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Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial
Torah Cycle)
|
Three
and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings |
Second Year of the
Triennial Reading Cycle |
|
Sivan
09, 5774 – June 06/07, 2014 |
Sixth
Year of the Shmita Cycle |
Candle Lighting and
Habdalah Times:
|
Amarillo, TX, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:41 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:44 PM |
Austin & Conroe, TX, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:12 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:12 PM |
Brisbane, Australia Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 4:43 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 5:38 PM |
|
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:35 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:37 PM |
Everett, WA. U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:46 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 10:07 PM |
Manila & Cebu,
Philippines Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 6:05 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 6:58 PM |
|
Miami, FL, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 7:52 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 8:49 PM |
Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 7:53 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 8:58 PM |
Olympia, WA, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles
at 8:45 PM Sat. June 7 2014 –
Habdalah 10:03 PM |
|
San Antonio,
TX, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:13 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:12 PM |
Sheboygan
& Manitowoc, WI, US Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:11 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:24 PM |
Singapore, Singapore Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 6:51 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 7:42 PM |
|
St. Louis, MO, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:04 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 9:10 PM |
Tacoma, WA, U.S. Fri. June 6 2014 – Candles at 8:44 PM Sat. June 7 2014 – Habdalah 10:03 PM |
|
|
|
|
|
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of
Honor:
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 Gabriel ben
Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Elisheba bat Sarah
His Excellency 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 Elisha ben
Abraham
His Excellency Adon Ze’ev ben
Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Hadassah bat Sarah
His Excellency Adon Michael
Harston
Her Excellency Giberet Whitney
Mathison
Her
Excellency Giberet Rivqa 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 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
“Ish Al-Dig’lo” – Sabbath: “Every (royal) man by his own standard”
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
אִישׁ
עַל-דִּגְלוֹ |
|
|
|
“Ish Al-Dig’lo” |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar 2:1-4 |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar
3:1-4 |
|
“Every (royal) man by his
own standard” |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar 2:5-9 |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar
3:5-7 |
|
“Cada
hombre (real) junto a su bandera” |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar 2:10-13 |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar
3:8-10 |
|
B’Midbar (Numbers)
2:1-34 |
Reader 4 – B’Midbar 2:14-17 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 55:13 – 56:8 |
Reader 5 – B’Midbar 2:18-24 |
Monday & Thursday Mornings |
|
|
Reader 6 – B’Midbar 2:25-31 |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar
3:1-4 |
|
Psalm 91:1-16 |
Reader 7 – B’Midbar 2:32-34 |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar
3:5-7 |
|
Abot: 3:19 |
Maftir: B’midbar 2:32-34 |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar
3:8-10 |
|
N.C.: Mark 9:49-50; Lk 14:34-35; Romans 1:8-17 |
- Isaiah 55:13 – 56:8 |
|
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
1. Every (royal) man by
his own standard – Numbers 2:1-2
2. The Camps and Tribal
Chiefs – Numbers 2:3-31
3. Results of the Census
– Numbers 2:32-34
Reading Assignment:
The Torah
Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol XIII: First Journeys
By: Rabbi Yitschaq
Magrisso, Translated by: Dr. Tzvi Faier
Published
by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1990)
Vol. 13 – “First
Journeys,” pp. 26-46
Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for:
B’Midbar (Numbers) 2:1-34
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
1. God spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: |
1. And the LORD spoke with Mosheh and with Aharon,
saying: |
|
2. The children of Israel shall encamp each man by his
division with the flag staffs of their fathers' house; some distance from the
Tent of Meeting they shall encamp. |
2. Every man of the Bene Israel will encamp by his
standard, by the
ensign which is signified upon the standards of their fathers' house
over against the tabernacle of ordinance will they encamp round about. |
|
3. Those camping in front, to the east, were the
legions under the division of the camp of Judah. The prince of the children
of Judah was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. |
3. The length of the camp of Israel will be twelve
miles, and its breadth twelve miles. And they who encamp eastward to the
sunrise will be of the standard of the camp of Yehudah by their hosts,
spreading over four miles. And his standard will be of silk, of three colors, corresponding with
(those of) the precious stones which are in the breastplate,--sardius, topaz,
and carbuncle; and upon it will be expressed and set forth the
names of the three tribes of Yehudah, Issakar, and Zebulon; and in the midst
will be written : Arise, O LORD, and let Your enemies be scattered, and Your
adversaries be driven away before You; and upon it will be set forth the
figure of a young lion. And the Rabbi of the Bene Yehudah will be Nachshon
bar Amminadab. |
|
4. His legion numbered seventy four thousand, six
hundred. |
4. And the sum of the hosts of that tribe was seventy-four
thousand six hundred. |
|
5. Camping next to him, the tribe of Issachar; the
prince of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zu'ar. |
5. And they who encamp next by him will be the tribe of
Issakar, and the Rabbi appointed over the host of the Bene Issakar, Nathaniel
bar Zuar: |
|
6. His legion numbered fifty four thousand, four
hundred. |
6. and the sum of the host of the tribe fifty-four
thousand four hundred. |
|
7. [Then] the tribe
of Zebulun, and the prince of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of
Helon. |
7. The tribe of Zebulon,--the Rabbi, Eliab bar Chelon; |
|
8. His legion
numbered fifty seven thousand, four hundred. |
8. the number, fifty-seven thousand four hundred. |
|
9. The total sum for the legions of Judah's camp was
one hundred and eighty six thousand, four hundred; these shall journey first. |
9. All the numbered ones of the camp of Yehudah, one
hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred, by their hosts; they will go
forward in front. |
|
10. The legions under the division of the camp of Reuben
were to the south. The prince of the children of Reuben was Elitzur the son
of Shedeur. |
10. (By) the standard of the camp of Reuben they, will
encamp southward by their hosts, spreading over four miles. And his standard will be of
silk, of three colours, corresponding with (those of) the precious stones
that are in the breastplate, azmorad, sapphire, and adamant: on it
will be expressed and set forth the names of the three tribes of Reuben,
Shimeon, Gad; and in the midst of it be written, Hear, Israel, the LORD our
God is One; and upon it will be set forth the figure of a stag. Some would
have thought there should have been upon it the figure of a young ox; but
Mosheh the prophet altered it, that the sin of the calf might not be
remembered against them. And the Rabbi set over the host of the tribe Reuben
was Elizur bar Shedeur. |
|
11. His legion numbered forty six thousand, five
hundred. |
11. And his host and the numbered of his tribe ___ |
|
12. Camping next to him, the tribe of Simeon. The prince
of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
12. ___ |
|
13. His legion numbered fifty nine thousand, three
hundred. |
13. were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. |
|
14. [Then] the tribe of Gad. The prince of the children
of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Re'uel. |
14. The tribe of Gad: the Rabbi set over the host of the
tribe of the Bene Gad was Eljasaph bar Dehuel. |
|
15. His legion numbered forty five thousand, six hundred
and fifty. |
15. And his host and the number of his tribe, forty-five
thousand six hundred. |
|
16. The total sum for the legions of Reuben's camp was
one hundred and fifty thousand, four hundred and fifty; they shall be the
second to set out. |
16. All the sum of the numbered ones of the camp of
Reuben, one hundred and fifty one thousand four hundred and fifty by their
hosts; and they went forward secondly, |
|
17. Then the Tent of Meeting shall set out, [with]
the Levite camp, in the center of the other camps. Just as they camp, so
shall they travel, each man in his place, by their divisions. |
17. But the tabernacle will go with the host of the
Levites, in the midst of their host; and their camp spreads over four miles,
in the midst are they to be: as they encamp, so will they go, every man going
in his appointed place, by their standard. |
|
18. The legions under the division of the camp of
Ephraim were to the west. The prince of the children of Ephraim was
Elishama'the son of 'Amihud. |
18. The camp of Ephraim by the standard of their hosts
will pitch on the west; their camp spreads over four miles; and their standard is of silk of
three colors, corresponding with the precious stones in the breastplate,
ligure, agate, and amethyst; and upon it expressed and set forth
the names of the three tribes, Ephraim, Menasheh and Benjamin, having written
in the midst, And the Cloud of the LORD was over them, in the going forward
of the host; and upon it was set forth the figure of a young man. And the
Rabbi set over the tribe of Ephraim, Elishama bar Ammihud; |
|
19. His legion numbered forty thousand, five hundred. |
19. and the sum of his host, forty thousand five
hundred. |
|
20. Next to him, the tribe of Manasseh. The prince of
the children of Manasseh was Gamliel the son of Pedahzur. |
20. And next to him were the tribe of Menasheh: the
Rabbi, Gamliel bar Pedashur; |
|
21. His legion numbered thirty two thousand, two
hundred. |
21. their number, thirty-two thousand two hundred. |
|
22. [Then] the tribe of Benjamin. The prince of the
children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gid'oni. |
22. Of the tribe of Benjamin the Rabbi was Abidan bar
Gideoni, |
|
23. His legion numbered thirty five thousand, four
hundred. |
23. and the number of his host thirty-five thousand four
hundred. |
|
24. The total sum for the legions under the division
of the camp of Ephraim was one hundred and eight thousand, one hundred; they
shall be the third to set out. |
24. The Sum of the camp of Ephraim was one hundred
and eight thousand one hundred; and they went forward thirdly. |
|
25. The legions under the division of the camp of
Dan were to the north. The prince of the children of Dan was Ahi'ezer the son
of Ammishaddai. |
25. The standard of the camp of Dan will be to the
north with their hosts; and the space of their camp will spread over four
miles. His standard
will be of silk of three colors, corresponding with the stones in the
breastplate, chrysolite, beryl, and jasper; in it will be
expressed and set forth the names of the three tribes, Dan, Naphtali, and
Asher; and upon it will be expressed: And in his encampment will he say,
Return, O LORD, and dwell in Your glory in the midst of the myriads of
Israel; and upon it will also be set forth the figure of a basilisk serpent.
(Gen. xlix. 17.) The Rabbi set over the hosts of Dan was Achiezer bar
Aminishaddai, |
|
26. His legion numbered sixty two thousand, seven
hundred. |
26. and the number of his tribe sixty-two thousand seven
hundred. |
|
27. Camping next to him was the tribe of Asher. The
prince of the children of Asher was Pag'iel the son of 'Ocran. |
27. They who encamp next to him will be the tribe of
Asher; the Rabbi was Paghiel bar Achran, |
|
28. His legion numbered forty one thousand, five
hundred. |
28. and the numbers forty-one thousand five hundred. |
|
29. [Then] the tribe of Naphtali. The prince of the
children of Naphtali was Ahira' the son of 'Enan. |
29. Of the tribe Naphtali, the Rabbi, Achira bar Enan; |
|
30. His legion numbered fifty three thousand, four
hundred. |
30. and the numbers, fifty-three thousand four hundred. |
|
31. The total sum for the legions under the division of
the camp of Dan was one hundred and fifty seven thousand, six hundred; they
shall be the last to set out. |
31. The sum of the hosts of Dan was one hundred and
fifty-seven thousand six hundred: and these went forward last with their
ensigns. |
|
32. These are the numbers of the Israelites according to
their fathers' houses. The total number of legions of the camps was six
hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. |
32. This is the amount of the numbers of the Bene
Israel, according to the house of their fathers; all the sums of the camps by
their hosts were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. |
|
33. However, the
Levites were not counted with the rest of the Israelites, as the Lord
commanded Moses. |
33. But the
Levites were not numbered among the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded
Mosheh. |
|
34. The Israelites did all that the Lord had commanded
Moses; they encamped by their divisions, and so did they journey each man with
his family, according to his father's house. |
34. And the sons of Israel did according to all that the
LORD commanded Mosheh; so did they encamp by their standards, and so went
they forward, every man with his family by the house of his fathers. |
|
|
|
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: B’Midbar
(Numbers) 2:1-34
2 with
the flag staffs Heb. בְאֹתֹת. Every division shall have its own flag
staff, with a colored flag hanging on it; the color of one being different from
the color of any other. The color of each one was like the hue of its stone,
set in the choshen [worn by the Kohen Gadol], and in this way, everyone
could recognize his division. Another explanation:
With the signs of
his fathers’ house According to the sign their father Jacob gave them when
they carried him out of Egypt, as it says, “His sons did for him just as he had
commanded them” (Gen. 50:12), [which was that] Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun
should bear him [his body] from the east, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad from the
south etc. as it states in the [Midrash]
Tanchuma on this section.-[Rashi]
some distance At a distance of a mil, as
it is stated in Joshua (3:4), “However, there shall be some distance between
you and it; about two thousand cubits.” [The reason for this distance, which is
the distance permitted to travel on a Sabbath day, was] so that they would be
able to come [to the Mishkan] on the
Sabbath, [for] Moses, Aaron and his sons, and the Levites were encamped close
to it.
3 in
front The front side, which is called קֶדֶם, and which is this? The east side. The west
is called the rear side [of the world].-[Rashi]
9 these
shall journey first When the cloud was seen departing, the kohanim would sound the trumpets, and
the camp of Judah would set off first. And when they traveled, they journeyed
forward retaining the same positions in which they camped: the Levites and the
wagons in the center, the division of Judah to the east, that of Reuben to the
south, that of Ephraim to the west, and that of Dan to the north.
17 Then
the Tent of Meeting shall set out After these two divisions.
just as they camp, so shall they travel As I explained, they journeyed as they camped; each division
marching on its designated side.
in his place Heb. עַל־יָדוֹ, lit., on his hand. On his place. The term יָד does not depart from its usual meaning; the
direction of his side is called עַל־יָדוֹ, that which is by his hand, closest to him
and within reach of his hand; en son aise
in Old French. [According to Greenberg, on
his place , i.e., the place adjacent
to him. According to Gukevitski, at his
ease (i.e., within easy reach). According to Berliner, on his side.]
20 Next to him Heb. וְעָלָיו, as the Targum
[Onkelos] renders it: "and those
closest to him."
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. These rules are found also on
the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur together with a brief
explanation for each one of them.\
Ramban’s
Commentary for: B’Midbar (Numbers) 2:1-34
2. EVERY MAN WILL ENCAMP BY HIS OWN STANDARD, WITH THE
SIGNS OF THEIR FATHER’S HOUSE. “Each
standard was to have a coloured cloth hanging on it, the colour of one being
unlike the colour of another.[1]
The colour of each standard corresponded to that of the stone fixed in the
breastplate [of the High Priest, on which the name of that tribe was engraved],
and by this method everyone would recognize his standard.” This is Rashi’s
language. But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented: “There were signs on each of
the [four main] standards. Thus the ancient Sages said that on Reuben’s
standard there was a figure of a man decorated with mandrakes,[2]
and on Judah’s standard there was the form of a lion, to which Jacob had
compared him,[3]
and on Ephraim’s standard was the figure of an ox, based upon [the expression
that Moses used in speaking of that tribe], the firstborn of his ox
[4]and
on Dan’s standard was the figure of an eagle.[5]
Thus [the four signs on the four main standards] were similar to the four
figures that the prophet Ezekiel saw [in the Divine Charriot].[6] The Tent of Meeting was in the exact center,
with the camps of the Levites surrounding it in the midst of the camps [of the
other tribes], as is mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah:[7]
“And the Holy Temple is placed exactly in the middle.”
Now the directions [in which the standards were to be
set up] begin with the east, like the movement of the sun [in its daily
course], and afterwards the south, and then the west and finally the north.
They put the [main] standard of Judah in the east because he was the first to
start journeying as he was the prince,[8] just as G-d
commanded, Judah will go up[9]
first,[10] and Reuben was [set next to him] in the south
to honour him as the firstborn. Thus these two neighbouring standards consisted
of [the children of] Leah [i.e., Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben Shimon]
together with the firstborn of her maidservant who was born upon her [Leah’s]
knees [i.e., Gad the son of Zilpah.]. And there was one [main] standard for the
children of Rachel [Ephraim, Menasheh, and Benjamin] in the west, and the
standard of the [other] children of the maidservants [Dan, Asher, and Naphtali]
was last, in the north.
I have furthermore seen in the Midrash [the following
text]:[11]
‘‘And just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created four directions in the
universe, so He surrounded His Throne with four ‘living creatures,’ [12]
and high above them all is the Throne of Glory. The Holy One, blessed be He,
told Moses to arrange the standards in a manner corresponding to these
directions. Thus He said to him: In the east, whence comes light to the world,
will Judah the sovereign pitch his camp, and next to him will be the tribe of
Issachar, who studies the Torah,[13] and next to him the tribe of Zebulun, who is
wealthy, just as it is written, Zebulun will dwell at the shore of the
sea,[14]
and it is also said [of Zebulun], for they shall suck the abundance of
the sea.[15]
They were to be the first to journey, just as it is said, And their king
is passed on before them, and the Eternal at the head of them.[16]
From the south come the dews and the rains [which bring] blessing for the
world, therefore shall Reuben pitch on that side, for he is the master of
repentance,[17]
which is a good quality, and the mercies of the Holy One, blessed be He, come
to the world when people repent [of their evil ways]. Next to Reuben is Gad,
who has the quality of heroism.[18]
Thus there were [in the south] Reuben with repentance, Gad with heroism, and in
between them Shimon in order to atone [for his having caused anguish to his
father Jacob].[19]
And they will set forth second,[20]
because repentance is second to Torah [for by studying Torah one is coming to
repent of evil ways]. In the west are the storehouses of snow, and the
storehouses of hail, cold, and heat, and corresponding to them were [the tribes
of] Ephraim, Menasheh and Benjamin, and the Divine Presence is always in the
west within the border of Benjamin, as it is said, Of Benjamin he [Moses]
said: The beloved of the Eternal will dwell in safety by Him.[21]
And they shall set forth third,[22] for heroism is fitting to Torah and
repentance, in order that a person may grow strong in Torah and overcome his
[bad] inclinations. From the north comes darkness to the world, and
corresponding to it was the tribe of Dan. For what reason? It is because the
tribe of Dan darkened the world through the idols which Jeroboam made, as it is
said, and the one idol he put in Dan.[23] Next to him was the tribe of Asher, to
illuminate the darkness, as it is said [of Asher], and he shall dip his
foot in oil,[24] and next to him was the tribe of Naphtali who
is full of blessings.[25] They will set forth hindmost,[26] for whoever worships idols goes
backward and not forward.[27]
There [in Bamidbar Rabbah][28]
the Rabbis also interpret [the division of the tribes of Israel according to
four standards as] corresponding to the four groups of angels [surrounding the
celestial Throne]. The Midrash also explains there that [the division of the
tribes was not arbitrary but] it was all in wisdom, [showing] honour and
greatness to Israel, and that therefore Scripture mentions everything in
detail.
4. AND HIS HOST, AND THOSE THAT WERE NUMBERED OF THEM. The meaning thereof, as well as of all that
were numbered of the camp of Judah,[29]
and so also all [such verses in this chapter], is that these are the words of
G-d to Moses, connected with [the opening statement], And the Eternal
spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron,[30] since they did not count them now a second
time. This is also the sense of the verse, These are they that were
numbered of the children of Israel,[31]
because He stated [in that same verse] all that were numbered of the
camps according to their hosts [which indicates that He is referring to
a census which had previously taken place, and not to a new census]. He
mentioned all this in order to tell us that from the day of the census [which
was on the first of Iyar][32]
until the camps were established [according to the four standards] and
they so pitched by the standards, and so they set forward,[33]
[which was on the twentieth of Iyar],[34]
not one man was missing. This was miraculous, in that not one person of this
great multitude died [in the period of twenty days].
The change in the name of the father of the prince of
the children of Gad [who is called Deuel above in 1:14, and here in Verse 14 is
referred to as Reuel], is because it is customary in the Sacred Language to
change names of the same meaning, such as Zerah[35]
[one of the sons of Shimon], and Zohar[36]
[referring to the same son of Shimon, both names meaning “brightness”], of the
expression as tzachar’ (white) wool.[37]
Now [the father of the prince of the children of Gad] was called “Deuel” [of
the root dei’ah, “knowledge”] because he “knew” G-d, [and he was also called] “Reuel” [of the root ra’ayon,
“thoughts,” or re’uth, “longing” “striving”] because “he set all
the thoughts of his heart on G-d,” similar to the expression in these verses: How
weighty also are rei’echa' (Your thoughts) unto me, O G-d;[38]
You understand l’rei’i (my thought) afar off.[39]
Since people used to call that person by two names [e.g. Deuel and Reuel],
therefore the Torah mentioned both of them.
Ketubim: Tehillim
(Psalms) 91:1-16
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
1. He who dwells in the covert of the Most High will
lodge in the shadow of the Almighty. |
1. He who makes his presence abide in secret is the
Most High; he will lodge in the shadow of the clouds of the glory of Shaddai.
|
|
2. I shall say of the Lord [that He is] my shelter and
my fortress, my God in Whom I trust. |
2. David said: "I will say to the LORD, O my
confidence and my strong fortress; my God, I will trust in His word." |
|
3. For He will save you from the snare that traps from
the devastating pestilence. |
3. For He will deliver you, Solomon my son, from the
snare and the obstacle, from death and confusion. |
|
4. With His wing He will cover you, and under His wings
you will take refuge; His truth is an encompassing shield. |
4. With the shelter of His presence He will shelter
you, and you will be confident under the shelter of His glory; His faithfulness
is a shield and buckler. |
|
5. You will not fear the fright of night, the arrow
that flies by day; |
5. Be not afraid of the terror of demons who walk at
night, of the arrow of the angel of death that he looses during the day; |
|
6. Pestilence that prowls in darkness, destruction that
ravages at noon. |
6. Of the death that walks in darkness, of the band of
demons that attacks at noon. |
|
7. A thousand will be stationed at your side, and
ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not approach you. |
7. You will invoke the holy name; a thousand will
fall at your left side, and ten thousand at your right; they will not come
near you to do harm. |
|
8. You will but gaze with your eyes, and you will see
the annihilation of the wicked. |
8. Only with your eyes you will watch, and you will see
the wicked as they are destroyed. |
|
9. For you [said], "The Lord is my refuge";
the Most High you made your dwelling. |
9. Solomon answered and said: "For you are my
confidence, O LORD; in the highest dwelling place You have placed the house
of Your presence." |
|
10. No harm will befall you, nor will a plague draw near
to your tent. |
10. The Master of the world responded and thus he said:
"No harm will happen to you; and no plague or demon will come near to
your tents." |
|
11. For He will command His angels on your behalf to
guard you in all your ways. |
11. For He will command His angels concerning you to
guard you in all your ways. |
|
12. On [their] hands they will bear you, lest your foot
stumble on a stone. |
12. They will lift you up by their strength, lest you stumble on the evil
impulse, which is likened to the stones at your feet. |
|
13. On a young lion and a cobra you will tread; you will
trample the young lion and the serpent. |
13. You will trample on the lions' whelp and the adder;
you will tread down the lion and the viper. |
|
14. For he yearns for Me, and I shall rescue him; I
shall fortify him because he knows My name. |
14. Because he has taken pleasure in My word, and I will
deliver him; I will exalt him because he knows My name. |
|
15. He will call Me and I shall answer him; I am with
him in distress; I shall rescue him and I shall honor him. |
15. He will pray in My presence and I will answer him; I
am with him in distress, I will save him and glorify him. |
|
16. With length of days I shall satiate him, and I shall
show him My salvation. |
16. I will satisfy him with length of days; I will show
him My redemption. |
|
|
|
Rashi’s Commentary for: Psalms 91:1-16
1 He
who dwells in the covert of the Most High He who takes shelter in the
covert of the wings of the Shechinahhe will lodge in His shadow, for the Holy
One, blessed be He, protects him. Moses, our teacher, hereby persuades people
to take shelter in the wings of the Shechinah.
the Almighty Heb. שדי, an expression of strength. “He who dwells
in the covert of the Most High” is like (Song 2:3): “in His shadow I desired
and sat.”
2 I
shall say of the Lord [that He is] my shelter and my fortress and all will
learn from me. Now why do I say this?
3 For
He will save you from the snare that traps, etc. To everyone he says, “He
who dwells in the covert of the Most High.”
4 With
His wing He will cover...you will take refuge You will be covered.
an encompassing shield Heb. צנה וסחרה. This is a shield that encompasses a man
closely on his four sides. וסֹחֵרָה is an expression of סְחוֹר
סְחוֹר, around.
5 You
will not fear if you trust in Him.
the arrow that flies by day the demon that flies
like an arrow.
6 Pestilence,
etc., destruction These are names of demons; one destroys at night, and one
destroys at noon.
ravages Heb. יָשוּד, [equivalent to] יְשוֹדֵד.
7 A
thousand will be stationed at your side Heb. יפל, an expression of encamping, as (Gen. 25:
18): “before the face of all his brothers did he settle (נפל).”
at your side At your left a thousand
demons will be stationed, and they will not approach you to harm [you].
8 and...the
annihilation Heb. ושלמת, complete destruction. And why?
9 For
you You said, “The Lord is my refuge.” This is an elliptical verse.
the Most High you made your dwelling You made the Holy One, blessed be He, the seat of your
trust.
10 No...will
befall Heb. לא
תאנה,
will not happen. Similarly, (Exod. 21:13): “and God allowed it to happen (אנה) to his hand.”
12 lest...stumble Heb. תגף, lest it [your foot] stumble, and so every
expression of נְגִפָה, acupir, azoper, to hit, strike
against.
Meditation
from the Psalms
Psalms 91:1-16
By:
H.Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
Psalm 91[40] is the second psalm
composed by Moshe.[41] He dedicated this
composition to the tribe of Levi. This tribe in particular can be described as
dwelling[42] in the shadow of the
Almighty, for the Levites spent their days in the insulated and sacred
environment of the Temple courtyard.[43]
According to the Midrash, Moshe composed this work on the day he
completed construction of the משכן,
Tabernacle, and these verses describe Moshe himself, who entered the Divine
clouds and was enveloped in the shadow of the Almighty.
At that moment, a great question arose: how could a Tabernacle with
walls and curtains contain the Presence of the Almighty? The Master of the
universe Himself explained, “The entire world cannot contain My glory, yet when
I wish, I can concentrate My entire essence into one small spot. Indeed, I am
Most High, yet I sit in a [limited, constricted] refuge — in the shadow of the
Tabernacle constructed by Bezalel”.
Throughout this composition, the Psalmist describes the devout man of
faith who lives with G-d in his heart and who never leaves G-d’s shadow. Such a
man is the true hero of Jewish life to whom G-d pledges,[44] I will satisfy him with long life and show him My salvation.[45]
Psalm 91, written by Moshe, hints to the festival of Shavuot which we
have just completed. What better way to describe the experience at the foot of
Mt. Sinai then:
Tehillim
(Psalms) 91:1-4 O you that dwell in the covert of the Most High, and abides in the shadow of the
Almighty; 2 I will say of HaShem, who is my refuge and
my fortress, my God, in whom I trust, 3 That He will deliver you
from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He
will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings will you take refuge; His
truth is a shield and a buckler.
Given
this connection, I would like to examine one aspect of this festival which is
rarely visited.
In this
study I would like to examine the relationship of the physical to the
spiritual. I would like to address the question: Why did HaShem give us
physical bodies with various physiological responses?
In Gan Eden,
HaShem gave physicality to Adam. With this physicality he was supposed to tend
the garden. What does it mean ‘to tend the garden’?
We find
throughout the Torah that HaShem expected men to physically ‘do’ things.
Whether it was Adam tending the garden or Moshe ‘speaking’ to the rock, men
were expected to perform physical
acts in their service of HaShem. In general, Tikkun
Olam (תיקון
עולם) demands that we ‘do’ something to rebuild or
correct the world. These are the 248 positive commandments. It is the
performing of these mitzvot that will correct the world and restore it to the
state it was in, before the sin of Adam. The negative commandments have the
effect of causing a blemish in the world. However, our mission is not to
‘not blemish’ the world. We are not here to preserve the status quo. We
are here for a purpose! We have a job to do! We were not put here to sit
back and do nothing. We are supposed to ‘do’ something. It is our job to repair
the world.
Thus we see
that HaShem expects men to act physically. In fact, the Torah never records any
spiritual act independent of a physical act. This has some rather profound
implications.
Consider the
events of Sinai. Chazal, our Sages, have said that the Children of Israel
entered into a covenant with HaShem at mount Sinai. As preparation for the
‘signing’ of the covenant, Chazal teach that the Children of Israel did three physical things as required by HaShem.
K'rithoth 9a Rabbi says: ‘As you’ means as your forefathers: As
your forefathers entered into the covenant only by circumcision, immersion and
the sprinkling of the blood,[46]
so will they enter the Covenant only by circumcision, immersion and the
sprinkling of the blood.
1. They were
ALL circumcised.
Shemot
(Exodus) 12:43 And
HaShem said unto Moshe and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There
will no stranger eat thereof: 44 But
every man’s servant that is bought for money, when you have circumcised him,
then will he eat thereof. 45 A foreigner
and an hired servant will not eat thereof. 46
In one house will it be eaten; you will not carry forth ought of the
flesh abroad out of the house; neither will you break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel will keep it.
48 And when a stranger will sojourn with
you, and will keep the passover to HaShem, let all his males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and keep it; and he will be as one that is born in
the land: for no
uncircumcised person will eat thereof. 49 One law will be to him that is homeborn, and
unto the stranger that sojourns among you. 50
Thus did all the children of Israel; as HaShem commanded Moshe and
Aaron, so did they.
2. They were
all immersed in the mikveh (baptized):
Shemot (Exodus) 19:9 And
HaShem said unto Moshe, Lo, I come unto you in a thick cloud, that the people
may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever. And Moshe told the
words of the people unto HaShem. 10 And HaShem said unto Moshe, Go unto the
people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day HaShem will come down
on in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
If from “Go to the people, and have
them sanctify today and tomorrow, and wash their clothes”, if immersion
is needed where washing clothes is not needed (such as a man Tamei[47]
from a seminal emission), all the more so where clothes must be washed!
Rejection: Perhaps they washed their clothes just for cleanliness! Answer:
“Moshe took the blood and threw it on the people”[48]), and we know, every throwing of
blood requires immersion first!
K'rithoth 9a The Master said: ‘As your forefathers entered into
the Covenant only etc.’. It is right concerning circumcision, for it is
written, For all the people that came out were circumcised,[49]
alternatively. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee wallowing in thy blood,
I said unto thee: In thy blood, live, etc.;[50]
as to the sprinkling of the blood, it is mentioned in the text, And he sent the
young men of the children of Israel [who offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed
peace offerings];[51] but whence do we know the immersion?
— It is written, And Moshe took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people,[52]
and there can be no sprinkling without immersion.[53]
3. They all
swore to keep the commands of the Torah:
Shemot (Exodus) 24:7 And he
took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they
said, All that HaShem has said will we do, and be obedient.
Thus we see
that entrance into the covenant is, as Chazal teach, that one must be
circumcised, one must be immersed in the mikveh, and one must solemnly swear
before the Bet Din (Jewish court) that they will obey the Torah.
Let us look
a little deeper at the first requirement that one must be circumcised. HaShem
elaborates that no non-Jew (Gentiles) can partake of the Passover except he be
physically circumcised:
Shemot (Exodus) 12:43
And HaShem said unto Moshe and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover:
There will no stranger eat thereof: 44 But every man’s servant that is bought
for money, when you have circumcised him, then will he eat thereof.
This has
some rather profound implications for Christians who are “messianics”. These
Christians claim to be “returning to their Jewish roots” by taking on Jewish
trappings whilst maintaining Christian theology, for the most part. These
Christians see themselves as able to celebrate the Passover without being
circumcised. Now, the above verse shows that Gentile messianics or Christians
can have a seder as long as they do NOT eat the Passover lamb! Since the
destruction of the Temple, the Passover lamb has had a substitute: The
Afikomen, the matza taken after the meal. Shemot (Exodus) 12:43-44 shows that
non-Jews may NOT partake of the Afikomen which is a substitute for the
Passover lamb. Let me restate this: Christians and messianics who have not been
circumcised according to Torah law may NOT eat the Afikomen and they may NOT
eat the Passover lamb!
This poses a
few difficulties for the Christians and messianics because they see the
Passover lamb, and by substitution the Afikomen, as representing Christ
(Mashiach):
I Corinthians 5:7 Purge out
therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened.
For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
This poses a
conundrum for the Christian and the messianic: They see themselves as a part
of Mashiach whilst at the same time being forbidden from partaking in the
Mashiach at the Passover seder.
Since
Christians and messianics have largely ignored the Torah, and are without good
Jewish teachers, they blindly go on violating Torah by eating the Afikomen as
though they have a right to do so. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Torah, and
Chazal, teach that any Gentile, whether he be a Christian, a messianic, or some
other stranger, MUST be circumcised, according to Jewish law, to partake of the
Passover lamb and the Afikomen. Anyone who partakes without circumcision has
disobeyed the explicit command of HaShem.
Christians
and messianics typically try to get around this Torah requirement by claiming
that they have “circumcised hearts”:
Yeremyahu (Jeremiah) 4:3 For
thus says HaShem to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow
ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to HaShem, and take
away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of
Jerusalem: lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it,
because of the evil of your doings.
Those
Gentiles, whether they are Christians, messianics, or whatever, who say they
have circumcised their hearts have failed to note that the circumcision of the
heart applies only to Jews and NOT to Gentiles. It is also worth noting that
circumcision of the heart is an act of HaShem that will only happen to Jews who
obey the commands of the covenant given at Mt. Sinai:
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 30:1 And it
shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and
the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among
all the nations, whither HaShem thy God hath driven thee, 2 And shalt return
unto HaShem thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command
thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul; 3 That then HaShem thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion
upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither HaShem
thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost
parts of heaven, from thence will HaShem thy God gather thee, and from thence
will he fetch thee: 5 And HaShem thy God will bring thee into the land which
thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and
multiply thee above thy fathers. 6 And HaShem thy God will circumcise thine heart,
and the heart of thy seed, to love HaShem thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 7 And HaShem thy God will put all
these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted
thee. 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of HaShem, and do all his
commandments which I command thee this day.
Thus we
understand that circumcision of the heart is a spiritual act that follows
physical circumcision coupled with faithful obedience to the commands of Torah.
There can be no “circumcision of the heart”, a spiritual act, without physical
circumcision. It is not one or the other, it is both! One must be
physically circumcised, then the circumcision of the heart will be performed by
HaShem on those who are faithful to His Torah.
This
principle will be found throughout the Torah:
We manipulate the spiritual by
acting on the physical.
To
illustrate this concept, let me ask: How do I move a spiritual soul from point
A to point B? The answer is that I physically move the physical body and then I
have successfully moved the spiritual soul. I must manipulate the physical to
have an effect on the spiritual.
A Covenant
People
At Sinai,
HaShem entered into a covenant with His People, the Israelites and converts who
came out of Egypt. The Jews are therefore the covenant people as we see in
Shemot 19:
Shemot (Exodus) 19:1 In the
third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of
Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were
departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched
in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And Moshe went
up unto God, and HaShem called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt
thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen
what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought
you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the
earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moshe came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their
faces all these words which HaShem commanded him. 8 And all the people answered
together, and said, All that HaShem hath spoken we will do. And Moshe returned
the words of the people unto HaShem.
In order to
be a part of this covenant, the Bene Israel had to be circumcised, they had to
immerse, and they had to agree to obey all the words of the Torah. Now, this
covenant that the Bene Israel entered was a covenant of betrothal, of marriage:
Hosea 2:14-20 “Therefore
I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert (at Sinai) and
speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make
the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her
youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. “In that day,” declares HaShem,
“you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ I will
remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be
invoked. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the
field and the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down
in safety. I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love
and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge
HaShem.
Yeremyahu (Jeremiah) 31:31-34 “The time is coming,” declares HaShem,
“when I will make a renewed covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I
was a husband (betrothed) to them,” declares HaShem. “This is the
covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares
HaShem. “I will put my Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I
will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his
neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know HaShem,’ because they will all
know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares HaShem. “For I will
forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’
In many
Sephardic congregations, prior to the Torah reading, on the first day of
Shavuot, a Ketubah le-Shavuot (marriage certificate for Hag Shavuot) is
read, as a symbolic betrothal of HaShem and His people Israel. There are
various versions of such piyutim, nearly all similar in terminology to the
traditional tenaim (premarital document specifying the conditions agreed upon
between the two parties) or the Ketubah (certificate the bridegroom presents to
the bride at the wedding ceremony). These are hymns based on the verses in Hosea 2:14-20 Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The sixth day of the week (Friday), the sixth of Sivan, the day appointed
by the Lord for the revelation of the Torah to His beloved people. ... The
Invisible One came forth from Sinai, shone from Seir and appeared from Mount
Paran unto all the kings of the earth, in the year 2448 since the creation of
the world, the era by which we are accustomed to reckon in this land whose
foundations were upheld by God, as it is written: “For he founded it upon the
seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalms 24:2).
The bridegroom (God), Ruler of Rulers, Prince of princes, Distinguished
among the select, Whose mouth is pleasing and all of Whom is delightful, said
unto the pious, lovely and virtuous maiden (the House of Israel) who won His
favor above all women, who is as beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun,
awesome as bannered hosts: Many days wilt thou be Mine and I will be thy
Redeemer. Behold, I have sent thee golden precepts through the lawgiver
Jekuthiel (Moshe). Be thou My mate according to the law of Moshe and Israel,
and I will honor, support, and maintain thee and be thy shelter and refuge in
everlasting mercy. And I will set aside for thee, in lieu of thy virginal
faithfulness, the life-giving Torah by which thou and thy children will live in
health and tranquility. This bride (Israel) consented and became His spouse.
Thus an eternal covenant, binding them forever, was established between them.
The Bridegroom then agreed to add to the above all future expositions of
Scripture, including Sifra, Sifre, Aggadah, and Tosefta. He established the
primacy of the 248 positive commandments which are incumbent upon all...and
added to them the 365 negative commandments. The dowry that this bride brought
from the house of her father consists of an understanding heart that
understands, ears that hearken, and eyes that see. Thus the sum total of the
contract and the dowry, with the addition of the positive and negative
commandments, amounts to the following: Now all has been heard; here is the
conclusion of the matter: “Revere God and keep his commandments, for this is
the whole [duty] of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The Bridegroom, desiring to
confer privileges upon His people Israel and to transmit these valuable assets
to them, took upon Himself the responsibility of this marriage contract, to be
paid from the best portions of His property...
All these conditions are valid and established forever and ever. The
Bridegroom has given His oath to carry them out in favor of His people and to
enable those that love Him to inherit substance. Thus the Lord has given His
oath. The Bridegroom has followed the legal formality of symbolic delivery of
this document, which is bigger than the earth and broader than the seas.
Everything, then, is firm, clear, and established...
I invoke heaven and earth as reliable witnesses.
May the Bridegroom rejoice with the bride whom He has taken as His lot
and may the bride rejoice with the Husband of her youth while uttering words of
praise.[54]
Thus we see
that HaShem entered into a covenant of marriage with the Bnei Israel at Sinai.
This has some very profound implications for Christians and messianics who
claim to be a part of the bride.
To be the
bride one must have entered into the marriage covenant by circumcision,
immersion, and by agreeing, before the Bet Din, to obey the Torah. If one did
not do these three physical things, then one does not enter the marriage
covenant! This we can see in our own physical world where marriage involves
getting a marriage license and a blood test. It involves a wedding with much
preparation, and finally it involves swearing before witnesses that you will
fulfill your marital responsibilities. If this is true in our law, how much
more so must it be true in HaShem’s law?
Now, if one
has ‘signed’ the covenant at Sinai, he receives commands that are SIGNS of that
covenant. These are special commands that indicate our special status as the
betrothed of HaShem. These signs are:
Shemot
(Exodus) 31:13-17 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall
keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your
generations; that ye may know that I am HaShem that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye
shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that
defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein,
that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done;
but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to HaShem: whosoever doeth any
work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the
children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout
their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the
children of Israel for ever: for in six days HaShem made heaven and earth, and
on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Shabbat,
Sabbath, is the first ‘sign’ of the covenant between
Israel and HaShem. The Christian and the messianic may NOT keep the Sabbath!
They must convert and become a part of Israel before they may enjoy the sign of
the marriage covenant. If they keep the Shabbat without formally, and
physically, entering the covenant as Israel did, then they are adulterers who
are worthy of death. One who partakes of the marriage privileges without
signing the covenant is an adulterer.
Sanhedrin 58b Resh Lakish also said: A heathen who keeps a day of
rest, deserves death, for it is written, And a day and a night they shall not
rest,[55] and a master
has said: Their prohibition is their death sentence.[56] Rabina said:
Even if he rested on a Monday. Now why is this not included in the seven
Noachian laws? — Only negative injunctions are enumerated, not positive ones.[57]
The next
‘sign‘ of the covenant is:
Devarim
(Deuteronomy) 6:4 Hear, O
Israel: HaShem our God is one HaShem: 5 And thou shalt love HaShem thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them
upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Tefillin are
the second sign of the covenant.
The next
‘sign’ of the covenant is:
Bereshit (Genesis) 17:9 And God
said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed
after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep,
between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be
circumcised. 11 And ye
shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a sign of the
covenant betwixt me and you.
Mila,
circumcision, is the third sign of the covenant.
Thus we can
see that three things are reserved to the members of the covenant:
- Shabbat
(Sabbath)
- Tefillin
- Mila
(circumcision)
There is no spiritual
way to enter the covenant. To enter the marriage covenant with HaShem, man must
do these three physical things:
- Mila
(circumcision)
- Immersion
in a mikveh
- Front
the Bet Din (Jewish court) and sware to obey the Torah.
One can NOT
say that he is part of the covenant without physically
entering the covenant in the same way that the Bnei Israel entered this
marriage covenant. They entered physically, even as all Gentiles must enter
physically.
Speaking of
physicality, our Torah portion speaks of the camping order of the tribes as
they camped in front of Mt. Sinai. Here are two opinions of what the camping
order looked like:
Ashlamatah: Yeshayahu
(Isaiah) 55:13 – 56:8
|
Rashi |
Targum |
|
6. Seek the
Lord when He is found, call Him when He is near. |
6. Seek the
fear of the LORD while you live, beseech before Him while you live. |
|
7. The wicked shall give up his way, and the man of iniquity his
thoughts, and he shall return to the Lord, Who shall have mercy upon him, and
to our God, for He will freely pardon. |
7. Let the wicked forsake his wicked way and man who robs his
conceptions: let him return to the service of the LORD, that He may have
mercy upon him, and to the fear of our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
55.8 |
|
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
My ways," says the Lord. |
8. For not as my thoughts are your thoughts, neither are your ways
correct as the ways of my goodness, says the LORD. |
|
9. "As
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts [higher] than your thoughts. |
9. For just as
the heavens, which are higher than the earth, so are the ways of my goodness
more correct than your ways, and my thoughts prove (to be) better planned
than your thoughts. |
|
10. For, just as the rain and the snow fall from the heavens, and it
does not return there, unless it has satiated the earth and fructified it and
furthered its growth, and has given seed to the sower and bread to the eater, |
10. For as the rain and the snow, which come down from the heavens,
and it is not possible for them that they should return thither, but water
the earth, increasing it and making it sprout, giving seeds, enough for the
sower and bread, enough for the eater, |
|
11. so shall
be My word that emanates from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty,
unless it has done what I desire and has made prosperous the one to whom I
sent it. |
11. So the
word of my goodness that goes forth before Me; it is not possible that it
will return before Me empty, but accomplishes that which I please and
prospers in the thing for which I sent it. |
|
12. For with joy shall you go forth, and with peace shall you be
brought; the mountains and the hills shall burst into song before you, and
all the trees of the field shall clap hands. |
12. For you will go out in joy from
among the Gentiles, and be led in peace to your land, the mountains and the
hills before you will shout in singing, and all the trees of the field will
clap with their branches. |
|
13. Instead of the briar, a cypress shall rise, and instead of the
nettle, a myrtle shall rise, and it shall be for the Lord as a name, as an
everlasting sign, which shall not be discontinued." {P} |
13. Instead of the wicked will the righteous/generous be established',
and instead of the sinners will those who fear sin be established', and it
will be before the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign which will not
cease.’’ {P} |
|
|
|
|
1. ¶ So says the Lord, "Keep justice and practice righteousness, for
My salvation is near to come, and My benevolence to be revealed." |
1. ¶ Thus says the LORD: “Keep judgment and do righteousness/generosity, for
My salvation is near to come, and my virtue to be revealed. |
|
2. Fortunate
is the man who will do this and the person who will hold fast to it, he who
keeps the Sabbath from profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil. {S} |
2. Blessed is the man who will do this, and a son of man who will hold
it fast, who keep the Sabbath from profaning it, and will keep his hands from
doing any evil.” {S} |
|
3. Now let not the foreigner who joined the Lord, say, "The Lord
will surely separate me from His people," and let not the eunuch say,
"Behold, I am a dry tree."
{P} |
3. Let not a son of Gentiles who has been added to the people of the
LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from His people”; and let not the
eunuch say, “Behold, I am like a dry tree.”
{P} |
|
4. ¶ For so says
the Lord to the eunuchs who will keep My Sabbaths and will choose what I
desire and hold fast to My covenant, |
4. ¶ For thus says
the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep the days of the Sabbaths that are Mine,
who are pleased with the things I wish and hold fast My covenants, |
|
5. "I
will give them in My house and in My walls a place and a name, better than
sons and daughters; an everlasting name I will give him, which will not be
discontinued. {S} |
5. I will give
them in My sanctuary and within the land of My Shekhinah’s house a place and
a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name
which will not cease. {S} |
|
6. And the foreigners who join with the Lord to serve Him and to love
the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who observes the Sabbath
from profaning it and who holds fast to My covenant. |
6. And the sons of the Gentiles who have been added to the people of
the LORD, to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his
servants, everyone who will keep the Sabbath from profaning it, and hold fast
to My covenants— |
|
7. I will bring them to My holy mount, and I will cause them to
rejoice in My house of prayer, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
shall be acceptable upon My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all
peoples. |
7. these I will bring to the holy mountain, and make them joyful in My
house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their holy sacrifices will even go
up for [My] pleasure on My altar; for My sanctuary will be a house of prayer for all the
peoples. |
|
8. So says the Lord God, Who gathers in the dispersed of Israel, I
will yet gather others to him, together with his gathered ones |
8. Thus says the LORD God who is about to gather the outcasts of
Israel, I will yet bring near their exiles, to gather them.” |
|
9. All the beasts of the field, come to devour all the beasts in the
forest. {P} |
9. All the kings of the peoples who were gathered to distress you,
Jerusalem, will be cast in your midst; they will be food for the beasts of
the field—every beast of the forest will eat to satiety from them. {P} |
|
|
|
Rashi’s
Commentary on Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:13 –
56:8
6 when
He is found Before the verdict is promulgated, when He still says to you,
“Seek Me.”
8 For
My thoughts are not your thoughts Mine and yours are not the same;
therefore, I say to you, “The wicked shall give up his way,” and adopt My
way...
“and a man of iniquity his thoughts” and adopt My thoughts, to do what is good in My eyes. And the
Midrash Aggadah (Tanhuma Buber, Vayeshev 11 explains:)
For My thoughts are not, etc. My laws are not like
the laws of man [lit. flesh and blood]. As for you, whoever confesses in
judgment is found guilty, but, as for Me, whoever confesses and gives up his
evil way, is granted clemency (Proverbs 28:13).
9 As
the heavens are higher, etc. That is to say that there is a distinction and
a difference, advantages and superiority in My ways more than your ways and in
My thoughts more than your thoughts, as the heavens are higher than the earth;
you are intent upon rebelling against Me, whereas I am intent upon bringing you
back.
10 For,
just as the rain and the snow fall and do not return empty, but do good for
you.
11 so
shall be My word that emanates from My mouth to inform you through the
prophets, will not return empty, but will do good to you if you heed them.
12 For with joy shall
you go forth from the exile.
the mountains and the hills shall burst into song before you for they will give you their fruit and their plants, and their
inhabitants shall derive benefit. ([Some editions read:] And their inhabitants
shall sing.)
13 Instead
of the briar, etc. Our
Rabbis expounded [Targum Jonathan]: Instead of the wicked, righteous people
shall arise.
briar...and...nettle They are species of thorns;
i.e., to say that the wicked will be destroyed and the righteous/generous will
take their rule.
Chapter 56
2 who
will do this who observes the Sabbath, etc.
3 “The
Lord will surely separate me from His people,” Why should I become
converted? Will not the Holy One, blessed be He, separate me from His people
when He pays their reward.
Let not the eunnuch say Why should I better
my ways and my deeds? I am like a withered tree, for lack of remembrance.
4 and
hold fast Heb. וּמַחֲזִיקִים, and hold fast.
7 for
all peoples Not
only for Israel, but also for the proselytes (converts).
8 I
will yet gather of
the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] of the nations) who will convert and join
them.
(together with his gathered ones In addition to the gathered ones of Israel.)
9 All
the beasts of the field All the proselytes of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] All the
nations) come and draw near to Me, and you shall devour all the beasts in the
forest, the mighty of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] the mighty of the
nations) who hardened their heart and refrained from converting.
the beasts of the field [The
beast of the field is not as strong as the beast of the forest.] The beast of
the field is weaker and of weaker strength than the beast of the forest. Since
he stated, “I will yet gather others to him,” he stated this verse.
Pirqe Abot – MeAm Lo’ez
Pereq Gimel
Mishnah 3:19
By: Rabbi Yitschaq (ben
Mosheh) Magriso
Beloved is
Israel, since they are called God's children. It was greater love that it was
made known to them that they are called God's children. It is thus written,
"You are the children of God your Lord" (Deuteronomy 14:1).
Rabbi Akiva then teaches us
that Israel has yet another advantage over the other nations of the world.
Israel is the subject of a special love on the part of God, and they are thus
called "God's Children." At the very beginning of our nationhood, God
thus announced, "Israel is My child, My first-born" (Exodus 4:22).
God's love to Israel is the same as that of a parent toward his child.
Conversely, we have a duty to serve God, just as a child serves its parent.
As an additional sign of His
love, God let it be known to the entire world that the people of Israel are His
children. Seeing all the miracles that God performs for the Israelites, every
hour and every moment, the nations cannot help but admit that they enjoy a
special relationship, with God. Moreover, from the flow on his face, a Jew may
be identified as a child of God.
The
Roman governor, Tinneus Rufus (טורנוקרופום) once said to Rabbi Akiva, "If your God loves the poor so
much that he demands that you help them, why does He not support them Himself?
Why does he make them beg for charity?
"It
is understandable that the world cannot exist without poor people. If everyone
were wealthy, there would be no one to till the soil, plat seed, and do all the
work that is necessary for civilization. But still, God could give the poor
what they need to live, so that they would not have to beg."
Rabbi
Akiva replied, "God did this to save us from damnation. Because of the
merit of the charity that a person gives, he escapes the punishments of
purgatory."
"Quite
the contrary," replied the Roman. "You deserve to be punished
precisely because you give charity. Imagine if a king is angry with his slave
and orders that he be sent to prison and given nothing to eat or drink. If a
person then proceeds to give this slave food and drink, he will obviously be
subject to the king's wrath.
"Now
God calls you slaves, as your Law states, For to Me are the children of Israel
slaves' (Leviticus 25:55). The poor are thus like slaves with whom God is
angry, ordering that they not be given food or drink. When you give the poor
food and drink, it is like violating the King's order. For this you deserve to
be punished."
Rabbi
Akiva replied, "You are mistaken. God does not consider us His slaves, but
His children. He thus wrote in His Torah, 'You are the children of God your
Lord' (Deuteronomy 14:1). God considers us to be His children.
"Now
imagine that a king became angry with his son, and ordered him to be placed in
prison without food or water. Imagine that a person came along and gave the son
food and drink. Will the king then be angry at that person? You can be sure
that the king would give him a fine gift for showing pity on his son and giving
him food and drink. It is as if he had had pity on the king himself.
"It
is true that the king may have been angry with his son, and may have ordered
him not to be given food or water. But this was only a threat. Obviously, the
king does not want his son to die of starvation."
"It
is obvious that your God refers to you as His children," said the Roman.
"I know that your Law states, 'You are children to God your Lord. But
there is also another passage where He refers to you as His slaves. Obviously,
it all depends on how you behave. When you are good, you are considered God's
children, but when you are bad, you are considered His slaves.
"Now
you are in a state of exile (galuth) and subjugation as a result of your sins.
Therefore you are considered slaves. If you now give charity, you will be
punished rather than rewarded. It is like giving food to a slave whom the king
wanted to starve."
"You
may be correct," replied Rabbi Akiva, "that we are not behaving
properly now and are considered slaves. But still, God has ordered us to give
charity. God Himself told us that what He now desires of us is ‘To give
generously of your bread to the hungry, and to bring the oppressive poor into
your house' (Isaiah 58:7).
"God
is telling us to share our bread with the poor and, at the same time, to bring
the 'oppressive poor’ into our homes. The expression, 'oppressive poor' here
denotes the king's soldiers who are quartered in our homes and fed by us. God
is telling us that even when we must quarter the king's soldiers against our
will and we are in exile, we must share our bread with the poor and give
charity.
"Even
when we misbehave and sin, God still considers us to be His children. The only
reason He calls us His slaves is to remind us that we are like slaves,
purchased by a master to serve him. God similarly gained ownership of us when
He saved us from Egypt. We must therefore serve Him and do His will, just as a
slave must serve his master."
Correlations
By: H.Em.
Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
&
H.H. Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
B’Midbar (Numbers) 2:1-34
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:13 –
56:8
Tehillim (Psalms) 91
Mk 9:49-50, Lk 14:34-35, Rm 1:8-17
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:
LORD - יהוה,
Strong’s number 03068.
Saying / Saith / Say - אמר,
Strong’s number 0559.
Children / Son - בן, Strng’s number 01121.
Israel - ישראל,
Strong’s number 03478.
Ensign / Sign - אות,
Strong’s number 0226.
House - בית,
Strong’s number 01004.
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:
LORD - יהוה,
Strong’s number 03068.
Saying / Saith / Say - אמר,
Strong’s number 0559.
Tabernacle / Dwelling - אהל,
Strong’s number 0168.
Bamidbar (Numbers) 2:1 And the LORD <03068> spake unto Moses and
unto Aaron, saying <0559> (8800), 2 Every man of the children
<01121> of Israel <03478>
shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign <0226>
of their father’s house <01004>:
far off about the tabernacle <0168>
of the congregation shall they pitch.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the
brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD <03068> for a name, for an everlasting sign <0226> that shall not be cut off.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:1 Thus saith <0559>
(8804) the LORD <03068>,
Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my
righteousness to be revealed.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:2 Blessed is the man that
doeth this, and the son <01121> of
man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and
keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:5 Even unto them will I give
in mine house <01004> and within my walls a
place and a name better than of sons <01121>
and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut
off.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:8 The Lord GOD which
gathereth the outcasts of Israel <03478>
saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto
him.
Tehillim (Psalms) 91:2 I will say <0559> (8799) of the LORD <03068>,
He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Tehillim (Psalms) 91:10 There shall no evil befall
thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling
<0168>.
Hebrew:
|
Hebrew |
English |
Torah Seder Num 2:1-34 |
Psalms Psa 91:1-16 |
Ashlamatah Is 55:13 – 56:8 |
|
lh,ao |
tent |
Num. 2:2 |
Ps. 91:10 |
|
|
tAa |
banner, sign |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 55:13 |
|
|
@l,a, |
numbered men |
Num. 2:4 |
Ps. 91:7 |
|
|
rm;a' |
saying, said |
Num. 2:1 |
Ps. 91:2 |
Isa. 56:1 |
|
tyIB; |
household, house |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 56:5 |
|
|
!Be |
sons |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 56:2 |
|
|
dy" |
in his place, hand |
Num. 2:17 |
Isa. 56:2 |
|
|
hwhy |
LORD |
Num. 2:1 |
Ps. 91:2 |
Isa. 55:5 |
|
h['Wvy> |
salvation |
Ps. 91:16 |
Isa. 56:1 |
|
|
laer'f.yI |
Israel |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 55:5 |
|
|
lKo |
total, all, every, whole |
Num. 2:9 |
Ps. 91:11 |
Isa. 55:12 |
|
!mi |
distance, than |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 55:9 |
|
|
hw"c' |
commanded, command |
Num. 2:33 |
Ps. 91:11 |
Isa. 55:4 |
|
ar'q' |
call |
Ps. 91:15 |
Isa. 55:5 |
|
|
~ve |
name |
Ps. 91:14 |
Isa. 55:13 |
|
|
rm;v' |
guard |
Ps. 91:11 |
Isa. 56:1 |
|
|
tx;T; |
under, beneath |
Ps. 91:4 |
Isa. 55:13 |
|
|
hf'[' |
did, do |
Num. 2:34 |
Isa. 55:11 |
Greek:
|
Greek |
Enlish |
Torah Seder Num 2:1-34 |
Psalms Psa 91:1- |
Ashlamatah Is 55:13 – 56:8 |
Peshat Mk/Jude/Pet Mk 9:49-50 |
Remes 1 Luke Lk 14:34-35 |
Remes 2 Acts/Romans Rm 1:8-17 |
|
ἅλας |
salt |
Mk. 9:50 |
Lk. 14:34 |
||||
|
ἀλλήλων |
one another |
Mk. 9:50 |
Rom. 1:12 |
||||
|
ἀποκαλύπτω |
uncovered |
Isa 56:1 |
Rom. 1:17 |
||||
|
ἀρτύω |
seasoned, salty |
Mk. 9:50 |
Lk. 14:34 |
||||
|
δικαιοσύνη |
righteousness |
Isa 56:1 |
Rom. 1:17 |
||||
|
δύναμις |
force, power |
Num 2:3 |
Rom. 1:16 |
||||
|
ἔθνος |
nation |
Isa 56:7 |
Rom. 1:12 |
||||
|
θέλω /
ἐθέλω |
want |
Isa 56:4 |
Rom. 1:13 |
||||
|
θεός |
GOD |
Psa 91:1 |
Rom. 1:8 |
||||
|
λέγω |
say |
Num 2:1 |
Isa 56:1 |
||||
|
ὁράω |
appear, see |
Psa 91:8 |
Rom. 1:11 |
||||
|
πᾶς |
every, all, whole entire |
Num. 2:9 |
Ps. 91:11 |
Isa. 55:12 |
Rom. 1:8 |
||
|
ποιέω |
did, do, make |
Num. 2:34 |
Isa. 55:11 |
Rom. 1:9 |
|||
|
προσευχή |
prayer |
Isa 56:7 |
Rom. 1:10 |
||||
|
πρῶτος |
first |
Num 2:3 |
Rom. 1:8 |
||||
|
υἱός |
son |
Num. 2:2 |
Isa. 56:2 |
Rom. 1:9 |
Nazarean Talmud
Sidrah
of B’midbar (Numbers) 2:1 – 34
“Ish
Al-Dig’lo” “Every (royal) man by
his own standard”
By:
H. Em Rabbi Dr. Adon Eliyahu ben Abraham &
H.
Em. Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
|
School
of Hakham Shaul Tosefta Luqas
(Lk) Mishnah א:א |
School
of Hakham Tsefet Peshat Mordechai
(Mk) Mishnah א:א |
|
“Now salt is
beneficial,
but if salt becomes tasteless, what will make it salty? It
is not
usable for the soil or the manure pile; they throw it out.
The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!” |
Every fire will purify, and every sacrifice is
purified with salt, Salt is beneficial, but if the salt becomes insipid
by what means will you have seasoning in yourself with salt and
bring peace with one another? |
|
School of Hakham Shaul Remes Romans Mishnah א:א |
|
¶ First, I
thank[58]
my[59]
God on the merit[60]
of Yeshua HaMashiach for you all, that your faithful obedience[61]
is proclaimed throughout the whole Congregation[62] of Messiah. For God,
whom I worship[63]
in my Neshamah[64]
(ruach – inner man)[65]
in the proclamation of the Mesorah of His son,[66]
is my witness[67]
as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, every time I
pray, making request to God, that in His good determination, will
at last make it possible for me to have a prosperous journey in coming to
visit[68]
you. For I long to see you, in order to share a spiritual blessing with you,
to strengthen you. And this is so that we will be mutually comforted together[69]
in our faithful obedience. But I want you to know,[70]
brothers that I determined to come to you many times, and was detained even
until now; that I might make converts[71]
(fruit/harvest) among you also, even as I have among other
Gentiles. I am a servant to both Hellenists and to Spaniards,[72]
both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to
Tamudize you[73]
in the Mesorah who are in Rome. ¶ For I
am not ashamed of the Master’s Mesorah, for it is the virtuous power of
God for bringing redemption to everyone who is faithfully obedient, to the
Mesorah being proclaimed Chiefly
by[74]
the Jewish Hakhamim[75]
and also by the Jewish Hakhamim of the Hellenists (in Diaspora).
For by it the righteous/generosity of God[76]
is revealed from faithful obedience to faithful obedience, as it
is written, "The righteous/generous will live by his faithful
obedience."[77] |
Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah
Seder
|
Num 2:1-34 |
Ps 91 |
Is 55:13 – 56:8 |
Mk 9:49-50 |
1 Luqas 14:34-35 |
Rom 1:8-17 |
Commentary
to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat
Middot 1:1 In three places
do the priests keep watch in the sanctuary: in the chamber of Abtinas, in the chamber of the flame,
and in the chamber of the hearth.
Tamid 1:1 In three places do the priests keep watch in the
sanctuary: in the chamber of
Abtinas, in the chamber
of the flame, and in the chamber of the hearth. And the Levites keep watch in twenty-one
places (I Chron. 26:17–18). Five at the five gates of the Temple
mount, four at the four corners on the inside of the Temple wall. Five at
the five gates of the inner courtyard, four at the four corners on the outside the wall of the courtyard; and one at the office of the offering M. 1:6, and one at the office of the veil, and one behind the Mercy Seat outside of the western wall of the holy of
holies, M. 5:1.
The mystery of how Hakham Tsefet, through his
amanuensis Mordechai – (Mark) was able to connect fire with salt and the
present Torah Seder “Ish Al-Dig’lo” is through his understanding of how the B’ne Yisrael camped around the
Mishkan (Tabernacle). What emerges from
these two Mishnayoth cited above is the fact that the Kohanim (Priests) stood
guard throughout the Temple complex. A study of the overall structure of the
Temple will reveal that the Priests actually surrounded the Temple much like
the pattern demonstrated in our present Torah Seder. Here we can see that
Hakham Tsefet was aware of the Temple structure and design. He would have
clearly understood how these chambers were oriented within the Temple’s
architecture. Reading the entire tractates mentioned above would well orient
the reader with an over design of the Temple (Middot and Tamid).
We
first make mention of the fact that there are “chambers” (lishkat - לשכות) located in various places in the Temple. We also
note that the Kohanim are stationed as guards in various points of the Temple.
The location of the chambers and guard posts is one of great complexity. We
have tried to locate these chambers by pouring over many drawings of the Temple
for numerous hours. Some seeming discrepancies exist between Mishnaic sources
and their Gemarah. Likewise, the Mishnah and Josephus often seem to disagree.
Many times, there is no discrepancy at all.
It is only a matter of understanding the complexity of the Temple
complex. Unfortunately, we do not even qualify as a novice in this field of
study. Nevertheless, we would like to call your attention to one more Mishnah
that we believe will be helpful in answering our question and putting all the
pieces of our puzzle together.
Middot 5:3 Six chambers were in the courtyard,
three in the north and three in the south.
Those in the north:
the chamber in charge of salt, the Parwah chamber, the chamber for
rinsing. The chamber in charge of salt: there did they put salt on
the offering. The Parvah chamber: there did they salt the hides of Holy Things,
and on its roof was the room for immersion for the high priest on the Day of
Atonement. The office for rinsing: for there did they rinse the innards of the
Holy Things, and from there did a passageway go up to the roof of the Parvah
chamber.
Fire and Salt
Fire and salt are two
essential elements in the cultic worship of the Temple. Hakham Shaul sees
Hakham Tsefet’s insinuation of the Temple courts and speaks of his “worship”
before G-d. Looking at the Mishkan (Tabernacle) there would have been many
things that would have “sparked” Hakham Tsefet’s imagination and brought the
union of salt and fire together. A pillar ascended from the Mishkan visible to
everyone as a symbol of the Divine Presence. Interestingly, Hirsch connects the
banner of the Tribes with “high Palms.”[78]
These phrases are connected in Hebrew and Aramaic. As we have stated in the
many times that we have discussed the Hakhamim at Har Sinai, fire is often a
picture of wisdom, the Hakhamim and the Torah. Scholars who speak of fire also
frequently speak of “air.”[79]
The wisdom of the Sages is moved by “air,” their breath.
Salt
Salt is analogous of the
soul, which is also equated with the air or “breath.” The “soul”
(Nefesh/Neshamah) is the preservation of the body. The body without the soul is
dead.[80]
Therefore, the bodies continued existence depends on the soul. This is easy to
see in the words of the Master. “Salt is beneficial,” as long as it remains
pure. If the soul were to lose its purity, it would render itself and the body
useless. “Worthless salt” is salt that is an admixture of salt and gypsum.
Herein Yeshua gives an analogy of inappropriate mixtures. Hakham Shaul in
dealing with the Gentiles in Rome understands there is no such thing as a
mixture of Jew and Gentile. We learned this lesson in 2 Luqas (Acts) 15.
2 Luqas (Acts) 15:10 – 12 Hakham Tsefet continued saying “So now why are
you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the talmidim (not on the Gentiles)
a yoke[81]
that neither our fathers nor we have strength to bear? But we who have become
faithfully obedient will have
admittance into the Olam HaBa[82]
through the chesed (mercy) of the Master
Yeshua, and they will find admittance into the Olam HaBa in the same way as we
did,” And the whole congregation
became silent and listened to BarNechamah and Hakham Shaul describing the
marvel of the Gentiles taking up (putting to practice) the signs of God.
Hakham Tsefet’s “yoke” is
the yoke between the Gentile and the Jew. For
the sake of determining the nature of the “unbearable Yoke” we must look into
the Torah that gives us the answer.
D’varim
(Deut). 22:10 “You will not plow with an ox and a donkey together.”
Hakham Tesfet’s Remes
speech perfectly explains the apparent problem dealt with by Yeshua’s Talmidim.
The Mishneh Torah (Yad Hazakah) elaborates on the halakhah of plowing with two
animals as presented in D’barim (Deut) 22:10.
Kilyaim
Chapter 9 Halacha 7 Anyone who performs labor with two species of animals or wild beasts
together when one of them is kosher and
the other is not kosher is liable for lashes in all places, as [Deuteronomy
22:10] states: "Do not plow with an ox (a Kosher Animal) and a donkey (a
non-Kosher animal) together. "Whether one plows, seeds, has them pull a
wagon, or a stone, or led them together even with his voice [alone], he is
liable for lashes. This is derived from the term "together." If, however,
one [merely] yokes them [to a wagon], he is exempt unless he pulls them or
leads them.
The unbearable yoke is a
Jew being yoked with a Gentile and forced to “till in the same Torah.” This is
an impossible situation. However, Christian scholars have been trying to plow
the Torah like a Donkey for nearly two millennia. We have established in
earlier materials that the Torah is elucidated “by the Jew first!”
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Mesorah (of the Master), for it is the virtuous power of God
bringing redemption to everyone who is faithfully obedient, (to the
Mesorah) Chiefly by the Jewish Hakhamim[83] and also by the Jewish Hakhamim of the
Hellenists (in Diaspora).[84]
Therefore, it is
impossible/unbearable for the Jewish Hakhamim and Talmidim of the Master to
till in the Torah with a Donkey, i.e. Christian Scholar!
Romans 3:1 Then what advantage does
the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect.
First of all, they were entrusted with the oracles of God (Mesorah).
Hakham Shaul shows that
those who are “yoked” with the “unbelieving” Gentiles are “yoked” to those who
will not faithfully obey the Torah therefore, lacking righteous/generosity,
i.e. the Nefesh Yehudi.
Fire – Torah
It is clearly understood
that the Torah is often pictured as “fire.” What is the purpose of the “fire”?
D’barim
(De.) 33:2 And he said: The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined
forth from mount Paran, and He came from the myriads holy, at His right hand
was a fiery Torah (law) unto them.
The Master shows us that
every fire purifies. The analogy of fire and Torah is one of splendid beauty.
When we begin our existence in this present world, we are given a Neshamah of
purity. Our single occupation is to return the Neshamah to G-d in the same
state of purity in which it was received. How can we guarantee that soul’s
purity?
Psa 19:7 The Torah of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple.
Commentary
to Hakham Shaul’s School of Remes[85]
|
The Merit
of Messiah The
Worship of G-d Making request to G-d The
Master’s Mesorah |
Harvesting
Fruit, making Converts The Power
of the Mesorah By the
Jewish Hakhamim first Righteous
generosity |
Fruit, literal or Allegory
B’resheet Let the earth increase the fruit-tree making fruit
after its kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth. And it was so. And the
earth produced the fruit tree making fruit after its kind. And the Lord saw that it was good. 2:9
…the fruit tree of life was also in the midst of the garden,
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Opi 1:42-43 PHE But in the first creation of the universe… God produced
the whole race of
trees out of the earth in full perfection, having their fruit not incomplete
but in a state of entire ripeness (the Jewish people), to be ready for the immediate and undelayed use
and enjoyment of the animals (The Gentiles) which were about immediately
to be born. Accordingly, he (God) commanded the earth to produce these
things. And, the earth, as though it had for a long time been pregnant and
travailing,[86]
produced every sort of seed, and every sort of tree, and also of fruit, in
unspeakable abundance. And not only were these produced fruits to be food for
living animals, but enough also to serve as a preparation for the continuous production of similar fruits
hereafter. The covering substances consisting of seed, in which are the
principles of all plants undistinguishable and invisible, but destined
hereafter to become manifest and visible in the periodical maturity of the
fruit.
But I want you to know,[87]
brothers that I determined to come to you many times, and was detained even
until now; that I might make converts[88] (fruit/harvest) among you also, even as I
have among other Gentiles.
The bracketed and
highlighted “fruit/harvest above shows that Hakham Shaul wants to “harvest”
Gentiles among the Roman congregations. Of course, this makes Hakham Shaul
sound like a farmer and not a Sh'liach – (apostle - emissary) “plenipotentiary agent.” Obviously, the
literal sense of the word “harvest” is not Hakham Shaul’s intention. Therefore,
we must see fruit
picking and harvest
as an allegory.
Among several of the
commentaries on the present pericope is the idea that Hakham Shaul wishes to
make converts among the Roman congregations as he has elsewhere. While the
Christian scholars have a “new religion” in mind, we can see that they are
right with regard to conversion. Their failure to see that the Romans were
turning to G-d and the Jewish way of life in connection with the Master is
reprehensible. Hakham Shaul’s harvest is among the Roman Congregations is part
of the Cosmic Redemption and covenantal renewal that the Sages and Prophets of
antiquity were looking for. Suffice it to say, that the Nazarean Hakhamim and
their talmidim saw cosmic redemption as an obligation. The narrative of 2Luqas
(Acts) shows that Yeshua’s talmidim wasted no time in embracing the Master’s
cultural mandate.[89]
In the previous pericope Hakham Shaul has shown that his mission as a Courtier
of the Master is to “Talmudize the Gentiles,” bringing them under the authority
of Messiah. The obligation to “Talmudize the Gentiles” emerges as a cosmic
occupation. Hakham Shaul and the Sh’liachim saw their vocation as tikun
olam. The primary means of satisfying this vocation is to create a Jewish
community and identity, throughout the Gentile world, i.e. Diaspora. They were
sent to harvest the souls of their exiled brethren.
The Mesorah, Oral Torah
establishes the norms for the social order for the entire Jewish community. The
social order of the Oral Torah has one basic pursuit. We know that it
ultimately revolves around one basic principle, namely the assembling of a
Perfected Community fit to exist in an eternal state of intimacy with God. For
the Gentiles to become a part of this “Perfected Community” they must fully
accept the organic teachings of the Hakhamim. The nexus in the halakhah of the
Hakhamim means that halakhot are not independent entities. Each halakhah is
interdependent on other halakhot. Furthermore, the nexus of the halakhot is
dependent upon community. If the elemental and chief mitzvah is “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;” how can we say that we do not
want to follow the rules of a society, which places G-d first? Man must come to
terms with his creation by G-d and His purpose in doing so.
When the Highest Wisdom (G-d) considered everything needed to rectify
the human race and make it into the Perfected Community discussed above, it saw
that this goal would be furthered if some people could benefit others and help
them attain a place in the Community. [90]
Lloyd
Gaston describes the Gentiles in relation to this plan as “the Gentile
Predicament”[91] of the end times, and
summed up by the Rabbis in one of two ways. Either the Gentiles will be
destroyed or they will find redemption by being incorporated into Judaism.[92] Consequently, we see the
path of “redemption” for the gentile is to embrace Jewish authority and to join
the Jewish community or be cast aside as Luzzatto has taught above.[93]
Jewish survival and meaning
depend on our being a community organized around values and committed
to tikun olam, i.e. “Talmudizing the Gentiles.” Whatever its
sources, tikun olam is central to Judaism, and to our Nazarean
community.
Nazarean Communities should
be built around, the mitzvoth, tzedakah and Redifat tzedek
(pursuing justice). The Sages teach us that the highest form of tzedakah
is in teaching someone to be self-sustaining. Abot 1:1 and the “making a talmid
to stand” is also the way we should approach “Talmudizing the Gentiles.” This
in turn, brings us to another point made by Hakham Shaul.
By the Jew First
And the earth produced the fruit tree making fruit after its kind. And the LORD
saw that it was good
For I am not ashamed of the Master’s Mesorah, for it is the virtuous power of God for
strengthening everyone who is faithfully obedient, being proclaimed by[94]
the Jew first and also by the Hellenistic Jews.
Making a Gentile talmid
“stand” means first teaching him Torah (all of the Torah, written and Oral)
specifically the Oral Torah. As we will see, Hakham Shaul loves the idea of
“halakhah.” The best was for a Gentile to understand the Torah is to join a
Jewish Community. In other words, if you are going to become Jewish you must
live “Jewish” within a” Jewish community.” This, of course, means taking the
appropriate steps towards integrating yourself into a Jewish community. In this
way the Gentile soul, is brought under the wings of the Shekinah. Being “under
the wings of the Shekinah” means acceptance of the Torah. More specifically it
means being under the authority of the Hakhamim. This then corresponds to
Hakham Shaul saying that the Gentile is to be brought under the authority of
Messiah. What is the authority of Messiah?
In order that I may reap some harvest (fruit)
among you
Hakham Shaul says, “I have Igeret Reshut[95] to bring Messiah’s authority[96]
over all the Gentiles turning to God, and bringing them into
faithful obedience[97]
(Talmudizing them in the Torah).”[98]
Talmudizing Gentiles is then the occupation of the Jewish Hakhamim. Being
“under the authority of the Master,” means being under the authority of his
agents, the Sh’liachim/Hakhamim. Therefore, the Master’s Mesorah is by
the Jew (Hakham) first! Interestingly, the only path back to Gan Eden and Tikun
Olam is through halakhot. Those who do not understand the Torah and the Oral
Halakhot will fail to see the delight of subordinating themselves to the
Hakhamim. To them this sounds like bondage. However, those souls who believe
that being under authority and the return to Eden cannot be discussed in the
same sentence, fail to understand B’resheet.
B’resheet 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the
Garden of Eden to SERVE (cultivate) it and GUARD (Shomer - keep) it.
Implicit in the text is an
“Order of Service” that was to be “observed (guarded) by Adam and Chavah (Eve).
This is aligned with Hakham Shaul’s statement, For God, whom I worship[99]
in my Neshamah is my witness. Therefore, return to Gan Eden will mandate
our understanding our participating in an “Ordered Service.” Where will we find
these instructions and the order of service? The community of Gan Eden (the
perfected community) will guard (shomer) the ways (halakhot) of the community
as captured in the maxim “Shomer Shabbat.
A New Vision of Eden
Tikun olam as Hakham Shaul
would demonstrate is the ability to pick fruit. One must look at the fruit
before he picks that fruit from its source. The allegory is that of the seed
and the fruit. The seed inside is covered with the fruit which we see and
taste. However, were it not for the seed the fruit would not exist. Hakham
Shaul might be said to be a fruit inspector. From his inspections, he was able
to determine the source of the Seed. The Sh’liach knew the difference in
the fruit and how to determine the seed at the core of the fruit. Understanding
the Biblical law that a tree can only produce fruit after its own kind Hakham
Shaul was able to harvest a number of Jewish souls that only produce after
their own kind.
Now a river flowed out
of Eden to water the garden;[100]
Then he showed me a river of the living water, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God
and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was
the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and
the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.[101]
And there was evening and there was morning, Yom Echad (a day of perfected unity, i.e. Shavuot).[102]
Questions for Understanding
and Reflection
- From all the readings for this Shabbat which verse or verses
impressed your heart and fired your imagination?
- Taking into consideration all the readings for this Shabbat what is
the prophetic statement 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
“VeEleh Tol’dot Aharon” – Sabbath: “And these are the generations of Aaron”
|
Shabbat |
Torah
Reading: |
Weekday
Torah Reading: |
|
וְאֵלֶּה
תּוֹלְדֹת
אַהֲרֹן |
|
|
|
“VeEleh Tol’dot Aharon” |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar 3:1-4 |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar
3:40-43 |
|
“And these are the
generations of Aaron” |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar 3:5-10 |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar
3:44-47 |
|
“Y éstas
son las generaciones de Aarón” |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar 3:11-13 |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar
3:48-51 |
|
B’Midbar (Numbers)
3:1-39 |
Reader 4 – B’Midbar 3:14-20 |
|
|
Ashlamatah: Isaiah 45:19 – 46:2. 13 |
Reader 5 – B’Midbar 3:21-26 |
Monday & Thursday Mornings |
|
|
Reader 6 – B’Midbar 3:27-32 |
Reader 1 – B’Midbar
3:40-43 |
|
Psalm 92:1-8 |
Reader 7 – B’Midbar 3:32-39 |
Reader 2 – B’Midbar
3:44-47 |
|
Abot: 3:20 |
Maftir: B’midbar 3:36-39 |
Reader 3 – B’Midbar
3:48-51 |
|
N.C.: Mark 10:1-9; Lk 16:18; Romans 1:18-23 |
- Isaiah 45:19 –
46:2. 13 |
|
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham