Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for:
Sh’mot (Exodus) 7:8 –
8:15
When Pharaoh talks with you,
saying, Give us a miracle, you shall say to Aharon, Take your rod, and cast it
down before Pharaoh, and it shall become a basilisk‑serpent;
for all the inhabitants of the earth shall hear the voice of the shriek of
Mizraim when I shatter them, as all the creatures heard the shriek of the
serpent when made naked at the beginning. [JERUSALEM. And throw down before Pharaoh.]
And Mosheh and Aharon went in
unto Pharaoh, and did as the LORD had commanded. And Aharon threw down the rod
before the sight of Pharaoh, and before the sight of his servants, and it
became a basilisk. But Pharoh called the wise-men and magicians; and they also,
Janis and Jamberes, magicians of Mizraim, did the same by their burnings of
divination. They threw down each man his rod, and they became basilisks; but
were forthwith changed to be what they were at first; and the rod of Aharon
swallowed up their rods. And the disposition of Pharaoh's heart was hardened,
and he would not hearken to them, as the Lord had said.
And the LORD said to Mosheh, The
disposition of Pharaoh's heart is hardened in refusing to release the people.
Go unto Pharaoh in the morning: behold, he comes forth to observe divinations
at the water as a magician; so shall you prepare yourselves to meet him on the
bank of the river, and Aharon's rod that was changed to be a serpent you shall
take in your hand. [JERUSALEM.
To refresh himself at the river.] And you shall say to him, The LORD God of the
Jehudee has sent me unto you, saying “Release My people, that they may serve Me
in the desert;” and, behold, as yet you have not hearkened. Thus says the Lord:
By this sign you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the rod that is in
my hand, I will smite the waters of the river, and they shall be changed into
blood. And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river become foul,
and the Mizraee shall desist from drinking water from the river.
And the LORD said to Mosheh, Tell
Aharon, Take your rod and stretch forth your hand over the waters of the
Mizraee over their rivers, Over their trenches, over their canals, and over
every place for collecting their waters, and they will become blood; and there
shall be blood in all the land of Mizraim, and in vessels of wood and in
vessels of stone. [JERUSALEM.
In vases.] And Mosheh and Aharon did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted
up the rod, and smote the waters of the river in the sight of Pharaoh, and in
the sight of his servants; and all the waters of the river were turned into
blood; and the fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and
the Mizraee could not drink of the waters, of the river and the plague of blood
was in all the land of Mizraim. But so (also) did the astrologers of Mizraim by
their burnings, and turned the waters of Goshen
into blood. And the design of Pharaoh's heart was strengthened, and he would
not hearken to them, as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh did what was needful to
him, and went unto his house, nor did he set his heart upon this plague. And
the Mizraee dug about the river for water to drink, but could not find them
pure; for they were not able to drink of the water from the river.
And seven days were completed
after the Lord bad smitten the river, and the Word of the LORD had afterward
healed the river. And the LORD spoke to Mosheh, Go in unto Pharoh and say to
him, Thus says the LORD, “Emancipate My people, that they may serve before Me.
But if you refuse to set them free, behold, I will plague all your borders with
frogs. And the river shall multiply frogs, and they shall ascend and come up
into your house, and into the bedchamber where you sleep, and upon your couch;
and into the house of your servants, and among your people, and into the ovens,
and into your baking‑troughs, and upon
your body, and upon the bodies' of your people, and upon all your servants,
shall the frogs have power.”
VIII. And the LORD said to
Mosheh, Lift up your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the trenches, and
over the canals, [JERUSALEM.
Pools,] and I will bring up the frogs upon the land of Mizraim.
And Aharon uplifted his hand over the waters of Mizraim, and the plague of
frogs came up and covered the land
of Mizraim. But Mosheh
(himself) did not smite the waters, either with the blood or with the frogs
because through them (the waters of the Nile)
he had (found) safety the time that his mother laid him in the river. And the
astrologers did likewise by their burnings, and brought up frogs upon the land of Mizraim. And Pharaoh called to Mosheh
and to Aharon, saying, Pray before the LORD, that He may remove the frogs from
me and from my people; and I will release the people to offer the sacrifices of
a feast before the LORD. And Mosheh said to Pharaoh, Glorify yourself on
account of me. At what time do you request that I should pray for you, and for
your servants, and for your people, that the frogs may be destroyed from you
and from your house, and be left only in the river? And he said, To‑morrow. And he said, According to your word: that
you may know that there is none like the LORD our God. [JERUSALEM. Give a sign, and keep at a
distance, till I shall have prayed for you.] And the frogs shall depart from
you, and from your house, and from your servants, and from your people; and
those only that are in the river shall remain. And Mosheh and Aharon went out
from Pharaoh, and Mosheh prayed before the LORD respecting the frogs, as he had
proposed to Pharaoh. And the LORD did according to the word of Mosheh; and the
frogs died from the houses and from the courts and from the field, and they
collected them in heaps and heaps, [JERUSALEM.
Heaps, heaps,] and the land was corrupted. And Pharaoh saw that he was
refreshed from his molestation, but hardened his heart, and would not hearken
to them, as the LORD had said.
And the LORD said to Mosheh,
Speak unto Aharon, Lift up your rod and smite the dust of the earth, and it
shall become venomous insects in all the land of Mizraim.
But it shall not be by you that the ground shall be smitten, because therein
for you was (the means of) safety when you had slain the Mizraite and it
received him. And they did so, and Aharon lifted up his hand with his rod, and
smote the dust of the ground, and it became a plague of venomous insects upon
the flesh of men and of cattle; all the dust of the earth was changed to become
insects, in all the land
of Mizraim. And the
astrologers wrought with their burnings to bring forth the insects, but were
not able; and the plague of insects prevailed upon men and upon cattle. And the
astrologers said to Pharaoh, This is not by the power or strength of Mosheh and
Aharon; but this is a plague sent from before the LORD. Yet the design of
Pharaoh's heart was strengthened, and he would not hearken to them, as the LORD
had said.
Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu
Sh’mot (Exodus): 7:8 – 8:15
11. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you
(Exodus 7:9). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): Declaring the end from the beginning, and from
ancient times things that are not yet
done; saying: “My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure Will I do” (Isaiah 46:10). The
Holy One, blessed be He, declared at
the very beginning what the end would be, when He said to Moses: Behold, you
are about to sleep with your fathers, and
this people will rise up, and go astray (Deut. 31:16). They were
destined to do so upon Joshua's death. And will forsake Me, and break My
covenant (ibid.), as it is said: And they
forsook the LORD, and served Him not (Judges 10:7).
Hence at the very beginning he
disclosed what would follow.
R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, stated: One who reads this verse may think that there must be a
difference of opinion above (in
heaven), since it says: My counsel shall stand, and My pleasure will I do. What is the actual meaning of My counsel
shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do? It means that He desires to
justify His creatures, as it is said: The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness' sake (Isaiah
42:21). Certainly He does not take delight
in proving anyone guilty, as it is said: For I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way and live (Ezek.
33:11). Hence, it is said: All my
pleasure will I do.
12. When
Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exodus 7:9).
Scripture says elsewhere: A fool spends all his spirit; but a wise man stills it within him (Prov. 29:11). That is, the fool says everything he has to say at one time, while
quarreling with his neighbor, and the
wise man eventually is able to refute
him. A fool spends all his spirit refers to the wicked Pharaoh, while a wise man stills it within him alludes to Moses and Aaron, as it is written: But
Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods (Exodus
7:12). Show
a wonder for you; then you shall say unto Aaron, etc. (Exodus 7:9). Aaron
will perform all the miracles while
you stand by like a prince who instructs the elders and they do it. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He,
said to Moses at the bush: He shall
be to you a mouth, and you shall be to him in God's stead (ibid. 4:16).
And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and
they did so (ibid. 7:10). Aaron should have entered first inasmuch as he was the elder.
Why did Moses enter first? Because he was more famous in Egypt,
both in the eyes of Pharaoh's slaves and in the eyes of the people. And Moses
and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh ... and
Aaron cast down his rod, smiting
him with the first plague. After
speaking to Pharaoh, he brought on the second plague. He performed magical feats in his presence, but he (Pharaoh) would not pay heed to them. God said
to Moses: Pharaoh's heart is stubborn (kabed),
he refuses to let the people go (ibid.,
v. 14). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed: Wretch! With the very expression that tells of your
stubbornness (kabed), I will glorify
Myself (mitkabed) over you, as it is said: And the
Egyptian shall know that I am the LORD,
when I have gotten Me honor upon Pharaoh (ibid. 14:18).
13. Get unto Pharaoh in the morning;
lo, he goes out unto the water (Exodus 7:14). Thus the LORD said: Through this (water) you shall
cause him to know that I am the LORD.
I will smite the water of the Nile with the staff that is in your hand, and it shall turn to blood. Why were the waters turned to blood first?
Because Pharaoh and the Egyptians
worshipped the Nile, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Smite his god first
and then him, as in the popular
aphorism, “Strike the gods and the priests
will be frightened.” And the LORD said unto Moses: "Say unto Aaron: Stretch out your hand, and smite"
(Exodus 7:19). Smite the water of the Nile, the roots of the
plants in the rivers, and indeed,
every source of their water, even that which is in their ladles. And blood appeared in the wood and
stone, and even the spittle of the Egyptians turned to blood.
R. Abin the
Levite said: The Israelites became wealthy because of the plague of blood. How did
that happen? If an Egyptian and an Israelite lived in the same house and used a common water
tank, the Egyptian would find his ladle filled with blood, but when the Israelite
dipped his ladle into the tank, he would obtain pure water. If the Egyptian pleaded, “Hand me
a little of your water,” it would turn to blood. And if the Egyptian said, “Let us
drink together from the same ladle,” the Israelite would be able to drink water while the
Egyptian was forced to drink blood. However, if he paid a high
price, he could then drink water. This is how the Israelites
became wealthy.
How long did the plagues last among them? R.
Johanan and R. Nehemiah discussed
this question. The former said: He
warned them for twenty-four days before inflicting a plague upon them,
but the plague lasted seven days, as it is said: And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the
river (Exod. 7:25).
The latter held that he warned them for seven days, while the plague itself
continued for twenty-four days.
R. Eleazar the son of Pedat
declared: Just as He brought afflictions upon the Egyptians, so in the future
will He bring them upon the kingdom of Edom (Rome), as it is said: When the report comes to Egypt, they shall
be sorely pained at the report of Tyre (Isaiah 23:5). R. Eliezer said: Each
time the word Tyre
is written defectively in Scripture (i.e., without the vav, as in this verse),
it refers to the kingdom of Edom (Rome), which
oppressed Israel, but when
the word Tyre is spelled plene (with the letter
vav), it alludes to Cappadocia [A district in Asia Minor where Israel
was not oppressed. Hence, the Midrash argues, the biblical text avoids the
defective spelling which should be interpreted as “oppression.”]. Just as Egypt was stricken with blood, Edom will also be stricken, as it
is said: The streams thereof shall be
turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land shall
become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day, the smoke thereof
shall go up forever (Isaiah 34:9-10).
Because Egypt forced Israel to neglect the Law,
concerning which it is written: But you
shall meditate therein day and night (Joshua 1:8), I will exact punishment
from it with a fire that shall not be quenched night nor day. Why was fire
used? Because they burned “My house from which smoke poured forth” (the Temple), as it is said: And the house was filled with smoke
(Isaiah 6:4). Therefore, the smoke thereof
shall go up forever (ibid. 39:4). But it also says: And thus the Sound of an uproar from the city (ibid. 66:6). And so
the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Hark,
it comes from the Temple.
Do you not remember what you did in the Temple?
Hark! The LORD renders recompense to His
enemies (ibid. 66:6). When will they be recompensed? This refers to the
Messianic Age, as it is said: The
messenger of the LORD, he will come, and he will save them (ibid. 35:4).
Ashlamatah: Joel 3:3 – 4:6, 16
3 And I will show wonders in the
heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 4 The sun
shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and
terrible day of the LORD come.
5 And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered; for in mount
Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as the LORD has said,
and among the remnant those whom the LORD shall call.
1 For, behold, in those days, and
in that time, when I shall bring back the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the Gentiles,
and will bring them down into the valley
of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into
judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among
the nations, and divided My land.
3 And they have cast lots for My
people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, and have
drunk.
4 And also what are you to Me, O
Tyre, and Zidon, and all the regions of Philistia?
Will you render retribution on My behalf? And if you render retribution on My
behalf, swiftly, speedily will I return your retribution upon your own head.
5 Forasmuch as you have taken My
silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly treasures;
6 the children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have you sold unto the sons of
Greeks, that you might remove them far from their border;
7 behold, I
will stir them up out of the place whither you have sold them, and will return
your retribution upon your own head;
8 and I will
sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the men of Sheba,
to a nation far off; for the LORD hath spoken. {P}
9 Proclaim
this among the Gentiles, prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men
of war draw near, let them come up.
10 Beat your
plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say:
'I am strong.'
11 Make haste,
and come, all you Gentiles round about, and gather yourselves together; cause
your mighty ones to come down, O LORD!
12 Let the
Gentiles be stirred up, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there will I sit to judge all the Gentiles round about.
13 Put in the
sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, tread, for the winepress is full, the
vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes,
multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the
valley of decision.
15 The sun and
the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 And the LORD shall roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the LORD will be a refuge unto
His people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
Ketubim Targum Psalm 46
1. For praise, by the sons of
Korah, through the spirit of prophecy when their father was hidden from them,
but they were saved, and they recited this song.
2. God is for us security and
strength; a help in distress we shall find indeed.
3. Because of this we will not be
afraid in the time our fathers passed from the land, when the mountains totter
in the depth of the great sea.
4. His waters shake, they become
muddy from their dust; the mountains tremble in your pride forever.
5. Peoples like rivers and their
fountains come and make glad the city of the Lord, and they pray in the Lord’s
sanctuary, his exalted dwelling.
6. The presence of the Lord is
within it, it will not be shaken; the Lord will help her for the merit of
Abraham who prayed on it at the morning hours.
7. When the Torah was given to
his people, the Gentiles trembled; kingdoms shook when he raised his voice; and
when he gave the Torah to his people, the inhabitants of the earth melted.
8. The word of the Lord Sabaoth
is our help; the God of Jacob is a stronghold for us forever.
9. Come, see the deeds of the
Lord who has put devastation on the wicked of the land.
10. He annuls war to the ends of
the earth;
¶ He will break the bow and
shatter the lance; the round shields He will burn with fire.
11. Cease from war, and know that
I am the Lord, exalted among the peoples, exalted over the inhabitants of the
earth.
12. The word of the Lord Sabaoth
is our help; the God of Jacob is a stronghold for us forever.
Ketubim Midrash Psalm 46
I. For the leader; of the sons of Korah; upon Alamoth. A song (Ps. 46:1). The word Alamoth (“hidden things”) is to be considered
in the light of the verse Who does great things past finding out;
yea, marvellous things that cannot be told (Job 9:10). No man can
tell the great things and marvelous works of the Holy One, blessed be He. And
so, in To Him who alone
does great wonders (Ps. 136:4), what can alone imply except
that God alone knows what He does for you? Even
so the sons of Korah said Upon
Alamoth. A song: The things we saw are hidden, and we did not understand what we saw.
In another comment, the phrase Upon
Alamoth is read Upon worlds, and is taken to mean that
the sons of Korah said: “We have seen two
worlds: the world of the righteous and the world of the wicked.” For
their eyes had seen the punishment of those who
trusted in their wealth and in their riches, of whom it is said They that trust in their wealth, and boast
themselves in the multitude o f their
riches (Ps. 49:7) : In the hour of punishment what can such
men do? Their riches will not sustain them, as Scripture says, Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able
to deliver them (Zeph. 1:18).
Nor will it help a man to say: “My father was worthy: Behold, I shall be delivered because of him. My brother was righteous: He will be the cause of my rescue.” Even Abraham
could not deliver Ishmael, and Jacob could not deliver Esau, for Scripture says 'Oh, no man can by any means redeem (Ps. 49:8). And how is the word 'Oh to be interpreted? On the day that he sees his son or his
brother punished in Gehenna, the righteous man exclaims: "Alas
('Oh)! How hard is this day!" for he cannot deliver him. Hence Alas, no man can by any means
redeem. For too costly is the
redemption o f their soul (Ps. 49:9). The
righteous ask the Holy One, blessed be He:
“Why is it so costly?” and the Holy
One, blessed be He, replies: “Have I not said `Take your God while He is to be had cheaply?’ I am He who
said: Take no ransom (Ex. 23:8), but
I am also He who said: Give Me a ransom, and I shall take it from you, as is said
He
takes a ransom from the bosom of the
wicked (Prov. 17:23) Had the wicked
given it to Me during their life I would have taken it, but now I shall not take it.” Hence it is said For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever (ibid.).
The last words mean that the
chance of redemption ceases when
they die, ceases not for a day, nor for a year, but ceases for ever.
Even if a man should live for ever
will he not see the pit? (Ps. 49:10). What was the place where the sons of Korah
went? It was the
nether-world. [Thus they came to know that the wicked] like sheep are appointed for the nether-world and
that death is their shepherd, and that
the upright go down among them in the morning (Ps. 49:15). What is meant by the phrase in the
morning (boker)? That in the morning the righteous go down to visit (ba.kker) the wicked. The sons of Korah were asked: “What do the righteous do there?” and they
answered: The righteous sing the song
God is our refuge and help (Ps. 46:2), as if to say, God is a very present help
to us in every trouble that comes
upon us. For if a mortal king be petitioned: “Help me in my trouble,” he will not know what to do until the man comes near him. Not so the Holy One, blessed be
He. He is A very present help in trouble, for He is near to us at every trouble
that comes upon us. As God says, I will be
with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor (Ps. 91:15).
2. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the
seas (Ps. 46:3). The
sons of Korah said: Fear not on the day when the
Holy One, blessed be He, will shake the wicked out of the earth, as is said To take hold o f the ends o f the
earth, that the wicked might be
shaken out of it (Job 38:13), and
also For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth (Isa. 65:17).
On that day where will the righteous stand? They will cleave to the throne of
glory which is under the wings of the Presence, as is said But you that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day (Deut. 4:4)
3. The waters thereof roar and foam (Ps. 46:4) – that is, on the day of judgment the waters of the great deep will roar, and the
wicked in God's wrath shall be whirled about as is meat in a pot. The river
of the city of God – its streams make glad (Ps. 46:5), for it is said "Waters of life shall
go forth from Jerusalem"
(Zech. 14:8). God is in the midst of her, she shall not be
moved (Ps. 46:6). From these words we
learn that the whole world will be
shaken and changed, but Jerusalem
will stand fast. God shall
help her, when the morning appears (Ps. 46:6) – that is, when [Israel's]
twilight will be made as the dawn. The verse The gentiles raged, the kingdoms were
moved, He uttered His voice, the
earth melted (Ps. 46:7) describes
the judgment of the wicked.
The Lord of hosts is with us
(ibid. 46:8). The sons of Korah said to the righteous: "Fear not.
We saw all the miracles which He wrought for us," as is said And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up,
and their households (Num. 16:32).
"And
where were we in that hour? Aloft in space," as is written The sons of Korah died not (Num. 26:11).
According to R. Nehemiah, at the time the earth opened and the two hundred and
fifty men were swallowed up, the Holy One, blessed be He, made it possible for the sons of Korah
to stand like a mast: They stood as a sign,
for it is said What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, they became a sign (ibid. 26:10). Thus the sons of Korah said: "You righteous, fear not the terror of the day of judgment, for you will not be taken with
the wicked, even as we were not taken
with them." Hence it is said, Therefore will
we not fear, though the earth be removed (Ps. 46:3), and also it is said For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from you,
neither shall the covenant of My
peace be removed, says the Lord that has
mercy on you (Isa. 54:10).
Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 8:14-22
1. ¶ When Yeshuah descended from
the hill, a vast number followed him.
2. ¶ Then behold, a leper came,
bowed to him, and said to him: “Please Master, if you are able, cleanse me by
curing my leprosy.”
3. Yeshuah extended his hand and
touched him and said: “I will that you be cleansed” and in that hour the leper
was cleansed and healed from his leprosy.
4. Then Yeshuah said to him: “See
this, do not tell just any man about these things, but rather, go the Kohen
(Priest) and offer the korban (sacrifice) as Ha-Shem instructed Mosheh.
5. ¶ And it came to pass that
when Yeshuah entered K’far Nakhum HaGalil (Capernaum of Galilee) a captain of
the Roman army came near to him and implored him,
6. And saying: “Master, my son is
lying at the house paralyzed and he is weak with the illness.”
7. And Yeshuah said: “Having
come, I will restore him.”
8. Replying, the captain
responded: “Master, I am not fit to have you come in under my roof. Rather,
only speak, and by a pronouncement my boy will be healed.
9. For I am also a man, subject
to authority, with soldiers and horses subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’
and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’
and he does it.”
10. Having hear this, Yeshuah was
surprised, and said to those who were following: “Amen, I say to you, I have
not found such great faithful obedience in Israel.”
11. ¶ “I tell you may will come
from the East and from the West, and sit down with Abraham, Yitschaq, and
Ya’aqob in the kingdom (government) of the Heavens.
12. Yet, some sons of the kingdom
[of Israel]
will go forth into the dark places of Gehinom where there will be weeping and
grinding of teeth.”
13.¶ Yeshuah said to the captain:
“Go, as you believed so let it become to you.” And the boy was restored to
health at that very moment.
14. ¶ And when Yeshuah entered
into the house of Shimon Ha-Tsefet bar Yonah, Yeshuah saw Ha-Tsefet’s
mother-in-law lying ill with a burning fever.
15. He touched her hand and the
burning fever let go of her and she arose and began waiting on him.
16. Around dusk they brought to him many who were
under the control of demons, and he threw out the spirits with a word alone and
cared for all that were afflicted in evil
17. so that it would be fulfilled
that which was spoken through Y’shayahu (Isaiah) the Prophet, saying: “Surely
our sickness he did bear, and our sins he carried” (Isaiah 53:4).
18. ¶ Now Yeshuah, when He saw
the great throngs around him, gave orders to cross to the other side of Yam
Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
19. And a scribe of the Sadducees
came up and said to him, Rabbi, I will accompany you wherever you go.
20. And Yeshuah replied to him:
“Foxes have holes and the birds of the heavens have nests, but I, a human
being, do not own land to lay my head.”
21. One of his Talmidim
(disciples) said to him, Master, give me leave until I shall bury my father.
22. But Yeshuah said to him,
“Follow me, and take a leave from burying your father!”
Pirqe Abot
“All Israel have a share in the World to
Come, as it is stated: And Your people are all righteous/charitable; they shall
inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My
hands, in which to glorify Me” (Isaiah 60:21).
Pirqe Abot IV:10-12
Mishnah 10
Rabbi Meir says: “Minimize your
business activities and occupy yourself with the Torah. Be of humble spirit
before every person. If you should neglect the [study of] Torah, you will have
many causes for neglecting [it] confronting you, but if you toil much in the
Torah, there is ample reward to be given you.”
"But if you toil much in the Torah, there is ample reward to be
given you." (4:10) QUESTION: Instead of "amalta" —
"toiled" — he should have said "lamadeta" —
"learned" — or "asakta" — "engaged"?
ANSWER: In the prayer recited
upon concluding a Talmudic tractate, we say "The advantage of those who
learn Torah over those who engage in worldly matters is that we toil and they
toil. “We toil and receive reward, and they toil and do not receive reward.”
(See Berachot 28b.) This is problematic because anyone who works usually
receives some sort of payment.
The superior reward for toiling
in the Torah can be illustrated with the following parable: In a big company
there are employees of all different levels, from the chief executive officer
to the blue collar workers on the assembly line. Usually the chief executive
officer receives an enormous salary, and the blue collar worker only gets
minimum wage or a bit more. While the blue collar employee on the assembly line
puts in a full day with sweat and toil, the chief executive officer is often
away on vacation or having a leisurely business lunch.
One may ponder the injustice of
it all: The dedicated employee should receive the generous salary while the
chief executive officer should receive nominal compensation for his leisurely
work. Obviously, the world recognizes and rewards accomplishment, not effort.
Ha-Shem's system of reward is the
reverse. If one learns through a piece of Talmud quickly and easily, he
receives a smaller reward than one who wrestles with the material for a lengthy
period. Thus the famed adage: “G-d does not count the folio pages, but the
hours spent studying.”
The Mishnah is teaching that “If
you will toil in Torah,” then you will receive maximum reward — in stark
contrast to the world's centers of commerce, which only reward accomplishment.
When Iyov expressed his
displeasure with the way Ha-Shem dealt with him, his friend Elifaz, attempting
to clarify matters for him, said, "Ki adam le'amal yulad" — “For man
is born to toil” (Job 5:7). The word "le'amal" — "to toil"
— has the same root as the word in the Mishnah "amalta baTorah" — “toiled
in Torah” — and is an acronym for "lilmod al menat lekayeim" — “to
study for the sake of fulfilling.” The purpose of toiling in Torah is not just
to acquire more Torah knowledge, but to know how to fulfill the commandments of
Ha-Shem, and this is the whole purpose of man.
“If you should neglect the [study of Torah] you will have many causes
for neglecting [it] confronting you.” (4:10)
QUESTION: The word "kenegdecha" — "confronting you" —
is superfluous?
ANSWER: Rabbi Meir is advising
man to minimize his business activities and engage in Torah. The common excuse
for not doing so is “I have no free time to give up.” Therefore Rabbi Meir
says, if you are neglecting Torah study with the excuse that your business
keeps you extremely busy, remember that you waste time for your personal
pleasures which are “kenegdecha” — “against you.” They are proof [against you]
that you have time when you want it. Examine yourself honestly, and you will
indeed see that you waste much time for unnecessary pleasures. Hence, there is
no excuse that you cannot take off time from your busy schedule for the study
of Torah.
Alternatively, through neglecting
Torah study, one will not only lack in fulfilling the mitzvah (commandment) of
learning Torah, but also not know the proper methods of observance for many
mitzvoth (commandments). One may even be ignorant of the mere existence of
certain mitzvoth (commandments). Thus, in addition to the bitul (neglect of) Torah,
one will be confronted with many other bitulim — instances of neglect. On the
other hand, for the one who toils in Torah, Ha-Shem will have ample reward, not
only for the mitzvah of studying Torah itself, but also for the proper
fulfillment of many mitzvoth.
Mishnah 11
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says:
"He who fulfills one mitzvah (commandment) acquires for himself one
advocate, and he who commits one transgression acquires against himself one
accuser. Repentance and good deeds are like a shield against retribution."
Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar says:
"Every assembly [whose purpose is] for the sake of Heaven will have
abiding results, but that which is not for the sake of Heaven will not have
abiding results."
"He who fulfills one mitzvah acquires form himself one advocate,
and he who commits one transgression acquires against himself one
accuser." (4:11) QUESTION:
Why the emphasis one mitzvah (commandment) and one averah (transgression). It
should have just said, "If one performs a mitzvah ... if one commits an
averah"?
ANSWER: The Mishnah is teaching
that if one has done only one mitzvah (commandment) and a multitude of averot
(transgressions), nevertheless, with the one and only mitzvah he has created an
advocate for himself, one which does not become nullified in the many
transgressions. The same is true also with the person who is righteous all his
days and does only one averah. He creates an adversary against himself and it
does not become nullified in the multitude of mitzvoth he performs.
The Mishnah then goes on to
counsel people in both categories. Neither the one who has been righteous all
his life and only committed one averah, or the one who has been wicked all his
life and did only one mitzvah should become disillusioned, because Ha-Shem
created teshuba (repentance/returning), which together with good deeds, will
shield the person against retribution.
The great significance of only
one mitzvah can be seen in the message Moshe imparted to K'lal Yisrael (the
community of Israel) on the last day of his life, “If your dispersed will be at
the ends of the heavens, from there G-d, your G-d, will gather you in and from
there He will take you” (Debarim/Deuteronomy 30:4).
Superficially one may wonder,
since people do not live in heaven; he should have stated, "If your
dispersed will be at the ends of the earth"?
Perhaps the explanation could be
the following: Shamayim — heavens — denotes spiritual matters, while aretz —
earth — refers to the mundane and material. The term "biketzeh" —
"at the ends" — comes from the word "ketzat" — "a
little bit."
Now, since every Jew definitely
has done at least a little good and definitely has some merits in heaven, Moshe
told the Jewish people: "Im yiheyeh nidachacha — In the event that some of
you may be dispersed — you need not worry because as long as you are holding
onto biketzeh hashamayim — a little bit of spirituality, i.e., you performed a
mitzvah — this will serve as the string through which Ha-Shem will take hold of
you and bring you back to Him and the Jewish people."
"He who fulfills one mitzvah acquires for himself one
advocate." (4:11) QUESTION: The simple meaning of the Mishnah is that
the performance of a mitzvah creates an angel who acts as an advocate for the
person in his final judgment (see Bartenura), so instead of "kanah" —
"acquires" — it should have said "barah" —
"creates"? Moreover, since the Mishnah is talking about what one
accomplishes by doing one mitzvah, it should just say he acquires an advocate.
The word "one [advocate]" is superfluous?
ANSWER: The fact that the Mishnah
uses the expression "acquires" rather than "creates"
implies something deeper. In addition to the angel created by each mitzvah he
performs, a person acquires One advocate; the One and Only, blessed be He,
becomes an advocate for him. Conversely, "He who commits one transgression
acquires against himself one accuser" — here also, the intent is that
"the One" becomes an accuser, because through sin, a person disrupts
the connection between himself and Ha-Shem.
Since the Mishnah is not
referring to the angelic advocate created by the performer of the mitzvah, but
to Ha-Shem, therefore the term "acquires" is appropriate because He
created us and everything, and we cannot create Him.
"He who fulfills one mitzvah acquires for himself one
advocate." (4:11) QUESTION:
Why doesn't the Mishnah distinguish whether the mitzvah was done
"lishmah" — “with proper intention” — or not?
ANSWER: The chiddush — innovation
— of the Mishnah is that though the strength of the angel the person creates
through the performance of a mitzvah depends on the person's intent,
nevertheless, for every mitzvah a person performs, regardless of his intent, it
connects him with Ha-Shem and the person acquires "praklit echad" —
the One and Only as an advocate.
When Avraham was about to
slaughter Yitzchak in the Akedah as a sacrifice to Ha-Shem, an angel said to
him, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad nor do anything to him,
for now I know that you are a G-d fearing man since you have not withheld your
son, your only one, mimeni — from Me" (Beresheet 22:12).
The word "mimeni" —
"from Me" — seems superfluous. Would it not have been sufficient to
say "You have not withheld your son, your only one"? In fact, further
on (ibid. 22:16), the word
"mimeni" is not employed.
According to the plain sense of
the Mishnah for every mitzvah a Jew fulfills, an angel is created in heaven
(Bartenura). When one performs a mitzvah, but does not do so properly, or
without all the details, the angel created is incomplete. Thanks to Avraham's
passing the test of the Akedah with flying colors, a perfect angel was born. It
was this angel who appeared and instructed him "Do not stretch out your
hand against the lad nor do anything to him."
Avraham was reluctant to listen
to the angel because he was uncertain as to whether he had fulfilled Ha-Shem's
wish since in actuality Yitzchak was still alive. The angel therefore assured
Avraham, “I know that you are a G-d fearing man and that you were
wholeheartedly prepared to offer your son to Ha-Shem. I know this 'mimeni' —
'from me' — from the fact that I was created a completely strong and healthy
angel."
"Every assembly [whose purpose is] for the sake of Heaven will
have abiding results, but that which is not for the sake of Heaven will not
have abiding results." (4:11)
QUESTION: "Leshem shamayim" literally means "for the Name of
Heaven." What does an assembly have to do with "the Name of
Heaven"?
ANSWER: On the second day of
creation Ha-Shem made the "rakia" — firmament — and separated between
the waters which were above the firmament and beneath the firmament. Ha-Shem
called the firmament "shamayim" — "heavens" (Beresheet/Genesis
1:7-8). Why did Ha-Shem select the name "shamayim" over the name
"rakia"?
The word "shamayim" is
a contraction of two words "eish" — "fire" and
"mayim" — "waters," because He mixed them with one another
and made out of them the heavens (see Beresheet 1:8, Rashi). While usually
water extinguishes fire and fire evaporates water, miraculously these two
opposites exist together. Since "rakia" represents separation, and
"shamayim" represents unity, Ha-Shem selected the name
"shamayim" to indicate that unity is the most important ingredient
for the world to exist.
Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar is
saying that when an assembly is conducted in the form of "leshem
shamayim" — "for the name of heaven" — with a spirit of unity,
then it will have abiding results. But if the assembly is not "leshem shamayim,"
and there is fragmentation and disharmony — there are no lasting results.
"Every assembly [whose purpose is] for the sake of Heaven will
have abiding results, but that which is not for the sake of Heaven will not
have abiding results." (4:11)
QUESTION: How can one know if a gathering is "leshem shamayim" —
"for the sake of Heaven"?
ANSWER: At all conventions and
gatherings there are speakers discussing various subjects, followed by
resolutions which are read publicly before the close and which delineate
"the bottom line" of the convention.
The Mishnah is explaining how to
determine if a gathering is leshem shamayim — for the sake of Heaven. One
should carefully examine "sofah" — the resolutions which come at the
end. If they contain an emphasis on "lehitkayem" — to maintain Torah
and Jewishness and the continuity of K'lal Yisrael (the people of Israel)
— it is proof that the gathering was leshem shamayim. If, however, there is no
mention in the concluding statement that the purpose and aspiration of the
convention is "lehitkayem" — to preserve the future of Torah and
K'lal Yisrael (the people of Israel) — then the convention cannot be considered
as one which was "leshem shamayim."
Mishnah 12
Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua says:
"Let the honor of your student be as dear to you as your own, the honor of
your colleague as the reverence for your teacher, and the reverence for your
teacher as the fear of Heaven."
"Let the honor of your student be as dear to you as your own … and
the reverence for your teacher as the fear of Heaven." (4:12) QUESTION: What prompted Rabbi
Eliezer to caution the teacher about the students honor and caution the student
to fear his teacher?
ANSWER: In the Talmud (Ta'anit
7a) Rabbi Chanina says, “I learnt much from my teachers, and more than that I
learned from my colleagues, and from my students I learned more than from all
of them.” Since the teacher benefits very much from the student, Rabbi Eliezer
instructs the teacher that the student's honor should be as dear to him as his
own. On the other hand, he instructs the student that though the teacher
benefits much from the student, nevertheless, the student must have the utmost
reverence for the teacher to the extent that it is comparable to the fear of
Heaven.
"The honor of your colleague [should be] as the fear for your
teacher." (4:12) QUESTION:
What lesson can be derived in regard to honoring a colleague from the fear of a
teacher?
ANSWER: A student does not honor
and fear his teacher because he anticipates that the teacher will reciprocate
and show fear in return. It is strictly because of the teacher's position.
Likewise, the honor one gives a friend should not be contingent on his giving
honor in return. Even when he does not return the honor, one should honor him
because a good friend is a valuable asset which one should cherish dearly.
"And the reverence of your teacher as the fear of Heaven." QUESTION:
What message is there in this for the teacher?
ANSWER: Students observe and
analyze a teacher meticulously. Spending much time in the presence of the
teacher gives them an opportunity to evaluate the extent of his yirat shamayim
— fear of Ha-Shem. The Mishnah is telling the teacher that if he expects
"mora rabach" — that the students should fear him — it is contingent
on "mora shamayim" — [his i.e. the teacher’s] fear of Heaven. When
students see that their teacher is great in this attribute, they will hold him
in awe.
Commentary
The quote in our reading from the
Midrash of Matityahu, of the text of Isaiah 53:4 comes from the Ashlamatah that
we read two weeks ago (i.e. Isaiah Isaiah 52:6-13 + 53:4-5) in connection to
the Sidrah (Pentateuch reading) of Sh’mot (Exodus) 6:2 – 7:7. It seems that
Matityahu this week wants to weld the previous Sidrah with the one for this
week. Thus, Matityahu is cleverly reminding us this week of the contents of
last ordinary Sabbath Sidrah and linking it with the one for this week.
The first plague of the Exodus is
according to the Torah reading for this week the plague of water being turned
into blood. In fact as we see throughout the Scriptures a bond is made between
water and blood. Matityahu, and our reading of Pirke Abot for this week brings
to us this connection in another set of metaphors: Torah which is midrashically
represented as water, and the life of a human being spent in the study of Torah
represented by the metaphor of blood.
Now in this week’s reading of the
Midrash of Matityahu as often the case in the writings of the Nazarean Codicil
the Master of Nazareth is presented with a case of conflicting priorities with
regards to obedience to the commandments and he is asked to decide which is the
correct way to go about it. A disciple of his posits a question. Note that this
is not someone testing him, this is a real case and a real problem. Further we
must note that in the Nazaren Codicil and in the Jewish world a “disciple” is
not just a simple follower or student. The term entails a very special bond
between teacher/mentor and his disciple, a bond with more profound allegiances
that that between a father and his own son. To be a “disciple” means that one
is a full time student at a post-graduate level with a very intelligent and G-d
fearing Torah teacher, by which the student becomes a true son to his Torah
Teacher and the Torah Teacher a true father to his student. So this is the
setting in which we find this question being posed by one of the Master’s own
Talmidim.
The Talmid (disciple) asks his
Master (Yeshuah): “Master, give me leave until I shall bury my father.” George
M. Lamsa (the translator of the Peshita Bible from Aramaic into English) has
correctly suggested that one of the Master’s disciples was asking permission
from him to take care of his father in his old age and then to see to his
burial, after which he would be free to
follow the Master once again (Gospel
Light, Philadelphia: A. J. Holman Company, 1936 & 1967, p. 62). Paqid Yirmiyahu ben David agrees with Lamsa
in this interpretation and rendering of the text and in his “The N’tzarim Reconstruction of Matityahu” (San
Jose, California: Schueller House, 1994, Vol. II, 8.22.1) states:
“The traditional
interpretation (that the father had already died and was awaiting burial) is
wholly untenable. Except in extenuating circumstances, Jews bury their dead
within 24 hrs. If this father was dead and unburied the son would have been is
his own house “Yashav Shivah” – sitting (on the floor) seven days as an Onen
(mourner). The Onen (mourner) would leave the house only to take care of
funeral arrangements – and would not have been out talking to Yeshuah (cf.
Maurice Lamm, The Jewish Way in Death and
Mourning, New York: Jonathan David Publishers, 1969).”
We agree completely with these
arguments and must logically reject the traditional Christian interpretation
and rendition of Matityahu 8:21-22 as being totally unfounded. So the case here
is one of conflict of interests in the obedience of Torah commandments, for on
the one hand we have the positive commandment to honor father and mother (cf.
Exodus 20:12) and the
positive commandment to cleave unto G-d, most blessed be He (cf. Deuteronomy
10:20 – which Jewish Sages since Moses have interpreted to mean that one has to
become a disciple of a Torah Sage). The Master of Nazareth resolves this
conundrum with the following statement: “Follow me, and take a leave from
burying your father!”
In other words, the positive
command to “cleave unto G-d” (i.e. to cleave unto one’s Torah Teacher and serve
and study under him) takes precedence over the command to take care for one’s
own parents. For, in fact, there is no higher privilege for a father or mother
than to have reared up and supported in the training of his/her son as a Torah
Scholar. The blessings from G-d, most blessed be He, flowing to such parents
are most certainly astonishing indeed! This position is supported by our
reading of Pirke Abot for this week: “(let) the reverence for your teacher (be)
as the fear of Heaven.” (Abot 4:12).
In other words, it is impossible
for anyone to say that the love of G-d, or the fear of G-d, is with them if
they are not prepared to love and fear their Torah teacher as much as they love
and fear G-d, most blessed be He! To do otherwise shows the degree of human
rebellion against G-d, and the depth of hypocrisy in such persons. G-d has
bestowed “gifts” in human form to His people, and these are agents of His, and
the honour, love, devotion, obedience, and fear we have for these agents or
human “gifts” is in reality a reflection of the honour, love, devotion,
obedience and fear of G-d that a person has for G-d.
When a person looses this
reverence and devotion towards his/her Torah teacher then it should be an
automatic warning to such person that his/her relationship with G-d is growing
perilously cold or non-existent. On the other hand, this judgment of the Mater
of Nazareth, reminds us of the key meaning of the binding at the cross of the
Master of Nazareth our Messiah, it surely is a fountain of grace , but grace is
give for a purpose – to fulfill our holy vocation to train ourselves under a
suitable Torah Teacher to become Torah Scholars ourselves.
And this is clearly articulated
by Hakham Shaul when he states:
“Study and be
eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial),
a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately
dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth (i.e. the
Torah – cf. Psalm 119:142).” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Perhaps, at this point before
closing our comments for this Shabbat we may ask a small question for us to
consider and meditate on it. When Hakham (Rabbi) Shaul (Paul) wrote to his
Talmid (disciple) Timothy: “Study and be
eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by
trial)”, who in particular did Hakham Shaul (Apostle Paul) had in mind
should be granting this approval, and who should legitimately conduct this test
or trial before a person is approved to skillfully teach Torah? Please do not
answer immediately from what you have heard or been taught but search the
Scriptures thoroughly to find answers to this good question.
Shalom Shabbat!
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227 Millset
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