Esnoga Bet Emunah - 227 Millset Chase# - San Antonio, Texas 78253

Targum Pseudo Jonathan for:

B’ resheet (Genesis) 20:1 – 21:33

XX. And Abraham went on from there to the land of the south, and dwelt between Rekam and Chagra, and had his habitation in Gerar. And Abraham said concerning Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. [JERUSALEM. King of Arad.] And a word came from before the Lord unto Abimelek, in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, you are about to die, because of the woman whom you have carried away, and she is a man's wife. But Abimelek had not come near to defile her; and he said, Lord, shall the son of a people who has not sinned, and whom it is right to absolve in the judgment, be killed? Did he not tell me, She is my sister? And did not she also say, He is my brother? In the truthfulness of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this. And the Word of the Lord said to him in a dream, Before Me also it is manifest that in the truthfulness of your heart you did this, and so I restrained you from sinning before Me; therefore I would not permit you to come near her. And now let the wife of the man return; for he is a prophet; he will pray for you, and you will live: but if you will not let her return, know that dying you will die, you and all who are yours. And Abimelek arose in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these words before them; and the men feared greatly. And Abimelek called Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? And in what have I sinned against you? For you have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin. You have wrought with me works that are not right. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What have you seen, that you did this thing? And Abraham said, Because I said in my heart, The fear of the Lord is not in this place, and they will kill me for the sake of my wife. But in truth she is my sister, the daughter of my father's brother, but not of the kindred of my mother; and she became my wife. And it was when they sought to turn me aside to the worship of idols, and I went forth from my father's house, that I said to her, This is the kindness that you will do to me: in every place to which we come, say concerning me, He is my brother. And Abimelek took sheep, and restored Sarah his wife to him. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to your brother; behold, they are to you a covering of the eyes, inasmuch as you were hidden from your husband one night, and I would have seen you: for were I to give all that I have it would not suffice (or be proportionate). And the words were debated. And Abraham knew that Abimelek had not come near Sarah his wife. [JERUSALEM. And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given a thousand sileen of silver to your brother; behold, that silver is given to you as a present, because you were hidden from the eyes of Abraham your husband one night: and of all that I have,--for on behalf of all I am corrected,--behold, were I to give all whatever I have, it would not suffice. Let the words be approved, and may Abraham the Just learn that I have not known you.] And Abraham prayed before the Lord: and the Lord healed Abimelek and his wife and his concubines, and they were set at large. For the Word of the Lord shutting had shut in displeasure the wombs of all the women of Abimelek's house on account of Sarah the wife of Abraham. [JERUSALEM. closing had closed.]

XXI. And the Lord remembered Sarah according to that which He had said to her; and the Lord wrought a miracle for Sarah like to that for which Abraham had spoken in prayer for Abimelek. [JERUSALEM. And the Lord wrought miracles for Sarah, as He had spoken.] And she conceived, and Sarah bare to Abraham a son, who was like to himself in his age, at the time of which the Lord had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son whom Sarah had borne him Izhak. And Abraham circumcised Izhak his son, when the son of eight days, as the Lord had commanded him. And Abraham was the son of an hundred years when Izhak his son was born to him. And Sarah said, The Lord has done wondrously for me; all who hear will wonder at me. And she said, How faithful was the messenger who announced to Abraham, and said, Sarah will nurse children, for she shall bring forth a son in her old age! [JERUSALEM. And she said, What was the announcement which announced to my lord Abraham at the beginning, and said, It will be that she will give suck, because she shall bring forth a son in her old age?] And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day when Izhak was weaned. And Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Mizreitha, whom she bare to Abraham, mocking with a strange worship, and bowing to the Lord. [JERUSALEM. And Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Mizreitha, whom she bare to Abraham, doing evil works which are not fitting to be done, mocking in a strange worship.] And she said to Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son: for it is not possible for the son of this handmaid to inherit with my son; and he to make war with Izhak. And the thing was very evil in Abraham's eyes, on account of Ishmael his son, who would practice a strange worship. And the Lord said to Abraham, Let it not be evil in your eyes on account of the youth who goes forth from your nurturing, and of your handmaid whom you send away. Hearken unto all that Sarah says to you, because she is a prophetess; for in Izhak shall sons be called unto you; and this son of the handmaid shall not be genealogized after you. But the son of the handmaid have I set for a predatory people (le-am leistim), because he is your son. And Abraham rose up in the morning, and took bread and a cruse of water, and gave to Hagar to bear upon her shoulder, and bound it to her loins, to signify that she was a servant, and the child, and dismissed her with a letter of divorce (be-gitta). And she went, and wandered from the way into the desert which was hard by Beersheba. And it was when they came to the entrance of the desert, they remembered to wander after strange worship; and Ishmael was seized with a burning thirst, and drank of the water till all the water was consumed from the cruse. And he was dried up, and withered in his flesh; and she carried him, and was exhausted, and she cried unto the Fear of his father, and He answered her not; and she laid the youth down at once under one of the trees. [JERUSALEM. And the water was consumed from the cruse, and she took up the youth.] And she went and sat on one side, and cast away the idol (or the strange worship), and removed it from her son, as the distance of an arrow from the bow; for she said, I am not able to see the death of the child. And she sat over against her son, and lifted up her voice and wept. And the voice of the youth was heard before the Lord for the righteousness' sake of Abraham; and the Angel of the Lord called to Hagar from heaven, and said, What is to you, Hagar? Faint not, for the voice of the youth is heard before the Lord; neither shall judgment be according to the evil which he will do, but according to the righteousness of Abraham is mercy upon him in the place where he is. Arise, support the child, and strengthen your hand in him: for I have set him for a great people. And the Lord opened her eyes, and showed her a well of water, and she went and filled the cruse with water, and gave the youth to drink. And the Word of the Lord was the helper of the youth, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a skilful master of the bow. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and took for a wife Adisha, but put her away. And his mother took for him Phatima to wife, from the land of Mizraim.

And it was at that time that Abimelek and Phikol, chief of his host, spoke to Abraham, saying, The Word of the Lord is in your aid in all whatsoever you do. And now, swear to me here, by the Word of the Lord, that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with the son of my son: according to the kindness which I have done with you, you shall do with me, and with the land in which you dwell. And Abraham said to him, I swear. And Abraham remonstrated with Abimelek concerning the well of water of which the servants of Abimelek had deprived him. And Abimelek said, I knew not who did this thing; neither have you shown it to me; nor have I heard it from others, till to-day from yourself. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave to Abimelek; and they both made a covenant. And Abraham set seven lambs apart and separated them from the oxen. And Abimelek said to Abraham, What are these seven lambs which you have set apart? And he said, That you may take the seven lambs from my hand, to be a testimony for me that I have dug this well. Therefore he called that well the Well of the Seven Lambs; because there they two did swear. And they struck a covenant at the Well of the Seven Lambs. And Abimelek and Phikol the Chief of his host arose and returned to the land of the Philistaee. And he planted a garden, (lit., "a paradise,") at the Well of the Seven Lambs, and prepared in the midst of it food and drink for them who passed by and who returned; and he preached to them there, Confess, and faithfully obey in the Name of the Word of the Lord, the everlasting God.

[JERUSALEM. And Abraham planted a paradise in Beer Sheba, and prepared in the midst of it food and drink for those who arrived at the border; and they ate and drank, and sought to give him the price of what they had eaten and drunk, but he willed not to receive it from them; but our father Abraham discoursed to them of that which he had said, that the world was by His word. Pray before your Father who is in heaven, from whose bounty you have eaten and drunk. And they stirred not from their place until the time when he had made them proselytes, and had taught them the way everlasting. And Abraham praised and prayed there in the name of the word of the Lord, the God of Eternity.]

Ashlamatah:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 65:22 – 66:5 + 10-11

22 They shall not build, and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of a tree shall be the days of My people, and Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for terror; for they are the seed blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

24 And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, saith the LORD.

1 ¶ Thus says Adonai: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; where is the house that ye may build unto Me? And where is the place that may be My resting-place?

2 For all these things hath My hand made, and so all these things came to be, says Adonai; but on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word.

3 He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he broke a dog’s neck; he that offers a meal-offering, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that makes a memorial-offering of frankincense, as if he blessed an idol; according as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;

4 Even so I will choose their mockings, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear, but they did that which was evil in Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

5 ¶ Hear the word of Adonai, you that tremble at His word: Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for My name’s sake, have said: ‘Let Adonai be glorified, that we may gaze upon your joy’, but they shall be ashamed.

6 Hark! an uproar from the city, Hark! it comes from the temple, Hark! Adonai renders recompense to His enemies.

7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child.

8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says Adonai; Shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? says your God.

10 Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her;

11 That you may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations; that you may drink deeply with delight of the abundance of her glory.

Special Ashlamatah for Shabbat “Dibre Yirmeyahu”

Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3

1 ¶ THE WORDS of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2 to whom the word of Adonai came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

4 ¶ And the word of Adonai came unto me, saying:

5 Before I formed you in the belly (of your mother) I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified (separated) you; I have appointed you a prophet unto the Gentiles.

6 Then said I: ‘Ah, Adonai GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.’

7 But Adonai said unto me: say not: I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send you, you shall go, and whatsoever I shall command you, you will speak.

8 Be not afraid of them; for I am with you to deliver you, says Adonai.

9 Then Adonai put forth His hand, and touched my mouth; and Adonai said unto me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth;

10 See, I have this day set you over the Gentiles and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to overthrow; to build, and to plant.

11 ¶ Moreover the word of Adonai came unto me, saying: ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said: ‘I see a rod of an almond-tree.’

12 Then said Adonai unto me: ‘You have well seen; for I watch over My word to perform it.’

13 And the word of Adonai came unto me the second time, saying: ‘What do you see?’ And I said: ‘I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is from the north.’

14 Then Adonai said unto me: ‘Out of the north the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

15 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says Adonai; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16 And I will utter My judgments against them touching all their wickedness; in that they have forsaken Me, and have offered unto other gods, and worshipped the work of their own hands.

17 You therefore gird up your loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command you; be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.

18 For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

19 And they shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you, says Adonai, to deliver you.’

1 ¶ And the word of Adonai came to me, saying:

2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says Adonai: I remember for you the affection of your youth, the love of your espousals; how you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

3 Israel is Adonai’s hallowed portion, His first-fruits of the increase; all that devour him (Israel) shall be held guilty, evil shall come upon them, says Adonai.

Targum

Psalm 15

1. ¶ A hymn of David. O Lord, who is worthy to dwell in your tabernacle, who is worthy to abide on the mountain of your sanctuary?

2. One who walks in integrity, and does righteous deeds, and speaks truth in his heart.

3. He does not slander with his tongue, he causes no harm to his fellow, and he bears no shame against his neighbor.

4. Who despises the contemptible to his face, but honors those who fear Adonai; who will swear even if harm comes to himself and does not change.

5. He who has not given his money at interest (to his brother); he who has not accepted a bribe against the innocent; and the one who does these things will never be moved.

Pirqe Abot

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

Pirqe Abot II:1-2

MISHNA 1.

MISHNA 1. Rabbi (Jehudah the Prince) was in the habit of saying: "In choosing the right path, see that it is one which is honorable to yourself and without offence to others. Be as scrupulous about the lightest command as about the weightiest, for no man knows the result of his actions. Weigh the present temporal disadvantages of a dutiful course against the reward of the future, and the present desirable fruits of a sinful deed against the injury to your immortal soul. In general, consider three things and you will never fall into sin: remember that there is above you an all-seeing eye, an all-hearing ear, and a record of all your actions are inscribed in a book."

QUESTION: It seems as though R. Yehudah is contradicting himself. If we do not know the reward given for a mitzvah, how can we know what is minor and what is major?

ANSWER: Rabbi does not err when he talks of minor mitzvoth and major mitzvoth and indeed the reward for the minor mitzvah is not as great as that for major mitzvah. However, Ben Azai says (4:2) - "one mitzvah brings about another." Consequently, Rabbi says, "Be as careful [in the performance of a seemingly] minor mitzvah as of a major one" because you do not know what additional mitzvah the minor may bring you to do. Possibly through doing a minor mitzvah you will obtain the opportunity to do a major mitzvah for which the reward is very great

QUESTION: The word "mimach" - "above you" - is extra. It should have just said "Know what is above"?

ANSWER: The Mishnah is conveying an insight of great profundity on G-dliness. The Maggid of Mezritch would say, "Know that everything above - all that transpires in the spiritual realms - is mimach – from or above you - dependent on your conduct. Each of us has the potential to influence the most elevated spiritual realms."

With this thought the Maggid also explains a seemingly difficult Midrash Rabbah (Vayikra 24:9), which says on the verse "You shall be holy for I am holy" (Leviticus 19:2) that "Kedushati lema'alah mikedushatchem" - "My holiness is greater than yours." Why is it necessary for the Midrash to inform us that Ha-Shem's holiness is greater than ours? Who would think otherwise?

Indeed, the intent of the Midrash is not simply to inform us of Ha-Shem's greatness, but to relate an important message to the people of Yisrael. Every Jew is able to add to Ha-Shem's holiness by conducting his life in a way which is a Kiddush Ha-Shem - sanctification of Ha-Shem (separation unto Ha-Shem). People impressed with the behavior of the Jewish people ultimately will then praise Ha-Shem. Thus, Ha-Shem is saying, "Kedushati lema'alah" - "My holiness up in heaven" is "mikedushatchem" - "dependent on the holiness of your conduct on earth."

QUESTION: In 3:1, Akavya ben Mahalalel also says, "Reflect upon three things and you will not come to sin": coming from "a putrid drop," going to "a place of dust," and "before whom you will give an accounting." Why does Rabbi talk about heavenly matters while Akavya ben Mahalalel cites earthly ones?

ANSWER: Rabbi was Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, and he was also known as Rabbenu HaKadosh - our holy teacher. He received this title because he was totally removed from worldly and mundane matters (see Ketubot 104a). Thus, in his state of exaltation, the things he advises to reflect upon are the lofty eye, ear, and book of record, which are up in heaven.

The etymology of the name "Akavya" is "akev" - "heel" - and the name "Mahalalel" is composed of two words "mahallal e-l" - "one who praises Ha-Shem." Thus, "Akavya ben Mahalalel" means the heel of a person who is totally immersed in the praise of Ha-Shem. This means that through service of Ha-Shem, the person has so elevated his body that even its lowest part - the heel - has come to reflect upon three things which will prevent a person from sinning. Since he was involved in elevating his body and physical matter, among the things he cites are entities of the lowest level among the mundane and earthly.

Regarding "an eye that sees," a story is told of an unlearned coachman who was driving a great tzaddik (righteous man). En route, they passed a beautiful orchard. The poor coachman's appetite swelled and he said to his passenger, "I will go down and pick some fruit for myself, and you sit here and be on the lookout for me." As he was about to pick an apple from the tree, he heard the rabbi scream, "Men zet, men zet" - "They see, they see." Immediately he ran back to the coach, and after looking around, the frightened coachman said, "Who is looking? I do not see anyone?!" The rabbi said with a soft smile, "Ha-Shem above sees and He was looking at what you were about to do."

MISHNA 2. Rabban Gamaliel, the son of R. Jehudah the Prince, was wont to say: "Beautiful is the study of the Law when conjoined with a worldly avocation, for the efforts demanded by both stifle all inclination to sin. But study which is not associated with some worldly pursuit must eventually cease, and may lead to iniquity. All who occupy themselves with communal affairs should do it in the name of Heaven, for the merit of their fathers sustains them and their righteousness stands forever. And you yourselves shall have reward reckoned unto you, as if you had wrought it."

QUESTION: Throughout, when Rabban Gamliel is quoted, his pedigree is not listed. Why is his full pedigree listed here: his father's name and that his father was the Nasi (leader of the generation)?

ANSWER: Rabbi Yehudah was appointed Nasi (Prince) due to his greatness in Torah and monetary affluence. Thanks to his wealth he was able to support many Torah scholars, and together with them he compiled the Mishnah (see Rambam, Introduction to Mishneh Torah). Rabban Gamliel succeeded his father as Nasi.

In this mishnah he is emphasizing the importance of having an occupation and working. It is especially convincing when the one who advocates this is a scion of an extremely wealthy family. Though he was born with a "silver spoon in his mouth" and really did not have to work for a livelihood, nevertheless, even he emphasizes that those who engage in Torah study should also have an occupation, since the toil in both of them will keep sin out of the mind.

QUESTION: What exactly is "derech eretz"?

ANSWER: The words "derech eretz" (good noble manners) have the numerical value of five hundred and fifteen, as does the word "tefilah" - "prayer." The Mishnah is emphasizing that Torah and tefilah must go hand in hand. The effort expended in both these things together on a daily basis will definitely cause one to forget about sinning. Alternatively, the Mishnah is teaching that derech eretz – noble manners in business, occupation, and livelihood - should be in accordance with the laws of Torah.

Incidentally, the names of our patriarch and matriarch Yitzchak and Rivkah together also add up to five hundred and fifteen, as does the word "tefilah" - "prayer." A reason for this may be that they are the only couple in the Torah who prayed together (see Beresheet 25:21, Rashi). In fact, their only joint activity reported in the Torah is their praying.

QUESTION: Why will Torah without employment cease?

ANSWER: When a person accepts employment in a company, he is bound to certain conditions. He must arrive at work promptly and not leave early. On the job he must work diligently and not attend to personal matters, etc. Rabban Gamliel is giving us valuable advice for success in Torah studies. One should approach Torah study as though it were one's employment, following the learning schedule punctually and not interrupting to attend to personal matters. One who lacks this total commitment to his "vocation" of Torah study greatly risks failure, but with total dedication and the above-mentioned approach, he will merit Divine blessings for success.

QUESTION: Later it says, "Let all your deeds be for the sake of heaven" (2:12), so why does Rabban Gamliel single out here those who occupy themselves with communal affairs? Also, why is this mentioned in this Mishnah where the main thought is about Torah together with an occupation?

ANSWER: First the Mishnah is addressing itself to the talmid chacham - Torah scholar. It stresses to him the importance of having an occupation so that he will be able to study Torah comfortably and not be a burden on the community or, G-d forbid, need to rely on "non-kosher" methods to support himself and his family.

Now, the Mishnah is directing a similar message to those who are engaged in communal endeavors. They, too, should have an occupation as a source of income. Their communal work should be "le-shem shamayim" - "for the sake of heaven" - and not for the sake of income. When one works for the community and receives monetary compensation, he is opening himself up to suspicion and disrespect. Communal workers should be people who can dedicate their time and efforts altruistically and not out of need to earn a livelihood.

When Moshe was distressed by the attitudes of Korach and his contingency, he said, "I have not taken even a single donkey of theirs" (Bemidbar/Numbers 16:15). The Midrash Rabbah (ibid. 18:10) offers a very interesting interpretation of what Moshe meant. Employees of charitable organizations usually have expense accounts and some spend lavishly while traveling. When Moshe traveled to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to release the Children of Israel, he would have been justified in presenting them with a bill for the expenses incurred on their behalf. Nevertheless, he used his own donkey to transport himself and his family (Shemot/Exodus 4:20) and did not ask for reimbursement. Moshe was a truly dedicated leader of the people of Yisrael and a model for all involved in communal affairs.

Midrash of Matityahu

(Matthew) 3:4

1 ¶ In those days Yochanan HaMatbil (the Immerser) came calling out in the arid-hill-country of Judea,

2 and saying, “Chizru BiT’shuvah” (return to the answer), for the Kingdom of the Heavens has drawn near!

3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: The voice of one crying out in the arid-hill-country, Prepare the way of Adonai, make straight in the Aravah a road for our Elohim.”

4 ¶ And Yochanan HaMatbil himself was clothed in camel’s hair (the Tallit (Mantle) of Eliyahu – Elijah), with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was carobs and carob honey.

Commentary

The Midrash Tanchuma Yelammedenu initiates its second homily to our Torah Seder of this week with the following words:

“May it please our Master to teach us: What is considered ONA’AH (wrong-doing)? Our Masters teach us: A man is forbidden to hurt his fellow-man by asking “How much do you want for this article?” when he has no intention of purchasing it, nor should he grieve a person who has repented by reminding him of his previous behavior; nor should he taunt a man who is the son of a proselyte by saying: “Remember how your forebears behaved, the flesh of swine is still lodged between their teeth.” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Strive to act as I did, as though that were possible. When I fashioned the world I had no wish to bring grief to My creatures, and therefore did not disclose to the inhabitants of the world the exact tree from which Adam ate the forbidden fruit.

Observe that anyone who causes his neighbor to grieve is the first to be punished. Conversely Sarah was rewarded because she brought grief to herself when she said to Abraham: Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray, unto my handmaid (Genesis 16:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, told her: Inasmuch as you inflicted distress upon yourself, you may be assured that with the very words, you spoke, I will remember you. You said: The Lord has restrained me; therefore it is written: The Lord has restrained the wombs of the house of Abimelech (Genesis 20:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Abraham pleaded with Me in behalf of the wicked Abimelech, until I became merciful toward him; therefore I shall remembers Abraham together with him, as it is said: And G-d healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his handmaids (Genesis 20:17). What is written next? And the Lord remembered Sarah.”

In a similar vein, Messiah King David has been meditating day and night on our Torah Seder for this week and he comments:

1 ¶ <<A Psalm of David.>> LORD, who shall abide in Your tabernacle? who shall dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbites not with his tongue, nor does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.

4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honors them that fear the LORD. He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not.

5 He that putts not out his money to usury, nor takes reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

As we can see again and again, there is a perfect conjunction between the Torah and the Psalms. What we see this week and have seen in past weeks in the perfect and harmonious relationship between the weekly Torah Seder and the weekly Psalm is a testimony to how wonderfully our Scriptures have been put together (designed) and preserved over thousands of years. No other words can explain this but the concept of the Sovereignty of an Eternal G-d of Israel superintending His creation and His will as expressed in the Scriptures.

Our discovery of this principle is also a great miracle, for which we are truly thankful to G-d, most blessed be He, who illumines the eyes of those who continually study His Torah. I am also grateful to G-d for being surrounded with the very best of talmidim (disciples) and friends who have and will continue helping me in fleshing out the many secrets hidden in the Holy Scriptures.

Now for the coup de grace, let us carefully examine the next homily in the Tanchuma Yelammedenu (# 15), and more particularly the before last sentence:

“Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, and have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, the Lord have spoken and I will do it (Ezekiel 17:24). I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree alludes to Assyria, as it is said: Behold the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing thicket. And of a high stature (Ezekiel 31:3). Have exalted the low tree refers to Israel, as it is said: Therefore, I have made you contemptible and base before all the people (Malachi 2:9). Have dried up the green tree refers to Abimelech’s wife (because she could not bear children), and I have made the dry tree to flourish alludes to Sarah, as it is said: And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham (Genesis 21:2). I, the Lord have spoken and I will do it parallels And the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken (Genesis 21:1). R. Levi said: During the month of Tammuz, grass withers and trees blossom. Similarly, the grass withered when the Lord closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, and the trees blossomed when the Lord remembered Sarah.”

Now such a comment in the Midrash is hardly a coincidence, for we know that there is nothing superfluous in the words of our Sages. R. Levi therefore is in classic Midrashic language of parables and metaphors informing us that the events detailed in our Torah Seder for this week occurred in the month of Tammuz. And thus, our Torah Seder is an appropriate reading for this month.

I am really overawed with these miracles and signs that G-d has placed before us, and to witness that our toil is not in vain. I am also greatly encouraged knowing as the Psalmist puts it well in Psalm 23 – “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You (G-d) are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.” That is, even in times of gloom and darkness where we do our best and walk trusting G-d, even in those times when we can’t see clearly, G-d, most blessed be He is there, to discipline us and to guide us along His righteous path of great wisdom. I am truly grateful for G-d’s love, mercy, wisdom and kindness towards us and towards all the house of Israel.

In the reading of the Nazarean Codicil for this week, we read about Yochanan who appears in the Arabah dressed with the Tallit (Prayer mantle) of Eliyahu (Elijah) saying: “Chizru BiT’shuvah” (return to the answer), for the Kingdom of the Heavens has drawn near!” The Hebrew term “Chizru BiT’shuvah” is the modern call of Orthodox Rabbis in the land of Israel, and it literally means “return and do repentance” but it has come to mean “return to the answer” and meaning – “return to the Torah which is the answer” and this is the meaning of true repentance is this season of mourning.

I was very personally touched with the regular Ashlamatah that is attached to the Torah Seder of this week, and in particular with the following verses of Isaiah 66:

6 Hark! an uproar from the city, Hark! it comes from the temple, Hark! Adonai renders recompense to His enemies.

7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child.

8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says Adonai; Shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? says your God.

10 Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her;

11 That you may suck, and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations; that you may drink deeply with delight of the abundance of her glory.

We surely appear cast out for many but in the end they will be ashamed. We know He that called us, we know what we need to do, we know what is required of us, and we pray for the Master of the harvest to help us be faithful to His Torah and to the calling that He has mercifully bestowed upon us. May “the record of all our actions that are inscribed in a book in heaven” be for good and for blessing to the House of Yisrael and to all humanity, and may so it be, amen ve amen!

Shalom Shabbat!

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Shabbat:	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
ויסע משם
“Vayisa’a Misham”	Reader 1 – B’resheet 20:1-7	Reader 1 – Numbers 27:15-17
“And journeyed from there”	Reader 2 – B’resheet 20:8-13	Reader 2 – Numbers 27:18-20
“Y partió de allí”	Reader 3 – B’resheet 20:14-18	Reader 3 – Numbers 27:21-23
B’ resheet (Genesis) 20:1 – 21:34	Reader 4 – B’resheet 21:1-8
Isaiah 65:22 – 66:5 + 10-11	Reader 5 – B’resheet 21:9-13
Special: Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3	Reader 6 – B’resheet 21:14-21	Reader 1 – Numbers 28:1-5
Psalm 15	Reader 7 – B’resheet 21:22-32	Reader 2 – Numbers 28:6-10
Pirke Abot II:1-2	Maftir – B’resheet 21:32-34	Reader 3 – Numbers 28:11-15
N.C.: Matityahu 3:4	Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3