hand (Num. 25:7); the cheeks as a
reward for the prayer, as it is said, Then stood up Phinehas, and prayed (Ps.
106:30) ; and the maw as a reward for the belly, as it is said, And
the woman through her belly (Num. 25:8).
The two spies were Caleb and Phinehas, the dog and the invisible man, Priest. The Gentiles in antiquity were called “dogs.” David uses this term for Goliath, the “uncircumcised dog,” gentile.
Mark 7:24-30
And from there he arose and went to the region of Tyre. And when he entered into a house, he wanted no one to know,
and yet he was not able to escape notice. But immediately a woman
whose young daughter was possessed by a shade[49] (unclean she heard about him, she came
and showed him the proper respect. Now the woman was a Greek Syrophoenician,[50] when by nationality, and
she was asking him to expel the shade (demon) from her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children (B’ne Yisrael) be
satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it
to the dogs (Gentiles)!” But she answered and said to him, “master, even the dogs under the table eat the children's
crumbs.” And he said to her, “Because of this statement, go![51]
The shade (demon) has gone out of
your daughter.” And when she went to her home, she found the child lying
on the bed and the shade (demon) had departed.
Thus, in Jericho the spies put up with Rahab. She had been leading an immoral life for forty years, but at the approach of Israel, she paid homage to the true G-d, lived the life of a pious convert, and, as the wife of Joshua, and again became the ancestress of eight prophets and of the prophetess Huldah. She had opportunity in her own house of beholding the wonders of G-d. When the king's bailiffs came to make their investigations, and Rahab wanted to conceal the Israelitish spies, Phinehas calmed her with the words: "I am a priest, and priests are like angels, visible when they wish to be seen, invisible when they do not wish to be seen."[52]
Hakham
Ya’aqob makes it very clear in his vocabulary. Regardless of Rahab’s
questionable past her act of hiding the spies was an act of Tzedakah
(righteousness). This act with her repentance and conversion earned her a place
in the Olam HaBa.
אמן ואמן סלה
Questions for Understanding and Reflection
Blessing After Torah Study
Barúch
Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,
Ashér
Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.
Barúch
Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!
Blessed
is Ha-Shem our God, King of the universe,
Who
has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.
Blessed
is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!
“Now
unto Him who is able to preserve you faultless, and spotless, and to establish
you without a blemish,
before
His majesty, with joy, [namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer, by means of
Yeshua the Messiah our Master, be praise, and dominion, and honor, and majesty,
both now and in all ages. Amen!”
Next Sabbath:
“ Shabbat “Khi HaGoyim HaEleh” - ” For those nations”
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
כִּי
הַגּוֹיִם
הָאֵלֶּה |
|
Saturday
Afternoon |
|
Reader
1 – D’barim 18:14-16 |
Reader
1 - D’barim 20:10-12 |
|
|
Reader
2 – D’barim 18:17-19 |
Reader
2- D’barim 20:13-15 |
|
|
“Porque
esas naciones” |
Reader
3 – D’barim 18:20-22 |
Reader
3- D’barim 20:16-18 |
|
D’barim (Deut.)
18:14–20:9 |
Reader
4 – D’barim 19:1-10 |
|
|
Reader
5 – D’barim 19:11-14 |
Monday
& Thursday Mornings |
|
|
Psalm 123:1 -125:5 |
Reader
6 – D’barim 19:15-21 |
Reader
1 - D’barim 20:10-12 |
|
Ashlam.: Mic 5:11 - 6:8 |
Reader
7 – D’barim 20:1-9 |
Reader
2- D’barim 20:13-15 |
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Maftir – D’barim 20:5-9 |
Reader
3- D’barim 20:16-18 |
|
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N.C.: Mark 15:1-5 Lk 23:1-16; James 3:1-2 |
Mic
5:11 - 6:8
|
|
Coming Festival: Chanukah
[Evening December the 2nd – Evening December the 10th
2918]
For further information please see:
http://www.betemunah.org/lapin.html
; http://www.betemunah.org/connection.html
;
http://www.betemunah.org/chanukah.html
; http://www.betemunah.org/lights.html
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef
ben Haggai
Rabbi Dr. Hillel
ben David
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu
ben Abraham
[1] Mishlei (Proverbs) 15:24
[2] Debarim (Deuteronomy) 28:13
[3] Debarim (Deuteronomy) 28:43
[4] see Ibn Ezra and Meiri
[5] These introductory comments were excerpted and edited from: The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman.
[6] Chazal is an acronym for the Hebrew “Chachameinu Zichronam Livracha”, (חכמינו זכרונם לברכה), literally “our sages of blessed memory”.
[7] By saying this they unconsciously prophesied their fate and were themselves responsible for it.
[8] Avraham and his family lived in Shinar and observed the building of the tower at Bavel. Since they did not participate their language was not as confused as those who did take part in the building of the tower.
[9] The builders of the Tower of Babel. Abraham was a younger contemporary of Peleg in whose days was the earth divided. (Gen. X, 25.)
[10] Judges XVI, 25.
[11] Neshama = soul
[12] Keruvim (cherubim) the guardians of the Tree of Life.
[13] The use of the “servant” makes a connection to the
Psalm. Psalm 119:49
[14] The use of the “Temple” connects with D’varim 12:10-11
where the Targum makes clear the Masoretic text the location of the Temple.
[15] m. Mid.1:2 Har HaBayit person (the Temple Crier) in
charge of the Temple mount would go around at every watch, and lighted
torches were [flaring] before him. And to any watch which was not standing did
the man in charge of the Temple mount say, “Peace
be with you.” [If] it was obvious that he was sleeping, he beats him with
his staff. And he had the right to burn his garment. And they say, “What is the
noise in the courtyard?” “It is the noise of a Levite being smitten, and his
clothing being burned, for he went to sleep at his post.” R. Eliezer b. Jacob says,
“One time they found my mother’s brother sleeping and burned his garment.”
[16] Here Hakham Tsefet makes a connection to our previous
Ashlamatah. Naboth’s is in the Jezreel Valley, which is considered a part of
the Galilee. (1Ki 21:1-4) Galilee is also associated with the word Gilgal of
D’varim 11:30.
[17] Here Hakham Tsefet makes a verbal connection with the
Torah Seder, recalling Mt Gerizim and Ebal (D’varim 11:29).
[18] Prov. VIII, 22.
[19] Ps. XC, 2f. Before, etc. applies to Repent.
[20] Gen. II, 8.
[21] Another name for Gehenna.
[22] Isa. XXX, 33.
[23] Ps. XCIII, 2.
[24] Jer. XVII, 12.
[25] Ps. LXXII, 17. Now, according to this, Gehenna was
definitely created before the world; how then could Moses be doubtful? The
general idea of this Baraitha is that these things are the indispensable
prerequisites For the orderly progress of mankind upon earth. The Torah, the
supreme source of instruction, the concept of repentance, in recognition that
to err is human, and hence, if man falls, he needs the opportunity to rise
again; the garden of Eden and the Gehenna, symbolizing reward and punishment,
which, without conceding a purely utilitarian basis for ethical striving, are nevertheless
powerful incentives thereto; the Throne of Glory and the Temple, indicating
that the goal of creation is that the kingdom of God (represented by the
Temple) should be established on earth as it is in Heaven; and finally, the
name of Messiah, the assurance that God's purpose shall be eventually achieved.
[26] Ecc. I, 9.
[27] Marcus, J. (2009). The
Anchor Bible Dictionary, Mark 8-16, A New Translation with Introduction and
Commentary. Yale University. p. 1019
[28] Maimonides, M. (1956). The
Guide for the Perplexed (Second ed.). (M. Friedlander, Trans.) Dover
Publications, Inc. p.51
[29] (Rambam), M. M. (1967).
The Commendments (Vol. 1). (C. B. Chavel, Ed.) The Soncino Press. p.
9-10
[30] (Rambam), M. M. (n.d.).
Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah (Vol. 4). (R. E. Touger, Trans.) Moznaim
Publishing Corp. p.1
[31] Butler, J. G. (2008). Analytical
Bible Expositor, Matthew to Mark (Vol. 10). Clinton, Iowa: LBC
Publications. p. 747
[32] Healy, M. (2008). The
Gospel of Mark (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture ed.). Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Academic. p. 302
[33] Ibid p. 303
[34] In other words they record the legal proceedings of
the court i.e. Bench of three Hakhamim.
[35] KJV
[36] Pharisees
[37] Williams, C. (1964). A Commentary on the Acts of
the Apostles (Black's New Testament Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles
ed.). (H. Chadwick, Ed.) London: Adam & Charles Black. p. 179; According to
the Ramban, “A custom is called chok, this being associated with the
expressions: Feed me with 'chuki' (my
customary) bread; (Proverbs 30:8.)
'chukoth' (the customary ways or laws) of
heaven and earth. (Jeremiah 33:25.)
Custom is also called mishpat (judgment
or ordinance) because it is something measured out accurately. A similar
usage [of the word mishpat] is found
in these verses: So did David, and so has
been 'mishpato' (his manner) all the while; (I Samuel 27:11.) After
the former 'mishpat' (manner) when you were his butler; (Genesis
40:13.) And the palace shall be inhabited upon 'mishpato' (Jeremiah
30:18.) i.e., upon its
ascertained dimension.” Ramban Commentary on the Torah, Vol. II, pp.
209-210, Shilo Publishing House, Inc., New York, 1973.
[38] Only to name a few
[39] Cf. Newman, Hillel, and Ruth M. Ludlam. Proximity to Power and Jewish Sectarian Groups of the Ancient Period: A Review of Lifestyle, Values, and Halakhah in the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Qumran. Brill Reference Library of Judaism, v. 25. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2006. p. 53 - 73
[40] Elders
[41] Shomer Shabbat
[42] Presently I’m at a loss for the source to this statement. I heard it in a lecture somewhere. Thus, it needs verification. Nevertheless, the verse stands on its own in saying how many “ten thousands” were faithful to the Master.
[43] Schiffman, Lawrence H. From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism. Hoboken, N.J: Ktav Pub. House, 1991. p. 177-200
[44] Disciples
[45] Sifre Deuteronomy
[46] I realize that this may seem a bit anachronistic. But the Mesorah was the daily life of the Jewish Sage. The Nazareans are mot defiantly Sages and Hakhamim of the highest caliber. Therefore, they would have understood all Massoritic texts in at least embryonic form.
[47] Deut.17:14–18:19
[48] Deut. R. 2:26–27
[49] Note here that she has an “unclean spirit.”
[50] The use of πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον (unclean spirit) in this case is amazing.
[51] Yeshua acts graciously as G-d acts in our Torah Seder.
This statement shows us that as agents of G-d we must conduct ourselves in
G-d’s stead. Cf. Sh’mot 22:26 (Hebrew published Bible
[52] Ginzberg, Legend of the Jews 4.1