|
Esnoga Bet Emunah 4544 Highline Dr. SE Olympia, WA 98501 United States of America © 2014 E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com |
|
Esnoga Bet El 102 Broken Arrow Dr. Paris TN 38242 United States of America © 2014 E-Mail: waltoakley@charter.net |
Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) /
Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
|
Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings |
Second
Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle |
|
Shebat 24, 5774 – Jan 24/Jan 25, 2014 |
Fifth Year of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:
|
Amarillo,
TX, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:49 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:48 PM |
Austin
& Conroe, TX, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:42 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:39 PM |
Brisbane,
Australia Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 6:28 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 7:24 PM |
|
Chattanooga,
& Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:43 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:42 PM |
Everett,
WA. U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 4:38 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 5:47 PM |
Manila & Cebu, Philippines Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:33 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:25 PM |
|
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:40 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:35 PM |
Murray,
KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 4:52 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 5:52 PM |
Olympia,
WA, U.S. Fri. Jan 24 2014 – Candles at 4:44 PM Sat. Jan 25 2014 – Habdalah 5:52 PM |
|
San Antonio, TX, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 5:47 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 6:43 PM |
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 4:32 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 5:37 PM |
Singapore,
Singapore Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 7:00 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 7:51 PM |
|
St.
Louis, MO, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 4:55 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 5:56 PM |
Tacoma,
WA, U.S. Fri. Jan
24 2014 – Candles at 4:41 PM Sat. Jan
25 2014 – Habdalah 5:50 PM |
|
|
|
|
|
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved
wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah
His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham
His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife
HH Giberet Karmela 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 Laurie Taylor
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved
wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved
family
Her Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved
family
His Excellency Adon Yoel ben Abraham
His Excellency Adon Tsuriel ben Abraham and beloved
wife HE Giberet Gibora bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Archie Hunnicutt and beloved wife
HE Giberet Lisa Hunnicutt
His Excellency Adon HE Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and
beloved wife HE Giberet Rut bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Michael Murray and beloved wife HE
Giberet Leah Murray
His Excellency Adon Kyle Sullivan
His Excellency Adon Zev ben Abraham and beloved wife HE
Giberet Katrina Shulgen
His Excellency Adon Michael Harston
For their regular and
sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s
richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together
with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!
Also a great thank you and great blessings be upon all
who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly
Torah Seder and allied topics.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that
you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to
receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your
friends. Toda Rabba!
Shabbat “HaMetsorá” – “Of the Leper”
&
Mevar’chim
HaChodesh Adar I
Proclamation
of the New Moon for Adar I
|
Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
הַמְּצֹרָע |
|
Saturday
Afternoon |
|
“HaMetsorá” |
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 14:1-8 |
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 15:1-5 |
|
“of
the leper” |
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 14:9-16 |
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 15:5-10 |
|
“del
leproso” |
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 14:17-20 |
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 15:11-15 |
|
Vayiqra (Lev.) 14:1-57 B’Midbar Num. 28:9-15 |
Reader 4 – Vayiqra 14:21-32 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: II
Kings 7:3-11 + 8:4-5 I
Samuel 20:18,42 |
Reader 5 – Vayiqra 14:33-42 |
Monday & Thursday Mornings |
|
|
Reader 6 – Vayiqra 14:43-48 |
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 15:1-5 |
|
Psalm 78:40-72 |
Reader 7 – Vayiqra 14:49-57 |
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 15:5-10 |
|
|
Maftir – B’Midbar 28:9-15 |
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 15:11-15 |
|
1 Pet 5:1-14; Lk 13:22 – 14:6 Acts 23:31 - 24:21 |
II Kings 7:3-11 + 8:4-5 I Samuel 20:18,42 |
|
Blessings Before
Torah Study
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d,
King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and
commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!
Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, 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 desire. Blessed are You,
Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d,
King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah.
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!
Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a
Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following
Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the
Children of Israel:
May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; -
Amen!
May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and grant you peace. – Amen!
This way, the priests will link My
Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."
These are the Laws for which the
Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left
in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be
offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one
visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when 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: Honouring 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!
Contents of the
Torah Seder
·
Purification of a
Person Afflicted with Miraculous Leprosy – Leviticus 14:1-32
·
Miraculous Leprosy in
a House – Leviticus 14:33-53
·
Summary of the
Contents of this Section – Leviticus 14:54-57
Reading Assignment:
The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol.
XI: The Divine Service
By: Rabbi Yaaqov Culi & Rabbi Yitschaq
Magriso, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New
York, 1989)
Vol. 11 – “The Divine Service,” pp.
301-320
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 14:1-57
|
RASHI |
TARGUM
PSEUDO JONATHAN |
|
1.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, |
1.
And the LORD spoke with Mosheh, saying, |
|
2. This shall be the law of the person afflicted with
tzara'ath, on the day of his cleansing: He shall be
brought to the kohen. |
2. This will be the law for the leper:
on the day of his purification he will be brought to the priest. |
|
3. The kohen shall go outside the camp, and the
kohen shall look, and behold, the lesion of tzara'ath has healed in the
afflicted person. |
3. And the priest will go forth out of the camp,
and look, and behold, the leper has been healed of his leprosy. |
|
4. Then the kohen shall order, and the person to
be cleansed shall take two live, clean birds, a cedar stick, a strip of
crimson [wool], and hyssop. |
4. Then the priest will direct that he who is to
be cleansed take two birds, alive and clean, and wood of the cedar, and
scarlet (wool), and hyssop. |
|
5. The kohen shall order, and one shall slaughter
the one bird into an earthenware vessel, over spring water. |
5. And the priest will instruct the killer to kill
one of the birds in an earthen vessel with spring water. |
|
6. [As for] the live bird, he shall take it, and
then the cedar stick, the strip of crimson [wool], and the hyssop, and, along
with the live bird, he shall dip them into the blood of the slaughtered bird,
over the spring water. |
6. Let him take the living bird with the cedar
wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in
the blood of the bird that had been killed, and in the spring water. |
|
7. He shall then sprinkle seven times upon the
person being cleansed from tzara'ath, and he shall cleanse him. He shall then
send away the live bird into the [open] field. |
7. And let him sprinkle it upon the face of him
who is to be cleansed of the leprosy seven times, and cleanse him; and send
forth. the living bird over the face of the field. And it will be that if
that man is again to be stricken with leprosy, the living bird will come back
to his house on that day, and may be held fit to be eaten. But the bird that
had been killed the priest will bury in the presence of the leper. |
|
8.
The person being cleansed shall then immerse his garments, shave off all his
hair, and immerse [himself] in water, and become clean. After this, he may enter
the camp, but he shall remain outside his tent for seven days. |
8.
And he who is cleansed will wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and
wash himself in water, and be clean; and afterward he may enter the camp, but
will dwell without his tent, the house of his habitation, and come not to the
side of his wife for seven days. |
|
9. And it shall be, on the seventh day, that he
shall shave off all his hair: [that of] his head, his beard, his eyebrows;
indeed, all his hair, he shall shave off. He shall then immerse his garments
and immerse his flesh in water, thus becoming clean. |
9. And on the seventh day he will again shave off
all the hair of his head, of the beard, and of the eyebrows, even all his
hair will he shave, and dip his clothes, and wash his flesh in water, and he
is clean. |
|
10.
And on the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished [male] lambs, one
unblemished ewe lamb in its [first] year, three tenths [of an ephah] of fine
flour mixed with [olive] oil as a meal offering, and one log of [olive] oil. |
10.
And on the eighth day let him take two lambs unblemished, and one ewe lamb of
the year unblemished; and three-tenths of flour for the mincha mingled with
olive oil, and one log of olive oil. |
|
11. And the kohen who is performing the cleansing
shall place the person being cleansed [together] with these [things], before
the Lord, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. |
11. And the priest who purifies the man who is to
be cleansed will make him stand with the lambs before the LORD at the door of
the tabernacle of ordinance. |
|
12. And the kohen shall take one [male] lamb and
bring it as a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and wave them as a
waving before the Lord. |
12. And the priest will take one lamb, and offer
him as an oblation for trespass, with the log of oil, and uplift them all
elevation before the LORD. |
|
13.
He shall slaughter the lamb in the place where one slaughters the sin
offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place. For regarding the kohen['s
service], the guilt offering is like the sin offering. It is a holy of
holies. |
13.
And the slayer will kill the lamb in the place where the sin offering is
killed, and the burnt offering, in the holy place; because, as the sin
offering, so the trespass offering is the priest's; it is most sacred. |
|
14. The kohen shall take some of the blood of the
guilt offering, and the kohen shall place it above the cartilage of the right
ear of the person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the
big toe of his right foot. |
14. And the priest will take of the blood of the
trespass offering, and will put it upon the middle point of the right ear of
him who is to be cleansed, and upon the middle joint of his right hand, and
on the middle joint of his right foot. |
|
15.
And the kohen shall take some of the log of oil, and pour [it] onto the
kohen's left palm. |
15.
And the priest, with his right hand, will take (some) from the log of oil,
and pour it upon the priest's left hand; |
|
16. The kohen shall then dip his right index finger
into some of the oil that is on his left palm, and sprinkle some of the oil
with his index finger seven times, before the Lord. |
16. and the priest will dip his right hand finger
in the oil which is in his left hand, and sprinkle the oil with his finger
seven times. |
|
17. And some of the remainder of the oil that is in
his palm, the kohen shall place on the cartilage of the right ear of the
person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of
his right foot, on [top of] the blood of the guilt offering. |
17. And of what remains of the oil that is in his
hand the priest will put some upon the cartilage of the right ear of him who
is to be cleansed, and upon the middle finger of his right hand, and on the
middle toe of his right foot upon the spot whereon he had first put the blood
of the trespass offering. |
|
18. And what is left over from the oil that is in
the kohen's palm, he shall place upon the head of the person being cleansed,
and the kohen shall effect atonement for him before the Lord. |
18. And that which yet remains of the oil that is
in the priest's hand he will put upon the head of him who is to be cleansed,
and the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD. |
|
19.
The kohen shall then perform [the service of] the sin offering and effect
atonement for the person being cleansed of his uncleanness. After this, he
shall slaughter the burnt offering. |
19.
And the priest will perform the oblation of the sin offering, and make
atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his defilement; and afterwards will
he kill the burnt offering. |
|
20. And the kohen shall bring up the burnt offering
and the meal offering to the altar. The kohen shall thus effect atonement for
him, and he shall be [completely] clean. |
20. And the priest will offer the burnt offering
with the mincha at the altar, and the priest will make atonement for him, and
he will be clean. |
|
21. But if he is poor and cannot afford [these
sacrifices], he shall take one [male] lamb as a guilt offering for a waving
to effect atonement for him, and one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed
with oil as a meal offering, and a log of oil. |
21. But if he be a poor man, and his hand have not
sufficiency, let him take one lamb for the trespass offering to be an
elevation to make atonement for him, and one tenth of flour mingled with
olive oil for the mincha, and a log of olive oil. |
|
22. And two turtle doves or two young doves, according
to what he can afford; one shall be a sin offering, and one a burnt offering. |
22. And two large turtle doves, or two young
pigeons, of the sufficiency of his hand, and let one be for the sin and one
for the burnt offering. |
|
23. And he shall bring them on the eighth day of
his cleansing, to the kohen, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, before
the Lord. |
23. And he will bring them on the eighth day for
his purification unto the priest, at the door of the tabernacle of ordinance.
___ |
|
24. And the kohen shall take the guilt offering
lamb and the log of oil, and the kohen shall wave them as a waving, before
the Lord. |
24. And the priest will take the lamb for the
trespass offering, and the log of oil, and uplift them, an elevation before
the LORD. |
|
25. And he shall slaughter the guilt offering lamb,
and the kohen shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering's and place
it on the cartilage of the right ear of the person being cleansed, on the
thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. |
25. And the slayer will kill the lamb of the
trespass offering, and the priest will take the blood of the trespass
offering, and put it upon the middle cartilage of the right ear of him who is
to be cleansed, and on the middle joint of his right hand, and on the middle
joint of his right foot. |
|
26.
And the kohen shall then pour some of the oil into the left palm of the
kohen. |
26.
And the priest will pour some of the oil with his right hand into the
priest's left hand, |
|
27. And the kohen shall sprinkle with his right
index finger some of the oil that is in his left palm, seven times before the
Lord. |
27. and the priest with the finger of his right
hand will sprinkle of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the
LORD. |
|
28. And the kohen shall place some of the oil that
is in his palm, on the cartilage of the right ear of the person being
cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right
foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. |
28. And the priest will put of the oil that is in
his hand on the middle cartilage of the right ear of him who is to be
cleansed, and on the middle joint of his right hand, and on the middle joint
of his right foot, upon the spot whereon he first put the blood of the
trespass offering. |
|
29. And what is left over from the oil that is in
the kohen's palm, he shall place upon the head of the person being cleansed,
to effect atonement for him, before the Lord. |
29. And what remains of the oil that is upon the
priest's hand he will put upon the head of him who is to be cleansed, to
atone for him before the LORD. |
|
30. He shall then perform [the service of] one of
the turtle doves or of the young doves, from whatever he can afford, |
30. And the priest will perform (the offering of)
one of the large turtle doves, or of the pigeons of which his hand had
sufficiency. |
|
31. [from] what he can afford, one as a sin
offering, and one as a burnt offering, besides the meal offering, and the
kohen shall effect atonement for the person being cleansed, before the Lord. |
31. That which his hand was sufficient to bring,
let him bring, one for the sin, and one for the burnt offering, with the
oblation of the mincha, and let the priest make atonement for him who is to
be cleansed before the LORD. |
|
32. This is the law of one in whom there is a
lesion of tzara'ath, who cannot afford [the full array of sacrifices], when
he is to be cleansed. |
32. This is the decree of instruction for him in
whom is the plague of leprosy. If there be not sufficiency in his hands to
bring the greater oblations, let him bring of these oblations which are
easier (and) which are here explained, on the day of his purification. |
|
33. And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron,
saying, |
33. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh and with Aharon,
saying, |
|
34. When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am
giving you as a possession, and I place a lesion of tzara'ath upon a house
in the land of your possession, |
34. When you have entered upon the land of Kenaan
which I will give you for a possession, and a man who has built a house by rapine finds that I
have put the plague of leprosy in the house of the land of your
inheritance; |
|
35. and the one to whom the house belongs comes and
tells the kohen, saying, "Something like a lesion has appeared to me in
the house," |
35. and he who owns the house will come to the
priest, saying, There is a plague, as it appears to me, in the house: |
|
36. the kohen shall order that they clear out the
house, before the kohen comes to look at the lesion, so that everything in
the house should not become unclean. After this, the kohen shall come to look
at the house. |
36. then the priest will direct that they make the
house empty before the priest comes to inspect the house, that all that is in
the house may not be (condemned as) unclean; and after that the priest will
go in to inspect the house. |
|
37. And he shall look at the lesion. Now, [if] the
lesion in the walls of the house consists of dark green or dark red sunken
looking stains, appearing as if deeper than the wall, |
37. And the priest will look, and, behold, if the
plague be like (the color of) two beans crushed with stones, and goes lower
than the four walls, green or red, and its appearance be deeper than the
walls; |
|
38. then the kohen shall go out of the house to
the entrance of the house, and he shall quarantine the house for seven days. |
38. the priest will go out from the house to the
door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. |
|
39. Then the kohen shall return on the seventh day
and look [at the house]. Now, [if] the lesion has spread in the walls of the
house, |
39. And the priest, returning on the seventh day, will
look, and, behold, if the breadth of the plague has increased in the wall of
the house, |
|
40. the kohen shall order that they remove the
stones upon which the lesion is [found], and they shall cast them away
outside the city, to an unclean place. |
40. then the priest will direct that they break out
the stones which have the plague in them, and throw them without the city
into an unclean place. |
|
41. And he shall scrape out the house from the
inside, all around, and they shall pour out the [mortar] dust from what they
scraped, outside the city, into an unclean place. |
41. And they will scrape the inside of the house
round about, and throw the dust which they have scraped off without the city
into an unclean place. |
|
42. And they shall take other stones and bring them
instead of those stones. And he shall take other [mortar] dust, and plaster
the house. |
42. And they will take other stones, and insert
them in the place of the (former) stones, and let other mortar be taken, and
the house be replastered. |
|
43. And if the lesion returns and erupts in the
house, after he had removed the stones, and after the house had been scraped
around and after it had been plastered, |
43. But if the plague return and increase in the
house, after the stones have been broken out, and after the house has been
scraped, and after that it has been replastered, |
|
44. then the kohen shall come and look [at it].
Now, [if] the lesion in the house has spread, it is malignant tzara'ath in
the house; it is unclean. |
44. then the priest will come and look, and,
behold, (if) the breadth of the plague has increased in the house, it is a
plain leprosy in the house, it is unclean. |
|
45. He shall demolish the house, its stones,
its wood, and all the [mortar] dust of the house, and he shall take [them]
outside the city, to an unclean place. |
45. Then will they destroy that house, and its
stones, and its timber, and all the plaster of the house, and lie will remove
it without the city to an unclean place. |
|
46. And anyone entering the house during all
the days of its quarantine shall become unclean until the evening. |
46. And whoever goes into the house in the days
that it is shut up, will be unclean until evening. |
|
47. And whoever lies down in the house, shall
immerse his garments, and whoever eats in the house, shall immerse his
garments. |
47. And whoever sleeps in the house will wash his
clothes, and whoever eats in the house will wash his clothes. |
|
48. But if the kohen comes and comes again and
looks [at the lesion], and behold, the lesion did not spread in the house,
after the house has been plastered, the kohen shall pronounce the house
clean, because the lesion has healed. |
48. But if, having gone in, the priest looks, and,
behold the breadth of the plague has not increased in the house, after the
house has been plastered, then the priest will make the house to be clean,
for the plague has healed. |
|
49. To [ritually] cleanse the house, he shall
take two birds, a cedar stick, a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop. |
49. And he will take, for the purification plague
of the house, two turtle doves and cedar-wood and scarlet and hyssop; |
|
50. He shall slaughter one bird into an
earthenware vessel, over spring water. |
50. and the slayer will kill one turtle dove in a
vessel of earthenware with spring water; |
|
51. And he shall take the cedar stick, the hyssop,
the strip of crimson [wool], and the live bird, and he shall dip them into
the blood of slaughtered bird and into the spring water and sprinkle towards
the house seven times. |
51. and he will take the cedar-wood and the hyssop
and the scarlet and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the bird
that had been killed and in the spring water, and sprinkle the house seven
times. |
|
52. And he shall [thus] cleanse the house with
the blood of the bird, the spring water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop
and the strip of crimson [wool]. |
52. And he will purify the house with the blood,
with the living bird, and with the cedar-wood, and with the hyssop, and with
the scarlet. |
|
53. He shall then send away the live bird
outside the city, onto the [open] field. He shall thus effect atonement for
the house, and it will be clean. |
53. And the living bird he will send forth out of
the town upon the face of the field, and will atone for the house, and it will
be clean. But if it is to be that the house will be again struck with
leprosy, the bird on that day will return, and may be fit for food. But the
bird that was killed will the priest bury in the presence of the owner of the
house. |
|
54. [All] this is the law for every lesion of
tzara'ath, and for a nethek, |
54. This is the decree of instruction in the law
for every plague of leprosy and scorbutus, |
|
55. And for tzara'ath of garments and houses, |
55. and for leprosy in apparel, or in a house; |
|
56. And for a se'eith and for a sapachath and
for a bahereth; |
56. and for tumors, scars, and inflamed blotches. |
|
57. To render decisions
regarding the day of uncleanness and the day of cleanness. This is the law of
tzara'ath. |
57. That the priest may teach the people to discern between the day of
darkness in which they may not be able to see the plague, and the day of
light; and between a man who is unclean and a man who is clean. This will be
the decree of instruction for the leprosy. |
|
|
|
Rashi &
Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: B’Midbar
(Num.) 28:9-15
|
Rashi |
Targum
Pseudo Jonathan |
|
9 On the Shabbat day [the offering will be] two
yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as
a meal-offering, mixed with [olive] oil, and its libation. |
9 but on the day of Shabbat two lambs of the
year without blemish, and two tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the
mincha and its libation. |
|
10 This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbat,
in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation. |
10 On the Sabbath you will make a Sabbath burnt
sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation. |
|
11 At the beginning of your months you will
bring a burnt-offering to Adonai, two young bulls, one ram, seven yearling
lambs, [all] without blemish. |
11 And at the beginning of your months you will
offer a burnt sacrifice before the Lord; two young bullocks, without mixture,
one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; |
|
12 And three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour
as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each bull, two tenths [of
an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with the [olive] oil for
the one ram, |
12 and three tenths of flour mingled with oil
for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the
mincha of the one ram; |
|
13 And one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour as
a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each lamb. A burnt-offering of
pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to Adonai. |
13 and one tenth of flour with olive oil for
the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received
with favour before the Lord. |
|
14 Their libations [will be], one half of a hin
for (a) bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a hin for
(the) lamb, of wine. This is the burnt-offering of each [Rosh] Chodesh, at
its renewal throughout the months of the year. |
14 And for their libation to be offered with
them, the half of a hin for a bullock, the third of a hin for the ram, and
the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt sacrifice
will be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of
the beginning of every month in the year; |
|
15 And [You will also bring] one he-goat for a
sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering it
will be done, and its libation. |
15 and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering
before the Lord at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual
burnt sacrifice will you perform with its libation. |
|
|
|
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 for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 14:1-57
2 This shall be the law of the person
afflicted with tzara’ath, on the day... This teaches [us] that [one
afflicted with tzara’ath] is not
[pronounced] clean at night.-[Torath
Kohanim 14:3; Meg. 21a]
3 outside the camp [I.e.,] outside the three camps, [namely, a)
the camp of the Shechinah, in which
the sanctuary is situated, b) the Levite camp, and c) the camp of Israel, where
the ordinary Israelites encamped], where he was sent during the time of his
“definite” uncleanness (See 13:46).
4 live [birds] Heb., חַיּוֹת, excluding [birds] that
have a fatal disease or injury.- [See Chul.
140a]
clean [birds] Excluding an unclean bird, [i.e., forbidden
to be eaten] (see Chul. 140a). [Why
are birds required for this cleansing rite?] Because lesions of tzara’ath
come as a result of derogatory speech, which is done by chattering. Therefore, for his cleansing,
this person is required to bring birds, which twitter constantly with chirping
sounds.-[Arachin 16b]
a cedar stick Because lesions of tzara’ath come because of haughtiness
[symbolized by the tall cedar].-[Arachin 16a]
a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop What is the remedy that he may be healed [of
his tzara’ath]? He must humble himself from his
haughtiness, just as [symbolized by] the תּוֹלַעַת [lit., “a worm,” which infested the berries from which the
crimson dye was extracted to color wool], and the [lowly] hyssop.-[Tanchuma
3]
cedar stick Heb. וְעֵץ
אֶרֶז, a stick of cedar
wood.-[Torath Kohanim 13:12]
a strip of crimson [wool] Heb. וּשְׁנִי
תוֹלַעַת, a tongue-like strip of wool dyed
crimson.-[Torath Kohanim 14:13].
5 over spring water He places [i.e., pours] it into the vessel
first, in order that the blood of the bird should be recognizable in it. And how
much [water is necessary]? A revi’ith
[a quarter of a log].-[Torath Kohanim 14:21; Sotah 16b]
6 [As for] the live bird, he shall take it [Scripture separates the taking of the bird
from that of the other items.] This teaches [us] that he does not bind it with
them, but separates it, by itself. The cedar stick and the hyssop, however, are
bound together with the tongue-like strip of crimson wool, as the matter is
stated, “and then the cedar stick, the strip of crimson [wool], and the
hyssop,” i. e., one [act of] taking for the three of them. [I.e., the cedar
stick and the hyssop are bound together with one end of the tongue of crimson
wool, and the loose end is dipped into the blood together with them (Torath Kohanim 14:21). Now, one might
think that since it [the bird] is not included in the binding, it is not to be
included in the dipping [in the blood]. Therefore, Scripture says here, “and,
along with the live bird, he shall dip them,” thereby, re-including the bird
for the dipping.-[Torath Kohanim 14:24]
8 but he shall remain outside his tent [for
seven days] This teaches [us] that [during this period,] he is
prohibited to have marital relations.-[Torath Kohanim 14:34; Mo’ed
Katan 15b]
9 all his hair... [This is] a general statement, followed by a
specific statement [namely, “that of his head, his beard, his eyebrows,”]
followed, in turn, by another general statement [namely, “all his hair,]” to include [the shaving of]
every place where hair grows in a bunch and is visible, [bearing a
similarity to the hair of the head, the beard, and the eyebrows].-[Sotah 16a]
10 one... ewe lamb [One male lamb
and one ewe lamb were to be sacrificed, one as a burnt offering and one as a
sin-offering (see verse 19), although Scripture does not specify which animal
was for which sacrifice. However, since a female animal is never brought as a
burnt offering (see Lev. 1:3), it is obvious that this ewe lamb was to be
sacrificed] as the sin-offering.
three tenths [of an ephah of... flour]- for the libations [i.e., to accompany the
libations] of these three lambs, for [unlike other sin-offerings and
guilt-offerings,] the sin-offering and the guilt-offering of one stricken with tzara’ath require libations.-[Men. 91a]
and one log of [olive] oil to sprinkle on his behalf [Heb. עָלָיו, lit. on him, absent in
all incunabula editions (Yosef Hallel)]
seven times (see verse 16), and to place some of it on the cartilage of his
ear, and for the applications on the thumb and big toe (see verses 16,
17).
11 before the Lord [This expression usually means within the Temple
courtyard. In this case, however, it means that he is to be placed]
at The Nicanor gate, but not within the courtyard itself, since he is lacking
atonement. [The Nicanor gate was at the eastern end of the courtyard, directly
facing the Holy; thus, when standing inside the gateway, the person was placed
“before the Lord” without entering the courtyard. For this purpose, the space
under The Nicanor gate was left unsanctified.]-[Torath Kohanim 14:44; Sotah 7a]
NICANOR'S GATE, one of the gates leading to the Temple
courtyard during the period of the Second Temple. According to the Mishnah,
"There were seven gates in the Temple courtyard.… In the east there was
the gate of Nicanor, which had two rooms attached, one on its right and one on
its left, one the room of Phinehas the dresser and one the room of the griddle
cake makers" (Mid. 1:4). This gate was one of the best known of the gifts
made to the Temple and "miracles were performed in connection with the
gate of Nicanor and his memory was praised" (Yoma 3:10). Of these miracles
the Talmud states: "What miracles were performed by his doors? When
Nicanor went to Alexandria in Egypt to bring them, on his return a huge wave threatened
to engulf him. Thereupon they took one of the doors and cast it into the sea
but still the sea continued to rage. When they prepared to cast the other one
into the sea, Nicanor rose and clung to it, saying 'cast me in with it.'"
The sea immediately became calm. He was, however, deeply grieved about the
other door. As they reached the harbor of Acre it broke the surface and
appeared from under the sides of the boat. Others say a sea monster swallowed
it and ejected it out onto dry land. Subsequently all the gates of the
Sanctuary were changed for golden ones, but the Nicanor gates, which were said
to be of bronze, were left because of the miracles wrought with them. But some
say that they were retained because the bronze of which they were made had a
special golden hue. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said, "It was Corinthian copper
which shone like gold" (Yoma 38a). Corinthian gold was the name given to a
family of copper alloys with gold and silver which were depletion-gilded to
give them a golden or silver luster (see Jacobson). An important production
center for Corinthian gold was in Egypt, where, according to tradition, alchemy
had its origins.
Scholars disagree over where the gates stood.
Some claim that they were on the western side of the Court of Women which was
to the east of the Court of Israelites; others maintain that they were on the
eastern side of the Court of Women. The basis of this conflict is in the
interpretation of a passage in Josephus (Wars, 5:204). Schalit's discussion of
the problem concludes that the words of Josephus are to be explained as meaning
that the gates of Nicanor were "beyond" the entrance to the Sanctuary
and facing "the gate that was larger," i.e., that it was on the
eastern side of the Court of Women. The gates were undoubtedly made after the
time of Herod (the most reasonable date being about the middle of the first
century, a generation before the destruction) and were the work of an
Alexandrian craftsman. Nicanor is also recorded in a first century C.E.
inscription on an ossuary found in October 1902 in a cave on Mt. Scopus in
Jerusalem ("the Cave of Nicanor"). The Greek inscription reads:
"the remains of the children of Nicanor of Alexandria who made the
doors." Nicanor's name also appears in a Hebrew inscription as well.
Nicanor's gift was so well known that no additional explanation was necessary.
Nicanor was an Alexandrian, though he may have gone to live in Jerusalem. It
seems more likely, however, that his remains were brought from Alexandria to
Jerusalem, where he had a family tomb. The ossuary mentioning Nicanor is now in
the collections of the British Museum. Klein (1920; see also Tal 2002)
expressed certainty that the Nicanor of the ossuary was the same as the Nicanor
who made the set of gates of the Temple according to rabbinic sources; Schwartz
(1991), however, has expressed some doubts about this.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
H. Graetz, in: MGWJ, 25 (1876), 434f.; A.
Buechler, in: JQR, 11 (1898/99), 46-63; W. Dittenberger, Orientis Graeci
Inscriptiones Selectae, 2 (1905), 295f., no. 519; E. Schuerer, in: ZNW, 7
(1906), 54ff.; O. Holtzmann, ibid., 9 (1908), 71-74; idem (ed.), Die Mischna
Middot (1913); H. Vincent and F.M. Abel, Jérusalem, 2 (1914), 45ff.; S. Klein,
Juedisch-palaestinisches Corpus Inscriptionum (1920), 17f., no. 9; Supplementum
Epigraphicum Graecum, 8 (1937), 30, no. 200; Frey, Corpus, 2 (1952), 261f., no.
1256; M. Avi-Yonah, Sefer Yerushalayim, 1 (1956), 412; E. Wiesenberg, in: JJS,
3 (1952), 14-29; E. Bammel, ibid., 7 (1956), 77-78; A. Schalit, Koenig Herodes,
1 (1969), 389ff. ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: G. Dickson, "The Tomb of Nicanor of
Alexandria," in: PEFQSt (1903), 326-31; C. Clermont-Ganneau, "The
'Gate of Nicanor' in the Temple of Jerusalem," in: PEFQSt (1903), 125-31;
R.A.S. Macalister, "Further Observations on the Ossuary of Nicanor of
Alexandria, in: PEFQSt (1905), 253–57; R.D. Barnett, Illustrations of Old Testament
History (1977), 93–94; J. Schwartz, "Once More on the Nicanor Gate,"
in: HUCA, 62 (1991), 245–83; T. Ilan, Lexicon of Jewish names in Late
Antiquity. Part I: Palestine 330 B.C.E.–200 C.E. (2002), 297–98; D.M. Jacobson,
"Corinthian Bronze and the Gold of the Alchemists," in: Gold
Bulletin, 33 (2) (2000), 60–66.
12 and bring it as a guilt-offering He shall bring it inside the courtyard for
the purpose of a guilt-offering, in order to wave it, for it requires waving
[while it was still] alive.-[Men. 61a]
and he shall wave them i.e., the guilt-offering and the log.-[Men. 61a]
13 In the place where one slaughters the
sin-offering and the burnt offering Namely, on the side of the [copper] altar, at the north [of the sanctuary
courtyard]. But what is this verse coming to teach us? Was it not already
stated regarding the law of the guilt-offering in the parashah of צַַו
אֶת־אַהֲרֹן (Lev. 7:2) that the
guilt-offering was required to be slaughtered in the north? But since this
guilt-offering differs from other guilt-offerings insofar as it requires
placing [together with the one bringing it], one might think that the animal
should be slaughtered where it is placed [i.e., at The Nicanor gate and not at
the northern side of the altar]. Scripture, therefore, says, “He shall
slaughter the lamb in the place where one slaughters the sin-offering and the
burnt offering.”-[Torath Kohanim
14:46]
For...it is like the sin-offering [I.e.,] For it is like all sin- offerings.
the guilt-offering [I.e.,] this guilt- offering [is like a
sin-offering, insofar as:]
it is to the kohen In all the procedures of holy service
[performed] by the kohen, this
guilt-offering is likened to a sin-offering. [This is specified] so that one
should not say that, since the blood of this guilt-offering is unlike that of
other guilt-offerings, insofar as it is placed on the cartilage of the ear and
on the thumb and big toe (see verse 14), it should also [be an exception in
that it] should not require applications of blood and the prescribed fats upon
the altar. Therefore, it is said, “regarding the [service of the] kohen, the guilt-offering is just like
the sin-offering.” [However, if this is so,] one might think that its blood is
applied above [the red line demarcating the upper and lower parts of the altar
(see Rashi Lev. 1:5)], like [the
blood of] a sin-offering. Scripture, therefore, says [(Lev. 7:1): “And this is
the law of a guilt-offering,” where the term תּוֹרָה, “law,” is an inclusive
term, coming here to include this special guilt-offering, that its blood should
be applied below the red line as with other guilt-offerings, [even though in
all other respects this sacrifice is similar to a sin-offering].- [Torath Kohanim 14:47; Zev. 49a]
14 cartilage Heb. תְּנוּךְ. The middle wall of the
ear (Torath Kohanim 14:50). The
actual etymology of the term תְּנוּךְ is unknown to me [i.e.,
whether it is Hebrew or Aramaic], but the interpreters call it tendron [or tandrum].
thumb Heb. בֹּהֶן. The thumb [or the big
toe].
16 [And sprinkle...] before the Lord opposite, [i.e., in the direction of] the
Holy of Holies.-[Torath Kohanim 14:53]
20 and the meal offering [A collective term, referring to all three]
libation meal offerings of [these] animals. [See Rashi on verse 10]
21 and one tenth [of an ephah] of fine
flour for [the libation meal offering to accompany] this lamb, which is
one, he shall bring one “tenth” [of an ephah
of flour] for his libation offering [to accompany his one lamb].
and a log of oil to place some of it [upon the cartilage of
the ear and] on the thumb and big toe. However, as far as the [amount of] oil
required for the libation meal offerings, Scripture did not need to specify
[for we know it from another passage (see Num. 15)].
23 on the eighth day of his cleansing
[I.e.,] on the eighth day after [he had brought] the birds and been sprinkled
with the cedar stick, the hyssop, and the strip of crimson wool [for that
procedure is also called a “cleansing,” albeit interim].
28 on the place of the blood of the
guilt-offering Even if the blood
had been wiped off. This teaches us that the blood is not the determining
factor, but the place is the determining factor.-[Torath Kohanim 14:54; Men.
10a]
34 and I place a lesion of tzara’ath Heb. וְנָתַתִּי, lit. and I will give.
This is [good] news for them that lesions of tzara’ath will come upon them, (Torath
Kohanim 14:75), because the Amorites had hidden away treasures of gold
inside the walls of their houses during the entire forty years that the
Israelites were in the desert, and through the lesion, he will demolish the
house (see verses 43-45) and find them.-[Vayikra
Rabbah 17:6]
35 Something like a lesion has appeared to me
in the house Even a Torah scholar, who knows that it is
definitely a lesion [of tzara’ath],
shall not make his statement using a decisive expression, saying, “A lesion has
appeared to me,” but, “Something like an lesion has appeared to me” [out of
respect for the kohen, who is to make
the decision].-[Nega’im 12:5]
36 before the kohen comes... since as long as the kohen has not yet become involved with the house [in question], the
law of uncleanness does not yet apply to it.
so that everything in the house should not
become unclean For if they do not
clear it out, and the kohen comes and
sees the lesion, the house will have to be quarantined and everything inside it
will become unclean. Now, for what objects did the Torah have consideration? If
it was upon vessels that require immersion [in a mikvah to cleanse them], then
[instead of having them removed,] let him immerse them, and they will become
clean. And if it was upon food and drink, then [instead of removing them, let
them become unclean] and he can eat and drink them during his period of
uncleanness. Hence, the Torah has consideration only for earthenware vessels,
which cannot be cleansed by [immersion in] a mikvah [and would thus undergo
permanent damage if they became unclean].- [Nega’im 12:5]
37 sunken-looking stains Heb., שְׁקַעֲרוּרֹת, sunken (שׁוֹקְעוֹת) in their appearance (בְּמַרְאֵיהֶן). -[Torath Kohanim
14:89]
they remove the stones Heb. וְחִלְּצוּ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: וְיִשְׁלְפוּן, “they shall remove
them from there,” similar to, “[Then his brother’s wife shall...] remove (וְחָלְצָה) his shoe” (Deut. 25:9),
an expression of removal.
to an unclean place [I.e.,] a place where clean things are not
used. This verse teaches us that these [unclean] stones contaminate their place
as long as they are there. - [Torath
Kohanim 4:96]
41 scraped out Heb. יַקְצִעַ, rogner in French, or rodoniyer
in Old French, to clip, to trim. This term occurs many times in the language of
the Mishnah, [for example, Kelim
27:4, 5, B.K. 66b, Chul. 123b]. [Note that the spelling in Mikraoth Gedoloth is different. I have
not found such a spelling in any dictionary. Greenberg, however, writes that
Tobler and Lommatszch, Altfranzösisches
Wörterbuch gives fifteen spellings for this word.]
inside Heb., מִבַּיִת, inside.
all around Heb. סָבִיב, around the lesion. In Midrash Torath Kohanim, it is thus
expounded, namely, that he shall scrape out the plaster surrounding the
afflicted stones.
they scraped Heb. הִקְצוּ, an expression denoting
an edge (קָצֶה). [I.e.,] that they
scrape off (קִצְּעוּ) around the ages (קְצוֹת) of the lesion.
43 had been scraped הִקְצוֹת, an expression of
having been done, [i.e., the passive], and so is "it had been plastered (הִטּוֹחַ) ". However, [in]
“he had removed (חִלֵּץ) the stones,” the
expression refers to the person who had removed them, and this is [an example
of] the intensive verb form [called pi’el,
which has a dagesh in the middle
letter of the root form], like [the verbs] כִּפֵּר [with a dagesh in the פּ] and דִּבֵּר [with a dagesh in the בּ].
And if...the lesion returns One might think that if it returned on that
same day, it would be deemed unclean. Scripture, therefore, states (verse 39),
“Then the kohen shall return (וְשָׁב
הַכֹּהֵן),” [the same term as in
our verse, namely,], “and if... [the lesion] returns (וְאִם
יָשׁוּב).” Just as the return (שִׁיבָה) of the kohen mentioned there, is at the end of
a week, so is the return [of the lesion] mentioned here, at the end of a
week.-[Torath Kohanim 14:105]
44 Then the kohen shall come and look [at
it]. Now, [if] the lesion...has spread [From here,] one might think that a recurrent lesion [in a house] can be
deemed unclean only if it spreads. However, the term צָרַעַת
מַמְאֶרֶת, “malignant tzara’ath,” is mentioned in reference to
houses, and צָרַעַת
מַמְאֶרֶת is mentioned in
reference to garments (see verse 13:52). [Through the exposition of a גְזֵרָה
שָׁוָהwe derive that] just as over there [in the case of garments,] a recurrent
lesion is deemed unclean even if it had not spread, here too, [in the case of
houses,] a recurrent lesion is deemed unclean even if it has not spread. If so,
what does Scripture teach us here when it says, "Now, [if] the lesion...
has spread..."? [in answer to this question, Rashi explains that the verses here should not be understood in the
order in which they are written. Rather, they should be read in a different
order, because] this is not the place for this verse. [I.e., the first section
of this verse, namely, “Then the kohen
shall come and look [at it]. Now [if] the lesion in the house has spread,” is
to be understood by inserting it elsewhere within these verses, as follows]:
“He shall demolish the house...” (verse 45), should be [understood as if]
written after “And if... the lesion returns...” (verse 43), [skipping over the
first section of verse 44], and then [reinserting this first section of our
verse] “Then the kohen shall come and
look... the lesion in the house has spread.” Thus, [when our verse says that
the kohen looks at the lesion, the
phrase, “[if] the lesion...has spread”] comes to teach [us] only about a lesion
which remains the same during the first week [of quarantine], but when he came
at the end of the second week [of quarantine], he found that it had spread. For
in the earlier verses, Scripture does not explicitly tell us about a case where
the lesion had remained with the same appearance after the first week [of
quarantine]. Here, though, Scripture teaches you with this mention of
spreading, that it is referring only to a lesion that has remained the same for
the first week but spread during the second [week]. So what shall he do to it?
I may think that he should demolish it, as is written immediately following it,
“He shall demolish the house....” (verse 45). Scripture, therefore, says (verse
39), “the kohen shall return,” and
[here], “the kohen shall come.” Just
as in the case of “returning” [i.e., when the kohen returned after one week and the lesion had spread], he must
remove [the unclean stones], scrape, and plaster, and give it another week [of
quarantine], likewise, in the case of “coming” [i.e., where the lesion has
remained the same for the first week, but spread during the second week], he
must remove [the unclean stones], scrape, and plaster and then give it a week
[of quarantine]. And, if it recurs again, he must demolish [the house]. If it
does not recur, [however,] it is clean. Now, how do we know that if it remained
the same during this and this, [i.e., during the first and second weeks], he
must [also] remove [the unclean stones], scrape, plaster, and give it a [third]
week [of quarantine]? Therefore, Scripture [here] says, “the kohen shall come (וּבָא),” and [in verse 48, it
says], “if the kohen comes and comes
[again] (בֹּא יָבֹא) ” What is Scripture
referring to? If [you suggest that it means a lesion] that spread during the
first week [of quarantine], this has already been mentioned [in verse 43]; if
[you suggest that verse 48 is referring to a lesion] that spread during the
second [week], this has already been mentioned [in our verse]; so [one must
conclude that verse 48], “if the kohen
comes and comes [again],” [is referring to the case that] he comes (בֹּא) at the end of the first
week [of quarantine] and comes [again] (יָבֹא) at the end of the
second week [of quarantine], and looks, and [as is continued in verse 48],
“behold, the lesion did not spread” [i.e., it has remained the same
throughout]. What shall he do to it? One might think that he should dismiss
[the case] and depart, as it is written here (48) “the kohen shall pronounce the house clean.” Scripture, however,
continues there, “because the lesion has healed.” [God says:] I deemed clean
only what was healed. What shall be done with it [if the lesion has remained
the same during the first and second weeks, and has not yet healed]? “Coming”
is stated above [in verse 44, “the kohen
shall come”], and “coming” is stated here [in verse 48, “if the kohen comes...and comes [again]”]; just
as in the case above (verse 44), he must remove [the unclean stones], scrape,
plaster, and give it a week [of quarantine], a law which we learned through the
link made between the terms “returning” and “coming,” likewise, in the case
below, [in the question of a lesion that has remained the same through the two
weeks, the owner shall remove the unclean stones, scrape, plaster, and observe
a week of quarantine]. The above is taught in Torath Kohanim (14:105). The conclusion of this matter is:
Demolition [of an afflicted house] is required only when the lesion recurs
after the removal [of the unclean stones], scraping, and plastering. The
recurring lesion does not require spreading [to necessitate demolition]. Hence,
the sequence of the verses is as follows: (Verse 43), “And if [after he had
removed the stones, and after the house had been scraped around and after it
had been plastered, the lesion] returns”; then (verse 44, second
section),"it is malignant tzara’ath...it
is unclean"]; then (verse 45), “He shall demolish the house...,” and
(verse 46), “Anyone entering the house [...shall become unclean],” and (verse
47), “[And one who lies down...] and one who eats in the house [shall
immerse...]”; [at this juncture, just before verse 48, the second section of
our verse (44) is now inserted in the sequence, namely,] "Then the kohen shall come and look...the lesion
in the house has spread"—[and, as above, now we know that] Scripture here
is referring to a case where the lesion remained the same during the first week
[of quarantine], so a second week of quarantine is applied, and at the end of
this second week of its quarantine, he comes and sees that it has spread. What
should he do with it? The owner must remove [the unclean stones], scrape,
plaster, and give it another [i.e., a third] week [of quarantine]. Now, if the
lesion recurs, he must demolish, but if it does not recur, [the house is deemed
clean, and] birds are required [along with the whole cleansing procedure,
because lesions are never quarantined for more than three weeks. [See Rashi on verse 48 below, which is
understood in light of this Rashi]
46 during all the days of its quarantine However, not [someone entering the house]
during the days that he scrapes off the lesion [during which time the house
does not defile those who enter it, until the quarantine period begins]. But
[if this is so,] one might think, if a lesion is pronounced definitely unclean
[and the house is slated for demolition], that if the owner [disregards the
order to demolish the house, but instead, removes the unclean stones and]
scrapes off its lesion, that this case is also excluded [i.e., this house shall
also not defile those entering it]. Scripture, therefore, says: “during all the
days” [in which the seemingly superfluous word “all” comes to include this
case, that since this house is unclean and must be demolished, it will always
defile those who enter it].-[Torath
Kohanim 14:110].
[And anyone entering the house...] shall
become unclean until the evening [Since no mention of immersing garments is made here, Scripture] teaches
us that [the one who enters] the house does not defile [his] garments. One
might think that even if he remained in the house for the time of כְּדֵּי
אֲכִילַת
פְּרָס -the length of time it
takes someone to eat an average meal [i.e., half a loaf—that his garments would
also remain undefiled]. Scripture, therefore, says: "(verse 47) “one who
eats in the house shall immerse his garments.” We know only if one eats [that
his garments become unclean]. How do we know that if someone lies down [in the
house, his garments become unclean]? Therefore, Scripture says (verse
47),"And whoever lies down in the house, [shall immerse his
garments]." I know only [that this law applies to] someone who either eats
or lies down. How do we know that [this law applies also to] someone who did
not eat or lie down [in the house]? Therefore, Scripture (verse 47),"shall
immerse... shall immerse." [The repetition of this expression] includes
[the case where the person merely stayed in the house, that his garments become
unclean]. If so, why are eating and lying down mentioned? To give a measurement
[of time] that it takes to eat half a loaf for one who lies down [i.e., only if
someone lies down in the house for that period do his garments become
unclean].-[Torath Kohanim 14:111]
48 [The following Rashi is more
clearly understood after learning Rashi
on verse 44.] But if the kohen comes
[...] and comes [again] At the end of the second week [of quarantine],
and looks [at the lesion], and behold, the
lesion did not spread This
verse comes to teach [us] about a lesion that has remained the same throughout
[both] the first and second weeks [of quarantine]. And what should be done to
it]? One might think that it should be pronounced clean, as is apparent from
the plain meaning of this verse, which continues: “the kohen shall pronounce the house clean.” Scripture, however,
concludes the verse with, “because the lesion has healed.” [God says:] I deem
clean only [the lesion] that has healed. And “healed” means only a house which
has been scraped and plastered, and the lesion did not recur. But this [house,
in which the lesion has neither disappeared nor spread], requires removal [of
the unclean stones], scraping, plastering, and a third week [of quarantine].
Thus, the following is how our verse is to be understood: "But if the kohen comes [...] and comes [again] at
the end of the second [week of quarantine] and beholds, the lesion did not
spread, he must plaster it, and there is no plastering without removing [the
unclean stones] and scraping. [Then] after the house has been plastered, the kohen shall [pronounce] the house clean
if the lesion did not recur at the end of the week [of quarantine], because the
lesion has healed." But if it recurs, Scripture has already explained
regarding a [house with a] recurring lesion, that it requires demolition.
57 To
render decisions regarding the day of uncleanness [I.e., to determine] which day renders it
clean and which day renders it unclean.
Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis
Thirteen rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the elucidation of the Torah and for
making halakic deductions from it. They are, strictly speaking, mere
amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and are collected in the Baraita of R. Ishmael, forming the introduction to the Sifra and
reading a follows:
- Ḳal wa-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
- Gezerah shawah: Identical with the second rule of
Hillel.
- Binyan ab: Rules deduced from a single passage of
Scripture and rules deduced from two passages. This rule is a combination
of the third and fourth rules of Hillel.
- Kelal u-Peraṭ: The general and the particular.
- u-Peraṭ
u-kelal: The particular
and the general.
- Kelal u-Peraṭ
u-kelal: The general, the
particular, and the general.
- The general which requires elucidation by the
particular, and the particular which requires elucidation by the general.
- The particular implied in the general and excepted from
it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the general as well as the
particular.
- The particular
implied in the general and excepted
from it on account of the special regulation which corresponds in concept
to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather than to increase the
rigidity of its application.
- The particular
implied in the general and excepted from it on account of some other special regulation
which does not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated
either to decrease or to increase the rigidity of its application.
- The particular
implied in the general and excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision can
be referred to the general only in case the passage under consideration
makes an explicit reference to it.
- Deduction from
the context.
- When two Biblical
passages contradict each other the contradiction in question must be solved by
reference to a third passage.
Rules seven to eleven are formed by a
subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule twelve corresponds to the seventh
rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain particulars; rule thirteen does not
occur in Hillel, while, on the other hand, the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted
by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and their application in general. These
rules are found also on the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.
Ramban’s Commentary for: Vayiqra
(Leviticus) 14:1-57
14:2. THIS WILL
BE THE LAW OFTHE LEPER IN THE DAY OF HIS CLEANSING: HE WILL BE BROUGHT UNTO THE
PRIEST. Scripture is stating that this will be the
law of the leper in the day that he wishes to be pronounced pure, that he
should be brought to the priest, as he can never attain purity except by means of the priest's word.
Then [in the following verse] Scripture tells that the priest will go
forth to the place of his [the leper's] habitation out
of the camp,[1] but he [the leper] is not to come to the priest even though
his leprosy has been healed.[2] The interpretation thereof in the Torath Kohanim is as follows:[3] "And he will be brought unto the priest, this
means that he is not to wait." If so, Scripture is stating that on the
same day that he is cleansed, [meaning] that he is cured from his leprosy,[4] he is to be brought even against his will to the priest. Similarly, the
verses, And when he that has an issue is cleansed of his issue;[5] But if she be cleansed of her issue,[6] mean when [the issues] will cease and the persons become cleansed of them,
as I have explained [i.e., that the term "cleansing" in the verse
before us means "the healing" of the leprosy, and the same meaning
applies to "the cleansing," of him or her that has an issue]. This is
the correct explanation.
4. THEN WILL
THE PRIEST COMMAND TO TAKE FOR HIM THAT IS TO BE CLEANSED TWO LIVING, CLEAN
TZIPORIM' (BIRDS). "Living, this excludes birds which are treifah.[7] Clean, this excludes a bird unfit for food. Since the plagues of leprosy
came as a punishment for slander, which is done by chattering, therefore
Scripture required for the leper's cleansing that he bring birds which always
twitter with a chirping sound." This is Rashi's language.
Now in view of the fact that Rashi wrote, "Clean,
this excludes a bird which is unfit for food," we can deduce that the
[unqualified] term tziporim, does not denote a permissible
species of birds, but is instead a generic term for all birds [those
permissible as food and those forbidden]. If so, the question appears: what is
this "chirping" that they found [among the tziporim]?
For there are many birds among which there is none that opens the mouth,
or chirps![8] Moreover, the interpretation [which Rashi quoted]: "Living,
this excludes birds which are treifah," is really
subject to a controversy of opinion,[9] and according to the Sage who says that a treifah can
survive, this interpretation [of Rashi] is not correct. And in the Torath Kohanim
we find this interpretation:[10] "Living, not slaughtered. Clean,
not unfit for food. Clean, not treifoth."
[11] Now the scholars who follow the simple meaning of Scripture[12] say that every kind of bird [whether permissible as food or forbidden] is
called tzipor, as is evidenced by the verses which state: 'txipor'
(the fowl) of the air, and the fish. of the sea;[13] every 'tzipor' (bird) of every sort;[14] And you son of man ... speak 'l'tzipor' (unto the birds) of
every sort.[15] Similarly, it says, and 'hatzipor' (the birds) he did not divide,[16] with reference to the turtle-doves and young pigeons[17] [which are permissible birds, thus proving that the term tzipor
is used with reference to both permissible and forbidden birds].
The correct interpretation appears to me to be
that the term tzipor is a generic term for all small birds
that rise early in the morning to chirp and to sing, the term being associated
with the Aramaic word tzaphra (morning). Similarly, the
expression let him return v'yitzpor'[18] means, and arise "early in the morning." The expression 'tzipor'
(the fowl of) the air is said with reference to these small
birds, because it is mostly they that fly high in the air. Every 'tzipor'
(bird) of every sort refers to two kinds, all the little ones and the
big ones. If a 'kan tzipor' (bird's nest) chance to be before you
[19] speaks about the little ones which are many [and therefore likely to
chance to be there], to teach that even when they are young, the finder must
exercise mercy towards them. Similarly, therein 'tziporim' (the birds)
make nests [20] [means the little ones], for it is they that dwell on the boughs of the
cedars of the Lebanon. Speak 'l'tzipor' (unto the birds) of every sort
means that even the little ones should gather upon [the flesh of the mighty
that have fallen in battle],[21] for the big marauding birds will come by themselves. Similarly, Will
you play with him [the leviathan] 'hatzipor' (as with a bird)? Or will
you bind him for your maidens?[22] [refers to the little birds], for it is the way of young boys to play with
little birds. The language of the Sages also follows that usage: Any statue
which bears in its hand a staff or 'tzipor' (a bird)[23] [one may not derive any benefit from, since these objects indicate that
the statue is worshipped as an idol]; "If a man wove into a garment one sit's
length of a Nazirite's hair [from which one is forbidden to derive any
benefit], the garment is to be burnt,"[24] [and when the Sages of the Gemara raised the question, "why is this
small piece not neutralized by the larger part of the garment?" it was
answered that this is a case where he wove into the garment "the form of]
a tziporta" [a small bird, which made the whole
garment more valuable, and therefore it is not neutralized by the larger part
thereof, and hence must be burnt].[25] The Sages also speak of "tziporoth (birds of)
the vineyard [however small]."[26] They also said: "the meat of tziporim, (birds)
brings back a sickness to a sick man [who is recovering, and makes it
worse" [27] thus indicating that the term tzipor refers to a bird
which one may eat]. Scripture further states, All 'tzipor' (birds) that
are clean you may eat, [28] meaning all these many species of [permissible] birds, thus including [the
living bird sent away by] the leper [into the open field[29] as permissible food],[30] by means of the word kol ('All' birds that are clean
you may eat). And the verse which states, But these are they of
which you will not eat: the great vulture, and the bearded vulture, and the
osprey[31] is [to be understood] as if it said, "and these are they, from the
flesh of which ye may not eat." It is for this reason [i.e., since the
term tzipor includes both permissible and forbidden birds],
that the Sages found it necessary to interpret: "Clean, not
forbidden birds" [but they would not have been able to derive it if the
word tziporini had not been qualified]. In any case it is
clear that tziporim are the small chirping birds.
Similarly, Yea, the 'tzipor' has found a house, and the swallow a nest
for herself [32] also indicates that the word tzipor is not a name for
all birds [for otherwise why should the verse mention both tzipor
and the swallow, if the term tzipor already includes
all birds]. Likewise, Wherein tziporim. (the birds) make their nests, the
stork makes the fir-tree her house [33] [indicates that tziporim does not include all birds,
since the verse proceeds also to mention some specific birds].
It would appear from the words of our Sages
that all birds permissible as food are called tzipor, but
the leper was commanded to bring tziporei dror ["free
birds," a term which, as explained further on means birds which live in
the house as well as in the field], for we have been taught in the Torath
Kohanim:[34] "And he will let go the living bird out of the city into the
open field.[35] Rabbi Yosei the Galilean said: This means a bird that lives outside all
cities. And what kind of bird is it? It is the bird called dror' "
[the free bird that lives in the house as well as in the field]. It is on the
basis of this interpretation of the Rabbis that they further mentioned [in connection with the leper's
birds] that they "chatter" [since it is usually these free birds
which twitter].
It is possible that the requirement that the
birds be of "the free" kind is a commandment [which is to be observed
if possible, but is not indispensable], so that if it has already been done,
they are all valid [whether free or unfree]. Therefore the Sages in the Torath
Kohanim found it necessary to exclude forbidden birds [which do not possess
this characteristic of living in the house and in the field]. And so we have
been taught in a Mishnah of Tractate Negaim:[36] "And he [the leper] brought two birds that are of the free type of
bird." And it is furthermore taught there:[37] "It is a commandment that the two birds of the leper should be alike
in appearance, in size and in value, and that they should be brought at the
same time. Yet even if they are not alike, they are valid. If one was
slaughtered and it was found that it was not a 'free bird,' he should buy a
partner for the second one." The reason [why he must buy a partner for the
second one] although [as we have said above] if it has already been done, all
birds [whether free or unfree] are valid, is that if they were of two different
kinds [as in this case, where the slaughtered one was a non dror,
and the living one a dror], they are invalid.
And in the Chapter Eilu Treifath [38] the Sages of the Gemara have said: "A bird which scratches, is valid
to be used for the purification of the leper. This is the white-bellied swallow
concerning which Rabbi Eliezer and the Sages differed" [as explained
further on]. From these texts [it is clear] that the birds for the purification
of the leper are not limited to one species, and that the purification is not
to be done with any permissible bird, but rather the
commandment is that it be done only with those birds that are dror,
that is to say, "which live in the house as well as in the
field."[39] Therefore the Rabbis said [in the above-quoted text] with reference to the
white- bellied swallow, that since according to the Sages it is a bird which
may be eaten, it is also valid for the purification of the leper, as it is included
within [the category of those birds that are] dror [living
in the house as well as in the field]. Yet nonetheless all permissible
birds [even those that are not "free birds"] are valid, if the
purification of the leper has already been done with them, since they are all
included within the phrase, two living clean birds.
And we have been taught in the Sifre:[40] "Rabbi Yashiyah said: 'Wherever it says in Scripture tzipor,
it speaks of a permissible bird.' Said Rabbi Yitzchak: 'A permissible bird
is called oph (fowl) and also tzipor (bird),
but a forbidden one is only called oph." Similarly
the Rabbis mentioned also in the Gemara [of Tractate Chullin], in the Chapter Shilu'ach
Hakan,[41] where they resolved that the term living [two 'living' clean birds]
means "the ends of whose limbs 'live' (exist), thus excluding birds
from whom a limb is missing." Similarly [permissible] birds which are treifah
are invalid [for the purification of the leper]. The Rabbis also interpreted
there the term clean [two living 'clean' birds] to exclude
those birds which are of a permissible species but are forbidden to be eaten
[for some special reason], such as birds belonging to a person of a city that
went astray,[42] or a fowl that killed a human being, or those that have been exchanged for
an idol.[43] This interpretation was derived by the Sages from the very language
itself, since the term tzipor denotes only a permissible
bird. It is clear then from this text, that all permissible birds [whether they
are of the dror-type or not] are included within the
category of tzipor.
I have further seen in the Yerushalmi of
Tractate Nazir[44] that the Sages of the Gemara said: "But does an impure Nazirite
really bring tziporim?[45] It is turtle-doves or young pigeons that he brings! [To this question the
reply was made:] 'There are some authorities who teach that all edible birds
are called tziporim, and there are other authorities that
teach that all birds, whether permissible or forbidden, are called tziporim.'
" [46] Thus we are now left with a divergence of opinion [as to what the term tzipor
denotes]! Yet it is possible that the name applies only to the small birds.
This appears so in the Gemara from what the Rabbis have said in Tractate Sotah:[47] [In the process of his purification the leper is commanded to] "bring
a sufficient amount of water that the bird's blood may remain discernible in
it.[48] And how much is this? The fourth of a log." Upon
this the Sages queried: "If the bird was a large one so that the blood
thereof 'pushed away' the water [so that it was imperceptible], or the bird was
a small one so that its blood was 'pushed away' by the water [so that the blood
was indiscernible], what is the ruling on these cases?" On these questions
[the Rabbis of the Talmud] explained: "All standard measures laid down by
the Sages were fixed with precision. The Sages estimated with reference to a
'free bird' that you will not find one so big that the blood thereof will 'push
away' the water, nor will you find one so small that the blood thereof will be
'pushed away' by the water." Now if all kinds of permissible birds were
valid for [the purification of the leper], there are some birds the blood of
which would "push away" many logim. of water!
Perhaps the Sages established the above standard only with reference to a
"free bird" which one is commanded to bring if this is possible,
according to the interpretation of Rabbi Yosei the Galilean,[49] [but if the purification has already been done with a large bird, it is
also valid]. It has already been mentioned in the Gemara:[50] "Perhaps he saw a large tziporo (bird) and he
called it gamal (camel)." [51]
The correct [and final] conclusion which
emerges from all this discussion is that we say on the basis of this
interpretation that any bird which is not a "free one" is invalid for
the purification of the leper, even if the purification has already been done,
since in the Mishnah thereof it was not taught: "It is a commandment [to
be fulfilled if possible] that the birds should be 'free birds,' but even if
they were not 'free birds,' they are valid," as it taught concerning the
requirement of equality [in appearance, size and value, that "even if they
are not alike, they are valid"]; also, the correct conclusion is that all birds that are
"free birds" are those that chatter. And that which the
Rabbis said in the Torath Kohanim, "Clean, not those
forbidden as food," [52] is because even among the forbidden birds there are some species that
possess this quality of dror [living in the house as well
as in the field], such as the white-bellied swallow according to Rabbi Eliezer.[53] Or perhaps the meaning of the Torath Kohanim is that it excludes those
birds [whose prohibition is not because they belong to the forbidden species,
but because of special circumstances] which make them "forbidden to
you," such as those birds which are nonetheless forbidden [as food or
benefit, because they belonged to a person of a city that had gone astray, or
those that have been exchanged for an idol], or those which are treifah,
just as the Rabbis resolved in the Gemara in the Chapter Sliilu'acli
Hakan. This is the correct interpretation in my eyes. In the Agadah
of the [Midrash] Rabbah we find this statement:[54] "Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Simon said: These birds [brought by the
leper for his purification] are noisy ones, symbolic of he who speaks slander
[and as a punishment for which, the slanderer is stricken with leprosy].
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Let that which is accompanied by sound
[namely, these noisy birds] come to bring atonement for the evil sound [of the
slanderer].' And Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Levi said: The birds [brought by the leper
for his purification] are of the 'free kind' [that live in the house as well as
in the field] and thus ate of the leper's bread and drank of his water.
Now the following statement follows logically with stronger reason etc." [55]
AND CEDAR-WOOD,
AND SCARLET, AND HYSSOP. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that
"[the cedar-wood and the hyssop] represent the tallest and the lowest in
species of vegetation, as is evidenced by the words of wisdom of Solomon.[56] Thus the law of the leper and the law of the house stricken with leprosy
and the [law of] impurity [conveyed by] a corpse are closely related,[57] and they resemble the Passover in Egypt.[58] And the meaning of the expression into the open field [59] is to an un-inhabited place, so that no infection might be caused."
[Thus far are the words of Ibn Ezra.].
And in the Torath Kohanim the Rabbis have
said:[60] "Into the open field, this means that he is not
to stand in Joppa [which is on the sea] and let it go into the sea, nor is he
to stand in Gabbath [a city which is on the edge of the desert] and let it go
into the desert." Now if so, [that he may not let it go into the sea or
into the desert], then the reason why it is sent into the open field is like
the secret of the goat sent to Azazel,[61] except that there it is sent for Azazel into the wilderness,
and here it is sent to the flying [destructive spirits] of the field.[62] I will yet explain this with the help of G-d.[63]
9. AND IT WILL
BE ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THAT HE WILL SHAVE ALL HIS HAIR, HIS HEAD AND HIS BEARD
AND HIS EYEBROWS, EVEN ALL HIS HAIR HE WILL SHAVE OFF. "This is a general principle [he will shave all his head]
followed by an enumeration of particulars [already comprehended in the
general proposition, i.e., his head etc.] and [this again is
followed by] a generalization [all his hair he will shave off].
[64] This is to include every spot of the body where there is a visible
collection of hair" [just like the head, beard and eyebrows]. This is
Rashi's language.
But in the Torath Kohanim it is stated:[65] "And he will shave off all his hair. I might
think this includes the hidden parts of the body; Scripture therefore states, his
eyebrows. Just as the eyebrows are visible, so also [the
expression] all his hair refers only to visible parts of
the body, thus excluding hair which is in the hidden parts of the body. If so I
might think, just as the eyebrows are in a place where there is a visible
collection of hair, so we are to include [only] those places where there is a
visible collection of hair. Whence do I know to include [in the commandment of
shaving his hair] an invisible collection of hair [such as under the armpits,
and between the legs], or a visible scattering of hair [such as on the stomach
or ribs] or an invisible scattering of hair [such as the hair in the folds of
the body]? Scripture therefore says, even all his hair he will shave
off." However, the Rabbi [Rashi] followed the interpretation
of Rabbi Yishmael, who included only the hair between the legs, and excluded
the hair under the armpits and on the whole body [since they are not
"visible collections of hair]." But here the accepted law is that he
shaves his body as smooth as a gourd, either because this is one [of the three
instances] where the practice goes beyond the Biblical text,[66] or because the accepted law is like the opinion of Rabbi Akiba, who [as a
consequence of his wider method of exegesis] included the hair of the whole
body [in the requirement of being shaved], and excluded only the hair within
the nose [or ears]. So also have we been taught in a Mishnah [like Rabbi
Akiba]:[67] "He passed the razor over the whole of his body," and it is
further explained in the second chapter of Tractate Sotah.
10. AND ON THE
EIGHTH DAY HE WILL TAKE TWO HELAMBS WITHOUT BLEMISH, AND ONE EWE-LAMB. Scripture has not explained what is to be done with the two he-lambs and
the one ewe-lamb. However, it mentioned concerning one of the he-lambs that the
priest offer it as a guilt-offering,[68] and further mentioned that he should offer up the sin-offering,[69] and afterward he will slaughter the burnt-offering.
This is because He has already mentioned in the section of Vayikra
that the sin-offering should be a female,[70] and that every burnt-offering should be a male.[71] Therefore there was no need here to speak at length, it being known that
[since the first he-lamb was a guilt-offering], the second he-lamb would be the
burnt-offering, and the ewe-lamb would be the sin offering.
18. AND THE
REST OF THE OIL THAT IS IN THE PRIEST'S HAND HE WILL PUT UPON THE HEAD OF HIM
TO BE CLEANSED; AND THE PRIEST WILL MAKE ATONEMENT FOR HIM BEFORE THE ETERNAL. This atonement is accomplished by means of the priest's acts with the
blood of the guilt-offering [as prescribed in Verse 14] and the oil [as set
forth in Verse" 15-18]. Similarly, the verse stating [in connection with a
leper who is poor], to make atonement for him before the Eternal,[72] [carries the same meaning]. And in the Torath Kohanim we find it said:[73] "And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he will
put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, and the priest will make
atonement. 'If he put [the rest of the oil upon his head], he
effected atonement for him, and if he did not put it thereon, he did not
effect atonement.' These are the words of Rabbi Akiba. Rabbi Yochanan the son
of Nuri said: 'This is the residue of a commandment, [and
therefore is not part of the commandment itself, and thus not indispensable];
whether he put it thereon or did not put it thereon, he has effected
atonement.' " Now if so, according to the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan the
son of Nuri, the expression and the priest will make atonement for him,
refers [only] to the guilt-offering [which is indispensable
in the final purification of the leper].
Now Scripture states [here] in the case of the
guilt-offering, and the priest will make atonement, and
then states again in the case of the sin-offering, and he will make
atonement for him that is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness,[74] and with reference to the burnt-offering and meal-offering it also states,
and the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be clean.[75] But we do not know
the purport of all these expressions of atonement. Perhaps the guilt-offering
effects atonement for the trespass that he committed before he was affected by
his plague, and the sin-offering effects atonement for his sin which he
committed during the time of the plague. For perhaps in his anguish he
ascribed aught unseemly to G-d, [76] this being the significance of the expression because of his
uncleanness [used in connection with the sin-offering that he must
bring]. The
burnt-offering and meal-offering constitute a ransom for his soul, that he be
worthy to be purified and return to his dwelling. Therefore He said,
and the priest will make atonement for him, 'and he will be clean.'
Now in the Torath Kohanim it is stated:[77] "And the priest will offer the sin-offering, and make atonement.
Why is this said?[78] Since it is said, And the priest will offer the burnt-offering and
the meal-offering upon the altar, I might think that they are
all indispensable for the purification of the leper, therefore Scripture
states, and the priest will offer the sin-offering, and make atonement,
thus teaching that the atonement is dependent [only] upon the
sin-offering." It is possible that the expression and the priest will
make atonement for him, and he will be clean alludes to everything that
has been done for him [i.e., for the leper's purification], for the birds
[which he brought at the very beginning of his purification, followed by the
three offerings brought on the eighth day, as discussed here] also came for the
purpose of atonement and purification, for so He also said in connection with a
plague in the house, and he will make atonement for the house, and it will
be clean.[79]
34. Scripture states with reference to plagues in houses, and ‘I’
will put the plague of leprosy, in order to allude to the fact that it was G-d's
hand that did this, and not an act of nature at all, as I have
explained.[80] It states, When you are come into the land of Canaan
etc. in a house of the Land of your possession,[81] because He is speaking to all Israel [since Moses and Aaron did not come
into the Land]. Now it would have been proper that after the verse, And
the Eternal spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,[82] He should continue to state, "Speak unto the children of
Israel." But Scripture shortens the account since it is self-understood
[that the command was to be given to the children of Israel who would enter the
Land]. Or it may be that he spoke to them in the place of [i.e., as
representing] all Israel, and hinted that the intention [of giving the
commandment] now is merely to teach them all the laws of leprosy, and that they
in turn should teach them to the priests, and Moses did not warn all Israel now
[about these laws, as they did not apply until they came into the Land]. It was
only those who came into the Land that he warned, Take heed in the plague
of leprosy, that you observe diligently etc.,[83] for it was to them that he commanded at first to take heed in these
ordinances.
43. AND IF THE
PLAGUE RETURN AND BREAK OUT IN THE HOUSE. Now this
plague which came in the other stones and in the other mortar [which replaced
the original ones], is not identical with the first plague which was there,
[but is a different outbreak]. It is thus unlike the "breaking out"
of the leprosy mentioned in the case of a person[84] and the spreading thereof, which mean that the plague returned to its
former natural place, since the pus many times hides under the skin and
retreats into the interior of the body, and afterwards it returns and spreads
to the skin on its outside. Rather, the matter [of leprosy in a house] is as I
have written in Seder Ishah Ki Thazria, that it is a
plague and Divine intervention implying that the evil spirit from G-d
[85] is in that place. And in the Torath Kohanim the Rabbis have said:[86] "And if the plague come again, and break out in the house.[87] This is like saying, 'That person has returned to his place.' " The
meaning of the Sages is to state that the expression 'u 'parach' (and it
break out) mentioned here [in connection with leprosy in a
house], does not mean "spreading out" as it does in the verse
[dealing with leprosy of a man], And if the leprosy 'paro'acb. tiphrach'
(break out abroad) in the skin,[88] but here it denotes a [fresh] outbreak in that place just like the
expression, the rod of Aaron 'parach' (was budded).[89] The comparison that the Rabbis drew [i.e., that this is like saying,
"That person has returned to his place"], is to allude to the matter
we have stated, namely, that this is not a plague which comes into existence
and spreads out [as in the case of leprosy of man], but is one outbreak after
another, just like a man who left his place and then came back to sit in his
former place, on a different chair which was prepared for him there. I have
already explained the meaning of this "breaking out'' [of leprosy in a
house], as well as of the "breaking out" of leprosy in garments.[90]
Now Scripture does not state here, "and
if the plague comes back, and breaks out 'in those stones' " [but instead
it says, and breaks out 'in the house'], for even if it
broke out in another place of the house, and even if it was of another color,
unlike that of the first plague, it is considered a recurring plague [i.e., one
that recurs after removal of the stones, scraping and re-plastering, which
necessitates the demolition of the house], and is not considered a plague
appearing for the first time in the house. This is the sense of the expression in
the house [and if the plague come again, and break out' in the house,
meaning that wherever it recurs in the house, it is governed by that law
[which requires the demolition of the house]. The reason for this is that the
evil spirit will not depart from that house, but will always be in one of the
places in that house, to frighten its owners. So also the Rabbis have said in
the Torath Kohanim:[91] I know only that [the house is to be demolished] if the plague returns to
its former place. Whence do I know to include a return to any place in the
house? Scripture therefore says, in the house. I know only
that this rule applies if the plague recurs in its original color. Whence do I
know that even if it recurs in a different color [it is governed by the same
rule]? Scripture therefore says, and it break out [meaning, in
its original color or a different one].
Now the meaning of these verses according to
the interpretation [of the Torath Kohanim] is as follows. And If the
plague come again on the seventh day and returns in the
house, after that the stones have been taken out, and after the house has been
scraped, and after it is plastered, or[92] the priest will come a second time and see,
and, behold, that now the plague has recurred [93] in the house as it was at first, it is
malignant leprosy ..., and he will break down the house,[94] the two verses thus explaining that whether the plague recurred at the end
of the first week or at the end of the second week, they are governed by one
law [which requires the demolition of the house].[95] Scripture did not need to say [in Verse 44] "and the priest will
come and see, if the plague be 'pasah' (have recurred) in the house -,
he will then command that they take out the stones" etc., [as Rashi would
have it],[96] for this verse [and the priest will come ... ] is connected
with the verse [43] immediately preceding it, stating, if the plague come
again ... after that the stones have been taken out at
the end of the first week or the second week, when the priest comes, and he
sees its recurrence, it is a malignant leprosy. Then
Scripture further states, And if the priest shall come in,[97] that is, at the end of the second week mentioned above [in Verse 44], and
see it, and, behold, the plague has not recurred [98] in the house, after that the house was plastered; then the priest will
pronounce the house clean, since it is healed of the plague,
that is to say, it did not recur. Thus we now derive the principle that if a
plague remained as it was during the first week and the second week, he removes
the stones, scrapes away and re-plasters, and gives it another week, and if the
plague returns, he demolishes the house. This is the correct interpretation of
the verses in accordance with the [Rabbinical] interpretation thereof, for it is impossible to cut them,
so to say, with a knife[99] placing later verses first and earlier verses later, in a manner which is
not all their meaning.
It is further possible that we say as a
correct interpretation of the verses on this subject, that the term pasah
in this section [which deals with leprosy in a house], is like parach,
both of them being an expression of "sprouting." Where a
plague exists already, the term pasah denotes its growth
and extension, and where there is no plague, it means its [original] sprouting
and [subsequent] recurrence, since it is all a matter of growth. Onkelos also
has rendered all [expressions of pasah] as oseiph
(adding), and the term tosepheth (addition) is used of
a growing thing which is added to another, such as in the expressions: 'v'nosapli
gam hu' (they be added also) to our enemies;[100] 'v'nosphah nachalathan' (then will their inheritance be added),[101] and it may also be used of a matter which "returns," such
as: the Eternal 'yosiph' (will set again) His hand;[102] and they prophesied 'v'lo yasaphu' (but they did so no more),[103] meaning that [Eldad and Medad] did not prophesy any more. Thus the meaning
of the term pasah is that the plague "returned."
Now after the removing of the stones, [scraping and replastering], when
Scripture speaks of pisayon [as it does in Verse 44 and
48], the meaning thereof is "sprouting," as I have mentioned
in connection with the term prichah.[104] If so, Scripture is stating: and if the plague came again and
'sprouted' in the house after that the stones have been taken out ... and
the priest will come and see, and behold the plague has
'sprouted' in the house. . then he will break down the house
[105] for every plague that returns is a sign of confirmed impurity. And
if the priest will come in, and see that the plague has not 'sprouted'
at all in the house after the house was plastered he
will pronounce it pure, because the plague has been healed by
the removal of the stones, [scraping] and re-plastering.
Thus the law of a house wherein the plague
recurs at the end of the first week has been explained here, that he removes
the stones, scrapes and re-plasters, and gives it another week. If the plague
returns the house is impure [and is to be demolished], and if it does not
return it is pure. But where it remained at the end of the first week as it was
[when he first saw it], and it recurred at the end of the second week, the law
thereof was not explained in the Torah, but we derive it by means of a gzerah shavah[106] as follows: [the expression, and behold if the plague recur
is found both in Verse 44: and the priest will come, and
in Verse 39: and the priest will return, thus establishing
that] "coming [in Verse 44] and returning
[in Verse 39] are identical in regard to their law," meaning that the
law of "coming" which is stated at the end of the second week,
is like the law of "returning" stated at the end of the first
week, i.e., that in
both cases if the plague recurred, he removes the stones, scrapes and re-plasters
and gives it another week.[107] Similarly, if the plague remained as it was [at the end of] the first and
second weeks, and recurred [at the end of] the third week, the law thereof is
not mentioned in the Torah, but it is derived by means of another gzerah shavah:
'v'im bo yavo hakohen' (and if the priest will come in),[108] thus establishing that the priest's third coming is identical in law to
his coming the second time.[109] Thus the verses are explained in line with their simple meaning, while the
[Rabbinical] interpretations were derived by a gzerah shavah taught
to Moses on Sinai. And that which the Rabbis said in the Torath Kohanim:[110] "What does Scripture refer to? etc." [from which you might think
that these interpretations were originally established by the Rabbis, and not
based on the gzerah shavah taught to Moses on Sinai], is
merely a Rabbinical support, since they wanted to find a basis in the
Scriptural text for that principle which they had received by tradition
established by the gzerali shavah. Similarly, what the
Rabbis said there:[111] "If we are eventually to include a plague which recurred, even though
it did not extend [in the law requiring the removal of the stones etc.], why
then does Scripture say, And the priest will come and see, and behold, if
the plague be 'pasah' (extended)? [112] Leave it." [113] That is to say, we are to leave here the plain meaning of the verse and
follow the interpretation, but not that we are to uproot the verse from its
place and explain it as referring to another place. This is what appears to me
to be correct in the meaning of this Scriptural section, so that the words of
the Sages be upheld, and it is a fitting and appealing interpretation.
53. AND HE WILL
LET GO THE LIVING BIRD OUT OF THE CITY INTO THE OPEN FIELD, AND MAKE ATONEMENT
FOR THE HOUSE, AND IT WILL BE CLEAN. Now this atonement was effected by the bird
which is to be sent away, the bird carrying away all his sins out of the
city into the open field, like the atonement effected by the
goat that is to be sent away.[114] Now since the punishment of the plague which appears in a person's house
is unlike [i.e., less in severity than] that of a plague which afflicts his
body, Scripture did not make it necessary for him [the owner of the house] to
bring a guilt-offering and sin-offering [as it required for the purification of
a leper], because the first [stage of] atonement that the leper brings for his
purification, namely, the birds, the cedar-wood and the hyssop[115] - is sufficient for him [i.e., the owner of the house].
54. THIS IS THE
LAW FOR ALL MANNER OF PLAGUE OF LEPROSY. This refers to
leprosy of inflammation and the burnt part in the skin. Scripture mentioned
them here first [although in the section on leprosy above they are not
mentioned first][116] because of their frequency. Then it mentioned and for a scall,
which is also frequent. Then Scripture mentioned here, and for the
leprosy of a garment, and for a house,[117] followed by, and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot,[118] which are the first plagues with which Scripture opened this discussion: When
a man will have in the skin of his flesh a risng etc.[119] Scripture always mentions the bahereth (bright spot)
last, because it is the strongest and worst form of all the plagues.
Ketubim:
Tehillim (Psalms) 78:40-72
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
1. A maskil of Asaph. Hearken, my people, to my instruction, extend
your ear to the words of my mouth. |
1. A teaching of the Holy Spirit, composed by Asaph.
Hear, O My people, My Torah; incline your ears to the utterances of my mouth.
|
|
2. I shall open my mouth with a parable; I shall express riddles
from time immemorial. |
2. I will open my mouth in a proverb; I will declare
riddles from ancient times. |
|
3. That we heard and we knew them, and our forefathers told us. |
3. Which we have heard and known, and which our
fathers told to us. |
|
4. We shall not hide from
their sons; to the last generation they will recite the praises of the Lord,
and His might and His wonders, which He performed. |
4. We will not hide it from their sons, recounting the psalms of the
LORD to a later generation, and His might, and the wonders that He
performed. |
|
5. And He established
testimony in Jacob, and He set down a Torah in Israel, which He commanded our
forefathers to make them known to their sons. |
5. And He established a witness among those of the house of Jacob, and
He decreed a Torah among those of the house of Israel, which He commanded
our fathers to teach to their sons. |
|
6. In order that the last
generation might know, sons who will be born should tell their sons. |
6. So that another generation, sons still to be born, should know; they
will arise and tell it to their children. |
|
7. And they should put their
hope in God, and not forget the deeds of God, and keep His commandments. |
7. And they will place their hope in God, and not forget the works of
God, and they will keep His commandments. |
|
8. And they should not be as
their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, who did not prepare
its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God. |
8. And they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and vexing
generation, a generation whose heart was not firm with its lord, and its
spirit was not faithful to God. |
|
9. The sons of Ephraim, armed archers, retreated on the day of
battle. |
9. While they were living in Egypt, the sons of Ephraim became
arrogant; they calculated the appointed time, and erred; they went out thirty
years before the appointed time, with weapons of war, and warriors
bearing bows. They turned around and were killed on the day of battle. |
|
10. They did not keep the
covenant of God, and they refused to follow His Torah. |
10. Because they did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in
His Torah. |
|
11. They forgot His deeds and His
wonders, which He showed them. |
11. And the people, the house of Israel, forgot His deeds and His wonders
that He showed them. |
|
12. Before their forefathers He wrought wonders, in the land of
Egypt, the field of Zoan. |
12. In front of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the
tribes of their ancestors, He performed wonders in the land of Egypt, the
field of Tanis. |
|
13. He split the sea and took them across, He made the water stand as
a heap. |
13. He split the sea with the staff of Moses their
leader, and made them to pass through, and He made the water stand up,
fastened like a skin bottle. |
|
14. He led them with a cloud by day, and all night with the light of
fire. |
14. And He guided them with the cloud by day, and
all of the night with the light of fire. |
|
15. He split rocks in the desert and gave them to drink as [from]
great deeps. |
15. He split mountains with the staff of Moses their
leader in the wilderness; and He gave drink as if from the great deeps. |
|
16. He drew flowing water from a rock and brought
down water like rivers. |
16. And He brought forth streams of water from the
rock, and He made water come down like flowing rivers. |
|
17. But they continued further to sin against Him, to provoke the
Most High in the desert. |
17. But they continued still to sin before him, to
provoke anger in the presence of the Most High in the dry wilderness. |
|
18. They tried God in their heart by requesting food for their
craving. |
18. And they tempted God in their heart, to ask for
food for their souls. |
|
19. And they spoke against God; they said, "Can God set a table
in the desert? |
19. And they complained in the presence of the LORD;
they said, "Is there the ability in the presence of God to set a table
in the wilderness?" |
|
20. True, He struck a rock and water flowed, and streams flooded. Can
He give meat too? Can He prepare flesh for His people?" |
20. Behold, he already has smitten a rock, and water
gushed out, and streams flowed; is he also able to give bread, or to arrange
food for his people? |
|
21. Therefore, God heard and was incensed; fire was kindled against
Jacob, and also wrath ascended upon Israel. |
21. Then it was heard in the presence of God, and he
was angry, and fire was made to come up on those of the house of Jacob, and
also harsh anger came up on Israel. |
|
22. Because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His
salvation. |
22. For they did not believe in God, and did not put
their trust in his redemption. |
|
23. And He had commanded the skies from above, and He had opened the portals
of heaven. |
23. And he commanded the skies above and he opened
the windows of heaven. |
|
24. He had rained upon them manna to eat, and He had given them corn
of heaven. |
24. And he made descend on them manna to eat, and he
gave them the grain of heaven. |
|
25. Men ate the bread of the mighty; He sent them provisions for
satisfaction. |
25. The sons of men ate food that came down from the
abode of angels; he sent them provisions unto satiety. |
|
26. He caused the east wind to set forth in heaven, and He led the
south wind with His might. |
26. He made the east wind move in the heavens, and
guided the south wind by his strength. |
|
27. He rained down flesh upon them like dust, and, like the sand of
the seas, winged fowl. |
27. And he made flesh descend on them like dust, and
flying fowl like the sand of the sea. |
|
28. And He let it fall in the midst of their camp, around their
dwellings. |
28. And he made them fall in the midst of his camp,
round about its tents. |
|
29. They ate and were very satisfied, and He brought them their
desire. |
29. And they ate and were very satisfied; so he
brought to them their craving. |
|
30. They were not estranged from their desire; while their food was
still in their mouth, |
30. They did not turn from their craving, still
their food was in their mouth. |
|
31. The wrath of God ascended upon them and slew [some] of their
stoutest and caused the chosen of Israel to fall. |
31. And the anger of God went up on them, and he
slew some of their champions, and he subdued the young men of Israel. |
|
32. Despite all this, they sinned again and did not believe despite
His wonders. |
32. For all this they sinned again, and did not believe in His
wonders. |
|
33. And He ended their days in vanity and their years in terror. |
33. And He ended their days with nothingness, and
their years with disaster. |
|
34. When He slew them, they would seek Him, and they would repent and
pray to God. |
34. Whenever He killed them, they sought Him,
repenting; and they will repent and pray in the presence of God. |
|
35. And they remembered that God is their rock and the Most High God
is their Redeemer. |
35. And they remembered, for God is their strength,
and the Most High God is their redeemer. |
|
36. They beguiled Him with their mouth, and with their tongue they
lied to Him. |
36. And they enticed Him with their mouth, and they
lie to Him with their tongue. |
|
37. Their heart was not sincere with Him; they were not faithful in
His covenant. |
37. Because their heart was not faithful to Him, and
they did not believe in His covenant. |
|
38. But He is merciful, He expiates iniquity and does not destroy;
many times He takes back His wrath and does not arouse all His anger. |
38. But He is merciful, atoning for their sins, and
does not destroy them; and He frequently turns from His anger, and He will
not hasten all His wrath against them. |
|
39. He remembers that they are flesh, a spirit that goes away and
does not return. |
39. And He remembers that they are sons of flesh, a
breath that goes away and does not return. |
|
40. How often they provoked Him in the desert, vexed Him in the
wasteland! |
40. How they would rebel against Him in the wilderness!
They would cause anger in His presence in a desolate place. |
|
41. They returned and tried God, and they sought a sign from the Holy
One of Israel. |
41. And they turned and tempted God, and brought
regret to the Holy One of Israel. |
|
42. They did not remember His hand, the day that He redeemed them
from distress. |
42. They did not remember His miracle, and the day
that He redeemed them from the oppressor. |
|
43. Who placed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the field of
Zoan. |
43. Who set out His signs in Egypt, and His wonders
in the field of Tanis. |
|
44. He turned their canals into blood, and their flowing waters they
could not drink. |
44. And He turned their canals to blood, and they
could not drink from their streams. |
|
45. He incited against them a mixture of wild beasts, which devoured
them, and frogs, which mutilated them. |
45. He will incite against them a mass of wild
animals, and exterminate them; likewise frogs, and He will slaughter them. |
|
46. He gave their produce to the finishing locusts and their toil to
the increasing locusts. |
46. And He gave and handed over their grain to the
grasshopper, and their toil to the locust. |
|
47. He killed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with
locusts. |
47. And He stripped their vines with hail, and their
sycamores with locusts. |
|
48. He gave over their animals to the hail and their cattle to the
fiery bolts. |
48. And He handed over their cattle to the hail, and
their flocks to sparks of fire. |
|
49. He dispatched against them the kindling of His anger-wrath, fury,
and trouble, a delegation of evil messengers. |
49. He will incite against them two hundred and fifty
plagues in the harshness of His anger, in wrath, and in hostility, and in
woe; which are sent in due time by evil messengers. |
|
50. He leveled a path for His anger; He did not withhold their soul
from death, and He delivered their body to pestilence. |
50. He will travel on the path of His harshness, not
keeping their soul from death, and handing over their cattle to the plague. |
|
51. He smote every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruit of their
strength in the tents of Ham. |
51. And He slew all the firstborn in Egypt, the
beginning of their sorrow in the tents of Ham. |
|
52. Then He caused His people to journey like sheep, and He led them
as a flock in the desert. |
52. And He led his people like a flock, and guided
them like a sheep flock in the wilderness. |
|
53. He led them securely and they were not afraid, and the sea
covered their enemies. |
53. And He settled them securely, and they did not
fear; and the sea covered their enemies. |
|
54. He brought them to the border of His sanctuary, this mountain
that His right hand had acquired. |
54. And He brought them into the territory of the site
of the Temple, the same mountain that His right hand created. |
|
55. He drove out nations from before them, and allotted them an
inheritance by line, and He caused the tribes of Israel to dwell in their
tents. |
55. And He drove out the Gentiles before them, and
settled them in the lot of His inheritance, and settled the tribes of Israel
in their tents. |
|
56. Yet they tried and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep
His testimonies. |
56. But they tempted and provoked in the presence of
God Most High, and they did not keep His testimony. |
|
57. They turned back and dealt treacherously as their forefathers;
they turned around like a deceitful bow. |
57. And they relapsed and did evil like their
fathers; they became bent like a bow that shoots arrows. |
|
58. They provoked Him with their high places, and with their graven
images they angered Him. |
58. And they caused anger in His presence with their
libations; and they made Him jealous with their idols and images. |
|
59. God heard and became incensed, and He utterly rejected Israel. |
59. It was heard in the presence of God, and He
became angry, and His soul was very disgusted with Israel. |
|
60. And He abandoned the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent that He had
stationed among men. |
60. And He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the
tent where His presence did abide among the sons of men. |
|
61. He delivered His might into captivity, and His glory into the
hand of the adversary. |
61. And He handed over his Torah to captivity, and His
splendour to the hand of the oppressor. |
|
62. And He delivered His people to the sword, and He became incensed
with His inheritance. |
62. And He handed over His people to those who slay
with the sword, and became angry with His inheritance. |
|
63. Fire consumed his youths and his virgins were not married. |
63. The fire consumed his young men, and his young
women were not respected. |
|
64. His priests fell by the sword, but his widows did not weep. |
64. His priests will fall with the killing of the
sword, and his widows had no time to weep. ANOTHER TARGUM: At the time when the Philistines
captured the ark of the LORD, the priests of Shiloh, Hophni and Phinehas fell
by the sword; and at the time when they informed his wives, they did not
weep, for they too died on that same day. |
|
65. And the Lord awoke as one asleep, as a mighty man, shouting from
wine. |
65. And the LORD woke up like a sleeper, like a man
who opens his eyes from wine. |
|
66. And He smote His adversaries from the rear; He gave them
perpetual disgrace. |
66. And He smote his oppressors on their behinds
with hemorrhoids; He gave them eternal disgrace. |
|
67. He rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of
Ephraim. |
67. And He was disgusted with the tabernacle spread
over the territory of Joseph; and He took no pleasure in the tribe of Ephraim. |
|
68. He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. |
68. But He was pleased with the tribe of Judah, with
Mount Zion that He loves. |
|
69. And He built His Sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth
He established it forever. |
69. And He built His sanctuary like the horn of the
wild ox, fixed like the earth thatHhe founded forever and ever. |
|
70. And He chose His servant David and took him from the sheepcotes. |
70. And He was pleased with David his servant, and
took him from the flocks of sheep. |
|
71. From behind the nursing ewes He brought him, to shepherd Jacob
His people and Israel His heritage. |
71. And He brought him away from following after
sucklings to rule over Jacob His people, and over Israel His inheritance. |
|
72. And he shepherded
them according to the integrity of his heart, and with the skill
of his hands he led
them. |
72. And he reigned over them in the perfection of his
heart, and he will guide them by the understanding of his
hands. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary for: Psalms
78:40-72
40 How often [How many] times.
they provoked him always in the
desert.
41 they sought a
sign Heb. התוו,
an expression of a sign, as (Ezek. 9:4): “and set a mark (והתוית
תו).” “A mark” is an
expression of a wonder and a trial. They asked him for a sign and and a mark
(Exodus 17:7): “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”
45 which mutilated them They would pull
off their testicles.
47 with locusts Heb. בחנמל,
the name of the locust. According to the Midrash (Mid. Ps. 78:13) [it is
composed of the following words]: בָּא
חָן מָל,
it comes, encamps, and cuts. It cut off the greens of the tree and the grass
and ate it.
48 He gave over
their animals to hail When the hail began to fall, the Egyptian drove his
sheep (his animals) into the house, and the hail came before him like a wall.
The Egyptian slaughtered it [the animal] and put it on his shoulder, to take it
to his house to eat it, but the birds came and took it from him. That is [the
meaning of] “and their cattle to the birds (לרשפים),”
as (Job. 5:7): “but flying creatures (בני רשף)
fly upward.” This is its midrashic interpretation (Mid. Ps. 78: 14), but
according to its simple meaning, רשפים
are bolts of fire, as it is written (Exod. 9:24): “and fire flaming within the
hail.”
50 He leveled a
path for His anger Although the plagues were dispatched in anger, they performed only their
orders; what they were commanded to kill, they killed, but nothing else. They
went in their paths. In other commentaries I found as follows:
He leveled a path
for His anger When He smote every firstborn in Egypt, He showed the way for [the angel]
who was destroying with anger to enter the houses of the Egyptians, but not the
houses of the children of Israel.
...and... their
body Heb. וחיתם,
their body.
55 He drove out...from before them the
seven nations.
in their tents of the
nations.
56 Yet they tried and provoked during the
days of the judges.
57 like a deceitful bow which does not
shoot the arrow to the place the archer wishes.
61 He delivered
His might into captivity He delivered the Ark and the tablets into the hands of
the Philistines.
63 Fire consumed
his youths [The fire of] His
wrath.
were not married Heb. לא הוללו.
They were not married by being brought into a litter [under] a canopy because
the youths died in battle. הוּלָלוּ
is an expression of nuptials (הִלוּלָא)
in Aramaic. Our Sages, however, explained it in reference to Nadab and Abihu
(Mid. Ps. 78:18), but I feel uncertain about explaining it that way because he
already commenced with the Tabernacle of Shiloh.
64 His priests
fell by the sword Hophni and Phinehas.
but his widows did
not weep Even his widow
was not allowed to bewail him, for she too died on the day of the tidings, as
it is said (I Sam. 4:19): “And she knelt and gave birth, for her pains had
suddenly come upon her.”
65 shouting Heb. מתרונן,
awaking and strengthening himself with speech to awaken from his wine.
66 And He smote
His adversaries from the rear Plagues of the rear with hemorrhoids, which is a
disgrace of perpetual ridicule for them.
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph That is Shiloh,
which is in Joseph’s territory.
69 And He built His Sanctuary like the high
heavens, etc. Like the heavens and the earth, about which two hands are
mentioned, as it is stated (Isa. 48: 13): “Even My hand laid the foundation of
the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens with handbreadths.” Also the
Temple was with two hands, as it is said (Exod. 15:17): “Your hands
established.” (Cf. Mechilta, Shirah 10, Keth. 5a, Rashi to Exod. 15:17.)
Another explanation:
And He built His
Sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth He established it Just as heaven
and earth have no substitute, neither does the Temple have a substitute in
which to let the Shechinah rest.
70 and took him
from the sheepcotes Heb. ממכלאתצאן,
from the stalls of the sheep, as (Hab. 3:16): “The flock will be cut off from
the fold
(ממכלה).”
71 From behind the nursing ewes He brought him For he would
shepherd the nursing ewes for his father, because he was merciful
and would bring the kids first and feed them the upper tips of the grasses,
which are tender. Then after them he would bring out the he-goats, who would
eat the middle of the grasses, and afterwards, he would bring out the older
ones, who would eat the roots. Said the Holy One, blessed
be He, “This one is fit to shepherd My
people.”
Meditation from the Psalms
Psalms 78:40-72
By: H.Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben
David
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:
Day - יום,
Strong’s number 03117.
Brought / Enter
- בוא,
Strong’s number 0935.
Priest - כהן,
Strong’s number 03548.
This is the
fourth week that we are examining Psalms chapter 78. I want to reiterate the opening from last week as we look at the fourth
and last part of Psalms chapter 78.
The superscription of this psalm
ascribes authorship to Assaf. The Talmud says that
any psalm that begins with the word “Maskil”, which comes from the word that
means enlightenment, was made public
and explained to the entire people by a skilled interpreter and orator.[120]
This, of course, meant the message was seminal to the survival of the Jewish
people and Torah tradition.
The focus of
verses 42-53 of our psalm concerns itself with the plagues in Egypt. These
plagues were very methodical in dismantling the gods of Egypt while revealing
HaShem and freeing His people. A Midrash points out that the plagues
corresponded to the strategy of a general laying siege to a city. Thus, the
plague of blood corresponded to the poisoning of the drinking water; the frogs,
to the trumpeters that would sow fear among the inhabitants; the lice, to the
arrows shot into the city; the wild animals to the mercenaries that would be
sent; and so on.[121]
Now lets examine some of the
relationships which exist within the plagues themselves.
Midrash Rabbah
- Shemot (Exodus) XII:4 AND MOSES STRETCHED FORTH HIS ROD TOWARD
HEAVEN (IX, 23). Three of the plagues came through the agency of Aaron, three
through Moses, three through God, and one through the united efforts of all
three. Blood, frogs, and gnats, being on the earth, were through Aaron; hail,
locusts, and darkness, through Moses, because they were in the air and Moses
had power over earth and heaven; the swarms, the murrain, and the plague of the
firstborn through God, and the boils-- through all of them.
Abarbanel was the first to divide the plagues into groups. The plagues can
be divided into the following groups:
|
The purpose of the first group: HaShem’s existence. These were initiated by Aaron, with the
staff of Moses, and they involved water and land.[122] DeTzaCh - דצ״ך |
The purpose of the second group: Divine providence. These were initiated by HaShem, without the
staff of Moses, and they involved those dwelling on the land:[123] AdaSh - עד״ש |
The purpose of the third group: HaShem is universal. These were initiated by Moses, with his
staff, and they revealed HaShem‘s power to strike from the air:[124] BeAChaB - באח״ב |
|
|
|
|
|
1. Blood
- דם Shemot (Exodus) 7:14-25 |
4. Beasts - ערוב Shemot (Exodus) 8:20-32 |
7. Hail/Fire - ברד Shemot (Exodus) 9:13-35 |
|
Preceded by a warning |
Preceded by a warning |
Preceded by a warning |
|
“…in the morning…” Shemot (Exodus) 7:15 |
“… in the morning…” Shemot (Exodus) 8:16 |
“…in the morning…” Shemot (Exodus) 9:13 |
|
“…you shalt know that I am HaShem Shemot (Exodus) 7:17 |
“…you will know that I, HaShem, am in this land.”
Shemot (Exodus) 8:22 |
“… so you may know that there is no one like me in all
the earth. |
|
Paro
hardened his heart. - Shemot (Exodus)
7:22-23 |
Paro
hardened his heart. – Shemot (Exodus)
8:28 |
HaShem hardened the heart of
Paro. – Shemot (Exodus) 9:27,34,35 – Shemot 10:1 |
|
Reduced the Egyptians in their own land to the insecure existence of
strangers.[125] |
Reduced the Egyptians in their own land to the insecure existence of
strangers. |
Reduced the Egyptians in their own land to the insecure existence of
strangers. |
|
2.
Frogs - צפרדע Shemot (Exodus) 8:1-15 |
5. Plague - דבר Shemot (Exodus) 9:1-7 |
8. Locusts - ארבה Shemot (Exodus) 10:1-20 |
|
Preceded by a warning |
Preceded by a warning |
Preceded by a warning |
|
“Go in to Paro…” Shemot (Exodus) 7:26 |
“Go in to Paro…” Shemot (Exodus) 9:1 |
“…Go in to Paro…” Shemot (Exodus) 10:1 |
|
Paro
hardened his heart. – Shemot (Exodus)
8:11 |
Paro
hardened his heart. – Shemot (Exodus)
9:7 |
HaShem hardened the heart of
Paro. – Shemot (Exodus) 10:20 |
|
Robbed the Egyptians of their pride, their possessions, and their sense
of superiority, reducing them to lowly submission. |
Robbed the Egyptians of their pride, their possessions, and their sense
of superiority, reducing them to lowly submission. |
Robbed the Egyptians of their pride, their possessions, and their sense
of superiority, reducing them to lowly submission. |
|
3.
Lice - כנים Shemot (Exodus) 8:16-19 |
6. Boils - שחין Shemot (Exodus) 9:8-12 |
9. Darkness - חשך Shemot (Exodus) 10:21-29 |
|
No warning! Shemot (Exodus) 8:16 |
No warning! Shemot (Exodus) 9:8 |
No warning! Shemot (Exodus) 10:21 |
|
Paro
hardened his heart Shemot (Exodus) 8:15 |
HASHEM hardened the heart of
Paro. – Shemot (Exodus) 9:12 |
HASHEM hardened the heart of
Paro. – Shemot (Exodus) 10:27 |
|
Imposed upon the Egyptians actual physical suffering. |
Imposed upon the Egyptians actual physical suffering. |
Imposed upon the Egyptians actual physical suffering. |
|
10. Death
- בכורות מכת - This
was brought on by HaShem:[126] - Shemot (Exodus) 12:29-33 |
||
|
HaShem hardened the
heart of Paro. – Shemot (Exodus)
14:4-5 |
||
Please go back
and look carefully at the above chart while noting relationships that the table
brings out.
Plagues 1, 4, and 7 are all
introduced by a meeting between Moses and Paro “in the morning”. These plagues
also specifically state that the purpose of the plague is to know HaShem .
These plagues reduced the Egyptians in their own land to the insecure existence
of strangers.[127]
Plagues 2, 5, and 8 all take place
in Paro’s palace. These plagues robbed the Egyptians of their pride, their
possession’s, and their sense of superiority, reducing them to lowly
submission.[128]
Plagues 3, 6, and 9 all take place
without any warning being given to Paro. These plagues imposed on the Egyptians
actual physical suffering.[129]
But what is the purpose of this structure? The Maharal[130]
believes that this shows the gradual ascendancy of Moshe[131]
in his domination over Paro. In the first encounter, Moshe meets Paro but
cannot come into Paro’s home. To smite him, Moshe first warns Paro. In the
second encounter, Moshe can enter Paro’s home, but still must warn him.
Finally, the third Plague in each set shows complete domination over Paro, as
Moshe does not have to inform Paro prior to the Plague, and immediately
executes the action without an encounter. This explanation of the Maharal makes
sense on the one hand, but also begs the question: if after the first set of
Plagues (Blood, Frogs, Lice), Moshe ALREADY demonstrates complete domination
over Paro, why is it necessary to return to the first stage once again in
Plague #4 (Wild Animals) and begin again? Similarly, after once again showing
complete domination in Plague #6 (Boils), why is it necessary for Moshe to
begin again in Plague #7 (Hail)? Why the same pattern three separate times?
However, if we examine the Plagues carefully, we will see that the PURPOSE of
each set of Plagues is completely different, and, therefore, in each set, Moshe
has to show his domination.
The plagues are a crash course in getting to “know“ HaShem. The ten plagues
certainly follow a pattern of increasing effect. Blood, the first plague,
struck the water, while frogs moved from the water to the land. Lice emerged
from the dust of the earth, and the fourth plague, arov, is understood by some classic commentators as swarms of insects.
The fifth plague attacks the cattle and livestock of the Egyptians, and boils
begin to attack the people’s own bodies. The next three plagues - hail,
locusts, and darkness - come from or affect the heavens. After nine plagues,
all the domains of nature had been shown to be controlled by the G-d of the
Hebrews. When all the firstborn throughout Egypt are smitten on one night, then
it is clear that HaShem is the master of life itself. There was nowhere else to
turn; no part of creation could be regarded beyond the power of HaShem. Paro’s
somewhat bizarre request on that fateful night of liberation - “and may you
bring a blessing upon me also” - reveals that Paro had acknowledged HaShem‘s
mastery over the entire natural order.[132]
Every plague
EXCEPT numbers 3, 6, and 9 are represented in our psalm. What is special about these three
plagues? What message is the psalmist trying to convey by omitting these three
plagues?
In the third Plague, there is something new. In Lice, Paro again calls his
advisors to duplicate the plague (as they did in the first two Plagues), but,
for the first time, they cannot, Shemot (Exodus) 8:14. Another interesting
pattern is that in each one of the third plagues in each of the three groups of
Plagues, Paro uses his advisors and call them in, but they cannot duplicate
what HaShem has done. After they try, the advisors say:
Shemot (Exodus) 8:15 This is the finger of HaShem
They acknowledge HaShem‘s power, but, once again, this does not obligate
them to believe. Nevertheless, they must agree in actuality and philosophically
that HaShem’s power indeed exists.
The lice represented the defeat of the all-powerful Egyptian priests and
magicians; they could not duplicate this plague, acknowledged HaShem‘s power,
and are not mentioned again. Moreover, this plague struck at the earth which
had heretofore provided man with the clay and bricks needed for his misguided
adventures, such as the Tower of Babylon[133]
and, later, Paro’s store-cities. This would explain why, according to some
Midrashic opinions, the Jews at this point were no longer forced to continue
their slave labor.
The “Finger of HaShem“ uttered by the advisors signifies that they
understand HaShem’s power not only as the ability to transfer matter but also
to be able to create Ex Nihilo, YESH MAI-AYIN, something from nothing. Thus,
these three Plagues are a strong response to Paro’s question of “Who is the
Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?” This does not turn Paro
into a Righteous Gentile nor obligates him to listen to HaShem, but it is a
philosophical response that Paro cannot refute. At this point, the advisors say
only that it is a “Finger” of HaShem and not yet the entire “Strong Hand“ of
HaShem. These plagues do not “move” Paro, but are merely a first step in the
process of his belief, the philosophical knowledge that HaShem exists. But that
does not affect the person’s actions or obligations. A person can acknowledge
HaShem but harden his heart and cause no change.
It is belief in HaShem that is necessary, not mere intellectual
understanding. If we only ask “Who is HaShem?” we could not possibly receive an
adequate or satisfying response. The purpose of the second group of Plagues is
to “know“ HaShem, and not to merely understand
that He exists. Paro must be shown that he has a relationship to this universal
G-d.
Thus we understand the plagues 3, 6, and 9 are not mentioned in our psalm
because the Egyptians had no control over them. The psalmist seems to be
emphasizing the will of man to respond to HaShem rather than His punishments
that were completely out of human hands.
The next historical period that is addressed by our psalm is the assembly
at Sinai followed by the rebellions of Israel during the period of the judges.
The pattern of rebellion follows very much the same pattern that we saw last
week with the ten trials. If fact, the period of the Judges was so bad that
HaShem summarized the period, from the last pasuk of Shoftim (Judges):
Shoftim (Judges) 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel:
every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
This was a
stunning indictment of the Jewish attitude of this period. In many ways, this
is also a summary of many Jews and Christians today. We are commanded to do
what is right in HaShem’s eyes, not our own. HaShem’s vision of the “right
things to do” are embodied in the written and the oral Torah. HaShem is
interested in a relationship, not a bunch of independent, “do your own thing”
followers. He abandoned his tabernacle and both Temples because they were no
longer focusing our attention on this relations ship, as we can see in His
reason for the Tabernacle:
Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 And
let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell in them.
HaShem has
designed a world for us to dwell with Him. He is not interested in dwelling in
a stone building. HaShem has repeatedly chastised us when we lost sight of this
goal. When we returned to Him, then He healed us and restored us. In our
generation we are seeing such a proliferation of Torah knowledge that it is
hard to fathom and keep up with. Yet, our problem remains the same: We still want things our own way.
If you are
paying attention, it is possible to see the effects that our sin is having on
us;[134]
we can see the descent of the generations.[135]
The Talmud begins to describe the Torah aspect of this decline:
Shabbath 112b R. Zera said
in Raba b. Zimuna's name: If the earlier [scholars] were sons of angels, we are
sons of men; and if the earlier [scholars] were sons of men, we are like asses,
and not [even] like asses of R. Hanina b. Dosa and R. Phinehas b. Jair, but
like other asses.
Consider the
following:
- A good
concert is no longer about sublime notes in harmony with a melody, but
rather music is all about an exceedingly loud noise with lyrics that can
no longer be understood. Music has become a cacophony. A modern concert
almost demands that nude women be paraded across the stage, rather than
musicians wearing tuxedos.
- When an
artist paints a picture, he has to tell us what we are looking at because
it bears no resemblance to anything except splashes of paint. There was a
time that when an artist painted a bowl of fruit, that you were tempted to
take one and eat it.
- In
architecture we no longer have symmetry and balance, such as we see in almost
every living creature. We now have a hodgepodge of rooms just thrown
together. There was a time when all building were built with perfect
symmetry.
- We have
decayed rapidly in our dress. When I was younger we always wore a suit and
tie to work. Now we see that most folks wear jeans and a tee shirt. Early,
1950s, TV shows showed that no one ever went out in public without a hat.
Now, hats are extremely rare.
At the same
time,[136]
HaShem is trying to get our attention in the sciences. At the same time we see
a degradation in the arts, we are seeing an exponential rise in technological
achievement.[137]
Things are happening so fast that it is impossible to keep up.
- Today we
casually connect to many folks with video conferencing machines that would
be considered magic or even miraculous just two generations ago.
- In
medicine, we are seeing virtual miracles happening before our eyes. I
read, a few weeks ago, of a single pill that cure pancreatic cancer. This
form of cancer used to be a guaranteed death sentence.
- In
chemistry we have created magical substances that have transformed our
lives. Plastic, for example, has replaced metals, woods, ceramics, and
glass in most applications. But this magical substance was invented in my
lifetime!
- In
engineering we such feats that boggle our imagination, much less those of
previous generations. We have sent men to the moon and constructed
satellites that have transformed our lives. We see super tankers and super
buildings. We have cars that have revolutionized our lives for the better.
- We have
miracle fabrics that can keep us dry when everything around us is wet.
Fabrics that keep us warm while being amazingly thin. Fabric colors that
amaze.
Why this
dichotomy? Why are we degrading in the arts while making miracles in the scientific
world? What is going on?
The answer is
found in the book of Daniel:
Daniel 12:4 But thou, O
Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
We are living
in the end of the age where knowledge is increasing.[138]
While we advance in the physical realms, we are regressing in the spiritual
sides of our lives. Yet, science is also Torah! In fact, it is impossible to
understand the Torah without extensive knowledge of the sciences.[139]
There was a time when these two arenas were joined together. Consider what
Daniel said:
Daniel 1:4 Children in
whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and
understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand
in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of
the Chaldeans.
Wisdom, in the
above pasuk, always speaks of Torah wisdom. Knowledge always speaks of our
connection to the wisdom. Thus when one understands the sciences it is always
from the wisdom of the Torah.
The Gaon of
Vilna,[140]
in the late eighteenth century, was one of the first Torah giants,[141]
in modern history, to attempt to marry science and Torah again.[142]
He mastered the sciences to such an extent that scientists from all over the
world came to him with their insoluble problems – and he solved them! He had so
mastered the Torah that he could see the answers to scientific problems,
because it was the Torah that created these sciences.
In our days we
are seeing the prophecies of Daniel coming to fruition. Torah knowledge is
becoming so plentiful that even the poorest person has enough to be
overwhelmed. This development is a sure sign of the end of the age. Just
remember that we are going to be held accountable for what we could have learned. We will be held
accountable for the deeds we could
have performed with the Torah knowledge at our disposal. This is a marvelous
age which carries great responsibilities. We are not here to go our own way, to
test HaShem. We have a mission which is embodied in our names and the time of
our birth. HaShem is in complete control of these things and He expects us to
pay attention to the clues He gives us.
The work of
Mashiach ben Yosef is to catch HaShem’s wave with our surf boards. We must ride
this wave with skill and daring. We don’t have to complete this work, but
neither are we exempt from staring and doing our part.[143]
Remember that because we know Mashiach ben Yosef[144]
we have the responsibility to reveal Him to our brothers. This is the
fulfillment of the prophecy of the first Mashiach ben Yosef:
Beresheet (Genesis) 47:7 And
Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not.
There is a
reason why Mashiach ben Yosef is hidden from His brothers, yet it is our
mission to reveal Him. We can not do this without long hard hours of study. We
must resist the urge to let our arts and dress descend into the abyss, and we
must catch the ascending sciences and ride them to greater Torah knowledge.
This is the Nazarean mission!
We are reading
this on the twenty-fourth day of Shebat. This the same day that Zechariah had
the vision of the red, brown, and white horses. He predicts the restoration
of Zion.[145] This
prophecy concerned the nations who were at ease while suppressing Israel. It is
at the time when this prophecy is fulfilled that HaShem will rebuild Jerusalem
and restore His kingdom. Amen V’Amen -
may it come quickly.
Ashlamatah: II Kings 7:3-11 + 8:4-5
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
3. ¶ Now
there were four men, stricken with zaraath, [at] the entrance of the gate.
And they said to each other, "Why are we sitting here until we die? |
3. ¶ And four
leprous men were sitting at the entrance of the gate, and they said, each to
his fellow: "Why are we sitting here until we die?” |
|
4. If we say
that we will come into the city, with the famine in the city, we will die
there, and if we stay here we will die. So now, let us go and let us defect
to the Aramean camp. If they spare us we will live, and if they kill us we
will die." |
4. “If we say
'Let us go into the city,' there is famine in the city, and we will die
there. And if we sit here, we will die. And now come, and let us desert to
the camp of Aram. If they let us live, we will live. And if they kill us, we
will be killed.” |
|
5. And they
arose in the evening to come to the Aramean camp. And they came to the edge
of the Aramean camp, and behold, no one was there. |
5. And they
arose at dusk to enter the camp of Aram, and they came unto the edges of the
camp of Aram; and behold there was not a man there. |
|
6. Now the
Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots and the sound
of horses, the sound of a great army. And they said to one another,
"Behold, the king of Israel has hired for us the kings of the Hittites
and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us." |
6. And from
before the LORD a sound of chariots, a sound of horses, a sound of many
companies was heard in the camp of Aram; and they said, each to his brothers:
"Behold the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the
Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come against us." |
|
7. And they
picked themselves up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, their
horses, and their donkeys, the camp as it was, and they fled for their lives. |
7. And they
arose and fled at dusk and left their tents and their horses and their asses
at the camp as it was, and they fled to save their lives. |
|
8. Now these
mezoraim came up to the edge of the camp, entered one tent, ate and drank,
and carried off from there silver, gold, and clothing, and they went and hid
[them]. And they returned and entered another tent, and carried off from
there, and they went and hid [them]. |
8. And these
lepers came unto the edges of the camp and came into the tent of one, and
they ate and drank and took from there silver and gold and clothes, and they
came and hid (them); and they returned and went into another tent, and they
took from there and went and hid (them). |
|
9. Now one
said to another, "We
are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, yet we are
keeping quiet. If we wait until daybreak, we will incur guilt. Now, let us go
and come and relate this in the king's palace." |
9. And they
said, each man to his fellow: "What we are doing is not right. This day is a day of
good news. And if we are silent and waiting until the light of morning,
punishment will befall us. And now come, and let us go back and tell the
house of the king." |
|
10. And they
came and called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, saying,
"We came to the Aramean camp, and behold there is no man there nor the
sound of a human, but the horses are tethered and the donkeys are tethered,
and the tents are as they were." |
10. And they
came and called to the keepers of the gate of the city and told them, saying:
"We came to the camp of Aram, and behold there was there no man and no
sound of a man except horses tied and asses tied and tents as they
were." |
|
11. And he called the gatekeepers;
and they related it to the king's palace inside. |
11. And the
keepers of the gates called out and they told the house of the king inside. |
|
12. And the
king arose at night and said to his servants, "Now I will tell you what
the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry. So they left the
camp to hide in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will
seize them alive and enter the city. ' " |
12. And the
king arose by night and said to his servants: "I will tell you now what
the men of Aram have done to us. They know that we are starving, and they
went forth from the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying: 'For they
will come forth from the city, and we will seize them alive and go into the
city.’” |
|
13. Now one
of his servants called out and said, "Let them take now five of the
remaining horses that are left there. Behold, they are like all the multitude
of Israel that are left there, behold they are like all the multitude of
Israel that have perished; and let us send and we will see." |
13. And one
from his servants answered and said: "Let them take now five from the
horses; the rest that remain in it, behold those are like all the crowd of
Israel who are left in it; and if they perish behold they are like all the
crowd of Israel who have come to an end; and let us send and see." |
|
14. So they
took two riders of horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean camp,
saying, "Go and see." |
14. And they
took two riders of horses, and the king sent after the army of Aram, saying:
"Go, and see." |
|
15. And they
followed them up to the Jordan, and behold all the way was full of garments
and vessels that the Arameans had cast off in their haste; and the messengers
returned and related it to the king. |
15. And they
went after them up to the Jordan, and behold all the road was full of clothes
and equipment that the men of Aram threw down in their haste to flee; and the
messengers returned and told the king. |
|
16. And the
people went out and plundered the Aramean camp; and a seah of fine flour was
sold for a shekel and two seahs of barley were sold for a shekel, according
to the word of the Lord. |
16. And the
people went forth and despoiled the army of Aram, and a seah of fine flour
was for a sela, and two seahs of barley were for a sela according to the word
of the LORD. |
|
17. Now the
king appointed the officer upon whose hand he leaned, over the gate, and the
people trampled him and he died, as the man of God had spoken, which he spoke
when the king had come down to him. |
17. And the
king appointed the warrior upon whose hand he relied in charge of the gate;
and the people trampled him at the gate, and he died just as the prophet of
the LORD spoke, who spoke when the king went down unto him. |
|
18. And it
was when the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two seahs of
barley will be sold for a shekel and a seah of fine flour will be sold at
this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria,". |
18. And when
the prophet of the LORD spoke with the king, saying: "Two seahs of
barley for a sela, and a seah of fine flour for a sela - it will be at this
time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria," |
|
19. That the
officer answered the man of God and said, "And behold, if God makes
windows in the sky, will this thing come about?" And he said,
"Behold you will see it with your own eyes, yet you shall not eat
therefrom." |
19. the warrior
answered the prophet of the LORD and said: "And if the LORD opens windows
and brings happiness down from the heavens would it be according to this
word?" And he said: "Behold you are seeing with your eyes, and from
there you will not eat." |
|
20. And so it
happened to him, that the people trampled him in the gate, and he died. {S} |
20. And so it
was to him, and the people trampled him at the gate, and he died. {S} |
|
|
|
|
1. Now Elisha
had spoken to the woman whose son he had revived, saying, "Get up and
go, you and your household, and sojourn in a place suitable for you to
sojourn, for the Lord has decreed a famine, and it is destined to come upon
the land for seven years." |
1. And Elisha
spoke with the woman whose son he restored to life, saying: "Arise and
go, you and the men of your house, and dwell in a place where it is good to
dwell, for the LORD has decreed a famine, and also it is ready to come upon
the land for seven years." |
|
2. And the
woman got up and did according to the word of the man of God: and she and her
household went, and she sojourned in the land of Philistines for seven years. |
2. And the
woman arose and did according to the word of the prophet of the LORD and she
and the men of her houses went and she made her dwelling in the land of the
Philistines for seven years. |
|
3. And it
came about at the end of seven years that the woman returned from the land of
Philistines; and she went out to complain to the king about her house and
about her field. |
3. And at the
end of seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, and
she went forth to complain before the king about her house and about her
field. |
|
4. Now the
king was speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying,
"Please tell me all the great things that Elisha performed." {S} |
4. And the
king was speaking with Gehazi, the student of the prophet of the LORD saying:
"Tell me now all the great things that Elisha has done." {S} |
|
5. And it was
that he was telling the king that he revived the dead, that the woman whose
son he had revived complained to the king about her house and about her
field. And Gehazi said, "My lord the king, this is the woman and this is
her son whom Elisha revived." |
5. And he was
telling the king that he brought back to life a dead person, and behold the
woman whose son he brought back to life was complaining before the king about
her house and about her field. And Gehazi said: "My master the king,
this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to
life." |
|
6. And the
king asked the woman and she told him: and the king appointed for her one
eunuch, saying, "Return all her property, and all the produce of the
field from the day she left the land until now." {P} |
6. And the
king asked the woman, and she told him. And the king appointed for her one
eunuch, saying: "Return everything that is hers and all the produce of
the field from the day that she left the land and until now." {P} |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary to: II
Kings 7:3-11 + 8:4-5
Chapter 7
3 Now there were four men
Gehazi and his sons.
at the entrance of the gate as it is said (Lev. 13:46) “He shall
live alone; outside the camp shall be his habitation.”
6 had caused the Aramean camp
to hear It seemed to them as though they were hearing.
9 We will incur guilt We
will be held guilty by the throne.
10 as they were as they
were full at the beginning; they did not take out what was in them.
12 that we are hungry and
long to go out to the loot and to the food.
13 that are left there within the city, that did not die of hunger.
Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel that are left
there If
they will say that they are imperiled lest the Arameans kill them, behold they
are in this city in peril of famine like the rest of all the multitude of
Israel that are left there, and if they die, they are like all the multitude of
Israel that have perished from hunger.
15 in their haste in their
hurry to flee.
17 upon whose hand he leaned
on the day before, when he came to Elisha’s house.
Chapter 8
1 Now Elisha had spoken to
the woman already seven years before.
for the Lord has decreed a famine This is the famine that took place
in the days of Joel the son of Pethuel.
3 about her house and about
her field which robbers occupied.
Special Ashlamatah: I Samuel 20:18,42
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
18. And Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is
the new moon, and you will be remembered, for your seat will be vacant. |
18. And Jonathan said to him: “Tomorrow is
the (new) moon, and you will be sought out, for your dining place will be
empty.” |
|
42. And Jonathan said to David, "Go in
peace! (And bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the name of the
Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between me and you, and between my descendants
and your descendants forever.' And he arose and went away; and Jonathan came
to the city. |
42. And Jonathan said to David: “Go in
peace, for the two of us have sworn by the name of the LORD saying, ‘May the
Memra of the LORD be a witness between me and you, and between my sons and
your sons forever.’” And he arose and went; and Jonathan entered the city. |
|
|
|
Verbal Tallies
By: H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben
David
& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba
bat Sarah
Vayikra
(Leviticus) 14:1-57
Melachim bet (II
Kings) 7:3-11 + 8:4-5
Tehillim (Psalms)
78:40-72
1 Pet 5:1-14, Lk 13:22-35, Lk 14:1-6, Acts 23:31-35; 24:1-21
The verbal tallies
between the Torah and the Ashlamatah are:
Spoke / Talked - דבר, Strong’s number
01696.
Saying - אמר, Strong’s number
0559.
Leper / Leperous - צרע, Strong’s number
06879.
Day - יום, Strong’s number
03117.
Brought / Enter - בוא, Strong’s number
0935.
The verbal tallies
between the Torah and the Psalm are:
Day - יום, Strong’s number
03117.
Brought / Enter - בוא, Strong’s number
0935.
Priest - כהן, Strong’s number
03548.
Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:1 And the LORD
<03068> spoke <01696> (8762) unto
Moses <04872>, saying <0559> (8800),
2 This will be the law <08451> of
the leper <06879> (8794) in the day <03117> of his cleansing <02893>:
He will be brought <0935> (8717) unto
the priest <03548>:
Melachim bet (II Kings) 7:3 And there were four
<0702> leprous <06879> (8794) men
<0582> at the entering in <06607> of the gate <08179>: and
they said <0559> (8799) one <0376> to another <07453>, Why
sit <03427> (8802) we here until we die <04191> (8804)?
Melachim bet (II Kings) 7:4 If we say
<0559> (8804), We will enter <0935>
(8799) into the city <05892>, then the famine <07458> is in
the city <05892>, and we shall die <04191> (8804) there: and if we
sit still <03427> (8804) here, we die <04191> (8804) also. Now
therefore come <03212> (8798), and let us fall <05307> (8799) unto
the host <04264> of the Syrians <0758>: if they save us alive
<02421> (8762), we shall live <02421> (8799); and if they kill
<04191> (8686) us, we shall but die <04191> (8804).
Melachim bet (II Kings) 7:9 Then they said <0559> (8799) one <0376> to
another <07453>, We do <06213> (8802) not well: this day <03117> is a day
<03117> of good tidings <01309>, and we hold our peace
<02814> (8688): if we tarry <02442> (8765) till the morning
<01242> light <0216>, some mischief <05771> will come
<04672> (8804) upon us: now therefore come <03212> (8798), that we
may go <0935> (8799) and tell <05046> (8686) the king’s
<04428> household <01004>.
Melachim bet (II Kings) 8:4 And the king
<04428> talked <01696> (8764) with
Gehazi <01522> the servant <05288> of the man <0376> of God
<0430>, saying <0559> (8800),
Tell <05608> (8761) me, I pray thee, all the great things <01419>
that Elisha <0477> hath done <06213> (8804).
Tehillim (Psalms) 78:42 They remembered
<02142> (8804) not his hand <03027>, nor the day <03117> when he delivered <06299>
(8804) them from the enemy <06862>.
Tehillim (Psalms) 78:54 And he brought <0935> (8686) them to the border
<01366> of his sanctuary <06944>, even to this mountain
<02022>, which his right hand <03225> had purchased <07069>
(8804).
Tehillim (Psalms)
78:64 Their priests <03548> fell <05307> (8804) by
the sword <02719>; and their widows <0490> made no lamentation
<01058> (8799).
HEBREW:
|
Hebrew |
English |
Torah Seder Lev.
14:1-32 |
Psalms Psa
78:40-55 |
Ashlamatah 2
Ki 7:3-11 + 8:4-5 |
|
lh,ao |
tents |
Lev 14:8 |
Ps 78:51 |
2 Kgs 7:7 |
|
dx'a, |
one |
Lev 14:5 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
|
|
vyai |
man |
Lev 14:11 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
lk;a' |
ate |
Ps 78:45 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
|
|
~ai |
if |
Lev 14:21 |
2 Kgs 7:4 |
|
|
rm;a' |
saying |
Lev 14:1 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
rv,a] |
where |
Lev 14:13 |
Ps 78:42 |
2 Kgs 8:5 |
|
aAB |
brought, come, go |
Lev 14:2 |
Ps 78:54 |
2 Kgs 7:4 |
|
!Be |
young, son |
Lev 14:22 |
2 Kgs 8:5 |
|
|
rb;D' |
spoke, talking |
Lev 14:1 |
2 Kgs 8:4 |
|
|
~D' |
blood |
Lev 14:6 |
Ps 78:44 |
|
|
hNEhi |
if |
Lev 14:3 |
2 Kgs 7:5 |
|
|
hz< |
this |
Lev 14:2 |
Ps 78:54 |
2 Kgs 7:9 |
|
dy" |
hand |
Lev 14:14 |
Ps 78:42 |
|
|
~Ay |
day |
Lev 14:2 |
Ps 78:42 |
2 Kgs 7:9 |
|
bv;y" |
stay |
Lev 14:8 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
laer'f.yI |
Israel |
Ps 78:41 |
2 Kgs 7:6 |
|
|
lKo |
all, every |
Lev 14:8 |
Ps 78:51 |
2 Kgs 8:4 |
|
hm' |
why |
Ps 78:40 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
hn<x]m; |
camp |
Lev 14:3 |
2 Kgs 7:4 |
|
|
!mi |
outside, some, before |
Lev 14:3 |
Ps 78:55 |
|
|
~yIr'c.mi |
Egyptians |
Ps 78:43 |
2 Kgs 7:6 |
|
|
lp;n" |
go, apportioned |
Ps 78:55 |
2 Kgs 7:4 |
|
|
vp,n< |
life, soul |
Ps 78:50 |
2 Kgs 7:7 |
|
|
!t;n" |
put, give |
Lev 14:14 |
Ps 78:46 |
|
|
l[; |
over, behalf |
Lev 14:5 |
2 Kgs 7:6 |
|
|
~ynIP' |
open, face, before |
Lev 14:7 |
Ps 78:55 |
|
|
xt;P, |
doorway, enterance |
Lev 14:11 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
[r'c' |
leper |
Lev 14:2 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
|
|
vd,qo |
sanctuary, holy |
Lev 14:13 |
Ps 78:54 |
|
|
hd,f' |
field |
Lev 14:7 |
Ps 78:43 |
2 Kgs 8:5 |
|
bWv |
return, turn |
Ps 78:41 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
|
|
xl;v' |
go, sent |
Lev 14:7 |
Ps 78:45 |
|
|
ht'v' |
drank |
Ps 78:44 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
|
|
hf'[' |
offer, doing, done |
Lev 14:19 |
2 Kgs 7:9 |
|
|
dg<B, |
clothes |
Lev 14:8 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
GREEK:
|
Greek |
English |
Torah
Seder Lev.
14:1-32 |
Psalms Psa
78:40-55 |
Ashlamatah 2 Ki
7:3-11 + 8:4-5 |
Peshat Mk/Jude/Pet 1
Pet 5:1-4 |
Remes
1 Luke Lk
13:22-30 |
Remes
2 Acts/Romans Acts
23:31-35 |
|
ἀδικία |
iniquity |
2Ki 7:9 |
Luke 13:27 |
||||
|
γίνομαι |
came to pass |
2Ki 8:5 |
1 Pet 5:3 |
||||
|
εἰσέρχομαι |
entered |
Lev 14:8 |
2Ki 7:4 |
Luke 13:24 |
Acts 23:33 |
||
|
ἔξω |
outside |
Lev 14:3 |
Luke 13:25 |
||||
|
ἐσθίω |
eat, ate |
2Ki 7:8 |
Luke 13:26 |
||||
|
θεός |
God |
Psa 78:41 |
2Ki 8:4 |
1 Pet 5:2 |
Luke 13:28 |
||
|
θύρα |
doors |
Lev 14:11 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
Luke 13:24 |
|||
|
ἰδού |
behold |
Lev 14:3 |
2Ki 7:5 |
Luke 13:30 |
|||
|
ἵστημι |
stand |
Lev 14:11 |
Luke 13:25 |
||||
|
κύριος |
Lord |
Lev 14:1 |
2Ki 7:6 |
Luke 13:23 |
|||
|
λέγω |
says, said |
Lev 14:1 |
2 Kgs 7:3 |
Luke 13:23 |
|||
|
ὁράω |
see, look |
ὁράω |
Luke 13:28 |
||||
|
πᾶς |
every, all, whole |
Lev 14:8 |
Ps 78:51 |
2 Kgs 8:4 |
Luke 13:27 |
||
|
πίνω
|
drink, drank |
Ps 78:44 |
2 Kgs 7:8 |
Luke 13:26 |
|||
|
ποίμνιον |
flocks |
Psa 78:52 |
1 Pet 5:2 |
||||
|
πόλις |
city |
2Ki 7:3 |
Luke 13:22 |
Nazarean
Talmud
Sidrot
of Vayikra (Lev.) 14:1–32
“HaMetsorá”
“of the leper”
By:
H. Em Rabbi Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham &
H.
Em. Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
|
School of Hakham Shaul Tosefta Luqas (Lk) 13:22- 14:6 Mishnah א:א |
School of Hakham Tsefet Peshat 1 Tsefet (1 Pet) 5:1-14 Mishnah א:א |
|
And he went on his
way going throughout
towns and villages, teaching and making his journey toward Yerushalayim. And someone asked him saying, “Master, are there only a few who are saved?” And he said to them, “Make every effort
to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you many, will seek to
enter and will not be able to. Once the master of the house has risen to shut the door, and you standing outside start to knock on the door, saying, ‘Master, open the
door for us!’ And he will answer you saying ‘I do not know where you are from!’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your
presence, and you taught in our streets!’ And he will reply,
saying to you, ‘I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all you workers of falsehood!’[146] In that place there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see
Abraham and Yitzchak and Ya’aqob (the Patriarchs – fathers) and all the prophets in the kingdom/governance of God, but yourselves are thrown outside! And they will come from the east and the west, and from the north and south,
and will recline at the table in the kingdom/governance of God. And behold, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be
last.” ¶
On that very day some P’rushim (Pharisees) came, saying to him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants
to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out
shedim (demons) and perform
healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will be
perfected.” “Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day
following; for it
cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Yerushalayim. "O
Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, the city who kills the prophets and stones those
who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as
a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!’ See! “Your house is left to you desolate” (Jer. 22:5); and assuredly, I say to you, you will not see me until the time comes when
you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Psalm
118:26). ¶ And now it happened, as he went into the house of one
of the rulers of the P’rushim (Pharisees) to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched him closely. And
behold, there was a certain man before him who had dropsy. And Yeshua,
answering, spoke to those especially schooled in legal halakhah and P’rushim,
saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" But they kept
silent. And he took him and healed him, and let him go. Then he
answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an
ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the
Sabbath day?” And they could not
resist him regarding these things. |
Therefore,
I address (exhort) the Hakhamim (Zakenim
– Hakhamim) in your midst, I am also a
Hakham and I am also a witness of
Messiah’s suffering, and I will
also share in the glory of his revealing in the near future. Therefore, shepherd the flock among you guarding over them not by force or
coercion,[147]
but willingly [under
God’s hand], and do not be preoccupied with earning a living but work voluntarily with
compassion [towards the brethren].
Do not be domineering over those in your safekeeping, but be a living example to the flock. And, when the
Chief Shepherd appears you will have earned an unfading crown. Likewise, you who are younger (recent
converts) voluntarily submit to the Hakhamim. Show your
humility in the clothing you wear, because God resists the proud showing His
loving-kindness to the humble. ¶ Therefore humble yourselves
under the Yad Hazahah (mighty hand) of God, that He may exalt you at the
appropriate time, casting all
your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, and vigilant; because
your adversary (the Yetser HaRa) is
lurking about like a shadé and a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour. He
(the Yetser HaRa) is resisted
through faithful obedience and the knowledge that your brethren in the
diaspora are suffering the same thing. But after having suffered for a short
season, the God of unlimited loving-kindness, who has called you to His
eternal honor through Yeshua HaMashiach, will Himself restore, confirm,
strengthen and establish you. To Him (God) be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen ¶
By Hillel/Luqas (Silas), our faithful
brother who I consider most honorable, I have written to you this brief
exhortation declaring the true loving-kindness of God by which you have been
made to stand.
The equally chosen of Babylon greet you and so does Mordechai (Mark) my talmid. ¶
Greet one another with a loving kiss. Shalom Alechem to all of you in
Messiah. Amen. |
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School of Hakham Shaul Remes 2 Luqas (Acts) 23:31-35 Mishnah א:א |
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Therefore the soldiers, in accordance with their
orders, took Hakham Shaul and brought him to Antipatris during
the night. And on the next day they let the horsemen go on
with him, and they returned to
the barracks. The horsemen, when they came to Caesarea and
delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Hakham Shaul to him. So after reading the
letter and asking what
province he was from, and learning that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your
accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be guarded in the
praetorium of Herod. ¶ Now after five days Chananyah the high priest came
down with the elders of the Tz’dukim and a certain lawyer named
Tertullus. These gave evidence
to the governor against Hakham Shaul. ¶ And when he was called upon, Tertullus[148]
began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace,
and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, “we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.”
Nevertheless, not to be wearisome to you any further, I beg you to hear, by
your courtesy, a few words from us. "For we have found this man a
plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jewish people throughout the
world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazareans.” “He even tried to
profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to
our law.” “But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, “commanding his accusers to come to you. By
examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse
him.” ¶ And the Jewish Tz’dukim who assented, maintaining
that these things were so. ¶ Then, after the governor had nodded allowing Hakham
Shaul to speak to him, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for
many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for
myself, “because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since
I went up to Yerushalayim to worship.” “And they neither found me in the
temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues
or in the city. “Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. “But this I confess to you, that
according to the Way which they call a sect of the Nazareans, so I worship the God of my fathers,
believing all things which are written in the Torah and in the Prophets. “I
have confidence in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be
a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. “This being
so, I myself always
strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. “Now after
many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of
which some Jewish men from Asia
found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. “They
ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.
“Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I
stood before their council, unless it
is for this one statement which
I cried out, standing among them, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I
am being judged by you this day.’” |
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Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction
with the following Torah Seder
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*Lev. 14:1-32 |
Psa 78:40-55 |
II Kings 7:3-11 +
8:4-5 |
1 Pet 5:1-4 |
Lk 13:22-30 |
Acts 23:31-35 |
|
Lev. 14:33-57 |
Psa 78:65-72 |
Is 5:8-16 + 6:3 |
1 Pet 5:5-11 1 Pet 5:12-14 |
Lk 13:31-35 Lk 14:1-6 |
Acts 24:1-9 Acts 24:10-21 |
Commentary to
Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat
Yad Hazakah (mighty hand)
of God
The phrase Yad
Hazahah (mighty hand) of God, can also be rendered “Take hold of G-d’s mighty
hand.” The Mishneh Torah (Repetition of the Torah) is the magnum opus of the Rambam.[149]
The title “Yad Hazahah” is the secondary title to the Mishnah Torah. It is
given this title because the Mishneh Torah is subdivided into 14 (Yad)
divisions. Interestingly, the 14th (Yad) book (sub-division) of the
Mishneh Torah is devoted to Messiah and the Y’mot HaMashiach (Days of Messiah)
and relative principles.[150]
Hakham Tsefet’s
use of this phrase sends the mind in a thousand directions. How was it that the
phrase “Yad Hazahah” was picked up by the Rambam? How is it that the Rambam
chose 14 divisions? The Hebrew number 14 is the equivalent to the word “hand.”
For those who are not familiar with this vital work, it is a monumental
elucidation of the Torah’s 613 mitzvoth. What we also find overwhelming is the
thought that this very week we have initiated Yeshivat Bet El. The first class
taught after our regular Triennial Torah class was Yad Hazahah imparted by His
Eminence Rabbi Dr Hillel ben David. Of course, everyone knows that we had this
planned so that the initial course would fall out so that it included this
phrase by Hakham Tsefet. (Obviously, everyone will know this was said in jest)
The overwhelming odds for these events to coalesce at the same time are beyond
the human mind’s ability to reach.
Taking Hold and casting away
Humility “takes
hold” of the Hand of G-d. While we dare not travel too far into the mystical
world, we understand that “humility” is associated with the Malchut Shamayim
(Kingdom/Governance of G-d through the Hakhamim as opposed to human Kings).
Furthermore, the Moreh (teacher) is associated with the characteristic of
humility. Only, by “taking hold” of G-d’s mighty hand can we truly cast off our
burdens. While the world at large wants freedom from the “Law” (Torah), the
Jewish people see the Torah as the gift of G-d’s bountiful grace. Only by
acceptance of the Kingdom/Governance of G-d can we find practical application
of the Torah. We repeatedly use the phrase, “Kingdom/Governance of G-d through
the Hakhamim as opposed to human Kings” for the sake of understanding the halakhah l’maaseh (practical
application) comes through the Sages. While we take great care not to put too
much of this in Hakham Tsefet’s mouth we certainly can use hermeneutic logic to
see these connections from our present post. These logical thoughts capture the
essence of what Hakham Tsefet was trying to say. Only by acceptance of the
mitzvoth can we find rest from the cares that would burden the soul. Faithful
obedience is readily rewarded. Though the wages are not necessarily in terms of
monies, we find great pleasure and consolation in the study of the Torah, its
mitzvoth and the words of the Hakhamim. Herein we see that we labor not to find
a career in the secular world. We labor for the sake of Torah Study.
Whose hand are you holding?
As noted above
the phrase Yad Hazaqah (mighty hand) of God, can also be rendered “Take hold of G-d’s mighty
hand.” This phrase is synonymous with the notion of “walking with G-d” or being
with G-d. The congregations of Gentiles will “take hold” of the kanaf (corner – tzitzith) of the Jewish
Man’s tallit as we have discussed. Interestingly, the Hebrew text actually
reads, “take hold, take hold.” The “grasping” – taking hold is doubled in the
idea of grasping and taking hold, which in Hebrew is from the same root קזַח. Therefore, we can determine that the Gentile
congregations “grasping” and “taking hold” of the Jewish man’s kanaf is tantamount to “taking hold” of
G-d’s hand. Or, as it is stated in the present text of 1 Tsefet, submitting to
the mighty hand of G-d. What is it that makes a soul Jewish? “Taking hold of
the mighty hand of G-d and submitting to the Kingdom/Governance of G-d through
the Hakhamim as opposed to human kings.
Another possible translation of the Hebrew phrase: “Yad Hazaqah” is “the
hand that strengthens.” In other words, by grasping the hand of G-d through the
observance of the commandments we become strengthened!
Commentary to Hakham Shaul’s School of Remes
Liar for hire
The amazing
connections to the Torah Seder astound us. We have been reading of the
miraculous tzarat (leprosy) for the
past weeks. This week’s Torah Seder continues with offering presented for the
sin of Lashon HaRa (the evil/wicked tongue). It does not take much imagination
to see the connection of Hakham Shaul’s 2 Luqas with the Torah Seder.
Tertullus is a
“lawyer/orator.” The lexicons have trouble deciding what he is or what office
he holds. Regardless, the whole court conducted before the “Most Excellent
Felix” (his Excellency) is detained waiting for Tertullus to arrive. His
flowering words sound so smooth and polished. But of course, they are all lies.
Do we need to be told that his name means “threefold hardening?” The Tz’dukim
have their hired liar to speak before the Roman official. It is hard to tell
which of the criminals is worse. Tertullus is the hired liar and Felix is
waiting to be bribed by Hakham Shaul. The wife of Felix is Jewish. This shows
us that he is thoroughly versed in Jewish halakhah. However, we are hard
pressed to know which sect she is devoted to. Regardless the matter makes Felix
very nervous. On the one hand, Hakham Shaul is a Roman citizen. Yet on the
other hand, the Tz’dukim are aligned with the Romans through corruption and bribery.
If we were able
to look at the Tz’dukim and Tertullus through spiritual eyes, we would see
lepers as white as snow. They have spread their infectious disease of Lashon
HaRa through every corner of the Temple. The courts are filled with their contagious
lies. The allegory is so subtle we all most miss it. The Tz’dukim accuse Hakham
Shaul of bringing a gentile into the holy courts. Of course, this is their
great falsehood. The court of the Gentiles is the location for all the mikvaoth allowing Jewish pilgrims access
to their courts. The Lashon HaRa of the Tz’dukim and the defunct priesthood
profanes all the courts of the Jews and Gentiles alike. Hakham Shaul was
accused of bringing a Gentile into the Jewish courts. However, the fabrication
is without true witness. Furthermore, we have to be very ignorant of the Temple
halakhot to accept these unfounded lies. Had these things been true there would
not have been any ad hoc council needed to try Hakham Shaul.
Why do we find
the claims of the kohanim (priests)
so preposterous? The tractate “Tamid” and “Middoth” of the Mishnah records the
locations of the Temple guards. The Kohanim guarded at three locations.[151]
Surely Hakham Shaul would have been able to sneak a Gentile past one of these
three stations. However, this is not the end of the story. Mishnah tractate
Middot does not stop with the three locations of the Kohanim. It continues
telling us that at twenty-one locations the Levites guard the Temple mount.[152]
The Rambam tells us that the guards protected and watched over the Temple night
AND DAY![153]
Had a Gentile crossed the “soreg,” a
fence/wall marking the boundary of the court of the gentiles, he immediately incurred
the death penalty. The “soreg” was
clearly marked with the following warning, “No foreigner (Gentile) is to enter the barriers
surrounding the sanctuary. He who is caught will have himself to blame for his
death which will follow.” It is erroneous to believe that Hakham Shaul’s
Igeret (letter) to the Ephesians speaks of the soreg.
But you (Gentiles) who were far away are now brought close by your union with Yeshua
HaMashiach, his life of peace bringing us into unity by breaking down the
middle wall of partition[154] which stood between us. This was
accomplished by abolishing the enactments contained in (Shammaite) ordinances (dogma)[155], that he might establish one new body[156]
in himself, by the cross, having broken down conflict between the Jewish people and the Gentiles.
Please read the
footnotes VERY carefully!
Antiochus IV
Epiphanes nicknamed Επιμανής – epimaneis (madman), brought the
abomination of desolation into the Temple courts contaminating the stones of
the altar and all the Temple precincts. This Gentile “madman” forced the Jewish
people into assimilation. However, the crimes of this lunatic cannot measure up
to the criminal activities of the Tz’dukim, who feigned Jewish priesthood for
the sake of wealth. The informers, the Epicureans and the conspirators who
regurgitated their Lashon HaRa against Hakham Shaul had contaminated the Temple
courts and precincts with a far greater abomination that the “Madman.”
The allegorical
picture is clear. Tertullus, the liar for hire is a picture of the lepers in
our Torah Seder. The Kohanim as inspectors of the lepers were themselves
contaminated. All who entered the Temple precincts were themselves contaminated
rather than elevated to a level of “holiness.” Why was it necessary to
reinstate the Priesthood of the Firstborn?
The allegorical
application is also readily discerned. Only the acceptance of the Yad
Hazakah (mighty hand) of God, can we be living Sanctuaries. The Torah cleanses
the soul, the tongue and the life of every man.
The inspection of the Leper’s house is tantamount to the inspection of
the Temple. The leper’s house went through a ritual cleansing. How are we, the
Temple of living stones cleansed? Is it not through the cleansing words of the
Torah?
Questions for Reflection
- From all the readings for
this week, which particular verse or passage caught your attention and
fired your heart and imagination?
- In
your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for
this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message (the idea that encapsulates
all the Scripture passages read) for this week?
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 Shabbat:
Shabbat “Yif’qod Adonai” – “Let Appoint the LORD”
Rosh Chodesh
Adar I - 5774
New
Moon for Adar I - 5774
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Shabbat |
Torah Reading: |
Weekday Torah Reading: |
|
יִפְקֹד
יְהוָה |
|
Saturday
Afternoon |
|
“Yif’qod Adonai” |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar 27:15-17 |
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 15:1-5 |
|
“Let Appoint the LORD” |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar 27:18-20 |
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 15:5-10 |
|
“Ponga el SEÑOR” |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar 27:21-23 |
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 15:11-15 |
|
B’Midbar (Num.) 27:15 – 28:26 |
Reader 4 – B’Midbar 28:1-9 |
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Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu
(Is.) 66:1-24 |
Reader 5 – B’Midbar 28:10-14 |
Monday & Thursday Mornings |
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Reader 6 – B’Midbar 28:15-18 |
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 15:1-5 |
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Proverbs 7:1-27 |
Reader 7 – B’Midbar 28:19-25 |
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 15:5-10 |
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Maftir – B’Midbar 28:23-25 |
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 15:11-15 |
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N.C.: Col. 2:16-23 |
Isaiah 66:1-24 |
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Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham