Esnoga Bet Emunah

Esnoga Bet Emunah

227 Millset Chase - San Antonio, Texas 78253

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Second Year of the Reading Cycle
Sivan 2, 5767 – May 18/19, 2007	Fifth Year of the Sh’mita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times

San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Brisbane, Australia:

Friday, May 18, 2007 – Candles at: 8:03 PM Friday, May 18, 2007 – Candles at: 4:48 PM

Saturday, May 19, 2007 – Havdalah 9:00 PM Saturday, May 19, 2007 – Havdalah 5:42 PM

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Singapore, Singapore

Friday May 18, 2007 – Candles at 8:15 PM Friday, May 18, 2007 – Candles at: 6:48 PM

Saturday, May 19, 2007 – Havdalah 9:16 PM Saturday, May 19, 2007 – Havdalah 7:39 PM

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

Counting of the Omer: Friday Night Omer day 46 – Saturday night Omer day 47

Coming Festival of Shabuot – Pentecost

Sivan 6 and 7 – Evening May 22^nd – Evening May 24

For further study see: http://www.betemunah.org/shavuot.doc ; http://www.betemunah.org/ruth.doc ; http://www.betemunah.org/freedom.doc & http://www.betemunah.org/betroth.doc

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אֱמֹר אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים
“Emor El-HaKohanim”	Reader 1 – Vayikra 21:1-6	Reader 1 – Vayikra 22:17-19
“Speak unto the priests”	Reader 2 – Vayikra 21:9-15	Reader 2 – Vayikra 22:20-22
“Habla á los sacerdotes”	Reader 3 – Vayikra 21:16-21	Reader 3 – Vayikra 22:23-25
Vayikra (Lev.) 21:1 – 22:16	Reader 4 – Vayikra 21:22-24
Ashlamatah: Zechariah 3:1-10	Reader 5 – Vayikra 22:1-8
	Reader 6 – Vayikra 22:9-11	Reader 1 – Vayikra 22:17-19
Psalms 85	Reader 7 – Vayikra 22:12-16	Reader 2 – Vayikra 22:20-22
Pirke Abot VI:5	Maftir – Vayikra 22:14-16	Reader 3 – Vayikra 22:23-25
N.C.: Matityahu 16:28 – 17:9

Roll of Honor:

This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family, as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat Sarah. For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Seder.

If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to ravybh@optusnet.com.au with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

Vayikra (Lev.) 21:1 – 22:16

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
1 ¶ Adonai said to Moshe; speak, to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and you will say to them, let him not defile himself with the dead among his people.	1 AND the Lord spoke to Mosheh, saying: Speak unto the priests, the men of the children of Aharon, that they keep themselves apart from defilement and thus will you say to them: For a man who is dead, (the priest) will not defile himself among his people;
2 Except to his kin to whom he is closely related, for his mother and his father, for his son, his daughter and for his brother.	2 but for a woman who is of kin to his flesh, for his daughter, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
3 For his virgin sister, to whom he is closely related, who has not yet been married, for her, he may be defiled.	3 and for his sister, a virgin who is near to him, and who has neither been betrothed, nor married to a husband, for her he may defile himself.
4 A husband may not defile himself among his people [for a wife through whom] he becomes profaned.	4 The husband will not defile himself on account of his wife, except so far as it is right for him; but for a relative of those who do the work of his people he may defile himself.
5 They will not make baldness on their heads and the corners of their beards they will not shave, and they will not make gashes in their flesh.	5 They will not mark themselves between their eyes, nor set a mark upon their heads, nor cut away the corners of their beards, nor make any incision in their flesh:
6 They will be holy to their G-d and they will not profane the Name of their G-d, for [it is] the fire-offerings of Adonai, the bread of their G-d [that] they bring [offer], and they must [therefore] be holy.	6 but they will be holy before their God, and will not profane the name of their God; [JERUSALEM. They will not profane for the oblations of their God they do offer, and they must be holy in their bodies.
7 A harlot or a profaned woman they will not marry. A woman divorced from her husband they will not marry, for he is holy to his G-d.	7 They will not take to wife a woman who has gone astray by fornication, [JERUSALEM. A woman a fornicatress, or profane,] or who was born illegitimate, nor a woman who has been put away, whether from her husband or the husband's brother, may they take; for he is to be holy before his God.
8 You will make him holy for he offers the bread of your G-d; he will be holy unto you for I, Adonai, am holy, Who makes you holy.	8 You will sanctify him unto the priesthood; for the oblation itself of your God he is to offer: he will be holy to you, and you will not make him profane: I, the Lord who sanctify you, am holy.
9 The daughter of a Kohen, who profanes herself by fornication--- she profanes her father--- she will be burned with fire.	9 And if the betrothed daughter of a man of the priesthood profane herself, by going astray in fornication; if, while she is yet in her father's house, she is guilty of fornication, she will be burned with fire.
10 The Kohen who is greatest among his brethren upon whose head was poured the anointing oil; whose hands were consecrated to put on the special garments; will not let his hair grow wild and he will not tear his garments.	10 And the high priest who has been anointed over his brethren, and upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and who offered his oblation to be arrayed in the (holy) robes, will not make his head bare, nor either rend or tear his garment in the hour of grief.
11 And adjacent to any dead body he will not enter. For his father and mother he will not become [ritually] impure.	11 Nor unto any person who is dead will he go in, nor for his father or his mother make himself unclean.
12 He will not depart from the Sanctuary and he will not profane his G-d's Sanctuary, for the crown of his G-d's anointing oil is upon him, I am Adonai.	12 And he will not go forth from the sanctuary, or profane the sanctuary of his God; for the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.
13 He will marry [only] a virgin.	13 And he will take a wife who is in her virginity;
14 A widow, divorcee, profaned woman or harlot; he may not marry [any] of these. But only a virgin from his own people may he marry.	14 but a widow, or a divorced person, or one who was born of depraved parents, or who has gone astray by fornication, such as these he will not take; but a virgin proper will he take to wife from the daughters of his people.
15 He will not profane his offspring among his people, for I am Adonai, who makes him holy.	15 Neither will he profane his offspring among his people; for I the Lord do sanctify him.
16 Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying;	16 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
17 Speak to Aharon saying; Anyone of your offspring, through [all] their generations who will have a blemish, will not approach to offer the bread of his G-d.	17 Speak with Aharon, saying: No man of your sons in the families of their generations who has a blemish in him will be qualified to offer the oblation of his God:
18 For any man who has a blemish will not approach; a blind man or a lame man, or a man with a sunken nose, or a man who has disproportionate limbs.	18 for no man who has a blemish in him will offer. A man who is blind or lame, or stricken in his nostrils, or mutilated in his thigh,
19 or a man who has a broken (crippled) foot, or a broken (crippled) hand,	19 or a man who has a broken foot, or a broken hand
20 or one with overhanging eyebrows, or with a cataract, or a disarrangement [in the eye], or one with scurf or scabs, or one with crushed testicles.	20 or whose eyelids droop so as to cover his eyes, who has no hair on his eyelids; or who bath a suffusion of whiteness with darkness in his eyes; or who has the dry scurvy, or who is full of the blotches of Egypt, or whose testicles are swollen or shrunk, (JERUSALEM. Or one whose eyelids cover his eyes, or has no hair on his eyelids, or who is overgrown, or a dwarf, or blear‑eyed, or filled with scurvy or with blotches, or who is wanting in the testicles,]
21 Any man who has a blemish, who is a descendant of Aharon the Kohen, will not approach to offer the fire-offerings of Adonai. He has a blemish; the bread of his G-d he may not approach to offer [as an offering].	21 no man, a priest of the race of Aharon the priest who has in him any such blemish, will be qualified to offer the oblations of the Lord. He has a blemish, and it is not meet for him to offer the oblation of his God.
22 The bread of his G-d which is of the most holy, and from the holy [offerings] he may eat.	22 Nevertheless he may support himself with the residue of the oblations of his God which remains of the most holy and of the holy (offerings);
23 However, he may not enter beyond the Curtain and he will not approach the Altar for he has a blemish and he will not profane My holy things, for I am Adonai, who sanctifies them.	23 only he must not enter within the veil, nor approach the altar; for a blemish is in him, and he will not profane My sanctuary; for I the Lord do sanctify them.
24 Moshe spoke [these words] to Aharon, and to his sons and to all of B’ne Yisrael.	24 And Mosheh spoke with Aharon and with his sons, and with all the sons of Israel.

1 Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying;	1 And the Lord spoke with Mosheh, saying:
2 Speak to Aharon and to his sons and let them keep away from the holy offerings of B’ne Yisrael and they will not profane My holy name which they sanctify for Me, I am Adonai.	2 Speak with Aharon and with his sons, that they keep apart from the consecrated things of the children of Israel, and profane not the Name of My Holiness (in whatever) they hallow before Me: I am the Lord.
3 Say to them; throughout your generations; any person of your offspring who will draw near to the holy things which B’ne Yisrael will sanctify to Adonai [while] his impurity is on him that soul will be cut off from My Presence, I am Adonai.	3 Say to them, Take heed in your generations: whatever man of all your sons who will offer things hallowed, which the children of Israel have consecrated before the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that man will be destroyed with a stroke of death before Me: I am the Lord.
4 Any man of Aharon's offspring; who has tzara'at or an impure flow, may not eat of the sacred things until he has purified himself. [The same is true] of anyone who touches anything defiled by the dead, or anyone who has had a seminal emission,	4 Any man, young or old of the offspring of Aharon, who is a leper, or has a running issue, will not eat of things consecrated till he be clean: and whoever touches any uncleanness of man, or one from whom uncleanness has proceeded,
5 or anyone who touches any creeping creature that causes impurity to him, or any person which causes impurity to him, [with] whatever impurity he has.	5 or who touches any reptile that makes unclean, or (the corpse of) a dead man which makes unclean, or any of the uncleanness of his life,
6 Anyone touching [that person] will be impure until the evening. He will not eat of the holy things unless he has washed his body in water.	6 the man being a priest who touches such will be unclean until the evening, and may not eat of the holy things, except that he wash his flesh in forty seahs of water.
7 When the sun sets, he is pure, and afterwards, he may eat of the holy things, for it is his bread.	7 And when the sun has set and he be fit, he may afterward eat of the holy things; for they are his food.
8 An animal which has died on its own, or an animal that was fatally maimed, he must not eat to defile himself with it, I am Adonai.	8 But of a dead carcass, or (that which has been) killed (by violence), he may not eat to defile himself therewith. I am the Lord.
9 They will keep my charge lest they bear [the burden] of sin and die because of it for having profaned [it]. I am Adonai Who makes them holy.	9 But the sons of Israel will observe the keeping of My Word, that they may not bring sin upon themselves, nor die for it by the flaming fire; because they have profaned it: I am the Lord who sanctify them.
10 No stranger (non-Kohen) may eat holy things. One indentured to a Kohen and one hired [by a Kohen] may not eat sacred-offerings.	10 No stranger or profane person will eat of a consecrated thing, (neither) a son of Israel who is an inmate of the priest, nor any hireling, may eat of the hallowed thing.
11 If a Kohen will purchase a person [as a slave, that person is] his monetary possession. He may eat of it, and the [slave] born in his house, they may eat of his bread.	11 But if the priest buy a man a stranger with the price of his money, he may eat of it, and such as have grown up in his house may eat of his bread.
12 When a Kohen's daughter marries a non-Kohen, the sacred terumah portions may not be eaten by her.	12 And the daughter of a priest, if she be married to a man a stranger, may not eat of things set apart by consecration.
13 If a Kohen's daughter is either widowed or divorced, and she has no children, and she returns to her father's home as in her youth, she may eat of her father's bread. No non- Kohen may eat of it.	13 But if the daughter of a priest be a widow, or be divorced and having no child by him has returned to her father's house, and has not been wedded to a brother‑in‑law, (Deut. xxv. 5,) she, being as in the days of her youth, and not being with child, may eat of her father's meat; but no stranger will eat thereof.
14 If a man inadvertently eats of sacred-offering, he will add a fifth, to it[s worth] and give to the Kohen the holy thing.	14 And if a man of Israel eat that which is consecrated unknowingly, let him add a fifth part of its value to it, and give the (price of the) holy thing unto the priest.
15 They will not profane the holy things of B’ne Yisrael that which they designated for Adonai.	15 Let them not profane the sacred things of the children of Israel which are set apart unto the Name of the Lord,
16 They burden them[selves] with the sin of their guilt when they eat their holy things, for I am Adonai, Who makes them holy.	16 nor let the sin of their trespass be found upon them, by eating in uncleanness their consecrated things; for I am the Lord who do sanctify them.

Midrash Tanhuma (Lev.) 21:1 – 22:16

8.1 Leviticus 21:1 ff, Part I

(Lev. 21:1) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AARON, <AND SAY UNTO THEM: LET NO ONE DEFILE HIMSELF FOR A DEAD SOUL AMONG HIS PEOPLE>. This text is related (to Ps. 12:7 [6]): THE SAYINGS OF THE LORD ARE PURE SAYINGS. ... Everything <against> which the Holy One warned Israel is for the sake of their holiness and their purity (Ibid.:) THE SAYINGS OF THE LORD ARE PURE SAYINGS. (Lev. 21:1:) SPEAK (literally: SAY) UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AARON, AND SAY UNTO THEM. Note that “say” <occurs> two times. To what is the matter comparable? To a cook who would go in and out before the king. The king said: I am commanding you not to look at a dead person all your days, since you come in and out before me, lest you defile my palace (Latin: Praetorium). Similarly, the Holy One had commanded the priests who enter the Temple not to be defiled for a dead person. It therefore says (in Lev. 21:1): LET NO ONE DEFILE HIMSELF FOR A DEAD SOUL AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

8.2 Leviticus 21:1 ff, Part II

Another interpretation (of Lev. 21:1): SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. This text is related (to Ps. 19:3-4 [2-3]): ONE DAY POURS OUT SPEECH TO ANOTHER …; THERE IS NO SPEECH, NOR ARE THERE WORDS. You find that in the days of autumn the day lends to the night, while in the days of summer the night lends to the day. (Vs. 4:) THERE IS NO SPEECH, NOR ARE THERE WORDS. No creature hears <about any difference> between them, as stated (in Ps. 19:4 [3]): THERE IS NO SPEECH, NOR ARE THERE WORDS, [NOR IS THEIR VOICE HEARD]. Down below, however, when the children of Adam lend to each other, how many quarrels they generate! Thus it is stated (in Ps. 19:4-5 [3-4]): THERE IS NO SPEECH, NOR ARE THERE WORDS.... [THEIR LINE GOES OUT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE END OF THE WORLD]. The heavenly creatures need neither talk nor speech, but earthly creatures need talk (rt.: ‘MR), speech, and words (rt.: ‘MR). (Lev. 21:1:) SPEAK (rt.: ‘MR) ... AND SAY (rt.: ‘MR). Perhaps they will attend to them (i.e., the double command). Thus it is stated (ibid.): SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS, [AND SAY UNTO THEM].

8.3 Leviticus 21:1 ff, Part III

Another interpretation (of L.ev. 21:1): SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. What is written above of the matter (in Lev. 20:27)? WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HAS A GHOST OR A FAMILIAR SPIRIT. ... This text is related (to Is. 8:19): AND WHEN THEY SAY UNTO YOU: INQUIRE OF GHOSTS AND FAMILIAR SPIRITS. The Holy One said to Israel: if they say unto you: INQUIRE OF GHOSTS, and forsake the God who is in the heavens, say to them (ibid, cont.): SHOULD NOT A PEOPLE INQUIRE OF ITS GOD? Just as Elijah said to Ahaziah (in II Kings 1:3): IS IT FOR LACK OF A GODIN ISRAEL <THAT YOU ARE SENDING TO INQUIRE OF BAAL- ZEBUB>. Why should we forsake the everlasting God? (Jer. 10:10:) BUT THE LORD IS A TRUE GOD; [HE IS A LIVING GOD AND AN EVERLASTING KING]. it is also written (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE <ALL> ALIVE <TODAY>. We therefore seek a living God; however, [the god<s> of] the nations of the world are dead, <and> (according to Ps. 115:8:) THOSE WHO MAKE THEM WILL BE LIKE THEM. What is written after <Is. 8:19>, (in vs. 20)? FOR INSTRUCTION (Torah) AND FOR TESTIMONY: [IF THEY DO NOT SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, SUCH A ONE WILL HAVE NO DAWN] . R. Johanan and R. Laqish differed. R. Johanan said: The Holy One said: IF THEY DO NOT SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD to the nations of the world THEY (sic) HAVE NO LIGHT [but R. Laqish says: IT (i.e., the word of a necromancer) HAS NO LIGHT.] The ghosts and the familiar spirits do not enlighten (literally: raise up the dawn) on their own, since they are <themselves> set in darkness; and all the more does this <principle> hold true for the nations of the world. So if you should say: Of whom will we inquire? see, it says (in Deut. 17:9-11): AND YOU WILL COME UNTO THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS AND UNTO THE JUDGE. ... <YOU WILL ACT> ACCORDING TO THE TORAH WHICH THEY WILL TEACH YOU.

8.4 Leviticus 21:1 ff, Part IV

(Lev. 20:27:) WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HAS A GHOST OR A FAMILIAR SPIRIT. What is written after that (in Lev. 21:1)? SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. What relation does the one have to the other? It is simply that the Holy One foresaw that Saul was going to be king over Israel and kill the priests; then inquire of a ghost and a familiar spirit. It is so stated (in I Sam. 28:7): THEN SAUL SAID {UNTO} [TO] HIS SERVANTS: SEEK ME OUT A WOMAN WHO CONTROLS A GHOST. Resh Laqish said: To what is Saul comparable? To a king who entered a province and said: All the cocks in this province are to be slaughtered tonight. <When> he wished to depart on his way, he said: Is there no cock to crow here? They said to him: Did you not order them to be killed? Here also (in I Sam. 28:3) Saul had put away the ghosts and the familiar spirits; so Saul said (in vs. 7) SEEK ME OUT A WOMAN WHO CONTROLS A GHOST <....> (Vs. 8:) THEN SAUL DISGUISED HIMSELF. What is the meaning of DISGUISED HIMSELF (rt.: HPSh)? That he had become divested (rt.: HPSh) of the kingship. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HE WENT WITH TWO MEN. WHO WERE THEY? Abner and Amasai. Torah has taught proper protocol, that one does not leave on a journey (at night) by oneself; and our father Abraham acted accordingly (in Gen. 22:3): AND HE (i.e., Abraham) TOOK WITH HIM TWO OF HIS SERVANTS {AND HIS SON ISAAC}. And so (in I Sam. 28:8): AND HE (Saul) WENT WITH TWO OF HIS SERVANTS (sic). (Ibid., cont.:) AND THEY CAME UNTO THE WOMAN AT NIGHT. Was it at Night? It is simply that this time was for them as black as night. (Ibid., cont.:) THEN HE SAID: PLEASE DIVINE FOR ME THROUGH A GHOST.... (Vs. 9:) BUT SHE SAID UNTO {SAUL} [HIM]: SEE HERE, YOU KNOW WHAT SAUL HAS DONE, HOW HE HAS ROOTED OUT THE GHOSTS AND THE FAMILIAR {SPIRIT} [SPIRITS) <FROM THE LAND>. Immediately (in vs. 10): SAUL SWORE TO HER BY THE LORD, SAYING: [AS THE LORD LIVES,] NO PUNISHMENT WILL BEFALL YOU OVER THIS MATTER. Resh Laqish said: To what is Saul comparable? To a woman who was situated with her lover and swore by the life of her husband. (Vs. 11:) THEN THE WOMAN SAID: WHOM (mi) SHALL I BRING UP FOR YOU? One of those who say (as in Exod. 15:11): WHO (mi) IS LIKE YOU <AMONG THE GODS, O LORD>? (Words spoken by Moses, typifying the righteous/generous. The verse is suggested by the mi in Saul’s question) or one of those who say (as in Exod. 5:2:) WHO IS THE LORD? (Words spoken by Pharaoh, typifying the wicked/lawless) He said to her (in I Sam. 28:11, cont.:) BRING UP SAMUEL FOR ME. She did what she did and brought him up. (Vs. 12:) WHEN THE WOMAN SAW SAMUEL, SHE CRIED OUT [WITH) A LOUD VOICE, AND <THE WOMAN> SPOKE <UNTO SAUL, SAYING>: WHY HAVE YOU DECEIVED ME? FOR YOU ARE SAUL. How did she know? Our masters have said: <A ghost> does not come up for a king as it comes up for a commoner” For the king its face is up and its feet down, just like everyone <on earth>; but

for the commoner its feet are up and its face down. (Vs. 13:) THEN THE KING SAID TO HER [DO NOT BE AFRAID; FOR] WHAT DO YOU SEE? AND THE WOMAN SAID UNTO SAUL: I SEE A GOD COMING UP FROM THE EARTH. COMING UP (here in the plural form) implies two. So who were they? Moses and Samuel. When Saul heard this, he was afraid, because he had called one, but two had arisen. (Vs. 14:) THEN HE SAID TO HER: WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE? AND SHE SAID: AN OLD MAN IS COMING UP, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE. They have said three things about bringing up a ghost. 1. The one bringing it up sees it but does not hear its voice. 2. The one asking for it hears its voice but does not see it. 3. Those standing there neither see it nor hear its voice. (Ibid.:) AN OLD MAN IS COMING UP, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE. And elsewhere it says (in I Sam. 2:19): HIS MOTHER WOULD MAKE A LITTLE ROBE FOR HIM. <This verse> teaches that the robe grew on him. In it he was buried; in it he rose up. It has been taught in the name of R. Nathan: A garment which goes down to the grave with a person is going to rise on him in the resurrection of the dead. Thus it is stated (in Job 38:14): IT IS CHANGED LIKE CLAY UNDER A SEAL, AND THEY STAND FORTH AS IN A GARMENT. (1 Sam. 28:14-15:) THEN SAUL KNEW THAT IT WAS SAMUEL; SO HE BOWED WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND AND DID HOMAGE. SAMUEL SAID UNTO SAUL: WHY HAVE YOU DISTURBED ME AND BROUGHT ME UP? Have you no way to disturb your creator except through me, in that you have made me an idol. Did we not teach the following? Just as one exacts punishment from the worshiper, so does one exact punishment from those worshiped. Some say: WHY HAVE YOU DISTURBED ME? What he said to him was: I was disturbed lest it be the day of judgment, and I was afraid. Now here is an argument a fortiori (qal wahomer); for if Samuel, [the greatest] of all the prophets, was afraid of the day of judgment, how much the more does the rest of humanity <have to fear>? (Vs. 15, cont.:) AND SAUL SAID {UNTO SAMIJEL}: I AM VERY DISTRESSED … [HE (i.e., the Holy One) NO LONGER ANSWERS ME EITHER THROUGH PROPHETS OR IN DREAMS.] Why did he not <also> say to him: “<Or> by Urim and Thummim”?’ R. Isaac said: (Prov. 14:10:) THE HEART KNOWS ITS OWN BITTERNESS, in that he had destroyed Nob, the city of priests. (I Sam. 28:17:) MOREOVER, THE LORD HAS DONE TO YOU ACCORDING TO WHAT HE SPOKE THROUGH ME; FOR THE LORD HAS TORN THE KINGSHIP OUT OF YOUR HAND AND GIVEN IT TO DAVID. He said to him: [When you were with us <in the flesh>, you said to me (in Sam. 15:28): <THE LORD HAS TORN THE KINGSHIP OVER ISRAEL FROM YOU TODAY,> AND GIVEN IT TO A COMPANION OF YOURS WHO IS BETTER THAN YOU. He said to him:] When I was with you in the world of falsehood, I was telling you words of falsehood, because I was afraid of you, lest you kill me. Now, however, I am in the world of truth, you will only hear words of truth from me. He did not do this thing to you for no reason. Rather (according to I Sam. 28:18-19): BECAUSE YOU DID NOT HEARKEN TO THE VOICE OF THE LORD, AND DID NOT CARRY OUT HIS WRATH AGAINST AMALEK [...] MOREOVER, THE LORD WILL DELIVER ISRAEL ALONG WITH YOU INTO THE HAND OF THE PHILISTINES; AND TOMORROW YOU AND YOUR SONS WILL BE WITH ME. WITH ME <means>: In my section <of heaven>. When he heard this, (according to vs. 20): IMMEDIATELY SAUL FELL FULL LENGTH TO THE GROUND, FOR HE WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF SAMUEL’S WORDS. Abner and Amasa said to him: What did Samuel say to you? He said to them: He said to me: Tomorrow you will go down to battle and be victorious. In addition, your sons will be appointed their superiors. Resh Laqish said: At that time the Holy One called the ministering angels. He said to them: Come and see the creature that I have created in my world. By universal custom when one goes to a banquet house, he does not take his children with him for fear of the evil eye; but this one, when he is going down to battle and knows that he will be killed, takes his sons with him, and is happy over the divine justice that is striking him. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: <Lev. 21:1: SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. These words> teach that the Holy One showed Moses every generation and its expositors, every generation and its judges, every generation and its kings; and he showed him Saul and his sons falling by the sword. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, will the first king to stand over your children be pierced by the sword? He said to him: Moses, <why> are you telling me? Tell the priests whom he killed. <They are the ones> who are denouncing him. Our masters have taught: That righteous/generous man (i.e., Saul) was killed for five sins. Thus it is stated (in I Chron. 10:13): SO SAUL DIED FOR HIS TRANSGRESSION WHICH HE COMMITTED AGAINST THE LORD:

Because he had destroyed Nob, the city of priests;
Because he had spared Agag;
Because he had not hearkened to Samuel, as stated (in I Sam.10:8): WAIT SEVEN DAYS ..., since he did not do so; but (according to I Sam. 13:12): AND I FORCED MYSELF TO OFFER THE BURNT OFFERING;
Also when he inquired through a ghost, as stated (in I Chron. 10:13, cont.): AND ALSO BECAUSE HE INQUIRED FOR COUNSEL THROUGH A GHOST; and
(I Chron. 10:14:) BUT HE DID NOT INQUIRE THROUGH THE LORD.

8.5 Leviticus 21:lff, Part V

(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS <..., AND SAY UNTO THEM> (A somewhat awkward translation of this verse and others that follow is necessary, because the midrash is concerned with the double use of the verb “say/said” (rt.: ‘MR). R. Yohanan said: Wherever it says: SAY <...,> AND SAY, it must be interpreted. (Esth. 7:5:) THEN SAID KING AHASUERUS, AND HE SAID TO QUEEN ESTHER Why SAID <...> AND HE SAID? He said to her; If this (Haman) is the man, well and good; but if not, they have said that he is. R. Abbin said: Before <the king> came to know about her being Jewish, he talked with her through an interpreter; when he came to know about her, he began to talk with her by himself. Similarly (in I Kings 20:28): THEN THE MAN OF GOD SAID UNTO {AHAB} THE KING OF ISRAEL, AND SAID: THUS SAYS THE LORD. Why SAID < ..., > AND SAID? He was saying to him (with the first SAID): When Ben-Hadad falls into your hand, you will not take pity on him. A second saying: He said to him: Be aware of how many nets and enticements I set out for him before he comes into your hand. So now, if he is missing, (according to vs. 42) IT WILL BE YOUR LIFE FOR HIS LIFE AND YOUR PEOPLE FOR HIS PEOPLE. [Similarly] (in Ezek. 10:2): THEN HE SAID UNTO THE PERSON CLOTHED IN LINEN, AND SAID: GO IN AMONG THE WHEELWORK, <UNDER THE CHERUB>. <The Holy One> said unto the angel, and the angel said to the cherub. He said to him: The Holy One has commanded me, but I do not have the authority to enter your section <of heaven>; so do me a favor and give me two burning coals. Immediately (in vs. 7), HE TOOK SOME AND PUT THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THE ONE WHO WAS CLOTHED IN LINEN. R. Pinhas said: He cooled them and gave them to him. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: Two burning coals were being quenched in Gabriel’s hand for two years and a half. He was thinking that Israel would repent. When they did not do so, he sought to hurl them and destroy them. The Holy One said to him: Gabriel, do not act. There are among the children of Adam those who are repenting and doing acts of righteousness/generosity with each other. Thus it is stated (in vs. 8): AND THERE THE CHERUBIM APPEARED TO HAVE THE FORM OF A HUMAN HAND (a symbol of almsgiving) <UNDER THEIR WINGS>. Ergo (in vs. 2): SAID <...,> AND SAID. So also here (in Lev. 21:1:) SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS ..., AND SAY. The first saying is for the unclaimed corpse, for which <a priest> may become unclean; and the second is for other <corpses>, for which he may not become unclean.

8.6 Leviticus 21:lff, Part VI

[(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS.] What is written after this passage (in vs. 10)? AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST AMONG HIS BROTHERS. Why is he called by the name HIGH (THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST, without the addition, AMONG HIS BROTHERS, would normally be translated, HIGH PRIEST)? Because he was highest (literally: greatest) in five areas: In beauty, in strength, in wealth, in wisdom, and in age. In regard to beauty, because he was more handsome than his brothers. In regard to strength, because he was heroic in strength. Come and consider Aaron. When he waved the Levites (as in a wave offering), he waved twenty-two thousand in one day. How did he wave them? Back and forth, up and down. Ergo: He was highest in strength. Also in regard to wealth, because if he had not been wealthy, his brother priests would have made him wealthy. There is a story about Pinhas the Stone Cutter. When they appointed him high priest, his brother priests went out and saw him cutting stone. So they would not permit him to continue, but filled the quarry before him with gold dinars. [And where is it shown] that, if he had nothing, his brother high priests would magnify (rt.: GDL) him? Where it is stated (in an alternate translation of Lev. 21:10): AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST (rt.: GDL) BECAUSE OF HIS BROTHERS. And <this rule applies> not to the high priest alone, but to the king as well. And so you find in the case of David, when he went to fight with Goliath the Philistine, Saul said to him (in I Sam. 17:33): YOU CANNOT GO UNTO <THIS> PHILISTINE. ... David said to him (in vs. 34-36): YOUR SERVANT TENDED HIS [FATHER’S] SHEEP; <AND WHEN A LION OR A BEAR CAME AND CARRIED OFF A LAMB FROM THE FLOCK,> I WOULD GO OUT AFTER IT, SMITE IT, <AND DELIVER IT OUT OF ITS MOUTH>. <YOUR SERVANT> SMOTE BOTH THE LION AND THE BEAR, <AND THIS UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE WILL BE AS ONE OF THEM>. ... Saul said to him: And who told you that you could slay him? David replied: Hunting has trained me, Papa. (Vs. 37:) THE LORD WHO DELIVERED FROM THE PAW OF THE LION ... <WILL DELIVER ME FROM THE HAND OF THIS PHILISTINE> Immediately (we read in vs. 38): SAUL CLOTHED DAVID WITH HIS MILITARY GARMENTS ... Now it is written (in I Sam. 9:2): HE WAS A HEAD TALLER THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLE. When he had clothed him in his garments and seen that they were made for him, he immediately cast a jaundiced eye at him. When David saw that he had offended Saul, he said to him (in I Sam. 17:39): 1 CANNOT {GO FORTH} [Go] IN THESE FOR I AM NOT USED TO THEM. Here you learn that even though a person may be short, when he is appointed king, he becomes tall. Why? Because as soon as he is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes superior to his brothers. David said: I rejoiced over the anointing oil with which I was anointed, in that I shall never move away from my glory. It is so stated (in Ps. 16:9): SO MY HEART REJOICES, AND MY GLORY EXALTS; MY FLESH ALSO DWELLS IN SAFETY.

Ketubim Targum Tehillim (Psalms) 85

1. For praise; composed by the sons of Korah; a psalm.

2. You delighted, O Lord, in Your land; You brought back the captivity of the house of Jacob.

3. You forgave the sins of Your people; You covered all their faults forever.

4. You withdrew all Your anger; You turned from the harshness of Your anger.

5. Turn to us, O God our redemption; and revoke Your anger against us.

6. Can it be that You will act harshly against us forever? Will You prolong out Your harshness for all generations?

7. Will You not again revive us? And Your people will rejoice in Your word.

8. Show us, O Lord, Your goodness; and may Your redemption be given to us.

9. I will hear what God, the Lord, will say; for He will speak peace to his people and to his pious ones, and they will not return to heathenism.

10. Truly His redemption is near to those who fear Him, to make glory abide in our land.

11. Favor and truth meet, righteousness/generosity and peace have joined together.

12. Truth grew up from the land; and righteousness/generosity looked out from heaven.

13. Also the Lord will give what is good; and our land will give its produce.

14. Righteousness/generosity will walk before him; and he set his steps on a good path.

Ketubim Midrash Tehillim (Psalms) 85

I. For the leader. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Lord, You have been favorable unto Your land, You have turned the captivity of Jacob (Ps. 85:1-3). These words are to be considered in the light of the verse A land which the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it (Deut. 11:12). That is, God turns to it, and turns again to it, and regards it, and keeps His eyes upon it until such time as its deeds and the performance of precepts concerning it, which were enjoined upon Israel, will find favor with the Holy One, blessed be He. When they bring forth the tithes, and observe the years of release and of Jubilee, and observe all the other precepts which were enjoined concerning the land, in that hour the land will make its deeds find favor with the Holy One, blessed be He. As Scripture says, Then will the land make her Sabbaths find favor (Lev. 26:34). Hence, You have been favorable unto Your land.

II. You have forgiven the iniquity/lawlessness of Your people (Ps. 85:3). Can anything but the land wherein they dwell cause the iniquity/lawlessness of the people of Israel to be forgiven, since it is said The people that dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity/lawlessness (Isa. 33:24)? Behold, the living will be forgiven. The dead, too? Yes. Since Scripture says Its earth makes expiation for His people (Deut. 32:43), we are to understand that what makes expiation for His people is its very earth.

Happy are they, they that dwell in the Land of Israel, for neither when they are alive nor when they are dead is sin or iniquity/lawlessness in them. Thus Scripture says, You have forgiven the iniquity/lawlessness of Your people, You have pardoned all their sin for ever (Ps. 85:3). And it is also written Who is a God like unto You, that pardons the iniquity/lawlessness, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? (Micah 7:18).

III. You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned Yourself from the fierceness of Your anger (Ps. 85:4). As Ezekiel said: Thus will Mine anger spend itself (Ezek. 5:13), and as Hosea also said: I will heal their backsliding ... For Mine anger is turned away from him (Hos. 14:5). When the Sons of Korah asked: How long will You be angry with us? You did say, Return, O backsliding children (Jer. 3:14). However, when the children of Israel said to You: “Return You first,” as is said Return, O Lord; how long? (Ps. 90:13), You did reply: “No, but let Israel return first.” Since You wilt not return alone, and since we will not return alone, let the two of us return as one, as is said Return [both of] us, O God of our salvation (Ps. 85:5). And what is Your answer? Will You be angry with us for ever? (ibid. 85:6): If we repent, will You not receive us? Will You not revive us again? (Ps. 85:7), even as Ezekiel says: Behold, I will open your graves) etc. (Ezek. 37:12), and again And I will put My spirit in you, and you will live (ibid. 37:14).

Ashlamatah: Zechariah 3:1-10

1 And he made me see Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Ha-Shem, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

2 And Ha-Shem said to Satan, Ha-Shem rebuke you, Satan! And, Ha-Shem who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked out of the fire?

3 And Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and he stood before the Angel.

4 And He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And He said to him, Behold, I have caused your iniquity/lawlessness to pass from you, and I will clothe you with ceremonial robes.

5 And I said, Let them set a clean turban on his head. And they set a clean turban on his head and clothed him with clothing. And the Angel of Ha-Shem stood by.

6 And the Angel of Ha-Shem charged Joshua, saying,

7 So says Ha-Shem of Hosts: If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My charge, then you will also judge My house, and will also keep My courts, and I will give you room to walk among these who stand by.

8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your associates who are sitting before you; for they are men of symbol.

9 For, behold, I will bring forth My Servant, the BRANCH. For behold, the stone which I have given before Joshua, on the one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave its engraving, says Ha-Shem of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity/lawlessness of that land in one day.

10 In that day, says Ha-Shem of Hosts, you will call each man to his neighbor to sit under the vine and under the fig tree.

Midrash of Matityahu (Matthew) 16:28 – 17:9

Amen, I tell you that there are some of those standing here who will in no way taste of death until they have seen the son of G-d coming into his kingdom (government).

And six days later, Yeshuah took Shimon HaTsefet bar Yonah, and Ya’aqob ben Rogaz , and his brother Yochanan and brought them up on a high hill privately for him to pray.
And his appearance underwent a change in their presence; and his face beamed like the sun, and his Tallit became as white as light.
And look, Mosheh Rabbenu and Eliyahu appeared to them, talking with him.
And replying, HaTsefet said to Yeshuah, Master, it is good for us to be here; I will make three dwellings here: one for you and one for Mosheh Rabbenu and one for Eliyahu (because he did not know what he should say).
While he was still speaking, look, a shining cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is My only son, My pleasure is in him, listen to him!
And hearing this, the Talmidim fell on their faces to the earth and were exceedingly fearful.
Yeshuah came near and touching them said, Arise! And do not be afraid!
And having raised their eyes, they saw no one but Yeshuah alone.
And as they were going down from the hill, Yeshuah ordered as a mitzvah to them saying, “Do not mention to anyone what you have seen, until the person has be raised from the dead.

Pirqe Abot

“All Israel have a share in the World to Come, as it is stated: And Your people are all righteous/generous; they will inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which to glorify Me” (Isaiah 60:21).

Pirqe Abot VI:5

Mishnah 5

Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not desire honor; let your deeds exceed your learning. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs, and your crown is greater than theirs; and your Employer is trustworthy to pay you remuneration for your deeds.

"Do not seek greatness for yourself." (6:5) QUESTION: The word “le'atzmecha” — “for yourself” — is superfluous?

ANSWER: The Torah scholar should not seek greatness for himself, rather the honor he must seek is for the Torah he studied and represents. By seeking greatness for Torah, people will know that Torah must be held in high esteem and they may resolve to study Torah and become Talmidei Chachamim. Although such study is “shelo lishmah” — not for the sake of performing the mitzvah of Torah study, our Sages have said (Talmud Tractate Pesachim 50b) “A person should always engage in the study of Torah and performance of mitzvoth (commandments) even though it is not lishmah, because from learning Torah and performing mitzvoth not for its own sake (shelo lishmah), he will eventually come to learn Torah lishmah — for its own sake.

“Let your deeds exceed your learning.” (6:5) QUESTION: Our practice is to first put on the tefillin shel yad — the hand tefillin — and then the tefillin shel rosh — the head tefillin. When we are ready to remove them, we first take off the tefillin from the head and then the tefillin of the hand. Why this order?

ANSWER: The hand represents action. One performs most actions with the hand. The head is the seat of the intellect and represents learning since one uses his head to learn. According to our custom, a person wears the tefillin of the hand for a longer period of time than the tefillin of the head. This alludes to the teaching of our Baraita, “Let your deeds exceed your learning.”

The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study

In order to give our readers an idea of where we are in Sefer Vayiqra (Book of Leviticus) and where our present Torah Seder fits in, here is a small summary of the whole book of Leviticus.

· Laws regarding the regulations for different types of sacrifice (Leviticus 1-7):

§ Burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings (Leviticus 1-3)

§ Sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings (Leviticus 4-5)

§ Priestly duties and rights concerning the offering of sacrifices (Leviticus 6-7)

· The practical application of the sacrificial laws, within a narrative of the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8-10)

§ Aaron's first offering for himself and the people (Leviticus 8)

§ The incident in which "strange fire" is brought to the Tabernacle by Nadab and Abihu, leading to their death directly at the hands of God for doing so (Leviticus 9-10)

· Laws concerning purity and impurity (Leviticus 11-16)

§ Laws about clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11)

§ Laws concerning ritual cleanliness after childbirth (Leviticus 12)

§ Laws concerning tzaraath of people, and of clothes and houses, often translated as leprosy, and mildew, respectively (Leviticus 13-14)

§ Laws concerning bodily discharges (such as blood, pus, etc.) and purification (Leviticus 15)

§ Laws regarding a day of national atonement, Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16)

o Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26)

§ Laws concerning idolatry, the slaughter of animals, dead animals, and the consumption of blood (Leviticus 17)

§ Laws concerning sexual conduct (including some that are often interpreted as referring to male homosexuality), sorcery, and moloch (Leviticus 18, and also Leviticus 20, in which penalties are given)

§ Laws concerning molten gods, peace-offerings, scraps of the harvest, fraud, the deaf, blind, elderly, and poor, poisoning the well, hate, sex with slaves, self harm, shaving, prostitution, sabbaths, sorcery, familiars, strangers, and just weights and measure (Leviticus 19)

§ Laws concerning priestly conduct, and prohibitions against the disabled, ill, and superfluously blemished, from becoming priests, or becoming sacrifices, for descendants of Aaron, and animals, respectively (Leviticus 21-22)

§ Laws concerning the observation of the annual feasts, and the sabbath, (Leviticus 23)

§ Laws concerning the altar of incense (Leviticus 24:1-9)

§ The case law lesson of a blasphemer being stoned to death, and other applications of the death penalty (Leviticus 24:10-23), including anyone having "a familiar ghost or spirit", a child insulting its parents (Leviticus 20), and a special case for prostitution (burning them alive) (Leviticus 21)

§ Laws concerning the Sabbath and Jubilee years (Leviticus 25)

§ A hortatory conclusion to the section, giving promises regarding obedience to these commandments, and warnings and threats for those that might disobey them, including sending wild animals to devour their children. (Leviticus 26:22)

o Laws concerning the commutation of vows (Leviticus 27)

As we are approaching the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost), in four more days, it is particularly interesting to note that our Torah Seder starts teaching:

“Ha-Shem said to Moshe; speak, to the Kohanim (priests), the sons of Aharon, and you will say to them …” (Leviticus 21:1).

The Midrash Tanhuma spends some time dealing with the issue of why “said,” “speak,” and “say” which in the Hebrew is the same word: “AMAR” – a three times repetition of the same verb in one verse. It is my opinion that what we have here is a veiled introduction to the Festival of Shabuoth, which one could characterize as the festival of “sayings” – in which G-d said Ten Words – i.e. the Decalogue – to Israel.

When I was studying Psychology I came into contact with a therapy known as “Logo-Therapy” – i.e. therapy by means of words. This therapy was developed by the Jewish neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, who survived the German concentration camps. This therapeutic school is considered the “third Viennese school of psychotherapy” after Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology. It is a type of Existential Analysis that focuses on a “will to meaning” as opposed to the Nietzschian doctrine of “will to power” or Freud's “will to pleasure.”

The following list of tenets represents Frankl's basic beliefs regarding the philosophy of Logotherapy:

Life has meaning under all circumstances -- even the most miserable ones.
Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
We have freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience, or at least in the stand we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering.

A short introduction to this system is introduced in Frankl's most famous book, “Man's Search for Meaning,” in which he outlines how his theories helped him to survive his Holocaust experience. A follow-up to this book was written by Alex Pattakos, named “Prisoner of Our Thoughts”. Pattakos worked closely with Frankl, and his goal with the book is to summarize Logotherapy in seven core principles that can be applied to one's life. These core principles are:

Exercise the freedom to choose your attitude/response (a freedom that can never be taken away)
Realize your will to meaning
Detect the meaning of all of life's moments
Don't work against yourself
Look at yourself from a distance
Shift your focus of attention
Extend beyond yourself

For Frankl, the Greek word “Logos” is used in the sense of “meaning”; the equally valid translations, "word" or "rational order" are not necessarily helpful in explaining the tenets of Logotherapy. This Socratic understanding of the term “Logos” as “meaning” opens a new window on the signification of G-d’s “sayings.” To me interpreting “Dabar” – “Logos” – “Word” as “meaning” signifies that one’s real meaning of life, despite the circumstances in which one finds him/herself can only be found in the Words of G-d, for in them we find the true meaning and value of our lives.

Also, hat is interesting is that G-d’s will is mediated by words: G-d spoke to Mosheh (the Prohet) and gave meaning to His words, Mosheh spoke G-d’s words to the priests and judges and gave meaning to them, the priests and judges spoke to the people G-d’s words and gave meaning to them, and the people were to speak to the Gentiles and the nations G-d’s words and give meaning to them. And this chain of events is still ongoing, the action has not yet been completed.

Another and more deep and complex understanding is that all of G-d’s words are summarized in the Ten Words, and these Ten Words give meaning to the Ten Sefirot (Ten Spheres/Attributes) and the Ten Spiritual gifts that Messiah has bestowed upon his Jewish congregation. Thus we have:

Word	Spiritual Gift	Sefirah/Attribute
I - I am Ha-Shem your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.	Chief Hakham – Chief Rabbi	Wisdom	Chokhmah
II - You will have no other gods before Me	Hakham – Rabbi	Understanding	Binah
III - You will not take the name of the Lord your G-d in vain	Hakham – Rabbi	Knowledge	Da’at

IV - Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.	Masoret – Catechist - Evangelist	Mercy	Chessed
V - Honor your father and your mother	Sheliach – Apostle	Judgment/Power	Din/Gerburah
VI - You will not murder.	Darshan/Magid Preacher/Prophet	Beauty	Tiferet
VII - You will not commit adultery	Parnas – Pastor	Eternity/Endurance	Netzach
VIII - You will not steal.	Parnas – Pastor	Majesty	Hod
IX - Thou will not bear false witness against your neighbor.	Parnas – Pastor	Foundation	Yesod
X - You will not covet your neighbor's house, you will not covet your neighbor's goods.	Moreh/Meturgeman Teacher/Interpreter	Kingdom	Malkhut

Note that the first three stand as Judges of/for G-d, whilst the last seven form the Menorah/Candelabra – the light of the Messiah to the congregation. Without these there is no meaning to the people of G-d, or the community/congregation of G-d. To me this is the “real” and ancient perfect form and mechanism of Existential Logo-therapy.

Questions for Meditation and Discussion

1. According to what is written in Psalm 85, what caught the imagination of our Psalmist in our Torah Seder for this week?

2. How is our Torah Seder for this Shabbat and our Psalm 85 hinting that we are about to celebrate Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

3. How is our Ashlamatah of Zechariah 3:1-10 related to our Torah Seder for this week?

4. How is our Ashlamatah hinting that we are about to celebrate the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

5. How is the Midrash of Matityahu in 16:28 – 17:9 related to our Torah Seder for this week, to our Ashlamatah for this week, and to Lag BaOmer which we just celebrated?

6. How is the Midrash of Matityahu in 16:28 – 17:9 hinting that we are about to celebrate the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

7. How is Pirke Abot 6:5 related to our Torah Seder for this week and to the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost) that we are about to celebrate?

8. If someone would ask you as to what is the common thread or theme that binds all these different readings for this week, what would your answer be?

Shalom Shabbat and much success in your Torah study and answers to the above questions!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic Study

Answers to Questions for Meditation and Discussion

Sivan 2, 5767 – May 18/19, 2007

1. According to what is written in Psalm 85, what caught the imagination of our Psalmist in our Torah Seder for this week?

Answer: For the sake of elucidation let us juxtapose two verses here:

“VAYOMER - And said ADONAI – Ha-Shem El-MOSHEH - unto Moses, EMOR - `Say EL-HAKOHANIM - unto the priests, B’NEI AHARON sons of Aaron, V’AMARTA - and say ALEHEM - unto them, L’NEFESH - For the dead LO – none YITAMA – will be defiled B’AMAIV - among His people.” (Lev. 21:1)

“ESHM’A’AH – I will hear MAH-Y’DABER – what speaks HA-EL ADONAI – Ha-Shem G-d; KI – for Y’DABER – (He) speaks SHALOM – peace EL – unto A’AMO – His people V’EL – and unto CHASIDAIV – His Chasidim (saints) V’AL – but not YAHSUBU – let them return L’KISLAH – to folly.” (Psalm 85:9)

In Leviticus 21:1, we have:

VAYOMER [Strong’s # 559 – from the Hebrew root AMAR] – And said

EMOR [Strong’s # 559 – from the Hebrew root AMAR] – say

V’AMARTA [Strong’s # 559 – from the Hebrew root AMAR] – and say

And in Psalm 85:9, we have:

Y’DABER [Strong’s # 1696 – from the Hebrew root DABAR] – speaks

Y’DABER [Strong’s # 1696 – from the Hebrew root DABAR] – (He) speaks

What is going on here between “saying” and “speaking”? And anyhow why does the Torah chooses in our Seder to play with the Hebrew root AMAR and the Psalmist prefers to mention twice a conjugation of the root verb DABAR?

According to the Brown, Driver, & Briggs (1979), in their Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press), p. 55 ff., the Hebrew term אמר – AMAR is a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude): - answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command (ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use [speech], utter, X verily, X yet.

Further, according to the Brown, Driver, & Briggs in their Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p.180 ff., the Hebrew term דּבר – DABAR is a primitive root; perhaps properly to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue: - answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use [entreaties], utter, X well, X work.

Concerning the shades of difference between the Hebrew verbs AMAR and DABAR, Harris, Archer & Waltke (1980), in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press), Vol I, p.179 state:

“Although AMAR “to say” is the closest synonym to DABAR, its basic meaning stands out clearly against DABAR (Piel). In the case of AMAR the focus is on the content of what is spoken, but in the case of DABAR primary attention is given to the activity of speaking, the production of words and clauses. While AMAR cannot be used absolutely (without giving the context of what is said), DIBER can be so used (cf. Genesis 24:14; Job 1:16; 16:4, 6). Moreover, while AMAR can have a diversity of subjects by personification (land, animals, trees, night, fire, works, etc.) DABAR almost always has personal subjects or designations of their organs of speech (mouth, lips, tongue, etc.). They are also distinguished with respect to the one addressed. While in the case of AMAR it is sufficient to use the weaker preposition L’, DABAR normally demands the stronger preposition EL (about ten times more frequent than L’). These differences, however, do not detract from the importance of what is said as the object of DABAR which includes most matters pertaining to moral and ideal values. As in some other verbs used mainly in the Piel, the Qal occurrences are almost exclusively in the active participle and designate mostly one who speaks something as a commandment or on account of an inner compulsion. Thus it is used with “truth” (Ps. 15:2); lies, falsehood (Jer. 40:16; Ps. 5:7; 58:4; 63:12; 101:7); right (Is. 35:15; 45:19; Prov. 16:13); well-being (Est. 10:3); folly (Isaiah 9:16); insolence (Ps. 31:19). It is also used of angels who bear God’s message (Gen. 16:13; Zech. 1:9,13; 2:2, etc.) and of speech of abiding relevance (Num. 27:7, 36:5).”

Therefore, in Lev. 21:1 the focus on “saying” is on the content of what is spoken (i.e. that priests are to remain Holy/Separate unto G-d) and not on the activity of “speaking,” whilst in Psalm 85:9 the emphasis is on the authority of G-d’s speech and the personal intimacy with which the subject (i.e. the Jewish people) is held by the speaker (i.e. G-d). The Psalmist is zeroing on the three times the verb AMAR is used in Lev. 21:1, as also does our Midrash Tanhuma, but goes on to explain that when G-d speaks to Israel it does so in personal intimacy and having the force of an eternal prophetic binding (and so the verb DABAR is used twice for emphasis). We could therefore read Psalm 85:9 as:

“I will attentively hear what Ha-Shem G-d will command prophetically in intimacy; for He will prophetically command in intimacy Shalom unto His people, and to His Tsadiqim; therefore they will not turn back to folly.”

At this point, I think it is worthy to quote some paragraphs of The Bible Psalms with The Jerusalem Commentary, by Rabbi Amos Hakham (Jerusalem: Mosad HaRav Kook, 2003, Vol. II, p. 280 ff.) on Psalm 85.

v.9 I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His allies. But let them not turn back to their folly.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak. I am attentive in order to hear what God the Lord will say in His response to my prayer. Eshm’ah, “I will hear,” is a lengthened future form, expressing intent and desire to do something. In other words, I seek to hear and I concentrate my mind on hearing.” The psalmist is hinting that he is about to be the recipient of a prophecy.

For He will speak peace to His people and to His allies. This second half of the verse emphasizes and elucidates “what God the Lord will speak,” as if to say: The words I was referring to in the first half of the verse are God’s words of peace to His people and to His allies. In other words, God is giving His people, His allies, tidings of salvation, happiness, and well-being. The word Shalom, “peace,” in the language of the Bible means a state of happiness that is complete (Shalem), and not just the absence of war. Y’dabber Shalom, means: “He will speak words of peace.” Other instances of this usage include Zechariah 9:10: “And He will speak peace to the nations.” “

His people and His allies” are two expressions referring to one specific group. The whole expression thus means: “His people, who are His allies and His confederates.” All the people of Israel are called Chasidim, “allies,” as in Psalm 148:14: “He has raised the horn of His people, praise for all His pious ones [Chasidav], for the Children of Israel, the people near to Him.” Another interpretation: Chasidav means those of Israel who make special efforts to follow the path of the fear of God. The verse would then mean: He will speak peace to His people, especially to the pious ones among them. Another interpretation of these words: He will give tidings that His people and His pious ones will enjoy peace.

But let them not turn back to folly. V’Al, “but let them not,” is an expression of warning. God is warning His people and His pious ones lest they revert to Kislah, to committing foolish, insane, and sinful acts. (“No man sins unless a spirit of madness enters him” - Sotah 3a.) In other words, the good tidings of peace mentioned earlier in the verse depend on Israel’s sinning no more.

v.10 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land.

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him. Akh, “surely,” reinforces the idea: God’s salvation is surely about to come for those who fear Him. This is one of the promises of well-being alluded to in verse 9, and it constitutes a sort of reply to the request of verse 8: “Grant us Your salvation.” “Those who fear Him” parallels “His allies” from verse 9. “His salvation is near to those who fear Him” is a promise, as in Isaiah 5 1:5: “My righteousness/generosity is near. My salvation has gone forth,” and Isaiah 56:1: “For My salvation is near to come.”

So that glory may dwell in our land. In the wake of salvation, God’s glory will return to dwell in our land. This alludes to the wording of verse 2 at the beginning of the psalm: “You have been favorable to Your land. You have brought back the return of Jacob.” There the psalmist said Your land,” whereas here he says “our land,” to teach us that the Holy Land is an inheritance from God. He gave it to Israel, and His glory resides in it only when it is in Israel’s hands. When God “brings back the return of Jacob,” He Himself returns, “so that glory may dwell in our land.” We have interpreted Lishkon Kavod, “so that glory may dwell.” In other words, Kavod, “glory,” is the subject of the clause: “Glory will dwell.” Some commentators, however, interpret these words as meaning “to dwell in glory” or “to have a glorious resting place.” Following this approach, we can interpret our verse to mean that God will dwell gloriously in our land, or that we, the Children of Israel, will dwell gloriously in our land, or that God’s salvation (mentioned in the first part of the verse) will dwell gloriously in our land. In other words, God’s salvation will be recognizable in our land and will bring our land glory Another interpretation: Glory will dwell in our land in place of the disgrace to which the nations submitted us and our land at the time of our downfall (see Ezekiel 36:15, and elsewhere). If the psalm was originally recited as a request for rainfall and a successful harvest, then the expression “so that glory may dwell in our land” is a hint that the land will yield its fruit and will no longer suffer. the shame of famine, the customary method used by other nations of denigrating the people of Israel and their land (Ezekiel 36:30; joel 2:19). According to this explanation, Kavod here has a dual meaning: (1) Glory and greatness, the opposite of shame and disgrace; and (2) a bountiful harvest and an abundance of possessions, the opposite of hunger and poverty.

v.11 Loving-kindness (Chesed) and truth (V’Emet) will meet. Righteousness/generosity (Tsedeq) and peace (V’Shalom) will join together.

Loving-kindness and truth will meet. This is among the blessings of peace alluded to in verse 9. The expression “in our land” from the end of verse 10 applies here as well, hence the first half of the verse means: “Loving-kindness and truth will meet in our land.” In other words, in our land complete kindness reigns. The word, Chesed, “loving-kindness,” refers in the Bible to a deed (or deeds) resulting from a relationship between two parties who have formed an alliance for a specific purpose. In other words, acts of loving-kindness are preceded by an alliance.’ For this reason, Emet, “truth,” is linked to “loving-kindness” in many verses, completing and strengthening it. Here, loving-kindness and truth are described as two entities (twin sisters), who, when they meet, strengthen and assist one another, and who by their meeting symbolize the perfection of loving-kindness and truth achieved by Jews living in the Land of Israel. Nifgashú, “they will meet,” is a past-tense verb, but it is used here to indicate a blessing for the future. Some commentators suggest that the terms “loving-kindness” and “truth” are two opposite traits, for kindness sometimes requires us to ignore truth. Both are good traits, and only someone who has been privileged to attain a high level of fear of God is capable of combining the two and conducting himself properly according to both. This interpretation does not fit well with the straightforward meaning of the verse. Others interpret Chesed, as meaning the kindness of God and understand Emet, as referring to man performing truthful deeds. The verse would then mean that God showers His kindness on human beings who perform acts of truth, and in this way kindness and truth meet. This interpretation, too, does not fit well with the straightforward meaning of the verse, because, throughout the Bible, Chesed and Emet are linked together. Wherever we find Chesed we also find Emet, and wherever we find Emet we also find Chesed. Another interpretation: The whole world is full of loving-kindness and truth, and wherever a person turns he finds them. This interpretation fits well with the theme of the verse, but the simple meaning of the expression would seem to be that Chesed and Emet meet each other.’

Righteousness/generosity and peace will join together. In accordance with the way we explained the parallel half of the verse, the second half of the verse means: “Righteousness/generosity and peace will join together in our land.” Nashakú, here means “will join together.” In other words, in our land there will be peace based on justice and not on the imposition of fear. We find “peace” and “righteousness/generosity” linked and paralleling each other in Isaiah 32:17: “And the work of righteousness/genrosity [tz’dakah] will be peace”; in Isaiah 60:17: “And I will make your officers peace, and your taskmasters righteousness/genrosity [tz’dakah]”; and in Psalm 72:3: “May the mountains raise up peace to the people, and the hills with righteousness/generosity [tz’dakah].” The word Nashakú, “they will join together” (like Nifgashú, in the first part of the verse), is a past-tense verb indicating a blessing for the future.’

v.12 Truth will spring form the earth and righteousness/generosity will be seen in the heavens.

Truth will spring from the earth. This is a continuation of the blessings in the previous verse: By virtue of the truth among the people (“loving-kindness and truth will meet”), truth will spring forth from the earth. In other words, the earth will faithfully bear its fruit for those who till it, and will not disappoint their faith, trust, and hope of harvesting what they have sown.

And righteousness/generosity will be seen in the heavens. By virtue of the righteousness/generosity among the people (“righteousness/generosity and peace will join together”), righteousness/generosity will be seen in the heavens. Nishkaf, is a nif’al form meaning “will be seen.” In other words, whoever looks toward the heavens sees righteousness/generosity there. The psalmist is saying that righteous/generous rains bringing blessing and salvation will pour down from the heavens. We find Tzedakah, “righteousness/generosity,” associated in the Bible with rainfall, as in Joel 2:23: “He has given you the early rain in due/generous measure [Litz’dakah]”; and in Isaiah 45:8: “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness/generosity [Tzedek]. Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let it cause righteousness/generosity [Tz’dakah], to spring up also.”

Nishkaf, “will be seen,” is a third-person past-tense verb expressing an action in the future, and it parallels the future-tense, Titzmah, “will spring.” Both verbs express a blessing.

Thus, the chief intent of all of G-d’s saying (AMAR) as well as all of G-d’s speaking (DABAR) is to bring SHALOM unto His people, and more particularly to His Tsadiqim (righteous/generous ones) – who voluntarily and willingly separate themselves unto G-d (which is this week’s main theme in our Torah Seder).

2. How is our Torah Seder for this Shabbat and our Psalm 85 hinting that we are about to celebrate Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

Answer: The main topic of through is directed at the Drash Level of hermeneutics to the theme of “speech” and “word” (AMAR and DABAR). These terms are celebrated and rightly belong to the festival of Shabuot (Pentecost) commemorating the giving/speaking of the words of G-d, as well as oral binding power of Smikhah (Rabbinical ordination).

When the Torah was given at Har Sinai it was spoken in 70 languages – a Tikun (reparation) for the disaster at Babel. This Torah, as well separates the first-born and the Levites unto G-d and therefore Shabuoth (Pentecost) is a festival for the ordination of Torah Sages and those involved in the service of G-d and His community.

3. How is our Ashlamatah of Zechariah 3:1-10 related to our Torah Seder for this week?

Answer: Verse 5, of our Ashlamatah reads:

“And I said, Let them set a clean turban on his head. And they set a clean turban on his head and clothed him with clothing. And the Angel of Ha-Shem stood by.”

The “clean turban on his head” is none other that the mitre on the head of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) which was engraved with the words: “Qadosh La Adonai” – “Holiness/Separation unto Ha-Shem.” (cf. Exodus 28:36). And this is the theme of our Torah Seder as stated in Lev. 21:6 – “they are being Holy unto their G-d;” and in Lev. 21:12 – “nor from the sanctuary does he go out, nor does he pollute the sanctuary of his God, for the separation of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am Ha-Shem.”.

4. How is our Ashlamatah hinting that we are about to celebrate the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

Answer: Our Ashlamatah also goes on to describe a “stone” that contains the “seven eyes of Ha-Shem” as it is stated in v. 9:

“For, behold, I will bring forth My Servant, the BRANCH. For behold, the stone which I have given before Joshua, on the one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave its engraving, says Ha-Shem of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity/lawlessness of that land in one day.”

This stone with its seven eyes is symbolic of the seven lower Sefirot/Attributes of the Messiah and which correspond as well to the candelabra (Menorah) of the seven spiritual gifts given to G-d’s congregations/communities (cf. explanations given over the last two Shabbat Torah commentaries). Thus, hinting that we are about to enter the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost) which is a festival that in part celebrated the ordination of Torah centered ministers/ministries.

5. How is the Midrash of Matityahu in 16:28 – 17:9 related to our Torah Seder for this week, to our Ashlamatah for this week, and to Lag BaOmer which we just celebrated?

Answer: The so called Transfiguration event, is absolute poison to those who make a difference between “Law” and “Grace,” and between the so called “Old” and “New” testaments. In this metaphorical picture, we see complete agreement between Mosheh Rabbenu (symbolic for Torah), Eliyahu (symbolic for the Prophets), and the Messiah (symbolic for the Oral Torah and the Nazarean Codicil).

All three have the same message, all three are Torah, all three are Grace, all three are Ancient Covenant, and all three are the Renewal of the Covenant. There is no opposition, or differences between them – for they all speak clearly with voice about the Grace of the Law, and the Law of Grace, which are but one and the same concept

Just as the High Priest, the Priests and the Levites are commanded to be Holy/Separate to their G-d, so too are these seven officers of Messiah’s congregation are commanded to be holy/separate to their G-d by being devoted to the study of Torah, works of benevolence, prayer, and ministry, as was the case with Mosheh, Eliyahu and Messiah.

6. How is the Midrash of Matityahu in 16:28 – 17:9 hinting that we are about to celebrate the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost)?

Answer: Some have posited that this reading best fits the festival of Sukkoth (Tabernacles) because of the obvious reference in verse 4 to “dwellings,” as it is said:

“And replying, HaTsefet said to Yeshuah, Master, it is good for us to be here; I will make three dwellings here: one for you and one for Mosheh Rabbenu and one for Eliyahu (because he did not know what he should say).”

However, the references to Shabuoth (Pentecost) are greater – i.e. a face beaming, a Talit beaming (both symbols of Torah revelation), a shining cloud, and a Bat Kol (daughter of the voice) – both being associated with prophecy, all of these are themes within the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost).

7. How is Pirke Abot 6:5 related to our Torah Seder for this week and to the festival of Shabuoth (Pentecost) that we are about to celebrate?

Answer: That the Torah Table (where Torah is learned) is greater than the tables of kings is very much connected to the theme of Shabuoth (Pentecost). Not seeking greatness for oneself but for the majesty of Torah is implied in “being Holy unto their G-d” in Lev. 21:6.

8. If someone would ask you as to what is the common thread or theme that binds all these different readings for this week, what would your answer be?

Answer: Being “holy unto G-d” requires separation unto G-d for Torah learning, and to perform many deeds of loving-kindness with which to manifest one’s Torah learning. The “real” honor and glory of this course of action far exceeds that which earthy kings receive.

Semana Alegre! Shabua Tov!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai